Reviews

On Your Feet! at The Kennedy Center

Cold winter blues got you down? Feeling the urge to “shake it” but don’t have a good beat? Would you like to experience a range of emotions, but ultimately leave happy and dancing your way to your car? Wonderful! The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has just the cure for you! Right now in their Opera House you can go feel the rhythm of On Your Feet! The Emilio and Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical.

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The Tempest at Baltimore Shakespeare Factory

The Tempest should always open with a bang. It often brings out the high tech and the special effects. Baltimore Shakespeare Factory brings The Tempest back to its roots. Their space, inspired by Elizabethan theaters, holds what it needs to bring a storm inside: the imagination of the actors and the audience. It’s a high-energy opening to a high-energy show. It’s a great workout for the cast… and a bit for the audience.

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Henry VIII at The Rude Mechanicals

“Men’s evils manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.” And we shall now ascribe the virtues of The Rude Mechanicals production of Henry VIII in ink. Well, digital ink. Directed and Choreographed by Liana Olear, this ‘lost history’ (the most boring of the boring and banal of banal Shakespearean histories) is revitalized and given a new lease on life. Olear’s strategic placement of the historical recounting of the eighth Henry in the mid 1910’s lends itself to her dancer’s passion,

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The Weapons Master: Ben Blaque

The Illusionists at The Kennedy Center

Are you ready to witness the next generation of magic? Forget card tricks as you know them, and illusions as you’ve come to see them…or not see them…as the case may be. Returning to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, direct from Broadway with a whole new routine and series of new magicians, The Illusionists will razzle you, dazzle you, and perform mind-blowing defeats of magic that simply must be seen to be believed!

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Blue Christmas at Do or Die Productions

Ding dong merrily on high! The murder bells are ringing!

I saw three bodies come sailing in— at Christmas time! At Christmas time!

Deck the halls with bowels and bodies— fa-la-la-la-la! La-la-la-la!!!

It’s that time of year when the murder mysteries start, it’s that time, I fear, when we say “Deadly Christmas!” And nobody does death better than Do or Die Productions! Revealing a brand-spanking new murder mystery for the 2017 Christmas season,

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First Date at Spotlighters Theatre

How does it start? With a meet-cute little musical number featuring the cast of seven. How does it last? Those same seven sing and dance and talk and laugh and cry for 100 minutes every Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon* so that audiences all over Charm City can have an adorable feel-good alternative to the Christmas season’s traditional musical theatre offerings. Despite an unsuccessful run Off-Broadway, the current cast of the Spotlighters Theatre production of First Date is finding second life,

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Matt Shingledecker as Enjolres with the cast of the National Tour of Les Misérables

Les Miserables at The National Theatre

Welcome, Monsieur, sit yourself down, and meet the best touring production in town! As for the rest, well none of them is— quite as impressive as this show of Les Mis. The National Theatre has the distinguished honor of hosting the current touring production of the infamous and iconic Broadway musical Les Misérables this festive holiday season and there’s none better a show to welcome to the stage at this season of year,

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An American in Paris at The Kennedy Center

When you think of Paris, what comes to mind? Is it the irresistible city of lights? Parisian art? The people? All of those miraculous, wondrous, lively attributes that radiate from the cultural capital of France are what vividly and readily come to mind. But what about when the city of light was darkened by the days of war? When Nazi occupation dimmed even the brightest bulbs of creativity? In the stellar screen-to-stage adaptation inspired by the motion picture,

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Wonderful Life at Third Wall Productions

What do you want, Baltimore? Do you want the moon? Just say the word and George Bailey will throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Third Wall Productions seems to think that’s a pretty good idea. So they’re going to give you the moon— in the form a musical adaptation of Frank Capra’s Bedford Falls icon, called A Wonderful Life. With Books & Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and Music by Joe Raposo,

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at Silver Spring Stage

God bless us, everyone!

And in Whoville, they say, the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.

You’ll shoot your eye out.

