Così Fan Tutte
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
March 14, 2022
Jordan Wright
 Laura Wilde (soprano) and Andrey Zhilikhovsky (baritone) in Cosi fan tutte at the WNO (photo by Scott Suchman) Introducing the Washington National Opera Company’s Cafritz Young Artists who sang the Ukrainian National Anthem, General Director Timothy Leary welcomed back the audience of opera lovers to the first of the season’s offerings, “We have learned to gather together in community and safety,” he announced with pride. A standing ovation honored both the students’ exceptional talents as well as the audience’s heartfelt sympathies to the Ukrainian people (two Ukraine nationals were in the cast) to set the evening’s enthusiastic tone. Beginning the season with such light-hearted fare, is just the ticket for our COVID doldrums.
 Ana-Maria-Martinez-soprano-and-Ferruccio-Furlanetto-bass-in-Cosi-fan-tutte-at-the-WNO (photo-by-Scott-Suchman) A bit of background:
Commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II, Mozart’s fan fave two-act opera, with text by Lorenzo da Ponte, was first performed in Vienna in January of 1790 and characters of the sisters, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, were actually sisters in real life with their story well-known in Vienna society. It first came to the London stage in 1811 and later to New York at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1922 conducted by Artur Bodanzky. This was at the acme of Mozart’s career and the comic opera is well-regarded as one of his finest compositions.
Così fan tutte is an intriguing tale of Fiordiligi and Dorabella, two sisters betrothed to two soldiers, Guglielmo and Ferrando. Enter the aged bachelor and friend to all concerned Don Alphonso who suggests to the men that all women cannot be faithful. Challenged with testing the women’s fidelity by disguising themselves and tricking their lovers under Alphonso’s direction, the men agree to the bet. Unbeknownst to the lovers, the duplicitous Alphonso enlists the aid of the ladies’ maid, Despina, who is to be handsomely paid for her efforts.
 WNO”s “Cosi Fan Tutte” The plot plays with gender identity in a way that questions the misunderstanding between the sexes. A question as old as the hills and revived by such books as “Men Are from Mars’, Women Are from Venus”. Will the women cave to such amorous machinations by the men who threaten suicide if their lovers do not break their troths and reciprocate their advances? With Don Alphonso’s secretive encouragement, these underhanded swains pull every trick in the book to unhinge the ladies’ devoted commitment to them.
As sumptuously elegant as the music is, it is neatly underpinned by the comic antics of those involved in the set up. The wonderful cast is charged with incorporating comedic abilities as well as their magnificent vocal talents to pull it off, which they do quite well. Watch for Anna María Martinez in three roles as Despina, the doctor, and later the notary to bring the house down thanks to the vivid imagination of Costume Designer Lynly A. Saunders who also nails the 18th century period ladies’ dresses with the appropriate paniers locked and loaded.
A balm for the senses. Highly recommended.
With Kang Wang as Ferrando; Andrey Zhilikhovsky as Gugielmo; Ferrucchio Furlanetto as Don Alphonso; Laura Wilde as Fiordiligi; and Rihab Chaieb as Dorabella.
Conducted by Erina Yashima; Directed by Alison Moritz; Set Design by Erhard Rom; Projection Design by S. Katy Tucker.
Through March 20th at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20566. For tickets and information visit www.Kennedy-Center.org or call 202 467-4600.
She Loves Me
Signature Theatre
Jordan Wright
March 11, 2022
Special to TheZebra.Org
 Ali Ewoldt (Photo/Christopher Mueller) If you don’t fall in love with a capital “L” with Director Matthew Gardiner’s production of She Loves Me in the first five minutes you might as well call yourself a hard-boiled cynic. It is a wonder of romance, uproarious comedy and light-hearted charm served up with the eye-catching deliciousness of a trolley of French pastries.
With music and lyrics written by Broadway icons, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick from a 1937 play by Hungarian Miklos Laszlo, the staged musical version has seen numerous incarnations from a former cinematic life with James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan in The Shop Around the Corner, followed by a musical film version starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson In the Good Old Days, and finally in 1998 a modern movie classic with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the popular You’ve Got Mail.
 Lawrence Redmond, Deven Kolluri, Maria Rizzo, Jake Loewenthal, and Emmanuel Elliot Key (Photo/Christopher Mueller) Five dedicated salespeople keep Maraczek’s Parfumerie abuzz, catering to every whim and whine of their tony clientele. It is overseen by single and sexy Ilona who is smitten with Steven, a serial cad; Ladislav an elderly gent with a family to support; Arpad, the adorable delivery boy; and Amalia and Georg, the would-be lovers.
