Weeks ago, I began to think about Natascia Diaz in the role of Fosca after I saw her perform one of the numbers from Passion at Signature’s Annual Open House. I wondered how this actress would inhabit a character not known to garner sympathy from female audiences. Having witnessed her in many different roles and seen how certain roles became her – others that would not allow her to shine as optimally as I know she can – I am thrilled to report that this is the role for both her superb acting as well as her beautifully controlled and emotionally riveting voice. It is a triumph for Diaz in a role she reportedly was not keen on taking.
Natascia Diaz (Fosca) and Claybourne Elder (Giorgio) Photo by Margot Schulman.
Stephen Sondheim’s Passion is certainly one of his finest efforts with a sing-through libretto more operetta than standard musical. Its story of a love triangle between Giorgio (Claybourne Elder in a peerless performance), Clara (Steffanie Leigh in a seemingly effortless portrayal) and the invalid Fosca. Set on a provincial military outpost near Milan, it is based on the 1869 novel Fosca by Ignio Ugo Tarchetti. In 1981 it was adapted into the film Passione d’Amore by Ettore Scola before opening on Broadway in 1994 with music & lyrics by Sondheim and book by James Lapine, the show’s original director.
Steffanie Leigh (Clara) and Claybourne Elder (Giorgio) Photo by Christopher Mueller
The opening scene between Giorgio and Clara affords us a scene of amorous coupling in Clara’s bed. There is nudity involved but it is sensuous and tasteful, and yes, passionate, as you would expect, as the rhapsodic lovers declare their undying adoration for each other. The story unfolds to reveal a complex and untenable power play between the three central characters.
Frail Fosca becomes the third wheel and supplicant to the handsome and dashing officer, Giorgio, who insists he is devoted to the beautiful (but married!) Clara. But Fosca is undaunted, “If you never have expectations, you never have disappointments,” Fosca insists as she calculatingly manipulates him with both threats to his career and callousness towards her frailties. This is where audiences audibly groan at her actions. Think Glenn Close’s character in the movie Fatal Attraction. But Giorgio challenges her affections, “Is this what you call love – your relentless pursuit?” On top of this corrosive behavior, he is further humiliated by his fellow officers who claim he is sucking up to Fosca’s cousin, Colonel Ricci, for a promotion. Imagine this as a modern-day romance. You want to stop the madness but cannot wait to see what unfolds.
Claybourne Elder (Giorgio) and Steffanie Leigh (Clara) Photo by Margot Schulman.
Visceral and uncompromising with compelling performances and flawless voices with music written around their exchange of letters. Highly recommended.
Skillfully directed by Matthew Gardiner with Music Direction by Jon Kalbfleisch with a 14-piece orchestra, Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, Scenic Design by Lee Savage, 19th century Costume Designs by Robert Perdziola, Lighting Design by Colin K. Bills and Sound Design by Ryan Hickey.
Claybourne Elder (Giorgio) and John Leslie Wolfe (Doctor Tambourri) Photo by Margot Schulman
With Will Gartshore as Colonel Ricci, Ian McEuen as Lieutenant Torasso, Bobby Smith as Major Rizzolli and Fosca’s Father, Lawrence Redmond as Lieutenant Barri, John Leslie Wolfe as Doctor Tambourri, Gregory Maheu as Sergeant Lombardi and Ludovic, Christopher Mueller as Private Augenti, Rayanne Gonzales as Fosca’s Mother and Katie Mariko Murray as Mistress.
Through September 23rd 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.
Featuring Mian Pull Noodles, Cheers Cut, Gong Cha, Poki DC and Alpaca Dessert
August 19, 2018 Photo credit – Samantha Lee
The Spot
On July 7, 2018, Edward Wong of Akira Ramen & Izakaya and Urban Hot Pot, partnered with Vivian Zhu and Gary Ngo (founder of Poki District) to open The Spot, a 6,200-square foot Asian-fusion food hall near the Rockville Town Square. Wong envisioned The Spot as a destination for guests of all ages to hang out and enjoy an eclectic mix of Asian specialties.
