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Karen Olivo

January 21, 2009 By 5 Comments

An Interview with actress Karen Olivo, who plays Anita in West Side Story
by Joel Markowitz

When I saw Karen Olivo playing Faith in the musical Brooklyn, I knew, by the power and beauty of her voice,  that a star had been born. When I saw Karen as Vanessa in the 37 Arts Off-Broadway production of In The Heights, I told everyone I knew to run to NYC and catch her performance. After the show transferred to the Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway audiences were treated to Karen’s feisty Vanessa in last year’s Tony Award Winning Best Musical.

More than 50 years after it opened at the National Theatre, the new production West Side Story , under the direction of the legendary Arthur Laurents, returned to the National in preparation for its Broadway opening. DC audiences and critics alike cheered Karen Olivo’s scorching portrayal of Anita. Before she left Washington, Karen did this interview for us. [Read more...]

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Alice Ripley in Next to Normal

December 21, 2008 By 11 Comments


Interviewed by Joel Markowitz [Read more...]

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Three Who Shone in Beauty and the Beast

December 19, 2008 By 1 Comment

A Beauty of a Beauty and the Beast
Interviews with actors Josh Simon and Mike Mainwaring and lighting designer Scott Selman

I had heard that Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, MD had a terrific drama department, and a huge Broadway size stage, so when Scott Selman – whose work I knew from Act Two – invited me to see a show, I gladly accepted, and have been a big fan ever since.

On December 6th I saw their spectacularly enchanting production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and, though I rarely see the same show twice,  I returned  with a friend on December 12th. Why? I wanted to see the terrific performances of Josh Simon, who played Lumiere and Mike Mainwaring, who played Lefou, and to see the eye-popping lighting design of Scott Selman. [Read more...]

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Chatting with the creators of Next to Normal

December 11, 2008 By 2 Comments

Feeling Electric!
Lyricist and book writer Brian Yorkey and composer Tom Kitt on Arena Stage’s new production of Next to Normal
By Joel Markowitz

There are musicals that have become cult favorites, and one of my favorite Broadway musical performers – Alice Ripley – has starred in four of them: Side Show, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tommy and Next to Normal.

I was so lucky to catch the final performance of Next to Normal at Second Stage on March 16th of this year. We are fortunate to have Michael Greif (Rent and Grey Gardens) direct a new version of this very unique musical at Arena Stage’s Crystal City location, and to have Alice Ripley here recreating her tour-de-force and critically acclaimed performance of Diana! [Read more...]

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Faith Prince and Richard Thomas

November 25, 2008 By 4 Comments

The two actors talk about Terrence McNally’s new play Unusual Acts of Devotion
by Joel Markowitz

It was closing weekend of a play which Broadway stars Faith Prince and Richard Thomas have both opened and continued working on during its five week premiere at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. You can feel their deep friendship for each other in this backstage interview with Joel Markowitz. [Read more...]

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Andrew Baughman as President Harding

November 15, 2008 By 4 Comments

an interview with the star of President Harding Is a Rock Star -  Andrew Baughman
By Joel Markowitz

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Mark Jacoby

November 3, 2008 By 2 Comments

A Chat with Mark Jacoby
Interviewed by Joel Markowitz

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Composer Jason Robert Brown

October 31, 2008 By 2 Comments

Composer Jason Robert Brown on his newest works:13, Trumpet of the Swan, his children’s book “Tickety-Tock”and on Open Circle’s unique production of Songs for a New World
By Joel Markowitz

Jason Robert Brown’s beautiful scores of The Last 5 Years and Parade has been produced by several DC theatre companies. Last year Jason’s incredible piano playing was heard at Signature Theatre’s concert version of Songs for a New World at Strathmore, and this year we were treated to an innovative production of the show at Open Circle Theatre.  Now, DC audiences will be able to watch Jason conduct a concert version of his new work The Trumpet of the Swan at The Kennedy Center on December 4 thru 6.

[Read more...]

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Kate Eastwood Norris

October 22, 2008 By 1 Comment

Kate Eastwood Norris
appearing in Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘N Roll at the Wilma, Philadelphia


interviewed by Joel Markowitz

In his recent visit to Philadelphia, Joel Markowitz caught up with Kate Eastwood Norris, the Helen Hayes Award winning actress whom Washington audiences have seen regularly in productions at Folger, Round House, and most recently at Woolly Mammoth.Kate married actor Cody Nickell this summer and is in the process of moving to New York.

[Read more...]

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Director Oz Scott

September 5, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Oz Scott on Directing Daniel Beaty’s Resurrection

Interviewed by Joel Markowitz 
Recorded August 21, 2008  [Read more...]

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