Jeffrey Walker - Page 8

Prepare for a waking dream as Spooky Action Theatre crosses through time and space with KAFKA ON THE SHORE.

OUR TOWN gets a reverent 75th anniversary production at Ford's Theatre. Thornton Wilder's classic drama still shines, in spite of some forced moments. Director Stephen Rayne allows the play to remain imaginative, while not offering a definitive take on it.

Making its tenth visit to Washington, DC, LES MISERABLES is still impressive, boasting a revised look and sound and a dynamic duo Jean Valjean and Javert, Peter Lockyer and Andrew Varela. The national tour makes a holiday season stop at the National Theatre through December 30.

Now running at Arena Stage through November 4, ONE NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN is a living, breathing collage of musical theatre, time capsule, and reunion concert with the late Janis Joplin. Performer Mary Bridget Davies was born to play Janis Joplin and Johnson has given her the perfect vehicle for her talents.

BIG, the Musical comes back in a new, Theatre for Young Audiences version that has a big heart. From ages 6 to 96, the TYA BIG will entertain and deserves to have a long life. Michael J. Bobbitt's production at Adventure Theatre-MTC is the world premiere.

Round House Theatre has produced the area premiere of Rajiv Joseph's haunting and powerful BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO. Jeremy Skidmore's production is monumental and the acting ensemble is superb.

Fredericksburg's Riverside Dinner Theatre offers haunting and romantic production of the other musical version of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera, featuring Patrick A'Hearn in the title role. PHANTOM continues through October 14, 2012.

Wayside Theatre takes a second trip to Tuna, Texas, and finds some laughs along the way. TUNA DOES VEGAS entertains through September 22, 2012 at Shenandoah Valley's venerable professional theatre.

The Keegan Theatre now has a masterpiece production with AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, running through September 2, at Church Street, Washington, D.C. Director Mark A. Rhea has assembled a skillful acting company, lead by Rena Cherry Brown, mining the depth of this award-winning play by Tracy Letts.

Keegan Theatre's producing artistic director Mark A. Rhea discusses the Washington, D.C.-based theatre company. The Keegan opens Tracy Letts' award-winning dark comedy AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY August 3, which runs through September 2, 2012 at the Church Street Theatre.

PRIVATE LIVES, quintessential Noel Coward, still shows style and wit onstage at Wayside Theatre, Middletown, Va. But the well cast production is amusing without being a laugh riot. PRIVATE LIVES runs through August 11.