Washington DC

National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap: ‘Hamlisch Goes Gershwin ‘ by Jane Coyne

’S always wonderful and marvelous to spend an evening at Wolf Trap, especially when the most wonderful and marvelous Marvin Hamlisch shows up and devotes the entire evening to George Gershwin....

Capital Fringe Review: ‘SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL’ by Andrew L. Baughman

There’s a little gem of a solo-show buried in the great gallery of Capital Fringe, don’t let it slip under your radar! SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL is a production by one of DC’s newest companies, Tasty Monster...

‘Dr. Science’s Science Time Science-va-ganza!’ by Andrew L. Baughman

What is the secret formula for an exquisite fringe production? Well, author/comedian/molecular biologist Adam Ruben and his team decisively prove that it doesn’t take production budget (any!) or even...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘The Outcasts of Poker Flat’ by Joel Markowitz

At last year’s Page-To-Stage I was introduced to some of the songs/arias that composer/librettist Dr. Andrew Earle Simpson had composed for his adaptation of Bret Harte’s 1869 short story The Outcasts...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Mein Kampf’ by Tzvi Kahn

According to a press release and other advertising, Scena Theatre’s production of George Tabori’s Mein Kampf constitutes a “daring,” “savagely funny,” and “in-your-face dark comedy,” not to mention a...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Right to Remain…The Life and Mind of Tupac Shakur’ by Pat Davis

Even on a cool night, the heat of the Fort Fringe Bedroom is stifling. You will forget about it within two minutes as you enter Tupac Shakur’s world, shaped and portrayed by Meshaun Labrone in his...

‘Hairspray’ at Montgomery College’s Summer Dinner Theatre by Derek Mong

Montgomery College continues its 35th consecutive year of Summer Dinner Theatre with a show-stopping performance of Hairspray, directed and choreographed by Pauline Grossman. Set in 1960’s Baltimore,...

‘I Am (Not) My Mother’ at Maryland Ensemble Theatre by Mike Spain

A local playwright Suzanne Beal is having a World Premiere run of I Am (Not) My Mother at Maryland Ensemble Theatre. Proceeds go to help The Woman’s Giving Circle. It is a great story of putting...

‘The Addams Family’ at The Kennedy Center by Doug Poms

The Addams Family, the kooky clan that was first the subject of Charles Addams cartoons in the New Yorker, then featured on a popular television sitcom, and more recently a couple of Hollywood films,...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Hamlet’ by Lauren Katz

When I accepted the program for We Happy Few Productions’ experimental approach to Hamlet, I have to admit I felt a little apprehensive. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the brilliant...

Fringe Review: ‘Cabaret XXX: Love the One You’re With’ by Grace Kim

Cabaret XXX: Love The One You’re With are the four ladies of Pinky Swear Productions, Toni Rae Brotons (director), Christina Frank, Allyson Harkey, and Karen Lange and backed by the excellent band,...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Dreams in the Arms of the Binding Lady’ by Grace Kim

Dreams In The Arms of The Binding Lady is a deliciously dark and weird (in a good way!) performance by Izumi Ashizawa and her performers, Izumi production members Nick Horan, Raechel Nolan, Vanessa...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Children in the Mist’ by Anne Tsang

Children in the Mist, written by and starring Sean Pflueger and directed by Gregory Stuart, is an adaptation of Steven King’s The Mist in which a father (Pflueger as David Drayton) and son (Henry...

Part 4: ‘Finding Big Love’ By Kristen Kelly

“Things happen so suddenly sometimes.” In Charles Mee’s Big Love, Nikos says this to Lydia. And sometimes that’s the only thing you can say. In the theatre, your family becomes the people who are...

‘Buddy Guy With Special Guest John Mayall’ at Wolf Trap by Mike Spain

It is not often you get to see two living legends on one night. However, that is what happened on July 12, 2012 at Wolf Trap. British blues legend John Mayall opening up for blues legend Buddy Guy....

Capital Fringe Festival Review: ‘The Nita and Zita Show’ by Joel Markowitz

‘Please Sir, I want some more!!” That’s how I felt when abruptly The Nita and Zita Show’ ended after only 27 minutes of fun and gorgeous playing by three superb musicians. Frankly, I was dumbfounded....

