2013

David Lowery to Host MD Film Festival Opening by Teresa McCormick Ertel

Filmmaker and writer David Lowery (Aint Them Bodies Saints, Pioneer, St. Nick) will be hosting the Opening Night Shorts Program on Wednesday May 8, 2013 for the Maryland Film Festival. With a film of...

Part 3: ‘Raising Cain: Meet the Cast of ‘How to Write a New Book for the Bible’: Meet Ray Ficca

This is Part Three of a series of interviews with the talented cast of Round House Theatre’s How to Write a New Book for the Bible. Today, meet Ray Ficca. Joel: Why did you want to be involved in this...

Bay Theatre Company Ceases Operations by Joel Markowitz

I was so saddened when I opened an email around 9:30 PM tonight from Bay Theatre Company‘s Artistic Director Janet Luby, which informed me that the theatre is closing its doors. “The Board of...

‘Ghost-Writer’ at MetroStage by Yvonne French

In 1897, American writer Henry James got writer’s cramp and hired Theodora Bosanquet to take dictation on the newly invented typewriter in an arrangement that spanned the last eight years of his life....

‘Smudge’ at Pinky Swear Productions by Flora Scott

There are shows that are good and there are shows that are bad. There are countless shows that land somewhere in the middle. We all have various reasons we attend the plays we do: invitations, free...

‘Of Mice and Men’ at The Acting Company at George Mason University by Francine Schwartz

The Acting Company presented a powerful and heartbreaking production of John Steinbeck’s 1937 play Of Mice and Men at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts on Sunday, April 28th. The...

‘The Personals’ at No Rules Theatre Company by Mark Dewey

Searching for Mr. and Mrs. Right in “The Personal(s)” There’s been an accident. We don’t know exactly what happened, but we know that Janna was driving, and we know that Don was making Janna laugh,...

’33 Variations’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria by Justin Schneider

There’s an analogy to be drawn between musical composition and the theater. A play is like a theme; each production is a variation on that theme, stretching it past its original bounds and...

‘Midori’ at The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at The Music Center at Strathmore by Keith Tittermary

In 1982, the young Japanese immigrant, Midori Goto, made her concert debut with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of the legendary Zubin Mehta. The young violinist was only 11 at the time....

Nibbles And Sips Around Town: ‘Spring Things’ by Jordan Wright

Spring at last – not the in-your-face summer torture we had last week when temps reached 95 degrees and eggs were frying on the sidewalks of DC – spring with lilacs, violets, dogwood and daffodils –...

‘Guys and Dolls, JR.’ at Thoreau Middle School by Eric Denver

You didn’t have to take Amtrak to Broadway this past weekend to find “The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York.” All you had to do was to drive out to Vienna, Virginia to...

Tickets On Sale For Young Artists of America’s ‘REQUIEM’ on May 11 and 12th

Young Artists of America is thrilled toannounce that tickets are now on sale for our final concert of the season: REQUIEM Saturday, May 11 at 7:30pm Sunday, May 12 at 4:00pm The Lutheran Church of...

’33 Variations’ at Reston Community Players by Jane Coyne

Starting with the play itself, there is a whole lot to like about 33 Variations, an intricately delightful play written by Moisés Kaufman and directed by Sue Pinkman, currently being staged by Reston...

‘Optimism! Or Voltaire’s Candide’ at Spooky Action Theater by Jessica Vaughan

“Everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” Spooky Action Theater takes Candide’s satire of life, love, hope and human decency to the extreme in Optimism! Or Voltaire’s Candide,...

‘DC-7: The Roberto Clemente Story’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Sydney-Chanele Dawkins

Memory and myth are intertwined in the DC-7: Roberto Clemente Story. The mythic aspects of sports, and baseball in particular, usually draw on nostalgia for how things used to be and cliches of the...

‘Man of La Mancha’ at Castaways Repertory Theatre by Terry Byrne

Back in the day when musical theater spawned chart-toppers, “The Impossible Dream” became an anthem not only for every hopeless romantic, but also for never-say-die American dreamers. The mettle test,...

Film Review: ‘Hava Nagila’ by Bari Biern

First, take out your No. 2 pencils and answer this question: Where did the traditional Jewish song, “Hava Nagila” originate? (1) Jerusalem (2) Warsaw (3) Miami Okay, it’s a trick question. The real...

