Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater continues its inaugural season this spring with an unparalleled tribute to one of the nation's greatest living playwrights, Edward Albee.
As we welcome in a new year of great theatre in the nation's capital, I thought it would be fun to do one of those “Best of 2010' lists as well as preview what's opening in January on DC area stages. So let's raise our glasses and offer a toast to all those theatre companies who gave us great productions in 2010, and to the upcoming 2011 theatre season!
There's this old showbiz cliche that says one should never work with kids and/or animals. Well, either species probably never really scared producers from creating ANNIE, the much-beloved musical classic now in production for Musical Theatre West in Long Beach, California through November 14. Here, the kids steal every scene, and the dog... well, how can you not love a musical with a lovable (trained) dog? With famous populist origins and quite a hummable, familiar score, this long-standing musical's saccharine sweet portrayal of pre-Depression era New York City amps up the long-lost American idea of optimism. And, in a bit of inspired stunt casting, Andrea McArdle--who made her Tony-nominated debut in the original 1977 Broadway production as the title role--steps into the role of the wicked Ms. Hannigan for this production.
Fanny Brice was a unique American performer, and undeniably a great one. She conquered burlesque, vaudeville, the Ziegfeld Follies, radio and films, introduced hit songs that are still cabaret classics today, and excelled at sketch comedy and dancing.
As the leaves are turning into a rainbow of colors, and we await the first snowflakes to fall, DC theatergoers are anticipating Arena Stage's first two productions in their new Mead Center, while Harry Connick, Jr. introduces children to a friendly elf, and Snow White and a red rose and a guy named Fred make a stop at The Kennedy Center. That red-haired orphan brings Sandy and a bitchy Ms. Hannigan and a pooch named Sandy to Olney, MD. Synetic Theater Artistic Director and his wife/choreographer reunite on the stage, a Ziegfeld Folly stars in a one-woman show, and doughnuts are served at The Studio Theatre.
BAM presents the music-theater work Persephone, a collaboration between New York's trailblazing Ridge Theater ensemble and three exceptional contributors from across various disciplines.
BAM presents the music-theater work Persephone, a collaboration between New York's trailblazing Ridge Theater ensemble and three exceptional contributors from across various disciplines.
Fanny Brice was a unique American performer, and undeniably a great one. She conquered burlesque, vaudeville, the Ziegfeld Follies, radio and films, introduced hit songs that are still cabaret classics today, and excelled at sketch comedy and dancing.
By the time of his untimely death at 57 in 1981, Paddy Chayefsky was known as one of the most daring and talented American screen writers. His sharply satiric films-like Network, The Hospital, and Altered States-manage to combine laughs and tender moments of intimacy with his habitually wry and critical view of humanity. But cinema was a late frontier for Chayefsky, ventured into only after the writer had conquered television, with such classics of live TV as the drama Marty, and stage, where he had his second Broadway hit in 1959 with an unusual comedy called The Tenth Man. Now The American Century Theater is reviving The Tenth Man to open the company's 2010-2011 season.
BAM presents the music-theater work Persephone, a collaboration between New York's trailblazing Ridge Theater ensemble and three exceptional contributors from across various disciplines.
TopDog Productions in a co-production with the Elephant Theatre Company are thrilled to announce the Los Angeles Intimate Theatre Premiere of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Marty Papazian.
In September, DC area theatres are filled with almost a dozen musical productions opening -- classics, family shows, and many wonderful plays being performed on our over 200 theatre venues. The humidity is finally melting away, and it's a perfect time to welcome the cooler weather and the colors of the Fall by making a trip to the Nation's Capital and catching a show or two or three. There are family shows with canines and rabbits, a Labor Day weekend theatre festival that's FREE, a new jazz musical with some of the area's most talented singers, and bugs and ants that swing on trapezes. Mr. Ripley is finally coming to town, while I'm hoping that all will be well at Shakespeare Theatre. Someone is trying to deal with a very troubling inch, a Bar-Mitzvah boy has to deal with his crazy family, spelling champions battle it out, and a beagle pilot takes flight. There's so much to choose from, so read on and see what's playing in September in this monumental town. Happy New Year to all my fellow Jewish lovers of the theatre!
By the time of his untimely death at 57 in 1981, Paddy Chayefsky was known as one of the most daring and talented American screen writers. His sharply satiric films-like Network, The Hospital, and Altered States-manage to combine laughs and tender moments of intimacy with his habitually wry and critical view of humanity. But cinema was a late frontier for Chayefsky, ventured into only after the writer had conquered television, with such classics of live TV as the drama Marty, and stage, where he had his second Broadway hit in 1959 with an unusual comedy called The Tenth Man. Now The American Century Theater is reviving The Tenth Man to open the company's 2010-2011 season.
TopDog Productions in a co-production with the Elephant Theatre Company are thrilled to announce the Los Angeles Intimate Theatre Premiere of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Marty Papazian.
TopDog Productions in a co-production with the Elephant Theatre Company are thrilled to announce the Los Angeles Intimate Theatre Premiere of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Marty Papazian.
Now that The Capital Fringe Festival has finally packed up its tent, (read all 132 reviews of the Fringe reviews and reflections here), DC theatergoers are being offered some musical offerings this month including new productions of the popular musicals Chess, Nunsense, Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, The Fantasticks and Side Show.
The new theatrical season of Arlington's American Century Theater celebrates a Broadway masterpiece by a giant of TV's Golden Age, the first Pulitzer Prize-winning tragedy by America's greatest tragedian, a return to the stage by the funniest Ziegfeld Girl, a grand comic classic by Ferber and Kaufman, and a science fiction social satire.
BlueRare Productions has announced the cast and creative team for its Off-Broadway premiere of the probing and politically-charged mash-up comedy, Abraham Lincoln's Big, Gay Dance Party, by Aaron Loeb.
Central Square Theater and Remo Airaldi parlay Sherlock Holmes into shakes of laughter and shivers of horror...just the thing for a steamy summer night.
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