Louis Armstrong, arguably the first jazz superstar, achieved world-wide fame as a trumpet player, composer, singer, occasional actor. Satchmo at the Waldorf by Terry Teachout (best known as The Wall Street Journal’s theatre critic) presents the Louis Armstrong the public didn’t know, and Mosaic Theater Company of DC and Craig Wallace provide a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look […]
Archives for August 2016
London notebook: I saw a show you’ll likely see here, and that’s The Truth
To tell the truth, The Truth is a thoroughly delightful evening. The play is hilarious, clever, and insightful. That said, I think I would have admired it much more if it wasn’t also so derivative.
The circus isn’t coming to town (but it’s already here)
With the recent announcement that The Big Apple Circus will be ending public performances, circus lovers might be worried about where to get their clown fix. No need to worry: the DC-area is home to an array of accomplished clowns, mimes, and physical theatre companies.
London notebook: Stunning production The Deep Blue Sea (review)
The Deep Blue Sea is a wonderful play by Terence Rattigan, with a wonderful lead role for a woman. Helen McCrory is a wonderful actor who takes full advantage of the opportunities the part offers in a splendid production that I saw during a visit to London at its National Theatre.
Exploring Cervantes. Director José Arellano Garcia talks about The Last Quixote
In spite of severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings, heat advisories to stay inside, and Metro track delays, we met at the front door of the GALA Hispanic Tivoli Theatre. Stage director José Luis Arellano Garcia arrived riding a bicycle. Dubraska Vale, GALA’s public relations associate, appeared on 14th Street NW, walking from the GALA […]
Aliens with Extraordinary Skills (review)
The elusive O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary skills is a rare bird in the immigrant community, often going to big-name, A-list entertainers. Think Celine Dionne (Canadian) or John Oliver (a classy Brit). Not some second-rate Moldovan clown who caters birthday parties at McDonald’s. But that’s what idealistic Nadia (Julia Hurley) is, and her O-1 […]
My won’t-miss shows for this season
If you’re like me, you’ve already done your Christmas shopping, filled out your budget for the next fiscal year, and made arrangements for your final repose after The Event Which Awaits Us All occurs. Now it’s time for something much more difficult: planning your theater season.
The Last Class: a Jazzercize Play (review)
The Last Class: a Jazzercize Play makes the most of its setting. The story is told in real time during an actual jazzercize routine. The cast’s hard-earned sweat is corporeal proof of their characters’ internal conflicts. There are no convenient black-outs or set-changes to catch your breath during. The relentless peppiness of the exercise routine and […]
Opera in Washington – The 2016-2017 Season
– Notes from the talk delivered by Susan Galbraith at The Smithsonian on August 16th – On a good day in the Greater Washington area there are more than 15 opera companies of various ilks and sizes. Not all present regular programming. Some, like Lorin Maazel’s Castleton (still in hiatus after the maestro’s death), or Wolf […]
The Tempest, STC’s free for all (review)
For the past 25 years, Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) has memorably gifted our community by remounting one of its recent favorite productions in free performances. These used to be performed at Carter Baron that offered a sylvan setting, opportunities for family pre-show picnics on the grass, and the happenstance adventures of actors sharing the staging with […]
Washington DC Dance Season – Highlights
Tuesday night, Trey Graham hosted the annual DC Theater Scene preview of the local theatre season at The Smithsonian. The discussion highlighted just a few specifics within the breadth of local offerings in theater, opera and musical theater, and dance. Here are a few of my recommendations for the coming season.
Taking stock of DC’s assistance program,Taking Care of Our Own
We stand poised at the start of the new theatre season, pondering which plays and musicals will take us to new places, which will lead us to discover new talents, new characters, which will challenge us in new ways, and which will we greet like returning old friends.