Amalia and Georg, secret pen pals through a lonely-hearts club, they work side-by-side at the parfumerie, though they are at sixes and nines in every way. Each is unaware that it is the other to whom they are writing (they have never met) and have fallen deeply in love through their passionate correspondence.
 Ali Ewoldt and David Schlumpf (Photo/Margot_Schulman) Lee Savage’s gorgeous jewelbox set design of Maraczek’s Parfumerie glimmers with gilt-edged cosmetic counters and massive pistachio-colored cabinets chock-a-block with over-sized, pastel-colored, parfum bottles to reflect the elegant aesthetic of Budapest in the 1930’s. It is so cleverly constructed it incorporates a seamlessly rotating stage featuring the characters’ private bedrooms as well as the workshop where staff huddle to swap gossip. You could hear the audience gasp at each set transformation.
But I won’t stop with praise for the scenic design. There is so much more to fall in love with here. As Amalia, we expect Ali Ewoldt (Christine in B’way’s The Phantom of the Opera) to gift us with exquisite vocals, and she does magnificently, but full bows to the rest of the cast who match her talents sending this frothy musical soaring sky high. Choreography and casting by Kelly Crandall D’Amboise create a super-charged dynamic showcasing a top-drawer ensemble very much up to the task. Watch for Emmanuel Elliot Key as the bouncy, adorable Arpad and the comedic high jinks of Daniel Powers as the Busboy.
A triumph for Signature! Highly recommended.
With Bobby Smith as Ladislav Sipos; Maria Rizzo as Ilona Ritter; Deven Kolluri as Georg Laszlo; Lawrence Redmond as Mr. Maraczek; Jake Loewenthal as Steven Kodaly; Christopher Mueller as Mr. Keller; and David Schlumpf as Headwaiter.
Jon Kalbfleisch conducts the ten-piece orchestra; 1930’s bespoke costumes by Alejo Vietti; Lighting Design by Adam Honoré; Sound Design by Ryan Hickey; Assistant Director Clancey Yovanovich.
Through April 24th at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206 in Shirlington Village. For tickets and information visit www.SigTheatre.org or call the box office at 703 820-9771.
Jesus Christ Superstar
Special to www.TheZebra.org
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
February 25, 2022
Jordan Wright
 Aaron LaVigne, Tommy Sherlock and the company of the North American Tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. (Photo by Matthew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman) I was looking forward to this reimagining of Jesus Christ Superstar by two Brits, Director Timothy Shearer and Choreographer Drew McOnie, if only to see how they tailor their work to a British audience. Both gentlemen have earned Olivier Awards (Britain’s equivalent to a Tony Award) for their work – Sheader earning four for “Best Musical Revival” to include one for Jesus Christ Superstar and McOnie celebrating two nominations for “Best Theatre Choreography” and winning for In the Heights. Together they spell theater royalty.
So, I was more than surprised when I found some odd choices in the staging of this iconic musical. Don’t get me wrong, I can still be found humming and tapping my foot to the glorious Andrew Lloyd Webber score and running home afterwards to listen to the beautiful music days later. But as I watched this production unfold, I found myself too frequently scratching out “Why?” in my notes.
 Jenna Rubaii in the North American Tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. (Photo by Matthew Murphy, Evan Zimmerman) Why did Jesus use a mic stand? Mary and Judas, too. Sometimes, not always. Why did some performers use a hand mic and others not? Utterly mystifying. Why did Jesus sport a hipster man bun throughout his performance, then switch over to a ponytail for the final scene? I wonder because his head shot in the program has him with long wavy blond locks. Wouldn’t it have been more apropos to let it hang in loose curls around his shoulders? And, if I may state the obvious, wouldn’t it have been the perfect opportunity to cast a person of color in the role of Jesus?
There are more mysteries to unpack here. Why did Jesus carry around an acoustic guitar? If the thought is to depict him as a rock star, wouldn’t he play a snazzy electric guitar? Why were the sound levels all over the place? Sometimes singers came across powerfully at other times they could hardly be heard no matter from which area of the stage they were singing. Why did the casting director choose a lead with the weakest voice in the entire cast? And, for Chrissake (pun intended), why did Aaron LaVigne give such a stilted, unemotional performance as Jesus? Poor Mary.
More questions vexed me. What was the point of tossing dozens of glitter bombs at Jesus to sub for the 40 lashes ordered by Pontius Pilate? And, in the strangest interpretation of all, why was Mary (Jenna RubaII) absent in so many scenes usually played by Jesus’s side? It was an especially bizarre directorial choice during her solos, especially for the lovely lullaby, “Everything’s Alright”, when she comforts Jesus urging him to, “Close your eyes, close your eyes and relax, think of nothing tonight,” which she sung in her unique, lilting and soulful vibrato. This has been one of the most poignant scenes in other productions as she caresses him to allay his fears.
