Tonight, the D.C. theater community will descend on Warner Theater, decked out in tuxes, kilts, ball gowns and whatever else the artsy crowd comes up with to approximate “black tie” attire. It’s the night each year they get the chance to party their brains out and recognize the outstanding contributions they’ve made this year; it’s the Helen Hayes Awards. As busy theater critics with day jobs, we don’t get the chance to attend and review…

One might think that a serious dramatic production exploring the legacy of slave rebellion leader Nat Turner really shouldn’t be taking up important stage time to invoke Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video. They’d be more shortsighted than Timothy Douglas, director of Theatre Alliance’s pulsing production of Insurrection: Holding History. This high energy piece is yet another example of the outstanding ensemble work we’ve been seeing from Theatre Alliance lately. In Insurrection, we’re treated to the return…

While it’s not unusual to see a solid cast backed by a capable ensemble in a typical D.C. theatrical production, your average show probably is only going to deliver one or two magnificent performances. Clearly, Theatre Alliance’s production of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye is not your typical D.C. production. One after the other, we see the members of this graceful group of actors offer remarkable turns, particularly by the show’s female contingent. The Bluest…