Constellation is back again with some of its finest signature work, with sweeping, epic tales told with large casts and innovative theatrical magic, and beautiful production value. I’ve seen many of Constellation’s epic pieces, from Ramayana to The Journey West, and the constant use of color, space, levels, and sound to tell these stories is […]
The Pointless team reveals their futuristic take on Rite of Spring
It takes a bold soul to approach the works of Igor Stravinsky. Only the most adventurous and sometimes reckless musicians approach pieces like Rite of Spring, taking on the intense difficulty of the tonality, the meter, and the rhythm of oddly accented notes.
Chief wizard Dan Clarkson: the making of Potted Potter
JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, which has had a profound effect on many people including me (see Background below), can only be called a cultural phenomenon of titanic proportions.The two man Potted Potter, now at Sidney Harman Hall, both draws from that deep lexicon and adds to it simultaneously. Potted Potter plays to sold out houses around the […]
Cara Gabriel, actor Christian Montgomery and design team for Alexander and the terrible, horrible … day at Adventure/MTC
Many times theatres have faced crises, and, like the plucky heroes of movies, their workers band together to overcome the obstacles. The solutions may not always be pleasant. The answers may not always be the best. But they work.
Cliff Williams III: Why theatres need to hire intimacy choreographers.
The theatre can be a messy place, and often this is most evident in the rehearsal process. Violence and intimacy scenes stand as two of the more interesting challenges. How do we display violence on stage, while keeping the actors safe? How can an actor sit there and take a punch every night, for 20+ performances, […]
Brave Spirits contemporizes Euripides’ Trojan Women with today’s diverse spectrum of women.
The future is female. The future is non-binary. The future is genderqueer. The future is trans. The future is queer. But before we reach the future, and while we strive in the present, it is imperative that we reflect upon the history that has guided and pushed us to where we are.
Abuse in Washington area theatres: Town Hall meeting tonight to share survey and proposed Code of Conduct
When the physical and sexual abuse at Chicago’s Profiles Theatre was brought to light, the theatre communities of America buzzed about. Here in DC, it shocked some , but for others, there was almost a sigh of relief. People were talking about it. Finally.
Tartuffe: director, designers and cast members on the French farce once banned by the Catholic Church
I typically like to think of myself as someone well informed about the world of DC’s Indie Theatre Community, so it came as a shock to me that I’d completely missed the formation of Perisphere in 2014, and now I’m seeking to remedy my error.
Constellation’s The Skin of Our Teeth from vision to design to performance.
Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth serves as a mammoth of a play, covering time between the ice age to the post-apocalyptic future. Creating this hilarious, poignant, and heart-warming look at the spirit of human resilience is a massive challenge. With a huge cast, and a need for flexible design, Constellation Theatre Company has […]
Queens Girl in Africa: conversation with 5 women: its author, designers, dramaturg and actor
After reviewing statistic after statistic about gender parity in the fields of playwriting and directing, I’m excited for the second Women’s Voices Theater Festival.
How these busy theatre people manage home, career and the holidays
Right now, the whole city of DC seems twinkling. Covers of traditional Christmas music resound everywhere you go. It gets cold. It gets dark early. People combat seasonal depression with copious amounts of holiday cheer, while theatre makers work their hardest to put on a good show. Like you, theatre artists are busy balancing the […]
U. S. premiere of The State at Forum Theatre (review)
The State begins with utmost silence. As soon as the lights dim, we obediently silence ourselves, waiting for the pivotal moment to mark the beginning of the show. Yet, we’re greeted with silence, and nothing more than a bare stage. We listen, captive, to the sounds of the fellow humans around us, becoming increasingly aware […]