Cyrano de Bergerac, whose wit, bravery, and nose have turned him into a legend, has now arrived at Taffety Punk. And, in an intriguing twist, he is now a she, played with exquisite depth and charm by Kimberly Gilbert and flawlessly directed by Lise Bruneau. The story of Cyrano, sad as it is, could inspire anyone to ponder the question: What kind of world would it be if love were only a matter of the soul?

Edmond Rostand’s play has been popular internationally since its premiere in 1897. The main source of the original’s magnetism is, of course, the character of Cyrano, a spectacularly gifted soldier and poet. He is relentless in the pursuit of his beliefs, but he loves and protects the weak. His titanic nose has rendered him hopelessly insecure. And, predictably, his hatred of hypocrisy has earned him many enemies.

Here, he is a she, in love with the lovely Roxane (Tonya Beckman). Roxane is a précieuse, a 17th-century French woman satirized by Molière for emphasizing refinement and literary elegance. Roxane, in turn, loves the handsome but inarticulate Christian (Gary DuBreuil), a cadet in Cyrano’s company, the “bold Cadets of Gascony.” Cyrano agrees to write Christian’s speeches, letters, and poetry to help him win Roxane.

This Cyrano becomes a love story about a woman who, in a male-dominated society, has more than one motivation for hesitating to declare her love. First, she mistakenly believes she is unworthy, and second, she is in love with another woman. This gives her passion a unique poignance. And yet the story is still very much Rostand’s. Thanks to Gilbert’s extraordinary performance, an exceptionally fine script, and the talented cast, this Cyrano inhabits a universe all her own.

It is heartening, too, to witness the heroism (heroine-ism?) of the kind of woman Cyrano is. A successful soldier, wit, and duelist, she is so devoted to the arts that she literally forces a bad play (and a terrible actor) off the stage. The language, in Lise Bruneau’s script, based on the 1898 translation by Gladys Thomas and Mary F. Guillemard, is perfectly suited to the production. Here is Roxane sharing one of her letters with Cyrano, unaware of the fact that Cyrano wrote it:

CYRANO: He hath an eloquent tongue in telling his love?
ROXANE: ’Tis not simple telling, ’tis dissertation, ’tis analysis!
Listen—here—
(Reciting)
“The more of my poor heart you take
The larger grows my heart!”
How like you those lines?
CYRANO: Meh.
ROXANE: And thus it goes on…
“And, since some target I must show
For Cupid’s cruel dart,
Oh, if mine own you deign to keep,
Then give me your sweet heart!”
CYRANO: Lord! First he has too much, then anon not enough! How much heart does the fellow want?
ROXANE: You would vex a saint!

The original Cyrano has a cast of more than 50. Here, thanks to the heroic efforts of the performers, the play succeeds with only five ingeniously doubled, tripled, and sometimes more than quadrupled actors.

Tonya Beckman is a perceptive and lively Roxane, as forgiving of Cyrano as she is mystified by her. But she also plays a Pickpocket who warns Christian of dangers to come.

Gary DuBreuil — who plays at least four characters in the show — is likable and modest as Christian, ever hopeful that his good looks will be enough to win Roxane. Dan Crane plays the initially sinister Comte De Guiche as well as the delightfully funny Rageneau, who runs a pastry shop but writes poetry on the side. Passionately devoted to both of his crafts, he wraps his culinary creations in the poems of his friends.

Fabiolla da Silva, as Rageneau’s long-suffering wife, personifies perfectly the trials of the practical partner of an eternal dreamer. And she is also the Friar who has a critical role in the destinies of Roxane and Christian.

The costumes, by Elizabeth Morton, are handsome, beautifully detailed, and suggestive of the era. Sound Designer Matthew Nielson has a special instinct for when music enhances a scene. Lighting is by Elijah Thomas. Scenic manifestation is by Christian Sullivan. The director and designers make inventive use of the black box setting.

One question that remains: Do we know a person better in triumph or in heartbreak? We see Cyrano in the midst of both. Others will have their own questions.

The character of Cyrano is in the end a mystery — inscrutable, brilliant, in love with his or her own words. But, in every way, unforgettable.

Taffety Punk’s Cyrano is a memorable production, replete with poetic prose and entertaining performances. Don’t miss it.

Running Time: Two hours with one 15-minute intermission.

Cyrano plays through October 11, 2025, presented by Taffety Punk Theatre Company, performing at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 7th Street SE, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets ($20) online.

Cyrano
By Edmond Rostand
Adapted and Directed by Lise Bruneau
Text freely adapted from
Gladys Thomas and Mary F. Guillemard’s 1898 translation

CAST
Tonya Beckman: Roxane, Lignière, Buffet Girl, Pickpocket, Pastrycook, Poet, Cadet, and others
Dan Crane: Comte De Guiche, Ragueneau, Montfleury, a Marquis, Cadet, and others
Fabiolla da Silva: Carbon De Castel-Jaloux, Lise, Bellerose, Madame de Chavigny, Friar, Mother Marguerite, others
Gary DuBreuil: Christian, Valvert, The Duenna, Pastrycook, Child, Cadet, Sister Martha, and others
Kimberly Gilbert: Cyrano de Bergerac

DIRECTION, DESIGN, and PRODUCTION
Director: Lise Bruneau
Lighting Designer: Elijah Thomas
Costume Designer: Elizabeth Morton
Sound Designer: Matthew Nielson
Props: Bri Beach
Stage Manager: Bri Beach
Fight and Intimacy Director: Lorraine Ressegger-Slone
Scenic Manifestation: Christian Sullivan
Production Manager: Donna Reinhold
Managing Director: Erin Mitchell Nelson
Lighting Assistant: Julian Cordova
Sound Assistant: Lee Martinez Cruz
House Management: Renee and Aaron Beaver
Poster Art and Shirt Design: Ryan Carroll Nelson
Scenic and Prop Artisans: Renee Beaver, Aaron Beaver, Bri Beach, Lise Bruneau

The post In unforgettable ‘Cyrano’ at Taffety Punk, he is a she appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

STC Academy’s The Taming of the Shrew, or, Petruchio Is Kated, is virtuoso Shakespeare, with all the glories of his best comedies — catfights, gender-bending, and romantic fireworks. The rip-roaring cast, under the imaginative direction of Shanara Gabrielle, brings an understanding of the text and a flair for gesture that captures the audience right away and never lets them go.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy is a one-year immersive M.F.A. program that trains its students in classical acting. Each year, STC Academy’s Summer Repertory features the graduating class in two plays — this year, King John and The Taming of the Shrew, or, Petruchio Is Kated.

The shrew, Katherine (Maryanne Henderson), is referred to in the play as a “devil,” a “fiend of hell,” and “a rotten apple.” She is even called the “Devil’s Dam,” the Devil’s mother apparently being even worse than her son. In Henderson’s spirited performance, we see a more human side of Katherine. She is weary of the favoritism her mother (in Shakespeare, her father), Baptista Minola (Tracy Coffey), shows to her more biddable sister, Bianca (Reese Cowley). She is epically irritated with the insulting epithets. And she is, quite simply, angry.

The wealthy Baptista, like a stressed-out suburban mother, is eager to get her two girls married off. Katherine, of course, is not marketable, so Baptista sets a condition: Katherine must be married off before anyone can woo Bianca. Petruchio (Michael Burgos) is looking for a rich wife. Any rich wife. Bianca’s suitors will be delighted to fling him into the loving arms of Katherine, who is, well, curst.

What of Petruchio, who hopes to tame (and marry) her? Does he really see anything in this wildcat? Or is he just interested in her mother’s money? Burgos portrays a Petruchio who is scheming, hilarious, and a masterful manipulator. Their relationship, with some strategic script changes, becomes a battle of wits spiced with acrobatic wooing and split-second shifts of mood.

The theme of two sisters, one rebellious, one conventional, goes all the way back to Sophocles’ Antigone. Reese Cowley, as the more traditional sister, adds some adroit shading to their role. Katherine is anything but a hypocrite, blazingly outspoken but seemingly unable to control her own rage. Bianca, by contrast, can be devious. She is not above fake-crying to make sure she gets what she wants. And she is sympathetic, too — she willingly gives in to Katherine when she has to, and Katherine is sometimes not very nice at all. One could argue that both these emotional stances are responses to possessing, well, fewer rights than do others. Men, perhaps?

The gender-bending is ubiquitous and fun. Bianca’s suitor, Lucentio in Shakespeare, becomes Lucentia (Sydney Sinclair). Likewise, Lucentio’s servant, Tranio, becomes Lucentia’s BFF Trania (Elizabeth Loyacana). In this version, it is Lucentia who falls in love with Bianca.

Sinclair’s deftly played Lucentia is variously a romantic (she enjoys the poetry of Sappho), an imposter (disguised as a tutor, she reveals her true identity through a lesson), and a resourceful rival — she faces competition from an older man, Gremio (Eric Lane), Petruchio’s friend Hortensio (Alex Ross), and even Trania disguised as Lucentio. Loyacano is especially adept when she impersonates Lucentio — some of Shakespeare’s “pants parts” such as Rosalind could well be in her future.

The various impersonations and disguises can be somewhat confusing, but the results are never less than entertaining, whether it’s Hortensio disguised as Bianca’s tutor Litio, Lucentia disguised as Bianca’s other tutor Cambia, or the Pedant (also called the Merchant, Alie Karambas) disguised as Lucentia’s mother, Vincentia (don’t ask).

The servants all have their moments, too. Sadie O’Conor as Biondella brings a touch of Gen Z when she puts on earphones to ignore instructions. Grumia (Cammiel Hussey) is one of the few who stand up to Petruchio.

It is all delightfully confusing, but the production never loses its audacity or heart. Neither does the wordplay between Petruchio and Kate.

PETRUCHIO: Good morrow, Kate, for that’s your name, I hear.
KATHERINE: Well have you heard, but something hard of hearing.
They call me Katherine that do talk of me.
PETRUCHIO: You lie, in faith, for you are called plain Kate,
And bonny Kate, and sometimes Kate the curst,
But Kate, the prettiest Kate in Christendom,
Kate of Kate Hall, my super-dainty Kate
(For dainties are all Kates) — and therefore, Kate,
Take this of me, Kate of my consolation;
Hearing thy mildness praised in every town,
Thy virtues spoke of, and thy beauty sounded
(Yet not so deeply as to thee belongs),
Myself am moved to woo thee for my wife.

In this adaptation, Kate’s ordeal, as Petruchio starves her and deprives her of sleep, becomes mutual. The two evolve as a couple, testing one another at every opportunity. This vitiates the embarrassment often caused by Katherine’s last soliloquy in Shakespeare’s version, a frequent source of critical disputes. In one of her most controversial lines, Kate expresses her shame that women seek “rule, supremacy, and sway, when they are bound to serve, love, and obey.” Here, those lines are given to Petruchio, and Kate expresses her desire to please him, not as a subordinate but as an equal.