Seating Area
Currently, there are five out of seven food stalls open for business but with limited offerings. Mian Pull Noodles serves hand-pulled noodles and savory dumplings at 10-pieces per order. Cheers Cut, with outlets in Boston, Philly and New York, serves huge cuts of Taiwanese fried chicken and seafood. Gong Cha serves Taiwanese bubble tea with various toppings including coconut jelly, pudding, grass jelly, pearl, ai-yu jelly, basil seed, red bean, white pearl, and milk foam. Poki DC serves made-to-order healthy, hearty, and fresh poke bowls. Alpaca Dessert is a dessert bar that serves Japanese ice cream in Hong Kong Style bubble waffle cones.
Assorted Beef Offal Pull Noodle Soup}
Mian Pull Noodles currently features Beef Pull Noodle Soup, Beef Flank Pull Noodle Soup, Assorted Beef Offal Pull Noodle Soup, Beef Tendon Pull Noodle Soup, Beef Tripe Pull Noodle Soup, and Spare Ribs Pull Noodle Soup. All soups offer a choice of flat or skinny hand-pulled Mandarin noodles. I enjoyed the Assorted Beef Offal Pull Noodle Soup, which consisted of hand-pulled thin noodles with beef flank, beef offal, beef tendon and beef tripe in a flavorful broth. Dumplings have recently been added to the menu and I did not get the opportunity to sample them on my visit.
At Cheers Cut – Fried Chicken and Seafood combination meals are not yet on this Taiwanese stall’s menu. Each item must be purchased individually. After waiting over 30 minutes for my order, I tasted the Samurai Crispy Chicken, which consisted of a sliced chicken cutlet on a bed of shrimp chips served with honey mustard. Unfortunately, it was decidedly not crispy, but sadly soggy, and definitely not worth the price or the wait.
Purple Sweet Potato with Fresh Milk Tea
At Gong Cha, a franchise with outlets throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Texas, pick from the menu or create your own bubble tea. Additionally, there is an interesting selection of smoothies, coffees and an unusual milk foam tea series. Some of my favorites include the Mango Smoothie, Purple Sweet Potato with Fresh Milk Green Tea, Lemon Wintermelon with Basil Seeds and Lemon Ai-Yu Jelly with White Pearls. www.GongChaDMV.com
Poke Bowl
At Poki DC choose from dozens of fresh and tasty toppings to personalize your Hawaiian poke bowl. I enjoyed my choice made with sushi rice, zucchini noodles, spring mix, salmon, tuna, squid salad, cilantro, pineapple, mango, tangerine, and crabmeat salad drizzled with citrus mayo and eel sauce and topped with roasted seaweed. www.PokiDC.com
Alpaca Dessert
At the trendy Alpaca Dessert I enjoyed an Original Bubble Waffle with Vanilla Ice Cream, topped with KitKat’s, M&Ms and mochi with a pour over of condensed milk. The bubble waffle resembled the look and taste of those I have sampled in Asia. Choose from a variety of Japanese ice cream flavors – Vanilla, Chocolate, Matcha, Black Sesame, and Milk Tea.
The Spot is located at 255 North Washington Street, Rockville, MD 20850. Open daily from 11:00am to midnight. www.TheSpotDMV.com
The remaining two food stalls – The Spot Bar and The Spot Grill – will open soon. The Spot Bar will serve alcoholic beverages and feature live music. The Spot Grill plans Chinese barbecue street food.
So many plays and musicals on the African American human condition during slavery in America have been written since The Color Purple made its thunderous debut 13 years ago. Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name, the heartbreakingly poignant musical returned to Broadway in 2016 earning it a Tony Award for “Best Revival of a Musical”. And in 2017, against some mighty stiff competition, it garnered a Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theater Album”. The musical’s arrival at Kennedy Center last week showed audiences that a story of women fighting for their survival against the tyranny of sexism and racism still has relevance. Though set in the Deep South in 1909, after more than 100 years of oppression, we are still fighting against these very -isms with the rise of the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements.
