By Kim Davis Spring signals the transition to one of our area’s loveliest times of the year. Even now, early blooming daffodils, crocus, and snowdrops thrust their stems above the soil. It also heralds the return of Old Town Alexandria’s annual Garden Club of Virginia’s Historic Garden Week Tour. The leisurely walking tour is one of Virginia’s most beloved traditions, featuring historic homes and secluded gardens located along the tree-lined streets of the historic district. Organized by two local garden clubs, Hunting Creek Garden Club and The Garden Club of Alexandria, this year’s tour highlights five historic homes and two Garden Club of Virginia restoration projects: George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens and Green Spring Gardens. Among the featured properties on tour, 317 South Saint Asaph Street stands out as a textbook example of the evolution of early Alexandria homes. According to the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), the ‘year of erection’ is ‘probably late 18th C,’ so the house likely dates from the later 1700s. The property today comprises a gracious late‑18th‑century flounder‑style dwelling and a humble one‑room structure tucked at the rear of the lot, reflecting layers of early residential use on the site. Like much of Old Town, the site’s history predates the present house, dating back to earlier colonial‑era landholdings that were later subdivided as Alexandria developed after 1749. The property’s history dates to 1669, when King Charles II granted the land to Sir Richard Berkeley, then Governor of Virginia. It would be another century before a home was constructed. Sometime between about 1750 and 1770, a simple “flounder” house was built at the back of the property, with one room and a fireplace on the ground floor and a bedroom above, reached by a wooden ladder. Flounder houses with narrow lots were common at…
By Mark Edelman Spring is upon us in all its color and warmth. Great to be outside, I know—but let’s not forget all of the sparkling theater to be had inside our performing arts venues. Check out some of these shows, all in bloom around the DMV this month: AS YOU LIKE IT Folger Theatre Now thru April 12 Some of the Bard’s most beautiful language—“all the world’s a stage..” and the Seven Ages of Man speech—bejewel a rather complicated plot wherein two cousins are banished from court by mean old Duke Frederick (their uncle/father), only to find love and merriment in the nearby forests of Arden, where Frederick’s kindly brother Duke Senior (their father/uncle) presides over a mellow, more laid back life than royals enjoy. It wouldn’t be Shakespeare without a little gender switching, so cousin Rosalind dons boys’ clothing to escape Frederick and find the handsome Orlando who—wouldn’t you know it—befriends her lad-attired self, while he/she gets chased around the stage by the lusty Phebe. Folger Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels envisioned this modern take on the proceedings, frenetically staged by Director Timothy Douglas and a rollicking cast led by the handsome Manu Kumasi as Orlando and Tsilala Brock and Sabrina Lynne Sawyer as cousins Roz and Celia. Ahmad Kamai’s Touchstone applies the Fool-ishness, engaging the audience all the way, and Jefferson A Russell does a nice job assaying both Dukes— one menacing, the other a sweetheart—though the doubling prevents the onstage reconciliation playwright Will had in mind. With everything else going on, it wasn’t missed. Tickets at www. folger.edu. INHERIT THE WIND Arena Stage Now thru April 5 Based on the real-life Scopes “Monkey” Trial, this electrifying courtroom drama pits two towering legal minds against each other in a small-town battle over science, religion, and the…
By Mark Edelman It may roll in like a lion and go out like lamb, but March has a whole lot of great theater to roar (or baah) about as well. Check out these fine productions as the weather warms up and those world-famous cherry blossoms burst onto the scene: LITTLE MISS PERFECT Olney Theatre Center Through March 8 There’s a lot of pressure on high school senior Noelle, who finds herself thrust into a whole new world as one of the few Black students at her predominantly white school. This new musical by Tik-Tok star Joriah Kwame takes on issues of stress and acceptance in the pressure cooker world of getting into the “right” college. Tickets at http://www.olneytheatre.org MIDICULOUS Keegan Theatre Through March 8 In this play for young audiences, middle school banter becomes fodder for public relations pros, students psychoanalyze their own teenage hijinks and post-pandemic therapy rules. Welcome to the world of Midiculous. Tickets at http://www.keegantheatre.com CHEZ JOEY Arena Stage Through March 15 Broadway’s original Michael Jackson and Tony® Award winner Myles Frost takes the eponymous role in this revisit to Rodgers and Hart’s fabled musical, co-directed by tap dance genius Savion Glover. American songbook classics like“ Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” “This Can’t Be Love” and “The Lady Is a Tramp,” make for another great Broadway musical production down by the Wharf. Tickets at http://www.arenastage.org. NOTHING UP MY SLEEVE Round House Theatre Through March 15 Fans of illusionist Dendy and playwright/director Aaron Posner’s previous collaboration The Tempest will be happy to see the daunting duo pull back the curtain on the history of magic and Dendy’s own journey to the land of make-them-believe. If you enjoy spellbinding prestidigitation, you will, too. Tickets at http://www.roundhousetheatrre.org ON BECKETT Shakespeare Theatre Company Through March 15 Tony Award-winning actor and master…
We here at the Old Town Crier love everything about St. Patrick’s Day including the history. We try to print this important information every year in the March issue and I am sure we have missed a few but we think it’s important that our readers know that it is more than just a day for a parade and swilling green beer! The parade takes place on the 7th this year and even though we think it’s a bit ridiculous to have it so early, it is established as the first parade in the DMV celebrating St. Patrick and truth be told, no self-respecting Irish person drinks green beer! Just Sayin’! A Bit of St. Patrick’s Day History St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick’s Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The First Parade The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army. Over the next thirty-five years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished, prompting the rise of so-called “Irish Aid” societies, like the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick and the Hibernian Society. Each group would hold annual…
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. 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 Presidents Day began in the late 1960s, when…
