We know who Clive (John Scherer) is: square-jawed, middle-aged, sandy-haired with a splash of white at the temples, refined of voice, of imperial bearing — why, he is the very model of the English colonial baron, ensconced in 19th-century Africa to carry, in Kipling’s terms, the white man’s burden. It is his job, as he […]
Archives for September 2016
The Other Place at Rep Stage (review)
How fitting in this season of remembrance to see a play about the nature of memory. Sharr White’s The Other Place, currently receiving a haunting, heartbreaking production under the intelligent direction of Joseph W. Ritsch, is a play about the reliability of memories, and what truth and what we may have blurred and reshaped to […]
Margulies’ Dinner with Friends from Peter’s Alley (review)
Dinner with Friends starts off innocently enough with a couple describing delicious meals from their recent European excursion. These folks are serious foodies and recount the exquisite Italian cuisine, perfectly complemented wine selections, and top it off reciting actual recipes. Their dinner guest is obviously missing a plus-one and listens patiently to the jabber, smiling sweetly, […]
A Dream Within a Dream: Madness. Transmedia production brings Poe to life (review)
Fantastical and macabre, Through the 4th Wall ‘s A Dream Within a Dream: Madness at the Torpedo Factory Arts Center in Alexandria is a celebration of the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe.
Melissa Baughman on giving Mystery of Edwin Drood Landless’ Symphonic Metal treatment.
Landless Theatre Company is developing its second Metal musical: the Broadway musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd was the first. Melissa Baughman, resident director and Associate Producing Director for Landless, is the woman behind Landless’ Metal Theatre projects.
Urinetown: The Musical from Constellation Theatre (review)
It takes a lot of balls but maybe not much brain to call a musical “Urinetown,” and the joke is made several times in the show just what a terrible name it is. But that’s the point. This constantly self-referential musical makes fun of the very form while ever stuffing the show with familiar boondoggle […]
Jason Loewith and Ryan Rilette team up to direct Angels in America
Twenty-five years ago at the small Eureka Theatre in downtown San Francisco, Tony Kushner pushed forth the first iteration of a play that would become what many feel is not only a great American play but one of only a handful of theatre works which thoroughly captured the zeitgeist of its time. This week Angels […]
Blackberry Daze debuts at MetroStage (review)
The long-awaited Blackberry Daze has the signature style of a MetroStage production with Thomas W. Jones II at the helm, but the piece also swerves its own way with unusual stylistic touches. Based on the novel Blackberry Days of Summer by Ruby P. Watson, it is a tale about a community in the post- “Great War” […]
Page-to-Stage: Crazy Mary Lincoln, Over Her Dead Body and Alan Sharpe’s Short Plays
Writer’s choice: Page-to-Stage readings from Saturday, September 3, 2016. We asked our writers to report back on plays which they would like to see fully staged. From Debbie Jackson Crazy Mary Lincoln Written by Jan Tranen & Jay Schwandt Directed by Tracey Elaine Chessum Hanging out at the Kennedy Center for ten-hours of Page-to-Stage didn’t feel […]
Being the audience: David S. Kessler on playing the role well
When he received the 2015 Gary Maker Audience Award, long time theatre supporter turned performer David S. Kessler encouraged a Folger audience: “Being in the audience is not a spectator sport.” To celebrate the start of the new theatre season, we asked David to expand on his thoughts. ————– Years ago, I served as a volunteer house manager at […]
Audiences help launch new plays this weekend at Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival
More than 50 theaters from the D.C. area will take part in the Kennedy Center’s 15th annual Page-to- Stage New Play Festival, Sept. 3 to Sept. 5, fulfilling the festival’s mission to produce and support new work.
Sortable guide to Page-to-Stage, Sept 3 – 5, 2016
This Labor Day Weekend, 56 area theatre companies are presenting 64 readings at what has become DC’s annual kickoff of the theatre season, The Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage New Play Festival. Admission is free. Directions and parking Gregg Henry, curator of Page-to-Stage, talks about putting the festival together. Click any of the columns below to sort by company, show […]