Carla R. Stewart (Shug Avery) and the North American tour cast of THE COLOR PURPLE. Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2017
Director and Set Designer John Doyle utilizes a simple wooden backdrop hung with chairs to depict the harshness of the characters’ personal landscapes. Using nothing more than those chairs and African woven baskets as props to tell the story of a young girl’s treacherous path to freedom and self-actualization, Doyle places these colorful and sympathetic characters into a tempestuous story featuring young Celie. Played exquisitely by Adrianna Hicks, Celie steals our hearts from the start with her love for her sister, Nettie, and the heartless abduction of her babies.
Gavin Gregory (Mister) and Adrianna Hicks (Celie) in the North American tour of THE COLOR PURPLE. Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2017.
The show’s memorable songs by Allee Willis, Stephen Bray and Brenda Russell are sung by an excellent ensemble who present this complex crystallization of life-on-the-edge-of-nothing with Blues, Gospel and tender ballads intricately woven into this tender tapestry. “I’m Here” Celie’s redemptive ballad and the notable red hot mama number “Push Da Button” sung by Shug, are guaranteed to thrill audiences.
The North American tour cast of THE COLOR PURPLE. Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2017.
Starring Adrianna Hicks as Celie, Carla R. Stewart as Shug Avery, Carrie Compere as Sofia, N’Jameh Camara as Nettie, Gavin Gregory as Mister, Jay Donnell as Harpo, Mekhai Lee as Grady and Erica Durham as Squeak. With Darnell Abraham as Adam, Gabrielle Reid as Olivia, Amar Atkins as Guard, Kyle E. Baird as Bobby/Buster, Angela Birchett, Brit West and Bianca Horn as Church Lady, C. E. Smith as Preacher/Ol’ Mister and J. D. Webster as Pa.
Book by Marsha Norman, Associate Director Matt DiCarlo, Musical Director/Conductor Darryl Archibald, Costume Designer Ann Hould-Ward, Lighting by Jane Cox and Sound Design by Dan Moses Schreier.Through August 26th in the Eisenhower Theater at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC. For tickets and information for future shows call 202 467-4600 or visit www.Kennedy-Center.org.
Jordan Wright
July 2018
Photo credit – Jordan Wright
Chlöe Heralds Haidar Karoum’s First Solo Restaurant; Pineapple and Pearls Twee Dining; Lupo Marino – A Taste of the Amalfi Coast; Pow Pow Caters to Vegetarians on H Street; Pappe Celebrates the Dishes of Northern India; Marib – Yemeni Classics in a White-Tablecloth Restaurant
Chlöe
Seating at the open kitchen – The lively bar scene
As co-owner of the Asian-inspired Doi Moi, Lebanese-born Karoum has devised a melding of the many profiles of Southeast Asian cuisine to great effect in a sleek, lively space in the heart of Logan Square. Earlier this year he opened Restaurant Chlöe by Haidar Karoum on Fourth Street in the booming Washington Navy Yard neighborhood. This globally-inspired cuisine lets Chef/Owner Karoum incorporate his past experiences cooking Spanish, Modern American and Asian dishes to their best effect. A recent dinner there convinced us that he has achieved that confluence of diverse cultures with aplomb as he dreams up new and enticing combinations.
Chef Haidar Karoum
We began with Broiled Local Oysters, which may sound a bit pedestrian, but achieves elevated status with a Hollandaise-like sauce spiked with horseradish in one of the most alluring presentations – sitting atop multi-colored pebbles on a shiny rectangular tray. My advice: Order several of these. After that we allowed ourselves to be guided by our waiter who suggested the Green Papaya Salad with green beans, tomatoes and peanuts and dried shrimp in a tamarind dressing. It encompasses all the elements of sweet, crunchy, tangy and vivacious while still being as light as a feather.
Green papaya salad ~ Broiled local oysters with horseradish cream
The Caramelized Cauliflower will prove a beacon to cauliflower lovers. This Mediterranean-inspired dish is pinged with tahini, mint, garlic and toasted pine nuts for a smooth, fire-roasted result.
Caramelized cauliflower
Entrées are a suggested share and we complied by ordering the chef’s signature dish – Spice Roasted Chicken. Drawing from his Asian textbook, Karoum interprets it as a Vietnamese preparation that finds the golden-crusted half chicken paired with a side of sticky rice and fresh Asian greens accompanied by a lively chili and lime dipping sauce.
