Elliot Lanes

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.

Every once in awhile you go to see a show not knowing what the final product is going to be. The epic musical Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 was one of those musicals that was very specific to its original staging because of it’s tent location. It was totally immersive. When the show moved to Broadway, it didn’t have the same effect.

Since this column began, I have always made it a point to acknowledge the people that are instrumental when it comes to putting these interviews together. It’s not just me asking an interviewee cold. There is generally a marketing or publicity person that helps to coordinate things.

Today’s subject Mark Binns is currently living his theatre life on the road as the Musical Director for the National Tour of Some Like it Hot. The show will be here in DC at the National Theatre beginning November 25th and continuing through December 7th.

Today’s subject veteran actor Doug Brown is currently living his theatre life onstage in the World Premiere production of Fremont Ave.. The show plays through December 7th in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage.

The holiday season is semi-officially here (It won’t be official for me until after Thanksgiving) and you might be looking for something a little different to attend with family and friends. Today’s subject Raymond Walsh can definitely help you with that. He is currently living his theatre life as the creator and one of the performers of The Shamrock Tenors. Their new show Shamrock Tenors: Christmas in Belfast will be here in DC at the Kennedy Center for a one week only engagement from November 25th through the 30th in the Eisenhower Theater. This engagement marks Raymond’s North American professional debut.

Today’s subject Maaike Laanstra-Corn is currently living her theatre life onstage playing the role of Hedvig in the rarely produced Henrik Ibesn play The Wild Duck at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC). The show continues performances through November 16th at STC’s Klein Theatre.

Today’s subject Nickolaus Colón is currently living his theatre life on tour playing the role of Hades in Hadestown. The tour will be here in DC at the National Theatre from November 18th to 23rd. Nickolaus recently received a CT Circle Critics Award for his performance of Don in Kinky Boots.

Adventure Theatre MTC continues it’s rise back to artistic greatness with the world premiere of Not Your Mother’s Goose!. Written by ATMTC’S former artistic director Michael J. Bobbitt and Sandra Eskin the show takes us on a non- Sondheimian journey to Gooseville for a romp with Mother Goose and some of your favorite nursery rhyme characters. HUZZAH!!!

This past week the DC theatre community lost one of its visionaries with the passing of Artistic Director/Director/Performer/Mentor Jerry B. Whiddon at age 77. For twenty years Jerry served as the Producing Artistic Director Of Round House Theatre. The company was born out of Street 70 which Jerry helped start in 1970.

Today’s subjects Edwaard Liang and Dwight Rhoden make up two fourths of the choreographic team for The Washington Ballet’s program of Moving Forces. The production will be presented in the Eisenhower Theater at Kennedy Center on October 24th through 26th.

Today’s subject Bligh Voth is currently living her theatre life onstage at Signature Theatre playing the role of Woman in Strategic Love Play. The show runs through November 9th in the ARK.

Today’s subject Christiane Noll is currently living her theatre life in a heavenly way to be sure. She is preparing to begin performances for the new touring production of The Sound of Music where she will be playing the role of Mother Abbess. The tour officially begins performances September 9th in the Opera House at Kennedy Center where it will run through October 5th after having it’s soft opening in Utica NY on September 5th and 6th.

Today’s subject Ana Villafañe is currently living her theatre life at Arena Stage preparing to begin performances of the newly revised version of Damn Yankees. She will be playing the iconic role of Lola made famous by Gwen Verdon. The show will run from September 9th to November 9th in Arena Stage’s Fichandler Stage space.

Today’s subject Kanysha Williams is currently living her theatre life onstage at Signature Theatre playing the role of Miss Mary in Play On!. The Duke Ellington/Shakespeare infused extravaganza runs through October 5th in Signature’s MAX space.

Today's subject Robert Sella is currently living his theatre life onstage at Round House Theatre as he prepares to begin performances of Matthew López's epic play The Inheritance. The show is performed in two parts and will begin performances on August 27th running through October 19th.

Today’s subject Talia Suskauer is currently living her theatre life on tour playing the role of Lucille Frank in the Jason Robert Brown/Alfred Uhry modern day musical theatre masterwork Parade. The tour will make it’s final stop in the Eisenhower Theater at Kennedy Center from August 19th to September 7th.

The word legend is tossed around quite a bit when talking about performers. Sometimes it’s true but many times it isn’t. This past Friday evening at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center two true modern day legends of musical theatre took the stage to pay homage to two all-time legends of entertainment.

Today’s subject Emmet Smith is currently living his theatre life on tour playing Albus Severus Potter, the son of wizarding legend Harry Potter, in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The tour continues its two month engagement at the National Theatre through September 7th.

Over the decades, Disney music has brought much joy to generations of fans. The 80s and 90s were a particularly important time for Disney as a company because it was that period when the company came back from a creative slump with powerhouse animated features such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.