Jennifer Perry

Backed by the DC area's own incredible pianist Howard Breitbart on piano, Perry Cavari on drums, and Dylan Shamat on bass, Norm impressed from beginning to end, making the trip to the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater well worth the trip.

At the end of the evening, sitting in the National Theatre, I was impressed with the care the cast and creative team took to present this story onstage. It's not your standard political drama, and it's not your standard inspirational porn about a person with a disability either. It's a compelling story about a complex man - complex like all of us. As a person who stutters, I may have identified with Bertie's struggles in a more personal way than many theatergoers and appreciated that his voice - his true voice - could be heard and not stifled. However, at the end of the day, don't we all just want to be heard and seen and valued for who we are?

All told, Come From Away, provides a powerfully inviting experience and is perfect for this holiday season. It preaches hope and love in a way that can be appreciated by everyone.

It's common for the Kennedy Center to be a stop for national tours of current or recently closed Broadway shows, but it's a bit of a rarity for it to be a stop for a show that's truly a?oedirect from Broadway.a?? There's no misleading advertising here. While Heidi Schreck's highly personal Tony Award-nominated play 'What the Constitution Means to Me' will embark on a national tour in the near future, the Kennedy Center's offering is unique because it stars the original Broadway cast, including Tony Award nominee Ms. Schreck herself. To that end, the timely show, directed by Oliver Butler, is absolutely worth a look.

Some questionable casting choices and a book by Chad Beguelin that's filled with a little too many eyeroll worthy anachronistic jokes, aside, the touring production has a few elements that make a trip to the Kennedy Center worth it.

The national tour, now playing the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, gave me the opportunity to take another look at the show. Let's just say I'm really glad I had the opportunity.

Overall, FALSETTOS makes a strong impression at Kennedy Center and is most definitely worth the trip.

Notable for being the final selection of Woolly's incomparable Founding Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz, Rajiv Joseph's 'Describe the Night' is a must-see for any serious DC area theatergoer

Studio Theatre's current production of Lucy Kirkwood's contemporary play THE CHILDREN benefits greatly from a strong director (the company's Artistic Director David Muse) guiding three exceptionally talented actors that work together as a singular unit to present the story. Strong production values also enable the cast and audience alike to immerse themselves in the story.

Broadway favorites Christian Borle and Mandy Gonzalez command the stage and give the best acting and vocal performances of the night as Captain Walker and Mrs. Walker, but Casey Cott disappoints as Tommy.

The future of musical theater is looking pretty bright.

When you combine Bettis' exceptionally well-written and insightful script with some of the most powerful acting you're likely to see on a DC stage this season, and some excellent direction by Jose Zayas, you have a must-see theatrical production.

This production is unique and deserves to be seen.

The non-Equity production of James Graham (Book), Gary Barlow, and Eliot Kennedy's (Music and Lyrics) 2015 Broadway musical 'Finding Neverland' is unlikely to be remembered as one of the most memorable touring productions that has graced the stages of DC this season. Yet, much like the Broadway production, the news is not all bad for the show which will play the National Theatre through March 3, 2019.

Many of the audience members clearly knew the source material better than I did going in – if the entrance applause and excitement of the people around me was any indicator. However, I think it's safe to say we were all equally charmed by the end – even me, an admittedly jaded musical theater junkie.

Overall, this show benefits from a solid thematic foundation and compelling stories, but suffers in the area of presentation.

Based on the 2017 Broadway revival (a West End transfer) this new tour offers a solid mix of splash and raw, complex human emotion.

Overall, if you are willing to overlook a few of the gimmicks, you can have a good time at the show. Even if it may not appeal to the most jaded of theater nerds, it is a feel-good kind of audience show. I can't fault any production that entices the audience to sit back and listen to some great music without the hint of autotune.

Admittedly, I am not a parent - nor have I ever had the desire to be one. As a 30-something, I've never had to navigate through the family vs. career challenges depicted in Molly Smith Metzler's play CRY IT OUT, now playing at Studio Theatre. Yet, even without the ability to personally relate to the story, there's a lot to appreciate in the play and Studio's production of it.

Directed by Darko Tresnjak, 'Anastasia' is not to be missed at Kennedy Center. A strong story with an equally strong cast to bring it to life, coupled with some great music by one of Broadway's best writing teams, makes it a sure bet.