Metro Weekly

Stage Preview

Fall theater in Washington, DC

ACTORS’ THEATRE OF WASHINGTON
1835 14th Street NW
www.atwdc.org

LILIES — Jeffrey Johnson directs this compelling gay romantic drama set in a boy’s school in Canada amid the staging of a Passion Play. Starring Brian McMonagle and Patrick O’Neill (10/15 to 11/16)
DEATHWATCH — Written while in prison in 1942, this is Jean Genet’s first dramatic effort, an intense examination of oppressor and oppressed as three inmates struggle for control of their prison cell. (2/25/04 to 3/20/04)
LOOT — Gay playwright Joe Orton’s most vibrant farce, directed by Jeffrey Johnson (4/21/04 to 5/23/04)
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW — Jim Sharman and Richard O’Brien’s musical still ranks as one of the most original of all time. Can’t wait to see who plays the sweet transvestite (Summer, 04)



Robber Bridegroom

AMERICAN CENTURY THEATRE
Gunston Arts Center
Arlington, Va.
703-553-8782
www.americancentury.org

THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM — A darkly funny folk musical based on a novel by Eudora Welty (9/11 to 10/11)
IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS — A special holiday show evoking the bittersweet Christmas season of WWII (11/20 to 1/31/04)
MISTER ROBERTS — The 1948 classic by Thomas Heggen and Joshua Logan tracks the exploits of an officer aboard a cargo ship in the Pacific during WWII. Directed by Jack Marshall
A FLAG IS BORN — Ben Hecht’s controversial and passionate drama that argued for a Jewish homeland in the wake of the Holocaust (3/18/04 to 4/24/04)
MACHINAL — A groundbreaking expressionistic 1928 masterpiece by Sophie Treadwell, directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner (6/17/04 to 7/10/04)


ARENA STAGE
1101 6th St. SW
202-488-4377
www.arenastage.org

SHAKESPEARE IN HOLLYWOOD — Ken Ludwig’s farce follows the strife of director Max Reinhardt to bring Midsummer Night’s Dream to film in 1935. With Casey Biggs, Robert Prosky, the Ridiculous Theatrical Company’s Everett Quinton, and the incomparable Ellen Karas. Directed by Kyle Donnelly (now through 10/19 in the Fichandler)
PROOF — Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer and Tony Awards, David Auburn’s mesmerizing drama centers on a woman coping with the death of her father. Directed by Wendy Goldberg (10/3 to 11/23 in the Kreeger)
CAMELOT — Artistic Director Molly Smith directs the popular Lerner-Loewe musical. Won’t it be nice to see it out of a dinner-theatre setting for once? (11/4 to 1/4/04 in the Fichandler)
CROWNS — Adapted by Regina Taylor from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry, this musical is a co-production with the Alliance Theatre Company and the Goodman Theatre of Chicago (12/12 to 2/14/04 in the Kreeger)
A MAN’S A MAN — Bertolt Brecht’s political satire about the tranformation of a naïve dock worker into a military machine (1/30/04 to 3/7/04 in the Fichandler)
YELLOWMAN — This 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist deals with the fractured relations between “dark” and “yellow” African Americans. Directed by Tazewell Thompson (3/5/04 to 4/18/04 in the Kreeger)
SENOR DISCRETION HIMSELF — A comedy based on the music and lyrics of Frank Loesser, directed by Charles Randolph-Wright (4/9/04 to 5/23/04 in the Fichandler)
ORPHEUS DESCENDING — Secrets and redemption frame this Tennessee Williams scorcher. Directed by Molly Smith (5/14 to 6/27 in the Kreeger)


CENTER STAGE
700 N. Calvert St.
Baltimore, Md.
410-332-0033
www.centerstage.org

MISALLIANCE — Classic drawing room comedy by George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Irene Lewis (10/3 to 11/2 in the Pearlstone)
a.m. SUNDAY — A new play by Jerome Hairston that confronts the rituals of family life (11/13 to 12/14 in the Pearlstone)
THE MISER — A new translation and adaptation of the Moliere masterpiece by James Magruder (1/9/04 to 2/8/04 in the Pearlstone)
SWEENEY TODD — We can never get enough of Sondheim’s pinnacle achievement (next to Into the Woods, that is). Neither, it seems, can our area (2/20/04 to 4/11/04 in the Head Theatre)
SPEED-THE-PLOW — David Mamet’s sharp, incisive take on the manipulation behind the film industry (4/2/04 to 5/2/04 in the Pearstone)
TILL THE BREAK OF DAWN — Danny Hoch’s innovative work centers around a group of artist-activists who head to Havana for an international hip-hop festival, only to discover more than rum and rap (5/14/04 to 6/20/04 in the Head)


