Menopause The Musical

“The show is about WOMEN … not about theater,” writer/producer Jeanie Linders says in a press-kit Q&A about Menopause: The Musical.

OK, then how to evaluate it?

Women? Two thumbs up! Five stars! Must see!

But this show? Dismal. Read more

pluck - The Titanic Show

pluck - The Titanic Show
the trio ‘pluck’ is Adrian Garratt, Siân Kadifachi and Jon Regan
Directed by Cal McCrystal
Presented by The Bethesda Theatre
Reviewed by Steven McKnight

I have always thought that the mixture of classical performers and comedy is a brilliant notion since seeing the Bugs Bunny cartoon “What’s Opera, Doc” as a child (come on, you remember “kill the wabbit”, don’t you?).  Yet ‘pluck’, a London-based string trio starring Adrian Garratt (violin), Jon Regan (viola), and Siân Kadifachi (cello), exceeded my fondest hopes with its delightful comedic talents.  Read more

Meet the Altar Boyz

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYZ!
Joel Markowitz interviews the cast of Altar Boyz

Joel Markowitz had a heavenly time schmoozing with five talented young singers, actors and dancers who are burning up the Bethesda Theatre Stage, listening to confessions, and saving the souls of it’s wildly applauding audiences.

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Altar Boyz

Altar Boyz
book by Kevin Del Aguila
music/lyrics by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker
choreographed by Christopher Gattelli
directed by Stafford Arima
produced by Nederlander of Bethesda, L.L.C. at Bethesda Theatre
reviewed by Gary McMillan

Get thee to this concert musical for 90 minutes of nonstop laughter! Altar Boyz is a freshly scrubbed, squeaky clean Windex to the … er, window to the soul, as delivered by the latter day Herman’s Hermeneutics or Dave Cleric Five. Read more

Defending the Caveman

• Defending the Caveman
• by Rob Becker
• Performed and directed by Cody Lyman
• Produced by Theater Mogul and Nederlander of Bethesda
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

On stage at the Bethesda Theatre, two prehistoric cave paintings serve as historic reminders that even though we think we’ve changed, our DNA programming hasn’t. One shows males hunting bison; the other, a naked female fertility goddess. Read more

World of Jewtopia

• World of Jewtopia
• Written and performed by Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson
• Produced by Bethesda Theatre
• Reviewed by Janice Cane

Jews have been around for thousands and thousands of years, and most of the jokes about the chosen people are nearly as old. But plenty of comics (and lay people) are still coming up with original zingers - witness Judy Gold at Theater J earlier this year who had this reviewer cracking up. Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson unfortunately do not belong to that group; instead they serve up  the reheated leftovers of Jewish comedy. Read more

Smokey Joe’s Café

• Smokey Joe’s Café
• Words and Music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
• Directed and Choreographed by Chet Walker
• Produced by Nederlander of Bethesda, LLC for the Bethesda Theatre
• Reviewed by Steven McKnight

Knowing what to expect can be key to enjoying a night at the theatre.  If you want to enjoy an agreeable oldies revue smoothly sung by a talented ensemble, then you could do worse than drop in to Smokey Joe’s Café at the Bethesda Theatre.  On the other hand, if live musical theatre is a rare treat because of a busy schedule and/or limited budget, you may find a production that rarely rises above pleasant does not fulfill your highest expectations. 

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My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy

My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy
Created and Performed by Steve Solomon
Directed by John Bowab
Produced by Nederlander of Bethesda, LLC for the Bethesda Theatre
Reviewed by Steven McKnight

The charm of Steve Solomon’s My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy is that a show centered upon the experiences of his cross-ethnic childhood in Brooklyn has universal appeal. Accordingly, Solomon should appreciate the fact that a Southern English-German Protestant found this production a real hoot. Read more

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
• Book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro
• Music by Jimmy Roberts
• Directed by Andy Gale
• Produced by Nederlander of Bethesda, LLC for the Bethesda Theatre
• Reviewed by Tim Treanor

How could you not enjoy I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at the new Bethesda Theatre? Well, I suppose you could chew on ground glass while you watch the production, or obsess on your own many failed relationships while the four giddy characters giggle and sing about theirs.  But who wants to do that?  Why not saunter over to the Honest Tea bar in the lobby, and knock back an adult beverage?  And after that, plop into one of the big seats, turn off your fevered and overused brain, and snort and guffaw with the rest of us? Read more