BWW Review: THE MADNESS OF POE at Synetic TheaterOctober 13, 2021Fans of the original staging of the 'Fall of the House of Usher' and theater-goers who enjoy productions with a bit of a spooky element for this time of year will likely enjoy the performance. But fans of Poe – the man, or just his other works – may need to temper their expectations.
BWW Review: BECOMING DR. RUTH at Theater JOctober 8, 2021It seems fitting, in many ways, to return to live theater with such an incredible and incredibly well told story of optimism, humor, and resilience. Theater J’s season opener is a beautiful, thoughtful biography of a woman who can remind us of the value of intimate, loving relationships and how to keep going through moments of adversity – reminders we can all certainly benefit from right now.
BWW Review: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD at Monumental Theatre CompanyJuly 6, 2021Monumental Theatre Company’s production of 'Songs for a New World' comes at a unique time in our society, and expertly capitalizes on this. With its strong cast and creative team, this adaptation rises to our moment and taps into our emotionality. It brings us the emotional connection and comfort that many of us have missed in the last year, and helps us take our next steps with the knowledge that we’ll be fine.
BWW Review: THE LAST FIVE YEARS at Constellation Theatre CompanyJune 15, 2021Constellation Theatre Company’s production of 'The Last Five Years' is a fun and engaging performance, but the lopsided cast undermines its core charm. That said, fans of the show will still enjoy the production, and newcomers will still find the it engaging, if a bit unbalanced.
BWW Review: 10 SECONDS at Imagination StageApril 25, 2021'10 Seconds' is the product of workshops and discussions between law enforcement, activists, and DC metro youth under the Imagination Stage Youth and Police program.
BWW Review: ARENA RIFFS: A MORE PERFECT UNION at Arena StageApril 17, 2021'A More Perfect Union' is very short, but its brilliance is that it takes viewers on a full, deep emotional roller coaster in that brief period of time. Rona Siddiqui was given free creative reign over this project, and enlisted artists she entrusted with the same autonomy. The result is nothing short of pure, heartfelt art.
BWW Review: TORN at AmaZing Theatre CompanyFebruary 16, 2021'Torn' is a well-researched, cleverly produced production with an interesting story at its heart. The show may not live up to the theatre company’s name, but it’s an enjoyable enough production with a worthwhile tale to tell.
BWW Review: ETTA & ELLA ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE at Round House TheatreJanuary 12, 2021The production commits the cardinal sin in storytelling, telling instead of showing. This stripped, dispassionate presentation is particularly frustrating because there are moments in which the story peeks through the delivery, and we get a glimmer of something fascinating, but the story is too many times removed to make an emotional connection.
BWW Review: THIS IS WHO I AM at Woolly Mammoth Theatre CompanyDecember 17, 2020This Is Who I Am is a compelling emotional tale, defying our expected limits of technology to bring us a deep, profound human connection over a video call. With clever, layered uses of language and deeply poignant discussions, Amir Nizar Zuabi’s play shows us that human connection isn’t just possible under these circumstances, but able to thrive.
BWW Review: THE RESURRECTION OF ALICE at The Essential TheatreDecember 16, 2020The Resurrection of Alice is a well-researched, superbly acted play. There are some flaws, but the production is well worth seeing for its heart, empathy, and even humor. It will hopefully both entertain audiences and encourage them to become advocates for children like Alice.
BWW Review: TRANS AM at The Keegan TheatreNovember 18, 2020'TRANS AM' is a powerful, honest portrayal of a fascinating and gifted woman, and brings a beautiful blend of storytelling and performance to the stage (and our screens). With its compelling story, sensational music, and deep emotionality, 'TRANS AM' is a show that stays with audiences in the best way, and makes you excited to see what Lisa’s next steps will be.
BWW Review: FROM GUMBO TO MUMBO at Keegan TheatreNovember 17, 2020'From Gumbo to Mumbo' is like a favorite books of poetry – a little rough when you’re still learning the rhythms, but ultimately captivating. Anderson and Lawson-Brown’s command of language is stunning, and the linguistic juxtapositions in this script are so artful, the audience could discover a new, intriguing turn of phrase with each viewing.
BWW Review: AMERICAN DREAMS at Round House TheatreOctober 8, 2020Round House Theatre leans into our current circumstances and puts on a good show. It's just a shame that our reality is so much worse than we could have envisioned only a few years ago that even cautionary and bitingly political statements now fall short of where we really are.
BWW Review: ((EMOJI PLAY)) at Solas Nua TheatreOctober 7, 2020I've been as hungry for new shows as I'm sure many theater fans have been. And this particular show has the creativity, resourcefulness, and talent to bring us what we've been missing. But the underdeveloped back story, the shaky premise, and the technical issues make the experience fall short of the expectations the production's potential sets for it.
BWW Review: MUSEUM 2040 at 4615 Theatre CompanyMarch 10, 2020'Museum 2040' is a stunning, meticulous look at the future we face if we don't break out of the cycles that have become a part of American life. Renee Calarco's world-building is impressively, hauntingly, realistic, and it's beautifully brought to life by 4615's incredible cast and crew.