Once again, Arlington, VA has been invaded by bloodthirsty pirates. Earlier this summer, Signature Theatre premiered the rollicking musical Blackbeard in Shirlington Village. Now, over in Crystal City, the Hispaniola has set sail in Treasure Island, a Synetic show you won’t want to miss. Synetic Theater’s newest adventure has something for everyone in this adaptation […]
Review: Jayne Atkinson as Texas Governor Ann Richards in Ann at Arena Stage
Wit, wisdom, and class are all on display through the southern, Texas charm and steely resolve of the late Ann Richards at Arena Stage. As portrayed by stage and screen veteran Jayne Atkinson in Holland Taylor’s sharp and funny tribute to the Texas icon – housewife, local politician, governor, and maven – Ann is a […]
Capital Fringe review: Kafka’s Metamorphosis: The Musical!
Franz Kafka and musical theatre might not automatically go together in the minds of most theatre-goers. But Fringe festivals often showcase such juxtapositions and thus we have the musical tale based on Kafka’s masterwork from 1915, Metamorphosis, playing this weekend at Capital Fringe. If you like shows in the Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson-vein, or post-modern […]
Capital Fringe review: American Tranquility
Four for the price of one – what a deal! That’s four characters making a strong impression in the one-person show American Tranquility, which deserves to play to sold-out audiences every night during its all too-short run at the 2019 Capital Fringe Festival. Examining the state of affairs in the United States during these volatile […]
Capital Fringe review: Judge Me Not
With raw emotion, dashes of humor, and a bold style, Judge Me Not comes out swinging from its first moments. Broken hearts, abused bodies, life and death – all the ups and downs of a group of African-American characters are laid bare in this exciting entry into the 2019 Capital Fringe Festival. Wrapping up with […]
Review: New musical Blackbeard swashbuckles its way across Signature’s stage
Singing and dancing pirates who aren’t stuck in a Disney theme park ride? Shiver me timbers and pipe me aboard, mateys! With rollicking fun, swashbuckling action and room enough for some heart-tugging moments, the new musical, Blackbeard, is ready to take no prisoners through the magic of musical theatre. The show is setting sail from […]
Review: A Misanthrope, a witty, somewhat crass update of Moliere comedy
With A Misanthrope, Manhattan-based playwright Matt Minnicino has fashioned a “Molière for millenials” with this very witty and sometimes crass twist on the 17th century playwright’s The Misanthrope. Minnicino unfurls his cynical tale in Molière’s rhyming verse style, adding a meta layer to the play, moments when the characters comment directly to the audience on […]
Review: Grease at Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Grease is still “the” word, judging from the packed house and enthusiastic response to the 50’s-style Broadway score most people can easily sing along with. The stage show has been a popular favorite for years; the 1978 film version solidified it as a movie musical icon. Toby’s Dinner Theatre has brought out the leather jackets, […]
Review: Jubilee, Tazewell Thompson’s glorious tribute to The Fisk Jubilee Singers
Steeped in history and echoing with divine harmony, Jubilee is an event you won’t want to miss. A cast of thirteen singing actors – each a strong performer in their own right – work seamlessly to create the tight harmonies and soulful singing of the historic Fisk Jubilee Singers, famed in their day for touring […]
Review: The Value of Moscow from Dark Horse Theatre Company
“Sisters, Sisters, There were never such devoted sisters,” warbled Rosemary Clooney and Rosemary Clooney in White Christmas. (Yes, Clooney was the stand-in singing voice for Vera-Ellen for that number in the 1954 film.) But what if siblings are not so devoted to each other? What if their lives have taken too many wrong turns, individually, […]
Review: Ghost-Writer at Quotidian Theatre
I admit, Michael Hollinger’s tight, 90-minute Ghost-Writer, now being presented by Quotidian Theatre Company, snuck up on me. It may seem to tip its hat pretty early, as titles go, but you’ll find there is more to this witty and surprising three-character play than its title reveals. What you should know going in is this: […]
Daddy Long Legs review. Monumental Theatre’s polished production outshines the musical
When two highly engaging performers are saddled with less than dynamic material, you can at least revel in their onstage chemistry and delightful voices. Even the design work attempts to elevate the piece with period detail and artistic flourishes. But a nice set is not enough to inject much-needed oomph into a sung-through romance that […]
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