Elliot Lanes - Page 14

Today's subject Ann Hould-Ward is both a Tony and Drama Desk Award winning costume designer. Her work isn't limited just to the theatre by any means. Besides contributing designs for such legendary Broadway productions as Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George (co-design with her mentor Broadway legend Patricia Zipprodt), her work has also been seen with many dance and opera companies all over the world.

Today's subject, John Leslie Wolfe, has been living his theater life to the fullest for many years now. His credits include Broadway, national tours, television, and film. Local theatergoers might remember him from his performances at Signature Theatre in Titanic, The Threepenny Opera, and West Side Story or in 1776 or Ragtime at Ford's Theatre. Currently, John is back at Signature Theatre in rehearsal for the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical Passion directed by Signature Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. Performances begin on August 14th in Signature's MAX Theatre space. The production runs through September 23rd.

I think it's safe to say that guns in America might be one of the most divisive and important topics today. Nowadays school shootings are on the news more frequently than ever and there is usually a story every week about some kind of incident involving a gun.

You might say that Arena Stage's Artistic Director Molly Smith is responsible for some of the most socially and politically conscious theatre produced in the DC area. Her Power Plays initiative is just one example of how she presents work that entertains, educates and promotes discussion after viewing.

Finally, here is a play where the most important person in a theatrical production is front and center. I am speaking of course of the stage manager (SM); you know, the one that keeps everything running smoothly from the first day of rehearsal through performance.  Playwright Scott C. Sickles' hilarious play Perfecting the Kiss is a cross between a theatrical farce (think Noises Off) and a mockumentary film (think This is Spinal Tap.)

Producing a show in a festival setting can be a harrowing experience. There are many things that can get in your way. Things like a small playing space, bad acoustics and everyone's favorite, a fifteen-minute set up and strike time.

Facing a medical crisis is never fun, particularly one that could potentially kill you. Veteran actor Vincent Clark (who might be best known for his work at Washington Stage Guild with over 30 productions so far) has taken his real life medical emergency horror story and turned it into an amusing and sometimes horrifying basically one man show, An Unhealthy Man Lectures You on Medical Issues.

This is our final installment of our four part V Blog series on The Making of The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts' production of the DC premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The show features a score by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz and a book by Peter Parnell. The production is part of Theatre Lab's Summer Musical Institute. The show runs through July 21st.

Today's subject Rob Berman is currently living his Theatre Life as the Musical Director for the world premiere of Dave at Arena Stage. The production, based on the 1993 film and directed by Tina Landau, runs through August 19th in Arena Stage's Kreeger Theatre space.

So far, in our four part Vblog series on the making of The Theatre Lab School of  the Dramatic Arts' upcoming production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, we've seen much happen in a short time. The production is part of Theatre Lab's Summer Musical Institute.

We all know how hard the life of a performer can be. You inevitably have to take gigs you don't want to take in order to make some income. So, what happens then when you are a classically trained actress and the only jobs you can get are on crime reenactment shows? The good folks at Guillotine Theatre show you with their entry into this year's Capital Fringe Festival, Deadlie Affairs: Arden of Faversham.

You might know today's subject Joshua Morgan from his many performances in and around the DC area. He has worked at such prestigious local theatres as Arena Stage, Theater J, Folger Theatre, and Rep Stage. He also ran a wonderful theatre company called No Rules Theatre Company for years.

Last week, we started a four part vBlog series on the making of The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts' upcoming production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.The production runs July 19th to 21st for four performances as part of Theatre Lab's Summer Musical Theatre Institute for Teens.

It's no secret that I think the Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts offers the best educational theater experience in our area. Their offerings this summer, as part of the Summer Musical Institute for teens, is no exception - and it's a big one. They're presenting the DC premiere of the Alan Menken/Stephen Schwartz musical adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The company only has three and a half weeks before it's four performance run beginning on July 19th.

For all the bad in this country right now, there are still things that bring us happiness and joy. The musical You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is a prime example of how innocent children and their pets can make you remember that not everything is bad in the world. How many times have we thought that Snoopy would catch the Red Baron or that Charlie Brown would win that baseball game? Yes, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is the type of show we need to see right now to give us something to root for in this country.

Tony Award-nominated actress Eva Noblezada has had a kind of meteoric rise to stardom over the last few years. She was discovered at age seventeen by a New York casting agent at the Jimmy Awards and won the role of Kim on the West End in the Cameron Mackintosh revival of Miss Saigon. She went on to reprise the role on Broadway and received a Tony Award nomination for her performance.

You most likely know today's subject Matthew Gardiner as the Associate Artistic Director of Signature Theatre – one of the area's go-to place for musicals

Today's subject, Eva Noblezada, made a huge splash in the West End a few years back in the revival of Miss Saigon, playing the coveted role of Kim. This was after being discovered at the Jimmy Awards, which recognizes excellence in high school theatre across the United States. Eva then went into Les Miserables on the West End before reprising Kim in Miss Saigon on Broadway. That performance garnered her a well-deserved Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

Today's subject, Alexandra Silber, is known on both sides of the pond as a versatile, killer performer. This international dynamo is currently living her theatre life onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) as Guenevere in Camelot. The production has been extended and now runs through July 8th in STC's Sydney Harman Hall space.

Today's subject Naomi Jacobson is currently living her theatre life onstage at Studio Theatre in their superb world premiere production of The Remains. The show runs through June 24th in the company's Mead Theatre space.