author: Erin Tarpley
“You can not make an omelet without breaking eggs, every cook will tell you that. But look what happened to the cook!”
A stormy night. A lone eerie mansion owned by one, Mr. Boddy. A mysterious party invitation sent to six unrelated party guests. An assortment of items that lead to a murder (or six). These are the initial ingredients for a night of mystery and fun at the Kennedy Center’s Opera House for the performance of the hit show: Clue.
author: Amanda N. Gunther
There’s music to play— places to go— people to see! Everything— at The Kennedy! (…Center for Performing Arts!) And that luscious, glorious 22-person orchestra is playing the sensational music of Bye Bye Birdie! appearing in The Eisenhower through June 15th 2024 as a part of the ‘Broadway Center Stage’ series at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts! And you should definitely come see this refreshing revamp of this show;
It was Mr. Green! In the billiards room! With the dagger! Cue elaborate explanation— hold— drop lights— “That’s not how it really happened. Because we know who actually did it!” REWIND! RESET! GO! It was Clue! At The Hippodrome! With a stage show! Murder, mystery, mayhem, a manor and— six!? SIX DEAD BODIES!? That’s a lot of bodies piling up on the floor! Or in the lounge! Or wherever they’re piling up!
Signature Theatre’s latest offering is a stellar production of Ragtime, a musicalization of E. L. Doctorow’s sprawling 1975 novel, in which a variety of real and fictional characters from the turn of the 20th century are woven into an epic American tapestry. Presenting a panoramic view of the dawning of the twentieth century, Ragtime addresses such issues as immigration, racism, socialism, women’s rights, industrialization, and the labor movement. Seeking to identify the forces that have shaped America over the past century,
This is Albany… This is Buffalo… This is Shirlington… Not an original planned stop on the train that Francesca took with Bud on their way to Winterset, Iowa. But The Bridges of Madison County is stopping in Shirlington, Virginia for a few weeks (through September 17th 2023) as the main-stage musical opener to their 23/24 season. Jason Robert Brown’s haunting score wending through the rolling book by Marsha Norman, based on the novel by Robert James Waller,
Let’s start by saying that Into the Woods is one of the most accessible and beloved musicals of Stephen Sondheim. The book by James Lapine and the music and lyrics by Sondheim offer everything we want from a musical. It has catchy tunes, fascinating subplots, cleverness, magic, love stories of all sorts and a call for the audience to use their imaginations. The current incarnation of this play at Signature Theatre, directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner,
Will you like the show you see? Will you know that there’s a world of love, uplifted spirits, and joyous frivolity— waiting just inside those painted walls, waiting for everyone to see? You’ll know— if the show— you’re seeing is— She Loves Me. Signature Theatre, in its most extensive and momentous live-staged undertaking (after 600 days of being dark) is bringing a heartwarming musical classic to its Max Theatre stage and it just the dose of giddy and glee that the world needs right now.
For fans of Shakespeare’s comedies, Love’s
Labour’s Lost should not be overlooked. Often brushed off as a draft for
Shakespeare’s later hits, there is joy and humor in this play that would be
criminal to dismiss. The performers in the Folger Theatre’s current production,
directed by Vivienne Benesch, rise to the challenge at every turn and carry the
audience along for a raucous and heartfelt ride.
*bing*
Final boarding call for all passengers boarding flight STC-2017 to Illyria. All passengers please make their way to Sidney Harman Hall and follow the instructions of the flight attendant.
*bing*
The setup is astonishing, and at first a peculiar choice, but Director Ethan McSweeny’s conceptualization of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is nothing but gob-smacking by the play’s conclusion. Not unlike a cinematic psychological thriller,
With spirits to enforce and arts to enchant, Shakespeare Theatre Company offers up the most whimsically enchanting of the Bard’s theatrical canon with their production of The Tempest. Presented as the 26th Annual ‘Free for All’ performance, and Directed by Ethan McSweeny, Shakespeare’s final play is delivered with radiant justice, mesmerizing theatrical magic, and exquisite emotional endeavors that envelope the audience for a truly fantastical experience. The majesty of Lee Savage’s set juxtaposed against a myriad of miraculous production design elements make this a truly magnificent experience for all who are able to attend.
Take a deep breath, open your eyes, you have arrived at La Cage Aux Folles. Signature Theatre does its utmost to deliver this ravishing, sensual, fabulous musical Directed by Matthew Gardiner with Musical Direction by Darius Smith, and succeeds making it the show of their season, which is saying something considering just how many smashing productions they’ve managed this year. Legend has told and rumor has promised this zesty, thrilling performance would dazzle theatergoers of Washington DC and there are simply not enough words to properly praise the nearly perfect production as it titillates audiences right to the edges of their chairs!