The costumes, by Becca Janney, are truly extraordinary — comic, colorful, and ever-changing. There is a priest whose vestment sports a handsome stole in Pride colors. The physical comedy is a thrill a minute (fight director is Robb Hunter). The set, originally from STC’s recent Frankenstein, designed by Andrew Boyce, acquires some lovely pastel highlights. The lighting designer is Minjoo Kim. The sound designer and composer is Matthew M. Nielson. All the technical aspects enhance the quality of the production.

This new Shrew revels in the many varieties of love. And for Petruchio and Kate, instead of submission, there is something much better: equality.

Running Time: Two hours, with one intermission.

The Taming of the Shrew, or, Petruchio Is Kated played July 16 to 26, 2025, in rep with King John presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy performing at the Michael R. Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC.

The full cast and creative team credits can be viewed here (scroll down).

The Taming of the Shrew, or, Petruchio Is Kated
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Shanara Gabrielle

CAST
Baptista Minola: TRACY COFFEY
Katherine: MARYANNE HENDERSON
Bianca: REESE COWLEY
Widow: LIYALI ALJIRAFI
Gremio: ERIC LANE
Hortensio (later disguised as Litio): ALEX ROSS
Lucentia (later disguised as Cambia): SYDNEY SINCLAIR
Trania (later impersonating Lucentio): ELIZABETH LOYACANO
Biondella: SADIE O’CONOR
Petruchio: MICHAEL BURGOS
Grumia: CAMMIEL HUSSEY
Vincentia: EDIE BACKMAN
Curtis: SAM RODD
Haberdasher: MOLLY MALONE
Tailor: AMBER MAYBERRY
Pedant: ALI KARAMBASH

CREATIVE TEAM
Costume Designer: BECCA JANNEY
Lighting Designer: MINJOO KIM
Sound Designer & Composer: MATTHEW M. NIELSON
Props Director: LISA ANN BELEY
Fight Director: ROBB HUNTER

COVID Safety: All STC spaces are mask-friendly — meaning all patrons, masks and unmasked, are welcome. Read more about Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Health and Safety policies here.

SEE ALSO:
A hip ‘King John’ power play with lip-synched pop tunes from STC Academy (review by Sophia Howes, July 21, 2025)

The post ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ from STC Academy is virtuoso Shakespeare appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

King John, by the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy, is all about power. Who has it, who wants it, and what they are willing to pay for it.

In Director Aaron Posner’s introduction to the script, he lets us know that comparisons to our current chaotic era are encouraged. “Unbridled amassing of Power and Wealth” — check! “[B]astards, rivalries, revolts, counter-revolts” — check! And “preening, plotting, power-hungry” families — check!

Posner’s lighthearted Prologue, in which the characters introduce themselves and their relationships, sets the tone of the production — a mixture of contemporary (lip-synched music by, among others, Billie Eilish, The Killers, Lincoln Park) and timeless (well, it is Shakespeare).

The text is interspersed with cleverly chosen musical numbers — Eilish’s “You Should See Me in a Crown” is one example. Choreographer Nikki Mirza’s work is astonishingly compelling, and fits in beautifully with the music (composer and sound designer is Matthew M. Nielson).

King John (Eric Lane), England’s present king, was the younger brother of Richard I (Coeur de Lion), a kind of JFK figure, handsome, accomplished, and a noted military leader whose shadow hangs over the play. With the support of his mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Tracy Coffey), John goes to war against Arthur (Sadie O’Conor), his nephew. Arthur has a claim to the throne through his father, John’s brother Geoffrey. Arthur is backed by King Philip II of France (Amber Mayberry). In the first scene, Philip’s emissary Chattilion (Sydney Sinclair) asks John to give up his kingship in favor of Arthur. King John refuses. Chattilion will convey John’s answer to King Philip — the French will not back down.

Eric Lane as John is masterful in his portrayal of John’s descent from a capable, aggressive king into a would-be murderer and ultimate victim. Tracy Coffey as Queen Eleanor, one of the most powerful women of the 12th century, has the flamboyant charm and political savvy one would expect from this remarkable Queen. As the young and fragile Arthur, O’Conor has a touching innocence, which evolves into heartfelt determination.

In contrast to John, whose machinations are increasingly unsavory, there is the Bastard (Sam Rodd), the irreverent, illegitimate son of Coeur de Lion, whom King John and Queen Eleanor immediately befriend. (As in King Lear, the Bastard is more intriguing than the actual heir.) Rodd’s Bastard becomes embroiled in the vortex of misinformation and moral desperation that permeates John’s world. The Bastard’s conscience, though flawed, will be one of the only lodestars in the kingdom’s night sky.

In his monologue at the end of Act II, the Bastard echoes one of the central themes of the play. inveighing against Commodity, “the bias of the world.” Still, with characteristic irony, he adds:

BASTARD: Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail
And say there is no sin but to be rich;
And being rich, my virtue then shall be
To say there is no vice but beggary.
Since kings break faith upon commodity,
Gain, be my lord, for I will worship thee.

The sound of drums and “Money” by Pink Floyd follow.

There are victories — the Bastard succeeds in killing the Duke of Austria (Ali Karambash), who killed his father Richard. Defeats — Hubert (Elizabeth Loyacano), John’s loyal supporter, fails in his gallant attempt to save Arthur, with heartbreaking consequences. Most of all, there are dizzying reversals, which reveal unexpected heroism and villainy.

Two women, one formidable (Queen Eleanor) and one brittle (Constance) are at odds throughout. Eleanor fights furiously for her son John. Constance (Molly Malone) is overwhelmed with fear for hers, Arthur. Coffey as Eleanor and Malone as Constance clash memorably in one scene. During Constance’s terrifying episode of madness, Malone’s anguish has a visceral impact. “I am not mad!” she cries, which is possibly the maddest statement of all.

For better or worse, everyone has to make excruciating moral choices. Eric Lane as John is sinister when he suggests that Hubert kill Arthur, and even more sinister when he attempts to obtain plausible deniability. The stakes are high and the tension is palpable. Which comes first: public duty or private ethics? Loyacano’s Hubert picks one alternative. The Machiavellian Pandulph, the Papal Legate (Maryanne Henderson), picks another.

Lane’s King John and Mayberry’s King Philip II argue like typical politicians. Mayberry is especially inventive vocally, and Lane’s physicality heightens the expression of his moods. The two fight fiercely for the microphone as they plead their cases in front of the disputed city, Angiers.

It is a Citizen (Cammiel Hussey) high above on the ramparts who offers a solution: marriage between King John’s niece Blanche (Layali Aljirafi) and the Dauphin of France (Reese Cowley). (Hint: it doesn’t work out.) Blanche has a nifty musical number of her own, “I’m Just a Girl” by No Doubt, which she performs with aplomb. At one point she satirizes the whole concept of girliness, as she leans on the Dauphin’s shoulder and looks up at him a bit too adoringly. Cowley’s Dauphin, flung from one crisis to another, possesses effectiveness and passion. Alex Ross as Faulconbridge, the Bastard’s younger brother, has an affecting air of vulnerability, accompanied by a stammer.

This King John is different. Posner’s adaptation is fresh and original. The production is forcefully played and full of unusual touches. King John’s lords, Salisbury (Edie Backman), Bigot (Michael Burgos), and Pembroke (Cammiel Hussey) defend their changes of allegiance with alacrity. Some characters have been cut (looking at you, Lady Faulconbridge), but that does not interfere with the overall effect. The battle scenes (fight director is Robb Hunter) are vivid, full of action, and highly suspenseful.

Costumes by Becca Janney are delightfully eclectic. The handsome set, by Andrew Boyce, is from STC’s previous production in the Klein, Frankenstein, and its castle-like ambiance works beautifully. Minjoo Kim is responsible for the especially fine lighting design.

King John has never been a popular king. The play itself goes in and out of fashion. But one thing is sure. The study of power, in whatever century, is always in style. And in some ways, it is always the same.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission.

King John plays through July 26, 2025, in rep with The Taming of the Shrew, Or, Petruchio Is Kated, presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company Academy performing at the Michael R. Klein Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($20) are available at the box office, online, by calling 202-547-1122, or through TodayTix.

Performance Dates
JUL 23 at 7:30pm
JUL 25 at 7:30pm
JUL 26 at 7:30pm

The full cast and creative team credits can be viewed here (scroll down).

King John
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Aaron Posner

CAST
King John: ERIC LANE
Philip the Bastard; SAM RODD
King Philip II of France: AMBER MAYBERRY
Louis the Dauphin: REESE COWLEY
Constance: MOLLY MALONE
Arthur: SADIE O’CONOR
Queen Eleanor: TRACY COFFEY
Hubert: ELIZABETH LOYACANO
Cardinal Pandulph: MARYANNE HENDERSON
Lord Bigot: MICHAEL BURGOS
Angiers Citizen/Pembroke: CAMMIEL HUSSEY
Earl of Salisbury/Executioner: EDIE BACKMAN
Chattilion//Count Melun: SYDNEY SINCLAIR
Duke of Austria: ALI KARAMBASH
Blanche: LAYALI ALJIRAFI
Faulconbridge, Prince Henry: ALEX ROSS

CREATIVE TEAM
Costume Designer: BECCA JANNEY
Lighting Designer: MINJOO KIM
Sound Designer & Composer: MATTHEW M. NIELSON
Props Director: LISA ANN BELEY
Fight Director: ROBB HUNTER

COVID Safety: All STC spaces are mask-friendly — meaning all patrons, masks and unmasked, are welcome. Read more about Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Health and Safety policies here.

SEE ALSO:
‘The Taming of the Shrew’ from STC Academy is virtuoso Shakespeare (review by Sophia Howes, July 29, 2025)

The post A hip ‘King John’ power play with lip-synched pop tunes from STC Academy appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

 “Maybe I don’t like being different,” says Meg, “but I don’t want to be like everybody else, either.” Such are the sentiments of the rebellious Meg Murry, young heroine of the beloved classic A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, first published in 1962.

Brainy, annoying Meg Murry and the three time travelers Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which have been appealing to young adults (especially girls) ever since. At the time, Meg was unusual — she was a girl who had a gift for math (what?), a brilliant scientist for a mother (really?), and a younger brother, Charles Wallace, who, though even more talented, was considered dumb. The initiative to get girls interested in STEM was not yet a thing.

This made A Wrinkle in Time especially intriguing for teenagers of the female persuasion. In L’Engle’s world, you would not be told it was “threatening” to be smart. You could say what you think and people would still like you. You could save your entire family, in fact, and at the same time impress a boy you kind of liked.

The story had political relevance, too — it was a reminder of the value of individuality and the contrast between the freedom of the West and what was seen as the cold, gray Communist world. Arena Stage’s version, a new musical, updates the story in some fun and highly imaginative ways. But the book is challenging to adapt for the stage, and it shows.

