Tonight, the Montgomery County Police announced that they had arrested 18-year-old Elijah Jeremiah Smith of Washington, DC, in Monday night’s Silver Spring assault on and robbery of actor Frank Britton. Washington police assisted in the arrest. According to the Montgomery police, “items of evidence related to the assault and robbery were recovered” at the suspect’s […]
Archives for May 2014
In Series’ lounge operas this weekend: Lady of Spain reviewed
What’s real and what’s illusion? This is the key question raised during this impassioned performance. In Lady of Spain, the first of this In Series double bill of “lounge operas,” (and the only one reviewed here), the frame story is about two real-life performers, mezzo-soprano Patricia Portillo and tenor Nephi Sanchez, who play impassioned characters.
Bitch Trouble makes a one day stopover at Corner Store, June 1st
“It’s the thing I’m most proud of in 35 years of doing theatre.” Rod Menzies is in Washington to direct the current class at the Academy of Classical Acting (ACA) in its production of The Duchess of Malfi. But that wasn’t what he referred to when we spoke this week. He was talking about Bitch […]
TrueTheatergoer offering $200 to the sagest Broadway theatergoer. Tony Awards contest ends May 31
If you think you can predict who will be breathlessly reading their acceptance speeches at the Tony Awards, June 8th, you could come up a winner and receive $200 in TrueTheatergoer’s latest contest. The person with the most correct guesses wins the cash prize. But only if they enter before the contest closes at midnight […]
Applauding Michelle Williams’ performance in Cabaret
One of the joys of a long life in theatre is that you get to visit old friends whom you first met decades ago. Cabaret is a true case in point, for back in the middle of the last century (1966) I had my first contact with this Kander and Ebb breakthrough musical, the one […]
When a bad Post review happens to a good show, we all lose
There are few things in the world as rewarding as being the Artistic Director of a theatre company when you see that the hard work and strenuous effort of your board, your staff, and your artists have paid off. Sacrifices have been made to accomplish a successful production.
Caroline, or Change
Julia Nixon knows how to play weary. Her first sound as tired, weary Caroline before a song is sung or a word is spoken, is a melodic moan that comes from the depths of her soul grabs you and doesn’t let go. Listen closely and you can hear elements of a field holler, hurt, sorrow, […]
Theatre artists: a liveable wage is our right and our responsibility
Recently, the FringeArts blog of Philadelphia interviewed the critically successful performer-producer Charlotte Ford about her decision to take a leave the arts scene to pursue a more formal career in speech pathology.
Playing Romantic writers, the men of Bloody Poetry
“How can I capture this guy who means so many things to so many people,” asked Dan Crane, who is playing the legendary Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in the Taffety Punk Theatre Company production of Howard Brenton’s play Bloody Poetry, playing through May 31st at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. “The poems just punched me […]
Glam rocks’ last stand this weekend. Nero/Pseudo closes at Fort Fringe
Consider this: If the Emperor Nero really did fiddle while Rome burned, he might have been playing one of his own compositions (albeit in a distinctly minor key). That’s a supposition one takes from Nero/Pseudo, the glam rock musical now enjoying its world premiere with WSC Avant Bard at downtown Washington’s Fort Fringe.
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Sometimes, we could all use a little love and understanding – even, perhaps, the man who betrayed Jesus Christ. In Forum Theatre’s crackling production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, a superb cast brings an emotional, modern day spin to Jesus’ betrayal and Judas’ subsequent trial before a jury of ethereal peers. Director John […]
WSC Avant Bard’s 25th anniversary season
A play about a private school – in rhyme. A Shakespeare classic – live, and broadcast on WAMU. A musical – in American sign language. A Christmas Carol – in Klingon. Nobody expected that WSC Avant Bard, which describes itself as ‘Theatre on the Edge’ would make their twenty-fifth season an easy one. As Artistic […]