Vietnamese spice roasted chicken
The cocktail menu is just as intriguing. Of particular note was “Carabao Kick” made with Edinburgh Gin, calamansi (this tiny citrus fruit, aka calamondin, is trending like mad), lime and tamarind syrup. Or opt for the summer refresher, “Classic Coconut Daiquiri”, whose status derives from a 12-year old Flor De CanaRum blended with lime, pandan syrup and coconut water. An extensive wine list features affordable bottles carefully selected to pair perfectly with this unique and varied cuisine.
Chlöe by Haidar Karoum is located at 1331 4th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003 – 202.313.7007 www.restaurantchloe.com
Pineapple and Pearls
I don’t know what to make of the name of Aaron Silverman’s second Barracks Row restaurant. Chef/owners seem to favor incorporating their grandmother’s, wife’s or children’s names. Nonetheless, Silverman has got the Midas touch, if not in gold then certainly in pearls. After all, he raised $1M in less than a year to launch Pineapple and Pearls, his latest endeavor. Rose’s Luxury, which opened in 2013, is the chef’s first DC-based restaurant and, if the lines down the block are any indication, he has garnered a loyal following along with the multiple industry kudos he has received.
Silverman, who was raised in Bethesda, worked under Jonathan Krinn at the posh 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church before moving to Charleston, SC to work with Sean Brock at McGrady’s. (Did you hear Sean Brock is leaving Charleston?!) After returning to DC in 2011, he took time out to plot his next move… and it turned out to be a mad success. Rose’s Luxury was named Bon Appétit’s “Best New Restaurant in the Country”. It’s no wonder backers were willing to finance his next project.
Pineapple and Pearls has been the beneficiary of so much laudatory press you’d think you were at the feet of the great Escoffier himself. That we chose the “Summer Bar Menu” at $150.00 sans alcohol (we did order a cocktail and glass of wine each) might have been a mistake. It was certainly not the full court press guests in the main dining room were experiencing. And though the food and presentation were creative, it was ultimately unsatisfying – all eight bites of it on a skinny barstool.
Foie Gras Nigiri ~ Summer squash tart
We began with a miniscule Summer Squash Tart with poppy seeds and ramp cream served on a stunning Christian LaCroix plate decorated with painted butterflies and crickets. The little tart was followed by Fois Gras Nigiri, easily my favorite bite of the night. Well, fois gras being that lusciously melty clump of pure goose liver fat, how could you go wrong? That the single bite was purported to be prepared with Morita chiles and vegetable caramel, went unnoticed. The unusual plate did not. A Japanese anime line drawing of a dashing long-haired young dandy was centered on the two bits of foie gras appearing as though he was tossing the liver onto the plate. It tasted as though it was sautéed in butter with a slight sweetness and that was just fine. Just so you know, the food photos reflect portions for two diners – not one.
Smoked Potato & Date Agnolotti
Next at bat was Smoked Potato and Date Agnolotti with Robiola Bosina cream – a soft, mushroomy, Piemontese cheese – and wild rose vinegar. Rustically presented and hidden beneath large leaves (basil?), the duet of walnut-sized agnolotti was light, tender, herbaceous and creamy. I could have done with a large plate of this and been on my merry way.
House-Nixtamalized Corn Tortillas
Tortillas and tacos have wriggled their way onto every menu these days and this one was no exception. Two tacos the size of a beer coaster – one was duck croquette (Yes! A French taco!) with fig and juniper mole, the other, salmon boudin with basil salsa verde and kohlrabi cortido. The duck was fiercely spicy. Did I mention I love spicy? This one burned the palate in its single bite. The salmon, however, was as mild as expected.
Roasted Alina Duck
Here’s where things went horribly wrong. The next “course” was beef filet and from the first bite it was unutterably over-salted. I imagined it had been sitting in the ocean for a week or so. Ditto for my companion’s. Since it was completely inedible I asked to see our server. I explained about the salt and asked the chef to taste it. I was told the kitchen would substitute it for duck. Very amenable. When the manager came out with the duck, I asked if the kitchen had tasted the beef and What did they think? He told me they hadn’t tasted it, but it had been salted by two different cooks, which upon later reflection, did not hold up. The salt was not only on the outside, but throughout the meat. Ditto for the ensuing duck, though by then we didn’t want to make another fuss.
