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Jordan Wright
September 8, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 (left to right) Natalie Fox as Daisy Coates, Tom Flatt as Vernon Volker (in the back in green), Kat Sanchez as Susannah Huntsmen, Ted Culler as Richfield Hawksley, and Abigail Ropp as Mary Pierre (on knees). Photos by Matthew Randall, Allrand Photography Laughing Stock is Charles Morey’s comic love story to summer stock and the actors and crews that make up these “little families”. For those who have ever attended a production in a barn turned theater, volunteered to work backstage or were talented enough to perform at their local playhouse, this comedy is sure to spark fond memories. Shawn g. Byers does a handy job of directing this paean to seasonal theatre – – an incestuous platform where summer romances bloom, show biz careers are launched and lifelong friendships are formed – – or not.
 (left to right) Michael Dobbyn as Jack Morris, Kat Sanchez as Susannah Huntsmen, and Richard Isaacs as Henry Mills. Photos by Matthew Randall, Allrand Photography The setting for our story is a 200-year old cow barn where the Director, Gordon (Lars Klores) and his Casting Director Susannah (Kat Sanchez) are getting ready for auditions for their 82nd season and the cast-to-be is introduced in a series of hilarious vignettes referencing their experience or lack thereof: Mary (Abigail Ropp), an ingénue who seduces the Director for the part; Vernon (Tom Flatt), an aging fop with a long list of theatre credits; Richfield (Ted Culler), a seasoned actor who consistently bobbles his lines; Jack (Michael Dobbyn), the handsome, romantic lead who’s passing the summer before starting law school; Daisy (Natalie Fox), who brings along her mystic sensibilities; and Tyler (Will MacLeod), a cheery lad who is bent on pursuing Mary. Together they neatly represent your garden-variety summer stock actors.
 (left to right) Tom Flatt as Vernon Volker, Ted Culler as Richfield Hawksley, Michael Dobbyn as Jack Morris, Abigail Ropp as Mary Pierre. Photos by Matthew Randall, Allrand Photography Gordon’s struggling little troupe is under the thumb of Barbara DeMartineau, a financial backer who insists he mount a production of The Sound of Music. But Gordon has his season planned for King Lear, Dracule (a ghoulish mystery based on Dracula which he himself has penned) and the farcical Charley’s Aunt, and he tries to dissuade Barbara from her conditions of support while sweet-talking her into mailing in her annual check.
 (left to right) Will MacLeod as Tyler Taylor, Abigail Ropp as Mary Pierre, Michael Dobbyn as Jack Morris. Photos by Matthew Randall, Allrand Photography As for management, the theater’s tiny budget is controlled by Craig (Larry Grey), an endearing martinet who is the Office Supply Overlord and whose chief concerns are the disappearance of script marking pencils and an ancient Coke machine. Sarah (Melissa Dunlap) is Gordon’s love interest and the troupe’s Stage Manager, and Henry (Richard Isaacs) is the harried Set Designer.
 (left to right) Lars Klores as Gordon Page, Michael Dobbyn as Jack Morris, Kat Sanchez as Susannah Huntsmen, Ted Culler as Richfield Hawksley, and Will MacLeod as Tyler Taylor. Photos by Matthew Randall, Allrand Photography This comedy is certain to resonate with anyone who has ever taken an acting class, performed in even the smallest production, or known anyone that has. You’ll revel in the egotism, melodrama and backstage antics. In one hilarious bit, Susannah, who is directing their production of Charley’s Aunt, gets the cast to pretend to be animals, a well-known acting exercise that draws on physical realization. “Stay within your bubble,” she exhorts the odd collection of orangutans, gazelles and wildebeests. In another she absurdly insists the lead character in Charley’s Aunt is experiencing a modern-day gender crisis because he sports a skirt. Vernon declares the playhouse to be “the Dachau of summer theatres”. But, as Sarah insists, “it’s just another playhouse season.”
When at last the hinted-at audience takes its seats in the steamy, dung-filled barn, we view the plays in fast-forward sequence. Slapstick ensues in spades as we witness the whatever-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong production of the three plays. Actors bump into each other, exits and entrances are bolluxed up, lines are muffed, props go missing, sound effects go haywire, fog machines misfire and actors miss their cues. Kudos to the actual Stage Managers, Charles Dragonette and Margaret Evans-Joyce for getting things exquisitely discombobulated.
