2015

Theatrical Latino Beat Tuned to the Season with “Three Kings Festival” in Columbia Heights This Sunday, January 3rd

“We Three Kings of Orient are; Bearing gifts, We travel afar, Field and fountain, moor and mountain, Following yonder Star.” The words of this iconic Christmas Carol will come alive for the 40th year,...

‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia

For a musical with such humble beginnings, the recent tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat now playing at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, shows no signs of its unassuming origins...

DCMetroTheaterArts: Best of 2015 #10: Best Performances in a Musical in Professional Theatres and Special Awards

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Performances in Musicals in Professional Theatres honors go to: Best Actor in a Musical Andrew Lloyd Baughman as Sweeney...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #13 in Theater in The Philadelphia Area

2015 was a great year for theater in Philadelphia and the Philly area reviewers of DCMetroTheaterArts: Tim Dunleavy, Deb Miller, Rachel Beecher, Megan Diehl, and Tori Middleton chime in with their...

The Long View: ‘How ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was Re-written over 50 Years Ago and Signature’s ‘West Side Story’ Masterpiece

Yes, Virginia — and DC and Maryland also — this West Side Story is Real. A Real Masterpiece. Even more, perhaps a Christmas miracle, in Shirlington Village. It’s just that good. Considered by many,...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #9: Best Performances in a Musical in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Performances in Musicals in Community Theatres go to: Best Actor in a Musical Rich Amada as Caractacus Potts in Chitty...

An Interview with Virginia Warwick: Aka Olivia the Turtle

I ran into Virginia Warwick, aka Olivia the Turtle, at an arts event a few weeks ago. Virginia frequently assumes the identity of Olivia in an ongoing performance art piece, playing out the story of a...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #8: Best Performances in a Play in Professional Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their Best of 2015: Best Performances in Plays in Professional Theatres go to: BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY Josh Adams as Billy in The Cripple of...

Richard Seff’s London Week: ‘Guys and Dolls,’ ‘Kinky Boots,’ ‘Twice Nightly’ and ‘Mr. Foote’s Other Leg’

Richard Seff recently flew over to London to see some shows and here’s what he thought: Guys And Dolls at the Savoy Theatre Guys and Dolls is or should be at the top of your list of favorite musicals....

(Re)Acts: ‘Forced From Home #RefugeeCrisis’ at Forum Theatre

The event had a provocative hashtag in its title: As if to reference an emergency that is tragically trending worldwide. As if to signal the evening’s explicit link to a global community of concern....

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #7: Best Performances in a Play in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Performances in a Play in Community Theatres go to: Best Actor in a Play Christopher Anderson as Thomas in Venus in Fur at...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #6: Best Children’s/Family Productions

Here are the DCMetroTheaterArts Staff’s honorees for Best Children’s Theatre Productions in 2015. Congrats to all our honorees. A Christmas Carol at Hope Garden Children’s Ballet Theatre. A Christmas...

‘Stars of David: Story to Song’ at Theater J

Stars of David: Story to Song—a rapturously beautiful concert musical now in a limited engagement at Theater J—is a unique blend of thrilling singing and insightful biography. Illuminating incidents...

‘The Three Maries – A Philadelphia Phable’ at the Prince Theater in Philadelphia

The Three Maries – A Philadelphia Phable is a Philadelphia musical that wears its civic pride on its sleeve. It’s a celebration of some of the things that make this city like no other, such as the...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #5: Best Plays in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Plays in Community Theatres honors go to: A Charlie Brown Christmas at Sandy Spring Theatre Group and The City of...

Moscow Ballet’s ‘Great Russian Nutcracker’ at Strathmore

The anticipation before the start of a show is always palpable to friends, family, and performers alike. I sat in the Music Center at the Strathmore, waiting for Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian...

‘Mamed and on the Mend’-Sandy Bainum Takes a Fall, Has Surgery, and is Back as Mame at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

From Sandy Bainum: “It’s Today” is my first song, as Mame Dennis, in the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known of the Riverside Dinner Theater) terrific production of Mame. It’s a...

