Theater

New Comedy Theater in Bloomingdale, The Unified Scene Theater, having an open house Aug. 22nd

By Prince Of Petworth

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80 T Street, NW

“It’s finally here: the reception/open house for the much-anticipated release of The Unified Scene Theater.

What’s The Unified Scene Theater? It’s an actual brick-and-mortar comedy theater in the heart of Bloomingdale, one that privileges and catalyzes the highly energized, highly galvanized improvisational comedy scene here in Washington, DC. It’s a permanent home (finally) for those wayward types raised on the collaborative art of improvisational comedy, an art that’s completely transformed comedy as an art form, not just here in America but globally.

What will it do? The Unified Scene will offer improv comedy performances and shows on most nights of the week, and classes and workshops in improv (both beginning and advanced) on others.

But that’s not all: it will also a multi-use performance, rehearsal, event, and meeting space that will also provide training and classes beneficial to performers, writers, and creative thinkers of all kinds. We’re proudly an incubator to DC’s growing art and performance scene, and proudly a “comedy locavore” here in Bloomingdale. (more…)

“Anacostia Playhouse Announces Keith Hamilton Cobb’s American Moor Washington, DC Debut”

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo courtesy Anacostia Playhouse

From a press release:

“American Moor, a solo play written and performed by Keith Hamilton Cobb, begins performances Friday, July 17, 2015 with a opening night gala to benefit the Anacostia Playhouse located at 2020 Shannon Pl SE, Washington, DC 20020. Tickets for the opening are $100 for reserved seating and $50 for general seating and include a champagne reception with the actor/playwright.
This DC area engagement will be directed by fellow actor, and regular of the DC theater scene, Craig Wallace.

American Moor is authentic and unwavering in its hope for change and forward progress. Guests are invited and encouraged to come and lend their voices to the dialogue at one of eight performances scheduled with post-show discussions: Friday, July 24; Thursday, July 30; Friday, July 31; Sunday, August 2; Friday, August 7; Sunday, August 9; Thursday, August 13; Friday, August 14. Post-show discussions are presented in partnership with Folger Shakespeare Library and Thembi Duncan.

Special guest facilitators will be announced on social media under the hashtag #MoorToThisStory.

What: AMERICAN MOOR by Keith Hamilton Cobb presented under the auspices of the Actors’ Equity Association Members’ Project Code.
When: July 17-August 16, 2015. Thursday-Saturday at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm.  
Run Time:  80 minutes
Information:  www.anacostiaplayhouse.com
Tickets:  $25 each; Call 202-290-2328 or visit www.anacostiaplayhouse.com
Where:  Anacostia Playhouse. 2020 Shannon Place, SE, Washington, DC 20020

Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for East of the River residents, seniors and students.”

Sweeney Todd opening at the Atlas Theater Thursday

By Prince Of Petworth

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From a press release:

” The Landless Theatre Company announces the return of it’s award-nominated Sweeney Todd Prog Metal Version at Atlas Performing Arts Center in July, 2015. The production garnered 2015 Helen Hayes Award Nominations for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Melissa Baughman), and Outstanding Music Director (Charles W. Johnson).

Stephen Sondheim granted Landless permission to orchestrate the Progressive Metal Version of his musical masterpiece in December, 2013. “Yes, I did indeed give them my okay,” Mr. Sondheim was quoted in NY Times. “Since I believe that what keeps theater alive is its openness to reinterpretation from generation to generation, I look forward to seeing (and hearing) what they do.”

Mark E. Horowitz of The Sondheim Review wrote: “I was more than pleasantly prised to how well the new arrangements and orchestrations worked. They were particularly effective in the underscoring, by turns thrilling, funny and frightening… the range of colors available in the electronic instruments resulted in several hair-raising moments. This was also the fleetest production of Sweeney Todd I’ve seen, with many numbers seemingly performed at twice their typical tempos. I don’t know whether this was part of the prog metal aesthetic or a separate directorial choice, but it certainly energized aspects of the show.” (more…)

Death at the Prom at Uniontown Bar & Grill

By Prince Of Petworth

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From a press release:

“Who: Nameless Theater
What: Death at the Prom, by A’Leighsha C. Butler, directed by Nia M. Barge
When: April 16, April 23, April 30 Happy Hour Starts at 6pm. Show Starts at 7pm.
Where: Uniontown Bar & Grill 2200 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
Tickets: $15 Early Bird Tickets until Sat May 30th. Regular Tickets $20. Student and group discounts available. Order online: www.thenameless.us

Nameless, a newly formed DC-based theater company, announces the premiere of Death at the Prom, a modern murder mystery comedy show. The site-specific production, takes place in the midst of a high school prom where disaster strikes. Attendees will gather clues, question suspects and bring the murderer to justice. Rather than observing the show from behind the safety of the fourth wall, Death at the Prom, catapults audiences from their seats and into the zany world of the show.

Uniontown Bar & Grill, one of only two sit down restaurants in the transitioning Anacostia neighborhood, will morph into the prom of Green Meadow High- a fictional school plagued with the typical student cliques, overworked teachers and an overzealous principal on a mission to reclaim the school. Nameless is thrilled to bring this theatrical event to the Anacostia neighborhood, which is also home to the Anacostia Arts Center. (more…)

Here’s Capital Fringe’s New Home in Trinidad

By Prince Of Petworth

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1358-1360 Florida Ave, NE

Back in June we learned that Capital Fringe was moving from Mt. Vernon Square to Trinidad. Their website says:

“Phase one’s tentative plan is to build a black box theatre on the first floor and one rehearsal space on the second floor (with 24-hour access). We plan to start theatre and musical performances, along with a bar, come January and to operate through the 2015 Festival. Plans for a larger Phase two build-out are in the works, but will not materialize until the necessary funds are in place to break ground.”

