Surrender, uh, Fugazi. Photo by Mike Maguire/Flickr
Ah, August. The frenetic craziness of Capital Fringe 2015 has settled down, and many local theaters are winding down for a summer break before kicking off their 2015-2016 seasons. We can all take a moment to appreciate some beautiful silence (the musical).
That said, it’s never a bad time to go see a play, and if you’re itching to escape into some air conditioning in between renting stand-up boards and dodging tourists on the sidewalks, DCist has you covered. Here’s our short list of shows playing this month:
LAST CHANCE
>>A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Fox News recently created much ado about nothing over taxpayer dollars supporting Synetic Theater‘s Wordless Shakespeare program. You can check it out for yourself with this remount of their 2013 entry. Through August 9
>>LET THEM EAT CHAOS: The Second City’s half-improv show was crafted specifically for Washington, D.C. and Woolly Mammoth. It is as hilarious as you might expect from a show by the famed improv group, though this is partially because the 50-50 scripted/improv ratio is in fact a lot closer to a safer 90-10 (unless you catch one of the special extended nights with an extra third improvised act). Through August 9.
>>THIS LIME TREE BOWER Your first of two chances to spend an evening listening to lovely Irish accents is available at Quotidian Theatre. The show is a trio of monologues by three young Irish men. Through August 9.
NOW PLAYING
>> THE BOOK OF MORMON: Hello! My name is Elder DCist. And I would like to share with you the most amazing musical. Yes, the renowned Broadway hit that spends half its run-time taking swipes at that other smash musical is back on tour at The Kennedy Center and nearing the end of its run. You don’t really need us to tell you to go see it, do you? Through August 16.
>>ONCE Also at The Kennedy Center, for those who like their romantic Broadway musicals with a side of tragedy. Emotional masochists can catch this Irish-accented tale of young love, angst, and vacuum repair. Through August 16.
>>code name: CYNTHIA: A premiere musical presented by Pallas Theatre Collective at the Anacostia Arts Center. The show focuses on World War II-era espionage and intrigue based on the real life story of a spy who dressed like a flapper.Through August 16
>>DEAR EVAN HANSEN: We spoke with some of the young minds who crafted this musical for Arena Stage last month. The musical features a Three’s Company-esque classic misunderstanding setup, assuming there’s a lost episode out there where everyone wackily misunderstands a suicide note. Hijinks ensue. Through August 23.
>>SILENCE! THE MUSICAL: Horror elements and musical spoofs go together like liver, fava beans, and a nice chianti. This musical comedy based on The Silence of the Lambs is currently running at Studio Theatre‘s 2ndStage. Through August 23.
OPENING SOON
>>THE LAST BURLESQUE: From Pinky Swear Productions, an extension of their Capital Fringe extended run. From August 6 through August 15.
>>ONE IN THE CHAMBER: Presented by Forum Theatre, playing at The Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint. From August 8 through September 6.
>>THE FIX: A political musical at Signature Theater. From August 11 through September 20.
