2015

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘The Last Burlesque’

The Last Burlesque is a fun, sexy romp with much to delight – from spirited performances, creative dance numbers, eye-catching costumes, to (of course!) good old-fashioned titillating burlesque....

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘straight on til moUrning’

This is not the Neverland you remember. It’s grown-up, it’s grittier, nothing is certain; and with straight on til moUrning, local physical theatre company relEASE has presented a daring and fresh new...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘BoomeRaging: From LSD to OMG’

“I am not a human being. I don’t pretend to be a human being. I am a comic” are among some of the opening lines in Will Durst’s one-man comedy show BoomeRaging: From LSD to OMG. Written and directed...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘Up For Debate’

Any show starting with a handsome actor wearing a gold lame vest while singing (in excellent baritone) an anthem to the state of Idaho cannot be accused of taking itself too seriously. Luke Mullan,...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘The Life of King John’

The Life of King John is a one-of-a-kind interpretation of Shakespeare’s historical play, directed by Alan Duda. The production weaves elements and references from Monty Python’s Spamalot into this...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘BellyFunkShun’

A critic is not supposed to be part of the show. A critic is not supposed to get up on the stage and “get down,” wiggling her fat belly/butt under the bright lights. But BellyFunkShun calls for it....

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘Twelfth Night: A Musical Remix’

There was never a dull moment in Twelfth Night: A Musical Remix directed by Justin Poole. This version of William Shakespeare’s well-known comedy, filled with confused identity, trickery and...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #48: ‘DancEthos with The West Shore Piano Trio Movement’

22 gorgeous dancers + 6 inspired choreographers + 3 brilliant musicians + 1 skilled spoken word artist = an amazing collaborative experience! This diverse and dynamic program will showcase dance,...

2015 Capital Fringe Review: ‘The Little Crane and The Long Journey: A Fable’

The Little Crane and The Long Journey: A Fable is the all-too-common story of an immigrant family dealing with prejudice in the United States. The story is a representation of the struggles Japanese...

Meet the Cast of Rockville Musical Theatre’s ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’: Part 3: Jeff Rathner

In Part 3 of a series of interviews with the cast of Rockville Musical Theatre’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, meet Jeff Rathner. Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may...

DCMetroTheaterArts Reviewer and Columnist Sydney-Chanele Dawkins Passes Away at Age 47

Sydney-Chanele Dawkins, beloved DCMetroTheaterArts writer and columnist, lost her battle with breast cancer last evening. She was only 47 years-old. The DCMetroTheaterArts family mourns her passing...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #47: ‘Domestic Animals’ by Jennifer Faletto

You were wild once. Don’t let them tame you. At the height of the Vietnam War, Lori’s brother dodges the draft and her boyfriend enlists. Left alone, she disappears into her imagination. Seduced by...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #46: ‘Paper Glass’

Paper Glass explores the struggles of childhood and the absurdity of adult logic through the eyes of a girl whose memory works backwards. In Paper Glass, Alex desperately tries to understand her...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview # 45: We Happy Few’s ‘The Winter’s Tale’ by Kerry McGee

WE HAPPY FEW PRODUCTIONS Presents: THE WINTER’S TALE By William Shakespeare A Part of the 10​th ​Annual Capital Fringe Festival, July 9​​-August 2, 2015. I am a feather for each wind that blows THE...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #44: ‘The Insanity of Mary Girard’ by Liz Imler

2015 Capital Fringe Preview: Lanie Robertson’s ‘The Insanity of Mary Girard’ Last year’s Audience Award winners in Dance and Physical Theatre, The Wandering Theatre Company, return to this year’s...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #43 Will Durst in ‘BoomeRaging: From LSD to OMG’

Population scientists describe the Baby Boom generation as anybody born between the years 1946 and 1964. Which means the youngest of the Baby Boomers turned 50 last year, and the oldest will turn 70...

Meet the Cast of The Metropolitan Youth Theatre’s ‘RENT’: Part 2: Jordan Sledd

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of The Metropolitan Youth Theatre’s Rent, meet Jordan Sledd. Introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you before on local...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #42: ‘After Eleven’ by Amy Harbison

“I loved my son, but he terrified me,” admits Jude Temper, a 9-11 widow and mother. After Eleven bears witness to Jude’s struggle to love and protect her son Matty, who suffers from mental illness and...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #41: ‘Mine/Field’

Answer: Secrets. Data. Spying on other audiences. Charts and graphs made of dancers. Question: What is in a dance about debating data privacy vs. national security? Bonus Question: How do you make...

