Ahmad Kamal News

After his hit production of King Charles III, David Muse returns to Shakespeare Theatre Company to direct Shakespeare's Richard the Third, a mesmerizing chronicle of the megalomaniac's rampage to the throne. The production will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from February 5-March 10, 2019.

It's an explosive and thought-provoking production in more ways than one - and a natural fit for Woolly.

Round House Theatre announces casting for the five mainstage shows that will comprise its 41st season. "Our 2018-2019 Season launches our exciting Resident Artist program, and once again confirms our longstanding value to prioritize the use of local artists, with more than 90% of our artists hailing from the DC area," says Artistic Director Ryan Rilette. "We're thrilled to pair the best DC artists with some of the most exciting new plays and modern classics in American theatre. It's a season you won't want to miss." 

Signature Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of 4,380 Nights by DC playwright Annalisa Dias. The production is directed by Kathleen Akerley (Artistic Director of Longacre Lea) and features Ahmad Kamal(Woolly Mammoth's KISS) as Malik Essaid/El Hadj El Kaim, Michael John Casey (Shakespeare Theatre's Othello, Folger Theatre's Henry V) as Bud Abramson/Man, Rex Daugherty (Signature's Shakespeare's R&J) as Luke/Colonel Pelissier, and Lynette Rathnam (Ford Theatre's Death of a Salesman) as Woman (complete cast and creative team bios are below). 4,380 Nights runs from January 16 through February 18 in Signature Theatre's ARK Theatre. 4,380 Nights is Signature's submission to the 2018 Women's Voices Theater Festival.

4,380 Nights is essentially two different plays, which makes it often hard to follow due to the lack of cohesion, but there are still glimpses of a play in which the message of hope rings quietly over fear and hate.

Signature Theatre is excited to announce the cast and creative team for the world premiere of 4,380 Nights by DC playwright Annalisa Dias. The production will be directed by Kathleen Akerley (Artistic Director of Longacre Lea) and will feature Ahmad Kamal (Woolly Mammoth's KISS) as Malik Essaid/El Hadj El Kaim, Michael John Casey (Shakespeare Theatre's Othello, Folger Theatre's Henry V) as Bud Abramson/Man, Rex Daugherty (Signature'sShakespeare's R&J) as Luke/Colonel Pelissier, and Lynette Rathnam (Ford Theatre's Death of a Salesman) as Woman (complete cast and creative team bios are below). 4,380 Nights will run from January 16 through February 18 in Signature Theatre's ARK Theatre. 4,380 Nights is Signature's submission to the 2018 Women's Voices Theater Festival.

While there is nothing particularly easy about this play, it is a unique viewing experience that every area theatergoer should have.

The Mosaic Theaatre Company closes its second season with a perfectly realized and humane play about real life in the Middle East precisely 50 years after the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

The Return is a U.S. premiere, co-written by Palestinian-American playwright and performer Hanna Eady (who performed in Motti Lerner's The Admission, both in DC and Israel), and Seattle-based playwright Edward Mast.

Mosaic Theater Company of DC presents the culmination of its expansive and hugely successful second season with the 2017 Voices From a Changing Middle East Festival. This year's festival is of particular resonance in this 50th year since the Six Day War and the start of The Occupation, and focuses on two taut dramas about the lives, circumstances, and humanity of Palestinians in Israel and Gaza.

Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) companies have it more difficult than companies that present theatre for adults in some respects. If they set out to present a story that's already been adapted by a certain big entertainment company – you know, the one that all started with a mouse – audiences are likely to come into the theatre with that version in mind. They may also expect a big budget spectacular that few – if any – TYA companies are positioned to deliver.

Final casting is announced for the West End premiere of The Kite Runner, a thrilling stage production of Khaled Hosseini's award-winning tale of friendship, betrayal and redemption.

I wish you could see 'Kiss' at Woolly Mammoth Theatre the way I did: Without a lot of advance insight, no prior research and only the vague knowledge it was an adaptation of a foreign play.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company announces the second production of its 37th Season, the U.S. premiere of KISS by Guillermo Calderon, directed by Yury Urnov. KISS will run from October 10 - November 6, 2016.

I can nearly always count on the small, but mighty Forum Theatre to conjure up selections each season that are a little out-of-the-box, and present them with an abundance of creativity. Season 13 is no exception, and it starts off with the area premiere of Jonas Hassen Khemiri's I CALL MY BROTHERS (translated from Swedish by Rachel Willson-Broyles). In the intimate Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, Director Michael Dove and his strong cast of four deal well with the challenges and potential inherent in Khemiri's script, and give the audience a relevant night of theatre that ends - appropriately - with more questions than answers.

Forum Theatre, under Dove's artistic direction, has made a wonderful habit of providing local audiences with opportunities to see unique world premieres. This production is yet another strong example, and with Twyford at the center it's must-see theatre. There's absolutely no reason for any seat to remain empty.