2016

Review: ‘Moth’ at Azuka Theatre in Philadelphia

School shootings are inexplicable. A high school used to be an open welcoming location. Today they are locked-down prisons, intently suspicious of any unusual activity. Any play that tries to...

Review: ‘Phaeton’ at Taffety Punk Theatre Company

Phaeton, now on stage at Taffety Punk’s Capital Hill Arts Workshop, is a world premiere. Inspired by the Greek myth, the man-god Phaeton is granted one wish by his Helios father: he demands to ride...

Review: CityDance’s ‘DREAMscape’ at The Lincoln Theatre

Every so often, we witness a moment in time unabashedly good—good in its intentions, good in its ideals, good from inner core to every outer, polished extremity. CityDance’s benefit performance,...

Review: ‘The Ring Cycle’: ‘Twilight of the Gods –The Ring of the Nibelung –Part Three’ at Washington National Opera

Mother Earth is crying in despair and degradation in Director Francesca Zambella’s audaciously brilliant interpretation of the final opera of Wagner’s artistically magnificent Ring Cycle—Twilight of...

Filichia on Friday: ‘Long Day’s Journey into Questions’

It’s an honor to bring Peter Filichia’s column every week on Kritzerland called ‘Filichia on Friday’ to our readers on DCMetroTheaterArts. This Week: Long Day’s Journey into Questions. Purchase Peter...

Review: ‘Perfect Wedding’ at the Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater

Perfect Wedding at the Washington County Playhouse Dinner Theater and Children’s Theater is a laugh-out-loud riot. Written by Robin Hawdon and directed by Shawn R. Martin, Perfect Wedding is the story...

Review: ‘The Who’s Tommy’ at Kensington Arts Theatre

‘Tommy’ energizes, brings emotion We’ve all felt misunderstood at times. Ostracized. Criticized. Left out of the community of our peers. But then hopefully things change; we find a hidden skill or...

Review: ‘WaistWatchers, The Musical’ at Penn’s Landing Playhouse in Philadelphia

WaistWatchers, The Musical, written by Alan Jacobson, is a musical about aging, friendship, and body acceptance. Directed by Matt Silva, it takes well-known musical theatre songs, such as “I Hope I...

Playwright Bruce Graham Discusses His Artistic Process and Thought Process for “White Guy on the Bus”

Following its premiere at Chicago’s Northlight Theatre in 2015, White Guy on the Bus, a new work by Philadelphia’s prolific award-winning playwright Bruce Graham, comes to Passage Theatre in Trenton,...

Reviews: The Washington Ballet’s ‘Carmina Burana’ and ‘Bowie/Queen’

Going Out With a Bang: The Washington Ballet’s Carmina Burana and Bowie/Queen The standing ovation came before a single dancer took the stage. It lasted about two minutes to honor the final time The...

Review: ‘The Wedding Singer’ at Fairfax High School’s FX Players

The Wedding Singer is one of the few musical adaptations based on a Hollywood hit that actually works. This is thanks in equal parts to the outstanding original music by Matthew Sklar and Chad...

Review: Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’

We should have known. Beyoncé dropped Formation in February, a song, a music video, and a Super Bowl performance that laid it all out: Yoncé was a black woman, a beautiful, successful, Southern Black...

Meet the Cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s “The Emperor’s Nightingale’: Part 4: Andrew Quilpa

In Part four of a series of interviews with the cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s The Emperor’s Nightingale meet Andrew Quilpa. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have...

Meet the Cast of Rockville Little Theatre’s ‘Our Town’: Part 5: Sandra Cox True

In Part Five of a series of interviews with the cast of Rockville Little Theatre’s Our Town, meet Sandra Cox True. Please introduce yourself and tell where local theatre goers have seen you before on...

This Sunday at 8 PM at The Kennedy Center: GMCW’s Restrospective Concert featuring ‘Carmina Burana’

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW) commemorates its milestone 35th anniversary with Carmina 35 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall on Sunday, May 8, 2016 at 8...

Review: ‘The Ring Cycle’: ‘Siegfried-The Ring of the Nibelung-Part Two’ at Washington National Opera

The epic tale continues as the Washington National Opera’s production of Siegfried –The Ring of the Nibelung-Part Two played to a very appreciative audience last night at The Kennedy Center Opera...