Tons of fun for anyone who loves theatre and the absurd.
Through September 26th at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street. For tickets and information call the box office at 703 683-0496 or visit www.thelittletheatre.com
Jordan Wright
September 2015
Falling in Love with Peru All Over Again: Seven Signs the Culinary Trend is Here to Stay with Ocopa, the Peruvian Brothers and China Chilcano – Et Voila! Hides in Plain Sight – Elizabeth’s Gone Raw: Elegant Vegan Dining – Mosaic District Adds Gourmet-To-Go Spot with Mom & Pop’s – Blackwall Hitch Sails Into Old Town
Follow the Signs to Peru
 Machu Picchu Peru is floating around in the ethosphere of my mind. And though it’s been a dog’s age (use your seven times multiplication tables here) since I have visited, I still have haunting memories of its power and mystique. The lure for many seekers is the cosmic center of Machu Picchu, and it was for me too. So in 1972 I took the train from Cuzco to the summit where I became inexplicably drawn to its highest peak, Mt. Huayna Picchu. This craggy peak, seen in the distance of most postcard images of Machu Picchu, lured me like a siren and I scrambled along on a foot-wide path to get to the top – a mission better undertaken by a seasoned mountain climber or sure-footed llama. When the fog closed in and barely three feet in front of me was visible, I tried to turn back. Suffice it to say, I am here to tell the tale. The rest is forgettable as there were a handful of local leaves involved in this ridiculous stunt.
Back in Lima I had a more memorable experience at a restaurant, then notable as one of the world’s finest. I doubt it’s there now. This was the early 70’s. I want to say it was The Golden Door, in Spanish of course, but it’s been too long and I was a college student crisscrossing South America with my mother.
The restaurant was housed in a grand Colonial-era building and boasted a lavishly appointed dining room. Gentlemen arrived in three-piece suits and ladies sported silk dresses and matching hats some even wore kid gloves. Tables were set with amber-hued goblets and linens were the color of summer wheat. Three waiters attended each table and dishes arrived under silver domes. I remember vividly the sunlight pouring in from heavily draped Palladian windows and the sense that my mother was fulfilling a dream in this elegant watering hole.
From the ethereal to the earthly, we left the capitol and the leaf vendors and flew to Iquitos, a dirty town that skirts the headwaters of the Amazon. Along with a trio of journalists from Paris-Match we climbed aboard a palm-thatched ferry that churned up mud as we chugged along the river as gasoline fumes wafted up from a rickety motor. After awhile a small dock came into view and we continued our journey via a series of dugout canoes crossing small streams and hiking overland on slippery, vine-draped islets. It was the rainy season and invisible, stinging insects slowed our progress (I am purposefully leaving out all talk of snakes).
After several hours we reached a cluster of mud huts and a local tribe with ink black hair and broad coffee-colored faces, painted bright red from the juice of local berries, came out of the brush to greet us. A few tribal dances were performed and gifts were exchanged. Nowadays these encounters are well organized for tourists, but I imagine the bugs and mud still prevail. For me, it was an early and fascinating introduction to Peru’s culture and cuisine.
Here’s why I feel the compass needle is currently pointing toward Peru.
 Peruvian artisans at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival
- In a break from past programs that featured several countries and select U. S. states, this year the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival chose a single country – Peru – and featured its customs, cuisine, dance and indigenous culture.
- The National Museum of the American Indian has opened the intriguing “The Great Inka Road” exhibition. See June’s column for more info.
 Peruvian Ambassador Luis Miguel Castilla introduces the fashion designers on the catwalk – The latest fashions are presented at the Peruvian Embassy – The crush at the Peruvian Embassy’s bash
- A few days before the Folk Life Festival kicked off, Peruvian Ambassador Luis Miguel Castilla threw a posh party at the residence featuring Peru’s internationally known fashion designers, complete with catwalk, DJ and unique creations from the country’s youngest designers, students at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology.
