Lauren Williams News

The Hive Theatre announces complete casting for the inaugural free staged reading in its Chamber Reader Series, THE LION IN WINTER, by James Goldman, which will be performed one night only on Monday, November 21 at 8pm at The Cell in Chelsea.

November has over 60 more openings in the professional, community, universities, and children's theaters in the DC/MD/VA area. A week has already passed in November and over 20 new productions have opened. To read reviews of these shows, go to Maryland Theatre Guide, where I am the Editor and a columnist. A recent back surgery kept me from posting this earlier, so we have some catching up to do.

It's powerful, it's moving, it's melodious, and it's true!

The new DC area theatre season begins in September. Over 50 shows are opening in our professional and community theatres. But before we move on to the new season and what's opening in September, let's look back at my personal favorite musicals, plays, and performances in both musicals and plays in the DC area - from August 2010 to August 2011.

Thank God for air-conditioning in our DC/MD/VA area theatres! In August it will be sizzling in our local theatres. Signature Theatre has its 'Sizzlin' Summer Cabaret' series with visits from Broadway favorites Marc Kudisch and Julia Murney, and Signature favorites Erin Driscoll, Sandy Bainum, and Lauren Williams. The talk of the town is Cate Blanchett visiting The Eisenhower Theatre at The Kennedy Center, where a hundred yards away Wicked is playing to SRO audiences (what else is new?).

Virginia's Signature Theatre heats up during the dog days of summer with their annual Sizzlin' Summer Cabaret, a 3-week series featuring thirteen individual acts sure to keep things red hot.

THE CELL and THE HIVE THEATRE COMPANY are pleased to announce their gender-bender production of William Shakespeare?s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM, directed by Matthew A.J. Gregory.

THE CELL and THE HIVE THEATRE COMPANY are pleased to announce their gender-bender production of William Shakespeare?s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM, directed by Matthew A.J. Gregory.

Virginia's Signature Theatre heats up during the dog days of summer with their annual Sizzlin' Summer Cabaret, a 3-week series featuring thirteen individual acts sure to keep things red hot.

Virginia's Signature Theatre heats up during the dog days of summer with their annual Sizzlin' Summer Cabaret, a 3-week series featuring thirteen individual acts sure to keep things red hot. Headlining the talented array of solo artists assembled will be Tony Award® nominee Marc Kudisch (Broadway's 9 to 5, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, andThoroughly Modern Millie) with his What Makes Me Tick cabaret coming straight from Feinstein's. Broadway star Julia Murney (Elphaba in Wicked and a Drama Desk nominee for The Wild Party) will also be performing for two nights with her own mix of renowned stage songs.

THE CELL and THE HIVE THEATRE COMPANY are pleased to announce their gender-bender production of William Shakespeare?s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT?S DREAM, directed by Matthew A.J. Gregory.

Ford's Theatre presents the world premiere of Liberty Smith, a madcap musical romp through Revolutionary America based on an original story by Marc Madnick and Eric R. Cohen, with music by Michael Weiner, lyrics by Adam Abraham and book by Madnick, Cohen and Abraham

Ford's Theatre presents the world premiere of Liberty Smith, a madcap musical romp through Revolutionary America based on an original story by Marc Madnick and Eric R. Cohen, with music by Michael Weiner, lyrics by Adam Abraham and book by Madnick, Cohen and Abraham.

With over 30 new productions opening on DC area stages, 4 large festivals, and 2 world premiere musicals, it may still be chilly outside, but DC area stages are sizzling and bursting with great theatre. So come visit the Nation's Capital and visit our vibrant theatre scene.

Ford's Theatre presents the world premiere of Liberty Smith, a madcap musical romp through Revolutionary America based on an original story by Marc Madnick and Eric R. Cohen, with music by Michael Weiner, lyrics by Adam Abraham and book by Madnick, Cohen and Abraham.

As the leaves are turning into a rainbow of colors, and we await the first snowflakes to fall, DC theatergoers are anticipating Arena Stage's first two productions in their new Mead Center, while Harry Connick, Jr. introduces children to a friendly elf, and Snow White and a red rose and a guy named Fred make a stop at The Kennedy Center. That red-haired orphan brings Sandy and a bitchy Ms. Hannigan and a pooch named Sandy to Olney, MD. Synetic Theater Artistic Director and his wife/choreographer reunite on the stage, a Ziegfeld Folly stars in a one-woman show, and doughnuts are served at The Studio Theatre.

Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin is pleased to announce that MetroStage's 2010-11 season will open with the world premiere of Glimpses of the Moon, a Jazz Age musical based on a novel by Edith Wharton. The book and lyrics are written by Tajlei Levis and the composer is John Mercurio. Glimpses of the Moon will be in performance Sept. 8-Oct. 17.

Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin is pleased to announce that MetroStage's 2010-11 season will open with the world premiere of Glimpses of the Moon, a Jazz Age musical based on a novel by Edith Wharton. The book and lyrics are written by Tajlei Levis and the composer is John Mercurio. Glimpses of the Moon will be in performance Sept. 8-Oct. 17.

In September, DC area theatres are filled with almost a dozen musical productions opening -- classics, family shows, and many wonderful plays being performed on our over 200 theatre venues. The humidity is finally melting away, and it's a perfect time to welcome the cooler weather and the colors of the Fall by making a trip to the Nation's Capital and catching a show or two or three. There are family shows with canines and rabbits, a Labor Day weekend theatre festival that's FREE, a new jazz musical with some of the area's most talented singers, and bugs and ants that swing on trapezes. Mr. Ripley is finally coming to town, while I'm hoping that all will be well at Shakespeare Theatre. Someone is trying to deal with a very troubling inch, a Bar-Mitzvah boy has to deal with his crazy family, spelling champions battle it out, and a beagle pilot takes flight. There's so much to choose from, so read on and see what's playing in September in this monumental town. Happy New Year to all my fellow Jewish lovers of the theatre!