‘The Amazing & Marvelous Cabinets of Kismet’ at Wit’s End Puppets at Mead Theatre Lab by Justin Schneider

How do we determine our place in the world? How do we give our lives meaning? And how do we do both of these things while dealing with loss and change? These are just a few of the questions posed by...

Topdog/Underdog at Everyman Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Watch the cards closely. Pick a red card you pick a loser. Pick another red card you pick the other loser. But pick a black card and you pick a winner. And picking to see the Baltimore area of premier...

‘The Tempest’ at Rockville Little Theatre by Keith Tittermary

The Tempest, one of Shakespeare’s final plays, is a difficult play to categorize: part romance, part cautionary tale, part comedy. The play is A Midsummer’s Night Dream – lite, set on a mysterious...

‘Filichia on Friday’: ‘April in Amsterdam’ by Peter Filichia

Here is a new article from Peter Filichia’s column on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday. It’s an honor to bring Peter’s column every week to our readers on DCMTA. This week: April in Amsterdam...

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

The Puppet Co. presents Cinderella, arguably the world’s most beloved fairy tale. This version, set in the opulence of 17th Century France, provides a different perspective on a childhood favorite,...

‘Spring Awakening’ at Towson University by Amanda Gunther

Discovery in adolescence; a true coming of age story with the trials of love, sexuality, and death all hovering on the horizons of existence. A stunningly profound musical, winner of 8 Tony Awards,...

TONIGHT at 10:30 PM: Theatre Lab Presents Its 3rd Annual ‘Dramathon’ at Theater J

Award-Winning Actors and Playwrights Help Send Kids to Camp in The Theatre Lab’s Dramathon The Theatre Lab’s third annual Dramathon, TONIGHT April 26 at 10:30 p.m. at Theater J, will once again reward...

Joe Sample at The Barns at Wolf Trap by Audrey Thornton

Continuing a long tradition of top notch performances, The Barns at Wolf Trap featured the compositions of contemporary jazz pianist Joe Sample on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. Even before...

Brian Childers on ‘An Evening With Danny Kaye’ at TACT’s Benefit on May 6th@7pm

In 2002, Brian Childers wowed DC area audiences with his spot-on and high-energy performance as Danny Kaye in Danny and Sylvia: A Musical Love Story, first at The American Century Theatre (TACT) and...

An Interview With Artists’ Bloc’s Hunter Styles by Cate Brewer

On Friday, March 15, 2013 I had the pleasure of watching a reading of the new musical Everything I Do by John Becker. The play is based on a contemporary adaptation of Shaw’s Man and Super Man. The...

Film Review: ‘No Place on Earth’ by Erica Laxson

Cave explorer Chris Nicola traveled to some of the worlds longest caves in a search for his heritage, but instead unraveled the harrowing true story about a group of Jewish WWII survivors. No Place on...

‘Big River’ at Greenbelt Arts Center by Amanda Gunther

If you’ve ever wanted a chance to drift down the Mississippi river on a raft with Mark Twain and his fantastical imagination, then Greenbelt Arts Center is giving you your chance with their production...

‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ at Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre by Julia L. Exline

The Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre presents 5-time Tony Award-winning The Drowsy Chaperone, with Music and Lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar. Director...

Dignity Players Announces its 2013-2014 Season by Mickey Lund

What is art, and where do we draw the line between what is and isn’t art? Although the answer to that question can be as varied as the colors of a rainbow, the one thing that is certain about art is...

‘An Evening With Danny Kaye’ to Benefit The American Century Theater on May 6th at 7 PM at Artisphere

Brian Childers returns to perform An Evening with Danny Kaye, the show he “always wanted to perform’, to benefit The American Century Theater (TACT) on Monday, May 6, 2013 at Artisphere – 1101 Wilson...

An Interview With Theater Without Limits’ Suzi Eldridge on Summer Camp and ‘Snoopy!’ by Teresa McCormick Ertel

THEATER WITHOUT LIMITS: CARROLL COUNTY MARYLAND SUMMER CAMP FOR CHILDREN OF ALL LEARNING STYLES AND ABILITIES Suzi Eldridge shares her passion her bringing an inclusive acting program to the community...

