My End of Year Schmooze
by Joel Markowitz
So none of my readers can accuse me of being listless, here are my two end of the year lists:
(1) All the local theatres create a no cell phone zone like the Landmark Theatres do-where cells phones just don’t work in a theatre.
(2) Every show in every theatre in the DC area starts on time.
(3) Every theatre’s season is as artistically successful as Studio Theatre’s was this year.
(4) All theatres stop selling candy and drinks that are loudly consumed in our theatres, and all squishy water bottles are banned from every theatre.
(5) Text messaging during a performance and unwrapping candy during the most dramatic moment of a play carries a 5 year prison sentence – without the possibility of parole.
(6) We see more concert versions of new musicals being workshopped.
(7) The Warner Theatre stops seating latecomers 90 minutes into performances.
(8) Every performance in Signature’s The Max is miced, and not too loudly.
(9) Theatres produce more cabarets this year featuring the likes of the fabulous Judy Simmons and Gia Mora.
(10) A stuffed pickle is never used in any musical or play ever again.
(11) A revue of songs isn’t falsely advertised as a “New Musical.”
(12) Tickets prices are lower for shows with pre-recorded music.
(12) “Bull Crap” is never heard again in a holiday show.
(13) The Washington Post starts sending its critics to review the fantastic productions that Toby Orenstein produces and directs in her Columbia and Baltimore venues. (Peter, Nelson and Celia – I have a sinking feeling that you should have seen Titanic-The Musical!! It was unbelievable!)
(14) The Musical of Musicals comes back to MetroStage with Donna, Bobby, Janine and Russell for a very, very long open run.
SHOWS
(1) Glory Days at Signature.
(2) The Producers at Toby’s – The Dinner Theatre of Columbia.
(3) The Visit at Signature.
(4) A New Brain at KAT (Kensington Arts Theatre).
(5) Zanna, Don’t! at KAT (Kensington Arts Theatre).
(6) Carmen at Synetic Theatre.
(7) The Mystery of Irma Vep at Arena Stage.
(8) Nixon’s Nixon at Round House Theatre.
(9) David In Shadow and Light at Theater J.
(10) Jerry Springer The Opera at Studio Theatre.
PERFORMANCES
(1) Natascia Diaz in Kiss of The Spiderwoman at Signature
(2) Chita Rivera & George Hearn in The Visit at Signature.
(3)(4) Bobby Smith & Will Gartshore in David In Shadow and Light at Theater J.
(5) Judy Gold in 25 Questions For A Jewish Mother at Theater J.
(6)(7) Ed Gero & Conrad Feininger in Nixon’s Nixon at Round House Theatre.
(8)(9) Brad Oscar & J. Fred Shiffman in The Mystery of Irma Vep at Arena Stage.
(10) Rick Foucheaux in Death of A Salesman at Arena Stage.
So what’s on your Wish and Don’t Miss lists? Tell us in the Comments section below.
Happy Theatre Going in 2008!
See you in the theatre!
The theatres in DC are pretty good at making tickets affordable to young people and students. My wish is that more of them would go one step further and offer discounted season tickets to these groups, like the Shakespeare Theatre does. It’s nice to be able to plan your theatre-going in advance.
I can’t wait for Kate Norris in Macbeth, Chita Rivera and George Hearn in The Visit, Arena’s Death of a Salesman, and Studio’s The History Boys.
I should have been clear that I know that sites like this and the smaller papers do review the smaller companies. It is the Post and the Times that mostly ignore them. They do review some but not all.
It seems that the bigger venues don’t need the free press as much as the smaller companies and it is frustrating.
What is happening over at the City Paper with the short little reviews for the smaller companies is anyone’s guess.
As to noise in the theater all I will say is this. During Kit Marlowe at Rorschach there was a performance where so much candy was being opened and passed around during the top of the second act that it sounded as if a bunch of squirrels needing a sugar fix and sat in the house with their candy. People were passing skittles back and forth and talking as if they were sitting at home watching TV. The younger audiences seem oblivious to the fact that the actors on stage are right there and can see and hear everything they do in the house and that maybe just maybe their actions may be a distraction to the actors.
