Your Ticket to Theatre News in MD, DC & VA!
The Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest and most subscribed to operating theatre in the country, is currently offering the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, The King and I, to the delight of Philadelphia theatre audiences. It’s easy to see why this great musical continues to endure even after 60 years. The themes of love, loss, and identity still resonate with modern audiences, and the songs- particularly “Hello Young Lovers,” I Whistle a Happy Tune,” and “I Have Dreamed”- are timeless.
The general concept of You, Nero, a comedy currently playing at Arena Stage, is a good one. Set in ancient Rome, resident playwright Amy Freed explores the life and times of Emperor Nero, a man with a tremendous appetite for power and attention.
First time musical theatre composer and lyricist, Ted Shen’s autobiographical musical, A Second Chance, deals with situations we all can relate to in some way – loss, love, and regaining one’s life after a tumultuous change. For this reason, it is very accessible to audiences witnessing it at Signature Theatre. In the musical, introspective Dan [...]
New York City favorites Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway, under the musical direction of Alex Rybeck, brought their unique harmonies to Music Center at Strathmore in a full length concert that featured songs from their latest cd Boom! Live at Birdland, (which is, in and of itself, the title of a show they have been [...]
Annie Baker’s play Circle Mirror Transformation had a production at Studio Theatre two years ago after premiering Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons. In the past several years, it has become a regional theatre favorite. This week it is back in DC at George Washington University (GWU). This excellent production opens GWU’s Theatre and Dance Department’s 2011/2012 [...]
One of the reasons why people presumably join book clubs is for the social experience- the chance to meet other people who may have different interests, but share a love for books. This idea of the book club serving a social purpose beyond a shared reading of books is the foundation for Karen Zacarías’ sometimes [...]
For the past 10 years, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has invited local theatre companies to present readings as part of the annual Page-to-Stage Festival. It’s always an interesting conglomeration of known and respected local theatre companies, from Theater J to Signature Theatre, to university theatre arts programs, to small, professional companies [...]
Marcy Heisler (lyrics) and Zina Goldrich (music) have been writing together for 18 years. The dynamic and original duo’s songs have been covered by Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Feinstein and a host of other Broadway and cabaret talent, including Stephanie J. Block and Emily Skinner. While it is always fun to hear their songs interpreted by [...]
While in Upstate New York, we decided to take in a performance of one of the most well-known good time, old-fashioned musicals in the American musical theatre canon- 42nd Street. The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, in Auburn, New York, undertook this ambitious, large-scale production as part of its summer series. Under the roof, shaped like a Merry-Go-Round [...]