Tony Winner Brian Stokes Mitchell’s ‘Broadway’s Show-Stoppers’ at The Kennedy Center on Sunday, May 12th @5 PM

What a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day as Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell performs a concert filled with Broadway’s Show-Stoppers at The Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall on Sunday, May 12th...

Michael Kahn Inducted as Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Lindsay Tolar

STC ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL KAHN NAMED HONORARY COMMANDER OF THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company, has been inducted as...

Adventure Theatre MTC Offering Over $25,000 In Scholarships to Students From Grades 5-12 by Amanda Russell

Adventure Theatre MTC (ATMTC) ACADEMY announces its plan to issue over $25,000 in scholarships to young performing arts students in the Montgomery County and Washington, D.C. area for its inaugural...

Part 2: ‘Raising Cain: Meet the Cast of ‘How to Write a New Book for the Bible’: Meet MaryBeth Wise

This is Part Two of a series of interviews with the talented cast of Round House Theatre’s How to Write a New Book for the Bible. Today, meet MaryBeth Wise. Joel: Why did you want to be involved in...

Part 1: ‘Raising Cain: Meet the Cast of How to Write a New Book for the Bible: Meet Mitchell Hébert’

This is Part One of a series of interviews with the talented cast of Round House Theatre’s How to Write a New Book for the Bible. Today, meet Mitchell Hébert. Joel: Why did you want to be involved in...

Married to the Stage: ‘Columbia, MO Here We Come!’ by Natalie McCabe

There are many factors that have affected where I have chosen to go to school and why. One major consideration of Johnny and me is monetary. Our various degrees (an MFA and BFA for him, a BA, an MA in...

‘Reaching the NextStop’ Part 2: NextStop Theatre Company’s First Season Season Schedule by Evan Hoffmann

I am pleased to announce the first professional season for NextStop Theatre Company. We have developed an exciting season that is focused on the idea of re-imagining ‘possible’ – Unorthodox approaches...

‘Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Starring Peter Gros’ at Hylton Performing Arts Center by Grace Kim

For an animal lover like me who grew up watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom with host Peter Gros, it was a spectacular treat to see him live. Introducing himself and showing a clip of his first...

‘The Magic Finger’ at Imagination Stage by Julia L. Exline

Imagination Stage presents Roald Dahl’s The Magic Finger, adapted for the stage by David Wood and directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer. Young Lucy has a magical finger that doles out justice when she gets...

‘Boeing Boeing’ at Rep Stage by Yvonne French

Get a ticket and fly over to Rep Stage in Columbia, MD, for Boeing Boeing, a completely enjoyable bedroom farce. Boeing Boeing premiered in Paris in 1960 where it ran for 19 years and was first staged...

‘Paul’s Case’ at UrbanArias by Terry Byrne

The words “world premiere” don’t always translate to “Must-See,” but in the case of Paul’s Case, a post-minimalist, compact opera unveiled by UrbanArias at Artisphere, they’re synonymous. Adapted from...

Andrea Marcovicci at The Barns at Wolf Trap by John Harding

True devotees of the art of live cabaret would go a thousand miles for a fresh serving of Andrea Marcovicci. Witness Saturday night in The Barns at Wolf Trap, where Ms. Marcovicci had only to take the...

Michael Feinstein at The Music Center at Strathmore by Keith Tittermary

On July 11, 1937, the young 38 year old George Gershwin died of a brain tumor, but before his untimely passing, he had approximately 900 published songs and almost as many unpublished ones. Together...

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

McLean Community Players present Rumors, a comedic farce by Neil Simon. Directed by Rosemary Hartman, four wealthy couples arrive for a dinner party, but are instead thrown into an evening full of...

‘The VIP’ at Single Carrot Theatre by Amanda Gunther

They lived as hostages for 126 days. The rescue mission took 41 seconds. A stunning dramatic reality is explored upon the stage at Single Carrot Theatre in this compelling play based upon real events....

‘The Lady Becomes Him’ at Faction of Fools by Justin Schneider

I’m going to start this review with two important facts. The first fact is that the night I went to see Faction of Fools’ The Lady Becomes Him, it was raining. Hard. One of those awful DC storms that...

‘Six Degrees of Separation’ at Port City Playhouse by Francine Schwartz

John Guare’s award-winning Six Degrees of Separation was a tremendously successful Broadway play, eventually made into a movie, which played out the notion that all people are connected, and the...