To frame a story about the triumph of lies over truth, jealousy over love, anger over generosity of spirit and – let’s put it plainly – the insidious reach of racism over all decent impulses, even self-preservation, the American Shakespeare Center begins its live performance of Othello with a pledging of troth. In an imagined […]
Theater J offers classes to help audience members embrace changes coming to area theatres
Changes which might come about in theaters once the plague is over may affect ways in which audiences see and experience the art. To prepare patrons for these changes, Theater J will be offering the series “How to Become a Raised-Consciousness Audience Member” for four Thursdays, beginning August 13. Rachel Grossman, a DC director, collaborative […]
Save Our Stages bipartisan bill calls for $10 Billion in rescue funds.
When the pandemic struck America, Congress was quick to help out the airline industry (to the tune of $50 billion) and cruise ships – two businesses which were financially devastated by the coronavirus. But what about the performing arts? Theaters and music venues uniformly shut down in March, and are slated to be the last […]
ASC performs Othello during the pandemic: A terrified critic and ASC performers weigh in
Into the valley of death rode the six hundred…no, no, no, that’s not it at all. I’m looking for a poem to help me decide what to do – poetry is the oldest form of literature, after all, predating written language – but all I’m getting is stuff extolling stupid courage. Pro-stupid writing is easy […]
Review: ACA Radio Reps takes on the challenges of Hamlet
Since art, like life itself, constantly renews itself, new generations of artists arrive on stages, and in studios and publishing houses, whether we are ready for them or not. They are not deterred by inhospitable times, such as depressions (viz Paul Robeson, Orson Wells) or World Wars (viz. Ernest Hemmingway, Norman Mailer). We have not had […]
Live performances of Othello and Twelfth Night at American Shakespeare Center have begun.
While a survey done by Shugoll Research shows that Washingtonians are chary about returning to theater while the coronavirus rages, one company is prepared to put live actors on the stage with a live audience in the seats – now. The American Shakespeare Center, in tiny Staunton, Virginia, will be producing Othello and Twelfth Night […]
When will DC audiences return? What changes do they support? Shugoll Research revisits its audience survey
A new survey from Shugoll Research shows that area theatergoers are even more reluctant to return to theater in the face of the coronavirus than they were when the survey was conducted last April. The new survey, which Shugoll conducted between June 25 and 30, shows that audiences will come back later than previously thought […]
Arena Stage starts its 5-play season, January, 2021.
Arena Stage, whose ten-play season was cancelled earlier this year by coronavirus, has announced that it intends to restage in 2021 three of the plays it lost this year. To that contingent, Arena will add a world premiere musical, and stage another musical which it had already slated for the 2020-2021 program year. Arena’s first […]
Mosaic cancels Fall season; Ari Roth takes a sabbatical
DC’s Mosaic Theater Company will not produce its Fall schedule of plays, Board Chair Bill Tompkins announced in a press release which DC Theatre Scene received today. “Conditions remain too uncertain for a resumption of in-person performances at this time. Like so many other arts organizations, we have to do what’s best for the whole […]
Baltimore Center Stage’s season starts Jan 2021 with new plays and remodeled Head Theatre
Will the disruptions we are experiencing in this annus horribilis catapult us into a new world next year? If so, Baltimore Center Stage will be ready for it, with three world premieres and a new take on the play most associated with traditional Americana slated for the first half of calendar year 2021. Baltimore Center […]
Signature Theatre announces Eric Schaeffer departure amidst allegations of sexual assault
Arlington’s Signature Theatre announced today that Eric Schaeffer, the co-founder and only Artistic Director the company has ever had, will retire from that position and leave the company on June 30. Schaeffer’s retirement comes on the heels of sexual assault charges by two actors, Thomas Keegan and Joe Carlson. Keegan claimed that Schaeffer grabbed his […]
Flying V Board dismisses Artistic Director Jason Schlafstein
Bethesda’s Flying V Theatre’s Board of Directors has terminated the employment of Artistic Director Jason Schlafstein. The action comes three days after the Board placed Schlafstein on administrative leave following allegations on social media that Schlafstein engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct while serving as Artistic Director. In posting Schlafstein’s suspension on Facebook, the Board revealed […]