Elliot Lanes - Page 5

We all know that Jessica Vosk is best known for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. It’s how many of us first became familiar with her talents. When the tour came here to the Kennedy Center in 2016, Vosk effectively blew a hole in the roof of the Opera House. Her performance was that good. After touring, she was rightfully chosen to perform the show on Broadway for its fifteenth anniversary.

Today's subject Dani Stoller is currently living her theatre life as the playwright for Girlhood at Round House Theatre. The production is Round House's 21st Annual Sarah Metzger Memorial Play and as always, is performed by Round House's Teen Performance Company. The show performs February 17th through 19th.

Today's subject is one of those performers that proves you can reinvent yourself to great success. Many of us locally came to know Jessica Vosk when she blew into the Kennedy Center with the national tour of Wicked in the role of Elphaba. After touring with the show she took Broadway by storm in that same role. What is interesting about Jessica's professional performing carer is that it really didn't start until age 30 as she had been working on Wall Street up until then. Lucky for us, she made that career move.

A new local podcast, Creativists in Dialogue: A Podcast Embracing the Creative Life, launches February 1, 2023, at Creativists.substack.com. Supported in part by a fellowship to producer Elizabeth Bruce from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Creativists in Dialogue features thoughtful, in-depth interviews with people from all walks of life about the role creativity plays in shaping who they are. 

Today’s subject Thomas Floyd is someone you probably know if you are a regular reader of The Washington Post. Thomas is an arts journalist who contributes features on theater, movies, television, books and comedy for the Weekend and Style sections. He also writes theater, film, and literary criticism. That is more than enough for one person right there, but Thomas has another side to him as a writer and it’s one you might not think of.

Today's subject Norm Lewis is probably best known for his rich baritone sound and superb acting in several Broadway musicals. His tour de force performance opposite Audra McDonald in Porgy and Bess is still one of the great modern-day performances.

Every once in awhile I go to a concert and say “Wow! He/She is very talented but is trying too hard to win over the audience”. That was my impression after watching one of the stars of the current Broadway revival of Into The Woods Joshua Henry this past Saturday night at Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater.

Some of you might know today's subject Michael Urie from his work on the tv series Ugly Betty but his career as a stage, film and TV actor goes far beyond that one famous TV show. He can currently be seen onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) in Jane Anger playing the role of William Shakespeare. The production runs through January 8th at STC's Klein Theatre.

Today's subject Lissa DeGuzman is currently living her theatre life on tour as the belting green faced witch Elphaba in Wicked. The show runs through January 22nd in the Opera House at Kennedy Center.

After almost 40 years the first man to popularize Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) is still going strong. Michael W. Smith’s musicianship, skills as a composer, and entrancing vocal style has helped audiences of all denominations appreciate the word of God in a way that isn’t preachy. He gets the message across through his compositions and vocals.

Today's subject Aaron Posner is what I call a GOD of DC theatre. He is arguably one of the best interpreters of Shakespeare, Chekov, and so much more. His current production of The Tempest (co-director and co-adapter with Teller, yes, of Penn and Teller) is onstage at Round House Theatre through January 15th. The show is a co-production with Aaron's frequent DC theatre home Folger Theatre.

Today’s subject Lauren Pekel is currently living her theatre life as the Production Stage Manager for what is easily one of the more technically complex productions running in DC theatre right now. Nightly (with two matinees) at Studio Theatre, Lauren calls over 300 light cues and close to 100 sound cues for People, Places and Things. The show runs through December 11th in Studio Theatre’s recently open new space known as the Victor Shargai Theatre. Did I mention her only view of the stage is through two ten-inch TV screens? Read on to see how that all works.

Jacqueline Woodson’s 2018 children’s book The Day You Begin comes to radiant musical life in the Family Theater at the Kennedy Center this holiday season.

Today's subject Annabelle Lopez Ochoa has one of the most prolific careers in the world of dance. Starting tomorrow evening, November 30th, you can see her work Doña Perón at the Kennedy Center as performed by Ballet Hispánico. The performance runs through December 3rd.

Martyna Majok is easily one of the modern-day theatre’s finest playwrights. You might remember her play Ironbound being performed at Round House Theatre a few seasons ago. You might also know her as the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Cost of Living which concludes a successful Broadway run at Manhattan Theatre Club this week.

Today's subject Lance Pennington proves that longevity can be achieved while working in theatre. For 45 years, yes you read that right, he has been living his theatre life as a member of the props department at Arena Stage. His work can currently be seen with their current production of Holiday which runs through November 6th.

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts is thrilled to partner with the American Pops Orchestra to welcome Broadway star Nikki Renée Daniels for a one-time class for all actors and theatre lovers. Ms. Daniels will coach two advanced performers in front of an audience, giving everyone an opportunity to watch, learn, and ask questions about Ms. Daniels phenomenal acting and singing career.

Adrian Ries is currently living his theatre life as the musical director for the U.S. National Tour of The Band's Visit. The show runs through July 17th in the Eisenhower Theater at Kennedy Center. For those who can't see the tour in DC, it will conclude in Richmond VA playing from July 26th to the 31st.

Theatre Life chats with Bree Lowdermilk, one of the most talented modern-day composers working in the musical theatre. You might know her work from her long association with book writer/lyricist Kait Kerrigan. 

Deborah F. Rutter is the President of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. A post she has held since September 1st, 2014.