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Jordan Wright
July 23, 2011
Special to The Alexandria Times
 L to R: Jacklyn Young as Penny, Christina Kidd as Amber, Shannon Kingett as Tracy, Christopher Harris as Edna - Photography by Doug Olmsted  The Council Kids: Meg Glassco, Reeny Eul, Jacob Wittenauer, Chris Rios - Photography by Doug Olmsted Could a down-low Baltimore gore-obsessed gay filmmaker, thrown out of film school for smoking dope, carve a campy classic out of a cross-dressing trash-talking 350-pound trailer park transvestite named DIvine? You betcha, Hon! When art house cinematographer John Waters made Hairspray, the 1988 comedy film with Sonny Bono, Ricki Lake, Debbie Harry, and ohmygod little Pia Zadora, he was a far cry from mainstream culture. Fast forward to the Tony Awards in 2003 when Hairspray the musical wins for Best Book of a Musical, Best Direction, Best Original Score and Best Performance for Harvey Fierstein.
The switch from screenplay to stage production was remarkably successful given its unconventional characters. But what’s not to love about a stubborn, star-struck teen who against all odds pursues her dreams, an adoring father who supports his family by selling exploding cigars from his Har-de-Har Hut joke shop, and a steam iron-compulsive mother with a heart of gold, who’s the polar opposite of June Cleaver.
With original music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman the story takes us back to segregated 1950’s Baltimore, where weight-challenged teenybopper Tracy Turnblad, prays for the day she can get on television’s Corny Collins Show, a local American Bandstand-clone Waters based on the original real-life Buddy Deane Show. Together with galpal, Penny Pingleton, they swoon and squeal for the handsome crooner and cool daddy-o, Link Larkin, and dream the impossible dream of the day they can shake and shimmy on the show. But Tracy is no average teen, she’s confident, determined and socially aware, and through her efforts to get black and white kids to dance together on the show, “It’s so Afro-tastic! “she declares, she becomes the accidental integrationist.
In this production, one of the cheeriest, most heartfelt, rip-roaring musical productions ever to hit The Little Theatre of Alexandria, Director Sue Pinkman, has brought her acting knowledge and directing skills together to forge a solid cast of 30 singer/dancer/actors into a tightly-hewn, energetic, leap-out-of-your-seat musical.
 Mark Williams as Harriman F. Spritzer, Gardner Reed as Corny Collins, Janette Moman as Velma Von Tussle - Photography by Doug Olmsted  Shannon Kingett as Tracey; Christopher Harris as Edna - Photography by Doug Olmsted Choreographer Ivan Davila’s makes his own magic on the theatre’s modest stage with the exceptional challenge of smoothly arranging everyone in sync and on target for some terrific dancing – in one number 20 hoofers are on stage groovin’ to “The Madison” in Pinky’s Hefty Hideway, a shop for the weight-challenged and in the case of Mr. Pinky (Scott J. Strasbaugh) vertically-challenged too.
Seventeen musical numbers, a crack off-stage eight-piece band, plus saucy reprises from red hot mama Velma Von Tussle (Janette Moman) vamping her theme song “Miss Baltimore Crabs”, gives ample opportunity to give all the performers a chance to shine. But how to single any one performer out of this stellar group when they all aced the test? Below are a few standouts.
Shannon Kingett is Tracy Turnblad, or is it the other way round? The young actress positively exhales Tracy – adorable, irrepressible and feisty. Watch her turn the beat around from the first note of “Good Morning Baltimore”.
Gardner Reed as Corny Collins masterfully portraying the beloved bebop host-with-a-heart.
Christopher Harris as Edna Turnblad (Divine’s original role) with glorious timing and sly humor. “Pour me a teeny weeny triple.” A perfect coupling with Larry Grey as hubby Wilbur Turnblad, their two-step duet, “You’re Timeless to Me”, proves opposites really do attract.
Adrian Cubbage playing the color-line breaking hipster Seaweed J. Stubbs with a deliciously sweet soulfulness to his voice in “Run and Tell That”, convincing Penny “the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice.”
