Clare Barron's apocalyptic play BABY SCREAMS MIRACLE is, fundamentally, an interesting and exceptionally written exploration of the forces of religion and of nature on one small town American family dealing with its own kind of inner turmoil. A uniformly strong cast under the direction of Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz brings out the best of the already strong script at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.
Albee's characters are shockingly volatile. They curse, they drink and they revel in inflecting pain. It's funny, heartbreaking and yes, slightly familiar. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? may have debuted in 1962 but the truth it provokes still feels relevant.
The Hard Problem is the brainchild of Czechoslovakian-born British playwright Sir Tom Stoppard. Contrary to all scientific intelligence, Hilary clings to the mysterious. In the spirit of the scientific method, the audience must as: but why? As Dramaturg Lauren Halvorsen notes so concisely, “the tension between knowledge and mystery pervades the play.”
Robert McNamara directs three Scena Theatre veterans in the Washington-area premiere of SOMEONE IS GOING TO COME, Norwegian writer Jon Fosse's absurdist exploration of magnified paranoia. Thanks to excellent acting and attention to detail, the experience is tense, at times grating, and interesting to witness.
For theatre lovers in our area, we always look forward to what our theatre companies have in store for us in their upcoming seasons. We look to see if there are any trends that stand out to us as audience members. We also see growth in many companies with each new season of shows. Anyone that's been following DC theatre for a while will notice how things have changed in the last twenty or thirty years. One of the biggest examples of this would be the clean up and revitalization of 14th Street, which had direct implications for Studio Theatre and Source.
While those seeking a similarly scaled production to the original Broadway production (or even the revival) might leave the Eisenhower Theatre somewhat disappointed, those open to experiencing a new interpretation of the familiar material might leave feeling they've had an opportunity to look at an old favorite with new eyes. Perhaps they might better appreciate what drew them to the story in the first place.
Langston Hughes' "Gospel Song-Play" chronicles and celebrates the birth of Jesus and the unique cultural identity and heritage of Black Americans. This joyous musical compels us to look inward and find the wonder in life. This performance is recommended for audiences of all ages.
As presented at Arena Stage, Lookingglass Theatre Company's 'Moby Dick' offers many theatrical surprises that are sure to enthrall nearly any theatergoer looking for something a little different this holiday season.
The plot of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE is straightforward, and the source material by Arthur Miller is pretty good, but the spectacular staging of this classic work at the Kennedy Center elevates what could have been a fairly pedestrian family drama to atmospheric heights. The very definition of 'catharsis', this spellbinding production stuns with stripped-down, potent emotion.
There's something about a classic, standard musical that tugs at the heartstrings. Maybe it's the the swelling orchestra, the time-honored songs, or the amazement that an old love story can feel new again. Under the direction of Molly Smith at Arena Stage, Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL is all of the above.
In October of 1998 Matthew Shepard, a twenty-one-year-old University student was kidnapped, beaten, and left to die on a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. The reason for his killing: he was gay. One of the first murders to be labeled a hate crime, it brought attention the lack of 'hate crime protection' several states possessed. Five weeks after his death, Moises Kaufman and other members of the Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie and interviewed its citizens for a whole year after the event. This is the true story of how residents in Laramie, Wyoming reacted to the murder of Matthew Shepard.
Natsu Onoda Power is one of the most creative forces in DC theatre. With such credits as Yellow Face at Theater J and Astro Boy and the God of Comics at Studio Theatre, Power's productions are always visually stunning and very clear in the way she tells a story. This review starts as it does because I want it to be perfectly clear that I am a big admirer of Power's work upfront. Unfortunately, her latest endeavor goes against everything I just said.
43 1/2: THE GREATEST DEATHS OF SHAKESPEARE'S TRAGEDIES, a 2013 Capital Fringe favorite from Nu Sass, is back again with its enthusiastic original cast for a third run. Sun King Davis directs the zany, bloody production, with a new batch of gruesome fight scenes thrown in to keep things fresh.
