Sophie Williams

Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Broadway's punk rock/musical theatre lovechild is on-stage at Olney Theatre Center. Following the story of an Cold War German performer with a botched sex change, Hedwig takes us through her tumultous and colorful life accompanied by energetic performances and the occasiocal standup routine.

Bandstand had its Broadway opening in 2017, unfortunately closing the same year, but racking up a Tony for Best Choreography.

Spring Awakening is the classic teen coming of age story, plus death, group mastrubation, nudity, and a failed abortion.

Keegan Theatre's production of 'An Irish Carol' by Matthew J.Keenan holds all the charm and heart of the original Dickens tale, except this time with a tad more profanity, and booze. A staple tradition of the DC theatre scene, 'An Irish Carol' is in its 9th annual production for Keegan and hasn't lost any bit of vitality or its classic Irish wit.

Within the black box confines at NextStop Theatre Company you can find what I would call one of the best family events of the year: Matilda The Musical. Matilda follows the original Roald Dahl story turned movie premise of a young girl with a love for reading and amazing super powers. Together with fun music, creative technical aspects, and amazing choreography, it's sure to entertain.

For those who have been paying attention for the last 20-ish years, RENT was/is a pretty big deal. The rock opera adaptation of Puccini's La Boheme follows a group of young creatives in New York City during the AIDS crisis and was so popular during its initial run that it racked up multiple awards, including 3 Tonys and a Pulitzer. With that in mind, I believe it to be a very daunting task to perform RENT because it's easy to go through the motions and sing the songs that people know and love without really having to think about it. That being said, there were many moments where they got it right and others that might've fallen a little flat.

Washington Stage Guild's production of Candida gave life to an extremely charming George Bernard Shaw comedic classic. Bernard Shaw's story follows a tangled romance between a preacher, Reverend Morell, his wife, Candida, and a young poet who wishes to win her heart, Eugene Marchbanks. Nathan Whitmer as Reverend Morell, presents a clergyman as a Christian Socialist dedicated to his work and intending to do right by everyone in his life. Whitmer's interpretation of the character is ruled by the balance between his patience and his passion. Whitmer as Morell also shows a touching fondness for his on and off stage wife, Emilie Faith Thompson as Candida, which added an especially sweet quality to the production. Thompson presents a preacher's wife, mother, and house-maker who navigates such with grace and charm. Thompson approaches the text with tact and careful consideration, successfully portraying the most sensible character in the show. Ben Ribler as Eugene Marchbanks, creates a very anxious, and occasionally manic young poet, drunk in love with the Reverend's wife. Much like his on-stage competitor, Ribler also builds this amazing juxtaposition between his passion and his sensibility, up until his passion overruns all logical thought and he descends into his overwhelming obsession for Candida. The cast is also joined by supporting characters, Ms. Prosperine Garnett, the Reverend's secretary, Reverend Lexy Mill, Morell's curate, and Candida's father, Mr. Burgess. Danielle Scott as Ms. Garnett created a classic busybody secretary, both disciplined and dedicated, and consistently amusing. Danny Beason as Reverend Lexy managed with the little stage time he had to make an impression as a lackadaisical yet dutiful curate to the Reverend Morell, further fortifying the respect people have for the Reverend. The cast is rounded out by seasoned David Bryan Jackson, who portrayed Candida's money-on-the-mind father, Mr. Burgess. Jackson had a particularly acute talent of delivering his performance with comedic ease. The direction of Lauren Ghiradelli, a company member of the Washington Stage Guild, has navigated a dexterous script, chock full of lyricism and the beautiful, clever language of Shaw. And in doing so, raised questions about marriage, the expectations placed on it, and the dynamic between husband and wife in the Victorian era. Overall, the production is lively, wildly amusing, and nothing less than charming.