By Mark Edelman Summer is on its way. Before it gets too hot in the DMV, buy your tickets (and air-conditioned comfort) to these plays and musicals around town. Through May 12th AMM(I)GONE Woolly Mammoth Theatre Creator and performer Adil Mansoor invites his Pakistani mother to translate Antigone into Urdu as a means of exploring the tensions between family and faith in this eighty-minute piece. Should he hide his true self from his devout Muslim mother? Through Greek tragedy, teachings from the Quran, and audio conversations with his mother, Mansoor creates a compelling personal story about locating love across faith and sexuality. Tickets at http://www.woollymammoth.net Through May 18th LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Ford’s Theatre Roger Corman’s trashy B movie about a man-eating plant and the boy who loved it becomes a Broadway musical favorite thanks to a Tony® Award winning score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Tickets at http://www.fords.org Through May 26th SING DOWN THE MOON Adventure Theatre MTC Four traditional “Appalachian Wonder Tales” weave their magic and original mountain music into a keepsake quilt of hill country lore and downhome wisdom for the whole family. For young audiences and their families. Tickets at http://www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org Through June 16th BEAUTY & THE BEAST Toby’s Dinner Theatre Menken and Ashman knock it out of the park again with Disney’s first Broadway hit, a tale as old as time for the whole family to enjoy. Tickets at http://www.tobysdinnertheatre.com Through July 7th HAIR Signature Theatre The dawning of the Age of Aquarius and then some as America’s tribal love-rock musical returns in all its psychedelic glory. Tickets at http://www.sigtheatre.org 3rd – June 2nd REEFER MADNESS Next Stop Theatre Decadence and mayhem descend on this Herndon, VA venue– a stoned-throw from Dulles– when a wholesome set of American teens fall victim…
moth·er /ˈməT͟Hər/ The female parent of a human being; a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth; (also, in extended use) a woman who undertakes the responsibilities of a parent towards a child, esp. a stepmother. – Oxford English Dictionary What makes good mothers? It is a pertinent question whose answer cannot be contained within a few words. Mothers are comprised of a bundle of emotions that sometimes defy reason. So this goes out to all the mothers who have kept awake all night with their sick toddlers in their arms, constantly uttering those compassionate words, “It’s OK honey, Mommy’s here.” For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who don’t. For those who show up at work with milk stains on their dress and diapers in their handbags. For those mothers who cannot restrain tears from trickling down their cheeks when they hold their babies for the first time in their arms; and for the mothers who give birth to babies they’ll never see. For the mothers who gave homes to babies and gifted them a family. For the mothers who yell at their kids who clamor for ice cream before dinner. For the mothers who defy all odds just to watch her kid perform and repeat to themselves, “That’s my child!!” For all the mothers who read “Goodnight, Moon” twice a night for a year, and then read it again. “Just one more time.” For the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces even before they started going to school. For the mothers who incontinently turn their heads when they hear the word “Mom” even though they know that their kids are nowhere around. For the mothers who silently shed tears…
Compiled by Lani Gering In Flanders Fields By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. Each year around Memorial Day, Veterans of Foreign Wars members and American Legion Auxiliary volunteers distribute millions of bright red poppies in exchange for contributions to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans. The program provides multiple benefits to the veterans and to the community. The hospitalized veterans who make the flowers are able to earn a small wage, which helps to supplement their incomes and makes them feel more self-sufficient. The physical and mental activity provides many therapeutic benefits as well. Donations are used exclusively to assist and support veterans and their families. The poppy also reminds the community of the past sacrifices and continuing needs of our veterans. The poppy has become a nationally known and recognized symbol of sacrifice and is worn to honor the men and women who served and died for their country in all wars. The poppy movement was inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields” written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian forces in 1915 before the United States entered World War I. By 1918 the poem was well known throughout the allied world. Moina Michael, an American woman,…
