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Joel writes the DCTS column 'Theatre Schmooze' and podcasts local, Philadelphia and NYC actors and directors. In 1990, Joel founded The Ushers Theatre Going Social Group in the DC area and leads groups on theatre weekends in NYC. Joel is a fan of Stephen Sondheim, William Finn, Jason Robert Brown and Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. He is a huge supporter of children's theatre. His favorite,musicals include Ragtime, The Secret Garden, The Light in the Piazza, Sweeney Todd, The Last Five Years, In The Heights and [title of show]. Joel is also a Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres fan, so you may see him at ice hockey rinks as well as stage doors where he schmoozes with the stars.

Edward Gero and Sasha Olinick on playing Salieri and Mozart in Amadeus

June 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

All I could ask myself after watching the glorious performances of Edward Gero and Sasha Olinick as the tortured Salieri and the fart-filled Amadeus was, “What took so long for someone to cast them in a production of Amadeus? Well, I seized the opportunity to ask them myself, and also asked them to talk about these two challenging roles in the critically acclaimed Round House production. [Read more...]

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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...]

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This spring’s outstanding NYC musical performances

May 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A look at 7 New York spring musicals, and a Stephen Schwartz opera

Before the Tony Awards are upon us, I wanted to talk about some of the musicals I saw in NYC this spring.

There was a tsunami of book problems this year with many of the musicals. All you have to do is go to this wonderful website – StageGrade – and read what the critics had to say, and you’ll see one thing popping up over and over again – “the book was lousy”. [Read more...]

Filed Under: New York City, Theatre Schmooze

Matthew Scott and Nancy Anderson sing for Company

May 9, 2011 By 1 Comment

They’ve come to Signature Theatre to sing side by side with two-time Helen Hayes Award-winner Sherri L. Edelen in the just opened Side by Side by Sondheim. They are  two of my favorite performers, so I asked Matthew Scott and Nancy Anderson to talk about the songs they will be performing, and to tell us about the man who penned them, Stephen Sondheim. [Read more...]

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11 shows and 1 movie I’m glad I saw

May 6, 2011 By 2 Comments

I had to slow down a bit after having heart surgery the end of February, so I carefully selected shows I thought I’d have a great time seeing and for the most part I chose wisely. The critics have spoken (and you can read their reviews here) but here’s my take. [Read more...]

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Wonderland’s El Gato: Jose Llana

April 29, 2011 By 1 Comment

It wasn’t Alice or the White Rabbit or The Mad Hatter that made everyone go ‘gaga’ the night I saw the new musical Wonderland on Broadway- it was a tail-swinging, tail-playing Jose Llana wearing a ‘purrfectly’ outrageous kitty outfit – that drew the loudest laughter and applause from the appreciative audience.

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Sam Ludwig, Florrie Bagel and Parker Drown in Speech & Debate

April 27, 2011 By 2 Comments

I hear that Florrie Bagel, Parker Drown and Sam Ludwig are wowing audiences and critics with their powerful performances in Speech & Debate at Rep Stage. This is a change of pace for these three sensational singers, giving them a unique opportunity to display their excellent acting skills in leading roles. Here they talk about the powerful play now at Rep Stage. [Read more...]

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Jahi Kearse, from MetroStage to Broadway debut in Baby It’s You!

April 26, 2011 By 2 Comments

Jahi Kearse is a hoofer, a singer, a musician, a powerful actor, and a songwriter who critics and DC area theatregoers have enthusiastically embraced his performances in MetroStage’s Cool Papa’s Party, Round House Theatre’s Pippin, and The Studio Theatre’s Slam!, Top Dog/Underdog, Passing Strange, and Slam! [Read more...]

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They ‘pushed da button’: The Color Purple’s Dayna Jarae Dantzler and Taprena Augustine

April 20, 2011 By 1 Comment

I had seen The Color Purple the week it opened on Broadway in December 2005, with LaChanze and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes in the roles of Celie and Shug Avery and they were absolutely wonderful. In fact, both were nominated for the Tony that year and LaChanze won for her performance as Celie. I also saw The Kennedy Center production with Fantasia and Angela Robinson as Celie and Shug Avery, and also gave equally brilliant performances.

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Margaret Colin at home in Arcadia and on the big and small screens

April 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

Arcadia’s Margaret Colin on playing Lady Croom and her stage, film, and TV roles

I’m a big fan of Margaret Colin’s work and it was so much fun schmoozing with her about her role as Lady Croom in the revival of Arcadia now playing on Broadway. What a blast it was talking about her soap opera days and her film and theatre roles. She is juggling motherhood, a hit TV show, and a Tom Stoppard play all at the same time. And somewhere in there, finished up a new film. We started, of course, with Arcadia. [Read more...]

Filed Under: New York City, Theatre Schmooze
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