Nibbles and Sips Around Town: Cookbook Corner ~ ‘The Field To Table Cookbook – Gardening, Foraging, Fishing & Hunting’ By Susan L. Ebert

Cookbook Corner ~ The Field To Table Cookbook – Gardening, Foraging, Fishing & Hunting By Susan L. Ebert To pen a collection of recipes using ingredients gleaned from the great outdoors, you ought to...

Review: ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ at Second Stage Theatre in NYC

In the rush of incoming Broadway and off/Broadway productions mid-season, I somehow missed the 2nd Stage mounting of this original and quite remarkable new musical by a new trio of writers. Dear Evan...

Review: ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at The National Theatre

The National Theatre beamed with bright, bold colors and sheer spectacle last night, capping its season with a new production of The Wizard of Oz in an enthralling adaptation of the all-time popular...

George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts Awards the ‘2016 Mason Arts Award’ to Septime Webre

George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts awards the 2016 Mason Arts Award to Septime Webre, artistic director of the Washington National Ballet. The Mason Arts Award is awarded...

Magic Time! ‘The Beauty and Ugliness of Martin Luther’: A Q&A With Playwright Chris Cragin-Day

On October 31, 1517, a young monk named Martin Luther nailed a list of 95 theses to a cathedral door in Wittenberg, Germany. It was a hammering heard round the world. On the eve of the 500th...

Meet the Cast of Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s ‘The Foreigner’ Part 7: Becky Batt

In Part Seven of a series of interviews with the cast of The Foreigner at the Sandy Spring Theatre Group, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn, meet Becky Batt. Joel: Please introduce yourself and...

Meet the Cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s ‘The Emperor’s Nightingale’: Part 3: Jonathan Frye

In Part Three of a series of interviews with the cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s The Emperor’s Nightingale meet Jonathan Frye. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have...

Meet the Cast of Rockville Little Theatre’s ‘Our Town’: Part 4: Tracy Husted

In Part Four of a series of interviews with the cast of Rockville Little Theatre’s Our Town, meet Tracy Husted. Please introduce yourself and tell where local theatre goers have seen you before on the...

Meet the Cast of Rockville Little Theatre’s ‘Our Town’: Part 3: Tristan Poje

In Part Three of a series of interviews with the cast of Rockville Little Theatre’s Our Town, meet Tristan Poje. Please introduce yourself and tell where local theatre goers have seen you before on...

Philadelphia’s Enchantment Theatre Company Is Taking It on the Road!

If you believe that the arts are an integral part of life, and that children should be introduced to them from an early age, then you are in total agreement with the mission of Enchantment Theatre...

Review: ‘The Body of an American’ at Theater J

A true story that begins with the desecration of a dead body becomes, before our eyes and hearts, a living and breathing buddy story. Dan O’Brien’s The Body of an American is an intimate two-hander...

Review: ‘The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning’ at Inis Nua Theatre Company in Philadelphia

Inis Nua Theatre Company has made a specialty of performing plays written in, and set in, the British Isles. So it may seem odd that Inis Nua is doing a play about Bradley Manning, the American...

Review: ‘Starlight Express’ at West Potomac High School

You’d have to be “Crazy” not to go and find the ‘Light at the End of the Tunnel’ with the fastest show on earth: Starlight Express at the Beyond the Page Theatre Company of West Potomac High School!...

Meet the Cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s “The Emperor’s Nightingale’: Part 2: Sue Jin Song

In Part two of a series of interviews with the cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s The Emperor’s Nightingale meet Su Jin Song. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen...

Review: ‘The Ring Cycle’: ‘The Valkyrie –The Ring of the Nibelung-Part One’ at Washington National Opera

Love in all of its many manifestations runs rampant throughout the Washington National Opera’s most recent offering in the continuing tale of The Ring Cycle—-namely, The Valkyrie –The Ring of the...

Review: ‘See What I Wanna See’ at 11th Hour Theatre Company in Philadelphia

Based on short stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, See What I Wanna See tells stories of two different time lines questioning truth and faith. Originally work shopped at Williamstown Theater Festival and...