Ronnie- that sounds like a great idea- I don’t know about the Masonic Temple area- maybe I didn’t pay enough attention last time I was over there but I didn’t think the parking was all that gigantic.
Best of Luck with your new adventures!
I am all for out of the box.. Actually I once had an idea that involved having a festival of smaller theatres in Virgina. Not a Fringe per say but a single weekend event that would have readings, concert events, food, fund raising and other elements. I still would like to see that happen. At the time I was thinking about the huge parking lot at the Masonic Temple.
Ronnie- I for one wasn’t thinking of there being more than one fringe – I was thinking that the fringe could be expanded to Shirlington or somewhere else. Signature did participate in the Fringe last summer and they did so at their Shirlington venue. They did a concert version of The Glory Days. As far as Fringe being a city thing well there’s nothing wrong with thinking out of the box.
Two Fringe Festivals in the DC area in one year? Never happen.. A Fringe Festival is a city thing.. I just don’t see it in Va or MD..
Publisher – Actually, racing to get from one venue to the next doesn’t have to happen. While Cap Fringe occurs during the summer months, what would preculde Alexandria from having a fall fringe festival? Or even a spring fringe festival? Anyway, I’ve not been able to make all the shows I wanted to see during Cap Fringe for any number of reasons, but I got to see a FEW shows. Things don’t always go according to our plans. If Alexandria decides to get with it they need to realize the festivities should extend to venues spread throughout the city – not just Del Ray and Old Town.
Respective to the Fringe- I find it a problem getting to the different venues over a short period of time when the Fringe is held in DC. I just try and plan my time so that I can catch several shows in one geographical area. The reason that I suggested Shirlington is that there is the potential to have a number of venues at one general location. (On my original list I also forgot to mention that theater on the Run – another potential venue- is about 2 blocks away from the Village of Shirlington.) Shirlington could be a pretty ideal location- there’s plenty of parking and its only 1 bus stop away from the subway. There’s Arlington Arts bus that runs between the Pentagon City subway station and Shirlington. I bet Arlington might even be willing to increase service on that line for an activity such as the Fringe.
Will: I am relieved to hear you are indeed in David… If I had your number or email, I would have called you to confirm the info.
Sorry about that. Can’t wait to see you in the production.
Doug: Thanks for covering the small venues and nicer seats would be great. Keep those reviews coming. Joel
Hey I like having sodas at a ahow. I will not mention venues but some of them reach 80-90 degrees in the summer. Markowitz you are nutz. A little noise never hurt anyone.
The problem with having the Fringe spread out over the DC area is this:
Those wanting to see 2 or 3 shows on a Saturday have to contend with racing to get to the venues by car since trying to do it by public transportation would be futile.
Joel,
Who told you that I wouldn’t be in David? Whoever you got that from, it’s not accurate.
2 things:
1. As anyone who has read my reviews in The Washington Examiner knows (there must be at least a couple of you), I go out of my way to cover the smaller companies in the area. Indeed, my mission statement during the three years I have been writing for The Examiner is that it is insane to spend $75-$100 to see a show at The National Theatre or The Kennedy Center when you can see much better executed shows at the smaller houses with ticket prices in the $20 range.
2. The Number 1 item for my wish list would be more comfortable seats in some of the small houses. I’ve noticed that both Firebelly Productions and Quotidian Theatre are planning to do O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey into Night,” but, alas, I won’t be seeing either of these because I can’t bear the thought of spending 4 hours sitting in the chairs at Theatre on the Run and The Writer’s Center.
I know these 2 items sound contradictory, but while I do believe the smaller companies do better work, they need to invest in better seating, like the incredibly comfortable seats at The Church Street Theatre.
… but seriously, I would also love if Signature would gently ampify all the performances. They should use their sophisticated sound equipment to make the playing field equal for all the actors. Granted louder doesn’t mean clearer. Not everyone has such great hearing. In fact, many of us are losing an amout of the aural spectrum. Help us out, Mr. Sigature! You know that when I can’t make out most of the words an actor is saying, I “check out.” I can’t affort ot be purist.
Joel, regarding your wish “(8) Every performance in Signature’s The Max is miced, and not too loudly.” No mice, please! I hate meeses to pieces.
