June 25, 2009, is a day that I’ll never forget. I remember that I was on a shuttle bus taking the trip home when, it was announced by a fellow bus writer, that Michael Jackson had passed away. The day is visited again in the play, The Night Michael Jackson Diedwhich had a dry run at The Hamilton in Washington D.C., on the ninth anniversary of the King of Pop’s passing.
(Desi Oakley as Jenna in the National Tour of WAITRESS – Credit: Joan Marcus)
The new musical “Waitress”, based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly, is “peachy” as well as several other flavors. It is based on a book by Jessie Nelson. Tickets are available at the National Theatre until June 3.
The stage is set when a charming minstrel, (Nick Rashad Burroughs) graces the stage to set the scene to welcome us to the Renaissance in London, England. His funny exaggerated facial expressions are amplified when the entertaining ensemble joins in the welcome song to add enjoyable dance moves to amuse the audience. They sing about new modern things which makes the audience laugh, as they are old to us. The tone was set for comedy and the cast delivered.
As a fan of dance, my expectations were high when I found out that I would be attending “Step Afrika’s Step Xplosion at Strathmore. The event which wasn’t an all-out competition, but more or a less a celebration of stepping and, how it helps children on their journey into adulthood.
Thursday, December 28th was opening Night of THE ILLUSIONISTS – LIVE FROM BROADWAY at the world-renowned John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington D.C. Optical illusions and the wonderful world of magic tricks were front & center in a night filled with comedy, breakdancing and of course magic.
The essence and spirit of Hip Hop music were alive on Monday, July 10th at the Millennium Stage located inside the historic Kennedy Center during a production of “Synching Ink.” As part of the annual Hip Hop Theater Festival, “Synching Ink” is a great love letter to Hip Hop and breath of fresh air for anyone tired of mumble rap. Written by Baltimore native & Howard University graduate NSangou Njikam.
The cast of “Finding Neverland” at the Hippodrome. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
“Finding Neverland” may sound familiar…”Peter Pan”, “Hook”, “Pan”, isn’t that movie with Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet? Yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it all before and seen it! Well, not like this!! This show envelops you right from the beginning and brings you right into the amazing mind of J.M. Barrie. This is the tale of how the story weaver, found his inspiration in four boys and changed his life in many ways. I know, you’re going to say that you have seen the movie! When you see a picture of a flower, you do not get the grace and elegance of its soft, silky petals, or the intoxicating aroma of its perfume. It’s just not the same! This maybe the same idea of a story, but it’s a musical, with choreography that is You can tell that this choreographer loves dancers and showcasing their individuality. Oh, did I mention that the choreography was created by Mia Michaels, one of the greatest in the world!?!?
Euan Morton as Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Photo by Joan Marcus.
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” takes center stage at the Eisenhower Theater at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC through July 2, 2017.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company announces the final production of its 37th Season, Hir, by playwright Taylor Mac, directed by Shana Cooper. Hir will run May 22-June 18, 2017.
The cast of “Something Rotten!” National Tour Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
“Something Rotten” is the hysterically funny story of the Bottom brothers and their rise to meteoric fame, against none other than Shakespeare. This tale takes place in the 1590’s. With similarities in humor to “Spamalot”, this British farce set to music is so funny every minute, that I couldn’t wait to see more.
