Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury and sing-along

Our Award: 4 Fringes

by Joel Markowitz

How can you resist the pitter patter, the puns, the catchy melodies of a Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta? I can’t! I’m a G&S fan. [Read more...]

Petpourri

Our Award: 4.5 Fringes 

By Joel Markowitz

Creep, crawl, and flutter over to Petpourri, where fabulous songs about our four-legged, high-flying, creeping and slithering friends are awaiting you. [Read more...]

BurlyQ

Our Award: 0 Fringes

by Joel Markowitz

My goal has always been to find something good in every show I see, but dear readers, I have found a show where I can’t do that – a show that cared not one iota about its audience- and that’s BurlyQ.

[Read more...]

Saturday night’s performance:

We got a standing O! Thank you, thank you.

Our biggest house yet, we opened the doors at 6:30 knowing we were missing 1 cast member. Bobby Smith was tied up in traffic because of an accident on the Bay Bridge. JR, our stage manager, kept me posted on his route, and, 2 minutes to curtain and the last guests were hurrying into the Source, JR told me he was on Florida Avenue. “Yes, but he’ll never get parking in time.” I said. And, on cue, the car parked in front of me pulled out, and I stepped into the spot to guard it. Sorry to those 2 motorists I turned away from the choice spot, but we were in a fix! (So to speak. See the show.) It worked. Bobby swooped into the spot, hurried inside, and 5 minutes later was onstage for the opening number. (We held the show a few moments.)

The show deepens with every performance. Darius, our music director, is having a good time onstage, and it’s infectious. The performers are finding the heart of each song. It’s a beauty to behold.

After the show, someone told me he heard our interview on WPFW, and when they played ‘Scars’, told his wife. “Drop everything. We’re seeing this show.” What did they think? They wished we had a second act. Maybe someday.

For now – drop everything. Come see this show – Sunday, or next Tuesday or Saturday. You’ll leave very, very happy.

PS: Thanks to everyone who is leaving comments on our website. Fran Landesman is reading them from London, and is very cheered.

En Route

Our Award: 4.5 Fringes 

by Joel Markowitz

Arts United was formed in 2003 to create blends of live music, dance, theatre in both performances and arts education. And we are so fortunate that they are offering their show En Route as part of this year’s Fringe Festival. [Read more...]

Blue Lagoon

Our Award: 3.5 Fringes 

By Joel Markowitz

Now that Xanadu is a smash hit at The Helen Hayes Theatre in NYC, why can’t The Blue Lagoon be a smash musical too? It can! [Read more...]

Chocolate Jesus

Our Award: 4 Fringes

Produced by Speakeasy DC

by Ronnie Ruff

It’s Friday evening, I arrive home from a long day at the office, I was not sure I was ready for a show called Chocolate Jesus. What I witnessed however was something akin to Toastmasters on steroids — poignant, funny stories strengthened by honesty that had the audience roaring with laughter. [Read more...]

SAT, July 21

We had a fabulous opening performance Friday afternoon. The cast made Darius’ arrangements shine. The staging was smart and sexy.  I heard comments like ‘This is better than anything I saw in the Fringe last year – and I went to 30 shows.’ ‘I’ve got to see this one again.’ ‘Fantastic.’ ‘Truly funny.’  Music to our ears.

Then Nelson Pressley of the Washington Post asked “so where has this show played before?”

Truth?

They were seeing our second run-thru. When we showed up at Source for tech rehearsal at 11:30 Friday morning we had never run the show from front to back.  Got in one run-thru, where we discovered  we had a 45 minute show, Michael Bobbitt made some last minute tweaks, cast took a short water break, while the house opened, and we were on!….

Photos coming tomorrow.   

Queen of the Bohemian Dream

Our Award: 5 Fringes

Produced by Lorraine Treanor

by Joel Markowitz

“How was it for you?” asks lyricist Fran Landesman in the opening song of the immensely entertaining review, Queen of The Bohemian Dream, now playing at Source Theatre during the Fringe Festival. [Read more...]