Washington DC

‘The Nautical Yards’ at Force/Collision by Amanda Gunther

A mystical journey awaits you in the waters of Yards Park. Water mythology, wartime, love and loss, all of this is intricately intertwined into the devised site-specific water ballet/theatrical...

Dance Review: ‘Noism’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelermen

If off-the wall comedy, space-age dancing, technical wonders, and choreography that defies definition turn you on, catch tonight’s performance of choreographer/lighting designer/architect/poet Jo...

‘Miss Havisham’s Fire’ At Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center by Tiffany Draut

There are certain characters in literature that, for whatever reason, capture the imagination, whether for good or ill. Miss Havisham, with her decaying wedding dress and moldering wedding feast, has...

‘Family Day Festival’ and ‘Playhouse Puppetry Slam!’ This Saturday at The Puppet Co. by Erin Gifford

Erin Gifford, Director of Communications and Development of The Puppet Co., tells us about this year’s Playhouse Puppetry Slam! and The Family Day Festival – both happening this Saturday in Glen Echo...

‘The Fantasticks’ at Vienna Theatre Company by Doug Poms

The Fantasticks has the distinction of being the longest-running musical in history (the original Off-Broadway production ran a whopping 17,162 performances between 1960 and 2002, not including a...

Capital Sound: ‘We have Bluegrass Right Here’ by Mike Spain

On April 17th, the area was treated with a true bluegrass treat when Peter Rowan, Tony Rice and the Travelin’ McCourys shared the stage to celebrate Bill Monroe at The Music Center at Strathmore. Tony...

‘A Grand Night for Singing’ at Washington Savoyards

Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals live in our hearts with their happily-ever-after stories and popular songs. In Washington Savoyards’ production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein review called A Grand...

‘Pure Tango’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Tango es la pasiòn del alma. Tango is the passion of the soul. Tango is many things; it can be a man, a woman, a feeling, a dance…all these things and more. And all these discoveries of tango are...

‘The 39 Steps’ at The Olney Theatre Center by Amanda Gunther

Murder! Mayhem! Mystery! Clowns? This exciting action-packed thriller could be none other than The 39 Steps presented at The Olney Theatre Center. Adapted by Patrick Barlow based on the movies of...

‘Las Meninas’ at Rep Stage by Amanda Gunther

Deception is the shining glory in the court of King Louis XIV. Or so the story unfurls in Rep Stage’s production of Lynn Nottage’s Las Meninas. A thought provoking, emotional rollercoaster of a show...

‘God of Carnage’ at Signature Theatre by Ashunda Norris

I absolutely loathe the fact that people must pretend to like one another for the sake of appearances and are deemed socially inept if they don’t go along with the status quo. Most people only unravel...

‘Deathtrap’ at McLean Community Players by Julia L. Exline

McLean Community Players presents Deathtrap, Broadway’s longest-running thriller by Ira Levin. Directed by Jerry Bonnes, Deathtrap is a suspenseful treat filled with greed, deceit, and shocking...

‘Witness for the Prosecution’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria by Julia L. Exline

The Little Theatre of Alexandria present’s Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution, a courtroom thriller with sudden twists and turns that shock even those with the keenest detective eyes....

Steve LaRocque on His New One-Man Show – ‘Byline: Ernie Pyle’

He hated war, but he felt compelled to go back to it, again and again. He said, “There’s a war on and I’m part of it… I’ve got to go, and I hate it.” Ernie Pyle was one of the first “embedded”...

Helen Hayes Awards Recipients Announced by Joel Markowitz

Here are the 2012 Helen Hayes Awards recipients, announced at The Warner Theatre on April 23. 2012: Outstanding Resident Musical: Hairspray, at Signature Theatre. Outstanding Resident Play: Ruined, at...

‘The Whipping Man’ at Theater J by Joel Markowitz

Theater J’s powerful and sizzling production of Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Man, directed with sensitivity and heart by Jennifer L. Nelson, is a theatrical experience you will never forget. I left...

‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ at Quotidian Theatre Company by Natalie McCabe

Quotidian Theatre Company’s Mission Statement reads, in part, “By providing realistic situations and dialogue, we want to give the audience the impression that they are witnessing events over a...

HHA Nominees Michael Bobbitt, Rena Cherry Brown, Jobari Parker-Namdar & Christopher Youstra By Joel Markowitz

Nominees Michael J. Bobbitt, Rena Cherry Brown, Jobari Parker-Namdar, and Christopher Youstra. Joel: Where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, and what was...