Delicious Peruvian cuisine and cocktails pleased the guests – – traditional asado from Del Campo, snacks from the Peruvian Brothers, pisco cocktails made from La Diablada pisco from Machu Pisco, tejas and chocotejas from Helena Chocolatier, tacos from Taco Bamba; and delectable seviches and potato dishes from P.A.C.H.A., the Peruvian American Chefs Association. Tidbit: There are over 3,800 types of potatoes grown in Peru.
 Chef Miguel Garcia of the Peruvian American Chefs Association – Gorgeous nibbles from P.A.C.H.A.
- Recently we embarked on a six-course journey into the tastes of Peru at Ocopa in DC where Lima-born chef Carlos Delgado pairs pisco-centric cocktails and South American wines to each course. Delgado, who has cooked at Boveda and The Caucus Room Brasserie, prepares the dishes in full view of the countertop stools for a riveting evening of food and entertainment.
 (left to right) Ocopa’s Shigoku oyster with leche de tigre espuma – Carrots with kiwicha – Salmon tiradito Delgado, who sports a colorful tattoo of asparagus on his forearm (he says it reminds him that all asparagus grown in Peru is exported, and so is he), loves the informality of his tasting nights, and he encourages questions about his dishes and the unusual chifa ingredients which are a blend of Chinese and Peruvian cuisines.
 Ocopa Chef/Owner Carlos Delgado We watch as he employs a wide range of techniques, from foams and slow braising to the char of a fiery, coal-fired grill. And when the menu lists ingredients like yuzu, leche de tigre, rocoto, kiwicha, huacho and olluquito, there are bound to be questions, not least of all the meaning of the restaurant’s name. We ask. Ocopa is a traditional sauce prepared with milk, peppers and black mint.
 (left to right) Smoked Rabbit – Squash Blossom with salchicha de huacho with squash and corn cake – Lobster chifera with mushroom wonton After dinner there’s an all-weather patio with retractable roof and a 12-seat tiki bar in back. It’s the closest you’ll feel to sitting in a street bar in Lima.
 Ocopa’s back room Be sure to try one of his Peruvian ice creams. Delgado is one of the masterminds behind the CreamCycle gourmet ice cream sandwich bicycles. Ocopa is at 1324 H Street, NE, Washington, DC. For information about the tasting nights and the Saturday and Sunday brunch menus visit www.OcopaDC.com.
 Andean Quinoa
- Most quinoa is grown in the Andes Mountains of Peru and quinoa is being incorporated into everything from cereal to frozen foods. The United Nations named 2013 the Year of Quinoa. NASA plans to take the super-food into space and global import has increased 18-fold in the past decade.
- Earlier this year über chef, José Andrés, opened China Chilcano a restaurant that also embraces chifa, the mix of Cantonese and Peruvian ingredients that form the cuisine of both cultures including Japanese and Criollo flavors.
 Stuffed Avocado from the Peruvian Brothers
- Launched in 2013 the Peruvian Brothers Food Truck, created by Giuseppe Lanzone and Mario Lanzone, has been voted “Best Food Truck” by many local publications and they were the featured food at the Folk Life Festival. But you don’t need to go by me – the lines snake around the block every day. Follow their locations on Twitter @PeruBrothers.Stuffed Avocado from the Peruvian Brothers
I rest my case…
Et Voila! – A Neighborhood Favorite
 The friendly dining room at Et Voila! Stroll along a tree-lined street in the Palisades neighborhood to a cluster of outdoor umbrellas to arrive at Et Voila! – – a neighborhood staple of Belgian French bistro fare that has been providing Francophiles with moules, steak frites, foie gras and a distinguished selection of wines, Belgian beers and aperitifs.
As tiny as it is, the MacArthur Boulevard restaurant has its own Pastry Chef, Alex Malaise, who brings whimsy to the ever-evolving dessert menu. Recently I enjoyed his Pineapple Shortcake – a marvel of orange blossom syrup-soaked brioche swooped with orange blossom crème diplomate. Gilding the lily was a foam of advocaat liqueur, a single tuile and house made vanilla ice cream. Malaise also takes on Oeufs a la Neige, commonly known as Floating Island, a complex French dessert involving soft meringues atop crème Anglaise. Drizzled with melted caramel sauce it’s a labor-intensive treat my Danish grandmother made for special occasions.