 Brenda Parker as Motormouth Maybelle, with Zaria Stott as Shayna - Photography by Doug Olmsted Brenda Parker as the rhyming Maybelle, “We can’t get lazy when things get crazy,” she tells the teens. The savvy owner of Motormouth Records Shop, she will rip your heart out while you hold back the tears, in her powerful rendition of “I Know Where I’ve Been”.
Gina Tomkus ably handling four, yes four! parts as the scene-stealing geeky gym teacher, one of the chorus of Pinkettes, Penny’s dowdy overbearing mother, Prudy Pingleton, and the sexy leather-clad, whip-snapping prison matron. How is this possible?
The whole Motormouth Gang, “If we get anymore white people in here it’s gonna be a suburb!” And little Derrick “Blake” Hopkins Jr. as Stooie, who snags the most timely line of the night with his flip response to Tracy’s “Where do you go after Special Ed?” “Congress!” he wisely quips.
A tremendously talented cast all around in a huge hit for The Little Theatre. Does Tracy get her man? Is her hair high enough? Does she win the title of Miss Teenage Hairspray? What do you think, Hon?
At The Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe Street, through August 13th. For tickets and information call 703 683-5778 or visit www.thelittletheatre.com.
Jordan Wright
June 30, 2011
Special to The Washington Examiner
 Dromoland Castle Golf and Spa Resort is a short drive from Shannon Airport in southwest Ireland
 The Cliffs of Moher - photo credit Jordan Wright  Harpist on the Cliffs of Moher - photo credit Jordan
The lush terrain crisscrossing Ireland could break your heart with its raw beauty. In a landscape where bright yellow hedges of wild gorse mingle with the snowy blossoms of the blackthorn and thousands of kilometers of centuries-old stone walls delineate emerald green fields, black-faced sheep and honey-hued dairy cows graze languorously beneath an impossibly blue sky. For the traveler along the southern and western edge of the country in the counties of Cork, Limerick and Clare it is soul stirring.
From Shannon Airport in County Clare, we are just a few miles from our arrival at the lavish Dromoland Castle Golf and Spa Resort. Built in the 5thC by the O’Brien family, descendants of the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, the turreted castle overlooks its own golf course and falconry school on 375 acres offering grand suites decorated in elegant country style and a wealth of sporting activities like fishing, clay shooting and horseback riding. Refined seasonally driven cuisine, helmed by noted chef David McCann, is reflected by roasted saddle of rabbit with leeks, clams and wild mushrooms in corn broth, filet of beef with a claret sauce, and chocolate coconut cream torte with red berry sauce.
 The gardens at Dromoland Castle - photo credit Jordan Wright  The falconer at Dromoland Castle - photo credit Jordan Wright From the castle it’s an easy drive to the limestone Cliffs of Moher on the southwest coast where guillemots and puffins frolic in Galway Bay beneath the shadow of O’Brien’s Tower. In the distance the Aran Islands, a much-visited area noted for Irish music and thatched roof buildings dating from the mid 1400’s, are reachable by ferry from the nearby town of Doolin.
South of Ballyvaughan, lunch is at Gregan’s Castle Hotel, a lovely Georgian-style manor house, where you can park your wellies by the door for a bite of local steamed lobster or the delicious Burren lamb. Expert local botanist, Tony Kirby, is there to escort us to The Burren National Park, and the iconic Poulnabrone Dolmen Monument. The preserve is a beautifully desolate glacial karst of 98,000 acres filled with over 70% of Ireland’s native plants.
Throughout the countryside of this Neolithic land, are over 30,000 ‘ringforts’ and ancient stone monuments that speak of a civilization conceived before the pyramids of Egypt. Conquered in turns by Celts, Gaels, Vikings, Visigoths and Normans, tribes built these ‘ringforts’ or ‘raths’. But were they used for faeries or farmers? Forts or sites for pagan mating rituals? No matter. The myths and mysteries, where Christian abbeys coexist with medieval castles and two million-year old subterranean rivers and caves, beckon the explorer.
 The salad course of asparagus and morels at The K Club - photo credit Jordan Wright  Local oysters at the Farm Gate Cafe in Cork - photo credit Jordan Wright A trip to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, built in 1425, offers a glimpse of “knight” life. Stroll through the restored village to reach the castle keep where period-costumed lords and ladies invite you to make merry with a bawdy madrigal concert and medieval banquet in the great dining hall. Traditional fare includes mead, braised beef and raspberry fool.