The Helen Hayes Awards Nominees: Vishal Vaidya, Dan Van Why, Alan Wiggins and Rachel Zampelli by Joel Markowitz

Nominees Vishal Vaidya, Dan Van Why, Alan Wiggins, and Rachel Zampelli. Joel: Where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, and what was your first reaction?...

Helen Hayes Awards Nominees Maximilien Baud, Noah Chiet, and Matthew DeLorenzo

Nominees Maximilien Baud, Noah Chiet, and Matthew DeLorenzo Joel: Where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, and what was your first reaction? Maximilien:...

‘Come Fly Away’ at The Kennedy Center by David Friscic

Twyla Tharp, the innovative dance pioneer and Kennedy Center Honors recipient, joins forces with the smooth, lush, and swinging vocals of Frank Sinatra to conceive the glorious and witty homage to...

‘Nibbles and Sips Around Town Does Brunch’ by Jordan Wright

I’m often asked, “Where shall we go for brunch?” “It depends,” I evasively respond, clueless as to your expectations. Prefer outdoors, indoors or lavish buffet? Quick and cheap or farmer’s market...

Karma and Brianne Camp on Their ‘Hairspray’ Helen Hayes Awards Nomination by Joel Markowitz

Joel: Where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, and what was your first reaction? Brianne: I was with my mother sailing into New York Harbor on The Disney...

‘The Music of Bill Monroe with Rowan, Rice, McCourys’ at The Music Center at Strathmore by Mike Spain

Peter Rowan, Tony Rice, and The Travelin’ McCourys, who are some of the biggest names in Bluegrass came together to honor Bill Monroe at The Music Center at Strathmore in a program called The Music of...

Tenor Jesús Daniel Hernández on ‘De Mi Corazón Latino [From My Latin Heart]’ at The In Series by Joel Markowitz

Not only does Jesús Daniel Hernández posses a beautiful tenor voice, he also has a remarkable story to tell about his life, his training, being discovered, and his career. Jesús tells us about De Mi...

The Playwrights: Helen Hayes Awards Nominees Deb Margolin, Jason Lott, and Helen Pafumi by Joel Markowitz

The Playwrights: Deb Margolin, Jason Lott, and Helen Pafumi _____ Joel: Where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award and what was your first reaction? Deb: I...

‘Crown of Shadows: the wake of odysseus’ at Round House Theatre by Pat Davis

Crown of Shadows: the wake of odysseus, written by Jason Gray Platt and premiering at Round House Theatre, is witty and surprising. Gray Platt, at twenty-seven, is already quite accomplished, with an...

‘Working – A Musical’ at The Keegan Theatre by Doug Poms

The Keegan Theatre brings to Washington the not-often performed musical, Working – A Musical, a show based on the well-known book of the same name from the 1970s by Studs Terkel that features a series...

‘Arias with a Twist’ at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

A enticing invitation for your imagination’s indulgence comes to you from Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company’s production of Arias With A Twist. It’s an explosion of creativity when the minds of Joey...

Rachel Grossman on dog&ponydc’s Helen Hayes Awards Nomination for Beertown by Joel Markowitz

Rachel Grossman talks about dog&ponydc’s Helen Hayes Awards nomination for Beertown and the teamwork that made the show such a hit. Joel: What were you nominated for and why did you want to be part of...

Steve LaRocque on Playing Father Jack in ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ at Quotidian Theatre Company

Old friends are the best friends. Shortly after I came to the Washington DC area in 1994, I had a chance to portray the irascible S.B. O’Donnell in Brian Friel’s play Philadelphia, Here I Come. I...

‘Musings from the Back of the Theater: Deathtrap at McLean Community Players Revisited’ By Jerry Bonnes

Twenty-five years ago I was directing the play, Deathtrap in Virginia. I stood in the back of the theater at one of the many critical moments of the play. All eyes were fixed on the stage. But my...

Adventure Theatre and Musical Theater Center Merge and Become ‘Adventure Theatre MTC’ by Joel Markowitz

Adventure Theatre and Musical Theater Center today announced their agreement to merge. I am so happy for both of them. It’s a great union and the possibilities are endless. From Producing Artistic...

‘Enchanted April’ at Silver Spring Stage by Amanda Gunther

Let enchantment bridge the gap between your befores and afters at the Silver Spring Stage’s production of Enchanted April. Directed by Laurie T. Freed this fun little comedy is perfect for springtime....

