Amadeus
May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
From its sleekly stunning set to its phenomenally talented cast, Round House Theatre’s new production of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus is first-class all the way. It’s a visceral, enthralling evening of theater, an absolute must-see for any avid area theatergoer and proof positive that you no longer have to take the Acela Express to New York to find a definitive production. [Read more...]
Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3
May 19, 2011 By 15 Comments
At Lumina Studio, the Next Generation invokes a story set twenty generations ago
The young prince Edward (Aidan Close) kneels down to be knighted by his father, King Henry VI (Emma Bergman). It is a moment of greatness for Edward, but also of rage and pain, and the three emotions struggle for dominance upon his face. His father, in order to end the ruinous civil war between his followers and the Duke of York, had surrendered Edward’s birthright. Henry agreed that he would reign for the rest of his life; thereafter, the crown will pass to the York line. Further fighting has undone the deal, but Edward remembers what his father was willing to surrender. [Read more...]
The Moscows of Nantucket
May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Family reunions and vacations often provide rich material for stage and screen. In Theater J’s world premiere of The Moscows of Nantucket, simmering tensions, clashing personalities, and close quarters combine for high comedy and family drama at a picturesque beachfront hideaway. [Read more...]
Born Yesterday
May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
It’s always with fear and trepidation that I approach a revival of a classic Broadway hit of the 1940s or 1950s because some of them were head and shoulders above the crowd in their own time, and some were blessed with star turns that became iconic. [Read more...]
Jenny Jules on playing Mama Nadi in Ruined
May 18, 2011 By 1 Comment
How do you describe Jenny Jules’ performance as Mama Nadi in Arena Stage’s emotionally powerful production of Lynn Nottage’s Ruined? These words immediately come to mind: fierce, compassionate, defiant, tough-as-nails, and passionate. DC area theatregoers are so fortunate that they have the opportunity to see this London actress in the role of Mama Nadi in Arena Stage’s new production of Ruined. I can’t remember when a performance has moved me as much as Jenny’s did. I will never forget it. [Read more...]
Four Women
May 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Described as an original collaborative theatre project inspired by Nina Simone’s classic song “Four Women,” this piece is a composite of monologs, skits, poetry, songs and dances, with video and audio clips added to the mix. The artists of the Saarjie Project, following their own artistic muses, came up with their own interpretations on Aunt Sarah, Saffronia, Sweet Thing and Peaches. The result is a touching reflection of black women’s experiences refracted as shattered bits of Simone’s timeless song. The result is insightful and entertaining enough to make even the legendarily hard-edged Simone smile. [Read more...]
Sister Act – the Original London Cast Recording
May 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
When the highly entertaining musical comedy Sister Act, which has been a big hit in London, got a Broadway gig at the big (1,761-seat) Broadway Theatre it got a lot more. It got a new director. It got a sprucing up of its script with a host of new jokes. It got a different co-star for Patina Miller along with an entirely new cast, many playing roles with different names and different material. It got two new songs and dropped two others. What it didn’t get was a new recording. [Read more...]
Sister Act
May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the transitional phase that the Broadway musical is currently enjoying, or suffering, depending on your personal viewpoint.
It’s not always easy to realize you are in the midst of a turnaround or changeover; often it’s not until years later that you look back and realize, “Oh, I see. Operetta was ending as the mid-1920s arrived, musical comedy was coming in” or “Funny, but with the birth of Oklahoma! we dropped the incidental light hearted book from musicals, and replaced them with character driven stories of substance, and scores that truly developed character and story.” [Read more...]
Swampoodle resurrects DC historic Irish neighborhood
May 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
This month, for one week only, the boundaries of DC theatre will be transformed, thanks to the collaboration between DC’s own contemporary Irish arts organization, Solas Nua and the Ireland-based Performance Corporation. Together, the two companies present Swampoodle, an original performance experience written and developed specifically for the Uline Arena, located in the former Northeast Washington, DC, Swampoodle neighborhood. [Read more...]
King Lear
May 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The haunting themes of King Lear touch on nature’s cruelty, Fate’s arbitrary hand, and man’s inevitable decline – and their truth strikes everyone differently depending on where one is in life. Somehow, I’ve seen Lears now at every decade change, and each time the play changes for me.
