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By Leslie Kobylinski

Produced by Round House Theatre

Reviewed by Janice Cane

The Director: The Third Act of Elia Kazan, now making its world premiere at Round House Theatre Silver Spring, sheds new light on its subject. Playwright/director Leslie Kobylinski’s script delves into Kazan’s childhood, particularly his relationships with his Greek parents. In fact, the majority of the play reflects on Kazan’s earlier life; a more apt name might have been The First Act of Elia Kazan.

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Joel’s marathon theatre weekend concluded with the one show almost guaranteed to get mixed reactions - Spring Awakening. Gary acknowledges that the audience went wild after every scene, but it just wasn’t for him.  Debbie, who enjoyed the work of choreographer Bill T. Jones, found the stoic 19th century story juxtaposed with in-your-face rock music challenging. Joel, who has loved the show since before its transfer to Broadway, says it might take several listens to understand its brilliance.  Listen in to hear what it’s like when they disagree.

Stagedoor greetings from: Skylar Astin (Georg) and Lauren Pritchard (Ilse), Director Michael Mayer (Director), Lilli Cooper (Martha), Brian Charles Johnson (Otto), Phoebe Strole (Anna), and Robert Hager (Understudy for Georg)

Listen here.

 

 Spring Awakening Discussion: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Spring Awakening Stagedoor: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Gary McMillan has just seen his pick for the best of Broadway this year!  It’s the simple but brilliantly conceived and staged Company, Barbara Walsh stopped the show with ‘Here’s to the Ladies Who Lunch.’  The usually unflappable Gary declared Raul Esparza’s performance "Astounding", He and Joel agree Raul deserves to win the Tony.

 

 Company discussion: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

By Doug Wright

Produced by Olney Theatre Center

Reviewed by Tim Treanor

I Am My Own Wife is a sort of theatrical magic act, calling on a virtuoso performer to take up nearly three dozen different roles in the course of a single two-hour evening. It did not occur to Doug Wright or his first director, Moisés Kaufman, to so cast the show until Jefferson Mays first auditioned and they realized that it could be done. Mays won a Tony Award (and a Helen Hayes) for what he did with the role, and it was easy to see why. Watching Jefferson Mays is a little like watching Willie Mays; the enterprise appears to be so effortless that we forget how hard the matter is, and at the end of the show we have to remind ourselves that we had not seen a dozen actors, but only Mays.

In the intimate setting of Olney Theatre’s Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, Arnie Burton’s accomplishment is a little less preternatural, but it is solid and satisfying. The challenge I Am My Own Wife presents the actor is not the range of characterization – most actors can do forty or more characters, and indeed perform that many during their career – but in the transition from one to the other. Many of the characters exist for no more than a half-line, and then immediately become someone else. There is simply no time for the actor to step back from one character and into another; the transformation must take place before our eyes.

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It’s Sunday, Day 3, and Joel and Debbie have just seen the hit Off-Broadway show In the Heights.  Listen  in on their cab ride back to Broadway while they discuss the experience.  "Vibrant!."  "It’s about getting away … and coming back to the block." "Stunning choreography. Plenty of salsa. Arriba!

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 In the Heights Discussion: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 In the Heights Stagedoor: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download