As for the musical element, 11 onstage musicians in second tier cubicles are joined by members of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra for a concert-like sound. Add Omar Lopez-Cepero as Judas (that falsetto!) and the experience is worth the price of admission. With his epic rocker voice, he brought the house down several times over. Wailing electric guitars and a hot licks sax solo that nearly shook the great Opera House chandelier ratchet up the temperature. As to the choreography, rest easy. McOnie chose ace dancers who sing their faces off.
With Alvin Crawford as Caiaphas; Tommy Sherlock as Pilate; Tyce Green as Annas and an ensemble of 18 singer/dancers.
Through March 13th at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20566. For tickets and information call 202 467-4600 or visit www.Kennedy-Center.org
Daphne’s Dive
Signature Theatre
February 15, 2022
Jordan Wright
Special to www.TheZebra.org
Pull up a Barstool and Enjoy “Daphne’s Dive” Now Playing at Signature Theatre
 Rayanne Gonzales, Jonathan Atkinson, Yesenia Iglesias, Jyline Carranza, Quynh-My Luu, (Photo by Christopher Mueller) Have you ever been to a dive bar? And I don’t mean Cheers. If not, you should enter the world of Daphne’s Dive. In this exciting work Playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes offers us a barstool at a Puerto Rican-centric dive bar on Philly’s seedier side and she has filled it with the most colorful characters this side of San Juan.
There’s Daphne (Rayanne Gonzales), the full-throated, take-no-prisoners owner with a heart of gold and years of hard luck; Jenn (Quynh-My Luu), the political activist who openly admits to a messiah complex though nicely tempered by her adorableness; Rey (Jefferson A. Russell), the leather-clad biker looking for love; Inez (Yesenia Iglesias), married to dapper businessman slash politician, Acosta (Dylan Arredondo), and finding her independence; Pablo (Jonathan Atkinson), the dumpster-diving artist; and Ruby (Jyline Carranza), Daphne’s stepdaughter, who is growing up surrounded by a quirky family of barflies.
 Quynh-My Luu and Jyline Carranza (Photo by Christopher Mueller) Their story begins in the 1990’s and goes through the 2000’s – so a lot of major life changes for all the characters. What keeps it barreling along is how they navigate these curve balls with the help of their tight-knit bar familia. Watching them evolve and interact, alternately challenging and supporting each other through the worst of times and the worst of disagreements, is both heartwarming and fraught. It’s a bird’s eye view into a unique cultural dynamic – one that Hudes invites us to appreciate and understand. As for Hudes’s street cred, she wrote the book for In the Heights so she knows barrio life and is a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
 James Whalen, Yesenia Iglesias, and Jefferson A Russell (Photo by Christopher Mueller) Director Paige Hernandez’s friendship with Hudes began at the Kennedy Center with Hudes’s production of Barrio Grrrl! and continued as Hernandez searched for some of Hudes’s lesser-known plays to bring to the attention of Signature audiences. This is exactly the sort of uplifting yet serious diversity that audiences are searching for. Set in the intimate ARK theater, it’s an up-close-and-personal experience putting the audience mere feet from the stage.
 Rayanne Gonzales and Jonathan Atkinson (Photo by Christopher Mueller) The excitement is further enhanced by Scenic Designer Meghan Raham and Lighting Designer John D. Alexander who together create a credibly dingy bar decorated with neon bar signs, funky period beer ads, shelves of cheap booze and what appear to be actual working beer taps. Pacifico anyone?
You’ll seat-dance to the hot rhythms of their Latino music, laugh at their drinking games, and marvel at their personal transformations inspired by Jenn’s motto of “Peace, Liberty, Ecology and Democracy”.
This cast is phenomenal! See it!!!
P.S. Sig’s lobby bar has reopened. Plan ahead!
With Costume Design by Moyenda Kulemeka and Sound Design by Kenny Neal.
Through March 20th at Signature Theater, 4200 Campbell Avenue (in the Village at Shirlington), Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information visit www.SigTheatre.org or call the box office at 703 820-9771.
Change Agent
Arena Stage
Jordan Wright
February 6, 2022
 Andrea Abello and Luis Vega in Change Agent at Arena Stage running January 21 – March 6, 2022. Photo by Margot Schulman. Playwright Craig Lucas’s Change Agent follows John F. Kennedy’s meteoric rise to the presidency from his political evolution and inner circle coterie to his battles with CIA Director Allan Dulles. Along the way we learn of the backstabbing tactics of Washington Post journalist Joseph Alsop and his legendary salons where he peddled his influence amid the powerbrokers. Much of this was well-documented, but the darkest revelations didn’t surface until after Kennedy’s assassination in 1969. Change Agent pulls us back into that turbulent period, touching on the McCarthy HUAC hearings, Allen Dulles’s control of the CIA and J. Edgar Hoover’s influence on policy as a backdrop to Kennedy’s (Luis Vega) rise to power, and it hints broadly of their conspiracy to murder JFK for not adhering to their clandestine operations.
