In the last few weeks I took over a handful of plays from my editor at We Love DC. With her plays, plus the ones to which I’d already committed, plus a couple of free tickets from friends, I saw 9 shows in 3 weeks, and then reviewed most of them. I prepared for it …
Setting Theater lobby, c. last week Characters Woman: 40s, theater-goer Man: 40s, woman’s companion, know-it-all Me: Your average musical-obsessed patron – (WOMAN, MAN, ME stand in line waiting for theater doors to open) Woman: (singing to herself) Camelot… Camelot… Man: What are you singing? Woman: “Camelot.” It’s a musical, I think. Man: You THINK? You THINK?!?! …
About once a week I get an email that pisses me off as an artist. It usually comes through a legit writing site and opens by promising some great opportunity for selected playwrights, then ends with a description that shows it’s anything but an opportunity. Today I received two. It inspired me to start this …
On our way back up through the Virginia hills before New Years, we stopped in Abingdon, VA. I’d been to Abingdon once before – my aunt and uncle took me there when I was little to visit the Martha Washington Inn and see the farce Don’t Dress for Dinner at Barter Theatre. At the time, my hosts …
As an essayist I was excited to see Other Desert Cities at Arena Stage the other night. The play concerns a young woman named Brooke who, after a serious run-in with depression, reveals to her family that she’s writing a memoir about them. Well, not is writing. Has written. And not just any American family … Continue reading »
The darkest days of February are really rough, don’t get me wrong; but after tracking my mood pretty carefully over the last few years I’ve noticed how much a toll April always takes. If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder, there’s nothing more comforting than seeing spring come around. It’s a huge relief to know a … Continue reading »
In March, producers announced a Gigi revival will head to Broadway for the 2014-15 season. It will feature an adaptation by playwright and Emmy-nominated screenwriter Heidi Thomas. Eric D. Schaeffer will direct. I’m excited to see Schaeffer’s name attached. A Broadway veteran, he’s also the artistic director of Signature Theatre, the Tony Award-winning hub for … Continue reading »
[The following scene is copyrighted; but if you'd like to use it for something, contact me!] The Tragic Heroine Characters: Professor Morris Amy, a student Setting: Northwestern University, present day (PROFESSOR MORRIS sits at her desk. AMY knocks and enters.) Prof. Morris: Hi, Amy. I suppose you know why I called you in here today. … Continue reading »
I’m a big fan of opera star Patricia Racette, who is well-known for her Puccini heroines and whose performances have been seen in movie theaters around the world as part of The Met’s Live in HD series. I recently reviewed her debut performance as Manon Lescaut here at the Kennedy Center in DC. Having really … Continue reading »
An insurance adjuster with two devoted parents, Julie was happy with the life she had – that is, until she discovered Larry, Julie’s biological father. The following excerpts take place after her mother’s death, when Julie tracks down Larry and demands a meeting with him. “Calculations” was filmed at Louisiana State University in February 2013. … Continue reading »
Name a musical theater hit that covers a sad topic – poverty, war, death, etc – and I’ll show you a producer or critic who hated it for its dark themes. When the West Side Story creators went looking for investors, they came up empty-handed. Every single producer they approached backed out of the project, … Continue reading »
