208 stories by "Anne Valentino"
Theatrically chronicling the rise and fall of Malcolm X demands a contextual framework equal to the larger-than-life mythicism of the story. Al Letson, using Shakespeare as his canvas, c…
With his most recent play, Pulitzer Prize finalist Lloyd Suh proves that he is indeed a master manipulator of the heartstrings. Taking audiences on a wild and still deeply poignant journey t…
Playwright Eliana Pipes' "Dream Hou$e" isn't afraid to scratch at the scab of human greed, as it takes a deep existential dive into the lengths that some will go to to ensure a comfortable a…
The year is 1832. A mother and daughter stand vigil at the gravesite of Moses Freeman, father and husband. We don't know the circumstances initially. We don't know how he died or why the nee…
Once upon a time, Craigslist was a bold new entry into the online classifieds arena. People flocked to the platform to buy and sell "new-to-you" items, to find employment, look for apartment…
Plays based on actual people from the past generally take one of several approaches: they might offer an in-depth, if not quasi-fictionalized, narrative about a specific moment(s) from that …
With a new movie musical version set to be released in October, "Kiss of the Spider Woman" seems to be enjoying a dynamic revival. While the Bill Condon-directed J Lo-led film promises to br…
The DC premiere of Greg Kalleres' "Apropos of Nothing" at The Keegan Theatre may be just what this summer ordered in the nation's capital. Forget the politics, forget the chaos, forget every…
Caro Dubberly's "A Guide to Modern Possession" takes us musically and theatrically where I have yet to see many productions of its kind tread. The setup is unique, the songs are well-conceiv…
People don't often think about the ones behind the scenes of big-budget films"particularly not the stunt people who fight the fights, take the hits, and fall from bone-breaking heights day a…
Most people have likely never heard of the condition known as Akathisia. The mother in Lisa Loomer's new play, "Side Effects May Include…" at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, wa…
No one talks about infertility, not really. Poignantly, actor, writer, and singer Riki Lindhome wiped away tears as she concluded her one-woman show about what she faced over the course of n…
The history of abolitionism in the United States can be a difficult one to trace, not to mention writing a play about it. The intersection between abolition and women's suffrage is a particu…
Improv, when done right, can be a laugh-out-loud journey that constantly keeps you guessing. At the first annual District Fringe Festival, the improv performance of "Out of My Wheelhouse" wa…
"Duel Reality's" tagline, "never was a story of more whoa," a clever play on the final line of "Romeo and Juliet," perfectly encapsulates the experience of watching The 7 Fingers' take on on…
Ask anybody what "The Rocky Horror Show" is about and generally answers run along the lines of: "it is such a good time," or "you get to throw toilet paper!" or "the songs are outrageous." P…
Penning a memoir-style journey into one's ancestral past is an intriguing way to approach a key historical moment. Using a blend of two distinct and, at the same time, blurred voices that de…
One of August Wilson's most celebrated plays, the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "The Piano Lesson," takes audiences to 1930s Pittsburgh. Set in a modest home centered around an ancestral pian…
Mary Woolley isn't exactly a well-known historical figure. Most would be hard-pressed to say who she was. Still, her life and legacy make for absolutely fascinating theatrical material. In p…
As WorldPride 2025 came to a close, it's safe to say that the art and artists marking the events of the past two weeks were just as varied, beautiful, and spectacularly unique as the queerne…
The term "buddy comedy" usually denotes a story about the enduring bond between two generally different, generally male characters as we watch them embark upon some sort of journey, life or …
 Capturing the essence of a character like Andy Warhol (who arguably was as much self-conceptualized character as he was actual human being) can go one of two ways: either the portrayal …
This year Google did not mark the start of Pride month with some whimsical rainbow-colored send-up of its home page, per their usual. If you've checked out the National Park Service's Stonew…
Happenstance Theater's "Juxtapose: A Theatrical Shadow Box" is said to have been influenced by the shadow box art of Joseph Cornell, the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Jacques Tati, along w…
Avant Bard Theatre has a reputation for offering a malleable Shakespeare that speaks to an array of issues, stagings, and audiences. With their production of Kathleen Akerley's conception of…
