At its Sidney Harman Hall, The Shakespeare Theatre has mounted what may be the quintessential production of James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner. The Amen Corner is set in a church: a Black church. What resonance does that have for us as an audience? “..the black church is a very particular creation, having almost nothing whatever […]
Review: The Amen Corner at Shakespeare Theatre
You may feel like you’ve landed in a retro church service for the first 15 minutes of the sparkling new production of The Amen Corner from Shakespeare Theatre Company, what with the “praise Gods,” spirited hymn singing and Sunday-best hats on display. That’s because the play—a drama by mid-century African-American writer James Baldwin (with newly […]
2020 Visions. Theatre leaders tell us what lies ahead.
We asked area theatre companies to tell us what they were most looking forward to in 2020. Their answers surprised us! Contributors: 4615 Theatre Company . American Ensemble Theater . American Shakespeare Theatre Company . Arena Stage . Avant Bard Theatre . Brave Spirits Theatre . Capital Fringe . CulturalDC . Folger Theatre . Happenstance […]
Our 22 most memorable performances of 2019
One last standing ovation for these performers whose work quite simply blew us away this year. Ian Merill Peakes, Amadeus, Folger Theatre In Amadeus, Ian Merill Peakes brought Peter Shaffer’s Salieri to brilliant, anguished life. He was a childishly sweet-scarfing confidant explaining to future generations the way his young court-rival genius, Mozart, curdled Salieri’s heart and activated […]
Review: Lauren Gunderson’s Peter Pan and Wendy, a sensational reimagining for a new generation
In truth, I never before thought of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan as a particularly masculine, or anti-feminist, story. Most of us have warm recollections of the far-off Neverland, reached only by fairy dust-fueled-flight and teeming with pirates, fairies, mermaids and princesses. Yet, as with many childhood memories revisited in adulthood, the classic tale isn’t as […]
Review: The Woman in Black, an edge-of-your-seat thriller
“It was 9:30 on Christmas Eve,” the lone figure entones in the grandest theatrical tradition of beginning an eerie tale. This holiday season, our fair city is visited by one of Britain’s longest running plays, spooky or otherwise. The Woman in Black has taken up residence at the newly named Michael R. Klein Theatre on […]
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lansburgh Theatre renamed for Michael R. Klein
The Lansburgh Theatre is now the Michael R. Klein Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company announced at its Gala on November 4, 2019. The new name recognizes local philanthropist Michael R. Klein, whose guidance and support has been an important key to the growth of the company. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, […]
Review: Everybody, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ sunny, stunning journey from Life to Death
Everybody is a wonder. Brilliant visuals, arresting acting, ingenious direction by Will Davis, a searching script by playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and an overall generosity of spirit that imbues the show with the feeling that if the journey toward death is this lively and loving, there is nothing to fear. But we do fear death, dying […]
Tony-Winner Susan Hilferty on designing The Oresteia at Shakespeare Theatre
Currently in its final weeks at Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Oresteia is Michael Kahn’s swan song after over thirty years as the Artistic Director before Simon Godwin takes over next season. The modern adaptation of the Aeschylus trilogy by Ellen McLaughlin was commissioned by Shakespeare Theatre and features an all-star design team and cast. Sarah […]
Review: The Oresteia, a stunning production marks Michael Kahn’s final show as STC Artistic Director
It seems somehow written in the stars that Michael Kahn would choose the world premiere of Ellen McLaughlin’s The Oresteia as the final show of his towering tenure as Artistic Director at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Great man. Epic trilogy. The Shakespeare Theatre commissioned Ellen McLaughlin to tackle Aeschylus’ three-part play about the cursed House […]
Review: Vanity Fair. Thackeray’s novel gets a giddy, superficial stage adaptation
“Vanity Fair is a very vain, wicked, foolish place,” writes the Victorian novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, “full of all sorts of humbugs and falsenesses and pretensions.” The title of Thackeray’s famous novel is drawn from John Bunyan’s reference in Pilgrim’s Progress to man’s insatiably material, wanton nature. Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Vanity Fair, framed by […]
We Three Queens of Richard the Third: Robynn Rodriguez, Lizan Mitchell and Sandra Shipley give insights into history’s lesson
I asked three actors, all playing female royalty in Richard the Third at Shakespeare Theatre Company, to talk about what might convince wavering potential audiences to see this production. Sandra Shipley plays The Duchess of York, mother of Richard III:I’d like to say, right off the top, that, because of the way the play […]
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