At first, Mrs. Whatsit (Amber Gray) welcomes us with great good cheer, as she opens the curtains. She has been blown off course by a “tesser,” short for “tesseract” (the “wrinkle in time” of the title), which enables her and her two comrades, Mrs. Who (Stacey Sargeant) and Mrs. Which (Vicki Lewis), to travel though different times and other worlds.

MRS. WHATSIT: oh right, I forgot:
you three-dimensional creatures travel the long way ’round.
whereas we! prefer! shortcuts!
of the five-dimensional variety!
how can I explain?

(she gets an idea, she holds up her skirt at two points)

if a very small insect were to move from here to there, it would be quite a long walk.
BUT! make a fold —

(MRS. WHATSIT folds her skirt)

— and you can travel just about anywhere you want in space
in other words!
a straight line is NOT the shortest distance between two points.

Meg (Taylor Iman Jones) is in the middle of a storm, too. Wrapped in a quilt at first, she engages in a musical dialogue with the “Wind,” sung by the entire company.

In the book, Meg is shy (today we might even call her neurodiverse) and hates everyone and everything (well, she is a teenager). Here, as portrayed with admirable intensity by Jones, she is more extroverted (it is a musical, after all) but still isolated and misunderstood. Her best friend is her brother, Charles Wallace (a fine performance by Mateo Lizcano), who himself has extraordinary abilities that we will learn about later.

Meg’s empathetic mother (Andrea Jones-Sojola) is struggling with a loss that has devastated her family. She loves her children but is firm with them (a warning “Charles” to her son got a laugh from the opening night audience). Two years ago, her physicist husband disappeared. She writes to him every day, but they have heard nothing.

Meg hopes to find and bring back her father, who may be in danger. He was engaged in mysterious government work, studying — what else? — tesseracts.

In the musical number “Always on my Guard,” Meg’s classmates (Ensemble) surround and torment her, reminding her that 1) she’s a nerd, 2) Charles Wallace is a “mute,” 3) no one likes her family, and 4) by the way what really happened to her father? At gym class, though, she meets Calvin, a basketball star who is drawn to her immediately. Nicholas Barrón is a standout as this new friend, who has compulsions he feels he must obey, and who turns out to be a stalwart ally as the danger grows.

Mrs. Who (Stacey Sargeant), Mrs. Whatsit’s time-traveling comrade, is first introduced as the school librarian. She is fond of quoting her favorite authors, classic ones like Pascal and modern ones like Maya Angelou. The musical Cats comes up too. Frequently.

Soon Mrs. Which (Vicki Lewis) joins the other two. Lewis as Mrs. Which is said to be older and wiser than the others. Sargeant’s Mrs. Who, though literary, is a playful sort. The time-traveling Trio has, among other terrific numbers, this eponymous one, which serves as their introduction.

MRS. TRIO: we are angels we are ghosts and we are mothers, aunts, great grandmothers
are guardians and stars to guide, keep company and coexist, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.

So far, the production has been a kind of rotating funscape, full of magic, mystery, and strange twists and turns. The set, by dots, is a fabulously versatile one. The Ensemble can perform all kinds of scenes, from gym class to the planet Uriel to the planet Camazotz and more.

Heather Christian’s score is complicated and wonderfully evocative. Her lyrics fit perfectly into the story, and her music is beautifully performed. Sarafina Bush’s costumes are fantastic, too — colorful, fresh, and full of humorous touches.

Once the time travel begins, though, the plotline becomes difficult to follow. The “tessering” from one planet to another can be confusing, especially for those who have not read the book. This shortcoming is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the action is fast and furious, the choreography (by Ani Taj) is clever and nonstop, and the performances are first-rate.

The Trio, along with Calvin, Meg, and Charles Wallace, end up at the failed planet Camazotz, a massively non-fun place, where they will look for Meg’s father.

The Camakids enter bouncing balls, in exactly the same rhythm, urged on by their Camamoms and Camadads. The three adventurers try and fail to keep up. One Camazotzian Brother (Aidan Joyce) makes a mistake and runs off, terrified.

In the number “Sleep Is Fake,” the Camazotzian Workers pass files back and forth in factory formation. They are not allowed to feel frustrated, tired, or scared. Affirmations Man (Jayke Workman) reminds everyone how well they are doing, how great they look, how all is light and all is right. George Orwell’s 1984 (1949), Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953) come to mind. Camazotz is controlled by IT, which is essentially (of course) a giant brain. Charles Wallace is in great danger from IT, and his struggle and Meg’s will ultimately become deadly. So will their search for their father.

In the planet of Ixchel, Meg, who has become seriously wounded, is met by three large creatures, the Beasts (Kimberly Dodson, Andrea Jones-Sojola, and Gabrielle Rice). The Beasts have a strange kind of elegance. (Puppet design and puppetry are by James Ortiz.) It is a dreamlike moment when they enter through the audience, speaking softly. The gentle Aunt Beast (Andrea Jones-Sojola) wraps Meg in a maternal embrace.

There is a lack of suspense, as even if you have not read the book, it is fairly clear what the outcome will be. More character detail in the dialogue of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin might add depth to their roles. But perhaps the problem lies in the very nature of the novel, which, despite the intergalactic travels, has a very “interior” aspect emotionally. Meg, whatever her feelings, does not seem like the type of person to break into song.

A Wrinkle in Time is quite long (cuts might be in order) and, above all, a narrator or synopsis would make it easier to follow what is happening, especially for those new to the material.

Still, Director Lee Sunday Evans’ production is sumptuous, original, and full of visual and aural delights. That is quite a tribute to the book so many love.

Running Time: Two hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission.

A Wrinkle in Time plays through July 20, 2025, in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St SW, Washington, DC. Tickets start at $69 plus applicable fees. Purchase tickets online; through the Sales Office by phone at 202-488-3300, Tuesday–Sunday, 12-8pm; or in person at the box office Tuesday–Sunday, 2 hours prior to a performance. Tickets are also available at TodayTix. Groups of 10+ may purchase tickets by phone at 202-488-4380.

Arena Stage’s many savings programs include “pay your age” tickets for those aged 35 and under; military, first responder, and educator discounts; student discounts; and “Southwest Nights” for those living and working in the District’s Southwest neighborhood. To learn more, visit arenastage.org/savings-programs.

The program for A Wrinkle in Time is downloadable here.

COVID Safety: Arena Stage recommends but does not require that patrons wear facial masks in theaters except in designated mask-required performance (Tuesday, July 15, at 7:30pm). For up-to-date information, visit arenastage.org/safety.

4^TH OF JULY AT A WRINKLE IN TIME
A once-a-year opportunity to see the stars on stage and in the sky with Special $35 Matinee Tickets, Extended Parking Garage Hours, and Fireworks at The Wharf!
DATE: Friday, July 4, 2025
SHOWTIME: 12pm
$35 TICKETS TO A WRINKLE IN TIME: Click here – use promo code TIME
This Fourth of July, the skies will shimmer above the city and inside Arena Stage. Join Meg Murry and her cosmic guides as they journey through the galaxies in this bold new musical that reimagines a beloved childhood classic.
The garage will stay open late, allowing patrons to leave their car post-show, walk to The Wharf, and catch the fireworks—no crowds, no stress!

A Wrinkle in Time
Book by Lauren Yee
Music and Lyrics by Heather Christian
Based on the novel written by Madeleine L’Engle
Directed by Lee Sunday Evans
Choreography by Ani Taj

CAST
(in alphabetical order)
Ensemble/Paper Girl: LEANNE ANTONIO
Calvin: NICOLAS BARRÓN
Ensemble/Man with the Red Eyes: MICHAEL D. LIBERTO
Ensemble/Happy Medium/Beast: KIMBERLEY DODSON
Mrs. Whatsit: AMBER GRAY
Meg: TAYLOR IMAN JONES
Ensemble/Mother/Aunt Beast: ANDREA JONES-SOJOLA
Ensemble/Camazotzian Brother: AIDAN JOYCE
Mrs. Which: VICKI LEWIS
Charles Wallace: MATEO LIZCANO
Ensemble: REBECCA MADEIRA
Ensemble/Beast: GABRIELLE RICE
Mrs. Who: STACEY SARGEANT
Ensemble/Father: JON PATRICK WALKER
Ensemble: RONALD JOE WILLIAMS
Ensemble/Affirmations Man: JAYKE WORKMAN

CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Set Designer: dots
Costume Designer: SARAFINA BUSH
Lighting Designer: JEANETTE OI-SUK YEW
Sound Designer: NICK KOURTIDES
Puppet Design and Puppetry: JAMES ORTIZ
Wig and Hair Designer: ALBERTO “ALBEE” ALVARADO
Makeup Designer KIRK: CAMBRIDGE-DEL PESCHE
Orchestrations by StarFish
Arrangements by HEATHER CHRISTIAN
Music Director: BEN MOSS
Associate Director:  KATIE YOUNG
Associate Choreographer: VERONICA SOFIA BURT
Associate Music Director: EMILY WHITAKER
New York Casting: THE TELSEY OFFICE/RACHEL HOFFMAN, CSA
DC Casting: RAIYON HUNTER
Production Supervisor: TIMOTHY R. SEMON
Stage Manager: JOANNE PAN
Assistant Stage Manager: CHEYNEY COLES
Assistant Stage Manager: DAYNE SUNDMAN

MUSICIANS
Music Director/Conductor: BEN MOSS
Associate Music Director/Piano/Synth: EMILY WHITAKER
Flute/Alto Flute/Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Alto Saxophone/Baritone Saxophone: MATT BELZER
Violin: BRUNO NASTA
Violin/Viola: IMELDA TECSON JUAREZ
Cello: SUSANNA MENDLOW
Electric Guitar: GERRY KUNKEL
Electric/Acoustic Bass: ARNOLD GOTTLIEB
Percussion: JO HULING
AFM Musical Contractor/Drum Set: DANNY VILLANUEVA
Music Copying: EMILY GRISHMAN MUSIC PREPARATION, ADRIANA GRACE, TIMOTHY HANSON, ALDEN TERRY

SEE ALSO:
Arena Stage announces cast and creative team for ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ (news story, May 2, 2025)

The post Brave daughter saves dad in sumptuous new musical ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ at Arena appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

STC’s Will on the Hill reminds us that whatever our politics, Republican, Democrat, Independent, or Other, Shakespeare can bring us together. This year’s celebration of the Bard was especially welcome in our divided time.

Members of Congress, VIPs, professional actors, and students from STC’s programs participate in the event. Their purpose: to celebrate (and fundraise) for STC education. Will on the Hill, a beloved tradition, has continued for more than two decades.

STC reaches nearly 20,000 students, teachers, and community members every year. STC Learning provides intensive school services to public, private, and home schools across the DMV. In these free, semester-long classes, an STC Teaching Artist conducts an exploration of a classic play.

This year’s Special Guests were two of DC’s most talented actors: Holly Twyford and STC Academy graduate and 2025 Helen Hayes recipient Renea Brown. Together with members of Congress, VIPs, and students, they performed some of Shakespeare’s most famous scenes with energy, enthusiasm, and boundless good cheer.