The following day we arrive through the magnificent gates of the luxurious 19thC Castlemartyr Resort. This extraordinary country estate, once owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, sits on 220 pastoral acres and has an 800-year old castle ruins that was once home to the Knights Templar. A pair of perfectly matched Kerry bog ponies-with-cart trots us around the gardens before cocktails in the clubby Knight’s Bar. On the veranda a black-and-white themed wedding of stunning young royals plays out before we segué into the dining room for a sumptuous six-course dinner of Ballycotton prawns with artichoke puree and truffles, ballantine of foie gras, sea bass with coastal mussels and chervil, and Hereford beef with a potato terrine and carrot fondant.
Morning brings us to Cork to visit the famed English Market, a food emporium chock-a-block with local fish, meats and farm products. Upstairs at Farmgate Café we lunch on Atlantic oysters, grilled lemon sole and rhubarb fool paired with a crisp Verdicchio from the Le Marche region.
 Kerry Bog ponies at Castlemartyr - photo credit Jordan Wright Traveling along the Celtic Sea we reach the quaint fishing village of Cobh. Home to the Royal Cork Yacht Club, it served as the final departure point for the RMS Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage. From the town’s quay we set out on a bracing sea safari in a 12-seat RIB boat past Spike Island. On the way to Kinsale we watch grey seals and bottlenose dolphins cavorting in the calm waters beneath the soaring cliffs.
 The lighthouse at Old Head Golf Links - photo credit Jordan Wright Perched above the Atlantic Ocean is the Old Head Golf Links, where duffers like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicholson summon the golf gods. We enjoy a casual lunch of cod and chips on the outdoor patio of the Lusitania Bar where if you’re lucky you’ll see one of 15 species of whales. The tony club has recently added contemporary-designed suites and a spa for overnight guests.
Back at Castlemartyr a massage and facial before a short walk into the village of Straffan to Pat Shortt’s Pub for a farm-style dinner while enjoying a rollicking evening of traditional Irish folk music. A fish chowder of ling, haddock and salmon, beef braised in Beamish stout, and apple rhubarb crumble accompany pints of Black and Tans, made with half Guinness stout and half Smithwick’s ale.
 The K Club's ghillie - photo credit Jordan Wright A mid-morning stop at the old Jameson Distillery, then on to The K Club, a 19th C Georgian manor along the Liffey River. The drive takes us past the Galtee Mountains and through ‘The Golden Vale’ where the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Cork meet. Sporting two 18-hole Arnold Palmer designed courses, The Kildare Hotel Spa and Country Club, as it is otherwise known, is home to the Ryder Cup and a favorite haunt of US Presidents and rock stars. Tea, scones and watercress finger sandwiches followed by a sampling of Ireland’s most exquisite cheeses – creamy St. Killian, tangy Cashel Blue, wonderfully lemony Cratloe Hills and the earthy Milleens.
Out on the green a challenging fly fishing lesson with the estate’s ghillie precedes a tour of the hotel’s museum-quality collection of paintings, tapestries and sculptures (Of historical note – a framed signing of the Belfast Agreement which took place here). Then off for a massage and dip in the indoor pool.
The evening’s adventure beckons as we wend our way down a narrow hidden stairwell to find a world-class wine collection in the castle’s cellar. Sipping champagne and nibbling on salmon canapés by candlelight, we gasp discreetly over rooms filled floor-to-ceiling with extraordinary vintages, Pomerol, Montrachet, Petrus, Medoc and Champagne, some dating back to the 1920’s.
At dinner Chef Finbar Higgins, and his staff of 18 Michelin-star graduates signal serious dining in the private Pantheon Suite with luscious langoustines, oysters topped with citrus foam and a risotto strewn with morels.
 Jeremy and stable boy at The National Stud - photo by Jordan Wright Daybreak brings the fifth straight day of sunshine and we’re off to Tully in County Kildare and the Irish National Stud to visit the Horse Museum, Japanese Gardens and stables of priceless breeding stallions. It was a premier stop for Queen Elizabeth on her recent royal tour of Ireland.