Meet the Cast of The Metropolitan Youth Theatre’s ‘RENT’: Part 1: Marcia Cunning

In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the cast of The Metropolitan Youth Theatre‘s RENT, meet Marcia Cunning. Introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you before on local...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #40: ‘Awake All Night’ by Itai Yasur

What was Bailey Drew’s reaction at Awake All Night’s first read-through? “Oh my gosh. I’m so excited. I’m freaking out,” says the 16 year-old actress. “I want to do all of this, now.” Bailey plays...

2015 Capital Fringe Festival Preview #39: ‘Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom’: Part 1: The Curious Incident of the Zombies in the Neighborhood’ by Alex Zavistovich

How does killing zombies in a video game have anything at all to do with this year’s Tony Award winner for Best Play? In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, on-stage technical wizardry...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #38: A Look at ‘Dust to Dust’

Where did they get the music? Why haven’t I heard of this musical before? Who are these amazing young performers? These are the questions you—like others who’ve seen the play—will ask after seeing...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #37: ‘To Err is Falstaff!’ by Louis James Brenner

Imagine one of Shakespeare’s dodgiest characters, John Falstaff, as a political advisor in modern day DC. Fired by the President he runs a K Street lobbying firm that employs Macbeth, Ophelia, and...

The Playwright’s Playground – The Playmakers CATF 2015: Part 1: Playwright Barbara Hammond on ‘We Are Pussy Riot’

The Playwright’s Playground – The Playmakers CATF 2015: Playwright Barbara Hammond on We Are Pussy Riot This Special Edition of The Playwright’s Playground begins ‘The Playmaker Series: CATF 2015.’ In...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #36: ‘When We Grow Up’ by William Jennings

When We Grow Up was crafted with the audience in mind. For every single choice we made, we had to stop and think about how that choice would affect the comfort of the audience. Would the audience feel...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #35: ‘How to Be a Good Mom…When You’ve Got a Schizophrenic Mother for a Role Model’ by Pam Meek

Told with humor and gravitas the show is about the twists and turns in life that lead me to the birth of my daughter, Nora, at age 44. Stumbles along the way include blocks to reaching my dream...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #34: ‘The Suicide Journals’ by Veronique LaShell MacRae

Death is inevitable for a young lost soul… In its world premiere at the 2015 Capital Fringe Festival, I (Playwright and Director Veronique LaShell MacRae) explore the dark, grim, and often hushed...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #33: ‘Tammy Faye’s Final Audition’ by Merri Biechler

In her professional acting career, Shelley Delaney has portrayed Joan of Arc and Lady Macbeth. But there was always one person she wanted to tackle: Tammy Faye Bakker. Most people know Tammy Faye as...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #32: Video Preview of ‘Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom’ by Jennifer Haley

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley July 9 – August 2, 2015 A psychologically addictive video game emulates players’ actual neighborhoods as the on-screen environment. Moving from...

‘Cheaper by the Dozen’ at Aldersgate Community Church Theatre

There’s an old adage that states “time wasted having fun isn’t wasted.” The Aldersgate Community Church Theatre effectively explored this theme with its production of Cheaper by the Dozen, adapted by...

In the Moment: Helen Pafumi and Kristen LePine on The Hub Theatre’s ‘Leto Legend’

The Hub Theatre is opening its world premiere of a work by a woman playwright, directed by a woman and with an all-female cast. It is the Hub’s Leto Legend which opens on July 10, 2015. Hub describes...

‘Catch Me If You Can’ at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre

Think back to when you were 16 years old. What were you doing? Going to football games? Getting ready for the Homecoming Dance? Obtaining a machine to make fraudulent checks and then tricking Pan-Am...

2015 Capital Fringe Festival Preview #31: ‘Wrestling with the WIP’ by Nicole Y. McClam

From birth stories and mother/daughter relationships to Black Velveteen and badassness: Wrestling with the WIP seeks to create woman in her own image. Wrestling with the WIP premiered last October in...