Author’s update:
I just found out that Will Gartshore will not be in David.. at Theater J. I will miss him.
Paul- Respective to the Fringe I’d like to see venues in Virginia and Maryland used in addition to the DC venues. Signature participated in the Fringe this year- at its Shirlington venue. I went and found the event to be very successful. The Village of Shirlington could potentially be a great place to host a number of Fringe shows. Signature could potentially provide several performance areas, Busboys and Poets has an area in the back of the restaurant that is used for some performances, the Bear Rock Cafe currently hosts some late evening jazz events so perhaps they could host some late evening Fringe events, Classical Theater (an arm of Synetic) has a small venue at Shirlington, the Arlington County library has been used for some theater related events, I wonder if the Aroma restaurant would be interested in hosting perhaps some Indian related events and there’s that nice plaza area in front of Signature and the Arlington County library that could be used for some outdoor activities. Come to think of it most of the restaurants are pretty dead in the middle of the afternoon til the early evening- I wonder if some of them wouldn’t be interested in hosting some events during those hours. It could be really terrific for business!
Okay. Here’s my wish list for 2008. Being an Alexandrian, I want theatres in the city to be super successful. Lots of rumps in seats.For example, Natural Theatricals would do great if they continued to do plays by the Greek greats like Aristophanes, Euripides, and other guys names I can hardly spell. And that they would do stuff that’s been workshopped. Lots of great talent from which to draw. Also, I’d like to see some of the community theatre companies do so well that they can afford to move to venues near a metro line so folks could easily get to the shows. AND (am I being unrealistic already?) that Alexandria have an annual FRINGE festival, and STILL do the plaid and bagpipes thing! Amen.
Cheryl:
At the theatres where I usher, we seat latecomers in the back of the house. I wish the rest of the theatres would follow this policy. At a Cirque De Soleil-type production at the Warner, I was forced to get up 9 times during the show, and they were still making us get up 90 minutes into the show. I couldn’t believe it, and when I asked the House Manager why they alowed this to happen, they told me the producers were the ones who told the ushers to seat all latecomers. It was the most painful night I have ever spent in the theatre.
As for the Kennedy Center, how about all that coughing that takes place during performances? Singers who have performed there have told me it was insufferable performing in the concert hall because of all the coughing and hacking. Joel
Just once I’d like to attend any sort of performance at the Kennedy Center that started on time!
If people show up late for a show and there are a lot of empty seats in the house then I’d like to see theaters seat these folks in a more remote part of the theater. These folks can take their regular seats during intermission. There isn’t a good reason for folks who are already seated to have late comers climbing all over them in the middle of a show. If I was late for a show (which I never am) I would ask to be seated in the back or side of the theater. All of this activity isn’t annoying enough for audience members one can only imagine how distracting it must be for the performers.
Am I the only one who’s annoyed by audience members chatting with one another during the production?
Bill:
I also wish that the smaller theatres would have more of their shows reviewed in the Post, Times, Examiner and others. I started the Ushers in 1990 to help support community theatre, and every year I see some terrific productions in these small theatres.
Check my list of last year’s best musicals at
https://dctheatrescene.com/2007/08/23/joel-names-his-top-musicals-and-performers/
and you’ll see that the majority of the shows on the list were productions from small and children’s theatres. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Great lists, Joel. I kind of liked that pickle, though.
Re Bill’s comment: Reviewing is a hard, and often thankless, task. My web site covers community theater and some of the smaller professional theaters in the DC region. It is *hard* to get out to see even more shows. I’d love to cover more groups, but one problem is it seems that they all open the same weekend, so tough decisions have to be made. For example, January 18 has seven shows opening, and that’s only community theater.
I would like to point out that nine times out of ten when a show is held it is because the theater company is holding for a critic or Helen Hayes judge.
The one thing I would like to see happen is that more shows get reviewed. You see one or two for small companies but then every critic and their brother rushes like lemmings to the big houses to review their shows.
Under “Sheer Bliss”: I like No. 5. As a matter of fact I LOVE No.5. The prison sentence thing is cool. Without the possibility of parole makes it AWESOME, even wicked, I’d say!! Tee hee hee!