I asked Oscar Andrew Hammerstein III (‘Andy’) – grandson of the beloved librettist and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and author of “The Hammersteins: A Musical Theatre Family” – to chime in on the continued popularity of his grandfather’s shows, and memories of growing up in his famous showbiz family. [Read more...]
Interview with Oscar Andrew Hammerstein III
January 7, 2011 By 2 Comments
This winter, DC fell in love again with three Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, starting with the critically acclaimed and SOLD OUT production of Oklahoma! at Arena Stage, The National Tour of South Pacific which dropped anchor at The Kennedy Center’s Opera House, and Cinderella which is still entertaining young theatregoers and their families at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia, MD.
The Second City Does Baltimore
January 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Hey Hon. Don’t go downy Ocean. You’ll freeze your garbanzos off and not even a couple of Natty Bohs will warm you up. Fortify yourself with a nice crab cake and head on over to Center Stage, where The Second City comedy troupe is presenting a funny primer on Charm City, The Second City Does Baltimore. [Read more...]
Lean and Hungry Theater tapes Romeo and Juliet Saturday
January 6, 2011 By 1 Comment
If you were tuned to WAMU-88.5 last Halloween Eve, you probably heard MacBeth in the 21st Century, a co-production between WAMU and DC’s radio theatre company, Lean & Hungry Theater. The NPR affiliate continues its presentation of Lean & Hungry audio productions when it airs Romeo and Juliet on February 13th at 6 pm. The public is invited to the live performance and recording of Shakespeare’s tale of tragic love on Saturday, January 8th at 7:30 pm. [Read more...]
Dracula
January 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The new year begins, ominously. For reasons they’ve chosen not to share with us, a consortium of eleven producers led by “Bram Stoker’s Dracula Ltd.”, decided to dig up the original Hamilton Deane-John L. Balderston plays which were based on the novel “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. No adaptation, no update, just an airing for 2 scripts penned in 1924 by Deane and revised in 1927 by Balderston where the original ran for 3 years all over Britain, and the revised version conquered London as well. [Read more...]
The Second Career of Bruce Kimmel
January 5, 2011 By 2 Comments
If you paid careful attention to the Holiday Gift Guide we published at the start of the holiday season, you will recall a recommendation for Bruce Kimmel’s strangely titled memoirs “There’s Mel, There’s Woody, and There’s You: My Life in the Slow Lane.” The book details his career as an actor, director and writer of musicals for the stage and screen. Today I’d like to take a closer look at some of what the man has accomplished since, as he explained at the end of that book, he made the decision to quit the performing side of the business and turn his attention to producing albums that fill so many theatre lovers’ shelves. [Read more...]
Chris Sizemore, Margo Seibert and Tracy Lynn Olivera on Candide
January 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Local actors Chris Sizemore, Margo Seibert and Tracy Lynn Olivera on being in the cast of Candide
I was elated when I learned that three of my favorite actors in the DC area were appearing in Candide at The Shakespeare Theatre Company. As the musical enters its last week in DC, Chris Sizemore, Margo Seibert and Tracy Lynn Olivera talk about what it’s been like to be in this stunning production, and working with Tony Award-winning Director Mary Zimmerman and Musical Director Doug Peck. [Read more...]