We were welcomed by STC Executive Director Angela Lee Gieras. The opening remarks were delivered by WOTH Steering Committee Chair Carol Danko. Our ebullient emcee, Mike Evans (partner at K&L Gates and author of the article “Shakespeare’s Guide to Tax Policy”) gave a nod to DC as a vibrant political community, rich in theater both on and off the stage. He reminded us that, above all, “It’s about the students.”

The stage combat scene featuring Alex Ross and Sadie O’Conor (STC Academy for Classical Acting MFA candidates) was a highlight of the evening. Imagine two fearless actors with swords, fighting to the death while declaiming lines from plays by our Will:

“Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?” (Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio, Act III, Sc. 1).
“A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!” (Richard III, Richard, Act V, Sc . 4).
“Sell when you can; you are not for all markets.” (As You Like It, Rosalind, Act III, Sc. 5).
“To a nunnery, go!” (Hamlet, Hamlet, Act. III, Sc.1).
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends!” (Henry V, Henry, Act III, Sc.1).

During a scene from Julius Caesar, Sen. Chris Coons (Brutus) managed to convince the other conspirators that killing Mark Antony might be, well — too much — by telling them that Antony “can do no more than Caesar’s arm.” Artistic Director Simon Godwin (Banquo) and Aaron Myers (Macbeth) were informed (some would say warned) by oracular Witches of their respective fates. Renea Brown (Helena) and Holly Twyford (Hermia), traumatized by various plot twists in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, argued fiercely about who was in love with whom.

Students Sebastian Cummisky, Ayotomi Akeju, and Ava Dolven-Miller clearly captivated the audience in their scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and All’s Well That Ends Well.

There was a moving tribute to two accomplished and much-loved Congress members, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Charles Rangel (D-NY), who recently passed away.

Kudos to Director Samantha Wyer Bello, who infused the entire evening with wit, physical hijinks, and hilarity. Special praise is due to the deliciously zany costumes. And many thanks to everyone who gave so generously of their time, talent, and resources.

What a pleasure to see people uniting to benefit our youth. That is a performance we can all applaud.

Running Time: Approximately 55 minutes.

Will on the Hill  was presented June 10, 2025, by Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC.

The program for Will on the Hill  2025 is online here.

Will on the Hill 
Presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company
Artistic Director: Simon Godwin
Executive Director: Angela Lee Gieras
Directed by Samantha Wyer Bello

Special Guests: Renea Brown, Holly Twyford
Emcee: Mike Evans
Stage Manager: Maria Mills
Production Manager: Megan Hanna
Government Affairs & Sponsorships Lead: Shelagh Grimshaw
Event Logistics: April Powell Harris
Will on the Hill Steering Committee Chair: Carol Danko

FEATURING (subject to change)
Ayotomi Akeju
Maria Allard
Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI)
Olivia Beavers
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
Renea Brown
Steven Clemons
Sen. Chris Coons (D- DE)
Murphy Coons
Sebastian Cummiskey
Simon Godwin
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA)
Rich Edson
James Hohmann
Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL)
Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA)
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA)
DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson
Ava Dolven-Miller
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Executive Director Aaron Myers
Grover Norquist
Sadie O’Conor
DC Councilmember Brooke Pinto
Rep. Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI)
Alex Ross
Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)
Holly Twyford

STUDENT CAST – SCHOOLS
Sebastian Cummisky, Brent Elementary School
Ayotomi Akeju, Charles. H. Flowers High School
Ava Dolven-Miller, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Fight choreography scene: Alex Ross and Sadie O’Conor (STC Academy for Classical Acting MFA candidates)

THEATRICAL PROGRAM
Welcome: Angela Lee Giaras, STC Executive Director
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Renea Brown and Holly Twyford
Romeo and Juliet: Renea Brown, Holly Twyford, Members of Congress and VIPs
Opening Remarks: Carol Danko, WOTH Chair
Stage Combat Demonstration: Sadie O’Conor and Alex Ross
Julius Caesar: Renea Brown, Holly Twyford, Members of Congress and VIPs
Oberon Monologue: Sebastian Cummiskey
Macbeth: Renea Brown, Simon Godwin, VIPs
All’s Well That Ends Well: Ava Dolven-Miller and Ayotomi Akeju
The Tempest: Holly Twyford, Members of Congress, VIPs
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Maria Allard, Renea Brown, Holly Twyford, Members of Congress
Closing Remarks

SEE ALSO:
STC’s annual ‘Will on the Hill’ benefit to feature Holly Twyford and Renea Brown (news story, June 3, 2025)

The post At STC’s ‘Will on the Hill ,’ nonpartisan altruism is honorable and fun appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Twelfth Night at the Folger is so innovative that you might mistake it for the latest work of that talented young playwright William Shakespeare. Love transcends gender, grief contains the promise of healing, and the joy of creativity transports us into a world alive with desire.

Director Mei Ann Teo invites us to “fall in love with the differences between us.” Currently an artistic leader at Ping Chong and Company in New York, Teo approaches Twelfth Night as a new play, with spectacular success. The production takes place here and now, in (where else?) Washington, DC, on a set inspired by Brutalist architecture, with echoes of sea-soaked military batteries and the clubs of Berlin. (Scenic design is by David I. Reynoso.)

At first is the famous shipwreck, during which the twins Viola (Lilli Hokama) and Sebastian (El Beh) are separated. Each one believes the other has drowned. The cast, under long swaths of plastic sheeting, move like waves. There is thunder. Music. Dance. Actors in black singing Shakespeare’s line “The rain it raineth every day.”

Viola learns that Duke Orsino (Alyssa Keegan) is in love with the Countess Olivia (Alina Collins Maldonado). Olivia, in mourning for her own brother, has repeatedly refused him. Viola decides to transform herself into a young man, Cesario, in order to serve Orsino. Orsino employs her to woo Olivia on his behalf. Her mission goes about as well as these projects usually do.

Olivia falls in love with Cesario, and Viola/Cesario with Orsino. Olivia’s fool, Feste (Futaba), astonishes all with his wit, sophistication, and singing voice. Other characters will experience love, betrayal, humiliation, and mistaken identities.

Orsino is immediately attracted to Cesario, despite his infatuation with Olivia. He is accompanied by a bevy of smartly dressed servants (Che Kabia, Shubhanghi Kuchibhotla, and Hunter Ringsmith). Another servant, Valentine (Todd Scofield), tells him that Olivia’s answer is, as always, “no.”

Composer Be Steadwell calls Orsino “kind of this Prince (the rockstar, not the royal) meets Lenny Kravitz figure … a tragic, heartbroken rocker.” Keegan has a kind of quiet dignity that belies Orsino’s self-absorption and complicated love life. Their scenes with Hokama as Cesario are especially moving.

Hokama as Viola/Cesario gives a wonderfully original performance. Their double-takes when Olivia attempts to woo them as Cesario are delightfully comic. When Olivia gives them a (very large) version of her picture, Hokama’s expression says, “What the hell is this?” Hokama is capable of deep emotion, too, when describing how Cesario would woo Olivia:

CESARIO: Make me a willow cabin at your gate
And call upon my soul within the house,
Write loyal cantons of contemnèd love
And sing them loud even in the dead of night
Hallow your name to the reverberate hills
And make the babbling gossip of the air
Cry out “Olivia!”

Maldonado’s Olivia presides over a house that has recently survived two crises — the death of her father and the death of her brother. Mayhem has arrived, embodied by Feste her fool, her uncle Sir Toby Belch (Che Kabia), and his “friend” Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Hunter Ringsmith). Sir Toby is extorting Aguecheek for money while encouraging him to pursue his (likely hopeless) suit for the wealthy Olivia.

Olivia retains Malvolio (Nicholas Yenson), a stern and self-satisfied Steward, to keep things in order. Maldonado impeccably inhabits Olivia’s every mood, from her (vast) irritation with Orsino, to her coup de foudre passion for Cesario, to her demented scream of desperation when the (inspired) lunacy of it all finally overwhelms her.

When Sir Toby, Andrew Aguecheek, and Feste are together, the Marx Brothers come to mind. Che Kabia excels as Sir Toby, with his drunken quips, love for frivolity, and predilection for dance and song. As Andrew Aguecheek, Hunter Ringsmith is hilariously comic, fast on his feet, and occasionally poignant in his disappointment. All three have entertainingly startling costumes by Olivera Gajic, featuring ruffs, shorts, garters, and generous amounts of plaid. Feste’s outfit is festooned with neckties.

The three revel in a late-night catch entitled “Hold your peace” or, to put it in modern terms, “Shut up.” Olivia’s lady’s maid, Maria (Shubhanghi Kuchibhotla), protests their caterwauling. Malvolio tells Sir Toby that if his antics continue, the Countess will ask him to leave. Sir Toby reminds him contemptuously that he is only a Steward.

Kuchibhotla as Maria, attired in shiny black with a white ruff, is inventive and quick with what looks like a riding crop. She hatches a scheme to humiliate Malvolio. She will write a letter (her hand is like Olivia’s) — a love letter to Malvolio, supposedly from her mistress. They will arrange to have him find it. Hilarity will no doubt ensue. (It does.)

Yenson is screamingly funny as he reads the letter — he strains to connect the initials M.O.A.I. (the subject of endless speculation by critics) with his name, insults Sir Toby, and proclaims boldly: “Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. And some have greatness thrust upon ’em” (one of several ridiculous Shakespearean quotes that have become cherished proverbs).

There are many twists and turns to come. Sebastian (El Beh) turns out to be alive, which causes mass confusion. Todd Scofield gives a fine performance as Antonio, the ship’s captain who loves him. Director Teo says of Scofield, in our interview with Ravelle Brickman, “He could fall in love with a rock, and I would believe it.” El Beh will later add erotic flair to their encounters with Olivia, which will prove to be … well … kinky.

The choreography by Tony Thomas is, as always, breathtaking. Yenson’s frenzied dance in cross-garters as Malvolio is a memorable highlight. Composer Be Steadwell’s work is simply mesmerizing, featuring the influences of Prince, The Cure, London and Berlin underground dance clubs, and traditional Renaissance music. Music Director and Percussionist Erika Johnson plays live with the cast, who sometimes take the microphone.

The technical and creative teams bring consummate skill and devotion to the production. The sound designer is Justin Schmitz, the lighting designer is Minjoo Kim, and the props designer is Amy Kellett. The beautifully evocative projections are by Hao Bai. Dramaturg Jesse Cameron Alick writes perceptively in a program essay about the undertone of loss that occasionally surfaces.

Gender fluidity, kink culture, unconventionality in all its forms — this Twelfth Night is a feast for the senses, and a glorious endorsement of sexuality and love.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Twelfth Night plays through June 22, 2025, at the Folger Theatre, 201 E Capitol Street SE, Washington, DC. To purchase tickets ($20–$84, with many discounts available), go online, call the Box Office at (202) 544-7077, or visit TodayTix.

