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.
And here they go again, they know the start, they know the end! Masters of the scene! They’re really glad you came, you know the stars, you know the game! You know what they mean! It’s— Mamma Mia! and now it’s here again! The 25th Anniversary tour, making the rounds across the country and landing for a brief spell in Washington DC at The Kennedy Center on the Opera House stage. You know the ABBA songs,
The answer that you’re after is the music lights and laughter— and they’ve got it— all you have to do is… be Italian! Well, not even that, just get your tickets to Nine now appearing in the Eisenhower Theatre of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a part of the Broadway Center Stage series. Directed and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler with Musical Direction by Lily Ling, this visceral and evocative musical exploration of one man’s existence and his perceived madness of the women that create,
author: Steven Kirkpatrick
“Don’t tell me not to fly, I simply got to
If someone takes a spill, it’s me and not you
Who told you you’re allowed to rain on my parade?”
This colorful, surprisingly fresh production of a vintage musical is decidedly worth a trip to The Kennedy Center, where Funny Girl lights up the Opera House, in grand old fashion, through July 14th 2024.
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;
author: Erin Tarpley
You’ll sing, you’ll laugh, you’ll want to buy things!
Let’s play a little thought experiment. When I say the word “Tupperware,” what is the first thought that comes to mind?
Is it “bowls”? Is it “plastic food preservation”? Or is it “Party!”?
Ok, for a lot of men, the honest answer is probably “bowls;” but for so many others who had a more traditionally feminine upbringing in the later half of the American Twentieth Century,
Somebody hold me too close. Somebody hurt me too deep. Somebody sit in my chair and ruin my sleep and make me aware of being alive. Being alive. That’s the plea of protagonist Bobby in Stephen Sondheim’s musical Company (book by George Furth) which is currently gracing the stage in the elegant Opera House at The John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts in our nation’s capital. Originally produced in 1970 Company was nominated for 14 Tony Awards and won six.
On a chilly winter’s evening, a gathering took place at the Kennedy Center’s Reach Plaza this week. Bathed in darkness (but luckily not bathed in rain), the audience gathered with rapt attention focused on the two giant figures set off to the side of the Plaza grounds. But as the showtime began, these two 18-foot puppets sprang to life in movement, sound, smoke, and light to present the US premiere of Théâtre de la Dame de Coeur’s performance of Acupunk.
Inspiration comes in dreams. Or maybe the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. Be it fever dream or disjointed wind that blows you into The Kennedy Center this December holiday season, you’re in for something a bit unusual when it comes to the National Touring production of Girl From the North Country. Now playing in The Eisenhower Theatre through new year’s eve, this ‘jukebox musical’ (and I use that term very,
Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Based on the 20th Century Studios Motion Picture by Baz Luhrmann) runs through September 24, 2023 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are currently available via the Kennedy Center website at the box office, or by calling 202-467-4600.
The real purpose of a review is to discern whether one should shell out one’s hard-earned money to see the show. The answer with Moulin Rouge!
“When going to see The Murder at Haversham Manor at the Kennedy Center, presented by the Cornley University Drama Society (as made possible by the British-American Cultural Exchange Program), I was expecting an elevated evening of mystery with fine acting and a dazzling script. I confess that I loved what I saw, though what I saw was perhaps not what the playwright had intended. To say that there was a misfortunate moment or two in the production would be putting it mildly,
Is anybody there? Does anybody care? That certainly seems to echo the sentiments of our country at present where large groups of people are concerned. When the Founding Fathers of this infantile country set out to free themselves from the tyranny of King George and the mighty English Empire… well, what we’ve got here in 2023? I’m sure they never could have dreamed of this. The story is history, that much is true.
A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer…
And where does it feature? Just listen to teacher…
It’s the main stage feature of The Kennedy Center’s Opera House stage. Disney’s The Lion King, one of its most spectacular touring productions to date (and that’s saying something considering all of the fantastical magical enchantment that’s rolling around the country with Aladdin and Frozen), has arrived in the nation’s capital for a month-long summertime engagement!
King Arthur: “Have you heard of this Broadway?”
Sir Robin: “Yes Sire, and we don’t stand a chance there.”