Nope, nope, nope. Not at Silver Spring Stage this Christmas. You won’t find Bob Cratchit or Tiny Tim and Mister Scrooge, and you won’t find the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. And you won’t find Ralphie Parker and his Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time,

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Madagascar at Red Branch Theatre Company

Everybody get up! Everybody jump! Everybody bump everybody in the rump! That’s right, you cavalcade of theatergoing weirdos! Red Branch Theatre Company likes to MOVE IT, MOVE IT! They like to MOVE IT, MOVE IT! They like to MOVE IT, MOVE IT! They like to— MOVE IT! And their production of Madagascar: A Musical Adventure is moving its way right onto the stage as their holiday offering this December. When dozens of other theatres in and around the metropolitan areas of Washington DC and Baltimore are offering up Dickens twisted every which way,

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School of Rock at The Students’ Theatre at The Highwood Theatre

Are you ready to rock the house and make a scene? Because The Students’ Theatre at The Highwood Theatre is— and they’re doing exactly that with the Maryland premiere of School of Rock. Directed by Dylan Kaufman and Kevin Kearney, this roof-roaring production takes the Paramount movie and transposes it to the stage with all you need to stick it to the man, understand rock and roll, and totally expose children of all ages to the powers of rock music.

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Sister Act at ArtsCentric

Outside life is grim, filled with smut and scandal to the brim. But here within these ArtsCentric walls, the cast of Sister Act has the remedy and the cure for all that is wrong with the world. Directed by Kevin S. McAllister with Musical Direction by Cedric D. Lyles and Choreography by Shalyce N. Hemby, this cast is raising their voices and making a joyful noise that will ring all through the Christmas season.

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Twist Your Dickens at The Kennedy Center

God bless you, theatre patrons of DC. You’ve been blessed that for another year, The Second City’s Twist Your Dickens is bringing tiding of holiday hilarity to The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts! Appearing now through New Year’s Eve in the Theatre Lab, this uproarious mishmosh of Dickensian tomfoolery and modernity will have you splitting seams as you chuckle with Christmas cheer all through the nonsensical two hours of silliness they traffic across the stage.

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Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play at Cohesion Theatre Company

Die Bart Die! Probably not exactly what Kelsey Grammer thinks he’ll be remembered for when his time is up. Side Show Bob, that loveable nefarious evil-doer spawned inside the depraved animator’s brain of Matt Groening, father of the indomitable prime time animated series, The Simpsons. Of course, what will any of us really be remembered for once we’re gone? What about once the world as we know it is gone? What becomes important,

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Scrooge at Artistic Synergy

Scrooge the Musical at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore hardly needs an introduction to tell you what it’s all about! It’s the timeless classic Christmas story of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which has seen probably more interpretations and remakes than any other Christmas story in history, set to a wonderful score. While you have probably seen countless interpretations (or even other stage productions) of A Christmas Carol over the years,

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A Christmas Carol at Wolf Pack Theatre Company

A thoughtful retelling of Dickens’ classic, with music.

This is the fourth year of Wolfpack Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol. Director William Leary has updated the off-told story with modern settings and sentiment. For example, we learn that Robert Cratchit Sr. and Andrew Scrooge had formed a beneficial business partnership that young Ebenezer destroys by merging with Marley. This deliberately joins all of the characters as an extended family with its attendant tensions.

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A Christmas Story at The Maryland Ensemble Theatre

I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time! NO WAY, KID! YOU’LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT! So instead Santa’s going to bring you tickets to see A Christmas Story at The Maryland Ensemble Theatre this year! Hey, it beats Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys! Directed by Gené Fouché this non-musical stage adaptation of the classic Turner Entertainment Co.,

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The Man Who Came to Dinner at Prince George’s Little Theatre

Tis the season for businesses to capitalize on the holiday season, and the business of show is no exception. Local theatre listings for December are replete with Dickensian tales, miracles on some street or another, and Red Ryder BB guns. And then there are the companies that stage a piece that is a “holiday show” only insofar as it takes place on or around Christmas, thereby giving them an excuse to deck the set with boughs of holly and play carols in the lobby.

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Scrooge at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Of all the days in all the year that I’m familiar with— there’s several very important ones leading up to— December the 25th! Correct! And those important days are any days between now and December 17, 2017 wherein The Children’s Playhouse of Maryland has a performance of their holiday musical, Scrooge. Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans and Choreography by Amanda Poxon, this classic and musical spin on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will put you in the holiday spirit for certain with all of its spry and spirited youngsters skipping and spinning about!

