Meredith Munoz of Pash
@ Fort Reno
Q:What's your song for summer?
A:"'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before' by the Smiths, hands down."
MONDAY: It's time once again for Jose Andres' annual Paella Festival, when all three Jaleo locations (D.C., Bethesda and Crystal City) will offer innovative versions of the rice-based dish, cooked by guru Quim Marques.
So either hit one of Andres' restaurants in the next two weeks or head to the kickoff party tonight, where you can sample the new recipes. RSVP to crystalcity@jaleo.com for a spot.
» Jaleo Crystal City, 2250 A Crystal Drive, Arlington; Mon., June 8, 6 p.m., free; 703-413-8181. (Crystal City)
Photo by Alfredo Duarte Pereira
THIS WEEK: Karen Zacarias' new play, "Legacy of Light," tells the story of two female scientists, one living in 18th-century France and one in modern-day New Jersey.
Her work weaves themes of love and discovery with a gentle treatise on the difficulties women face in society when they have to choose between parenthood and career. This wonderful, original play is not to be missed.
» Arena Stage in Crystal City, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington; through June 14, $25-$66; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
TO THOSE FOR whom a play involving physics and calculus provokes glazed eyes and memories of high school trauma, fear not.
"There are no long, dusty speeches," says playwright Karen Zacarias of her new comedy "Legacy of Light," currently housed at Arena Stage in Crystal City.
Indeed, the play begins with a make-out session, then a sword fight. The duelists in question: philosopher Voltaire (Stephen Schnetzer) and St. Lambert (David Covington), lovers of Emilie du Chatelet (Lise Bruneau), a brilliant mathematician and physicist.
Continue Reading "Physics Gets Physical: 'Legacy of Light'" »
MONDAY: Arena Stage's free play-reading series starts off again tonight with "Harlan at the Rockpile," a historical drama about a 19th century explorer, Josiah Harlan, who was the first American in Afghanistan.
Oh, and he wanted to make himself king, in case you were confused about our illustrious foreign policy history in that region.
» Arena Stage at Crystal City, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington; Mon., May 18, 7 p.m., free but reservations required; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
ONE TIP ON "A Delicate Balance": Don't call it Edward Albee's first Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
"It was my second," Albee corrected in a recent phone interview, citing "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" as his first. The jurors gave that play the prize, he said, but the board rejected it.
"I don't know; they thought the play was too good," Albee said, then amended: "I call it a half."
However one refers to it, the 1967 Pulitzer-winning "A Delicate Balance" takes the stage at Arena in Crystal City this month as part of Arena Restaged, a two-year festival featuring American playwrights.
Continue Reading "Spring Arts Preview: He Hears America Sniping" »
THIS WEEK: Mix a quiet, retired suburban couple with their drama-dragging divorcee daughter, and wait. Old trope, but Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance" still brings the laughter.
» Arena Stage, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington; Feb. 6 through March 15, $25-$66; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
Written by Express' Nathan Martin
THIS WEEK: If constant replays of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" over local shopping centers' loudspeakers have lulled you into a haze of holiday joy, beware: watching "Next to Normal" will shake you awake.
A modern musical drama about a mentally ill mother, "Next to Normal" examines the effects of the disease both on the patient and her family. It's nuanced and sad and explosive, and while this production has some problems (it's overamplified, and the conspicuous headmics ruin the intimate effect), they're outweighed by five excellent performances and an artfully told story that never stops surprising the audience.
» Arena Stage in Crystal City, 1800 S Bell St., Arlington; through Jan. 18, $25-$74; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
Photo by Joan Marcus
There's no epiphany at the end of "Next to Normal," but there shouldn't be.
This musical by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey delves into the immensely complex subject of mental illness with a story of a manic-depressive woman (Alice Ripley) and her suburban family.
The story covers her medical treatment, her erratic behavior and the terrible strain the illness places on her husband (J. Robert Spencer) and daughter (Jennifer Damiano). The authors seem to understand that with psychiatry, there are no easy answers.
"Next to Normal" is clearly a work in progress, but it has a few very important things going for it. The first is Ripley's stunning, nuanced performance as depressed housewife Diana. She avoids the disease-of-the-week clichés inherent in the plot and dialogue as nimbly as a figure skater on an ice cube tray, and her voice is all kinds of wonderful.
The other is an adeptly told story that manages to be truly surprising — the creators of "Next to Normal" are able to skillfully reveal their secrets one by one. There are twists you won't see coming, but this is no mystery — instead, it's a mature, melancholy rumination on loss, family and living with mental illness.
» Arena Stage, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington; through Jan. 18, $25-$74; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
Photo by Joan Marcus for Express
EVERYONE HAS FDR fever these days. Wonder if it could be the combination of a new, Democratic president and an economic crisis that has everyone hoping that Barack Obama will do for the current financial climate what Roosevelt did for the Great Depression (i.e. create massive social programs that revitalize the U.S. infrastructure and create new jobs.)
Anyway, not to be outbandwagoned, Arena Stage has an economic-downturn special for you, and they've called it the New Deal. Anytime on Friday, Nov. 14, from midnight to midnight, you can buy tickets for any Arena show for $25. If your group numbers more than 15 people, it's only $22 per ticket. That can be as high as a 60 percent discount, so jump on this one.
Call 202-488-3300 or go here for tickets.
Click here to see their season schedule.
Photo courtesy FDR Library
FEELING DISILLUSIONED by the election? Upset about the state of politics? Meet Josh Kornbluth, self-proclaimed Everyman. He's a monologist, and he's concerned about our country.
His one-man show — 90 minutes with no intermission is the new hot length for plays; you heard it here first — "Citizen Josh," at Arena Stage will be cleansing if you, too, are confused about your role as a citizen of this country.
» Arena Stage in Crystal City, 1800 S Bell St., Arlington; through Oct. 26, $32-$37; 202-488-3300. (Crystal City)
Photo courtesy Josh Kornbluth
Addison Road