By Mark Edelman April showers may come your way, along with the tail end of those lovely cherry blossoms. Meantime, these plays are blooming in the coming months all over theaters in the DMV: AT THE WEDDING Studio Theatre Now thru April 20 There’s an elephant in the room at Studio Theatre—more like six elephants—in Bryna Turner’s new play, well-acted by an ensemble cast featuring Dina Thomas under Tom Story’s sure-handed direction. When Carlo (Thomas) shows up at Eva’s wedding to try to win her back, you can bet that trouble, copious amounts of alcohol and a modicum of truth-telling will ensue. Everybody’s got a secret (you thought the elephants were Republicans?), punctured by Carlo’s determination to get to the truth, no matter how painful or embarrassing, Welcome back to every wedding cliché you’ve ever suffered through, artfully spun together by Turner and these talented actors. The set, props, costumes, lighting and sound are all first rate, impressive for a theater company that doesn’t have the budget of Arena Stage or Signature. If you’ve ever wondered who the bride slept with while the groom was out “with the boys,” you’ll have a fine time at this seventy-five minute romp. Tickets at http://www.studiotheatre.org MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS Alexandria Little Theatre Now thru Apr 13 DC’s own Ken Ludwig adapted Agatha Christie’s potboiler about a wealthy American businessman discovered dead on the eponymous and opulent Continental sleeper train. If “whodunit?” is a question you enjoy pondering, this plot-twisting masterpiece should be just the thrill ride for you. Tickets at http://www.thelittletheatre.com PENELOPE Signature Theater Now thru April 21 Mrs. Odysseus is fed up and has some things she wants to say about those twenty years waiting back in Ithaca while hubby got all the ink in Homer’s Odyssey. This world premier musical…
By Kim Davis 91st Historic Old Town Home and Garden Tour – April 20th Saturday April 20 marks the 91st Historic Old Town Home and Garden Tour, a rite of Spring that has captured the hearts of residents and tourists who annually revel in the advent of this seasonal tradition. This year’s tour provides a glimpse into six Old Town properties, each unique in their histories and their owner’s approach to ensuring the historic preservation of this unique community. Every tour is different and special in its own way. Some homes are grand in style and scope while others are cozy and reveal an artistic bent. Each homeowner delights in the uniqueness of their home with an exacting eye toward maintaining the historic accuracy of its heritage. One such property known for its unique vibe is located at 611 Queen Street in North Old Town. 611 Queen has an interesting history, made even more unique by the artwork and eclectic style of current owners Dominique and Dorn Wenninger. The property’s history dates to 1803 when the lot was purchased by Thomas Reed. It sold twice before William Veitch acquired it in 1807 for $250. Veitch constructed a dwelling on the lot between 1808-1810. Two separate two-story additions were added later. In 1815, the property sold for $4,000 to William Vowell, president of the Common Council of Alexandria. In 1824, he shared honors with Mayor John Roberts when the Marquis de Lafayette visited Alexandria. Throughout the years, the property changed owners every 20 to 30 years. The Wenninger’s made it their home in 2021 and wasted no time initiating a major renovation. The old kitchen was moved from the back to the middle of the home and a beautiful new kitchen was created as well as three and one-half new baths. …
By Mark Edelman March may not come in like a lion, but you’ll still be roaring with laughter at some of these theater offerings in the DMV: Through March 10th MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Keegan Theater Stephen Sondheim’s problem musical—albeit with his most gorgeous, touching score—gets a solid production on this intimate DuPont- area stage with fine performances from Ryan Burke and Harrison Smith as “the next Rodgers & Hammerstein.” But it’s Sarah Chapin’s Mary—the unrequited love interest—who will melt your heart. She did mine. Hats off to co-directors Christina Coakley and Jennifer Hopkins, who made the story congeal for me with the clever addition of a simple prop—one I’d never seen in Merrily before. Projections by Jeremy Bennett guided us through the show’s awkward timeline in another inspired Keegan addition. The band did a nice job with Jonathan Tunick’s popping orchestrations, which the ensemble performed admirably. All in all, a very nice job—and for 1/8 the 400 bucks they’re charging on Broadway (okay, you do get to see Harry Potter in that one). Tickets at http://www.keegantheatre.com. PRIVATE JONES Signature Theater Inspired by the true story of a deaf Welshman who becomes a celebrated World War I sniper, this new musical affirms the importance of friendship and the cost of war. Tickets at http://www.sigtheatre.org. WHERE WE BELONG Folger Theatre Writer/actor Madeline Sayet’s compelling tale about her Mohegan people and the trials they faced over centuries of betrayal and displacement. Tickets at http://www.folger.edu Through March 17th DESPERATE MEASURES Constellation Theatre Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, set to music and relocated from 15th Century Vienna to the Wild West. Tickets at http://www.constellationtheatre.org TEMPESTUOUS ELEMENTS Arena Stage The story of Anna Julia Cooper, a visionary Black feminist and educator, and her herculean efforts to keep Black education alive, despite the racism, gossip and sexism…
The Easter Bunny The Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, short-tailed creature who delivers decorated eggs to well-behaved children on Easter Sunday; nevertheless, the Easter bunny has become a prominent symbol of Christianity’s most important holiday. The exact origins of this mythical mammal are unclear, but rabbits, known to be prolific procreators, are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests. Additionally, children often left out carrots for the bunny in case he got hungry from all his hopping. Easter Eggs Easter is a religious holiday, but some of its customs, such as Easter eggs, are likely linked to pagan traditions. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to at least the 13th century, according to some sources. One explanation for this custom is that eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of the period of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter as a celebration. Easter egg hunts and egg rolling are two popular egg-related traditions. In the U.S., the White House Easter Egg Roll, a race in which…
