“Everyone has a dream… you’ll get lost without one”
The classic “Cinderella” story is an oldie but a goodie. No, really. Like really old. Like Ancient Egypt old! Bet you didn’t think you’d get a history lesson from a theatre review, huh? Regardless, it is an enduring classic for a reason. The general theme of a protagonist going from rags to riches is one that resonates with people and really appeals to their inner-dreamers.Â
It has been 30 years since Robin Williams wowed audiences in the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. Makes certain audience members feel old, doesn’t it? However, that may be a benefit when watching Mrs. Doubtfire the musical, now on tour at the National Theatre. Those who have seen the film may have memories of specific moments, but the details are a little hazy. And of course, there is an entire generation or two that may never have seen it!
“It’s an old tale from way back when,
And we’re gonna sing it again and again.”
I’ve heard it said that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. But in the world of Hadestown, when you live near the train tracks to Hell, naivety seems to set up shop there as well. Set in a world of Gods and a world of Men, the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice takes centerstage in this soulful,
Welcome to a show about death! Literally the first second number that bangs out from the stage into the house now that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice BEETLEJUICE!!! (the musical, for the love of God let’s hope he doesn’t appear in your living room or your car or your office board meeting— wherever you’re reading this review!) has returned to The National Theatre in DC. It got it’s pre-Broadway launch there back in 2018 before it’s short-lived-Pandemic-killed run on Broadway in 2019,
The Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe classic My Fair Lady rolled their second leg of the post-Covid national tour into the National Theatre in DC. Originally conceived for Lincoln Center under the masterful eye of Bartlett Sher, the most accomplished director in the business for breathing new air and contemporary relevancy into beloved but dated musicals. Having had great success with such classics as The King & I, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof,
“You, you, you oughta know”
Typically with “jukebox musicals” we see the use of an album, or collection of songs associated with a band or musical artist, to tell their life story. However, in Jagged Little Pill’s case, Alanis Morissette’s 1995 album of the same name is used to tell not her story, nor even a story set in the same time frame as the album’s release, but rather a modern-day tale of themes that still ring true almost 30 years after the songs were written.
In today’s crazy world, it’s no wonder that sometimes you just feel like you need to get away. No, not to someplace where everybody knows your name but, let’s face it, couldn’t we all use an excuse to rouge up our knees and roll our stockings down? Well, if that sounds appealing, I know a place where the gin is cold and the piano is hot. The Kander/Ebb/Fosse musical Chicago roars into DC this week at The National Theater in the heart of our nation’s capital.Â
Welcome to the rock if you come from away! You’ll probably understand about half of what they say— if you’re coming out to DC— then let The National point the way— be sure to get your tickets to see Come From Away. The remarkable and outstanding musical with music, book, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff & David Hein, Come From Away is a stunning experience of the stories that were started when the world stopped on September 11,
“…it is every bit as emotionally wringing as earlier versions, with vocals that shake the walls and echo with the audience long after.”
Fahoo fores dahoo dores! Welcome Christmas bring your cheer!
Fahoo fores dahoo dores! It’s holiday time— and guess what’s here?
Oh goodness, oh gracious, Christmas in DC, how to celebrate in a pinch?
Consider bringing the family to The National Theatre to see that mean, nasty, green old Grinch!
Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical has arrived for just two weeks on stage!
Actor/writer/one-man-force-of-nature John Leguizamo
entered the National Theatre opening night to thunderous applause, which he
immediately attempted to quell. “We can’t waste any time,” he interjected, “We
have to unteach everything you’ve learned so far, and that’s a lot of shit to
undo.” He was not wrong, in the next two hours proceeding to offer a strong
opposition to the whitewashed revisionist history we’ve all been taught in high
school. Expertly guided by Tony Taccone’s taut direction,
How can you connect in an age when strangers, landlords,
lovers, your own blood cells betray? What binds the fabric together when the
raging, shifting winds of change keep ripping away? RENT! While often
appreciated as somewhat of a “period piece” or an iconic stamp in musical
theatre history, now entering its 25th years (in the fourth
incarnation of the 20th Anniversary Tour), Rent is still
incredibly relevant to today and all that’s happening around us in our 525,600
minutes.
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights in cups of coffee— in
cities you tour through, in shows that you do— it’s 525,600 minutes! How do you
measure, measure a year? In a TheatreBloom exclusive interview, we are
fortunate enough to chat with Joshua Tavares, playing Angel in the current
touring production of Rent, all about the seasons of love and what it
means to fulfil the iconic role in this show.
Thank you so much for giving us some of your tome,
You may not know where you’re gonna go when the volcano
blows but three chords is all it takes to find yourself wasting away with a
cheeseburger in paradise. If you want a license to chill, The National Theatre
in Washington DC has just the thing for you (and all your Parrotheads out
there!) Escape to Margaritaville, the Jimmy Buffet Musical, is making a
one-week vacation in the nation’s capital and has 25 different songs on the
Buffet buffet for all your relaxation needs.
It’s a shocking revelation when you’re evicted from your own
life. As it turns out the well-traded promise of “a baby won’t change the way
we live” is in fact, as many have suspected for years, a lie. Popping into The
National Theatre of DC for just six performances, Mike Birbiglia’s The New
One is a poignant and hilariously engaging telling of his experience of becoming
a new father. The one-man comic show is a bit like narrative stand-up only with
deeper meandering trails that dance all around the core of the story.
Amanda N. Gunther | TheatreBloom
Jeff Sullivan and Conor McGiffin in Finding Neverland
Photo: Jeremy Daniel
Literally finding Neverland
entails locating the second star to the right and continuing straight till
morning. Fortunately, a significantly easier path to Finding Neverland entails only a brief 75-minute jaunt to the
National Theatre in Washington, DC where the current NETworks national tour is
camped out for a swashbuckling week of family friendly entertainment.
You certainly will feel the earth move at the National Theatre right now through the end of the year! Beautiful is just that……BEAUTIFUL. Under the direction Marc Bruni this production leaves you feeling nothing short of wonderful. I guarantee after seeing this show your toes will be tapping and you will be humming Carole King’s extraordinary music for days to come. I had the pleasure of seeing the Beautiful tour open back in 2015 at the Providence Preforming Arts Center in Providence,
ONE CHANCE MORE! Another show- another opportunity- to see Cameron Mackintosh’s critically acclaimed production of…
LES MISÉRABLES
The musical phenomenon that has swept the globe returns to The National Theatre in Washington D.C. for a limited engagement starting on December 20, 2017 and playing through January 7, 2018.Â
TICKETS WILL MOVE QUICKLY! Don’t miss your chance to purchase them!Â
TICKETS GO ON SALEÂ SEPTEMBER 22,