WASHINGTON, DC THEATER REVIEWS

Taffety Punk Theatre Company's Bootleg Shakespeare production HENRY VI, PART 3 is performance without a net - exciting, dangerous, riveting, and raw. Bootleg Shakespeare isn't designed to be polished or perfect, it's designed to be fresh and immediate. And it delivered. What's more amazing? The acto...

Pippin may be one of the most timeless American musicals ever written. No matter when or where it is presented, the production is easily molded to fit the social circumstances of the day. Whether the original Fosse-helmed production, the Diane Paulus circus-themed 2013 revival, or a regional product...

It is difficult to think of another work of American literature that has so captured the imagination or has inspired more reincarnations than L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This summer, Synetic Theater manages to make a mark on this prolific field with their own adaptation....

In true Fringe style, Happenstance Theater Company's Barococo takes on the inanity and decadence of the Baroque and Rococo....

If you try hard enough, you may find another author more suited to a Fringe Festival venue than Edgar Allan Poe, but it is highly unlikely. The works of this "master of the macabre", poet, and literary artist seem tailor-made for just such a celebration of all things "outside the box"....

What if you had turned left instead of right? What if you didn't stop for coffee on your way into the office? What if you had taken that big risk or followed that crazy dream? ON THE EVE explores one of life's most commonly pondered questions....

Unexpected Stage Company's Be a Good Little Widow is a tear-jerking and heartbreaking to watch, but there are moments of humor brings a bit of relief from the intensity....

We all know how hard the life of a performer can be. You inevitably have to take gigs you don't want to take in order to make some income. So, what happens then when you are a classically trained actress and the only jobs you can get are on crime reenactment shows? The good folks at Guillotine Theat...

A good title is everything. It sets up the entire tone of a production before any audience members have filed into a theater space. Undoubtedly, Lesbians and the Men Who Love Them has one of the most intriguing titles of the 80+ shows participating in the Capital Fringe Festival. It's a shame that t...

I spent an evening and afternoon taking in a few offerings at this year's far more conveniently located Capital Fringe festival in Southwest DC. International Affairs and history nerd that I am, I took in a performance of BLACK CONFEDERATES and the exceptional THE BODY OF A WOMAN AS A BATTLEFIELD I...

'Seinfeld' might have been a TV show about nothing, but shows by the Upright Citizens Brigade at Woolly Mammoth literally begin with nothing....

A friendship between prominent historical figures is a fascinating subject, and reimagining their discussions about their shared experiences as well as their own areas of expertise can be grounds for great theatre. Unfortunately, while the concept is wonderful, the Hub Theatre's execution comes up s...

Ally Theatre's '#poolparty' is a prime example of discovering a little known chapter of local history, fashioning it into art and creating a more universal statement....

If you're into smooth vocals, sharp moves, and nostalgia-inducing moments that give you goosebumps, AIN'T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS is for you. The musical is completing a pre-Broadway run at the Kennedy Center, and its rock-solid performances and impeccable choreography (Ser...

For all the bad in this country right now, there are still things that bring us happiness and joy. The musical You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is a prime example of how innocent children and their pets can make you remember that not everything is bad in the world. How many times have we thought that...

Motown the Musical is a high energy musical featuring a talented cast and high production quality....

Peter Pan is possibly one of the most commonly adapted and re-adapted works for the stage. From Peter and the Starcatcher to Finding Neverland and everything in between, there are constant tweaks and updates to this classic that make it resonate with new generations. Adventure Theatre's newest adapt...

Tony Award-nominated actress Eva Noblezada has had a kind of meteoric rise to stardom over the last few years. She was discovered at age seventeen by a New York casting agent at the Jimmy Awards and won the role of Kim on the West End in the Cameron Mackintosh revival of Miss Saigon. She went on to ...

With so many things to worry about or be sad about in 2018, there is no shortage of people searching for solace wherever they can find it. Thankfully, six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald provided that and more during her one-night-only concert with the National Symphony Orchestra last Tuesday....

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"Other Life Forms" is an insightful, comedic look into our own humanity. It explores what makes us uniquely human - love, friendship, and our own quest for answers about our lives and the universe....

'Holocaust Opera' is probably not the most inviting description for the season ending offering for the In Series....

If the rousing and prolonged applause and immediate standing ovation is any indication, this show is going to wow local audiences all throughout the summer....

The tone for Mona Mansour's three-plays is set with two words projected onto a spinning set piece: “It's complicated.” It is. It's very complicated. But sometimes complicated can be a beautiful thing....