A Report on ‘Photos In The Fire/Fotos En El Fuego’ Performed by The Paso Nuevo Youth Ensemble at GALA Hispanic Theatre

Photos In The Fire/Fotos En El Fuego is the first complete one-act play the Paso Nuevo has created together, a milestone for the GALA Hispanic Theatre‘s community-based performing arts group. By...

New Video Highlights Added: ‘Jekyll & Hyde in Concert’ at Young Artists of America at The Clarice

If ever anyone is in doubt of the future of the arts, go and see a production by the Young Artists of America (YAA). Celebrating its 5th anniversary this coming year, YAA took on the chilling tale of...

A Report on Klecksography: ‘Island of the Misfit Toys’ at Rorschach Theatre

Rorschach Theatre has produced another one-night-only show in its adventurous and eclectic Klecksography series, and Saturday night I went to report on what I saw. If I had to encapsulate the evening...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #4: Best Plays in Professional Theaters

Here are the DCMetroTheaterArts Staff’s honorees for Best Plays in Professional Theaters in 2015: A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas at Olney Theatre Center. A Conversation With the Man Who...

‘Savion Glover: DANCE HOLIDAY SPeCTaCULaR’ at GMU Center for the Arts

On December 19, 2015, preeminent tap choreographer Savion Glover presented his holiday concert DANCE HOLIDAY SPeCTaCULaR at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts. Known best for his Tony...

The National Philharmonic’s ‘Messiah’ at Strathmore

There is a legend about the London premiere of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah involving King George II. The story says that he was so moved by the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ in Part Two that he stood and...

‘Javon Jackson and Sax Appeal’ at the KC Jazz Club at the Kennedy Center

With Sax Appeal, no other “appeal” is necessary. The soul is satisfied. What happens when you bring four world-class saxophone players, a phenomenal pianist, a fingers-flying bass player, and a young...

‘Matilda the Musical’ at The Kennedy Center

Matilda the Musical, now at the Kennedy Center Opera House, is for all the disrupters and agitators out there in the world no matter what age. It is an insurrection fueled by children who are once...

Vienna Boys Choir: ‘Christmas in Vienna’ at GMU’s Center for the Arts

On December 18, 2015, GMU Center for the Arts hosted the Vienna Boys Choir and their concert Christmas in Vienna. Acclaimed Conductor Bomi Kim leads twenty-three young boys; all between the ages of 10...

‘The Season Bids Us’ at The Folger Consort

The Folger Consort — this splendid, and lapidary jewel in the crown of the Greater Washington area, and indeed, “all the world’s a stage” when it comes to the Folger — opened its Christmas-season...

Jeff Coon at The Arden Cabaret Series

Jeff Coon, a familiar and dependable face on Philadelphia stages for two decades, returned this weekend to the Arden Theatre, a company where he’s played everyone from John Wilkes Booth (in Assassins)...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Maryland Ensemble Theatre

Like most Americans of a certain age, I have seen A Christmas Carol… a lot. I have seen multiple different iterations of the traditional story, I have seen Scrooge!, I have seen Scrooged. This is...

Magic Time! A Look at Signature Theatre’s Stunning ‘West Side Story’

Signature Theatre’s production of West Side Story is every bit as eye-filling and ear-thrilling as any lover of this great American musical could wish. On a spacious thrust stage inside the intimate...

A Report on ‘It’s A Wonderful W.I.G.’ at Arts Collective@HCC

Howard Community College’s Arts Collective continued its spirited 21st season line-up with its second of four shows, a one-night-only holiday improv show called It’s a Wonderful W.I.G., featuring its...

‘West Side Story’ at Signature Theatre (Review)

Fabulous! Potent! Forceful! Tender! Let yourself fall in love again or for the first time with West Side Story. From the first note of the orchestra’s prologue, then quickly met with the syncopated...

‘The Barber of Seville’ at the Metropolitan Opera

The Barber of Seville turns 200 years old in two months. Performing it in English translation works best when it helps show American audiences how similar the elements of effective comedy are across...

National Symphony Orchestra: Handel’s Messiah at The Kennedy Center

There is a reason Handel’s Messiah has been performed for hundreds of years. It’s a masterpiece and its intricacies, depth, and sheer mass make continually new interpretations both possible and, for...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Wolf Pack Theatre Company

Charles Dickens’ immortal classic, A Christmas Carol, was first published in 1843. Now, in 2015, the Wolf Pack Theatre Company, in association with Community Crisis Services and St. John Evangelical...

