Telling a joke — you know, like a really good joke — is hard enough as is. But to disarm a comedian of their favorite profane word or saucy premise is almost as bad as throwing them on stage without a mic. Unless you’re local product Jan McInnis that is, […]

With its use of wordplay and clever symbolism, “The Phantom Tollbooth” is a spiritual cousin of sorts to “Alice in Wonderland” though, disappointingly, a far less famous literary work Norton Juster, who wrote the book in 1961 while procrastinating from another book project, truly creates a wondrous world that sparks […]

By Ryan Worthman, Clarksburg High School Once upon a time in a far-off kingdom, there lay a small village at the edge of the woods. Into the Woods is a musical that brings together classic fairytales such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk, but not […]

Icons in music come and go and are often emblazoned in a listener’s memory by their vibrant primes that involved generational hits and unforgettable tours. For undersung icon Todd Rundgren, the focus has been rolling with the punches of the music industry while staying true to who he is as […]

By Max Jackson Spam. Even when out of its can it maintains its shape, and, though strange, when prepared correctly, can be delicious. And just like the food, George Mason’s production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” keeps true to form and is an absolute treat to watch. Based off of the […]

The George Mason High School theater department’s production of “Spamalot,” a spoof based on the Monty Python works, knocked it out of the park in its final of three performances before a sold out audience at the GMHS auditorium Saturday night. Seasoned observers say it was one of the two best musical […]

In a musical era where electronically produced sounds constitute a majority of the most popular songs, Grecian classic/punk rock band, Barb Wire Dolls, takes a sledgehammer to that standard with their homage to a time when guitar riffs and raw vocals corralled crowds. With an upcoming visit to Washington, D.C. […]

The inaugural production of the Falls Church theater group Creative Cauldron’s 2017-18 season is the Washington D.C.-area debut of the musical “The Mistress Cycle,” the story of four diverse historical figures linked by a commonality – they were all mistresses – and a woman in the present who relies on […]

The array of jovial and sober tunes American folk music possesses tap into a part of our nation’s culture that either enliven or prompt reflection among its listeners in a way few other genres can engender. Charleston-based husband and wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst make up Shovels […]

1st Stage Theater kicked off its 2017-18 season with a contemplative and immersive showing of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ “Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train,” a play that highlights the ugliest aspects of prison life and most authentic manifestations of human nature. Following the impassioned shooting of a religious cult leader, Angel […]