Sam's Review Club

Witches are not sexy. They are a representation of centuries of oppression women did (and still do) experience for doing things they shouldn’t. Creative Cauldron’s new production of Witch , part of their Bold New Works for Intimate Stages initiative, simultaneously educates audiences of the injustices “witches” throughout history face while paralleling the tales with modern struggles for equality. The evening is largely a success, revealing the ways this once deadly moniker can be a beacon of girl power for the 21st century. With America at a crossroads for gender equality, works like this are essential in sparking conversations necessary for our society’s advancement. The musical employs a simple frame story to propel the evening’s action. Seven women gather at the first Women's March in 2017. Three generations are present: Marie, Fiona, and MAry are accompanied by their mothers Destiny, Molly, and Maggie. To round out the group, Maggie's mother, Becky, tags ...

Ro Boddie(Willie), Craig Wallace (Sam) and Nick Fruit (Hally) in Master Harold... And the Boys at Round House Theatre. Photo by Kaley Etzkorn. Athol Fugard is one of the most difficult modern playwrights. His shows are largely punctuated by blunt dialogue, devoid of noticeable metaphor, and rely on the creation of highly realistic scene scapes defined oftentimes by the most mundane. None of his works exemplifies this style more than his most famous work, Master Harold… And the Boys . This is what makes Master Harold such a challenging work. Round House Theatre’s new revival, which opened Monday in Bethesda, tries hard but doesn’t prove up to the challenge of this dense work. A semi-autobiographical work, Master Harold chronicles a rainy afternoon spent between a white South African youth and the two black men who work his mother’s tea shop. Master Harold, affectionately known as Hally, searches for anything to distract him from the boring school work placed in fron...

Yesenia Iglesias, Lisa Hodsoll, Keith Irby and Teresa Spencer in The Caucasian Chalk Circle Photo by Daniel Schwartz Allegorical works are becoming more atypical during the age of Trump. For modern playwrights, it's easier to bluntly educate audiences (a la Arena Stage's Sovereignty ), attack leaders (Mosaic Theatre's Vicuña ), or explicitly advocate for change (Signature's 4,380 Nights ). Burying meaning behind complex, and often ridiculous, stories can make underlying themes more difficult to parse for audience members. This proves a double-edged sword, however, as complex allegories give audiences a reason to dissect and discuss what has unfolded in front of them. Constellation Theatre Company's new production of Bertolt Brecht's The Caucasian Chalk Circle isn't perfect. It is undoubtedly a celebration of what smart allegory can be. As this small theater company stretches itself to the limits to ensure they do Brecht's seminal work just...

Shoot the Moon . Photo by Rahi Rezvani. There is something profound about the simple. Such is the driving force behind the Nederlands Dans Theater’s (NDT) program currently playing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Three shockingly different dances fill this two hour program and, while the dancers wrap themselves about in complex positions regularly, the emotions portrayed are always simple and translate brilliantly. Artistic Directors Paul Lightfoot and Sol León are to be commended for their diverse and cutting-edge selections. The first piece moves the audience before the curtain even rises. Set to a Philip Glass piece, movement II from Tirol Concerto , the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra elevates the orchestrations to great heights. Such highs are only complimented when the curtain rises to reveal a simplistic facade of a room interior. It could be any room anywhere, and thus the audience is transported to whatever location they have felt the longi...

The Paper Dolls... All dolled up. Photo by Stan Barouh. If you’ve ever thought what it would be like to cross an episode of Ru Paul’s Drag Race with a searing Middle East drama and put all of the action to pop hits of the early aughts, Paper Dolls the perfect show for you. Mosaic Theater Company’s newest entry to their Voices from a Changing Middle East cycle is a delightful piece of sheer entertainment. The show unfortunately tries to cover too many topics, however, and is thus unable to reach the dramatic heights some of its subject matter calls for. Based on the award-winning 2006 Israeli documentary of the same name, Paper Dolls reveals the world of five gay male Filipino nurses in Tel Aviv who care for elderly Orthodox and Chasidic men six days a week. On the seventh day? They become the Paper Dolls and headline their very own drag show. At one such performance, the group is spotted by a young gay documentarian, Etai (John Bambery, who does good work with a thinl...

Dancers Lauren Stucko (senior) and Madison Brott (junior) beautifully dance the roles of Red Girl and Pink Girl in Lar Lubovich's  A Brahms Symphony. Photo by Tim Coburn George Mason University is a bit of a trek when discussing arts organizations in the DMV area. If Saturday night’s School of Dance Fête and Gala Concert is any indicator, then this trek is worth making. Celebrating the strides Mason’s (still young) dance program has made in recent years, the evening was a unique combination of educational panels and dance showcases. With four moving performances capping off the evening, Mason’s dance program cements itself as one to not be underestimated. Beginning the evening with the Dance Fête (meaning a celebration or festival) allowed the Mason faculty and students to better connect with their most ardent supporters. Multiple panel discussions were held to break down the upcoming performances on stage in a way which made those who may not have an extensive dance ...