Nibbles and Sips Around Town: ‘America Eats Tavern Holds Inaugural Virginia Festival, Bloomsday Celebration, Blue Duck Tavern Rhapsodizes About Ice Cream, Mitsitam Gets a New Chef, and We Get His Wild Rice Bars Recipe’

As expected tons of events are crammed into the month of June. Why? There seems to be a totally unfounded impression that we are all darting off to faraway lands. We wish! Here’s where we went...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #30: ‘A Family Reunion’ by Larry Blossom

Abducted and missing for fifteen years, Sarah and Joey miraculously return home to their family. Is it a cause for celebration or the beginning of a new tragedy? Raised apart in captivity, both are...

‘Peter Pan’ in the ThreeSixty Theatre

“Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough.” In its DC area premiere, Peter Pan in the ThreeSixty Theatre has plenty of stimulating ingredients providing an exciting, dreams-come-true...

50th Anniversary: ‘RENT’ at Wildwood Summer Theatre by Rocky Nunzio

“Forget regret or life is yours to miss” seems to be the motto of Wildwood Summer Theatre. Wildwood Summer Theatre is the D.C. area’s premiere all-youth run non-profit theatre company. Wildwood was...

Meet the Cast of Rockville Musical Theatre’s ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’: Part 2: Paul Loebach

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of Rockville Musical Theatre’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, meet Paul Loebach. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #7: Interviews with the Writer/Director/Producer and Cast of ‘Girl with Two Belly Buttons’: Part 5: Peter Markey

In Part 5 of a series of interviews with the writer, producer, and director and the cast of Girl with Two Belly Buttons, meet Peter Markey . In Girl with Two Belly Buttons, Izzy, at age 60, is sick...

‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ at The Puppet Company

The Puppet Co. presents Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, an adaptation of the Grimm’s classic with a mixed cast of actors and rod puppets. Playwright Christopher Piper uses intricately-detailed puppets...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #7: Interviews with the Writer/Director/Producer and Cast of ‘Girl with Two Belly Buttons’: Part 4: Scott Duvall

In Part 4 of a series of interviews with the writer, producer, and director and the cast of Girl with Two Belly Buttons, meet Scott Duvall. In Girl with Two Belly Buttons, Izzy, at age 60, is sick and...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #29: ‘Blind Pug Arts Collective Presents: The Theatre of Self-Loathing Presents: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?’

“Hungry like a Woolf”: Europe’s Angry Avante-Garde Comes to Capital Fringe Atonin Artaud, founder of the “Theatre of Cruelty” and godfather of many of the more disturbing theatrical experiments of the...

Nibbles And Sips Around Town: Nibbles and Sips Goes To The Country’

A Dreamy Summer Pop-Up Supper, Strawberries Rule at Delaplane’s Annual Festival, Fueling Up at The French Hound, Healthful Eats at Brassicas, Patrick O’Connell Launches Latest Book at Willowsford....

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #28: ‘Ripple of Hope: One Teacher’s Journey to Make an Impact’ by Karen Sklaire

Ripple of Hope: One Teacher’s Journey to Make an Impact is my comedic one-woman show that explores public education issues through my personal experiences as a drama teacher in some of the roughest...

‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ at The Keegan Theatre

The “hothouse,” loquacious and “southern-fried” appeal of Tennessee Williams’ classic Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is very evident in the scorching, white-hot production now inaugurating the new season of...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #27: ‘American Lit’ by James F. Bruns

Dropping out of college, I went to live in a trailer in Key West, Florida. I had great ambitions to try and finish a novel or screenplay, short story, or a poem or anything actually. And not having a...

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (GMCW) to Perform in Cuba on July 11-19th

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (GMCW) today announced the performance schedule for their first-ever tour of Cuba by a gay chorus, set to take place from July 11-19, 2015....

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #26: ‘No AIDS, No Maids: Stories I Can’t F*ckin’ Hear No More’ by Dee Dee Batteast

You know that show where the pretty blonde, with the revolving door of handsome suitors is constantly getting into trouble? You know how every episode ends with her on the couch, or at a bar receiving...

2015 Capital Fringe Preview #25: ‘Baba’ by Alex Mahgoub

Baba is an autobiographical one-man show. I talk about growing up fatherless after mine is murdered, and struggling with identity, bullying, sexuality, and life transitions. This is a summer of Fringe...