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A Christmas Carol

December 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment

A Christmas Carol
Book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens
Music by Allen Menken . Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Directed by Daniel L. McDonald
Produced by Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore
Reviewed by Leslie Weisman

Toby’s Dinner Theatre is a place where the show may be the main reason you’re there, but it’s usually not the only one.  Known not only for its ability to bring Broadway to Baltimore but for its all-you-can eat buffet as well, Toby’s generally succeeds on both counts.  Its enthusiastic incarnations of beloved blockbusters more often than not will leave you feeling warm and satisfied theatrically as you indulge yourself gastronomically. [Read more...]

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Les Miserables

December 17, 2008 By 20 Comments

Les Misérables
Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer
Based on a novel by Victor Hugo
Original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel . Additional material by James Fenton
Directed by Eric Schaeffer
Produced by Signature Theeatre
Reviewed by Gary McMillan

Cameron Mackintosh tossed Eric Schaeffer the keys to his hummer Les Misérables to drive the internationally-acclaimed musical juggernaut from its recent multi-million dollar Broadway home to the intimate, black-box theatre here in Arlington. [Read more...]

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Peter Pan

December 17, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Peter Pan: The Musical
Book by J.M. Barrie
Music by: Mark Charlap, additional music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by: Carolyn Leigh, additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Directed by Eve Muson.
Produced by Olney Theatre Center
Reviewed by Gary McMillan

If you can pry junior’s fingers from his Game Boy, he just might enjoy a vacation from Nintendoland via Olney Theatre Center’s holiday excursion to Neverland. Peter Pan is a bit of an old chestnut, to be sure, but its 1950s score still entertains audience members whose first experience of the show likely was half a century ago on a small black & white television set. Olney’s production has the key ingredients to charm children: [Read more...]

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An American Century Christmas

December 17, 2008 By 1 Comment

An American Century Christmas
Conceived and compiled by Jack Marshall, Thomas D. Fuller and Kathryn Fuller
Directed by Jack Marshall
Produced by American Century Theater
Reviewed by Ted Ying

There was a time when the televised Christmas specials were amongst the most anticipated parts of the season. Anyone over the age of 10 probably remembers the Perry Como, Bing Crosby or Bob Hope Christmas shows.  Today, most people don’t watch the classic Christmas musical variety shows, but American Century has re-created one, and it’s worth a trip to see it and bring the family. [Read more...]

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Last Days of Judas Iscariot Revisited

December 17, 2008 By 2 Comments

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
By Stephen Adly Guirgis
Directed by John Vreeke
Produced by Forum Theatre
Reviewed by Tim Treanor

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot was the winner of DCTS’s Audience Choice Award for Best Play last season, Forum Theatre’s remounting of the production has its original cast with one exception – Heather Haney now plays the role of Mother Theresa, originally played by Maggie Glauber. Here is a reprise of  our review of the original production.

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I’ve taken more time than I usually do to write this review because I wanted to be sure you understood how good this play is. I wanted to tell you in plain and direct language the nature of the thing that you have before you. [Read more...]

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Forum Opens Next Season with Angels in America

December 16, 2008 By 1 Comment

Dec 15, 2008 – Forum Theatre will produce Tony Kushner’s epic drama, Angels in America, with Parts 1 & 2 – Millennium Approaches and Perestroika – running in rep. Jeremy Skidmore and Forum Artistic Director Michael Dove and Jeremy Skidmore will direct. The company will produced the “pared-down style of presentation” that Kushner originally intended, according to the press release. “Many people only know the story from the special effects-heavy HBO version,” Dove said. “We want to remind audiences why Angels is so quintessentially theatrical and influential.”

Angels in America will be Forum’s Fall 2009 production at H Street Theatre, Washington, DC

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The Girls of DC Theatre 2009 Calendar

December 15, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Forget the puppies and Star Wars calendars, actors Tara Garwood (Molotov Theatre Group) and Joey Cabrera have produced a 2009 calendar featuring Washington actors and crew, with pin-up style photography by Robert Sullivan of RA. Sullivan Photography. [Read more...]

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Services for Robert Prosky

December 12, 2008 By 2 Comments

Funeral arrangements for actor Robert Prosky, who died on Monday, Dec 8th,  have just been announced. Visitation will be Monday, Dec 15th from 6 – 9 pm at Gawler’s Funeral Home, at the corner of Wisconsin Ave and Harrison Street NW. (Metro: Red line to Friendship heights, exit Jennifer Street, and walk 1 block south.)

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 am on Tuesday, Dec 16th at St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill, 313 Second Street SE, Washington, DC Interment will be at Rock Creek Cemetery.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to The Actors Fund.

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New Brando book earns high praise

December 12, 2008 By 1 Comment

A review of the Marlon Brando bio “Somebody” by Stefan Kanfer
by Richard Seff

Once again veering slightly off the course of New York Theatre Buzz, I’d like to acquaint you with a new biography of Marlon Brando, titled “Somebody.” Alfred A. Knopf has just published it, it’s by Stefan Kanfer, who’s done great justice to Groucho Marx, Lucille Ball and the entire Yiddish Theatre in previous bios he’s penned. There have been a dozen books on Brando since this challenging and controversial star left us in 2004 at the age of eighty. But this one tops them all, [Read more...]

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Krista Cowan named new Artistic Director of Journeymen Theater Ensemble

December 12, 2008 By 3 Comments

It was announced today that Deborah Kirby, founder of Journeymen Theater will leave her position as Artistic Director at the end of the year.

The decision was based on health concerns. “This has been the toughest decision I have ever had to make,” she said. [Read more...]

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