By Conor McPherson Produced by Scena Theatre Reviewed by Ronnie Ruff Brian Hemmingsen (Photo: Ian C. Armstrong) Scena Theatre’s latest production of St Nicholas begins with the simple lines. "When I was a boy, I was afraid of the dark." Brian Hemmingsen’s booming voice rattles the rafters at Church Street with his sometimes funny, sometimes […]
Archives for April 2007
Crime and Punishment
Adapted by Marilyn Campbell and Curt Columbus from the novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Produced by Round House Theatre Reviewed by Tim Treanor Aubrey Deeker (as Raskolnikov) and Mitchell Hébert (as Porfiry) Photo: Stan Barouh “God gives grace to the dead,” says Raskolnikov (Aubrey Deeker), again and again. Though he does not believe in God, does […]
Helen Hayes Awards – the overture
From the 2006 Helen Hayes Nominees All last season, Washington was awash in fine theater. Hundreds of artists took on thousands of tasks, large and small, designed to bring great classics and challenging new works to life. They did so, in most cases, with great skill and for disproportionately little money, knowing as they do, […]
That Championship Season
By Jason Miller Produced by American Century Theater Reviewed by Janice Cane (l to r) Elliott Moffitt and Morgan J. Hall (Photo: Jeffrey Bell) That Championship Season is the theatrical manifestation of mediocrity, one of the key themes of this story about a high school basketball team reunion. Clocking in at nearly two and a […]
Titus Andronicus
By William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare Theatre Company Reviewed by Tim Treanor Christopher Scheeren, Danny Binstock, Chris Genebach as Lu David Murgittroyd as Martius and Sam Tsoutsouvas as Titus in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, directed by Gale Edwards. Photo by Carol Rosegg. "If I had a choice between betraying […]
The Condensed Mikado
Matt Williams as The Mikado and Karen Mercedes and Katishaw Interviewed by Joel Markowitz with Lorraine Treanor Listen in as the cast and orchestra of Washington Savoyard’s 90 minute condensed version of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Mikado accept our on-the-spot challenge to do the show in 10 minutes! Click here to listen. (10.33 minutes)
Free Jujube Brown
Written and performed by Psalmayene24 Directed by Kamilah Forbes Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson Never considered yourself to be a hip-hop aficionado? Not familiar with the ever changing lingo, look and style? Couldn’t bust a move if your life depended on it? No problem. Psalmayene24 (pronounced Psalm-ah-yé-ne) breaks everything down into clear artistic expressions, busts […]
Free Jujube Brown
Psalmayene24 and Debbie Minter Jackson Interviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson with Lorraine Treanor Psalmeyene24 speaks with Debbie Minter Jackson after his performance of Free Jujube Brown. This out-of-Brooklyn, hip hop inspired actor tells how the play, originally commissioned as a two person piece by Jennifer Nelson of African Continuum Theatre, has grown into an acclaimed one man […]
Eubie
Produced by Olney Theatre Center Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson Musical revues are tricky. Without a gifted director’s vision to hold the sections together as integral pieces, the revue can easily deadpan into linear catalogues of disconnected musical numbers. Almost as daunting is the combined director-choreographer role—being gifted in one category does not […]
She Stoops to Comedy
Produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson Kate Eastwood Norris(foreground) with Gia Mora, Jenna Sokolowski, Daniel Frithand Michael Russotto (Photo: Stan Barouh) David Greenspan’s She Stoops to Comedy is a fun loving riff on the spirit Shakespeare, fracturing time and spatial settings while pushing gender-bending to hilarious extremes. Showcasing some […]
Edward III
By William Shakespeare. Maybe. Produced by Washington Shakespeare Company Reviewed by Tim Treanor Karen Novack and Bruce Rauscher (Photo: Ray Gniewek) Edward III was one of England’s most successful kings. To a remarkable degree, he is still remembered, six hundred thirty years after his death. The British celebrate him as much for his charm and […]
Playwright Soyinka at Bowie State Wednesday
Acclaimed Playwright Dr. Wole Soyinka Speaks at Bowie State Wednesday, Apr 4th Dr. Wole Soyinka, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, will open the 2007 Spring Arts Festival on Wednesday, April 4, 2007 at 2 pm with a free lecture on the roots of conflict in Africa, its complexities and the future of […]