Jennifer Perry - Page 9

Leonardo Moreira's Portuguese language O JARDIM (translated as 'The Garden') is perhaps one of the more creative entries in the ongoing Iberian Suite festival at Kennedy Center.

Peter Hilliard and Matt Boresi answered a few questions from BroadwayWorld DC about what audiences might expect from the world premiere of BLUE VIOLA, their writing partnership, history with UrbanArias, and of course the whole contested debate about musical theatre vs. opera.

Famed Mexican singer Eugenia Leon made her Kennedy Center debut this weekend and put succinctly, at least musically, it proved to be a debut to remember.

One of the greatest things about the Kennedy Center is its long history of exposing Washington, DC audiences to a healthy selection of international theatre, music, and dance artists. A major facet of this programming is an annual international arts festival, which, this year, is focused on the Iberian Peninsula and, by extension, other countries that have been heavily influenced by Spain and/or Portugal. Particularly exciting is the Washington, DC premiere of Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras' VOCES, SUITE FLAMENCA.

Let's just get right to it. There's a lot to like about much anticipated world premiere of John Kander and Greg Pierce's 'Kid Victory' at Signature Theatre.

She can do it it all.

'Chicago' returns yet again to DC's historic National Theatre. Even if you've seen the tour the other times it has come through our fair city, the current engagement is worth the return visit.

Celebrated Japanese artist Miwa Yanagi's play, Zero Hour: Tokyo Rose's Last Tape is making the rounds to various American cities (before playing Washington DC's Kennedy Center this past weekend, it played New York). Fundamentally, the North American tour is a great idea because it takes a more or less comparatively lesser known segment of World War II history involving Japanese Americans and presents it to American audiences in an intriguing way. Underpinning the history-based narrative is also the idea of young, impressionable females being pawns for their older male counterparts - an idea which transcends historical, geographical, and sociocultural contexts.

At Round House Theatre, all that is exceedingly good about Gionfriddo's play 'on paper' is leveraged in the best way possible for this production, and made even 'better' by exceptional acting, direction, and production values. I'd even go as far to say that it's one of the best executed productions I've seen in the area in recent years.

Pure entertainment!

The rich language and music, coupled with emotionally-charged acting, and a compelling story make CHOIR BOY one to see.

It's pure musical theatre and its finest. Nothing is better than that.

Simply stunning!Megan Hilty, star of stage and screen, offered a good dose of holiday cheer and some fine vocals to an appreciative Kennedy Center audience this weekend. Combining musical theatre and pop selections she usually does in cabaret format with a few holiday tunes, the varied set offered a little something for everyone and allowed her to showcase her enviable versatility. While it's nearly impossible to pick highlights - because everything was just that good - a few favorite moments emerged.

As a kid, I loved all things Annie. I wasn't yet born when the show premiered on Broadway, but was introduced to it - like many were in the 80s - through the cast recording and the initial movie version. I'm no longer a little kid, but I have to admit I was pretty excited to see Andrea McArdle - the original red-headed orphan who I had previously only heard on an audio recording - in her solo cabaret performance at Kennedy Center last week as part of the Barbara Cook's Spotlight Series. The series features some of the best performers that Broadway has to offer and Ms. McArdle is certainly deserving of her place within that elite group for her long career in musical theatre.

On tour with their latest incarnation of their holiday show - now playing in Washington, DC at the National Theatre - their legions of loyal fans have yet another chance to revel in the fun of them sharing their love for music, family, the holidays and more.

Act Two @ Levine, one of the strongest youth musical theatre education programs in our area, continued its tradition this week of providing its cast members with opportunities to learn from the best of the business in Washington, DC and beyond. The young and enormously talented Tony-nominated writing team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (for A Christmas Story) provided a masterclass for those participating in Act Two's intensive Pre-Professional Program and then delivered a concert that not only proved entertaining, but also provided more opportunities for the young musical theatre aficionados to learn. Pasek and Paul, who met as freshmen musical theatre students at the University of Michigan, showcased not only their considerable songwriting talent, but their ability to engage an audience whether delivering a song or stories about their life writing for the theatre.

Inspired by Edgar Degas' famous sculpture of a 14 year-old dancer, 'Little Dancer' is one of those kinds of musicals that you don't see much anymore. It's also the kind of musical that we desperately need on Broadway today.

A pure delight! Ah, the Christmas season is upon us! For the theater and ballet-going public, that means numerous productions of Dickens' A Christmas Carol and probably more than a few Nutcracker offerings to choose from. It can get a bit much, admittedly. At Adventure Theatre MTC, in one single production, one can get the traditional mixed with the new. To that end, its world premiere production of Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol stands out from many of the rest even on paper. Adapted from the Charles Dickens classic by Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig and his son, Jack Ludwig, and directed by one of DC's finest, Jerry Whiddon, this show is a pure delight - and not just for kids.

A little quirky, sure....but one to certainly check out.