‘Will Gartshorez: Underappreciated & Overexposed’ at ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret’ at Signature Theatre by Eric Denver

Last night, Signature Theatre continued the second day of its sixth annual ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret’ series with an outstanding solo performance by Will Gartshore (with a surprise). Will performed...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Young Republicans’ by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

Young Republicans is 65 entertaining minutes of fresh, insightful humor, and heart. You certainly don’t have to be young or Republican to enjoy this Capital Fringe show! Frankly, when I saw that Helen...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Where in the World? The Untold Story of Camilla Sanfrancisco’ by Jessica Vaughan

Where in the world is Camilla Sanfrancisco? is pure, well-produced fun. Jeff Vonch is both co-writer and producer, with fellow writers Patrick English and J. Adrian Verkourteren. Under the sure...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Pericles vs. Wilkins’ by Jessica Vaughan

Pericles is not performed very often and local company The Rude Mechanicals from Laurel, MD offers a reason why in this shortened, but, they insist, unedited version of this...

Capital Fringe Review: ‘Souls’ by Joel Markowitz

A group of young dancers put their hearts and souls into Mayzsoul Dance Company’s energetic and beautiful production Souls. Described as “a thoughtful and moving metaphysical narrative, it follows...

Matthew Scott and Kirsten Scott at ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Cabarets’ at Signature Theatre by Eric Denver

Last night, Signature Theatre opened its annual ‘Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret’ series with a smashing performance by Matthew and Kirsten Scott. This is the first cabaret out of the batting cage of 16...

‘Stop Kiss’ at Silver Spring Stage by Amanda Gunther

To end the season with a heart-stopping, deeply emotional show is to go out with a bang and Silver Spring Stage does just that with their production of Stop Kiss. Director Chris Curtis brings to the...

Stage Dad: ‘At This Performance the Role of Billy Will Be Played by Ben Cook’ by Glenn Cook

I still get nervous when I see my children perform. It’s almost a reflex, a parent’s prayer to a higher being that they will enjoy it, that they will do their best, that nothing will go wrong and, if...

“Seal’ at Wolf Trap by Mike Spain

The anticipation was high with Macy Gray opening for Seal at Wolf Trap. Unfortunately for those who were seated in the lawn – it rained most of the night. However, a large crowd weathered the storm...

The Contemporary American Theater Festival’s 5 Plays Reviewed by Mike Spain

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) is celebrating its 22nd season at Shepherd University, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Those seasons have created a history of 90 new plays produced...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Apocalypse Picnic’ by Orbit Chef

In Apocalypse Picnic, meteors have struck Earth and rendered obsolete the nagging questions of the past. Is America in decline? Can the Israelis and Palestinians get along? Puh-lease – Western Civ’s...

Ruby Griffith Awards Set for This Sunday, July 14th by David Bradley

This year’s Ruby Griffith Award Ceremony, hosted by The British Players, will be held on Sunday, July 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bretton Woods Recreation Center, 15700 River Road, in Germantown, MD.....

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘The Comedy of Mirrors’ by Tracey Elaine Chessum and Teresa Ann Virginia Bayer

Pallas Theatre Collective returns to the Capital Fringe Festival to present a hilarious, family-friendly interpretation of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors after their highly praised first season...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Zero Tolerance: Sex, Math and Seizures’ by Barbara Selfridge

I would love for the world to meet my sister. I think they’d all fall in love with her, and then maybe, they’d reject all the cuts in programs that serve her population. When the economy goes this...

Coming to The Fringe Festival: ‘A Year of Giving’ By Patrick Miller

When Reed Sandridge first started his ‘Year of Giving,’ no one could have predicted what would come of it. After losing his job, and beginning to fall into the depression that comes from unemployment,...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Donna Has a Boyfriend: A Collection of Works’ by Hayley Cutler

Donna Has a Boyfriend is a collection of three works from critically acclaimed postmodern dance company darlingdance. The show consists of (The Censoring of) Approximate Location, a controversial...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Aaaaaagh! Murder!’ by Nick Firer

There’s something lurking in the shadowy halls of Gloomethorne Manor, something sinister, scandalous, and altogether much too silly. Murder most hilarious has come to the home of Lord and Lady...