We head for Dublin and begin with a tour of the historic Guinness Storehouse, where they are currently celebrating 252years of brewing beer. We learn that Guinness sells a staggering 10 million glasses every day in over 150 countries around the world. A top-notch lunch of Irish mussels in Guinness cream, Irish beef Stew and chocolate mousse topped with red currants is prepared for us by chef Justin O’Connor in the private Rainsford Room. On site are two public restaurants, The Brewer’s Dining Hall and The Gilroy Restaurant and The Gravity Bar 144 feet up affording spectacular views of Dublin.
 Pimm's cup before dinner at The Fitzwilliam Hotel - photo credit Jordan Wright Arrive at The Fitzwilliam Hotel, a super-glam contemporary hotel across from the tranquil gardens of St. Stephen’s Green and a stone’s throw from the best shops on Grafton Street.
Pimm’s Cup served in the penthouse garden before strolling over to the ornate yet very hip The Cliff House Townhouse, a beautifully restored Georgian period hotel and restaurant. East Coast potted monkfish, braised Fermanagh lamb with confit shoulder and garlic sauce, chocolate tart with candied orange and petit fours.
After breakfast in bed we walk to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College to see The Book of Kells, dropping in at the Queen of Hearts, a perfectly adorable tea shop, to gather up some lemon scones and apple crumble.
Lunch at the Avoca Café, a charming upscale general store cum food hall with a rooftop garden restaurant and eight cookbooks to its name. Chunky ‘chips’ cooked in duck fat, a coconut-crusted sea bream tempura with nam jim sauce, and apple crumble.
 Sweets at the Queen of Hearts - photo credit Jordan  Jam session in St. Stephen's Green - photo credit Jordan Wright City sightseeing by double-decker bus and back to The Fitzwilliam for an imaginative dinner prepared by famed Irish chef, Kevin Thornton, whose Michelin-starred restaurant, Thornton’s, is in the hotel. Dublin Bay prawns with prawn bisque and sabayon, Bere Island scallops with truffle mousse, noisette of Sikka deer with potato gnocchi and Valrhona chocolate sauce, and lemon tart with cassis sorbet. Beautiful ingredients exquisitely prepared.
Sadly we catch our flight back to the States at the crack of dawn, treasuring our memories of the rugged Atlantic coast, green-canopied roads and baronial castles beside picturesque farms, of tiny villages and the cosmopolitan city of Dublin.
Still in our thoughts are the hearty breakfasts, redolent of thick-cut bacon and homemade sausages, house-cured salmon served on hearty brown bread smeared with sweet butter, poached eggs with marigold-hued centers and glass pots of fresh yoghurt. Today’s modern Irish chefs have launched the ‘new’ Irish cuisine and that radical culinary shift is the country’s most recent appeal.
For a guided tour of The Burren. www.heartofburrenwalks.com
For the sea safari. www.safari.ie
For more information on Ireland visit www.tourismireland.com
Jordan Wright
June 27th, 2011
Special to The Alexandria Times
 The cast and set of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Ethan McSweeny. Photo by Scott Suchman. From the start the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s version of The Merchant of Venice crackles with electricity amid the hustle-bustle of a large commerce-driven metropolis. On a one-size-fits-all set, trisected by levels and diagonalized by a sweeping three-story staircase, booze-fueled revelers burst through a set of wooden doors in a crazed conga line as they whirl past the train station’s café and into the ether of billowing locomotive steam. The set seems lifted from the Main Concourse at Grand Central Station in New York City, and that’s a good thing because this version of Shakespeare’s familiar tragicomedy has been shapeshifted into The Jazz Age of the 1920’s and launched into the era of hot flappers and cool bathtub gin.
 Derek Smith as Antonio and Julia Coffey as Portia in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Ethan McSweeny. Photo by Scott Suchman. In a sweeping reinterpretation of the characters by Director Ethan McSweeney, the beguiling Portia is depicted as a horseback riding, golf-playing heiress and The Prince of Arragon as a mincing, Pekinese-toting yachtsman. In this version of the classic tale, Antonio, the cocksure privateer, becomes a self-absorbed commodities trader and The Prince of Morocco, an aviating daredevil playboy. Try envisioning The Little Prince on Viagra.
