The "mad" knight, Don Quixote, escapes the reality of the Spanish Inquisition and his imprisonment in this play within a play.

Set in a prison, Cervantes and his fellow prisoners awaits their hearings and most probably torture and death, while holding Cervantes’ own prisoner-led mock trail.

The story of the Man of LaMancha revolves around tax collector Alonso Quixano, who, in his own mind, becomes a retired gentleman, obsessed with truth, virtue and chivalry.  Yet to others, he has seemed to have lost his mind after taking on the persona of nobleman Don Quixote.

Dressed in knights armor, and with his trusty sidekick, Sancho Panza at his side, he goes in search of windmills to duel and to courageously defend the honor of his ideal “lady”, Dulcinea.  In reality, she is the angry and bitter abused prostitute Aldonza, who works at an inn.

Considered to be one of the the first “modern” novels and usually near the top of any list of great stories, Man of La Mancha was written in the early 17th century by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

The musical version of the drama, originally a Tony Award-winning Broadway play, just opened this past weekend at the intimate Church Street Theater in  Dupont Circle.  And the always entertaining Keegan Theatre group puts on an emotional and powerful performance. 

The highlight of the production must be Carolyn Agan’s portrayal of the rough whore, Aldonza (and lady Dulcinea).  With her powerful singing voice, she seems not to play the role effectively, but actually becomes her role.  You don’t believe she’s acting angry or bitter, you believe she truly is.  At several moments in the production, you could sense tears just below the surface of her character’s strong and defiant exterior in mid-song. She also effectively portrayed Martha Jefferson in 1776, at the Church Street Theater last year.

The other cast members perform and sing with gusto, delivering the moments of humor and irony believably, which brought chuckles and laughter when needed.  Michael Innocenti as the mostly rational Sancho Panza, Kevin Adams as the confused innkeeper/”governor”, and David Jourdan as the lead role (Don Q), also seemed to delight the audience. 

NOTE: Due to the adult subject matter (prostitution, violence and rape), this play is not suitable for children under 13. 

Man of La Mancha
Keegan Theatre production
Church Street Theater
1742 Church Street, NW
Washington, DC  (map it)
703-892-0202

Dates and Times – Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Through August 16, 2008.

Tickets – $35.00, Seniors and students $30.00 and are available by calling 703-892-0202, Ext. 2 or by e-mail your request to boxoffice@keegantheatre.com.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Dupont Circle – Red line, then a 3-block walk.

Parking – Limited street parking and or use the parking garage at 1616 P Street (only $6.00 after 5:30).

Images – Courtesy of the Keegan Theatre. Photos by Ray Gniewek, #5 – Dave Jourdan as Don Quixote, #1 -Michael Innocenti as Sancho, #2 – Carolyn Agan as Aldonza  

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Post from: The DC Traveler

While some think President Bush’s ratings are the lowest ever, Nixon’s dropped to just 23% during the peak of the Watergate scandal.

Now imagine sitting in the Lincoln Sitting Room in the White House, on the evening the Richard Nixon evaluates his presidency, and ponders if he should either resign his office, or fight the pending impeachment.  The charges was obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress.

As a result of the scandal, 25 officials from his administration, plus 45 others were convicted of related crimes.

The brilliantly written and performed fictional political satire, Nixon Nixon’s at the Round House Theatre in suburban Bethesda, MD, takes you behind the scenes of the public Nixon, his presidency and how the most powerful man in the world might examine his life when the walls of his house are crashing down around him.

With his Secretary of State, Henry Kissenger at his side, and the brandy freely flowing (plus Nixon’s colorful language flowing even freer), they discuss their options.  They discuss Nixon’s accomplishments, both men’s legacies and even examine possible ways to distract the public from Watergate, in a poignant, comical and at times, sad way.  The conversations gives us a glimpse of Nixon’s perceived paranoid and narcissistic personality, as well as his humanity and inner fears.  Some of the dialog about Nixon’s 1960 loss to John Kennedy, the closest election in American history, strangely correlate to today’s Obama-Clinton “let’s count all the votes” battle.

In humorous conversations in which Nixon and Kissinger reenacts meetings with world leaders, including Chairman Mao, Brezhnev, John Kennedy and Israel’s Golda Myre, they recount political victories and show how Nixon should be called the first “comeback kid”.

The below video overviews the “smoking gun”, a tape of his participation in obstructing justice, his resignation address to the nation and his departure form the White House.

