Benjamin Tomchik

Catch Me If You Can is not Molly Smith’s first musical with a con artist at the heart of it. In 2012, she directed a hit production of The Music Man, whose main character, Professor Harold Hill, could give Abagnale a run for his money. What is it about these men who have the ability to make us see what we want, and to command the stage while doing so, that lends itself to the theater?

Change Agent is a play based on historical events, in this case the life of American painter Mary Pinchot Meyer (Andrea Abello) and her relationship with President John F. Kennedy (Luis Vega). The two meet at a college dance in 1936, continually run into each other at major world events, such as in San Francisco at the founding of the United Nations in 1945, and develop a friendship and then relationship culminating during Kennedy's presidency.

August Wilson’s story of seven friends in post-war Pittsburgh may take a while to get started, but don’t let the slow pace or lengthy run time fool you. The play, and Arena’s production, have all the ingredients of great drama - rich characters, powerful writing, and human introspection - and together they simmer and tell a timeless story about race and economic inequality in America.

Held bi-annually, the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Mock Trials showcase a side of 'official' Washington too rarely seen. Bringing together the capital's top legal minds, the cases seek to entertain as well as educate. Veteran Washington lawyer Abbe David Lowell will serve as an Advocate at the upcoming June 22nd trial, and says that each of the cases seeks to accomplish four goals.

The family at the epicenter of John Steinbeck's groundbreaking novel The Grapes of Wrath forever captured the nation's heart in 1940 with a celebrated film version starring Henry Fonda. Now, Arena Stage is continuing the Joad family story with Mother Road, a play in which actor Tony Sancho finds himself carrying on the legacy of these beloved characters whose story has suddenly found renewed relevance eight decades later.

The Amen Corner shows the role faith can play when there is almost nowhere left to turn. This alone is a powerful statement about the American experience.

Yes, Washington, even in these cynical times, fairy tales do come true. For proof, look no further than the dream come true that is The National Ballet of Canada's production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Kennedy Center.

In the case of Haysam Kadri and A Thousand Splendid Suns at Arena Stage, this production is more than just a chance to revisit the role of Rasheed. It is an opportunity to return to a play he not only finds deeply moving, but one he has experienced as both an actor, director, and now as an actor, again.

This holiday season; skip the presents under the tree. All I want is tickets to Fiddler on the Roof at the National Theatre.

In Arena Stage's Dear Jack, Dear Louise, Jake Epstein is not only talking about another period, but another form of communication, one long since forgotten by society a?' letters.

For Director Richard Clifford, Amadeus is more than just a modern classic; it is also a story of friendship. His relationship with the play goes beyond the Folger and directing this production, but back to England and the play's author, Peter Shaffer.

Studio Theatre's production is frustrating since both the creative and acting components of this production are stellar. The real outrage is not what happens onstage, but what doesn't. And for that, the blame lies solely with the playwright Anchuli Felicia King.

When thinking of the great composers and playwrights whose works have graced Arena Stage, these are the names that come to mind. So when Disney's Newsies was announced for this season, it is understandable why some were shaking their head quizzically.

Giuseppe Verdi's penultimate masterpiece is brought to its intense glory in a production filled with magnificent performances and crackling with dramatic fervor.

Lately John Austin's career seems to have two constants, exploring society's most topical issues and doing so at Arena Stage.

Half the fun of TheNew One is getting to embrace the rollercoaster of parenthood with Mike Birbiglia, and to laugh while doing so. The other half is just feeling goodleaving the theatre. Now, when was the last time that happened to you?

Doubt: A Parable, a fitting title if ever there was one. Jesus used parables to teach as does Shanley. His message that even though stories like that of Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn did happen, it's up to us to make sure they do not happen again.

If Jayne Atkinson were looking for a tour-de-force, then she found one as the late Texas governor holding court at Arena Stage in Ann. Written by Holland Taylor, Ann is a one woman play about the late Texas Governor Ann Richards that is part reflective autobiography, part homage to public service, and always entertaining.

When Kelly Hubbell opens in Codependent at the Capital Fringe Festival this Thursday, the journey for both the play and Hubbell will not be marked merely by miles, but by friendships, family, and sisterhood.

Chris Renalds is giving the audience advice you may never expect to hear from a performer. In fact, it is so contradictory to the norms of theatergoing that some thespians may even consider it blasphemy. However, when you consider that the show he is performing in is Rock of Ages, Renalds' advice suddenly makes perfect sense.