CHERRY RED
1835 14th St. NW
202-298-9077
www.cherryredproductions.com

WORM GIRL — Inches her way into our hearts (now to 10/18)
ANGER BOX — Jeff Goode jumps into the fray with ten little axe-to-grind monologues (11/7 to 12/27)
MALCOLM — A teenage hunk struggles with his sexuality. Adapted by Edward Albee from the novel by James Purdy, in what might just be Cherry Red’s first leap into truly insightful, meaningful theatre (1/16/04 to 3/6/04)
COCKTAIL — The outlandish troupe is right back to shocking funny business with this story of a man who invents a new kind of cocktail — one that’s, shall we say, inseminated? (3/26 to 5/15)
THE BOOK OF LIZ — David and Amy Sedaris penned this off-the-wall comedy under the nom de plume, The Talent Family. Paul Donnelly directs (6/4/04 to 7/24/04)


CLASSIKA THEATRE
4041 S. 28th Street
Arlington, VA
703-824-6200
www.classika.org

CHEKHOV’S JOKES — Two one-act comedies — The Bear and The Marriage Proposal — by the Russian master (9/27 to 11/9)
UNCLE VANYA — One of Chekhov’s all-time greatest (2/14/04 to 3/29/04)


FOLGER THEATRE
201 E. Capitol St. SE
202-544-7077
www.folger.edu

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL — Richard Clifford directs this Shakespearean confection, starring Catherine Flye, Rick Hammerly, Naomi Jacobsen and Holly Twyford (10/25 to 11/30)
MELISSA ARCTIC — A world premiere from playwright Craig Wright, based on the late romance in The Winter’s Tale. Featuring David Marks and Holly Twyford (1/23/04 to 2/29/04)
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS — Joe Banno directs this story of mistaken identities as two sets of identical twins are separated at birth (4/16/04 to 5/14/04)


FORD’S THEATRE
511 Tenth St. NW
202-347-4833
www.fordstheatre.org

THE GRAPES OF WRATH — Frank Galati’s Tony Award winning adaptation of John Steinbeck’s potent tale of hard times during the Great Depression (10/1 to 11/15)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL — As always (11/22 to 12/31)
GEORGE GERSWIN ALONE — Back by popular demand, Hershey Felder’s arresting look inside the great Gershwin (1/6/04 to 1/25/04)
LOOKING OVER THE PRESIDENT’S SHOULDER — A captivating evening of storytelling by actor John Henry Redwood who plays Alonzo Fields, an African American who spent 21 years as chief butler at the White House (1/30/04 to 3/7/04)
CHILDREN OF EDEN — Stephen Schwartz’s musical is inspired by the Book of Genesis. Directed by David H. Bell (3/25/03 to 6/6/03)


GALA HISPANIC
Warehouse Theatre
1021 7th Street NW
202-234-7174
www.galatheatre.org

DIVORCIADAS, EVANGELICAS Y VEGETARIANAS — A chance encounter at a subway stop takes three women on a wacky adventure. By Venezuelan playwright Gustavo Ott. Directed by Abel Lopez (10/2 to 10/26)
EL ANGEL DE LA CULPA — A dark comedy by Chilean playwright Marco Antonio de la Parra (12/4 to 12/14)

LA DAMA DUENDE — Spanish playwright Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s comic cloak and dagger classic (1/29/04 to 3/7/04)
CANDOMBE: TANGO NEGRO — A look at the roots of tango conceived and directed by Hugo Medrano (6/3/04 to 6/27/04)



Bounce

KENNEDY CENTER
202-467-4600
www.kennedy-center.org

BOUNCE — The new musical by Stephen Sondheim, with direction by Harold Prince, is the story of Addison and Wilson Mizner, two turn-of-the-century con artists. Starring Richard Kind, Howard McGillin and Faith Prince (Eisenhower, 10/21 to 11/16)
LA CASA AZUL — Sophie Faucher’s one-woman show inspired by the writings of Frida Kahlo graces the Terrace (10/30 to 11/1)
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW — The KenCen continues its affiliation with the Royal Shakespeare Company with this critically acclaimed production of one of Shakespeare’s finest (Eisenhower, 12/16 to 1/5/04)
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS EXPLORED — The Eisenhower plays host to three months of the great gay playwright’s classics — A Streetcar Named Desire (4/27/04 to 5/16/04), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (6/1/04 to 6/20/04), and The Glass Menagerie (7/6/04 to 7/25/04)
PRODUCERS — The Tony Award-winning blockbuster musical, based on the Mel Brooks film, makes a two-month stop at the Opera House (6/22/04 to 8/22/04)


