Elliot Lanes

International performer Michael Crawford is probably best known the world over for originating the title character in The Phantom of the Opera in the West End, on Broadway, and an extended engagement in Los Angeles. But his seventy year career goes far beyond that one show. Prior to The Phantom of the Opera Mr. Crawford appeared regularly on the West End in such productions as Barnum, Black Comedy, Flowers for Algernon, and Billy. You might also remember him from his performance of Corneilus Hackl in the movie version of Hello Dolly. He also appeared in EFX at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as well as having a very successful concert and solo recording career.

The Kennedy Center has never presented a Christmas spectacular in house before. That is until now. Noel: Jesus is Born! was a family friendly concert in the Opera House that featured lots of great music, some really good talent, and above all, conveyed the true meaning of the season. It’s not all about those big sales or even giving gifts.

Traditionally when you think of what an opera is, visions of four hour long extravaganzas with beautiful singing but with stilted or no acting at all come to mind. The question then becomes how does this entertainment genre attract the youngest of audience members to its productions? Let’s face it, The Ring Cycle is a bit much for an eight year old to sit through.

Through the years, The Kennedy Center has hosted many holiday attractions but up until now, they have never presented their own holiday spectacle. That is all going to change tomorrow evening December 17th at 7:30pm in the Opera House. Beginning with the lighting of the Inaugural Kennedy Center Christmas Tree at 6:00pm in the Hall of States Noel: Jesus is Born will then begin what will hopefully be a new DC holiday tradition.

At this festive time of year, everyone has a favorite tradition. One of mine is attending YOUR National Symphony Orchestra’s (NSO) annual A Holiday Pops! concert. It is always guaranteed to showcase a top notch singer and a superb choir, while giving the audience one audible pleasure after another as Maestro Steven Reineke leads the NSO through familiar holiday favorites mixed with new and innovative orchestrations of holiday classics. This year’s edition did not disappoint!

Today’s subject Major Attaway is currently living his theatre life on tour playing King Arthur in Monty Python’s Spamalot. The fish slapping musical spectacular comes to Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater beginning December 16th and continuing through January 4th.

Today’s subject Maisie Posner is currently living her theatre life onstage at Round House Theatre sharing the role of Emma with Avery Harris in Rules for Living.  The production runs through January 4th and marks her Round House Theatre debut. 

Tomorrow December 13th marks the 30 year anniversary of the passing of the great songstress Nancy LaMott after a valiant fight with uterine cancer. She was only 43 years old.

Today’s subject Julie Benko is currently living her theatre life onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) playing the iconic musical theatre role of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls. The show runs through January 8th, but Ms. Benko will be departing the show on December 28th. Read on to see what her next project is.

Today’s subject Academy and Emmy Award winning composer Rachel Portman has a career that includes scoring for over100 films, television and a stage musical of Little House on the Prairie. This week her foray into opera can be seen and heard in the Terrace Theater At Kennedy Center as Washington National Opera (WNO) presents The Little Prince as their annual family opera offering. The show runs for only five performances between December 12th and 14th. WNO first performed it 2014. It premiered at Houston Grand Opera in 2003.

There are many holiday viewing traditions here in the DMV covering all genres of entertainment. Ford’s Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol and Washington Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the Warner Theatre are just two productions that audiences keep returning to year after year.

Today’s subject Avery Harris is currently living her theatre life onstage at Round House Theatre in Rules for Living in the role of Emma for certain performances. Avery shares the role with Maisie Posner who will be featured in a separate column soon. The show runs through January 4th.

Back in the day around this time of year, there used to be these things called variety shows which featured big musical artists singing their hearts out for the holidays. It wasn’t Christmas until Andy Williams, The Carpenters, and Perry Como came across our TV screens.

The holiday season is now in full swing and amidst all the “God bless us all” and Sugar Plums is a seasonal perennial that has been kicking holiday music up a notch for over 40 years now. I’m speaking of Chip Davis’ Manheim Steamroller of course and with twelve albums of Christmas music alone, it’s easy to see why they are still the number one Christmas tour each year.