A Theatrical Adventure

Hello!

So because our lead (the loverly Heather Haney) had to go to Arizona this week, we have had no rehearsals. We return tomorrow morning, but I decided that the time of was most adventageously used by going on a whirlwind tour of THEATRE!!! (with an "r-e.")

Join me, won't you?

The K of D - Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, $15-$18.
A girl recounts the events of one fateful summer when life-altering and darkly supernatural events took place.
Andrew and Matt designed it (as well as Marie). And. It. Is. Awesome! Kimberley Gilbert. How do I? I was so in awe of her that I could not bring myself to congratulate her after the show. I know that I could have, that she's the most down to earth and awesome person, but I just couldn't do it. So I geeked. Anyway, Kim plays 15 characters Flaw-less-ly. I am usually VERY skeptical of one-person shows. I'll even say, Andrew let me read the script and I was VERY skeptical that any one young woman could pull it off. KG not only pulled it off, she pulled it around the corner, back again and back on! Pleasepleaseplease go see this show. Oh, and Andrew and Matt's designs were bee-yootiful. I was surprised at how little color Andrew used (since he normally Lurves those purples and blues) but they told a story of their own; and how chilling Matt's sounds were. It's an amazing show (one more time?) an amazing show, so don't miss it.

Argonautika - Shakespeare Theatre Company, $10-$79.50
Mary Zimmerman's "respectfully irreverent" story of Jason and the Argonauts, or Jason and the Golden Fleece.
Now, I know I've said that I don't like STC. And I don't. HOWEVER, this is a guest performance from Mary Zimmerman's company from Chicago that is part of our season, so I think it's ok that I like it. A lot. Now, I did have to sleep on whether or not I liked it, and there were definitely flaws, but in the end it was a well-constructed and enjoyable 2 and a half hours. The only complaint I have was that the actors still believed themselves to be in an intimate performance space AND that a lot of the blocking had them talking upstage, losing their voices in the vast space. The decision to use puppets was kind of interesting. It looked like The Lion King if the puppets had been left in a closet for a few years... chicken wire and fraying, which fit in very nicely with the set and overall aesthetic. Act II drags a little, but the last few moments make it totally worth it. See it, and take advantage of the 20/10 deal. Oh, and ask to sit in the front few rows, it's quiet.

OK - INKwell $10 suggested donation (at the H Street Playhouse)
It's the evening of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and the womenfolk are restless.
Now, I hate to be Punny, but the performance I saw of OK was OK. Apparently it was a bad night. It's a really interesting script, and I love half the actresses, the playwright, and the director. Something just fell flat for me, though. INKwell is a company dedicated to new playwrights and new works, so I definitely know this is a work in progress and will only get better. Honestly, I love the Anne McCaw's poetry in the show. The language really seemed to have a moving life of its own that drew all six women together. Of course the festival ends on Sunday, so see it soon!

That's what I've seen so far in my 2 week/7 show extrrravaganza!

Coming up:
Romeo & Juliet - Synetic Theater (say what you will, I LOVE this theater!)
La Cage Aux Folles - Toby's Dinner Theater, Baltimore (a good friend of mine plays a Cagelle, so I'm REALLY excited about this one!)
No Child... Woolly Mammoth Mainstage (another one-woman show!)
Trad - Solas Nua (because it's been about a year since my last Solas show, and it's only an hour AND a few blocks away from work.)



SHIT and blogging this made me realize I may have double-booked myself because I was also supposed to see Underground from INKwell... so we'll see how that pans out. We'll see...