Actually, Spamalot, the musical version of the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a bona-fide smash, first lighting up the 2004-05 Broadway season, and now expertly mounted at the Kennedy Center through May 21st, as a part of their ‘Broadway Center Stage’ programming. Honestly, this production of Spamalot is dizzying,
Dead bodies are the worst! Or are they? I mean, is there anything worse than your parents naming you ‘Eyeballs’? Yes. Your parents naming you ‘Pitfall.’ Okay, not literally, but what if you figured out at the ripe old age of 13, which is a challenging age all on its own, that your name translates in Latin to the word ‘eyeballs’ or ‘pitfall’ or worse, ‘depression’? Wouldn’t that be enough to set you spinning into chaos?
Every moment is a moment when you’re in the woods. Be careful what you wish for, bring a slotted spoon to catch the potato, and nice is different than good. Direct from Broadway (including an opening weekend surprise of Andy Karl re-joining the company for the weekend), the darkened Sondheim Fairytale launches its National Tour debut from The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Are you ready to go Into The Woods?
“Any man ain’t sure where he belongs must be in a whole lotta pain.”
“War! Huh, (good God), What is it good for?” Well, that’s a loaded question for another day. But back in 1944 on a segregated southern Louisiana Army Base, the promise of deployment to the battle front is a dream for many of our young characters of color that yearn for a chance of serving their country, and perhaps getting the chance to see a part of the world that doesn’t follow Jim Crow laws.
Popular! You know it’s going to be pop-u-lar! It’s the perfect show to see— while you’re in DC— it’s very, green for the hol-i-daaay. You’re simply gonna love it— so don’t wait— get your tickets to-daaay! The musical sensation that’s sweeping the nation once more, Tony Award-winning Wicked has once again landed in Washington DC at The Kennedy Center, having drifted away in an emerald cloud some six years ago. Directed by Joe Mantello,
“Do you think he’s gonna show the letter to other people?”
“He’s going to ruin your life with it”
Dear Valued Reader,
Today is going to be a great day and let me tell you why. Because today (and most days between today and Sunday, September 25th), you have the chance to buy tickets to see the incomparable Dear Evan Hansen at the Kennedy Center!
This is the time where I can tell you how Dear Evan Hansen is the winner of six Tony Awards,
I am pretty sure that everyone has heard of Blue Man Group. You know that they paint themselves blue, play percussive instruments, have a fondness for primary colors and making a mess, all the while never saying a word. None of this is a plot spoiler. You walk into a theatre with moody lighting and a huge Syfy tech set with lots of LED lights and tv screens apparently showing random things – heck I even noticed a game of Pong.
“The couch is your coffin; and social media the funeral parlor”
Are current events getting you down? Starting to feel the weight of it all? Well The Second City’s The Revolution Will Be Improvised, now playing at the Kennedy Center through July 31st, may be what you need to laugh a little while you cry (or rage).
Performed by an amazingly talented ensemble cast, The Second City’s The Revolution Will Be Improvised does a lovely job of pulling topics from the headlines and poking fun at them while also not forgetting to address the real-world effect these events have on people in the present,
If we needed a fresh take on this American classic, then playwright Aaron Sorkin has delivered it. Don’t get us wrong, this is still the Harper Lee story that most of us know and love, but it has been adapted in a 21st century manner, with some characterizations that are a bit more nuanced and, arguably, real. To summarize up front, this is a production we think everyone should see. Unfortunately, like so much entertainment with a powerful message,
In name and beyond, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME pays homage to John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” with a nod to musical roots in jazz, soul, blues, and hip hop.
Improvisation games are a standard part of theatre and music. Not all theater has improvisation nor do all forms of music but they can be great training tools and occasionally create something that is performance worthy. The key to creating really good improvised performances is a set of rules and a set routine,
“What does it mean to be a girl, Dominic Republican, a Beastgirl?”
Don’t be fooled. You may think you are entering Studio K at the Kennedy Center, but you are actually on the rooftop of the Amsterdam Ave. Apartments in New York City. From the moment you scan your ticket, you are transported to the rooftop of this humble apartment building in NYC; though you may not be sure at first why you are there.
Welcome to High School! Get in, losers— we’re going to The Kennedy Center! Because their production of Mean Girls the musical, Directed and Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw is just so FETCH! And they are absolutely making FETCH happen!!! Based on the Paramount Pictures film from 2004 with book by Tina Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, this high-octane, high-quality Broadway musical is a trip down memory lane for some and a totally relevant look at the uncivilized jungle that is American public high school.
Dear Washington DC,
Today is going to be a good day and here’s why:
#youwillbefound
Dear Evan Hansen has arrived for a limited-run
engagement at The John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts just as summer
comes to an end. This Tony Award-Winning musical has stunning emotional impact
and will take your breath away with its poignancy and overall relevance to
everyone from every walk of life,