DC Theatre Scene . Washington’s liveliest theatre web site

• The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
• by Rachel Sheinkin . Composer/Lyricist William Finn .
• Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
• Directed by James Lapine . Musical Direction by Jodie Moore
• Produced by David Stone and James L Nederlander
• Reviewed by Ronnie Ruff

If you have ever gone through puberty (and this means you) The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will hit home with an extremely funny punch. (more…)

• SON OF A BUSH:
• LAUGH UNTIL IT HURTS?
• Produced by Gross National Product
• Reviewed by John Atcheson

Question:  Can you take the non-stop tragedy of the Bush Presidency, the longest, most heavily scripted presidential campaign in history - featuring a Hillary Clinton who feels strongly about both sides of every issue — and make it funny?

Answer: you can if you’re John Simmons and Christine Thompson of Gross National Product.

Mostly.

(more…)

• The Carpetbagger’s Children
• By Horton Foote
• Directed by Jack Sbarboni    
• Produced by Quotidian Theatre Company                          
• Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson

‘Carpetbagger’ - we’ve all heard the term, learned about it in grade school history lessons of the Civil War.  It doesn’t have a particularly kind connotation, and in the current quiet production at the Writer’s Center, it is bandied about constantly to describe, place, and define a social construct for the Thompson family, set in Harrison, Texas.  In a series of monologs, three sisters share their experiences, reveal family secrets, and generally putter along relating pivotal events from their point of view. (more…)

• By Tim Treanor

- ED: DCTS received a special invitation to tour Sidney Harman Hall and sit in on a rehearsal of the upcoming Tamburlaine. (more…)

• Speed-the-Plow
• By David Mamet
• Directed by Jerry Whiddon
• Produced by Theater J
• Reviewed by Janice Cane

Theater J is kicking off its 2007-08 season with a play about movies. And I’m glad it is. David Mamet’s Speed-the-Plow is as funny today as I’m sure it was 20 years ago when it premiered on Broadway, even if this production’s cast doesn’t include Madonna.

Meghan Grady is a worthy substitute for Madonna as Karen, a secretary temping in the office of a major Hollywood studio’s head of production. Bob Gould was recently promoted to the job, and he is loving his newfound power. His long-time peer, however, is a bit resentful. Nevertheless, Charlie Fox proves his loyalty by bringing a script to Bob that is certain to make them both so rich, they’re “gonna have to hire someone just to figure out the things [they] wanna buy.”

(more…)

• Tick, tick…Boom!
• By Jonathan Larson
• Directed by Matt Gardiner
• Produced by MetroStage
• Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson

The drama of turning thirty-years old - there’s something about leaving the safety nest of twenty-something, twenty anything, but thirty, according to Jon is the “boom,” in the title, and not in the good sense, more like a catastrophe.  Adding insult to injury is seeing the material success of his best friend, Michael who’s got the car, the house, and the fancy clothes.  But Michael relinquished being an actor and got a “real job.”  Choices were made.  That’s what grown-ups do, make choices and live with them. 

Building a musical on adolescent fantasy wishes to have it all is risky business.  Jon’s interior turmoil about this rite of passage would be as unbearable to us as to him were it not for the genuinely sweet portrayal of the character by Stephen Gregory Smith, assisted by the dynamic voices and stage presence of Felicia Curry as his love interest and Matt Pearson as Mike, the best friend, and music by Jonathan Larson that rocks and melts your heart on a dime.  (more…)

by Joel Markowitz

Oct 19 - After the 8 PM performance of Jonathan Larson’s pre-Rent musical Tick..Tick..Boom! now at Metro Stage, cast members Stephen Gregory Smith, Felicia Curry and Matt Pearson tell why they jumped at the chance to do the show, (more…)

 

 tick, tick, boom cast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (411)

 

 Matt Gardiner: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (388)

• Part Two of our series on The Women of Brewster Place
• By Joel Markowitz

It’s always an exciting time when a musical theatre lover like me is allowed to sit in on a rehearsal of a brand new musical. On Wednesday, Oct 17^th, because of the generosity of Director Molly Smith and Arena’s media relations manager Kirstin Lunke, I was permitted to meet and watch and listen and schmooze with the cast of The Women of Brewster Place.

(more…)

Sun, Oct 21 - Will You Know It’s Me? has closed after 6 performances due to the sudden walkout of a key actor, Natural Theatricals’ producing director Brian Alprin announced today. The company is issuing refunds to all outstanding ticket holders. (more…)

• Caligula
• By Albert Camus
• Directed by Chris Henley
• Produced by Washington Shakespeare Company
• Reviewed by Tim Treanor

Is there anything that Alexander Strain cannot do?  In the title role of Washington Shakespeare’s Caligula, Strain is man and superman, a protean philosopher-tyrant, a Killer without a Cause.  Is he mad?  Is he genius?  Is he a Prometheus, duty-bound to bring the fire of nihilism to humanity?  Yes, and in Strain’s astonishing performance, he is more than that: an incandescent Saint Satan of Pain, a roaring, retching emperor of annihilation, the King of Nothingness.  And, like the real Caligula, he does a great deal of it in drag. (more…)