Round House Theatre Silver Spring Presents ‘Over the Line Festival’ July 12-29 by Sarah Pressler

Round House Theatre shakes things up in Silver Spring this month with its inaugural Over The Line Festival. Curated by Round House, this unique celebration of theatre, music, and dance comes to Round...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Dr. Science’s Science Time Science-va-ganza!’ by Adam Ruben

I became a scientist partially because I was lied to. And you all know the liar I’m talking about–the guy in the lab coat who comes to your class in third grade, dips a rose in liquid nitrogen, and...

‘Wake Up, Brother Bear!’ at Imagination Stage by Julia L. Exline

Imagination Stage presents Wake Up, Brother Bear!, a highly interactive show for ages 1-5, that takes you and your child through all four seasons with a playful pair of bear siblings. The children and...

Coming to The Fringe Festival: ‘Sweet Painted Lady’ by Michael R. Burgtorf

Fighting unemployment, a pill addiction, and a failing relationship with his workaholic, art-dealing fiancé, Jack is in a confusing place. It doesn’t help that the gift his fiancé bought him, a...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: “The Outcasts of Poker Flat’ by Andrew Earle Simpson

If you think that the recent power outages are tough, just wait till you see what the six characters in this opera are up against! The Outcasts of Poker Flat, a new one-act chamber opera by...

‘The Music Man Kids’-Part Five: Meet Colin James Cech by Joel Markowitz

This is Part Five in a series of interviews with the very talented group of five young actors in the cast of Arena Stage’s production of The Music Man. Today – meet Colin James Cech. Thanks to Mia...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Stopgap’ by Danielle Mohlman

Inciting Incident – Stopgap This play started as a joke. It’s jarring to look at that sentence and then see where the play is today. But it’s something that I have to face. Because it’s the truth. I...

‘A Chorus Line’ at Rockville Musical Theatre by Lauren Katz

Up until last night, I thought A Chorus Line was nothing more than a musical about an audition. I now realize I was completely wrong. Because of the brilliant writing, strong vocalists, and...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’ by Megan Kuhn

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Travel the Road to Nowhere Destiny and the desire to control quality of life during perilous circumstances are at the heart of Infinite Jest’s production of Rosencrantz...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Imagination Meltdown Adventure’ by Alex Leidy

In the past, Pointless Theatre’s shows have been directly inspired by some of the artists who influenced the company. The Sleeping Beauty: a puppet ballet, our 2010 Pick of the Fringe winner for Best...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Rolling By’ by A. R. Lange

It’s a parlor game we’ve all played – what if I were stranded on a desert island? What if I could start over, free of obligations, debt, and consequences? Rolling By starts when an exploding cruise...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL’ by Heather Bagnall Scheeler

SINGLEMARRIEDGIRL, adaptation by Heather Bagnall Scheeler debuts at the Capital Fringe Festival It was about two years ago that serendipity or perhaps fate introduced Heather Bagnall Scheeler to...

‘Avenue Q’ at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Get ready to be as loud as the hell you want when cheering for the sensational cast of The Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre’s Avenue Q. The outdoor area premier of this Tony Award- winning musical is...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Alice in Wonderland’ by Betsy Marks Delaney

Alice in Wonderland: Our world and welcome to it! Volumes have been written about Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll. His novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and...

Part 3: ‘Finding Big Love’ by Kirsten Kelly

A heat index of 114 and a sudden knock-down, drag-out storm. My new little one (who thankfully sleeps like a dream) slept through the chaos as the huge grill outside his window was tossed several feet...

‘Giselle’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Romantic Giselle gets new life When The Paris Opera Ballet performs Giselle at The Kennedy Center through the weekend, you won’t see the traditional, slow entrance from the wings by the “Wilis” –...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: Faction of Fools ‘Fool For All: Tales of Marriage and Mozzarella’ by Rachel Spicknall

What Is Faction of Fools‘ Fool for All? The Fool for All is based on two complementary factors: 1) The DC actor community is vast, talented, and diverse, and 2) Commedia dell’Arte is a specialized...