Category Archives: arts news

Shakespeare’s ‘Tempest’ in D.C.: The Magic of Theater

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Steve

The Tempest is thought to be the last play Shakespeare wrote without collaborators. Commentators often describe Prospero, the exiled prince and lord of the enchanted isle where the action takes place, as a stand-in for the playwright. Creating a storm … Continue reading →

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‘5 Guys Named Moe’ and One Who’s Not

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Steve

Louis Jordan isn’t a household name, though by rights he should be. Plausibly considered the father of rhythm and blues, rock ‘n roll and even rap, Jordan sits as a forebear in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He … Continue reading →

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‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Takes Washington

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Steve

“Do you love me?” It’s a question that long married couples sometimes ask each other, but never with quite the verve that lyricist Sheldon Harnick and composer Jerry Bock summon at the start of Fiddler on the Roof’s second act. … Continue reading →

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Falstaff Is King in D.C. — Stacy Keach in Henry IV, Part 1 and 2

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Steve

Young Hal has daddy issues. His father, King Henry, is stern, distant and preoccupied with the rebellion fracturing England. The father figure he’s chosen, the fat and lecherous Falstaff, is a thief and a coward, but that’s just fine with … Continue reading →

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‘Brief Encounter’: A Movie Brought to Vivid Life Onstage

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Steve

The love that dare not speak its name? Perhaps it’s the love between two people who can never consummate their passion, never live happily ever after. The love between Alec and Laura is such a love. They’ve met quite by … Continue reading →

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Loveland: Grief, Loss and Storytelling at 35,000 Feet

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Steve

We first meet Frannie Potts as she settles into her seat getting ready  to take off from L.A. Her seatmate, a businessman, wants the shade drawn so he can work his spreadsheets. Frannie refuses and we imagine Mr. Spreadsheet wonders … Continue reading →

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‘The Importance of Being Earnest’: Bright, but Shallow

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Steve

There’s nothing wrong with The Importance of Being Earnest, on view, and already extended, at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington. It’s funny, gorgeous, and seems to capture Oscar Wilde’s satirical take on upper crust British mores just perfectly. So it … Continue reading →

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Baryshnikov and Chekhov, Together in Washington

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Steve

Multimedia is a term that covers a lot of sins; it’s so broad as to be nearly meaningless. But artists who can magically combine dance, music, theater and video in the service of storytelling can scramble our brainwaves and keep … Continue reading →

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Miss Julie/Mies Julie – Strindberg’s Classic Brought to Vivid Life

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Steve

I’ll admit it. I didn’t get Strindberg. Introduced to the talky, stagey play The Pelican in college — I had a bit part — I thought he was one of those playwrights that made sense long ago, but was no … Continue reading →

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‘Winter’s Tale’ — Shakespeare’s Problem Play Nearly Solved by Loving Hands

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Steve

It’s a tragedy, and a comedy. It’s magical, like Midsummer Night’s Dream; pastoral, with hints of As You Like It; everything, save the death of a stray son, works out in the end. The first half risks sending you screaming … Continue reading →

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