‘Bright Star’ at The Kennedy Center

Bright Star officially opened last night in its pre-Broadway engagement at The Kennedy Center. And there is plenty for audiences to like and enjoy. Let’s start with that banjo. Steve Martin co-wrote...

The National Chamber Ensemble’s Holiday Concert by J.M. Greig

The National Chamber Ensemble never fails to delight, and the “Happy Holidays” concert on Saturday, December 12, 2015, provided a sparkling start to the holiday season, with works by Strauss,...

‘A Broadway Christmas’ with Elaine Paige, Matt Doyle, and Julia Goodwin’ at The American Pops

What a gorgeous, festive evening The American Pops, under the direction and the quietly flowing baton of Luke S. Frazier, gave the Lisner audience last night with their entertaining and joyful A...

‘Higher: Renée Fleming and Patricia Barber Perform The Music of Patricia Barber’ at The Kennedy Center

Musicians are not meant to be confined to one facet of their craft. Renée Fleming, one of the foremost voices in opera today, is not shy about her love for jazz and the mastery that goes into the...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #2: Best Musicals in Professional Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Musicals at Professional Theatres honors go to: The Addams Family at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre. The Addams Family at...

A Chat With Douglas Sills on Appearing in ‘Kiss Me Kate’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company

It was wunderbar having an opportunity to schmooze with Douglas Sills, who is having a blast appearing in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s fabulously entertaining production of Kiss Me Kate. Joel: Why...

‘Gentlemen Volunteers’ at Pig Iron Theatre Company in Philadelphia

For Pig Iron Theatre Company’s 20th Anniversary, the troupe is returning to a show it first presented in 1998 and which they have gone on to perform around the world. It’s Gentlemen Volunteers, a...

‘All Kids Out of the Pool’ at Ottobar This Friday, 12/18 and Sat 12/19 at Bier Baron

You know at this time of year, so much is centered on kids and entertainment for kids. Personally … blecch! I say it’s time to take that shiz back from the kids! I like my kids entertainment to be...

Spine: Mosaic’s ‘The Gospel of Lovingkindness’ and a Call for a Better World

Mosaic Theatre Company’s second offering in its inaugural season is the emotionally rich The Gospel of Lovingkindness by Marcus Gardley. In it Gardley tackles the loss of innocence by the gun and with...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #1: Special Awards

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Special Awards have been awarded to: ARI ROTH AND MOSAIC THEATER COMPANY OF DC Mazel Tov to Ari Roth and Mosaic Theater Company...

‘The Holiday Special’: ‘The Santa Closet’ and ‘The Seven Poor Travellers’ at Baltimore Theatre Project

Baltimore Theatre Project’s The Holiday Special is a coupling of Jeffrey Solomon’s The Santa Closet and Charlie Bethel’s adaption of The Seven Poor Travellers. Both of these one-act, solo-performer...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #3: Best Musicals in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Musicals at Community Theatres honorees are: Altar Boyz at Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre. Avenue Q at Other Voices...

‘An Irish Carol’ at The Keegan Theatre

An Irish Carol is an Irish twist on the holiday classic A Christmas Carol, written by one of Keegan’s own company members, Irish-born Matthew Keenan, and directed by Mark Rhea. The play premiered in...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ ‘Best of 2015 Honors’ Begins Tomorrow-A Look Back at the 2014 Honorees

We will be begin announcing announcing our ‘Best of 2015 DCMTA Honors’ tomorrow. Because we will have reviewed over 1,450 shows/concerts/dance in 2015, there is a lot to choose from and to honor. But...

Buy 1 Get 1 Free Ticket to Wolf Pack Theatre Company’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ This Thurs-Sat To Benefit the ‘Warm Nights Hypothermia Shelter Program’

BUY ONE TICKET AND GET ONE TICKET FREE: Thursday-8pm Friday-8pm Saturday-3 pm matinee and 8 pm performance Purchase your tickets at https://wolfpacktheatrecompany.webconnex.com/ACC Call 301-864-7095...