Signature's Sondheim Award Gala was presented to honor those who have contributed to the works of legendary composer, Stephen Sondheim, and the canon of American theater. Check out the photos from this year's event.
Signature Theatre pulls some of DC's brightest stars into the spirit of the holidays with this year's original production of Holiday Follies. The popular series, now in its third season, will feature performers Bobby Smith (See What I Wanna See, Show Boat), Eleasha Gamble (Chess, Les Miserables), James Gardiner (The Boy Detective Fails, [title of show]), and Rachel Zampelli (Dying City, Brother Russia), under the direction of Walter Ware III. With a cabaret set list built to change from night to night, Signature's forecast calls for a special week of wintry mix.
theatreWashington has announced the debut of two new holiday albums - Holiday: The Divas of DC and Sandy Bainum's This Christmas - to raise funds for Taking Care Of Our Own, a program to assist theatre professionals and artists with personal emergency needs.
Building on a commitment to stage bold productions of powerful contemporary plays, Signature Theatre takes a close-up look this fall at love during wartime. Dying City, Christopher Shinn's acclaimed two-person play, casts an intimate light on the role of friendship and family in the wake of personal loss. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.
Building on a commitment to stage bold productions of powerful contemporary plays, Signature Theatre takes a close-up look this fall at love during wartime. Dying City, Christopher Shinn's acclaimed two-person play, casts an intimate light on the role of friendship and family in the wake of personal loss.
Building on a commitment to stage bold productions of powerful contemporary plays, Signature Theatre takes a close-up look this fall at love during wartime. Dying City, Christopher Shinn's acclaimed two-person play, casts an intimate light on the role of friendship and family in the wake of personal loss.
The Summer Hummer, DC theatre's most revealing variety show, plays a benefit performance at Signature Theatre for Taking Care of Our Own, which helps Washington theatre professionals with emergency needs, tonight, August 20 at 7 p.m.
The Washington Theatre community has joined forces to present the first annual Summer Hummer, a bawdy variety show benefiting Taking Care of Our Own, an initiative that assists DC-area theatre professionals & artists in personal emergency situations.
The Summer Hummer, DC theatre's most revealing variety show, plays a benefit performance at Signature Theatre for Taking Care of Our Own, which helps Washington theatre professionals with emergency needs, on Monday, August 20 at 7 p.m.
Signature Theatre once again mounts a World Premiere musical with success. You'll have a rockin' good time.
The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which is making its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Check out performance highlighs below!
The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Misérables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale. Check out production shots below!
Last night before a crowd of 200 theatre makers and theatre lovers, theatreWashington announced the nominees for the 28th Helen Hayes Awards. The National Theatre's Helen Hayes Gallery set the scene for the announcement of nominees in 26 categories for artistic excellence and the announcement of the recipient of the 2012 John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. The Helen Hayes Awards is one of the most prestigious honors for artists and theatre companies in Washington's vibrant theatre scene.
The story of the controversial "Mad Monk," Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Miserables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.
It's that time of the year to take a look back at which shows and performances I enjoyed in 2011 on DC area stages, and since I saw over 200 of them this year in professional, community, university, children's, and programs that train young actors, let me give it a whirl and I'll pick my 'Top 5' in each category.
It's holiday time in Washington, DC with so many gorgeous decorations adorning our Nation's Capital. Our local theatres are booming with new productions and there are holiday tree lightings, concerts, recitals and sing-alongs all through the DC area. Come visit us and see some shows and join in the holiday festivities that we have to offer during this very festive month. Happy Holidays everyone!
The new DC area theatre season begins in September. Over 50 shows are opening in our professional and community theatres. But before we move on to the new season and what's opening in September, let's look back at my personal favorite musicals, plays, and performances in both musicals and plays in the DC area - from August 2010 to August 2011.
There's a lot of 'steam heat' on DC area stages and outside, so if you're visiting DC for the annual July 4th fireworks extravaganza, stop by and see a show before you roast on the Mall waiting for the concert and loud "booms" to fill up the sky. And if you couldn't get into the sold-out Oklahoma!, Aquarium, Clybourne Park, or The Importance of Being Earnest - earlier this year - you have a chance now! And then there's The Capital Fringe Festival with dozens of new shows to choose from.
A signature event with three days of free theater - mark your calendars for Sept. 3-5, 2011
CHESS opened at the Signature Theatre on August 10 and will run through September 26. The cast is lead by Jill Paice (Curtains, The 39 Steps) as Florence Vassy, Euan Morton (Boy George in Taboo, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Anatoly Sergievsky and Jeremy Kushnier (Footloose, Rent) as Freddie Trumper. The rock musical is directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. Written by Mamma Mia! composers Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson with Evita and Lion King lyricist Tim Rice, the 1984 cult musical of Cold War competition in love and chess is being given its first major Washington area production. Chess is being performed in the fabulous intimacy of the 276-seat MAX Theatre.
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