 Luis Vega and Andrea Abello in Change Agent at Arena Stage running January 21 – March 6, 2022. Photo by Margot Schulman. Framed by Kennedy’s strained relationship with Jackie and his rumored affair with socialite and artist Mary Pinchot Meyer (Andrea Abello), the drama captures the diabolical war-mongerers who undermined Kennedy’s desire to lead the country towards a more progressive, anti-racist climate. If you’re familiar with some of these full-blown theories, you know they can lead down a rabbit hole you may not want to travel.
Lucas also acts in the role of Director and some of his decisions make for a slog as the characters’ love lives, affairs and party-going seem less than necessary. As for this as a period piece, others of Arena’s Power Play series have been more focused, more dramatically staged and more indelibly acted as they should be given the weighty political subject matter. If you’ve followed the farrago of conspiracies surrounding the assassination of JFK, this lays it all out with a smidgen of this and a dab of that without once mentioning Jack Ruby or Lee Harvey Oswald.
 Andrea Abello and Kathryn Tkel in Change Agent at Arena Stage running January 21 – March 6, 2022. Photo by Margot Schulman. The story takes us from 1936 to 1965, America – from JFK’s boarding school days meeting the spitfire and liberal activist Mary Meyer (a curious mention is Mary’s studies under famed American artist Kenneth Nolan) to the Kennedy family tragedies, and through WWII into the tony watering holes of Provincetown and Georgetown leading up to Kennedy’s time in the White House. Tension hangs over Mary and Jack’s affair along with her marital difficulties with Cord (Jeffrey Omura) her McCarthy-loving, CIA husband. Mary calls it, “living with what we cannot bear.” In this telling, Jackie appears to condone their affair and she and Mary are the best of pals. Here everyone is deeply flawed, and everyone has a secret agenda. Welcome to Washington!
With Kathryn Tkel as Jackie and Regan Linton as Cicely.
Set Design by Wilson Chin; Costume Design by Alejo Vietti; Lighting Design by Cha See; Original Music and Sound Design by Broken Chord; Projection Design by Caite Hevner.
Through March 6th at Arena Stage in the Kogod Cradle – 1101 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information visit www.ArenaStage.org
The Simon & Garfunkel Story
Broadway at The National Theatre
By: Jordan Wright
January 30, 2022
It wasn’t until the 60’s when Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel abandoned their early rock and roll efforts and tapped into the zeitgeist of that era to create their unique folk rock sound. As schoolmates they had spent time together in Queens, New York listening to the Everly Brothers and seeking their own groove. When they found it, they became one of the biggest-selling groups in the history of popular music. With a story-telling style, unusual harmonies, perfect pitch and angelic voices they came to be known for their deeply emotional, soul-baring lyrics.
Framed by full-stage images and videos from the most generation-defining moments in American history, we glean a deeper understanding of their musical journey and the lyrics that moved millions of listeners. Unfortunately, there is no program offered for this national tour, so no way to hail the individual performers who portray Art and Paul, though they were spot on in cloning both the depth and signature harmonies of the duo’s original voices. Praise too for the 4-piece (plus Paul on electrified acoustic guitar) backup band who nailed all the hot licks.
As their individual personalities emerged and grew, from time to time they parted ways. Art to London, Paul remaining stateside. But when “The Sounds of Silence” climbed the top of the charts and stayed there, they reunited and became fixtures on the music scene with huge hits like “Scarborough Fair”, “Homeward Bound”, “Mrs. Robinson”, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Feelin’ Groovy” against the background of the Vietnam War protests, the space race and the civil rights movement. Years later they separated again becoming successful solo acts.
Unlike other bio-musicals with a made-up plot and large casts, The Simon & Garfunkel Story plays out like a concert by one of the country’s most enduring groups who over the course of their lengthy careers went on to earn them music and humanitarian awards. Unlike most of today’s massive concert venues, experiencing it at The National, a stunning historic yet intimate-feeling theater, the audience can plug in to the emotionality and sheer beauty of their music. I counted 27 numbers, but there may have been more. Again, no program and only a two-night run. For fans of this iconic American duo with the purest harmonies this side of heaven, this is the epicenter.
Visit www.TheSimonandGarfunkelStory.com for upcoming performances on their US/Canada national tour.
The National Theatre is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20004. To visit the theater, you must be masked and vaxxed. Strict COVID protocols are in place. For information on upcoming shows go to www.BroadwayAtTheNational.com
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