Jennifer Perry - Page 18

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.

Polished and engaging, this cabaret proved one to remember.

It's not an easy one, but there are ample chances to not only marvel at the work it took to put it together, but the ambition of the actors and creative team.

The strong acting and the timely, provocative, and challenging script are likely reason enough to give this production a chance.

Turns out, the decision Ford's Theatre Society made to present this award-winning work might not have only been a good idea in theory, but also in execution.

We've all heard of the plight of Marie Antoinette, but those that make a visit to Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company throughout the next few weeks can perhaps see it in a slightly different light. And that's a good thing.

'The Shoplifters' is a perfect way to start the 65th Season at Arena Stage off right!

As a world premiere, there are pieces from which to build.

'Spark' doesn't ignite, but it doesn't fizzle either.

Susan Galbraith, director and adapter of the upcoming Alliance for New-Music Theatre production of 'Kafka's Metamorphosis,' shares a little bit about an exciting new look at an iconic story.

Good effort, but we're not quite there.