“Defy convention.” That phrase, which appears on each of the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s playbills, is one that has always embodied the spirit of their mission: edgy, provocative theater. It is also something they have taken to heart in choosing their latest world premiere. It’s not every day a “period” piece is meaningful enough to […]
A man stands, wide-eyed and frozen, with nowhere to turn. The unspeakable horror of the knowledge he has just received begins to set in. His entire life has been a lie; he attempts to grapple with the fact that nothing, including himself, is who or what he thought. He is … a clone. Yawn. What […]
A man stands fastened to a cross, arms splayed and face contorted in agony. He is surrounded by people; some shout in triumph, while others weep with outstretched arms. Is this a scene from the latest Mel Gibson movie? No – it’s Passion Play, a Cycle, Arena Stage’s newest production by emerging playwright Sarah Ruhl. […]
Often overshadowed by New York, D.C. is hardly perceived as a hot spot for theater. However, countless national awards and successes tell a different story. The D.C. area is home to more than 75 unique, cutting-edge theater companies and venues-the problem is that nobody knows about half of them. But that may be about to […]
From its opening musical montage to The Circle of Sacred Underwear-where men do their best thinking-Rob Becker’s Defending the Caveman is full of laugh-out-loud surprises. The longest running solo play on Broadway in 1996, Caveman is a one-man show (starring Kevin Burke) about why men and women don’t get along, and why perhaps they shouldn’t. […]
The lights go up on a spacious, contemporary living room with modern art, black-trimmed wood furniture and stunning red carpeting. By the time they go down, the art has been smashed, and the wood furniture lies skewed across the room. In between, a man tries explaining his extramarital affair with a goat. So evolves Arena […]
In a world where Michael Jackson continues to make headlines, it’s hard to believe that anything considered risqu? in 1963 could shock audiences today. However, director Terry Johnson’s stage adaptation of “The Graduate” does just that. From the first notes of Simon and Garfunkel to the falling of the final curtain, this cinematic classic tantalizes […]
Synthesis: The fusing of several items into a whole. Kinetic: Imparting motion; dynamic. These are the words that Synetic Theater provides to describe the concept behind its name. However, even such colorful and inventive terminology fails to do justice describing Synetic’s vibrant, groundbreaking style. Having received national acclaim after less than half a decade in […]
Mark Jackson’s The Death of Meyerhold, opens with the phrase, “Give me life or death, only not sleep!” Unfortunately, sleep is the only reaction that the three-hour, two-intermission play provokes. Set in early 19th century Russia, Studio Theatre’s new play explores the life and death of its title character in conjunction with the political trend […]
The two star-crossed lovers of Romeo and Juliet receive a flashy and digital extreme makeover in The Folger Theatre’s latest production. Director P.J. Paparelli brings authenticity to Shakespeare’s tragedy; for once, Romeo (Graham Hamilton) and Juliet (Nicole Lowrance) are the whiny, self-centered, melodramatic teens that they’re supposed to be. Combine that with a perfectly cast […]