Results tagged “theaterj”

Despite its World War II period setting and the old-fashioned feel of its Broadway by way of the Catskills laughs, Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers feels remarkably of the moment. A father is driven to bankruptcy trying to take care of his dying wife. In tough economic times, he joins the war effort to get himself out of debt, leaving his two teenage sons in the care of his stern mother, who also has an adult child still living at home. It seems like a plausible early 21st century storyline. Except that today when we have to treat the catastrophic illnesses of uninsured loved ones, we end up owing more than we can pay to banks, instead of the loan sharks Simon's Eddie has to pay. OK, so maybe it's not that different.

It seems that Theater J’s artistic director Ari Roth, who adapted Chekov's classic already touches on issues of faith (whether it be in the value of one’s artistic work, talent, or identity), so there's no harm in throwing religious faith onto the pile.

Annie Hall: The Musical. Does the concept cause chills of horror to run down your spine? An odd thrill of excitement? An eye roll and a laugh? Complete and total apathy?

There's something strangely comforting and yet oddly disturbing about watching Barbara Rappaport chop an onion.

Theater J's -esque musical referencing the WWE in the same breath as scripture. Postmodern, "in-on-the-joke" type of piece that directly addresses the audience and weaves the future with past.

, but their connection in this play of familial estrangement adds an additional layer of emotional impact.

As April was the month of 80 zillion new play openings, we kind of thought things would slow down a bit for the theater community in May. Not the case – we’ve got lots of exciting productions to share with you, from post-modern Hamlet comedies to, well, Hamlet itself. Plus, something new from the guy behind “Schindler’s List”. Here’s what’s playing. Catalyst Theater impressed all its larger competitors by taking home the award for best...

, now being staged at Theater J. In this production, in which the actress plays five members of a Jewish family in the 80s, material that may have been dated instead feels like a cozy trip back to a time gone by.

FRIDAY: >>Today is Bastille Day, which commemorates the Fête de la Fédération of 1790, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille July 14th, 1789 — basically it's all about sticking it to the man and rising up as a French nation. But as all noble foreign holidays seem to be celebrated in America, we've turned it into an excuse to eat and drink too much. Last year we put together a...

, his meditation on vengeance), who has re-imagined the life of artist Pablo Picasso to have ended decades earlier, by the hands of a Nazi officer.

It's June and while many houses are wrapping up their seasons rather than embarking on new productions, others are up to the task of bringing something for us to watch this month, though the summer theater season looks a bit heavier than the X-Men-like offerings the summer movie season brings each year. Dysfunctional student/teacher relationships are at the center of Woolly Mammoth Theater's satirical The Faculty Room (June 5). Four men renounce women in favor...

Bal Masque, currently being staged impressively by Theater J, says very little with enough flourish and wit that we barely notice the offense. But it also loses some of its flair when it moves away from the mildly mundane concerns of the exceedingly rich and succumbs to soap opera-worthy twists intended to shock.

So much theater, so little time...that's what DC theater fans will lament as they view the hefty list of Beltway-bound openings this month. Enough introduction: let's leave room to showcase everything from Kushner to Capote.

FRIDAY: >> The Depeche Mode Dance Party promises a wonderful new wave time at the Black Cat. 9:30 p.m., $7. >> St. Petersburg’s renowned Kirov Ballet presents the fairy-tale ballet "Cinderella" at the Kennedy Center Opera House. 7:30 p.m., $47-112. SATURDAY: >> Local favorites Juniper Lane, one of our music picks for January, make a return to the stage at Iota in Arlington. Lead singer Vivion Smith's voice is powerfully captivating, and they've been...