A Theatre Lover's Guide to DC/Capital Area Theatres – May 2011 Offerings

The DC area is full of spring splendor with so many gorgeous trees and azaleas in full bloom, and our local theatres are filled with new colorful productions. So come visit the Nation's Capital and bask in the city's beauty and the power and joy of our local theatres.

NO MORE 'MUST-SEES'.

As of this article, I am renaming my "Must Sees" to simply, "Shows I'm Looking Forward to Seeing," naming some shows that I am personally looking forward to seeing every month. I will be praying that they will be worth the effort of writing about them here and schlepping to the theatres to see them.

MAY 2011 SHOWS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING:

(1) MAY 5TH TO JUNE 4TH, THE GREEN BIRD, AT CONSTELLATION THEATRE, AT STUDIO, IN WASHINGTON, DC.

I love commedia dell'arte and The Green Bird has a lot going for it including a great story involving a lovesick king, a greedy fortune teller, an insatiable sausage-maker, a seductive statue and a magicAl Green bird". And it has this and last year's Helen Hayes Award winner Tom Teasley providing live music.

The cast includes Katie Atkinson (Smeraldina), Katy Carkuff (Ninetta), Rex Daugherty (Green Bird), Misty Demory (Calmon), Gwen Grastorf (Pompea), Nanna Ingvarsson (Tartagliona), Ashley Ivey (Renzo), Emma Crane Jaster (Barbarina), John-Michael Macdonald (Tartaglia), Graham Pilato (Brighella), Manolo Santalla (Pantalone), and Matthew R. Wilson (Truffaldino). Allison Arkell Stockman directs this production.

(2) MAY 6TH TO JUNE 19TH, A TIME TO KILL, IN THE KREEGER, AT Arena Stage, IN WASHINGTON, DC.

It's the first John Grisham novel to be adapted for the stage. It's adapted by one of my favorite stage writers - Rupert Holmes - and it's produced by Daryl Roth whose work I admire. "After an unspeakable crime is committed against his daughter, Carl Lee Hailey takes the law into his own hands. Now on trial for murder, Carl Lee's only hope lies with one young, idealistic lawyer who is outmatched by a formidable district attorney and under attack from both sides of a racially divided city".

The first John Grisham novel adapted for the stage, A Time to Kill asks audiences to consider the true meaning of justice". Another reason to see it? Erin Davie is playing Jake's wife Carla Brigance (I loved her in the revival of A Little Night Music) and Deborah Hazlett, who was so brilliant as Alison Moulten in Something You Did at Theater J – is also in the cast.

Watch a video of a rehearsal here.

(3) MAY 7TH TO JUNE 19TH, FOLLIES, AT THE EISENHOWER THEATRE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, IN WASHINGTON, DC.