On a more serious note, Evans’ Shylock shows a grim yet brilliant accuracy…an accuracy that can get you blackballed in the Jewish community. His portrayal of the vengeful moneylender, written as the quintessentially unflattering stereotype of an Orthodox Jew, one whose sense of justice outweighs his sense of mercy, is unflinching. The outcast, as it was written, is a despicable man worthy of inclusion in a Nazi propaganda film short. It’s no wonder Theodore Bikel turned the role down and Evans is thought to be the first Jew ever to accept it. But stop a moment to recognize its worth in the play, it’s no more and no less than a racist characterization and there are countless plays and ethnically-correct actors cast in these thorny roles daily.
Keeping to the new pattern, regional New York and British accents are cleverly tweaked to fit by dialogue coach Deena Burke, with Gratiano, Salerio and Solanio as Bowery Boys; the Duke of Venice as a dese-dem-and-dose mobster; Shylock as a Yiddish-accented Hassidim straight out of Williamsburg, Brooklyn; and Portia as an upper crust Brit on a charm mission. Reattach the untinkered-with script, et voila! a fresh new dynamic. Shakespeare meets F. Scott Fitzgerald on the Lower East Side of Venice.
 Tim Getman as Solanio and Andy Murray as Solario in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of The Merchant of Venice, directed by Ethan McSweeny. Photo by Scott Suchman. Composer Stephen Cahill reinforces the aura with music from the 1920’s, using sultry horns, Charlestonian rhythms and golden standards while Lightning Director Marcus Doshi manages to bring an amber-tinted intimacy to the enormous set, while Jennifer Moeller’s does justice with movie star beaded satin dresses and chic riding attire that share the stage with gangster-style zoot suits, Orthodox Jewish robes and elegant white tie cutaways.
And lest you imagine the production to be tarted up by bold primary colors, knowest all who hearest the proclamation, that the set, designed by Andrew Lieberman, in understated shades of grey, beige and blue, doesn’t distract from the bard’s masterpiece of comedy and still-relevant social drama.
I took as my escort my 13-year old grandson whose knowledge of Shakespeare was A Midsummer’s Night Dream read in dreary black and white (dull compared to the Internet and the technicolor graphics of video games). He was not expecting, nor I, the modernist spin given to the play and sat up with eyes wide open enjoying every action-packed minute of it, most especially the dramatic arrivals of Portia’s suitors.
Bravura performances by Julia Coffey (Portia), Mark Nelson (Shylock), Derek Smith (Antonio), Drew Cortese (Bassanio) and Vaneik Echeverria (The Prince of Arragon). Look for Daniel Pierce to astound in the small role of Launcelot Gabbo.
This is a Merchant with packed with panache and sprinkled with roadsters, radios and champagne toasts.
Five stars.
Through July 24th at the Sidney Harmon Hall, 615 F Street, NW, Washington, DC. For tickets and information call 202 547-1122 or visit www.shakespearetheatre.org.
Jordan Wright
Special to The Washingtonian Magazine
May 4th 2011
A good sign that winter is over: the return of migratory birds. At Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland, you can spot such spring harbingers as warblers, blue- and green-winged teals, and dunlins. The 25,000-acre Eastern Shore refuge is also home to pileated woodpeckers and one of the nation’s largest populations of bald eagles.
You can further explore the refuge’s flatland trails by bicycle, or kayak its tributaries. Blackwater Paddle & Pedal Adventures has rentals; for reservations, call 410-901-9255.
The nearby Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina boasts its own opportunities to see birds. The hotel’s private nature preserve, the Blue Heron Rookery, lies within its 400 acres. Weekend rates are $199 to $349 a night, suites $399 to $799.
Jordan Wright
Special to The Washingtonian Magazine
May 4th 2011
Amateur artists may be inspired to paint after a trip to the Inn at Bowman’s Hill (215-862-8090). The B&B in New Hope, Pennsylvania, is adjacent to a 134-acre wildflower preserve, reached via Washington Crossing Historic Park. In spring, you can follow nearly two dozen trails to see woodlands carpeted in thousands of Monet-hued bluebells. You’ll likely spot elusive red and white trillium along the paths as well as splashes of fiery flame azalea. Guided tours are available.