An Interview with Come Fly Away’s Ashley Blair Fitzgerald by Carolyn Kelemen

Ashley Blair Fitzgerald swings back into town When you dance in a Twyla Tharp show, you’ve got to do more than pirouettes or pretty ballet steps. Tharp’s choreography is unique. It’s gutsy, quirky and...

The Male and Female ‘The Odd Couple” at Sterling Playmakers by Queen ‘Lottie’ Yard

Sterling Playmakers delivers a one-two punch with Lora Buckman’s production of both the male and female versions of The Odd Couple. Written by Neil Simon, the Tony Award-winning play, The Odd Couple,...

Strathmore Presents: ‘Joshua Bell and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields’ by Jane Coyne

(Actually, 5 stars muliplied to infinity) Joshua Bell and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields came to Strathmore on Friday April 13, 2012 at 8pm. They were so fabulously pure and good that the...

‘Baby’ at Rockville Musical Theatre by Joel Markowitz

Rockville Musical Theatre is performing the musical Baby in the intimate The Gaithersburg Arts Barn. The show has a score by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and a book by Sybille...

‘Sleeping Beauty’ at The Kennedy Center by Mike Spain

David Gonzalez presents a version of Sleeping Beauty the audience has not seen or heard before. Gonzalez follows in the footsteps of others – like Disney and The Grimm Brothers – who have added their...

‘John & Beatrice’ at The Hub Theatre by Pat Davis

The Hub Theatre’s production of John & Beatrice is riveting. The play is funny, poetic, suspenseful, and deep. A young woman advertises that she is an heiress who has never loved anyone and says she...

‘Emily Skinner’ at The Barbara Cook Spotlight Series at The Kennedy Center by David Friscic

Broadway musical singer and stage actress Emily Skinner dazzled the crowd at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theatre Friday evening, April 13th, for a scintillating set of 13 songs interspersed with...

Designers Colin K. Bills, David Ghatan, and Matt Rowe on their Helen Hayes Awards Nominations by Joel Markowitz

The Designers: Colin K. Bills, David Ghatan, and Matt Rowe Joel: Where were you when you found out that you had been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, and what was your first reaction? Colin: This...

‘ALICE (in wonderland)’ at The Washington Ballet by Carolyn Kelemen

Alice (in La La Land) takes us on a heady trip Moments before last night’s world premiere of ALICE (in wonderland), Septime Webre bounced onto the Eisenhower Theater stage as he has done so many times...

Anna Caterina Antonacci at The Kennedy Center by Simon Chin

If Anna Caterina Antonacci had taken a more conventional path, the Italian soprano would likely be enjoying the peak of a major international career. She possesses a remarkable vocal instrument,...

Schmoozing with Helen Hayes Awards Nominees Ben Cook and Chris Dinolfo by Joel Markowitz

Nominees Ben Cook and Chris Dinolfo talk about their performances in Billy Elliot and King Lear. Their performances were full of passion and energy and were a joy to watch. Joel: Where were you when...

‘Pinocchio’ at The Puppet Co. by Julia L. Exline

The Puppet Co. presents Pinocchio, the classic story of a wooden puppet’s adventurous quest to become a real, live boy! Directed by Allan Stevens, this production is recommended to be enjoyed by...

‘The Seafarer’ at Scena Theatre by Kevin O’Connell

In Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer, Richard Harkin says of his brother, Sharky, “It’s a well-known fact in this whole area that my brother has that rare gift which is, unfortunately, the opposite of...

Schmoozing With the 2012 Helen Hayes Awards Nominees: Flye, Hébert, Mendenhall, Riegler and Russotto by Joel Markowitz

I am so happy to begin a series of short interviews with this year’s Helen Hayes Award nominees with five of my favorite local actors – Catherine Flye, Mitchell Hébert, Jennifer Mendenhall, Kirstin...

Introducing ‘Capital Sound’ on DC Theater Arts by Mike Spain

Welcome to Capital Sound! My new column will focus on covering the music scene in the local area around Washington,, DC. Any night one can hear the rhythms and beats seeping out of the countless...

An Interview with CityDance’s Lorraine Spiegler by Jane Coyne

I recently had the opportunity to visit with Lorraine Spiegler – Director of Studio Education of and Conservatory at CityDance. CityDance is a wonderful arts organization, and they have very exciting...