Taming of the Shrew


METRO STAGE
1201 N. Royal St.
Alexandria, VA
703-548-9044
www.metrostage.org

ROUGH CROSSING — Tom Stoppard freely adapted this work from a classic Molnar farce (9/18 to 10/26)
NOEL AND GERTIE — Songs, sketches and scenes pepper this lithe musical, utilizing the music of Noel Coward, surrounding the unconventional love affair between Coward and Gertrude Lawrence (11/13 to 12/14)
FILLER UP! — The world’s only Jewish New Zealand comedian plays 27 characters and bakes a challah, all while singing and dancing (2/11/04 – 3/7/04)
ROSEMARY AND I — A one-woman show written by and starring Leslie Ayvazian (4/1/04 to 5/9/04)
MAHALIA — Tom Stolz’s musical biography of Mahalia Jackson stars Bernardine Mitchell as the great lady herself (5/20/04 to 7/11/04)


NATIONAL THEATRE
1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
202-628-6161
www.nationaltheatre.org

CATS — The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical may have closed on Broadway but it’s now and forever on tour. It stops here for a four week run (9/30 to 10/26)
MAMMA MIA! — The return of the ABBA-derived musical (11/20 to 1/18/04)


OLNEY THEATRE CENTER
2001 Sandy-Spring Rd.
Olney, MD
301-924-3400

www.olneytheatre.org

ANNA KARENINA — Tolstoy’s epic brought to the stage (now through 9/21)
CHARLEY’S AUNT — A cross-dressing farce by Brandon Thomas (10/1 to 11/2)
THE GIFT — A heartwarming holiday musical based on the unforgettable stories of O. Henry by Andrew Gerle and Maryrose Wood. World premiere. (11/19 to 12/28)


REP STAGE
10901 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, MD
410-772-4900
www.howardcc.edu/repstage

FOOL FOR LOVE — The Sam Shepard classic directed by Jackson Phippin (9/26 to 10/12)
THE DAZZLE — Kasi Campbell directs this strange tale of the eccentric Collyer brothers (10/31 to 11/23)
VITA & VIRGINIA — Eileen Atkins chronicles the unconventional friendship between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West (1/30/04 to 2/22/04)
ARCADIA — Tom Stoppard’s drama about two rival scholars who race to solve the mysteries and scandals surrounding an historic country estate (3/12/04 to 3/28/04)


ROUND HOUSE
East-West Hwy. at Wisc. Ave.
240-644-1100
www.roundhousetheatre.org

THE DRAWER BOY — Michael Healey’s drama of the relationship between two Canadian farmers features Marty Lodge, Mitchell Hebert and Eric Sutton (9/10 to 10/12)
HEARTBREAK HOUSE — The George Bernard Shaw classic, directed by Nick Olcott and featuring Jane Beard, Marty Lodge, June Hansen and Emery Battis (11/12 to 12/14)
A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS CAROL — This holiday parody puts a little egg in the holiday nog, all in good fun (12/17 to 12/28)
WINTERTIME — A bittersweet romantic comedy by Charles L. Mee, featuring Naomi Jacobson (1/28/04 to 2/29/04)
FENCES — Thomas Jones II directs this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by August Wilson (3/31/04 to 5/2/04)
THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND — The Kander and Ebb revue, featuring music from Kiss of the Spider Woman and Cabaret (6/2/04 to 7/3/04)



The Rivals

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE
450 7th St. NW
202-547-1122
www.shakespearetheatre.org

THE RIVALS — Keith Baxter directs this late Restoration comedy by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Featuring Nancy Robinette, Hank Stratton and Tessa Auberjonois (now to 10/19)
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM — Mark Lamos directs Shakespeare’s most enchanting (and arguably most popular) work (11/4 to 1/4/04)
HENRY IV, PART 1 — The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Bill Alexander directs this history play that gets the ball rolling toward kingdomship for the carousing Prince Hal. With Ted van Griethuysen as Falstaff (1/20/04 to 3/13/04)
HENRY IV, PART 2 — The saga continues as Prince Hal casts off his carefree youth and accepts his royal responsibilities (3/16/04 to 5/2/04)
CYRANO DE BERGERAC — Michael Kahn directs Rostand’s timeless tale of unrequited love and longing (6/8/04 to 8/1/04)



Twentieth Century

SIGNATURE THEATRE
3806 S. Four Mile Run Drive
Arlington, VA
703-820-9771
www.signature-theatre.org