Dessert was a small Coconut Tartufo enrobed in chocolate and Amareno cherries. The dessert was reminiscent of little ice cream bon bons. Remember those? All in all, the service was fantastic, the cocktails exquisite and the presentation super creative.
Red Bird cocktail
But, to gauge the restaurant’s cuisine, and do it justice, you’ll have to go the way of the full-on, 12-course tasting menu at $400.00 which is the only way dinner service is offered. Maybe then you won’t go home hungry.
Pineapple and Pearls is located at 715 8th Street, SE, Washington, DC 202.595.7375 www.PineappleandPearls.com
Lupo Marino
Lupo Marino’s honey and blue dining room
Lupo Marino is one of the latest restaurants on DC’s fabulous District Wharf. It’s the third restaurant by the team who brought you Lupo Verde and Lupo Osteria. And you know how much I adore Lupo Verde.
Fair Warning: It does not have a water view like many of the higher priced establishments which makes it way more affordable. If it’s water view you want, take a stroll alongside the docks before or after dining. This casual chic spot with a seaside décor is tucked away in one of the narrow side streets just off the cobblestone walkway. It reminds me of the cozy ristorantes found in any piccolo villaggio en Italia where mamma and nonna are in the cucina and papà is a pescatore who brings in the fish fresh every afternoon. In Italy, people go wherever the food is good and when it’s as good as this, it really only matters whom you’re breaking bread with.
The restaurant defines itself as Italian street food. That said, we planned to take clear advantage of the fresh seafood specialties. But if you opt for pizzas, they are prepared in a handcrafted Marra Forni pizza oven that cooks your pizza at 900-degrees in three minutes.
The Marra Forni pizza oven
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen pasta or salad nor many of these dishes sold on the streets of Italy, so I can’t intuit why they call this “street food”. It’s more akin to what you’d find in a wine bar – a very good wine bar – in Italy. And speaking of vino, there are over 100 Italian wines to choose from!
Piccolina Spritz ~ Toto cocktail
In any case, what we did have I’d highly recommend. Adorned with watermelon radish and fennel pollen, which lends a hint of anise, Tuna Carpaccio arrived drizzled with truffle vinaigrette speckled with microgreens and sitting on crisp flatbread. It was summer in a bite and most welcome on this scorching day.
Tuna Carpaccio
Next, we dove straight into a plate of Fritto Misto which was as divino as any I’ve enjoyed on the Amalfi Coast during many summers spent in Positano. A light coating of batter rendered calamari, sardines (they’re in season right now) and head-on prawns (the only way to eat them!) delectable.
Fritto Misto
A fire-grilled lemon half and creamy aioli provided the perfect tangy balance to this signature taste of the Mediterranean.
Seafood Paccheri
The menu reveals four types of handmade pasta and each one is quite different. This is not your grandma’s red sauce ristorante. The ingredients are more intriguing. We chose Spaghetti Verde with wild pork carbonara and cured egg yolk topped with pickled ramps and Paccheri – a wide tubular pasta that went perfectly with the rich saffron broth, blue crab and shrimp.
Spaghetti Verde
Desserts are fairly predictable – tiramisu, espresso coffee bomb, and bombolini with nutella. Stick with the gelati.
Be sure to check out the shelves against the backwall that feature many of the items used in the preparation of these dishes. Snag some homemade pastas (especially the paccheri), EVOO, spreads, Italian sodas and the best canned tomatoes.
Lupo Marino is located at 40 Pearl Street, Washington, DC 20024. www.LupoMarinoDC.com
Pow Pow
Tiger mural
Continuing with the Asian theme, which is ideal for hot summer nights, we found ourselves at Pow Pow, a small but popular vegetarian spot on H Street. Close by the Atlas Performing Arts Center , this order-at-the-counter, eat-on-recyclable bowls joint caters to veggie lovers, and those who wouldn’t know it was vegetarian if they hadn’t been told.