Location isn’t the inn’s only draw. Pop out of the cozy featherbeds, and, if you’d like, gather your own breakfast eggs from the inn’s chickens. The Bucks County inn is alongside the Delaware River, near the spot where George Washington crossed in 1776, and the area is rich with history, antiques shops, fine restaurants, art galleries, and more.
Weekend rates are $445 to $475 a night including a full breakfast; suites are $575 to $595. For information on the preserve, see bhwp.org.
June 7, 2011
By Jordan Wright
Special to The Washington Examiner
 Old Montreal and Old Port of Montreal. Photo Tourisme Montreal Bordered by the St. LaurentRiver, Montreal is a French-speaking food- and culture-obsessed city, with a progressive, hip vibe. It boasts more than 90 festivals to choose from each year and is only about an hour and a half flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Air Canada.
Chill Out at Le St-Martin HotelParticulier Downtown, a charmerof a boutique hotel in the downtownarea. It’s great for shopping andnightlife and a short hop to the historicsection of Old Montreal. Info:980 De Maisonneuve Blvd. Ouest.514-843-3000. lestmartinmontreal.com
Get your groove on at the Montreal Jazz Fest from June 25 until July 4 with hot headliners Abby Lincoln, Robert Plant, Diana Kralland more playing at venues around the city. Other ticketed shows like bossa nova faves Marinda + Solari perform on the Bateau Mouche,where you can enjoy dinner and anighttime cruise at the same time. Or catch the throwback group Return to the Future, starring Chick Corea, Jean Luc Ponty and Stanley Clarke as they revisit the classics. Info: montrealjazzfest.com.
In the Old City, stroll through the open-air art gallery featuring more than 100 exhibitors, 40 street performers and multimedia at the Festival International Montreal en Arts on Sainte-Catherine Street. Info: June 29 to July 3. festivaldesarts.org
The International Fireworks Competition dazzles on Saturdays and a few Wednesdays from June 25 to July 30. The spectacular “pyromusical” displays are hosted by eight countries, with a Beatles tribute on the final day. Held at La Ronde, a Six Flags amusement park, on the Ile Sainte Helene. Info: For tickets and park information, visit laronde.com.
Cirque du Soleil, whose headquarters are in Montreal, presents Totem, a new show about the evolutionary progress of mankind, from June 16 to July 31 under the Grand Chapiteau at the Old Port. Info: For tickets visit cirquedusoleil.com.
 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal Chow down at Schwartz’s Deli.Fans line up for this Montreal institution’s daily-smoked meat sandwiches and steaks. Order a brisket sandwich with a side of half-sour pickles and fries downed with a Cott’s Black Cherry soda.Info: 3895 Saint-Laurent Blvd.
The chic, sleek Restaurant Europea,voted 2010’s restaurant of the year by the Guide Debeur, is helmed by acclaimed chef Jerome Ferrer, who sources Quebecois products for his elegant cuisine. Choose the chef’s tasting menu starting with creamy lobster cappucino and followed by nine more inventive courses. Info: 1227 de la Montaigne. 514-398-9229.
Visit the Marche Jean-Talon food market and you’ll find an astounding array of meat, local cheeses, chocolates, breads, luscious pastries and fresh produce purveyors as well as nine cafes to relax in. Titillate your senses at Olives & Epices with the finest herbs, spices and olive oils. Across the square the casual Soupe Soup offers dozens of delicious rustic-style soups daily. Info: 7020 Rue Casgrain.
Verses Restaurant showcases French contemporary cuisine at the Hotel Nelligan in the Old Quarter. Stand outs include the Smoked Bison Tartare with red berry syrup, Porc Nagano with De Puy lentils, potato gnocchi and truffle carpaccio. Get your sweet fix with the lovely Vacherin, a meringue made with dried flowers and filled with tea-infused citrusy sorbets. Finish with cocktails on the rooftop bar overlooking the Old Port and Notre Dame Basilica. Info: 100 Saint-PaulSt. West. 514-788-4000.
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