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Hansel & Gretel at Synetic Theater

Are you ready for an adventure? Not your typical fairytale story as Hansel & Gretel wander about through their magically enchanted wood! Synetic Family Theater presents Hansel & Gretel like you’ve never seen it before! Co-Directors Tori Bertocci and Elena Velasco also co-choreograph this fantastical and wondrous holiday spectacular which transplants the classic story of two children lost in the woods into the modern world of Christmas. With a babysitter who is too busy texting away on her smart phone,

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Heavy Hors D’oeuvres 3: Interrobang’s Holiday Dinner at The Interrobang Theatre Company

Tis the season to stuff your face be it with chestnuts roasting on the open fire, grandma’s pumpkin pie or the Heavy Hors D’Oeuvres that The Interrobang Theatre Company his throwing down this holiday season! In its third incarnation, The Interrobang Theatre Company is proud to present Heavy Hors D’Oeuvres 3: Interrobang’s Holiday Dinner. But don’t be fooled, this isn’t your ordinary Christmas comedy or holiday hilarity, it’s actually some delicious bite-sized semi-dramas that all come together for one intriguing local playwright sampler this time of year.

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Miracle on 34th Street at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

It’s that time of year when the world falls in love and every song you hear seems to say… buy this toy for Christmas! Purchase that thing for Christmas! Spend, spend, spend for holiday cheer! Armed to the teeth with the true spirit of Christmas and holiday bliss, Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia is fully prepared to combat Christmas commercialism and slay seasonal cynicism with their superb production of Meredith Willson’s Miracle on 34th Street.

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A Christmas Carol at Annapolis Shakespeare Company

A Christmas Carol at Annapolis Shakespeare Company

It is the time of year for joy, love, and holiday traditions. One tradition that many people hold dear is a yearly outing to see A Christmas Carol, they pick from numerous theatres all playing the famous production and get their yearly fix of the British miser who changes his ways. It has been a long time since a new adaptation of the famous tale has come around, however at a small theatre in Annapolis that is exactly what has happened.

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The Wizard of Oz at Greenbelts Arts Center

Ordinarily, the day after Thanksgiving consists of folks sitting around the house with still-loosened belts, eating delicious leftovers, perhaps catching up on missed episodes of favorite TV shows, and/or attempting to recover from the tryptophan-induced comas still plaguing them from the night before. But this year – at least for some – things unfolded a little differently. Instead of relaxing in their living rooms, dozens and dozens of people filled the seats at the Greenbelt Arts Center to watch a visually stunning,

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Twelfth Night at Shakespeare Theatre Company

*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,

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Nicholas Hayes (center left) and Joanne Evans (center) right in Gobsmacked!

Gobsmacked at The Kennedy Center

Gobsmacked! By the rhythm of you! Gobsmacked! By what they can do! Mind blown! How do I react? Silenced by the impact! All true statements when it comes to the high-octane explosive acapella performance happening in The Eisenhower Theatre this weekend at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Direct from London and led by the ferociously tenacious and fearlessly flawless beat-boxing legend, Ball-Zee— GOBSMACKED lands in time to pump up the volume,

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Me…Jane at The Kennedy Center

Animals, animals, animals, animals. Animals, Animals, Animals, Animals. ANIMALS, ANIMALS, ANIMALS, ANIMALS! It’s all about those animals, well, actually, you see, it’s all about those wild and incredible animals that Jane Goodall will spend her life researching and understanding as she evolves into being a Naturalist. But first she’s got to eat her breakfast! Bring the whole family for a fun and thrilling adventurous musical all about young Jane Goodall, who would later in life grow to be one of the world’s most renowned Naturalists,

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Nothing To Lose (But Our Chains) at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Think about the story of your life, about how you came to be where you are and have the life you have. Got it? Are you ready to share that story in front of a live audience? For most people the answer is probably no and if the answer is anything that might be uncomfortable to audiences it is probably an even bigger no. But for comedian Felonious Munk, the answer is let’s go. 

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Crazy For You at Signature Theatre

Music is the magic that makes ev’rything sunshiny! And dancing is the thing that makes all your troubles seem tiny! And when you’re sitting watchin’ Crazy For You at Signature Theatre this holiday season, it’ll be all sunshine and smiles with no troubles or cares and you won’t be bothered o’er anything else, I swear! They’ve got the music and it’s magic, and they’ve got the best dancing once could ask for!

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