To see credits for the cast and creative team, click here.

COVID Safety: While Folger audiences and employees are no longer required to wear masks at most events, masks are welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19. Anyone needing or choosing to wear one is encouraged to do so. Folger’s current safety protocols are here.

Twelfth Night 
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Mei Ann Teo

CAST
Olivia: Alina Collins Maldonado
Viola/Cesario: Lilli Hokama
Orsino: Alyssa Keegan
Sebastian: El Beh
Sir Toby Belch: Che Kabia
Feste: Futaba
Malvolio: Nicholas Yenson
Antonio/Valentine: Todd Scofield
Sir Andrew Aguecheek: Hunter Ringsmith
Maria: Shubhanghi Kuchibhotla
Percussionist: Erika Johnson

CREATIVE TEAM
Scenic Designer: David I. Reynoso
Costume Designer: Olivera Gajic
Lighting Designer: Minjoo Kim
Choreographer: Tony Thomas
Composer: Be Steadwell
Music Director: Erika Johnson
Sound Designer: Justin Schmitz
Projections Designer: Hao Bai
Props Designer: Amy Kellett
Voice and Text Coach: Jen Rabbitt Ring
Dramaturg: Jesse Cameron Alick
Casting Director: Danica Rodriguez

SEE ALSO:
Director Mei Ann Teo on ‘Twelfth Night’ as a subversive celebration of love (interview by Ravelle Brickman, May 19, 2025)
Folger Theatre announces cast and creative team for ‘Twelfth Night’ (news story, April 17, 2025)

The post ‘Twelfth Night’ at Folger is a glorious endorsement of sexuality and love appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

At first in WSG’s irresistible comedy, Sofonisba Anguissola (Amanda Tudor) is under interrogation. The stern but in his own eyes fair Bishop Espinoza (Peter Boyer) is gauging her possible fitness as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Isabel (O’Malley Steuerman) at the 16th-century Spanish court of the Catholic Philip II (Gabriel Alejandro). Philip, who once was married to the late Queen Mary, sister of Elizabeth I, now has a teenage French Queen who will need sensitive attendants.

Sofonisba, already a notable painter, is eager for the assignment. Relations between her native land, Italy, and Spain are somewhat difficult. She has lost her mother, although her father’s support and encouragement have helped her career. The court will be a crucial chance for her.

Queen Isabel, whom she serves, becomes a treasured friend. Here they are playing chess. (One of Sofonisba’s most famous paintings is called The Chess Game, and it features her and her sisters.)

SOFONISBA: The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board.
ISABEL: That is the opposite of the truth.
[Isabel moves her queen.]
And what if I do this, Eh Sofie? Tell me what it is I have done wrong, because I cannot seem to make a right move.
SOFONISBA: Well, you certainly can move your Queen there if you wish, Your Majesty…buuuut…if you do…
ISABEL: Oui what tell me.
SOFONISBA: Then your Bishop is open. So…I could take your Bishop. If I wanted. But I might not want, of course, so it’s really a perfectly fine move for you to have made.
[ISABEL immediately moves the piece back.]
ISABEL: No. No. No. No. No. We must protect God’s man.
…This game is false. The Bishop, as an emissary of God, should be most important. This is obviously a Protestant game.

The chemistry between Steuerman as the flighty, charming Queen and Tudor as the clever, smiling Sofonisba is exceptional. Both are in the process of creation. Sofonisba, promised to her art, faces questions about her desire to marry, or lack of it. Isabel, like so many other queens of her era, is under intense pressure to deliver Philip a son.

Tudor’s Sofonisba is naturally warm and gracious. She dresses plainly, to convey seriousness. But she can be lively too. When Bishop Espinoza offers her the post of lady-in-waiting, she jumps up and down with excitement. Her special strength is her firm decision to run her life as she wants to, not as society seems to think is her duty.

Steuerman’s performance as Queen Isabel is inspired and intuitive. They cock their head, laugh, and whizz around the stage, very much like the “chatterbird” Isabel admits she is. And when Isabel prays desperately for a son, Steuerman’s emotional depth is formidable.

Peter Boyer displays great versatility in three different roles. As the Bishop, he is careful and cautious. As the Fool, he is wildly funny. Here he is with Isabel:

FOOL: I have learned many important things in my time at court, Queenie.
ISABEL: Oui? Name three!
FOOL: There are three ways to get what you want in this world: to lack morals, to speak very important nonsense, and, when all else fails, to walk on your hands.
[He does a handstand.]
That may or may not be true.

As Don Francisco, the stuttering, well-born, devoted suitor of Sofonisba, Boyer is shy and sincere.

Gabriel Alejandro’s Philip is very much in love with Isabel, and he enjoys posing for Sofonisba. As he surveys his portrait, he tells her, “The leg is very good. Full.” It is a pleasure to see a king (Philip was actually said to be somewhat solemn) with a sense of humor. His later scenes with Sofonisba contain some explosive accusations on both sides — but ultimately, it is clear he believes he is only trying to help. The Spanish Inquisition, understandably, is rarely mentioned.

Callie Kimball’s writing is supple and witty. Deidra LaWan Starnes’ direction is assured and accomplished. Every aspect of the production is imaginative and truthful.

Elizabeth Morton’s costumes are lovely, colorful, and full of exquisite detail. Thom J. Woodward’s sound design features melodic accents of the Spanish guitar.

Megan Holden designed the scenic elements. Lighting design is by Marianne Meadows. Both enhance the impact of the work.

The play is framed by two scenes on ships: At first, we see Sofonisba, full of anticipation, on the way from her home in Cremona to the Spanish court. Twenty years later, she is on another ship, with a handsome captain, Orazio (Gabriel Alejandro). She is on her way to another happy chapter of what seems to be a charmed life. But she also achieved something extraordinary. She opened up the profession of painting to the women of her time and made it socially acceptable. Her story is a compelling one.

Running Time: Two hours, with one 10-minute intermission.

Sofonisba plays through May 4, 2025, presented by Washington Stage Guild performing at The Undercroft Theatre at Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC. Prices are $50 for Thursday evening performances and Saturday and Sunday matinees, and $60 for Saturday evenings. Students are half-price, and seniors over 65 get a $10 discount. Tickets can be purchased online.

Cast and creative credits are here.

COVID Safety: Masks are recommended (not required). Washington Stage Guild’s complete Health and Safety Policy is here.

Sofonisba
By Callie Kimball
Directed by Deidra LaWan Starnes

Artistic Director: Bill Largess
Associate Artistic Director: Steven Carpenter

CAST
Sofonisba Anguissola: Amanda Tudor
King Philip II, Orazio: Gabriel Alejandro
Queen Isabel: O’Malley Steuerman
Bishop, Don Francisco, Fool: Peter Boyer

CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Design: Megan Holden
Costume Design: Elizabeth Morton
Lighting Design: Marianne Meadows
Sound Design: Thom J. Woodward
Stage Manager: Shannon Viridian
Assistant Stage Manager: Luca Maggs

The post Portrait of a plucky painter in ‘Sofonisba’ at Washington Stage Guild appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Uncle Vanya, directed by Simon Godwin, and co-produced by STC and the Berkeley Repertory Company, is an indispensable production. The author is Anton Chekhov, the Russian literary genius who died at the tragically early age of 44. It is the story of one of those unanticipated shocks that can rip a family apart. In the hands of Godwin’s incandescent cast, it is sometimes poignant, sometimes frightening, sometimes irresistibly comic. Vanya is the perfect play for our Alice in Wonderland era.

It is 1900. Retired professor Aleksándr Serébryakov (Tom Nelis) and his second wife, the beautiful (and much younger) Eléna Andréevna (Ito Aghayere), have come to their family’s run-down country estate. They have been living off its earnings.

Uncle Vanya (Hugh Bonneville), whose late sister was Serébryakov’s wife, has been taking care of the property, with the help of his niece, Sófya “Sonya” Alexándrovna (Melanie Field). Sonya, 20, keeps calm and carries on. Vanya, 47, is on the brink of exhaustion.

The local doctor, Mikhaíl Ástrov (John Benjamin Hickey), visits frequently, partly due to Serébryakov’s demands for medical attention and partly due to Eléna’s mysterious allure. He is utterly worn out by work. Day and night, there is one bang on his door after another — here a typhus epidemic, there the death of a patient.

We first see Ástrov in a rare moment of happiness, being comforted by the family’s elderly nanny, Marína “Nana” Timoféevna, played by DC favorite Nancy Robinette. Her warmth and acceptance disarm him, and she reminds him of the Nana of his childhood. “Give me long, deep hugs,” he says. “I used to feel like nothing could harm me.”

Hickey’s Ástrov is a compelling figure: a man in constant crisis, fighting, succeeding, failing. Chekhov, a doctor himself, put much of himself into the character. Robinette as Nana is sometimes playful, sometimes indignant, but always a source of hope for those who can no longer go on. Her kindness is called upon frequently.

Serébryakov considers himself a literary virtuoso, one of Russia’s intellectual vanguard. Although famous, he is apparently unaware that (at least according to Vanya) his work is of no interest. He is also something of a hypochondriac who expects to be waited on. Uncle Vanya is not amused. When he asks for tea to be sent up to his room, after going on a walk and ignoring it for two hours, Vanya has had enough:

VANYA: Anything else? Any other refreshments? A bowl of fruit? A new pair of slippers? Something from the village perhaps? I mean Nana is here — she’s got nothing better to do. She could walk into town.

SERÉBRYAKOV: I said just tea.

Hugh Bonneville’s performance is breathtaking — replete with variety, vividly and painfully real. His Vanya is the kind of man who excels at witty, occasionally bitter monologues, secure in the knowledge that everyone will listen to him. Although he often seems motivated by fury, he is in love with Eléna, and his attempts to charm her have an adolescent appeal. He is always moving — dancing, flirting, seeking mercy from the heavens, taking Eléna’s hand and hoping for more. He knows his ire at Serébryakov is partly due to jealousy. But when the Professor suggests a plan for the estate that enrages him, he cannot stop himself:

VANYA: You lecture everybody about art and politics and life and people but you don’t have the faintest understanding of art or real people or the way real people think and feel and need to be loved! All those essays of yours that I struggled to get through, thinking I was stupid because I couldn’t make head or tail of them, I realize now you’ve been having us all on!

The love affairs, as often with Chekhov, are complicated. Ástrov and Vanya are both in love with Eléna. Sonya is in love with Ástrov. Eléna is drawn to Ástrov but attempts to resist him.

Ito Aghayere’s Eléna is lovely, and her interpretation of the role has subtlety and depth. When she is chastised for “doing nothing,” she responds with dignity. She is spirited — at one point she tells Vanya to shut up — and, like the others, she is not particularly happy. The men especially can’t see past her beauty, and their advances often annoy her. But she handles it all with grace.