We try to publish this piece each February as space allows. Alexandria has many events that revolve around this day so we think it is fitting you all know why. Presidents Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February; Presidents Day 2024 occurs on Monday, February 19th. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. While several states still have individual holidays honoring the birthdays of Washington, Abraham Lincoln and other figures, Presidents Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present. The story of Presidents Day begins in 1800. Following the death of George Washington in 1799, his February 22 birthday became a perennial day of remembrance. At the time, Washington was venerated as the most important figure in American history, and events like the 1832 centennial of his birth and the start of construction of the Washington Monument in 1848 were cause for national celebration. While Washington’s Birthday was an unofficial observance for most of the 1800s, it was not until the late 1870s that it became a federal holiday. Senator Steven Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas was the first to propose the measure, and in 1879 President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law. The holiday initially only applied to the District of Columbia, but in 1885 it was expanded to the whole country. At the time, Washington’s Birthday joined four other nationally recognized federal bank holidays—Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving—and was the first to celebrate the life of an individual American. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, signed into law in 1983, was the second. The shift from Washington’s Birthday to…
By Mark Edelman February rolls around and some great theater rolls along with it. Whether it’s Washington, Lincoln or someone else’s birthday, celebrate the month with these great productions, Live! on DMV stages: NUNSENSE A-MEN! Next Stop Theatre Now thru February 11th The latest edition of Dan Goggin’s long-running Nunsense franchise, this latest musical comedy finds five Little Sisters of Hoboken putting on a benefit show to pay for the burial of the other nuns, who died in a catastrophic cooking fire. Don’t get out the hankies–it’s all in good fun (and drag). Tickets at http://www.nextstoptheatre.org LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Studio Theatre Now thru February 18th Not all plays are fun. For every frothy Mamma Mia or silly Noises Off, there are countless theatrical endeavors meant to enlighten, ennoble or cast a light on our human foibles and follies. Mike Bartlett’s Love, Love, Love, now in a finely-wrought production at Studio Theatre, is such a work. Best known as the author of the controversial West End verse play King Charles III, which skewered the royal family (and presciently wrote Prince Harry’s girlfriend as a bomb-throwing anarchist), Bartlett picks up the mantle of British social commentators like Pinter and Stoppard to trace where the idealism of the 60s went awry. Max Gordon Moore and Liza J. Bennett play Kenneth and Sandra who, in Act One, meet cute in the apartment of Kenneth’s brother Henry (well-played by a forlorn Hunter Hoffman), who’s trying to get Sandra in the sack himself. Henry’s the responsible working stiff; Sandra and Kenneth swing, smoke and seduce their way thru a time when, as Sandra puts it, “anything is possible.” Acts Two and Three have other ideas, as the two hipsters come to grips with the harsh reality of parenthood. The Studio production is impressive, with set designer…
From the origins of “Auld Lang Syne” to traditional foods, find out more about the history of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. What does “Auld Lang Syne” mean, and why do we sing the song at midnight on New Year’s Eve? “Auld Lang Syne,” the title of a Scottish folk song that many English speakers sing at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, roughly translates to “days gone by.” The poet Robert Burns is credited with transcribing, adapting and partially rewriting it in the late 18th century. Its lyrics, which rhetorically ask whether “auld acquaintance” should “be forgot,” have been interpreted as a call to remember friends and experiences from the past. Though sung on New Year’s Eve since the mid-19th century, it became firmly cemented as a holiday standard when Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians played it during a radio broadcast from New York’s Roosevelt Hotel at midnight on December 31, 1929. The band went on to perform the hit every year until 1976, and loudspeakers continue to blast their rendition after the annual ball drop in Times Square. Who were the first to make resolutions for the new year? People have been pledging to change their ways in the new year—whether by getting in shape, quitting a bad habit or learning a skill—for an estimated 4,000 years now. The tradition is thought to have first caught on among the ancient Babylonians, who made promises in order to earn the favor of the gods and start the year off on the right foot. (They would reportedly vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment.) The age-old custom of breaking one’s newly formed resolutions within several months—a fate that befalls the majority of would-be reformers, according to statistics—probably originated shortly thereafter. When was the first…
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