Frank Labovitz News

What did our critic think of HESTER STREET at Theater J?

Tonight, at a celebration honoring outstanding theatre on stages across the Washington area, theatre artists, administrators, patrons, and special guests gathered at the ATLAS Performing Arts Center for Theatre Washington's announcement of nominees for the 40th Helen Hayes Awards.

This evening, the 2023 Helen Hayes Awards took place at The Anthem on the District Wharf, with over 1,600 theatre-makers and theatre supporters in attendance. Esteemed Washington theatre artists Naomi Jacobson, Erika Rose, Holly Twyford, and Christopher Michael Richardson hosted an evening showcasing the vibrant and diverse community of professional theatre artists in the Washington region.

Constellation Theatre Company's production of David Ives' 'The School for Lies' is a witty, rollicking farce, reimagining Molière's 'The Misanthrope' with modern sass and plenty of surprises. The cast, costumes, and set design all impress, making for a delightful experience from start to finish.

Nominations have been announced for the 37th Helen Hayes Awards, which will be presented on Monday, May 22. Nominees include productions from Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, GALA Hispanic Theatre and more.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 19th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Washington, DC Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

'Which Way to the Stage' is a love letter – to New York, to the theater world, and to friendship. It’s entertaining and engaging, thoughtful and packed with talent. It’s an incredible experience, made for all of us theater fanatics – and for anyone who just wants to have a wonderful time.

Watch the trailer for the regional premiere of Ana Nogueira's Which Way to the Stage at Signature Theatre.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 12th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Washington, DC Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 5th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Washington, DC Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

Signature Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for the play Which Way to the Stage, written by Ana Nogueira. In Which Way to the Stage, Broadway superfans Jeff and Judy eagerly await their idol Idina Menzel after her performance in If/Then at the stage door every night.

Pointless Theatre has announced their first in-person programming since the summer of 2019 - an original translation of Eugene Ionesco's seminal play RHINOCEROS! 

Constellation Theatre Company’s production of 'The Last Five Years' is a fun and engaging performance, but the lopsided cast undermines its core charm. That said, fans of the show will still enjoy the production, and newcomers will still find the it engaging, if a bit unbalanced.

On September 25, the 36th Annual Helen Hayes Awards concluded, after a series of virtual events celebrating Washington's dynamic and diverse theatre community.

The 2020 Helen Hayes Awards, recognizing the outstanding work on Washington area stages in 2019, continued its four-week virtual event series. 

With very few exceptions stage musicals based off of comic books and horror movies are never truly successful. You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and Little Shop of Horrors are two very rare examples where those genres succeeded commercially.

Tonight, at a celebration honoring theatre excellence on stages across the Washington area, theatre artists, administrators, patrons, and special guests gathered in the National Theatre's Helen Hayes Gallery for theatreWashington's announcement of nominees for the 36th Annual Helen Hayes Awards, which will be presented on Monday, May 18 at an event at the Anthem.

Rorschach Theatre's first musical follows Melvin Ferd the Third, who wants to clean up Tromaville, the most polluted town in New Jersey (just off Exit 13B on the Turnpike). Foiled by the mayor's bullies, Melvin is dumped into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, only to reemerge as The Toxic Avenger, New Jersey's first superhero. Affectionately known as Toxie, our new hero is a seven-foot mutant freak with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark. He's out to save New Jersey, end global warming, woo the blind librarian in town, and save the world.

Constellation Theatre is closing its season of love stories with a big one from the East. Thankfully 'The White Snake' is not about the 80s English metal band. Instead, it's an ancient, oft-told Chinese folk tale, which was breezily interpreted by Mary Zimmerman originally for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2014. It's brought to lyrical life in a production directed by Allison Arkell Stockman that combines puppetry, movement and a beguiling, underlying musical performance.

Jump back to a time when flannel was the height of fashion and mix tapes were the language of love. Lyric Theatre presents the regional premiere of this coming-of-age love story - Girlfriend - later this month at Lyric at the Plaza, 1725 NW 16 St.