 (left to right) Moules Frites at Et Voila! – Steak Frites – Pineapple dessert This summer he has turned his attention to popsicles made with fresh fruit and juices. Although flavors fluctuate with the season, some of the earlier choices have been Raspberry & Blueberry with sorbet almond milk and popping candy (remember Pop Rocks?), Pineapple & Coconut with passion fruit glaze and shredded coconut, and Chocolate Nutella with crushed hazelnut from the Piemonte region. Stroll in and try one. www.EtVoilaDC.com
Raw Food Dining is Decidedly Upscale at Elizabeth’s
Climb the broad steps of this stunning L Street townhouse, smack dab in the middle of downtown DC, and you enter a realm of calm and elegance – – a world where the service is superb, the décor as chic as Marjorie Merriwether Post’s Hillwood, and the food is raw and vegan. Phil Heyser, a certified sommelier oversees the impressive wine and cocktail program which includes dreaming up delicious concoctions of raw juices mixed with fine spirits.
I came upon the place a few weeks earlier at a press luncheon for the Viceroy Bali, an exclusive Thai resort hotel and spa overlooking the Valley of Kings in central Bali. The hotel had sent its Executive Chef Nic Vanderbeeken to showcase his exotic cuisine to a few select journalists with a four-course meal that began with the country’s national dish, Sop Bobor, a soup of spinach and young coconut and ended with a parfait made with the native calamansi fruit.
 Yellow Watermelon Soup at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw Friday dinners The dining room, is a vast two-level space adorned with large porcelain vases set in niches, old tapestries, oil portraits and gold ormolu mirrors lit with bronze sconces and crystal chandeliers. A heavenly midnight blue ceiling contrasts with salmon-hued walls to cast a romantic glow over the entire room. Start with cocktails at the onyx bar on the first floor.
 Elizabeth’s onyx bar – dining room On Friday evenings the bespoke room converts into a reservations-only restaurant. Owner and caterer, Elizabeth Petty of The Catering Company of Washington is passionate about organic, particularly raw-vegan – – a concept that got a lot of traction from the late chef Charlie Trotter in his 2003 cookbook, Raw. Admittedly the concept doesn’t appeal to everyone (I’d prefer to see carpaccio and seviche included in a raw menu), but the delicate and very creative handling of the ingredients here is inspiring. Here’s the menu from the evening I dined there. Note Heyser’s distinguished wine pairings.
AMUSE – Parsnip & Chamomile Flan – rosemary crisp
2014 Alphonse Mellot “La Moussiére” Rose, Sancerre, France
STARTER – Yellow Watermelon Soup – French vanilla butter pear, cashew yogurt, lemon zest, honeydew melon
2013 Red Tail Ridge Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York
APPETIZER – Black Seaweed Caviar – red wine cracker, coconut crème, black garlic sauce, horseradish ginger, green apple foam
2007 Gramona “Imperial” Gran Reserva, Penedes, Spain
INTERMEZZO – Red Pepper Sorbet with a drizzle of black cardamom oil
ENTRÉE – Turmeric Saffron Risotto – green pea-mint purée, truffle crème, jasmine candy baby beets
2011 Carrick “Unravelled” Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
SWEET – Bing Cherry Curd – chocolate marquise, meyer lemon crème, strawberry sauce
2006 Hall Merlot, Napa Valley, California
Reservations only. 202 347-8040.
Mom & Pop’s at the Mosaic District
 Kids frolic in the fountains outside Mom & Pop’s – photo credit Julie Jakopic A new spot in Fairfax’s Mosaic District is Mom & Pop’s. It’s the latest venture from Robb Duncan and his wife, Violeta Edelman, co-owners of Dolcezza Gelato & Coffee. This snazzy fast casual spot nestled beside Strawberry Park, has joined forces with a variety of local DC artisans like Nathan Anda of Red Apron Butchery, to offer sandwiches and tasty snacks including Dolcezza’s seasonal gelato and push pops. Stumptown roasts the coffee and morning pastries are by, Paisley Fig at Room 11 in Columbia Heights.
As Robb explains, “The name Mom & Pop resonates with us on many levels. First, we are mom and pop at home with our two little girls, and we have always been a mom and pop to all the folks who come and work with us at Dolcezza. Second, the term ‘mom and pop’ has this homemade, family business feel to it, which obviously jives with us.”