Tokyo Roboto
When we arrived, we found the open kitchen active with hipsters rushing in to pick up their take away orders and others enjoying their dishes in the limited table space. It’s a good choice for a pre-theatre bite if time is at a premium and/or you don’t want a sleep-inducing carb-attack during the show.
Purity bowl
The mock meat offerings are deceiving. With so many warm spices and tangy sauces it’s hard to discern that the ribs are vegan, the chicken is plant-based, and the fried mozzarella sticks are made from cashews.
Taiwanese fried mozzarella
Even the Nutella in the Chimi Chimi Pow Pow dessert is dairy-free. Though they call the menu vegetarian, I’m not sure I wouldn’t say it was vegan. Just ask. All I can say is that it’s a veggie-lover’s wet dream.
Pow Pow is located at 1253 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 – 202.399.1364 www.eatpowpow.com.
Pappe
The busy dining room
A sliver of an Indian restaurant on 14th Street just above N Street is newcomer Pappe based on the authentic Northern Indian cuisine of New Delhi, with a few dishes from the Southern Indian region around Goa where vindaloo was invented.
Indian spice watermelon cocktail
The 85-seat restaurant has three owners Vipul Kapila, Sanjay Mandhaiya and Shankar Puthran, with Mandhaiya and Puthran Head Chefs. The partners chose the name Pappe meaning ‘brother’ in Punjabi. That’s how close they are. As co-owner and co-chef of Pappe and Saffron in Ashburn, Mandhaiya brings a wealth of experience to the kitchen. Altogether they made the decision to celebrate their favorite dishes from home. Curries like fiery Vindaloo; Palak with spinach, garlic ginger and tomato curry; Malabar, a coconut curry; and Korma made with cashews, mace, nutmeg and saffron. Most of these are familiar to Western palates acquainted with Indian food – but these are nothing like the store-bought packaged meals, nor your dumbed down curries. These renditions have personality and spark.
Lamb Korma
There are plenty of vegetarian options too. Palak Paneer and Punjabi Aloo Gobi are familiar to many, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a dish I never knew – Baingan Bartha – a roasted eggplant dish with tomatoes.
Naan is one of those wonderful breads that can only be properly made in a woodfired oven. There it takes on a smoky, crispy, doughy profile. I like mine with garlic and herbs and plenty of butter. Here you’ll find naan with green chiles and minced lamb and roti too.
Aloo Papdi Chaat
Two of us shared Aloo Papdi Chaat, Palak Paneer, garlic naan, Palaak with Cod and Chicken Pista Korma with a sauce of pistachio nuts. We barely had room for sweet carrot pudding. But for your sake, dear readers, we ordered it and were glad we did.
Carrot pudding
Over dinner I had a chance to chat with Kapila, a successful IT guy who shared his knowledge of the dishes and the specialty cocktails that are made from scratch and exotically spiced. Kapila insisted I return for the super spicy Vindaloo, which he claims is the best outside of India. I’m game. Are you?
We stumbled across Marib while eager to satisfy our Middle Eastern food cravings. There are countless kabob spots in the burbs, but Yemeni? Even Arab friends hadn’t heard of this place. After two visits, I’m hooked.
Located in a strip mall in Springfield, we were pleasantly surprised to enter a large, off-the-radar, ethnic restaurant with uniformed waiters and white-tablecloth dining. Most of the places in this area are ultra-casual and primarily dedicated to take away and catering. Here tables have ample space between and the service is prompt and polite. And though there are dishes that may be unfamiliar, servers are keen to answer any questions.
Shafout
Start with Shafout, described as a “chilled appetizer with layers of buttermilk, chopped almonds and walnuts, spring onions and mint leaves”. This beautiful dish floats atop a flat bread called “lahoh” similar to the better known Ethiopian injera – though it seemed a cross between injera and pita. Ruby red pomegranate seeds prove the perfect foil both for sweetness and lovely color against the cool green of the shafout. A handful of chopped lettuce, red onion, carrots and tomato lay perched in the center. It is irresistible.
Lime cooler
Our server, Abdul, steered us towards the Lime Juice with Mint which is a typical Yemeni cooler. It arrives at the table in a carafe frothy, citrusy and thirst quenching. Add this to your order. After dinner there is Yemeni coffee made with unroasted coffee husks and powdered ginger, or black tea with condensed milk and spices. Both are uniquely warming.