Meet The Cast of Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s ‘The Foreigner’ Part 6: John Van Eck

In Part Six of a series of interviews with the cast of The Foreigner at Sandy Spring Theatre Group, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn, meet John Van Eck. Joel: Please introduce yourself and...

Meet The Cast of Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s ‘The Foreigner’: Part 5: Dave Scheele

In Part Five of a series of interviews with the cast of The Foreigner at Sandy Spring Theatre Group, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn meet Dave Scheele. Joel: Please introduce yourself and...

Meet the Cast of Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s ‘The Foreigner’: Part 4: Becca Sears

In Part 4 of a series of interviews with the cast of The Foreigner at Sandy Spring Theatre Group, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn, meet Becca Sears. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell...

The 2016 Tony Award Nominations Announced: ‘Hamilton’ Sets Record with 16 Noms

Here are the 2016 Tony Award Nominations: Best Play Eclipsed Author: Danai Gurira The Father Author: Florian Zeller The Humans Author: Stephen Karam King Charles III Author: Mike Bartlett ____ Best...

Meet the Cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s ‘The Emperor’s Nightingale’: Part 1: Nadine Rousseau

In Part one of a series of interviews with the cast of Adventure Theatre MTC’s The Emperor’s Nightingale meet Nadine Rousseau. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have...

Meet the Cast of Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s ‘The Foreigner’ Part 3: Marc Rehr

Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen you perform before on our local stages. Marc: My name is Marc Rehr. Why did you want to become a member of the cast of The...

Review: ‘The Conference of the Birds’ at Montgomery College

Lots of ‘fowl’ play was displayed at Montgomery College during their stunning intimate production of The Conference of the Birds, passionately directed by KenYatta Rogers, during the weekend of April...

Review: ‘A Single Shard’ at People’s Light in Malvern, PA

How does a plain pile of clay become a work of art? The courage of an artist to create something out of nothing infuses the recent regional premiere of A Single Shard, now playing at People’s Light in...

Review: ‘The Elixir of Love’ at Opera Philadelphia

Unrequited longing for a capricious woman of a higher social class can only be cured by a magic potion, or so thinks the lovesick Nemorino when he overhears Adina, the object of his affection, reading...

Meet the Cast of McLean Community Players’ ‘Unnecessary Farce’: Part 3: Brianna Goode

In part three of a series of interviews with the cast of McLean Community Players’ Unnecessary Farce, meet Brianna Goode. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers where they may have seen...

Review: ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at Annapolis Shakespeare Company

Romeo and Juliet, set in Italy circa 1948, proves William Shakespeare’s story of star-crossed lovers is timeless. Sally Boyett, Founding Artistic Director of Annapolis Shakespeare Company, has...

Review: ‘Our Town’ at Rockville Little Theatre

“The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises,” so it says in the Bible’s Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter One, Verse 5. People, live, people die, life goes on. That...

Review: ‘Transmission’ at The Welders

You know you’re having an unorthodox experience in theater when there’s a near absence of dramatic action in front of you but an epic interplay of ideas happening in your brain. So it goes in...

Review: ‘A Lesson from Aloes’ at Quotidian Theatre Company

Globally, it’s 1963 in South Africa, in the midst of the Apartheid, and also the same year as the Rivonia Trial. This is the event in which ten leaders of the African National Congress (including...

Meet the Cast of Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s ‘The Foreigner’ Part 2: Paul Noga

In Part Two of a series the cast of The Foreigner at the Sandy Spring Theatre Group, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn, meet Paul Noga. Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell our readers...

Review: ‘Wild Sky’ at Solas Nua

Exactly one century ago, on Easter Week 1916, Irish nationalists staged uprisings in Dublin and some surrounding areas in defiance of centuries of British rule, and in particular their conscription in...

Meet the Cast of Silhouette Stages’ ‘Next to Normal’: Part 2: Meet Susan Schindler

In Part 2 of a series of interviews with the cast of Silhouette Stages Next to Normal, meet Susan Schindler. Joel: Please introduce yourself to our readers. Susan: My name is Susan Schindler. I am...

Review: ‘The Explorers Club’ at Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington

Patterned Oriental carpets, richly aged dark wood paneling, a tufted leather sofa and a tapestry upholstered chair, an exotic collection of art, curiosities, and taxidermy specimens, and other...