Before James Corden became known to American audiences as host of “The Late, Late Show,” he became a theatrical star in the Royal National Theatre’s 2011 production of One Man, Two Guvnors. The production moved from the National Theatre to London’s West End before moving to Broadway the following year, and is this Friday night’s […]
About Steven McKnight
Streamed performance helps American Shakespeare Center raise a record breaking $350,000
The American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Va received a huge outpouring of local and international support for its “Keep the Lights On” campaign. Artistic Director Ethan McSweeny previously announced the “Keep the Lights On campaign” to raise $350,000 to keep the company viable between now – the Center is closed due to the cornavirus pandemic […]
Madama Butterfly starring Hui He on WETA Great Performances this Sunday
Local PBS affiliate WETA will be airing an encore presentation of Puccini’s famous opera Madama Butterfly this Sunday, March 29, at 12:00 noon. The Metropolitan Opera’s fall 2019 production is an episode of the Great Performances anthology series. This staging was created in 2005 by the late film director Anthony Minghella, who won the Best […]
Review: Ordinary Days, Adam Gwon’s charming chamber musical
Adam Gwon’s chamber musical Ordinary Days is ostensibly the story of four young adults searching for love and their “life stories” in New York City. Yet the real love story at the heart of the show is the mythical Manhattan of stage and film, a romantic and nurturing setting where characters find themselves and relationships, […]
Review: The King’s Speech makes a brief, but memorable, stop at The National
The King’s Speech, the true royal story told in an Academy Award-winning 2010 film, brings its American debut as a play to the National Theatre. Early in, King George V (who in 1932 became the first British monarch to give a radio address) laments the demands of the modern media age. The gruff king (John […]
Toxic Avenger: The Musical is indestructible. Here’s why.
Watching Rorschach Theatre’s production of Toxic Avenger: The Musical, I wondered what it is about this show that makes it seem as indestructible as its mutant monster hero? Toxic Avenger: The Musical, the joyfully schlocky show based on an obscure 1984 cult film full of New Jersey jokes, was not expected to have much of […]
Review: Bloomsday at Washington Stage Guild
Are there any two more painful and provocative words in the English language than “what if”? Steven Dietz’s Bloomsday is a sensitive time-bending romance looking at one consequential day when a 20-year-old American tourist meets an Irish lass in Dublin in this Washington Stage Guild area premiere Both are haunted over the next 35 years […]
In the Movies: Aladdin, Lion King, Cats plus two nods to the Bard
Anyone watching television this week has probably viewed the onslaught of commercials for the Memorial Day weekend opening of Aladdin. It is the first of three major releases based on Broadway musicals that will hit the screens in 2019. DISNEY’s ALADDIN Release date: May 24, 2019. Story summary: A poor young lad finds a lamp […]
Review: The Brothers Size at 1st Stage, captivating performances
The Brothers Size is a deceptively simple three-character play that tackles themes of brotherhood, devotion, and freedom. It is receiving an outstanding production at 1st Stage. The story involves a pair of brothers. Ogun Size (Gary-Kayi Fletcher) runs an automotive repair shop in Louisiana, while his younger brother Oshoosi Size (Clayton Pelham, Jr.) is recently […]
Review: Sheila and Moby, a perfect fit for Flying V
Local playwright Patrick Flynn has spent the last two years developing his new comedy about growing up and proving how“adults can be idiots, just like children.” Sheila and Moby receives its world premiere in an intriguing and entertaining production by Flying V Theatre, whose motto: ‘Be Awesome’ could have been the rallying cry for young Sheila.
Review: Illyria, or What You Will, a wildly imaginative Twelfth Night
The challenge of finding a fresh take on any play by The Bard has foiled many an artist, but Avant Bard joyfully clears that hurdle with Illyria, or What You Will, a clever reimagining of Twelfth Night. The play offers a winning vehicle for exploring gender identity and love in all forms in ways that […]
DC Area hosts most popular new plays in America
In its annual October Season Preview issue, American Theatre magazine has released its lists of the Top 10 Most-Produced Plays (11 this year due to a tie) . Ten of those plays have either already been performed in the DC area or are scheduled for production in the 2018-2019 season. Among those plays is local playwright […]
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