When Arlington’s Signature Theatre first programmed Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, and James Rado’s “tribal rock musical” Hair for the 2019/20 season, the artistic staff had no idea that their plans would be derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, as the theater finally realizes its production (running through July 7), the national focus has turned away from the pandemic and toward a wave of protests materializing across college campuses. That Hair would finally land amid such student-led social unrest may feel a bit like poetic justice, but Signature’s bouncy, nostalgic revival prioritizes th ..read more

Shakespeare Theatre Company has announced screening dates for the film version of its landmark production of Macbeth, starring Ralph Fiennes and Indira Varma. The cinematic version of the production, directed by STC Artistic Director Simon Godwin, was filmed live in London at Dock X before it arrived at its current space at 1301 W Street NE in Washington, DC. The film will have its world premiere screening at the Regal Gallery Place Chinatown on Sunday, April 28, hosted by STC. This premiere is an invitation-only event leading up to the film’s international release on May 2. Local screenings ..read more

After originating the role of Civil Rights leader, NAACP co-founder, and prominent Black Suffragist Ida B. Wells in The Public Theater’s Off-Broadway premiere of Shain Taub’s Suffs (tracing the history of the early American Suffragists Movement and the hard-won battle for the right to vote and equality for women), Nikki M. James is racking up yet another fifteen minutes of her well-deserved fame reprising her highly acclaimed performance in the musical’s current Broadway debut at the Music Box Theatre. Nikki M. James in the Off-Broadway production of Suffs. Photo by Joan Marcus. In addition t ..read more

One of the most popular American novels of all time, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 classic The Great Gatsby remains a perennial bestseller, translated into 42 different languages, with over 30 million copies sold worldwide, and another 500,000 continuing to sell each year. It has been the inspiration for numerous stage, screen, and radio adaptations, and now a new Broadway musical. Following a sold-out record-breaking one-month world-premiere engagement at New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse in 2023, The Great Gatsby, with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Nathan Tysen, and a book by Kait Kerrigan ..read more

There are so many superlatives in the ballyhoo for The Illusionists: Direct from Broadway, it could make P.T. Barnum blush: “…the most successful magic show in history…the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage…magic of unprecedented proportions…the most incredible illusionists on earth.” Yet the truth is, after watching two full hours of this show at the Kennedy Center, I was so mind-boggled and agog, all the hype seems insufficient. The Manipulator (Hyunjoon Kim), The Unforgettable (Pablo Cánovas), The Trickster (David Williamson), The Inventor (Kevin James), and The Mental ..read more

Capital One Hall announced the fourth season of Broadway in Tysons presented by The Watermark Hotel, with the 2024-2025 season featuring acclaimed and award-winning Broadway shows Shrek The Musical, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, and Chicago. Season ticket subscriptions to the much-anticipated series will go on sale on Monday, May 6, at 10 AM local time and will be available at www.capitalonehall.com/subscriptions. Season 2024-2025 of Broadway in Tysons Shrek The Musical: September 20-22, 2024 “Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek…” And thus begins the tale of an ..read more

Flying V takes the stage this fall with Astro Boy and The God of Comics by Natsu Onoda Power! Astro Boy and The God of Comics runs from October 19 – November 3, 2024, at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre at 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Preview performances begin October 16. Join Flying V and take to the stars with manga & pop culture icon ASTRO BOY and his creator, Osamu Tezuka – the “Father of Manga.” This exciting, retro-futuristic race against time asks the audience to consider, what’s the human cost of creation? Rocket through all ten “episodes” of this explosive a ..read more

As Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) celebrates its milestone of 10 years in Baltimore, the upcoming season stands as a testament to its enduring commitment to the city’s vibrant cultural landscape. With a diverse lineup spanning from the works of August Wilson to Shakespearean classics, the 2024/25 season embodies CSC’s dedication to fostering artistic excellence and community engagement in the region and beyond. “We’re proud of the innovative and heartfelt way we stage the classics, our commitment to using local actors and the diversity on our stages, our introducing thousands of local s ..read more

Play readings and workshops offer a chance to see exciting new work at various stages of development. Want to see the next big thing while it’s still being crafted? Get in on the ground level and see the creative process in action. Featuring new plays and musicals by local and national artists, here are the upcoming play readings and workshops in the DMV. MAY African American Collective Theater (ACT) marks its 32nd anniversary with its 2024 DC Black Pride Weekend Showcase, Sunday, May 26 at the Undercroft Theatre, 900 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC. Over 25 talented local “ACT’ers” pre ..read more

Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez, stars of the Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, announced the 2024 nominations for the Outer Critics Circle Awards for outstanding achievements in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions at 3:30 this afternoon (Tuesday, April 23), in a live event at the Museum of Broadway that was also livestreamed by BroadwayWorld. Founded by theater critic and historian John Gassner in the 1949-50 Broadway season as the official organization for writers on NYC theater for out-of-town publications, the Outer Critics Circle (of which I am an active v ..read more