Let’s get this out of the way. From the first moments of this play to the final bows, the brave and generous actors in this production are, save for some stage mud and grass stains, completely naked. For some people, the thought of the human form undisguised by clothing is so shocking, repulsive or frightening […]
Archives for June 2007
Dead Mans Cell Phone
By Sarah Ruhl Produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Reviewed by Janice Cane A couple of months ago, I watched Rick Foucheux sit in a chair and reflect back on the life of the character he played. A couple of nights ago, I had the unexpected pleasure of watching him do it again. Unexpected because […]
A Dream Play
by August Strindberg Adapted by Caryl Churchill Produced by Constellation Theatre Company at the Source Theatre Directed by Allison Arkell Stockman Reviewed by Tim Treanor Does the D.C. area really need another professional theater? You bet it does. As long as theater has important things to say, and theater professionals have the wit and craft […]
New Schmooze Covers 6 Musicals
This week’s Schmooze, with news from 6 musicals, could almost be a musical in itself. A columnist unites twins separated at birth, then watches while a shoe factory musical is born, finds out the butcher and a mysterious cell phone man can be pretty scary in the dark, gets lessons from kids about ensemble work, and gets […]
Theatre Schmooze, June 2007. Act 2 gets 2 mentions, iMusical, plus happiness at the Tonys
JUNE DAYS ON THE RUN Blood Brothers . iMusical: The Musical . 1776 . Sweeney Todd . Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat and Spring Awakening BLOODY GOOD, JAKE AND MICHAEL!! What a way to start the month! I returned to Act Two Performing Arts on Friday, June 1st at The Olney Theatre Center […]
Latido Negro
Latido Negro, Peru’s African Beat directed by Rafael Santa Cruz written by Fernando Barreto Arce choreographed by Lalo Izquierdo, review by Rosalind Lacy Break down the barriers. Let fusion reign. In GALA’s world premiere of a new musical Latido Negro: Peru’s African Beat, intoxicating rhythms of African drums blend with echoes of sweet-and-sad Andean or […]
The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde Produced by Keegan Theatre Directed by Dorothy Neumann Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson “There’s such a vibration in the name ‘Earnest’”, the lady muses, as she caresses the name lovingly in her mind and tastes it deliciously on her tongue while uttering it aloud. Earnest, she ponders again, focusing not on the […]
Hamlet
By William Shakespeare Produced by Shakespeare Theatre Directed by Michael Kahn Reviewed by Tim Treanor This lush, gorgeous, thrilling, lucid, hilarious, moving, profound production of Hamlet succeeds because it is illuminated by an observation which is brilliant in its simplicity. Hamlet is a kid. Jeffrey Carlson plays theater’s toughest role as if he was a fish […]
The Lathe of Heaven
Adapted by Richard Henrich from a novel by Ursula K. Le Guin Produced by Spooky Action Theater at the Black Box Theatre at Montgomery College Directed by Richard Henrich Reviewed by Tim Treanor Lathe of Heaven, Spooky Action’s adaptation of a 1971 novel by prolific science-fiction writer Ursula K. Le Guin, tells the story of […]
Spring and Utopia Sweep the Tonys
Spring Awakening with Rockville, MD native Michael Mayer directing, came out on top of last night’s Tony Awards. Accepting the show’s 8th award of the night – for Best Musical – had to be the biggest cast of producers in the history of the Awards. Getting everyone on stage barely left time for two tiny acceptance […]
Summer of 42
Book by Hunter Foster Music and Lyrics by David Kirshenbaum Directed by Meredith McDonough Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson The Round House Theater production of Summer of 42 is silly, engaging, and, except for a few dead spots in Act 2, enjoyable all at the same time. The story is no surprise to anyone familiar […]
Summer of 42
Interview by Joel Markowitz with Lorraine Treanor Summer of 42s Ryan Nealy (Hermie) and Nancy Snow (Dorothy) talk about the musical, the movie, and their favorite moments in the show. Both are originally from the area. Ryan, who graduated from American University last year, tells about their Fine Arts program. Nancy owes a lot to […]