The two man, one-act play stars two local actors who reprise their 1999 acclaimed performances in the same roles, with Edward Gero as Nixon and Conrad Feininger portraying Dr. Kissinger.  Gero has Nixon’s mannerism, voice and persona down so well, easy to suspend reality and believe he’s actually on stage.  And Feininger effectively plays role of a Secretary of State who has written off the President, but half-heartedly tries to remain a loyal adviser, while keeping one eye on his own legacy and questionable political future.

The performance I attended ended with an immediate and well-deserved standing ovation.  Nixon’s Nixon is a play for a must see for who lived through Watergate or wants a view of how politics might work behind closed doors.

I give this play 5-stars, on a 5 point scale.

Nixon’s Nixon
Round House Theatre
4545 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)

Dates and Times – Wednesdays – Sundays, through June 29, 2008

Tickets – $50.00 – $60.00 and are available online.  The language makes this play inappropriate for children.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda, Red line, then a 1-block walk.

Parking – Paid parking ($4.00) in the attended underground garage across the street from the theatre. Entrance is on Waverly Street.

Images – Nixon leaving – public domain – National Archives, with Moa – LOC public domain, Round House – personal collection – ©2008, Jon Rochetti

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Post from: The DC Traveler

She daydreams all day at school about becoming a dancer on her favorite after-school teen dance TV program, “The Corny Collins Show”.  After auditioning and winning a spot as a dancer on the show, she is catapulted from a nobody to A-list celebrity overnight. 

In no time, Tracy becomes one of shows most likable kids, threatening the status of the station manager’s snobby and rich daughter. More importantly, jeopardizing the probability of her winning the “Miss Teenage Hairspray” pageant. 

Along the way she stand up for what she thinks is right amid a backdrop of the civil rights movement, teen crushes and interloping parents.

Hairspray 
Warner Theatre
513 13th Street, NW, between E & F St.
Washington, D.C., 20004 (map it)

Dates and Times – Tuesday – Sunday, April 15-20, 2008

Tickets – $38.50 – $75.00 and are available online or call 202-397-SEAT.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Metro Center – Red, Orange and Blue lines, then a one-block walk or use the DC Circulator.

Parking – Paid garage parking and very limited metered street parking is available.

Images – sign, can, Times Sq.

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Post from: The DC Traveler

Lily’s restricted life, with her older husband, is threatened when she befriends an African-American housekeeper who, while showing her a new world outside of her community, also opens her life to new opportunities. But with the new possibilities comes serious risk.

The story, by playwright David Adjmi, who grew up in a Brooklyn Persian Jewish neighborhood, uses social satire and violence in this provocative story to express the ways immigrants hold on to their culture, while attempting to Americanize their identity in the American melting-pot.

Stunning
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
641 D Street, NW at 7th
Washington, DC 20004 (map it)

Dates and Times – March 10 – April 6, 2008

Tickets – $24.00 – $51.00, based on day and section, and are available online .  Appropriate for ages 16 and over.

For patrons under 25 year of age, advanced tickets are $25 for most performances.

Woolly also offers limited Pay-What-You-Can tickets on Monday and Tuesday, March 11 and 12. These tickets are sold at the box office starting 90 minutes prior to curtain time. Limit 2 tickets per person. Cash or check only.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Archives/Navy Memorial – Green and Yellow line, then a 1-block walk or Gallery Place/Chinatown – Red line, then a 2-block walk. Or use the DC Circulator.

Parking -  Limited street parking, $10.00 theater patron parking at the Interpark Liberty Place garage across the street or other paid garages in the area.

Image – poster Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
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Post from: The DC Traveler

Micheal Baldessari and Jim Helein co-authored and performed in Sacred Cows at the Conseratory; a funny and fast-paced set of skits that examined the humorous side of American religious dogma and the related hypocrisy.

They return with their humor for the second installment of their “trilogy”, staring Helein and Renee Calarco.  Fear Itself humorously examines the current state of our collective fear in modern-day American culture. (“Not sure what the whole trilogy is yet, but it just sounds cool to say “second in our trilogy….” says Jim). 

Fear Itself, is billed as a frighteningly funny comedy that examines the constant state of fear in America – both justified and imagined.

The 80-minute show lampoons terrorism and government security warnings, the current fear of travel, Weather Channel reports that scare the masses, fear of radon gas, everyday fears of intimacy and relationships, as well as the daily news that adds more fear and tension to our already stress-filled lives.

Fear Itself
The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts
1556 Wisconsin Ave, NW
Washington DC, DC 20007

Performances - Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. through January 27th.

Tickets $20.00 available online  or by phone at 202-333-7009.

Nearest Metro subway station – Foggy Bottom station – Orange line, then about a mile walk or take the Circulator using the Georgetown – Union Station route.

Photo creidt – Ray Gniewek
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Post from: The DC Traveler