Vanity Fair, William Thackery's 19th century exploration of female conventions and ambition as seen through the discerning eyes of Kate Hamill (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park) is a delight for the eyes and a thoughtful female perspective on gender roles that continue to evolve today. With its sparkling cast of seven actors playing dozens of roles and first-rate direction by Jessica Stone, Thackery's carnival-like satire of British society portrayed through the cunning, strong-willed Becky Sharp is as contemporary today as it was shocking in its day.
Few works have inspired such a long-lasting legacy as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust. The Faustian bargain has become a common expression for metaphorically selling one's soul in order to obtain their goals. Of course, the metaphor is much less metaphorical in von Goethe's work and, subsequently, the Charles Gounod opera which stems from this German classic. Gounod's opera isn't always perfect, but the Washington National Opera's new production which opened at the Kennedy Center on Saturday evening breathes enough life into this classic that you'll likely not notice the over three hours you've spent watching the drama unfold.
Washington National Opera's (WNO) Eugene Onegin is exquisite! The entire evening soars like a dream with pitch-perfect performances led by the immaculate Anna Nechaeva as Tatiana.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon announced the full cast and creative team for Vanity Fair, acclaimed playwright Kate Hamill's rollicking new stage adaptation of William Thackeray's classic 19th-century novel that pops with 21st-century spirit. Ambitious Becky Sharp may not have been born with wealth or status, but she's determined to attain both-at any cost. Armed with fierce wit and calculating charm, Becky forges her own path through London's high society, dealing herself into a game she was never invited to play. Displaying the celebrated audacity and verve that she brought to her adaptation of Sense & Sensibility, Hamill conjures an inventive and lively period drama that combines a fierce contemporary edge with the theatricality of Victorian Burlesque.
Mean Girls, Big Little Lies, Heathers, Broad City, Thelma and Louise, Parks and Recreation, Sex and the City…These are some of the better known vehicles for female friendship that inhabit our pop culture universe. Paling in comparison to the numerous portrayals of male friendships and "bromances", too often these relationships center on competition or jealousy, on getting the guy. Very few take a deeper, more comprehensive dive into the complexity of female companionship. Even fewer are the product of female authors, directors, playwrights, etc.
Richard the Third is one of Shakespeare's most famous villains. Ruthless and astute, savvy and unscrupulous, Richard pursues power with a single-minded and dangerous intensity. In the Shakespeare Theatre Company's production, directed by David Muse, Richard's world is grim, gray, perilous, and unrelenting. Matthew Rauch in the title role is deliciously complex - we, too, are alarmed to find ourselves wooed by his intelligence and charisma even as we are repelled by his treachery and dogged fixation with acquiring power any cost. Shakespeare's tale of villainy, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company's interpretation, asks the audience to venture into a severe and harsh world. It is a dark and fascinating journey, but not for the faint of heart.
Even after 65 years after Twelve Angry Men was first performed, we sit with the uncomfortable realization that prejudice shapes many of our interactions. The current production at Ford's Theatre is an important message, a provocative reminder, and a great night of theater
While it makes a worthy effort to introduce people to the arts, 'The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me' simply misses the mark. Despite its wonderful cast, the show has far too many flaws for this to be a worthy introduction to a love for theatre.
By the time December hits (and oftentimes well before), it's impossible to browse theatre listings without running across half a dozen productions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. But what makes it so long lasting? We reached out to companies across the US and more to find out just what makes A Christmas Carol the anthem for the holiday season.
Any one of us that has ever seen an animated feature or short produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios knows that the music is always a big component in making the film a success. Let's face it, aren't you all still singing 'Let it Go' from Frozen even though the film is now five years old? Songs like that one and classics like 'Heigh Ho' and 'A Whole New World' are etched in our collective memories for a lifetime.
Ford's Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault announced that acclaimed Washington actor Craig Wallace will return to Ford's to perform the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for the company's holiday production of A Christmas Carol. Performances of the classic Charles Dickens story begin November 15 and continue for a six-and-a-half-week engagement through December 30, 2018. This 'musically high-spirited' and 'infectiously jolly' (The Washington Post) production is adapted by Michael Wilson and directed by Michael Baron.
I don't like Spam. To me, it's mystery meat and I don't like the taste. I looked it up on the internet to see what it is made from. It was introduced by Hormel in 1937 to increase the sale of pork shoulder. Few know the true origination of the name 'Spam,' but suggestions include 'Specially Processed Army Meat.' My favorite more colorful descriptions are 'meatloaf without basic training' and 'ham that didn't pass its physical.' Spam has recently been adopted as the term for inappropriate or irrelevant messages that flood our inboxes. This all fits.
Even if you've never seen an opera, you know at least one or two of the tunes from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, which has become one of the most popular modern representations for classical opera. While the work was jeered at the time of its premiere, this tragic tale has aged beautifully-with a lush score featuring some of the greatest duets. The Washington National Opera's newest production injects new life into this piece, thanks to smart directorial choices by WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and a top-notch creative team.
Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) today announced its current production of Lerner and Loewe's classic Tony Award-winning musical Camelot has set a box office record by becoming the top-selling show in STC's 33 year history.
Today's subject, Alexandra Silber, is known on both sides of the pond as a versatile, killer performer. This international dynamo is currently living her theatre life onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) as Guenevere in Camelot. The production has been extended and now runs through July 8th in STC's Sydney Harman Hall space.
Featuring a compelling script, some of the best acting you're bound to see anywhere locally (most notably from Jon Hudson Odom) under the swift and inspired direction by Marti Lyons, and strong production elements (even music!), this is an unpredictable "only at Woolly" experience you won't want to miss. It's especially perfect for Pride Month.
Director Alan Paul is bringing Lerner and Loewe's CAMELOT to a new generation, and his efforts couldn't be timelier. This stunning Shakespeare Theatre Company production at Sidney Harman Hall is a beacon of light in a city besieged by political unrest and uncertainty.
Lerner and Loewe's enduring story- a hallmark of the 'Golden Age' of musical theatre- sets the love triangle between King of Arthur (of the infamous sword in the stone), Queen Guenevere, and the knight Lancelot against the backdrop of Arthur's struggle for civilization and goodness in a world of violence, barbarism, and hatred.
BroadwayWorld has a first look at the Shakespeare Theatre Company's production of Lerner and Loewe's multiple Tony Award-winning musical Camelot. Directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul (Kiss Me, Kate; Man of La Mancha), the classic musical is now on stage through July 1.