Popular sandwiches are the Grilled Cheese with Red Apron’s spicy smoked pimento cheese; or the Smoked Chicken Salad with cranberries, celery, smoked mayo, sour cream, onions and parsley. The Roast Beef has Calabrian aioli, arugula and pickled fennel. Several quiches will rotate according to the season.
If you’re going to the Angelika Theatre, a stone’s throw away, you might drop by for a quick snack before or after the show. Try marinated olives, sundried Tomatoes, or marinated artichokes paired with smoked almonds and Spanish chorizo. Choose from local sodas or a limited selection of beer, wine, and Prosecco, all available on tap.
Blackwall Hitch Sails Into Old Town
 Be sure to check out the Sunday Jazz Brunch at Blackwall Hitch – Overlooking the main dining area The dreary food court along Old Town Alexandria’s waterfront has been replaced with a spectacularly designed space that takes in a sweeping view of the Potomac River. The chic nautical design of Blackwall Hitch has seriously ramped up the style factor in stuffy Old Town. This gorgeous restaurant with its five bars, lounge area, private dining spaces and front and rear outdoor dining introduces a new gold standard for lower King Street.
Turquoise goblets, antique chairs and black leather sofas combine with rustic wood accents and a soaring iron stairway that takes you up to the second level and the Crow’s Nest bar. And when the weather turns chilly you can cozy up to the outdoor fire pit.
 Antipasto Chopped Salad at Blackwall Hitch I’ve eaten there three times and I have to give the food a mixed review. The higher priced entrees did not impress, nor did the desserts, a raw dough apple dumpling made with flaky pastry and served with vanilla ice cream was disappointing, but the casual food was spot on, if a bit spare with the portions. Stick to salads, the antipasto salad was delicious, though not terribly creative; burgers, big and juicy with the best sweet potato fries ever; and a ceviche, tingling with citrus and fresh seafood and served in an avocado. Michael Wagner is the Executive Chef, a Culinary Institute of America grad who gained experience in fine dining and large restaurants which will will prove crucial for serving the 315-seat space with outdoor seating for 105.
Still I loved the place and plan on returning for the cocktails, freshly shucked oysters, the view, the live music, and a casual bite or two.
Photo credit: Jordan Wright
Jordan Wright
August 25, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 Christine Sherrill (Violet Chandler), and Mark Evans (Cal Chandler). Photo by Christopher Mueller Cal Chandler, son of successful politician, Senator Reed Chandler, is not exactly a model of statesmanship. He’s your typical privileged Yale grad and pot-smoking, ex-Vietnam vet raised in a political family. Sound familiar? It’s just the first of many of the plot’s parallels to our real American political landscape. When Cal’s father dies in flagrante delicto before re-election, his mother and uncle, the family’s political advisor, Grahame Chandler (Lawrence Redmond), plot a course to groom young Cal to take his place. And do they ever plot! Move over Shakespeare. There’s a new Lady Macbeth in town and her name is Violet Chandler. To give you some idea, the show’s intro is “Let the Games Begin” which trumpets, “These are the games, the tools and the tricks.”
As Violet and Grahame ply their considerable savvy to transform the reluctant scion into a model of respectability, we have a front row seat to the backroom wheeling and dealing of a political campaign including a nefarious mobster, Anthony Gliardi, played by Dan Manning with distinction. The ever-watchful Grahame, making sure Cal won’t be caught up by reporters’ probing queries, warns the budding pol, “You must limit yourself to three topics – the economy, crime and taxes.”
The Fix is a scrumptious concoction of jealousy, scandal and infidelity (Will Gartshore, as Violet’s doomed lover, Bobby “Cracker” Barrel is terrific) served up with a side of moral depravity, deceit and the delightful pleasure of déjà vu and schadenfreude all in the same soup. Oh, yes, we know what’s going to happen, and no, we still can’t turn away.