ELÉNA: Huh, Uncle Vanya. Says I have a mermaid’s blood in my veins. Let yourself go for once in your life! Maybe I should. Fly away from all these sleepy faces. And forget I was ever here. Of course, I’m far too much of a coward for that. The doctor comes here every day now. I know why he comes. I should have fallen to my knees in front of Sonya and begged her forgiveness… I know why he comes. Sad roses. Autumn roses.

Melanie Field as Sonya makes the most of her every moment. She is always working. Her longtime love for Ástrov has led nowhere. She is clever, industrious, and a good person, but moored in isolation. One is reminded of the girls in Chekhov’s hometown, Taganrog. The boys went off to higher education. The girls married whoever was still around. One can speculate that had Sonya lived in a less narrow-minded time, or been able to go to college, she would have found a nice husband and forgotten all about Ástrov.

Craig Wallace, one of DC’s favorite actors, is Ílya Ílyich Telégin or “Waffles,” a prizhivalshchik. This was a relative or family friend given refuge and support, a familiar figure in Russian households of the time. His indignation when Eléna cannot remember his name, and his fidelity to his extremely estranged wife are particular highlights of a deliciously comic performance.

As Serébryakov, Tom Nelis is the perfect picture of the self-deluded “great man.” Ultimately, he arranges a family meeting with explosive results. As far as he is concerned, Vanya’s unhappiness is not his problem but the result of Vanya’s own choices. He will do whatever it takes to maintain his exalted self-image. He may betray his family, but he will never admit it to himself.

Sharon Lockwood as Maríya Voinítskaya, Vanya’s mother, idolizes Serébryakov but has little sympathy for her son. She tells him bluntly that he has failed because he’s never done anything. At times, she loses touch with reality and is comforted by, who else, Nana. The collective spirit of the cast is palpable, as well as their individual distinction.  Ensemble and fight captain is Kina Kantor.

Simon Godwin’s direction achieves excellence in every respect — visual, emotional, and stylistic. Conor McPherson’s translation is notable for its suppleness and modernity.

Scenic design by Robert Brill is highly detailed, extremely sophisticated, and exceptionally versatile. At different times, there are pillows (which can be thrown) and a piano, which Eléna will play. The handsome period costumes are by Susan Hilferty and Heather C. Freedman. Jen Schriever’s lighting design enhances each changing mood of the production. Sound designer Darron L. West brings the sounds of nature — birds, rain, and thunder, and the haunting music of strings.

The tone of the play can be summed up in one telling incident.

Vanya and Ástrov, both drinkers, are friends. As men sometimes do, Ástrov tries to cheer his friend up with an insult.

ASTROV: Don’t flatter yourself. No one thinks you’re mad. Everybody just thinks you’re an idiot. One who’s been fatally starved of love. In other words, you’re completely normal.

This wildly enjoyable Uncle Vanya is a tribute to the value of art in an unsettled time. Don’t miss it.

Running Time: Approximately  two hours and 30 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission

Uncle Vanya plays through April 20, 2025, presented by Shakespeare Theatre Company, in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, at Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets (starting at $35) are available at the box office, online, or by calling (202) 547-1122. Shakespeare Theatre Company offers discounts for military servicepeople, first responders, senior citizens, young people, and neighbors, as well as rush tickets. Contact the Box Office or visit Shakespearetheatre.org/tickets-and-events/special-offers/for more information. Audio-described and captioned performances are also available.

The Asides program for Uncle Vanya is online here.

COVID Safety: All performances are mask recommended. Read more about STC’s Health and Safety policies here.

Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov
Adapted by Conor McPherson
Directed by Simon Godwin
Produced in association with Berkeley Repertory Theatre

CAST
Eléna Andréevna (Yelena): Ito Aghayere*
Iván Voinítsky (Vanya): Hugh Bonneville*
Sófya Aleksándrovna (Sonya): Melanie Field*
Mikhaíl Ástrov: John Benjamin Hickey*
Ensemble, u/s Eléna Andréevna, u/s Sófya Aleksándrovna: Kina Kantor*
Marína Timoféevna (Nana): Nancy Robinette*
Maríya Voinítskaya (Grandmaman): Sharon Lockwood*
Aleksándr Serébryakov (Alexandre): Tom Nelis*
Ílya Ílyich Telégin (Waffles): Craig Wallace*
u/s Maríya Voinítskaya, u/s Marína Timoféevna: Anne Darragh*
u/s Iván Voinítsky, u/s Mikhaíl Ástrov, u/s Ensemble: James Whalen*
u/s Aleksándr Serébryakov, u/s Ílya Ílyich Telégin: John Leslie Wolfe*

ARTISTIC TEAM
Scenic Designer: Robert Brill
Costume Designer: Susan Hilferty, Heather Freedman
Lighting Designer: Jen Schriever
Sound Designer: Darron L West
Wig Designer: Satellite Wigs, Inc.
Fight and Intimacy Consultant: Danielle O’Dea
Additional Fight Choreography: Robb Hunter
Dramaturg: Drew Lichtenberg
Casting: Danica Rodriguez, Karina Fox
Production Stage Manager: Elisa Guthertz*
Assistant Stage Manager: Leigh Robinette*
Production Assistant: Trinity Wicklund
Co-Producer: Berkeley Repertory Theatre

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

SEE ALSO:
Shakespeare Theatre Company announces cast of ‘Uncle Vanya’ (news story, March 9, 2025)

The post ‘Uncle Vanya’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company is wildly enjoyable appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

WARNING: This court report is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental or stolen from Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818).

We could all use a good laugh at this point, and STC is here to save the day. The Mock Trial 2025, which took place at the High Court of Transylvania (also known as the Harman Theatre), was a hilarious homage to Mary Shelley, AI, and most of all, the rule of law.

The annual Mock Trial, presented by the STC Bard Association, celebrates the connection between law and classic theater by basing its subject on an upcoming STC production. This year, it is Frankenstein, based on the novel by Mary Shelley, written and directed by Emily Burns, which opens at the Klein Theatre on May 27.

Titled Teaching the Creature’s Brain — Who Is the Real Monster?, the event begins with a projection of Frankenstein wearing a gag T-shirt with the slogan “Tech Support.”

We learn that Victor Frankenstein, after a period of solitude and study, assembled his Creature from cadaver body parts and infused its AI brain with his wife Elizabeth’s personality and writings. The Creature, which (surprise!) did not possess a conscience, suffered from mood swings and violent episodes, which, tragically, resulted in murder.

In Elizabeth Frankenstein vs. Victor Frankenstein, we and this court are presented with two questions:

1. Whether the lower court erred in finding that Victor Frankenstein was not negligent in his development and validation of his Creature’s AI brain and personality.
2. Whether the lower court erred in finding that Elizabeth had no cause of action under the No AI Fraud Act because she had no expectation of privacy in her publicly observable characteristics or in information that she revealed.

Our Moderator was Abbe David Lowell, STC Board of Trustees Vice Chair and Chair of the Bard Association.

Lowell introduced the High Court of Transylvania: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Supreme Court of the United States; Justice Stephen Breyer (retired), Supreme Court of the United States, presiding; Justice Leondra Kruger, Supreme Court of California Judge Nicole G. Berner, United States Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit; Judge Amit Mehta, United States District Court, District of Columbia; and the Marshal for the Court, Pamela Talkin, former Marshal of the United States Supreme Court.

Counsel for Elizabeth Frankenstein was Doug Jones, Former United States Senator and United States Attorney, Alabama. Counsel for Victor Frankenstein was Andrew E. Lelling, Former United States Attorney, District of Massachusetts.

Senator Doug Jones began by asserting that Victor

grievously and torturously harmed his wife, Elizabeth, using an admittedly novel scientific technique — not just to create life as he so boldly proclaims. But to implement a misogynistic campaign to both sully his long-suffering wife’s reputation and to thus exercise total domination and control over her.

Fortunately, the male sex was not solely depicted with calumny. Counsel for Victor, Mr. Lelling, informed us that according to recent studies discussed in the Washington Post and New York Times, “men are, in fact, more romantic than women.”

We learned many alternative facts of interest. Apparently, Justice Breyer has a great-grandmother who lives in Transylvania and loves it. Justice Kruger reminded us that “the defendant proposed to your client, then ghosted her for six years while he holed up in a lab creating a monster from dug-up body parts. [The monster] conveniently enough happened to murder someone on the night before their wedding — now wouldn’t a woman of prudence at some point, between the ghosting and the monstering and the murdering, make like Ariana Grande and say thank you, next!”

It’s hard to argue with that. It turned out, appallingly, that the Plaintiff and the Defendant were using cases from two different courts. Lelling tells us:

My brother, Senator Jones, insists on only citing cases from the United States Supreme Court instead of cases from the High Court of Transylvania. Now the U.S. Supreme Court is a respectable, if occasionally misguided, body — and merely persuasive authority for this court. Under this court’s long-standing precedents, Victor prevails. Now of course you are free to abruptly reverse precedent that Transylvanians have relied on for 50 years. But really, what High Court would do something like that?

Lelling believes that this is a “slam dunk” for the defense. Although certain citations, such as Karloff vs. Pitchfork Manufacturers’ Association or Bates vs. Motel Licensing Board, were difficult to find on Lexis or Westlaw, he has confidence in his system of choice, Chat GPT.

In another shocking turn of events, we discovered that it was possible the case could have grave implications for actor Timothée Chalamet.

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson brought up this hypothetical:

JUSTICE JACKSON: Suppose Victor had used his talents to build a perfect replica of Chalamet with the goal of entering the creature into a Chalamet look-a-like contest? There’s no prize money but it would obviously bring Victor a lot of press. Would you still say that Victor’s conduct in creating that creature falls out of the statute’s reach?
ANDREW LELLING: Well, Victor never sought any profit or any gain from creating —
JUSTICE JACKSON: I understand that but you know I just want to know — what if the Chalamet-like creature recorded an album of Bob Dylan covers, in the same voice and style as Bob Dylan himself. Could Victor be held liable under the statute?
ANDREW LELLING: Perhaps. But simply illustrating how different that scenario is from the one at hand —
JUSTICE JACKSON: All right. Well, I just want to understand the impact of your reading of this statute on Timothée Chalamet.

And of course, we share her concern for this gifted artist.

Judge Amit Mehta proposed a possible solution.

JUDGE MEHTA: Counsel, I am surprised that this case has gone this far. Frankly, I mean, it is troubling that you have a husband and a wife that haven’t been able to resolve this case through some settlement mediation or what have you. And I guess the question is, would we even be here if Elizabeth had simply just said, “Thank you.” Just even once!

We all — especially those of us who have been married — can understand the importance of saying thank you, especially if you are a woman.

Senator Jones mounted a strong defense of his client.

SENATOR JONES: Victor boasts of his brilliance and seems to think that it affords him a type of complete immunity. But, like a recent case from the United States, that form of immunity makes a mockery out of the foundational principle that no man is above the law. Victor denies Elizabeth’s harm…claiming she was already pretty screwed up before he created the monster. The evidence, however, is that Elizabeth loved and was perhaps inexplicably loyal to Victor. She waited six long years.… Despite her misgivings after his return, and his strange behavior, she succumbed to his seductions. Yes, Elizabeth is now screwed up, but it is Victor’s fault! As the great poet Taylor Swift explained after her own betrayal, “What a shame she went mad — No one likes a mad woman — You made her like that!” It is Victor who is the real monster here.

