This month, D.C. theater is serving up something for everyone: political humor, Shakespeare, The Go-Gos, Fidel Castro, Einstein, and Sting! Many of the shows have short runs so catch them while you can.
Last Chance
Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes – Signature Theatre’s latest production from The Heidi Thomas Writers Initiative (a multi-year commitment by the theater to produce female playwrights along with female directors) presents D.C.-area playwright Dani Stoller’s new comedy. It follows Marian, the matriarch of a Jewish family who’s finally enjoying settling into retirement with her new husband. Her eagerly-awaited quiet life is interrupted by the chaos of her pregnant niece, a troubled next-door-neighbor, and her distressed daughter. Her empty nest is now uncomfortably full of drama. The show closes March 29.
Timon of Athens – Shakespeare Theatre Company’s new artistic director Simon Godwin presents a re-staged version of his production at his new theatrical home. (It initially ran at The Royal Shakespeare Company.) This lesser-known Shakespeare play follows the riches-to-rags journey of Timon, a wealthy woman known for throwing opulent parties with the who’s-who of Athens. When she loses her money and her friends, she hides out in the woods and plots revenge on all those that she perceives to have wronged her. Olivier Award-winning actress Kathryn Hunter comes from the UK to grace the D.C. stage as Timon. Show closes March 22.
Just Opening
Head Over Heels – It seems like every pop/rock act has an origin story on the stage these days, so it’s refreshing when a musical can create an original story and incorporate a musical group’s hit songs, Mamma Mia-style. Monumental Theatre Company in Alexandria does just that with a musical about a 16th century medieval romance (with a queer twist!) set to the music of the Go-Gos. Haven’t you always wanted a rendition of “Our Lips are Sealed” sung by a dashing knight? Your wish is granted. Get the beat March 5-23.
Celia and Fidel – Set in the 1980s, this fictional play based on real events presents the story of Fidel Castro and his trustiest confidant and political advisor, Celia Sánchez. Together, they face a struggling economy and 10,000 Cubans seeking asylum at the Peruvian embassy of Cuba. This show at Arena Stage, written by famed playwright and Cuban immigrant Eduardo Machado and directed by Arena’s artistic director Molly Smith, adds elements of magical realism to a genuine conflict between a female revolutionary and a political leader grappling with his own power and ambitions. Runs Feb. 28-April 12.
Einstein’s Wife – New new local theater group ExPats Theatre brings its latest to the stage of Atlas Performing Arts Center. Serbian playwright Snezena Gnjidic tells the story of Einstein’s first wife, Mileva Marić, who was also a physicist and mathematician in her own right. Recently discovered correspondence between Einstein and Mileva shows she was integral in creating the theory of relativity, though she never received credit. This feminist play explores how this intelligent woman’s achievements were derailed and shadowed by her husband and society’s demands. The play runs March 5-22.
Inherit the Windbag – In this world premiere by play local Washington Post humorist Alexandra Petri and presented by Mosaic Theater Company, liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley faux-reunite for a modern day revival of their famed 1968 series of debates. In a hilarious battle of wits and bombast these men duke it out for the truth of history and are visited by a cast of characters that includes Ayn Rand, James Baldwin, and Truman Capote. While the Democratic debates on television have simultaneously entertained and horrified, this play will do the same—on steroids. Enjoy laughing about politics from March 11-29.
Quick Runs
How to Elope in the Most Expensive Way Possible – Spring is right around the corner and that means wedding season (and the headaches that come with it) is upon us. Take a tip from this AnyStageDC play at the DC Arts Center and just elope. A disclaimer: Even when couple Katie and Chris ditch their big ceremony in favor of a stress-free quickie trip to Atlantic City with their two friends, new anxieties seem to follow them to the altar. Catch this unconventional romantic comedy at one of their five performances March 6-14.
Freak and How the Moon Would Talk – Round House Theatre’s Teen Performance Company presents a production of two separate one-acts that both deal with contemporary teenage issues. How the Moon Would Talk grapples with grief in young people, and Freak reimagines a Greek myth to address issues facing modern teens. The teen performance company works all year, studying under professional mentors, to produce a professional grade production on Round House’s mainstage. Performances run March 6-8.
The Last Ship – The musical starring the music of Sting and featuring Sting himself comes to The National Theatre for a limited run. Inspired by Sting’s 1991 album The Soul Cage and the musician’s own life experiences, the show’s story revolves around a failing shipyard and the ensuing outrage of the small English town, helmed by shipyard foreman Jackie White (played by Sting). The show opens March 27—Sting will play White in all 13 scheduled performances.