 Mark Evans (Cal Chandler). Photo by Christopher Mueller. Mark Evans, as Cal, is spectacular – a super sexy, blindingly handsome, ripped-bodied (he strips to his skivvies in the first act), breathtaking dancer and jaw-dropping singer who earned his street cred in The Book of Mormon. As the lead, Evans commands much of the attention in this pivotal role and he does not disappoint, nor does veteran performer Bobby Smith as Cal’s late father who returns from the grave to offer advice to his wayward son. Act Two brings Smith and Redmond together as Harvard alums sporting satin-striped suits and doing a mean soft shoe in a hilarious vaudeville-style skit that incorporates crutches as props. After all, isn’t politics just show business with money and a message?
Christine Sherrill lends an alluring villainy to Violet, a woman who thrives on perks and power. In “Spin” a drunken self-examination solo at a symbolically chosen vanity table, she belts out a heart-stopping message that defines her years stumping with her husband on campaign trails, “It’s a rough ride on the back roads. You give it spin.”
 Bobby Smith (Senator Reed Chandler), Christine Sherrill (Violet Chandler), and Lawrence Redmond (Grahame Chandler). Photo by Christopher Mueller. The Fix gives us all the elements of a smash hit with book & lyrics by John Dempsey, music by Dana P. Rowe and direction by Eric Schaeffer. Matthew Gardiner crafts the choreography and it is impressive, as is the eight-piece orchestra (sounds like eighteen) under Jon Kalbfleisch. Setting the stage are the combined efforts of Misha Kachman’s scenic design and Hannah Marsh’s clever projection design of incorporating TV screens with news anchors that report on Cal’s soaring career from councilman to governor.
Highly recommended.
Through September 20th in the MAX at Signature Theatre (Shirlington Village), 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information call 703 820-9771 or visit www.sigtheatre.org
Jordan Wright
August 4, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 (L to R) Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe and Ben Platt as Evan in the world-premiere musical Dear Evan Hansen at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater July 10-August 23, 2015. Photo by Margot Schulman. A good indicator that this is a production in flux is the playbill’s last minute insert – – the list of the 16 musical numbers in the show and the characters that sing them – – decisions undoubtedly made after the printing. But if you watched the much-beloved, now-cancelled Smash, you’d know that was a key aspect of the TV show’s story line. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are the show’s musical team and lyricists who are both alumni of the romantic drama that focused on the angst of creating a hit Broadway show.
In this coming-of-age musical written by Steven Levenson and directed by Michael Greif, Evan Hansen (Ben Platt, best known as the endearing star of the Pitch Perfect films) is an socially tormented teen, raised by a single mother (Rachel Bay Jones) in the age of social media. An outcast at school, his psychologist prescribes anti-anxiety meds and the self-examining exercise of writing letters to himself. But that alone won’t curb the bullying and cure his aimless life until the day Connor Murphy (Mike Faist), a fellow outcast, takes his own life and a series of seemingly unconnected events converge to give Evan a purpose and an imaginative explanation for his broken arm. “You play who you have to play,” Jared tells Evan.
 (L to R) Michael Park as Larry, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia, Ben Platt as Evan and Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe in the world-premiere musical Dear Evan Hansen. Photo by Margot Schulman. The show has all the elements necessary to captivate – an absorbing story, tremendous cast, catchy, emotionally affecting tunes (backed by a 16-member choir, each described as “Additional Voice” in the program), the brilliant Music Director Ben Cohn with orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, and a hot topic. The problem is it’s overly long causing it to drift into a number of obfuscating side stories. Even though Jennifer Laura Thompson and Michael Park are terrific as Connor’s bereaved parents and Laura Dreyfuss is engaging as Zoe Murphy, Evan’s love interest, and notwithstanding that Will Roland and Alexis Molnar hit all the right emotional and comedic notes as Evan’s pals. But the show loses momentum as the characters’ roles are overly fleshed out and side stories stretch into distractions. Another bump is the annoying repetition of lyrics and all too frequent use of falsetto called for in the songs. And although an intriguing device, Connor’s ghost, who haunts Evan and becomes his raison d’être, is more reminiscent of Ebenezer Scrooge than a reality check for Evan, as it eats up a great deal of the plot.