While the court deliberated, and the audience voted on their phones, Abbe Lowell interviewed Special Guest Bruce Reed, who most recently served as deputy White House chief of staff on policy issues. Before that, he served in previous White Houses doing the same on domestic policy. He has been advisor to three different presidents. Part of his portfolio has been to deal with issues of Big Tech data and its protection, and, of course, the emergence of AI. Lowell addressed its dangers:

ABBE LOWELL: As we look forward to the increased use of AI — ranging from those over there pretending that they didn’t use it to write their briefs. Okay, maybe they didn’t. But still, what keeps you up at night?
BRUCE REED: The gravest dangers are real ones — the prospect of AI bioweapons that could wipe out any ethnic group and then garden-variety harms like deep fakes and voice cloning…you can imagine a world where families will have to have a safe word to know who they’re talking to on the phone.
If there’s anyone out there who went to grad school and got a masters in English [I can say] I feel like I already know what life after AI is like. When I was looking for work, everyone told me you’re not qualified for anything — which is how I ended up in politics.
ABBE LOWELL: We know the detriments because we’ve seen it in other technologies. and you’ve told us the biggest fear. What’s the most exciting benefit that you think comes from AI?
BRUCE REED: There are some awesome things that AI can do. The head of one AI company has suggested that we will get a century’s worth of cures and medical [advances] in the next decade. Cures for cancer, [and] maybe Alzheimer’s. AI has shown great promise as a personal tutor so the day may come when AI not only does your child’s homework for them but trains them how to do it themselves!

This was certainly encouraging. And, of course, as we all know, AI has been created initially by human beings. What could possibly go wrong?

There was a divided verdict on both counts. For the question of whether the lower court erred in finding that Victor Frankenstein was not negligent — the answer is yes, the lower court erred. Four justices found that to be the case, and one did not.

For the question of whether the lower court erred in finding that Elizabeth had no cause of action under the statute — the answer is no. We believe that Elizabeth had no cause of action under the statute. The two dissents raised some controversial issues.

JUSTICE BREYER: I dissented on the first point because I think Victor did his wife a favor. I mean, how many of us will be the subject of a meeting like this 208 years after we wrote — whatever we wrote. And moreover, the monster is not a monster. He’s terribly nice. He’s not the best-looking man in the world, but that’s okay. And he’s kind, and he’s lonely, and he sometimes has a bad temper, but who doesn’t? And her poetry is still alive. My great-grandmother from Transylvania [read] me one of [Elizabeth’s] poems!

Judge Nicole Berner, in asserting that Elizabeth did have a cause of action, defended women’s bodily autonomy.

JUDGE BERNER: I vote to reverse across the board. We cannot affirm a ruling that would further erode the rights of women to control their thoughts and emotions. or allow their most intimate and private decisions to be taken from them…. I will also say that in light of this evening’s ruling, I will be contacting my fine colleagues at the esteemed law firm of [redacted] for representation at my upcoming impeachment hearing.

Lowell returned to the stage to announce that Dr. Frankenstein was held liable by those in the theater and online.

Who can know what happens inside a marriage? It’s safe to say Victor and Elizabeth’s was a stormy one. We can, though, wish the best for these troubled souls. As to “Who was the real monster?” it’s up to you to decide.

The Shakespeare Theater Company’s 36th Mock Trial presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company Bard Association was convened on March 17, 2025, in STC’s Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St NW, Washington, DC, and live-streamed.

The program, including the Mock Trial Scenario, is online here.

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John Kani’s Kunene and the King, a U.S. premiere, brings us two great actors in a great play that explores the complex relationship between two South African men on different sides of the racial divide. The play takes place in 2019, 25 years after the first post-apartheid elections, which were won by Nelson Mandela and his party.

Jack Morris, a famous actor with terminal cancer (Edward Gero), lives in a wealthy white suburb of Johannesburg. Lunga Kunene (John Kani), an experienced Black male nurse, is from Soweto township, a historic center of popular resistance to apartheid and the site of one of its most heartbreaking tragedies, which we will learn about in the play.

Dr. Kani has a storied legacy as an actor, playwright, director, and activist. He is best known in America for his 1975 Tony-winning performances in The Island and Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, which he co-wrote with Athol Fugard and Winston Ntshona. But he is also internationally recognized for his work in theater and film. Director Ruben Santiago-Hudson, another Tony Award winner, is well-known as a director, actor, and playwright. With Lackawanna Blues (2005), he became the first person on Broadway to write, direct, and act in a play. He has also appeared in Sizwe Banzi Is Dead

Kunene and the King, which had its world premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company (2020) and in South Africa, reflects the changes after apartheid, but it is also the story of two men with very different struggles. Jack, an alcoholic, cannot help displaying racist attitudes. Lunga, determined to take care of his patient, is repeatedly forced to demand the respect he has been denied. Jack, who has been cast as King Lear, enlists Lunga to help him learn his lines. Lunga’s actual job is to keep him alive.

Both are experts in their field. And both have a deep love for Shakespeare. Lunga’s exposure to it has been unfairly limited, but he still has strong opinions about the play. About Lear he says this:

LUNGA: It’s not right what he did. I wouldn’t have advised him to do that if I was there. Bad things might happen to him. He might anger the ancestors.
JACK: There are no ancestors. This is not an African story. The English have no ancestors.                     .
LUNGA: Everybody has ancestors.
JACK: (in pain) What the hell are you talking about?

The power struggle between the two men is piercingly honest, sometimes brutal, sometimes shot through with humor. They perform a stirring bilingual duet of Mark Antony’s speech in Julius Caesar. They engage in a kind of repartee. They execute a debonair dance. But South Africa and its history are never far from the surface. Neither is Jack’s illness.

LUNGA: Funny thing, the people who say they don’t know about politics are usually very political. But on what side?
JACK: Ja, well look, I’m not going to lie. When I was growing up, life was good for us and we wanted to ride it to the end.
(Jack is suddenly in discomfort.)
JACK: Oh, no. This isn’t fair.
(Jack runs to the bathroom.)
LUNGA: (quietly, to himself) Life was good. They wanted to ride it to the end.

Kani and Edward Gero, a longtime member of the STC company and DC favorite, play together like two master musicians. In the intervals, Isithunywa (Ntebo), the Guiding Spirit, sings hauntingly beautiful songs. Her voice adds another dimension to an already gripping production. Ntebo is also a music consultant; additional music is by Romero Wyatt.

The set designed by Laurence E. Moten III serves as a poignant reminder of the differences between the two men. Jack’s home is spacious and well-appointed, featuring a poster of him as Richard II, while Lunga’s is smaller and less elaborately furnished.

Sound Designer DJ Potts’ evocative storm enhances the occasionally foreboding atmosphere. Rui Rita designed the lighting, and costumes are by Karen Perry. Under Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s direction, every aspect of the production reflects artistic integrity and exceptional execution.

In the Xhosa language, indigenous to Southern Africa, Lunga means “Kindness” and Kunene means “Truth.” Kani examines both concepts here. But there is also a flawed friendship, a country in conflict, and a writer whose greatness the two friends can share. So we can say, as John Kani does in his Asides essay, “SHAKESPEARE LIVES.”

Running Time: Approximately one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission.

EXTENDED: Kunene and the King plays through March 23, 2025, at Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Michael R. Klein Theatre (formerly the Lansburgh) – 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($39–$160) are available at the box office, online, or by calling (202) 547-1122. STC offers discounts for military servicepeople, first responders, senior citizens, young people, and neighbors, as well as rush tickets. Contact the Box Office or visit Shakespearetheatre.org/tickets-and-events/special-offers/ for more information. Audio-described and ASL-interpreted performances are also available.

The Asides program for Kunene and the King is online here.

COVID Safety: All STC spaces are mask-friendly — meaning all patrons, masks and unmasked, are welcome. Read more about Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Health and Safety policies here.

Kunene and the King
By John Kani
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Produced in association with Octopus Theatricals

CAST
Jack Morris: Edward Gero*
Lunga Kunene: John Kani*
Isithunywa: Ntebo
Understudy, Lunga Kunene: L. Peter Callender*
Understudy, Jack Morris: John Lescault*

ARTISTIC TEAM
Playwright: John Kani*
Director: Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Scenic Designer: Lawrence E. Moten III
Costume Designer: Karen Perry
Lighting Designer: Rui Rita
Sound Designer: DJ Potts
Dialect and Vocal Coach: Deborah Hecht
Fight Consultant: Sierra Young
Dramaturg: Drew Lichtenberg
Music Consultant: Ntebo
Additional Music: Romero Wyatt
Casting: Caparelliotis Casting, David Caparelliotis, CSA and Joe Gery, Danica Rodriguez
Associate Director: Timothy Johnson
Production Stage Manager: Laura Smith*
Assistant Stage Manager: JuanCarlos Contreras*

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers

The post Two great actors in a great play face off in ‘Kunene and the King’ at STC appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Fuenteovejuna, a U.S. premiere at GALA Hispanic Theatre, is a vividly contemporary version of an enduring masterpiece. The play itself is a jewel of Spanish culture. Its author, Lope de Vega (1562–1635), was a poet, playwright, and novelist who is often compared to Shakespeare. He is known for his exceptional productivity (1,500 plays) and is considered the greatest dramatist of Spain’s Golden Age.

The adaptor, internationally known playwright Juan Mayorga, modernizes the original’s poetry while maintaining its emotional power. (David Peralto is the poetry and verse consultant.) José Luis Arellano, a Helen Hayes Award–winning director of theater, film, and television, along with his fellow artists, has created a production that honors its source but also reminds us how much the play has to say to us, here and now.

Fuenteovejuna (1612–14) is set in the 15th century, at a time when Spain was rife with conflict between the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella and the King of Portugal. It is based on a true story — in 1476, the populace of the eponymous village rose up together against their selfish and cruel overlord, the Commander, who refused to relinquish his feudal power. Director Arellano describes the play as “a fight for justice in a cruel world.”

At first, we are in the castle convent of the Order of the Knights of Calatrava, who support the King of Portugal. The Commander (Iker Lastra) attempts to persuade the Maestre (Edwin Bernal), or Master, his superior, to join him in attacking the enemy stronghold of Cuidad Real. Lastra is a fiercely magnetic actor who holds the attention of the audience throughout. Bernal, younger but brimming with excitement, promises to “scorch its walls like a dread bolt of lightning.”

In a lovely interlude, we see our heroine, Laurencia (Julia Adun), a vision in white, singing in the Plaza of Fuente Ovejuna. Her spirit and eloquence make her one of the most appealing characters in the play, and Adun’s performance is first-rate and full of feeling.