By Mark Edelman It’s Valentine’s month, time to take that special someone out for dinner, flowers, chocolates and how about a night of theater? There’s a lot of great work happening on DMV stages. You’re bound to earn points with your main squeeze—or even a first date—by popping for a pair of tickets to one of these fine productions. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Shakespeare Theatre Company Now thru Feb 7 The terrifying film franchise of the same name spawned this onstage thriller, a shared production between prestigious theaters in Los Angeles, Chicago and now Washington, DC. Be prepared to be scared. Tickets at http://www.shakespearetheatrecompany.org DRACULA… A COMEDY OF TERRORS Now thru Feb 15 Atlas Performing Arts Center Bram Stoker’s vampire tale morphs into outrageous new life as a madcap comedy full of camp, lusty encounters and outre spectacle. Five actors shapeshift thru multiple roles, transforming this tale of Gothic horror into a feast of physical comedy and unhinged seduction, carried off as only the folks at Constellation Theatre can do. Tickets at http://www.constellationtheatre.org BALLOONACY Imagination Stage Now thru Feb 15 The 1956 French cinema classic The Red Ballon inspired this sweetly funny piece of clownery starring Matthew Pauli with accordion accompaniment by Tori Boutin. Gone is the little boy following his red balloon around Paris. Now he’s a befuddled big lunk of a guy, navigating his lonesome apartment just ahead of that interloping scarlet sphere, artfully operated by puppeteer Enzo Leone. At about forty minutes, the show runs just the right amount of time to keep the kiddies engaged—and by that, I mean yelling to the poor guy onstage to watch out for that balloon. If my three year old grandson is any indication, it’s a great way to start a life of theatergoing. Tickets at http://www.imaginationstage.org OCTET Studio…
Wow! Who knew that Valentine’s Day had a whole boat load of history? We are guessing that some of this information may come as a surprise to many of our readers as well. Knowing what we know now might make us pay more attention to the content of the cards we pick out this year! – Old Town Crier Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity but was outlawed—as it was deemed “un-Christian”—at the end of the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 was St. Valentine’s Day. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. During the Middle Ages, a common belief across France and England held that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that Valentine’s Day should be an occasion for romance. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration in his 1375 poem “Parliament of Fowls,” writing, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.” Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine’s did not begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today is a poem Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote to his wife in 1415 while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London.) Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois. Valentine’s Day Traditions Throughout History In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated…
By Mark Edelman Happy New Year! Between some big hits that continue their DMV engagements into 2026 and new titles opening this month, there’s plenty to celebrate on local stages as the calendar turns. Check out some of the brand new and vintage plays and musicals onstage to start the year off right. GUYS AND DOLLS Shakespeare Theatre Company Now thru Jan 8 Frank Loesser wrote one of the greatest scores in American musical theater history—winsome (“I’ve Never Been in Love Before”), funny (“Sue Me”) and rollicking (“Sit Down You’re Working the Boat”) in one fell swoop. WNO Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and a brilliant cast make this G&D DC’s theatrical must-see of the season. Doll Hayley Podschun is letter perfect as Adelaide and Julie Benko’s Sarah Brown makes you want to sign up for Salvation Army service; the guys are pretty great, too (is it just me or is Jacob Dickey, who plays Sky Masterson, a dead ringer, looks and talent-wise, for Broadway heart throb Jonathan Groff?) Joshua Bergasse’s choreography doesn’t miss a step; and Connstance Hoffman’s splashy costumes and Walter Spangler’s nifty set make this an impressive achievement for STC. Tickets at http://www.shakespearetheatrecompany.org. FROSTY THE SNOWMAN Adventure Theatre MTC Now thru Jan 11 Whether or not there’s snow on the Potomac. Adventure MTC welcomes that most famous frozen fellow for wintertime romp chock-full of chuckles and comic antics. Follow Frosty as he slips and slides into the hearts of kids and adults alike through his uproarious antics. Tickets at http://www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Signature Theatre Now thru Jan 25 Doug Sills—probably the handsomest Tevye you’re ever gonna see—leads a fine company in this Broadway classic. Standouts Rosie Jo Neddy as Chava and her on-stage beau Ariel Neydavoud as Perchik are just two out of tons…
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? 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 New Year’s Eve…
In the spirit of the season, we want to extend to every last person “From the Bay to the Blue Ridge and Beyond” who peruses these print pages or scrolls through those online or keeps up with our Facebook and Instagram activity, the happiest of holidays! We want to leave you laughing in 2025 and think this piece written by Frances Kilpatrick will do just that! We can’t take ourselves too seriously these days…. Bob & Erin – Lani – Peppercorn Christmas Calories – A Holiday Fantasy By Frances Killpatrick Tired of all of the internet advice and reading wimpy women’s magazines – including the sage advice of the OTC Fitness gurus who pen columns for this pub – and their annual rehash of advice on how to handle calories and parties during the holiday season? You know, like “drinking three gallons of water before a party.” You must admit it works. Very few party givers set up that yummy buffet table in the bathroom, where you will spend your fun-filled evening! What do these self-appointed nutrition “experts” know anyway? Their idea of a fun party is trying out tofu recipes on defenseless laboratory animals. True believers in the holiday spirit know this simple fact: Certain holiday situations totally cancel out normal caloric considerations. For example, there are absolutely NO calories in: – Food sold for charity. This includes candy, fruit cakes and pizza kits. Of course, go easy on those oranges and grapefruit! – Food made by a co-worker who says, “I stayed up ‘til 3 a.m. baking these damned cookies and somebody in this office better eat them!” – Food or drink served at a party for which you have received a written invitation. – Cider, hot chocolate and doughnuts which you have to eat because the damn…
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