TWENTIETH CENTURY — The Ben Hecht/Charles MacArthur comedy romp is given a reworking by Ken Ludwig. Directed by Eric Schaeffer (now through 10/5)
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM — Sondheim at his most whimsical. Directed by Gary Griffin and starring Floyd King as Pseudolus, the role made famous by Zero Mostel (10/28 to 12/14)
ALLEGRO — One of the underappreciated gems in the Rodgers & Hammerstein repertoire has been revised, revitalized, and refurbished by director Eric Schaeffer (1/6/04 to 2/22/04)
THE NEXT GIG — Jill Sobule kissed a girl, and how she’s written a musical. Sobule will star alongside Sherri Edelen in this world premiere directed by Eric Schaeffer (3/23/04 to 5/9/04). THE BLUE ROOM — David Hare adapted La Ronde by Arthur Schnitzler and the result is this steamy, searing look at romance, sex, isolation and hypocrisy. With nudity presumably intact. Directed by Wendy Goldberg (6/1/04 to 7/11/04)
ANYTHING GOES IN CONCERT — The Signature gang return to Lubber Run Park to present this free concert of the Cole Porter classic (6/23/04 to 6/27/04)


STUDIO THEATRE
1333 P Street NW
202-332-3300
www.studiotheatre.org

TOPDOG/UNDERDOG — Winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and directed by Joy Zinoman, the play focuses on the relationship between two brothers who are forced to confront the shattering reality of their future (now to 10/19)
THE LIFE OF GALILEO — David Hare adapts the work of Bertolt Brecht in this compelling portrait of the founder of modern science. Starring Ted van Griethuysen (10/22 to 12/7)
THE YORK REALIST — Serge Seiden directs this tender love story between a rural York farmer (Christopher Lane) and an urban Londoner (Tom Story), whose claustrophobic social identities, time and place conspire to keep them apart (12/3 to 1/11/04)
THE SYRINGA TREE — Gin Hammond stars in this Obie Award-winning poignant memory play set in South Africa (2/13/04 to 2/29/04)
FAR AWAY — Holly Twyford stars in this Washington Premiere of an imaginative drama from the great contemporary surrealist Caryl Churchill. Joy Zinoman directs (3/31/04 to 5/9/04)
THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN — A wistful, brutal and loopy play by Ireland’s Martin McDonagh, directed by Serge Seiden (5/19/04 to 6/27/04)
JOHN EPPERSON IN REP — The vibrant and astonishing Lypsinka returns with a full repertory of performances including Lypsinka! As I Lay Lip-Synching and John Epperson: Show Trash (6/4/04 to 6/21/04)

Studio Theatre Secondstage productions include Christopher Shim’s FOUR, a provocative picture of sex in contemporary America directed by Kate David (1/8/04 to 2/1/04) and THE WHO’S TOMMY, directed by Keith Alan Baker (7/15/04 to 8/15/04)


THEATRE J
16th & Q Streets NW
202-777-3229
www.theatrej.org

GOD’S DONKEY: A PLAY ON MOSES — The San Francisco-based A Traveling Jewish Theatre brings its cutting edge, movement based interpretation of the story of Moses to stunning life. Performed by Aaron Davidman and Eric Rhys Miller (10/30 to 11/23)
FROM TEL AVIV TO RAMALLA: A BEAT-BOX JOURNEY — Hip-hop performance meets street-wise documentary as vocal magician Yuri Lane weaves a vox-pop tapestry of Palestinian and Israeli voices into a modern mosaic of the Middle East (11/1 to 11/30)
PSYCHE IN LOVE/WELCOME TO MY RASH — A World premiere from Wendy Wasserstein (The Heidi Chronicles) that details the surprising relationship between a patient and a doctor and the beguiling power of moisturizing cream (1/11/04 to 2/22/04)
HOMEBODY/KABUL — The most recent work by Tony Kushner, the author of Angels in America (3/8/04 to 4/18/04)
PASSING THE LOVE OF WOMEN — Set in 19th century Poland, this fable is adapted from the story “Two” by Isaac Bashevis Singer (5/5/04 to 6/6/04)
OH, THE INNOCENTS — A romantic comedy written and directed by Theatre J artistic director Ari Roth (6/23/04 to 7/25/04)



Cooking with Elvis

WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE CO
202-393-3939
www.woollymammoth.net

THE MINEOLA TWINS — The newest work from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (and lesbian) Paula Vogel stars Sarah Marshall as a pair of very different twins (now to 10/5 in the DCJCC Goldman Theatre)
COOKING WITH ELVIS — Lee Hall’s cult hit is set in a small working town and concerns an Elvis impersonator whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of a handsome stranger into his family life (12/15 to 1/11/04 in the KenCen Film Theatre)
HOMEBODY/KABUL — See Theatre J listing)
MARGA GOMEZ LIVE! — A new solo work from the gay Latina comic (5/25/04 to 4/28/04 in the KenCen Film Theatre)
THE RADIANT ABYSS — Three colorful drifters stalk their hopes and anxieties. By Angus Maclachlan (6/14 to 7/18 in the Ken Cen Film Theatre)


WIT!
2438 18th St. NW
www.dcwit.com

The comedy troupe continues to perform late nights at DCAC. Its season will include a joint performance with the Chicago troupe Uncle Elaine in November and a holiday-themed show in December

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