 (L to R) Ben Platt as Evan, Michael Park as Larry, Jennifer Laura Thompson as Cynthia and Laura Dreyfuss as Zoe in the world-premiere musical Dear Evan Hansen at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater July 10-August 23, 2015. Photo by Margot Schulman. Instead, enjoy Set Designer David Korins’s furnishings drifting onstage via half-moon tracks and Projection Designer Peter Nigrini’s fantastic backdrop of text messages and emails projected onto a series of two-story sliding scrims and spilling out onto the stage floor. The messages serve to remind us of the influence of Facebook and Twitter on teens and the impact of the typed word to enhance or endanger their lives in a single keystroke. Can you say “going viral”? The story has more sociological and psychological messages than Dr. Phil and Days of Our Lives combined.
Still despite the thought of tweaks and cuts, you can rest assured its message will captivate Millennials and Generation Z’ers raised in a world of student warehousing, cyber-bullying, secret email accounts and electronic devices. There is an important story to be told here. It just needs work.
Through August 23rd at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St., SE, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information call 202 488-3300 or visit www.ArenaStage.org.
Jordan Wright
July 28, 2015
Special to The Alexandria Times
 “Carnival Del Barrio” (Cast) – Photos by Keith Waters / Kx Photography Do you speak Spanish? No problemo. I’ll bet you can translate most of the words and phrases that have found their way into our everyday lexicon. Gracias, te amo, buenos dias, piragua (a shaved ice treat. Okay, that one was new to me.) and dozens more that you didn’t know you knew. Be prepared to test your skills at In the Heights, now at The Little Theatre of Alexandria. It’s Latino immersion served up in high energy by a fantastic cast. Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the book for Conceptualist/Composer/Lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda, allows us a heart-warming glimpse into the lives of Latino immigrants and their assimilation into American culture – New York style. It’s a tale familiar to every immigrant who has faced the frustrations and hardships that beckoned them to American shores and a show that achieved four Tony Awards and one Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.
Set in the barrio of Washington Heights on the northern tip of Manhattan, a community settled over the past half century by immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba and assorted Hispanic Caribbean islands, the musical is written in hip-hop, rap and rhyme – en Español, pero con Inglés, tambien. Spanning the three-day Fourth of July weekend, it tells the story of a determined, close-knit culture and the love stories of Benny (Carl Williams) and Nina (Christy Fischer) and Usnavi (Andres Alejandro Ponce) and Vanessa (Chelsea Crane). Think West Side Story without the gangs.
 Left to Right: Carl Williams (Benny), Andres Alejandro Ponce (Usnavi De Le Vega), Chelsea Crane (Vanessa), Joey Ledonio (Sonny), Patricia Targete (Female Community), Jacqueline Salvador (Carla) – Photos by Keith Waters / Kx Photography Living under the shadow of the George Washington Bridge, Usnavi, the owner of a small bodega that serves the neighborhood, works alongside his cousin, Sonny (Joey Ledonio). Together they dream of a better life for themselves and their adored Abuela Claudia (Mary Ayala-Bush), matriarch of their family. Down the street Daniela (Tahara Robinson), Carla (Jacqueline Salvador) and Vanessa ply their hairstyling skills in the Unisex Salon while Vanessa dreams of escaping to the West Village. Across the way husband and wife, Camila (Janice Rivera) and Kevin (Sean Garcia), run the struggling Rosario’s Car and Limousine service. Benny, who eloquently raps road conditions to the drivers on the two-way, falls hard for their daughter, Nina, a scholarship student at Stamford and the hope of the neighborhood. It’s a “beans and rice” life for most of them.
Twenty-five musical numbers underpin this high-energy production, punctuating the action with breakdancing, rhumba and catchy Latin rhythms. LTA has done a tremendous job casting all 22 super-talented dancers and singers, more than a few of whom raised the roof – – most especially the riveting and hugely talented, Ponce; the powerhouse voice of the diminutive Crane, Usnavi’s love interest; the sass and comedic timing of Robinson who kills it in “Carnival del Barrio”; the cool hipster vibe and beautiful voice of Williams, who duets with Fischer’s dulcet tones in “Sunrise”; and Garcia, who lends operatic pathos to “Alabanza”.