Looking forward to the next Fringe Festival – their liquor license transfer says:

“Seating capacity of 350 and total occupancy load of 350. Summer Garden with 100 seats.”

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Wilson High School Final INTO THE WOODS performances this weekend

By Prince Of Petworth

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From an email:

“The award winning Wilson Theatre Arts program at Wilson High School invites you to the final weekend of performances of the musical INTO THE WOODS.

Information about performances—

The final performances are Friday Nov. 21 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm

Meet the Characters for Autographs after the Saturday, November 22, 2:30 pm Matinee in the Wilson Auditorium Lobby

Wilson Auditorium
3950 Chesapeake Street NW
Washington, DC

Tickets: Student/child – $5 all performances
Adult – $15 ($10 for the Saturday, Nov. 22 2:30pm matinee)

Advance ticket reservations and information: wilsondramatickets(at)gmail.com
Tickets will also be available at the door.”

Baltimore Rock Opera Society Announces: The Electric Pharaoh! In DC! at the Atlas on H Street

By Prince Of Petworth

From a press release:

“In the future there is darkness. An unknown catastrophic event has closed the sky to what was once Ancient Egypt; no memory of what the world was before this eternal night remains. Electricity is now so valuable and scarce it is treated as currency – and a powerful Pharaoh keeps the people divided. The rich glow bright with power while the poor are drained until they have nothing left. Chenzira, an unusual boy from the lower crust of society, is searching for the secrets of the pyramids with his companions. What he will finds will change not only his life, but and the destiny of humanity. Set to a synthesis of garage rock and larger-than-life electronic sounds, The Electric Pharaoh is the 6th original feature written and produced by The Baltimore Rock Opera Society (BROS).

RUNNING TIME: 2.5 hours including intermission. Fri/Sat at 8 PM. Sunday at 6:00 PM. WASHINGTON D.C. SHOW DATES: October 31, November 1 and 2nd LOCATION: Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street, NE, Washington, DC

The Electric Pharaoh is expected to sell out—advanced tickets available for $20 via www.baltimorerockopera.org and https://bros.tixato.com/buy. (more…)

Neil Patrick Harris coming to Sixth & I on October 18 – Ticket on Sale Oct. 1st

By Prince Of Petworth

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6th and I St, NW

From an email:

“Tony and Emmy award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris will appear at Sixth & I on Saturday, October 18 at 7:30 pm>, one of nine stops on his eight-city book tour for his forthcoming memoir, Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography.

Unlike most first-person memoirs that only tell you what really happened, Choose Your Own Autobiography is an exciting, interactive read that puts the “u” back in “aUtobiography,” where the reader actually lives Harris’s life.

Choose correctly and you’ll find fame, fortune, and true love. Choose incorrectly and you’ll find misery, heartbreak, and a hideous death by piranhas. All this, plus magic tricks, cocktail recipes, embarrassing pictures from your time as a child actor, and even a closing song. (And, while Sixth & I can’t guarantee that Neil will sing on October 18th, we will have a mic prepared, just in case.)

Tickets for the event go on sale Wednesday, October 1 at 1:00 pm.”

“The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Free For All is a much-loved Washington tradition, offering free performances”

By Prince Of Petworth

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This is pretty sweet. From the Shakespeare Theatre:

“The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Free For All is a much-loved Washington tradition, offering free performances of a Shakespearean classic to the general public. STC was thrilled to kick off our 28th season with The Winter’s Tale.

Each summer, with the help of numerous community-minded sponsors, the Shakespeare Theatre Company presents a series of free Shakespeare performances. Started in 1991 to bring free Shakespeare to new and diverse audiences in the Washington metropolitan area, the Free For All presented Shakespeare under the stars at the Carter Barron Amphitheater. In an effort to make Shakespeare completely accessible for all residents of D.C. Metro area, the Free For All was brought to downtown D.C. in 2009 and now resides at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall. To date, the Free For All has reached more than 572,000 area residents and counting.”

You can see the rest of the schedule here.

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610 F Street, NW

Sweeney Todd “Prog- Metal” Version opens at the Warehouse tomorrow night

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user DC@rt

From an email:

“We wanted to let you know our prog-metal version of Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is opening tomorrow night at the Warehouse Theater- 7th and New York Ave. NW at 8pm. The run is Thurs-Sun from Aug 7-31. For a little background on our journey….

Last December, Landless Theatre Company’s Producing Artistic Director, Andrew Baughman, wrote what he calls a “Hail Mary” letter to his longtime inspiration, Tony Award winning composer and producer, Stephen Sondheim. The letter requested permission to adapt Sondheim’s Broadway hit,Sweeney Todd, into a prog-metal version of the show. Prog-metal is an edgy twist of progressive rock and heavy metal. Sondheim was so intrigued by the originality of this idea, just twenty-four hours later, his agent replied with a “yes!”

Since then we’ve been working hard to make this original version of Sweeney the best it can be and tomorrow night we open! Landless continues to stay true to its mission to make theater accessible to all, so tickets for Sweeney Todd will be offered at the standard price of $25. To order tickets go here.”

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