Jane Pesci-Townsend 1959 – 2010
August 9, 2010 By 13 Comments
Jane Pesci-Townsend, an old-school musical belter who won accolades as an actor, singer, director and teacher, lost her six-year battle with cancer on August 6, 2010. She passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, close friends and nearly a thousand Facebook messages, which her companions read to her during her intermittent periods of consciousness in her last days. [Read more...]
New Audience Choice Awards voted by invitation
August 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
DC Theatre Scene’s Audience Choice Awards, now in its fourth year, are the only awards to cover the Washington area’s professional theatrical season – which begins and ends in August – and which allows audiences to make the final decision as to who receives the final awards, based on nominations by the DCTS writers and staff. [Read more...]
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf
August 8, 2010 By 1 Comment
Staging a revival of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf during the inaugural DC Black Theatre Festival was a smart move on festival director’s Glenn Alan’s part. Ntozake Shange’s powerfully lyrical poems depicting the loves, joys, betrayals, tragedies and the ultimate rising from the ashes of black women as told by seven characters has become a classic. The 1977 Broadway production was nominated for the Tony Award for best play. [Read more...]
Jane Pesci-Townsend, beloved teacher and performer, succumbs to cancer
August 7, 2010 By 2 Comments
Last evening, August 6th, Jane Pesci-Townsend passed away, surrounded by family and by a boundless community of students and friends gathered on Facebook. This weekend, we are conducting interviews for a retrospective of her remarkable life which we hope to publish on Monday. Our condolences to all who were touched by this gifted teacher and performer.
The Women of the national tour of Avenue Q
August 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
An interview with members of the Avenue Q national tour: Kerri Bracken, Julianna Lee and Jacqueline Grabois
It was an hour before their call for the evening performance of Avenue Q when cast members Jacqueline Grabois (Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut), Kerri Bracken (Mrs. T. and one of the two Bad Idea Bears), and ensemble member Julianna Lee, who performed the role of Christmas Eve when I saw the show on opening night, sat down with me in their dressing room. [Read more...]
Joel interviews 3 cast members of the Avenue Q national tour [ 18:25 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (609)Stella Morgan
August 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Stella is your average Belfast Catholic working class woman. She worries about her son, Thomas, takes care of her two cats, and listens to dead people for a living. While that makes her the more interesting of the two characters performing interlocking monologues in a bare bones setting at Church Street Theatre, this one act character study may not be enough to attract an audience to Stella Morgan. [Read more...]
Imagining Madoff gets staged – without Wiesel
August 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Deborah Margolin’s Imagining Madoff, the play about a meeting between Bernard Madoff and an influential investor in one of his many funds, had a well received reading at Theater J last spring, and was then chosen to open its upcoming season. However, when Elie Wiesel, who was depicted as the investor, threatened legal action, calling the play “defamatory” and “obscene,” the play was withdrawn. [Read more...]
The Savannah Disputation
August 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Some of that old-time religion is dished out in a comedy that is as light and delectable as the banana pudding served by one of the gracious Southern matrons in the second half of Evan Smith’s The Savannah Disputation, an area premiere at Olney Theatre Center directed by John Going. [Read more...]
Friends gathering on Facebook for Jane Pesci-Townsend
August 3, 2010 By 1 Comment
Jane Pesci-Townsend, who has touched the lives of so many students, performers, and audiences in our area, is in her final struggle with cancer. She was released from NIH yesterday and sent to her home in Wheaton, MD where she is surrounded by friends and family who are with her around the clock. She may have one or possibly two days remaining of what has been a remarkable life. [Read more...]
The Fantasticks
August 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Two love-struck teenagers, two mischievous fathers, a bandit, a wall, a mute and a little magic…what could possibly go wrong? You can find out in Infinity Theater Company’s charming production of the romantic musical from a simpler time, The Fantasticks, written by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. [Read more...]