Photo by: Susana Millman Don't be fooled by all of the bright colors. The Mark Morris Dance Group's (MMDG) newly commissioned Layla and Majnun , which opened last night at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, lacks the necessary energy to elevate this tragic yet formulaic love story. It's evident from the start that all of the performers on stage are immensely talented, which is why the lack of cohesion throughout the evening becomes frustrating. A Persian love story that has previously been expressed mostly through poetry, Layla and Manjun is a story of star-crossed lovers akin to Romeo and Juliet . Despite growing up together as childhood sweethearts, Majnun is believed to be possessed by his love for Layla and the two are driven apart. Layla is then married off to another while Majnun becomes a hermit who writes lengthy verses about his immense love for her. Though the two attempt to meet later in life, they die without ever doing so. ...

Photo credit: Margot Schulman Few productions can claim to be as much of an institution as Shear Madness is to Washington, D.C. With over 13,000 performances under its belt at the Kennedy Center, this show has become once of theater's most notorious tourist traps. This comedic caper whose plot can vary wildly each night incentivizes repeat viewings to those who are true converts. And although the stereotype-laden script struggles when viewed in 2018, the immersive whodunnit remains an experience unique enough to justify Shear Madness 's continued existence. Walking into the Kennedy Center's intimate Theater Lab space, it is clear the evening will be a wacky one. The vibrant set decoration (originally designed by Kim Peter Kovac and adapted by Scott L. Hammar) is a treat to look at. Contrasting blues and pinks pop and pull the eyes to a new part of the set every few moments. Coupled with Mr. Hammar's complimentary costumes, the sensory overload is a good pr...

Photo Credit: Christopher Banks The Women’s Voices Theatre Festival may be winding down in D.C. proper, but Alexandria’s MetroStage is looking to keep the focus on female-centered stories with their Spring Solo Series. The second of these one-woman shows, George—Don’t Do That: The Music and Magic of Joyce Grenfell, is a love-filled tribute to British comedienne Joyce Grenfell who became a global sensation in the mid-20th century thanks to her intellectual satire and good natured spirit. Despite clear adoration for the play’s subject, the work doesn’t properly explain who Ms. Grenfell is or why she became so famous, information which would be helpful for a modern American audience. British actor Catherine Flye (MetroStage’s Christmas at the Old Bull and Bush ) stars as Ms. Grenfell in this tribute which she has been performing throughout the British Isles since 2003. It’s surprising, then, that so much of this production feels incomplete. On many occasions, Ms. Flye referenc...

Show art property of The Humans . All Rights Reserved. During the performance of The Humans last night at the Kennedy Center I had to constantly try to focus on the words of Stephen Karam’s script. Even in their slower moments, Karam’s words are quick, efficient, and representative of how real families experiencing real struggles communicate. It’s a shame the cast was unable to elevate these words to the dramatic heights of which they are capable. Winning the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play, The Humans is a real-time drama set in a duplex apartment in New York City. Having just moved into their new abode, Brigid (a slightly grating Daisy Eagan) and Richard (Luis Vega) decide to host Thanksgiving dinner. The evening is already off to a rocky start thanks to the moving trucks being delayed. There is nearly no furniture in their apartment, which creates a less than inviting space for Brigid’s family upon their arrival. The young couple hopes they can nevertheless make the most ...

Show Poster Image Property of On Your Feet!  All Rights Reserved When I saw On Your Feet! last night at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the audience had gone crazy before the curtain rose. Unexpectedly, the real-life Gloria and Emilio Estefan were in attendance for the musical chronicling their lives. Knowing these legends were present energized the audience in a way I have seen only a handful of times before. It was clear the evening would be an exciting one no matter what played out on stage. For those unfamiliar with the history of Gloria, Emilio, and the Miami Sound Machine, the musical serves as a solid history lesson. Little Gloria (Carmen Sanchez) grows up in Little Havana in Miami, Floria. Her mother, Gloria Fajardo (Nancy Ticotin, one of the strongest but most inconsistent actresses), and grandmother, Consuelo García (a scene-stealing Alma Cuervo), watch after her. Quickly, Gloria matures into a beautiful young woman (original Broadway standby for Gloria,...

Cosette logo and the words  Les Misérables  are the registered trademarks of Cameron Mackintosh Overseas Limited. Let me start by saying I wanted to love this production. I would have settled for just liking it. Unfortunately, the touring production of Les Misérables that opened at The National Theatre in Washington, D.C. on December 20 is riddled with technical, performative, and artistic fumbles which prevent the production from rising to new heights. The French melodrama remains the same. Jean Valjean (played here by a too-young Nick Cartell) is released following a 19-year prison sentence. After breaking his parole in an attempt to restart his life as a new man, the policeman Javert (Josh Davis, a high point) hunts down Valjean, threatening to undo all of the convict’s hard work. Upon evading arrest, Jean Valjean becomes the charge of Cosette (Jillian Butler), a girl orphaned after her mother Fantine’s (Melissa Mitchell) passing. As the June Rebellion take...