LAURENCIA: The mounted girl rides down
to the valley of Fuente Ovejuna;
The lord with the Cross of Calatrava
Follows close behind
She hides among the trees
Ashamed and distraught
Pretending she didn’t see him
She ducks behind the branches.
“Why do you hide, lovely girl? My lynx-eyed desire
Scales walls.”

Then we are in the village of Fuente Ovejuna, which supports Ferdinand and Isabella. Laurencia decries the relentless attentions of the Commander. Her friend Pascuala (Catherine Núñez) is curious to know if Laurencia returns the affection of Frondoso (Samy Khalil), who is deeply in love with her.

Frondoso and his friend Mengo (Luis Obed) debate the nature and existence of love. Khalil extols its joy, while Mengo believes it is all based on self-interest. Unaware of their own charm, they could be any young men in Shakespeare. Already the village of Fuente Ovejuna represents the pastoral virtues of honesty and honor as opposed to the hypocrisy and selfishness of the city.

The vicious nature of the Commander reveals itself again and again. He not only attacks the women but is willing to kill Frondoso for defending Laurencia. His violence touches Obed’s Mengo and even Laurencia’s father, Mayor Esteban (Ariel Texidó). His enforcer, Flores (Luz Nicolás), enables and even imitates his behavior.

Reina (María Les Etoiles), or Queen Isabella, carefully balances the scales of justice at the end, when the true horror of the Commander’s fate is revealed.

The performances are bracingly original. Throughout the production, there are striking images — sinuous dances, confrontations, and the (interrupted) wedding of Laurencia and her lover Frondoso (Samy Khalil). The cast is exceptional not only in their individual performances but as an ensemble. And haven’t we seen these characters — all of them — in our culture or our lives?

In contrast to this grim reality, there is the presence of friendship and love — the love between Laurencia and Frondoso, the love between Laurencia and her father, and the love of the villagers for justice.

The scenic design (by Georgios Tsappas) is perfectly suited to the play and works beautifully for any number of scenes. The dark tones of the set enhance the somber mood. Jesús D. Cortés lighting, sound, and projections are extremely evocative. The costumes by Cidney Forkpah and properties by Pauline Lamb add greatly to the very real visual excitement of the piece. Special praise is warranted, too, for the score and Aldo Ortega (DJ), who makes his GALA debut.

There are so many haunting images that it is hard to pick one. Here’s an example: Fuente Ovejuna is sometimes translated as the Sheep’s Well or Sheep’s Fountain. In a stunning moment, Iker Laster as the Commander enters, surrounded by the cast. They are wearing the heads of sheep.

The question the playwright asks is this: Is it acceptable to use evil to combat evil? What do you think? It’s still worth asking.

Running Time: Two hours, with one 10-minute intermission

Fuenteovejuna plays through JMarch 2, 2025 (Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm), at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th Street NW, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets online. Regular tickets are $48, Thursdays and Sundays; $50, Fridays and Saturdays; $35, seniors (65+), military, and groups (10+); $25, 25 and Under. For more information, visit galatheatre.org or call (202) 234-7174.

In Spanish with English surtitles.
The play is appropriate for ages 14 and up.
The playbill for Fuenteovejuna is downloadable here (scroll down).

COVID Safety: All performances are mask-optional. See GALA’s complete COVID-19 Safety Policy.

Fuenteovejuna
By Lope de Vega
Adapted by Juan Mayorga
Directed by José Luis Arellano
English Translation by Heather McKay
U.S. Premiere

CAST
Comendador (Commander): Iker Lastra
Laurencia: Julia Adun
Flores: Luz Nicolás
Pascuala: Catherine Núñez
Mengo: Luis Obed
Frondoso: Samy Khalil
Maestre (Master): Edwin Bernal
Esteban: Ariel Texidó
Reina (Queen Isabella): María Les Etoiles
DJ: Aldo Ortega

PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Design: Giorgos Tsappas
Lighting, Sound, and Projection Design: Jesús D. Cortés
Costume Design: Cidney Forkpah
Properties Designer: Pauline Lamb
Poetry & Verse Consultant: David Peralto
Intimacy Choreographer: Lorraine Ressegger-Slone
Stage Manager: Cat Moreschi
Production Manager: Ilyana Rose-Dávila
Technical Director: Jon Townson
Company Manager: Camilo Montoya

SEE ALSO:
GALA Theatre to present new and modern ‘Fuenteovejuna’ (news story, January 6, 2025)

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Dominion Stage’s production of Anthony Giardina’s The City of Conversation presents a family whose politics are incompatible with their love for one another. Strangely, conflict ensues.

Giardina is a novelist, essayist, and short story writer, as well as a playwright. The City of Conversation, which opened at Lincoln Center in 2014, is a witty, evocative depiction of politics in bygone administrations. This is the 75th season for Dominion Stage, Arlington’s oldest community theater.

It is Georgetown, 1979. Jillian Blair is Hester Ferris, the kind of political hostess who believes passionately in her favored causes. But there is something else she finds almost as essential: just the right makeup, just the right dress, and just the right name to drop. A dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, she hates passionately too — for instance, 1) Jimmy Carter, 2) her son Colin’s 1960s hair, 3) anyone who is foolish enough to get in her way.

Colin (Cameron McBride) is a sensitive young man, very much in love with his fiancée, Anna Fitzgerald (Raeanna Nicole Larson). Anna is just as politically savvy as Hester but on a different side. Under her influence (and possibly due to his mother’s insistent advocacy of the Democrats), he has warmed to the conservative charms of her favorite candidate, Ronald Reagan. This is not necessarily a problem for them (see James Carville and Mary Matalin), but Mom Hester is far from happy. In her eyes, Reagan is nothing but a “washed-up movie star governor.”

McBride, as Colin, is somewhat taken aback by his mother’s all-too-familiar antics. Larson’s Anna, like Hester, is certainly ambitious. But her beliefs are sincere and she does not seem competitive. Hester, despite all evidence, immediately views her as a threat. The consequences of their mutual antipathy resound throughout the play. McBride and Larson, married in real life, make an appealing couple, and their scenes together are truthful and effective.

Hester is idealistic, and her determination to fight for causes she believes in is admirable. But as a character, she is not particularly sympathetic nor witty enough to be a fascinating monster. Blair plays her somewhat too broadly, emphasizing the snobbery rather than exploring what might be beneath it. The problem may be a flaw in the writing. Hester is a truly terrible mother in the first act, manipulative and controlling. In the second act, she is magically transformed into an affectionate grandmother to Colin and Anna’s son, Ethan. That is a difficult transition for any actress.

Jean Swift, Hester’s sister, is a WWII widow whom Hester treats as a kind of maid. Like many women in her position, she attempts (and fails) to rein in her sister’s excesses. But as portrayed by Danielle Taylor, she is attractively modest and thoughtful.

Hester, to her credit, is part of an initiative to force candidates for federal judgeships to resign from all-white country clubs. She has invited a Kentucky Senator, George Mallonee (Robert Heinly), a Republican whom she hopes to rally to the cause. Heinly, as Mallonee, is a bit pompous and quite a bit Southern. He’s the kind of man you might find drinking mint juleps on the porch, or talking about it. As his wife Carolyn, Gayle Nichols-Grimes has a dry sense of humor, enhanced by knowing expressions and an impeccable Southern accent. Also among the party is Chandler Harris (Joe Dzikiewicz), a patrician Senator from Virginia and Hester’s (married) boyfriend.

The men, captivated by Anna, admire her for joining them after dinner (the first, Chandler recalls, was Sally Quinn). Hester, who before Mallonee arrived, described his state as “awful,” coos about its “wonderful white fences.” Dzikiewicz, as Chandler, proves to be a convivial and literate sort who likes to drink brandy and quote Adlai Stevenson. Colin, who wants a future quite different from the one his mother imagined for him, is noticeably uncomfortable. And the tensions between Colin and Hester ultimately explode.

In Act II, the year is 1987. The issue at hand is the ill-fated nomination of the controversial Robert Bork to the Supreme Court.

Hester is taking care of Colin’s son, Ethan, while poring over an anti-Bork letter to be published. She and her grandson Ethan (the excellent Callan Smiley) have a close relationship. She apostrophizes on the inherent superiority of being a Democrat and refers to Bork as “evil.” When Chandler enters, he opines that Bork is a racist and his beard is “weird.” The weirdness, he is sure, is what will ultimately do Bork in.

Chandler is now drinking to excess, possibly wearied from the strain of being in the minority party. Hester and Anna’s differences have only intensified. Hester cannot resist telling Ethan that Bork is bad, and Anna cannot help resenting it. Anna fears that if Hester’s letter attacking Bork is printed, Colin, now a reliable Republican, will be out of a job. The gulf between the two women is wider than ever.

Finally, it is 2009, Obama’s inauguration. Everyone has moved on. Hester and Jean are now both in their eighties. McBride is clever, though still conflicted, as the adult Ethan. He is now a teacher in the Bronx. Brian Marigny turns in a fine performance as his partner Donald Logan, a Columbia graduate student in history. Will the celebration of Obama’s victory, and the love between this young couple, lead to a rapprochement? As an audience, we can only hope.

Director Jessie Roberts has captured the emotional life of the script well, although the tone is uneven. These scenes from our political past can be moving, but sometimes they seem almost quaint. Still, the themes of ambition, love, and loss are as resonant as ever.

The set by David Correia is sufficiently detailed and versatile to encompass all three eras. Sound design by Jon Roberts and lighting design by Ari McSherry are well attuned to the production.

It’s a case of À la recherche du temps perdu. Some things are the same, some are very different. But we are all reminded that, when it comes to human nature, plus ça change plus c’est la même chose.

Running Time: Approximately two hours, with one 10-minute intermission.

The City of Conversation plays through February 15, 2025 (Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 pm), presented by Dominion Stage, performing at Theatre on the Run,
3700 S Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington, VA. Tickets are general admission and cost $25 (online coupon code “HESTER5” saves $5) and may be purchased online. The online box office closes at 4:30 pm the day of performance, but a limited number of full-price tickets may be available at the door prior to curtain. Come early to secure a seat.

COVID Policy: Masks are optional.

The City of Conversation
By Anthony Giardina

CAST
Anna: Raeanna Nicole Larson
Carolyn: Gayle Nichols-Grimes
Chandler: Joe Dzikiewicz
Colin/Ethan (adult): Cameron McBride
Donald : Brian Marigny
Hester: Jillian Blair
Jean: Danielle Taylor
Mallonee: Robert Heinly
Ethan (child): Callan Smiley

PRODUCTION STAFF
Executive Producer: Danni Guy
Director: Jessie Roberts
Stage Manager: Brittany Huffman
Sound Designer: Jon Roberts
Costume Designers: Carol Pappas & Judy Whelihan
Props Designer/Set Dresser: Katy Jones-Powe
Lighting Designer: Ari McSherry
Set Design: David Correia
Hair & Makeup: Maurissa Sosa

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