The Black Artist Coalition (BAC), a collective of DC-area performers, designers, administrators and arts supporters, announced its purpose and plans today. The BAC was formed in response to the increasing awareness of both macro- and microaggressions that have more often than not tainted Black artists’ experience in the performing arts industry for centuries, the organization […]
John R. Lewis’ last remarks in support of Black Lives Matter marchers
“Without the arts, without music, without dance, without drama, without photography, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.” – John Lewis The Honorable John Lewis wrote his last remarks to the nation to be published posthumously upon the day of his funeral in Atlanta, Georgia on July 30, 2020. Originally […]
Music for the Movement: I’ll Rise Up by Andra Day
My name is Pamela Jafari. I am a Washingtonian senior who is Black, lesbian, a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother. I have a 26 y/o grandson, and 3 y/o great-grandson, who I am always concerned about their welfare of these Black young people in America. I am a playwright and a member of […]
How I got hooked on theatre: Simon Godwin
It began with sawdust, clowns, and the high wire. It began with walking excitedly across muddy English fields to a gaudy big top. It began with spectacle and a world elsewhere. Then, on my ninth birthday, sawdust met the stage when my mum took me to see the ultimate circus musical, Barnum, starring Michael Crawford […]
How I got hooked on theatre: Laura Giannarelli
I can’t remember a time when I was NOT hooked on performing. My Mama played ‘Let’s pretend’ with my sister and me in the kitchen back when I was four and five years old and I loved it. I was cast as the third good fairy in The Sleeping Beauty in third grade; that was […]
How I got hooked on theatre: Eric Schaeffer
I grew up in a small town in the middle of Amish Country in Pennsylvania. There wasn’t much to do other than ride your bike, go to the pool or count cows. So we had a first grade teacher named Mr. Reid Lessig – who just loved the theatre. He would put on plays in […]
Giving back to Tia Shearer Bassett
Dear Friends, We were saddened to learn this week that Tia Shearer Bassett, a valued member of the DC theater community and a bright shining light of a human, has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Tia and husband Matt Bassett, also a beloved member of the local theater community, will need some extra help as […]
“I’m Not Interested in More Allies. I Need Advocates.” A conversation with Michael J. Bobbitt and Raymond O. Caldwell
What is it like for leaders of Color to work in White theatres? This Howlround Theatre Commons interview is between two well-known Washington area leaders: Michael J. Bobbitt, former Artistic Director of Adventure Theatre MTC, now Artistic Director of New Repertory Theatre in Boston, and director Raymond O. Caldwell, Artistic Director of Theater Alliance. ———————- […]
Review: LadyM from The Welders
This review by Jennifer Georgia was first published by DC Metro Theater Arts on July 15, 2019. We are unable to attend the performance and are very grateful to DCMTA for permission to reprint their review here. When the audience enters the performance space at Joe’s Movement Emporium, they are confronted by three women in […]
Dust writer sets clashing beliefs at the heart of her Capital Fringe love story
It was a windy spring day, and I was taking a moment to zone out during rugby practice. As I looked up, noticing a plane flying above me, my mind wandered, as minds often do. [adsanity_rotating align=”aligncenter” time=”10″ group_id=”1455″ /] “I wonder what an asteroid would look like,” I thought. “If I were a scientist […]
Dreamer/Seeker, an actor in Midsummer learns how to let go
Dreamer/Seeker was written by a good friend and classmate of mine from Virginia Tech, Devan Andrews. He is a fellow actor and drew loosely from his experience playing Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Devan is an avid playwright but doesn’t live in an area where his plays get many chances to be produced so he’ll […]
A People’s History: How Daisey does it
As I write this, I have now seen Mike Daisey do 8 of the 18 consecutive chapters in his A People’s History. I’ve written a dispatch about each (which you can read here), and I’ll be covering all the rest through to the end. As much as I have been knocked out by Daisey’s hilarious […]