Fall offerings on regional stages
Published: November 5, 2009
Updated: November 5, 2009
1. “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
It’s splashy, it’s clever, it’s what you get when a young Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice decide to riff on the Old Testament.
Musical varieties as far flung as country western and calypso raise the art of “Hodgepodge” to new heights.
But it’s entertaining and that’s the point. Nicely done in this Riverside presentation. Reviewed.
Riverside Dinner Theatre, Fredericksburg
Call (540) 370-4300 or visit riversidedt.com
Playing through Nov. 22
2. “Scrooge, the Musical”
Seasonal musical to begin at Riverside with the closing of “Joseph…” See above contact information.
Playing Nov. 28-Jan. 3
3. “Smoke On The Mountain”A show that country music star Mel Tillis calls “the finest collection of great old time gospel music combined with hilarious comedy…” We reviewed this show (but not this production of it) last year and found it remarkably fresh and engaging. It’s all in the musicians.
Lazy Susan Dinner Theatre, Woodbridge
Call (703) 550-7384 or visit lazysusan.com
Playing through Nov. 29
4. “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure”
Ending its run this weekend, this is one of Wayside’s best. The great Holmes returns with John Alcott in the titular role, combining two of Sir Arthur Doyle’s most popular detective stories. Beautifully staged, acted, and paced. Reviewed.
Wayside Theatre, Middletown (540) 869-1776 or visit waysidetheatre.com Playing through Nov. 7
5. “Miracle on 34th Street”
The coming Christmas fare at Wayside Theatre featuring book and music by Wayside’s artistic and sound directors. See above for contact information.
Playing Nov. 28-Dec. 27
6. “Much Ado About Nothing”
Nothing Shakespeare wrote is about nothing, but the foolishness of lovers is as light as it gets, particularly in this “merry war” of wit. Directed by Timothy Douglas, expect an Afro-Caribbean slant. To be reviewed.
Folger Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Call: (202) 544-7077 or visit folger.edu/theatre
Playing through Nov. 29
7. “Show Boat”
If for no other reason, I want to review Signature’s “Show Boat” for the thrill of hearing “Ol’ Man River” sung as it ought to be. Expect a top drawer rendition of this lyrical masterpiece that spans 1880-1927 and follows the lives of three generations of “show folk.” To be reviewed.
Signature Theatre, Arlington
Call (703) 820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org
Playing Nov. 10-Jan. 17
8. “The Alchemist”
Considered Ben Jonson’s most successful comedy, “The Alchemist” has to be a farce or what could you do with three characters named Subtle, Face, and Dol? Sixteenth century London, even when stricken with plague, doesn’t escape a harsh expose of its social ills.
Shakespeare Theatre Co., Washington, D.C.
Call (202) 547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org
Playing through Nov. 22
9. “As You Like It”
Following “The Alchemist” at the Shakespeare Theatre Co. is this most enduring of Shakespeare’s comedies. Lovers lost and found, poetry good and bad, disguise and reality all meet in the Forest of Arden. And don’t forget the wrestlers. To be reviewed. See above for contact information.
Playing Nov. 17-Dec. 20
10. “The Fantasticks”
It’s hard to say what makes a piece of theatre keep going, agelessly, year after year, but whatever it is, “The Fantasticks” has it. Forty-two years, folks. Now director Amanda Dehnert takes a crack at it, envisioning the magic and the innocence of this timeless musical in an abandoned amusement park. To be reviewed.
Arena Stage at the Lincoln Theatre, Washington, D.C.
Call (202) 488-3300 or visit arenastage.org
Playing Nov. 20-Jan. 10
Lawrence is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association. She teaches drama and English at Culpeper County High School.
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