 Left to Right: Joey Ledonio (Sonny), Andres Alejandro Ponce (Usnavi De La Vega) – Photos by Keith Waters / Kx Photography Raves for Choreographer Stefan Sittig, a veteran of over 60 productions and multiple WATCH Award nominee, who drives the cast to nearly pop the floorboards in “The Club” an all-out dance-a-thon brilliantly lit by Ken and Patti Crowley to echo a Diego Rivera painting; and Director, Frank D. Shutts, who bravely takes on a musical that stretches LTA’s typical audience to embrace the edge.
Highly recommended.
Through August 15th at The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street. For tickets and information call the box office at 703 683-0496 or visit www.thelittletheatre.com
Jordan Wright
July 15, 2015
Special to Indian Country Today Media Network
 Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep’s book Jacksonland: President Andrew Jackson, Cherokee Chief John Ross, and a Great American Land Grab tells the almost-lost-to-history story of Cherokee Chief John Ross and his attempts to save the Cherokee Nation from President Andrew Jackson. Photo credit: Penguin Press You don’t need to be a history buff to dive headlong into Jacksonland: President Andrew Jackson, Cherokee Chief John Ross, and a Great American Land Grab (Penguin Press, 2015), Steve Inskeep’s riveting masterpiece of two influential men who held radically opposing visions for our country. The well-respected author and co-host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition recounts in vivid detail the ultimate story of power, ego and greed that was played out in the Deep South (which Inskeep dubs Jacksonland) and which ultimately defined the future settlement of our nascent nation. Coming from relatively humble roots, both men once fought on the same side and later crossed verbal swords in defense of their principles—Jackson, whose desire for personal gain for both himself and his well-heeled cronies translated into immense power and control of the Union, and John Ross, a well-educated and savvy Cherokee Indian chief committed to protecting Indian territories and sovereign rights.
Inskeep toggles between chapters about Jackson and Ross as he methodically lays out their personal journeys, meticulously detailing their early lives, crossed paths, and the events and battles that lead to the ultimate betrayal—the Trail of Tears. But the events do not progress in a straight line. And that’s precisely what makes this a page-turner.
At stake in 1812 were the territories of the Five Civilized Tribes—Cherokee, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek—whose collective territory extended from the southernmost tip of Florida, around the panhandle to Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, westward along the muddy banks of the Mississippi River to the Missouri Territory, and north in a winding border that extended from the Atlantic Coast south of what is known today as Georgia and along the northern reaches of the Tennessee River. This was the so-called Indian Map. On the contrary, the “White Man’s Map” of the same period laid claim to everything east of the Ohio River and the Mississippi, with the exception of Florida, which was still in Spanish hands.
Known to his people by his Cherokee name, Kooweskoowe, Ross was able to access the “whiteside,” as he called it, using his mixed Scottish and Indian ancestry to straddle both Indian and white political and social spheres. Trained as a lawyer, he sported the sartorial style of white politicians, cutting an imposing figure as he strode through the halls of Congress, negotiating with lawmakers to strike deals favorable to his people. There was no more dedicated and effective representative for the Cherokee, and they trusted and relied on his savvy statesmanship.
But the dark side to this era of Indian relationships with the U. S. government is the backstory of Jackson’s unimaginable greed, ruthless double-dealing and consolidation of power. How he granted favors to and colluded with his associates to obtain land for their personal enrichment, while breaking promises to the Indian nations.
Through personal letters written by Ross and Jackson, and a wealth of documents of the period, Inskeep has achieved an exhilarating read. Outlining the real history of Jackson’s rise to the U.S. presidency, and Ross’s hard-fought efforts for the Cherokee, the author makes it clear that given a few different conditions, the removal of the tribes might never have happened. For example it is stunning to learn that the 1835 Treaty of New Echota, in which the Indians ceded territory and agreed to move west, prevailed by a single vote, even though it had never been signed by Chief Ross or the Cherokee National Council. And that Jackson’s biggest battle may have been his health, which was so poor that frequently he was perilously close to death.
As a seasoned reporter, Inskeep has said he was driven by “the disgraceful politics of the past few years” to write this book. That passion has driven him to give us a clear-eyed and fascinating story of two influential men, one whose democratic values followed the principle of majority rule, and another who represented minority rights. But he has also delivered a cautionary tale of the machinations of the rich and powerful that especially resonates today.
Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/07/15/jacksonland-riveting-narrative-details-chief-john-rosss-attempts-save-cherokee-nation
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