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 First seen as a staged reading with an all-star cast at the Kennedy Center’s  Page to Stage Festival, Ken Ludwig’s swashbuckler Treasure Island received its world premiere at Houston’s Alley Theatre.  The play, reviewed here by Variety makes its area debut in late November at Round House Theatre, directed by Blake Robison.

Written and performed by Ennio

Produced by Arena Stage

Reviewed by Ronnie Ruff

For those unfamiliar with Ennio’s act, here is the scoop.  The Italian-born performer does pantomime, runway style dance routines to popular songs while changing paper costumes to portray pop culture icons. The paper costumes that use Velcro and interesting folds to achieve his transformations are a mixed bag of bright and funny to sophomoric and less than inventive. (more…)

Love’s Labor’s Lost

By William Shakespeare

Produced by Shakespeare Theatre Company

Directed by Stephen Fried

Reviewed by Tim Treanor

You’ve seen this before…if not the original, Helen Hayes-award production, then Seinfeld’s Jerry, George, Elaine and Cosmo as they sought to become Masters of the Universe. Or any other effort, comic or serious, to control raging carnal impulses by denying them. Sometimes these efforts fail, which is comedy, and sometimes they succeed, which is tragedy. (more…)

Theaterboy just announced the passing of Gilbert Mead.

 ”Gilbert Dunbar Mead, age 76, philanthropist and retired research scientist, died May 29, 2007 at Washington Home and Hospice of complications following a stroke.  Mr. Mead and his wife Jaylee are noted arts philanthropists, whose recent commitment to Arena Stage marks the largest individual gift ever given to a regional theatre.”

To read the article, which is rich in details about the life of this remarkable man,  click here.

Many actors, theaters and patrons have been blessed by the Mead generosities.  If you are one of them, leave a message here and we will make certain all are passed on to the family.

Wonder of Wonders:

Tevye, Goldie, Perchick and Motel Fiddle Around with Joel at Toby’s Baltimore

Theodore Bikel might have performed the role of Tevye over 2,000 times*, but David Bosley-Reynolds who’s playing The Singing Milkman in Toby’s The Dinner Theatre of Baltimore’s heartwarming production of Fiddler On The Roof, has also called the role of Tevye his own.

Why is Fiddler still so popular 43 years after it opened on Broadway?

Listen as David (Tevye), Lynne Sigler (Golde), Matthew Schleigh (Perchick) and last minute substitute Joshua Singer (Motel) talk about their roles, how much of their own personalities are in their performances, and the scene in the show which is the most difficult to play. David and Lynne serenade you with a snippet of Do You Love Me?   Listen here.

Find out what strange things have happened during the run. Listen to Joel and Helen Haye’s Nominee Matthew Schleigh reminisce about the G String incident on opening night of The Buddy Holly Story at Tobys Columbia - listen here - and why Matthew hopes that Joel doesn’t visit  if he is ever cast as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.  L’Chaim!

Fiddler On The Roof runs through June 10, 2007 at Toby’s The Dinner Theatre of Baltimore.  For tickets, call (410)  649-1660 or (866) 99TOBYS, or visit their website .

Here are my recent podcasts with the great Theodore Bikel.

On his role in Shylock  and The Disputation - play here

About Fiddler and theatre - play here

As reported last night in DCist:  DCist has had the opportunity to enjoy a number of Actors’ Theater of Washington productions over the years. But we’ve learned that the theater company, which targets Washington’s gay and lesbian community, will be expanding its focus and rebranding its identity.

ATW will soon begin to operate as Ganymede Arts, a name taken from the first Greek myth to reference same sex love, and a character and concept that has found its influence in everything from Renaissance art to church history to astronomy (Jupiter’s largest moon, for instance). Read more here.

By Tom Stoppard

Produced by Studio Theatre

Directed by Kirk Jackson

Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Again. How many times can we watch Tom Stoppard’s amazing rumination on life, death, fate, and chance? The rendition currently playing at Studio Theatre, perfectly cast and under the playful direction of Kirk Jackson, makes the return visit worthwhile. With impeccable Laurel and Hardy timing, down to the bowler hats and even body type resemblance, the hapless duo serve as a wonderful foil to the Bard’s Hamlet, usher in a kind of alternate universe, and allow a peek at life between scenes, a different reality. (more…)

On Sunday, September 23rd, audiences from around the country will join with the matinee crowd at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House to witness the free live simulcast of La Boheme.  This contemporary version of the opera, co-produced by the Washington National Opera and Poland’s Teatr Wielki, will be beamed to 19 colleges and high schools, to 2 theatres in the area, and to screens on the Mall.  Quoting from today’s Washington Times feature:  ”It’s wonderful to bring to youth this opportunity,” [WNO General Director] Mr. [Placido] Domingo said, noting with a smile that a younger generation who saw “Rent” will have an opportunity to see its predecessor, Giacomo Puccini’s celebrated opera La Boheme.  More about this unprecedented event  here.

The Helen Hayes Awards announced the largest gift in the 23 year history of the Awards. To read the Washington Post feature, click here.

In his latest column, Theatre Schmooze writer Joel Markowitz takes us to the first reading of Larry Kaye’s new musical The Tapioca Miracle, and reveals more from his interview with Theodore Bikel.  This Schmooze also introduces our newest feature - drop in podcasts.  Now you can listen while your read.  Mazel Tov.