WASHINGTON, DC THEATER REVIEWS

Kasi Campbell directs superb cast in a story you will long remember....

The idea of finding your voice is a two way street in the world premiere one-hour opera PENNY. Composer Douglas Pew and librettist Dara Weinberg have created a succinct, lyrical piece in which their title character discovers her talent for music and is able to communicate and take charge of her life...

Filled with laughs and anarchic asides, as well as a healthy dose of audience participation, Theatre J has an unqualified hit in Aaron Posner's Life Sucks [Or the Present Ridiculous]. Here we have Posner's thoroughly irreverent, Jewish take on Uncle Vanya, Russian playwright Anton Chekov's classic t...

THE MUSIC OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER might be a show Riverside Center has to bring back again real soon. But your job is to get tickets to it now. Patrick A'Hearn has assembled a winning cast to showcase more than 30 songs from the great and near great Webber musicals. Fans of CATS, EVITA, and even STAR...

There is a scene about two thirds of the way through Mockingbird, currently playing at the Family Theater at the Kennedy Center, that cuts straight to the emotional core of the play. Mrs. Brook, a school counselor, asks protagonist Caitlin to try to feel empathy for her father. Caitlin, who is on ...

The rich language and music, coupled with emotionally-charged acting, and a compelling story make CHOIR BOY one to see....

Big musicals are a rarity to come by. Shows with huge sets, large casts, and a Hollywood sized orchestra are a thing of the past. But all of these are on display at NextStop Theatre Company's recent production of Gutenberg! The Musical! Well, at least there are on display in the minds of aspiring ...

In Love and Warcraft, a new play by Madhuri Shekar at No Rules Theatre Compan,y is full of heart, overflowing with warmth and good humor to balance the challenges of intimacy in a world that does not respond logically to strategy and commands. The production, directed by No Rules Theatre Company Ar...

The American Century Theater fosters discussion on recent events in Ferguson, Cleveland, and New York City....

"The Illusionists - Witness the Impossible" is truly a sight to be seen....

Disney is known for bringing the magic to its theatrical events, but there's no enchantment in this touring production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Instead, NETworks has skimped on the production values and has presented a night of theater that is often tacky and rarely captivating. In other words, this...

Washington Stage Guild's 'In Praise of Love' offers an engaging and comedic performance....

World premiere musical written by Barry Levinson, music and lyrics by Sheryl Crow, and directed by Kathleen Marshall is just plain fun....

It seems only fitting that in its efforts to introduce a musical form as grown-up as the opera to younger audiences, that the Kennedy Center has picked for this holiday season the children's classic THE LITTLE PRINCE, a story all about grown-ups trying to understand children trying to understand gro...

Need some laughter in your life during this sometimes hectic season? Love the classic holiday shows, but want something different that will have the entire family grinning together? Or just love a show that embraces its roots but isn't afraid to grow tall and, dare I say, flash a little…color?? ...

Ira Levin murder mystery is packed with mayhem and macabre....

It's pure musical theatre and its finest. Nothing is better than that....

Get ready for an annual Baltimore tradition....

John Landry adapts the iconic Frank Capra 1946 film into a theatrical production....

I once saw a production of Samuel Beckett's play, Play, that featured three "urns" and as a young college student I had never seen something so remarkable before. It was odd and extraordinary, and while I don't remember much about that production, the visual has stayed with me for years. Sunday e...

Simply stunning!Megan Hilty, star of stage and screen, offered a good dose of holiday cheer and some fine vocals to an appreciative Kennedy Center audience this weekend. Combining musical theatre and pop selections she usually does in cabaret format with a few holiday tunes, the varied set offered a...

The Canadian puppet workshop brings their dark comedy 'Famous Puppet Death Scenes,' to Woolly Mammoth Theater Company. It is a show that will make you gasp and laugh awkwardly....

Director Ethan McSweeny clearly knows his way around the play, and offers mature Washington audiences a visually rich, complex Tempest that has its share of magical moments, but which at its core is unvarnished by sentiment. And Geraint Wyn Davies gives us a Prospero who is a temperamental, gravelly...

Synetic Theater has taken on an ambitious retelling of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST mainly relying on shadows and movement. While visually beautiful and using a good story, it is not without some inherent technical flaws....

As a kid, I loved all things Annie. I wasn't yet born when the show premiered on Broadway, but was introduced to it - like many were in the 80s - through the cast recording and the initial movie version. I'm no longer a little kid, but I have to admit I was pretty excited to see Andrea McArdle - the...