Hummus with seared chicken, peppers and onions
On our second trip we had a party of six which allowed for more dishes to share. This time we enjoyed the baba ganoush and hummus – each whipped to perfection and smooth as silk. You can also order your hummus topped with seared meats (chicken, beef or lamb), peppers and onions. It seems like a meal in itself, but don’t stop there.
Fahsa and Saltah
It’s an extensive menu with chicken, beef, lamb and shrimp all well represented. Most of us went for the lamb prepared in many different ways. Stewed with vegetables, slow cooked on the bone or shredded. I chose haneeth both times. Falling off the bone and served atop rice pilaf, it is meltingly tender and savory too with a myriad of spices from the marinade and accompanying sauce. The stews, chockful of root vegetables, are equally as soul-stirring. All the portions are large so plan on taking home leftovers which they are happy to box up.
Haneeth
Save room for dessert! There are several that may seem unfamiliar but detailed descriptions are provided on the menu. One of the most unusual combinations I have ever come across proved to be another two thumbs up. Harking from the Arabian Peninsula, Areekah is made with tandoori bread, smashed bananas, fresh cream, ghee, cheddar cheese!!! and honey and topped with a sprinkling of nigella seeds. You may wonder how on earth cheese could find its way into a dessert, but it does, and we were amazed at how creamy, tangy and delicious it is.
Areekah
Marib is located at 6981 Hechinger Drive, Springfield, VA 22151 – 703.376.3388 www.MaribRestaurant.com
Frustrated with the current administration’s wackadoodle politics and its daily grind of mean-spirited tweets? Then let Dave be your panacea. This uplifting story is drawn from the 1993 eponymous movie written by Gary Ross and starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver. Remember that? Well, it’s now a musical written by Tony Award-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, If/Then, Bring it On: The Musical, Freaky Friday and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical) and book writer/lyricist Nell Benjamin (co-writer with her husband Laurence O’Keefe of Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Life of the Party, Huzzah!). We need this. We really, really need this!
Drew Gehling (Dave Kovic/President Bill Mitchell) in Dave, running July 18-August 19, 2018 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Director Tina Landau (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical and many more) has achieved an astonishing assemblage of A-Plus experienced cast, crew and creators to produce a musical that soars in every category – choreography, sets, actors, musical numbers and lighting. Set Designer Dane Laffrey and Projection Designer Peter Nigrini have conceived a sensational, floor-to-the-rafters cyclorama embedded with LED projections that changes scenes at the proverbial drop of a hat. It’s not just cleverly conceived, it’s mind-blowing.
Set in Washington, DC, our hero, Dave Kovic (Drew Gehling) is a recently fired liberal-leaning, Abraham Lincoln-loving high school teacher who decides to take up posting YouTube videos of himself doing impressions of the current President, Bill Mitchell (also Gehling). When POTUS suffers a stroke whilst in flagrante delicto with his girlfriend, Randi (Rachel Flynn), Dave is summoned to act as his secret stand-in. He’s so convincing that FLOTUS, Ellen (Mamie Parris) and VP Nance (sounds like… oh, never mind… played by Jonathan Rayson), can’t tell it’s not Mitchell. The only ones in on the ruse are the Secret Service, his Director of Communications, Susan Lee (Bryonha Marie Parham), and his devious Chief of Staff, Bob Alexander (Douglas Sills).
(L-R) Drew Gehling (Dave Kovic/President Bill Mitchell), Bryonha Marie Parham (Susan Lee) and Douglas Sills (Bob Alexander) in Dave, running July 18-August 19, 2018 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Up till the switcheroo, Lee and Alexander had been serving a President who was a self-consumed, self-aggrandizing idiot, demeaning to his wife while unceremoniously wrecking the country. Sound familiar? Meanwhile, Dave becomes more and more irreplaceable as his poll numbers continue to soar and the country (along with the audience!) cheers on his progressive agenda. While POTUS is still in a coma, Dave feels guilty continuing the subterfuge until the ghosts of former Presidents – Buchanan, Taft, Harding, Harrison, Johnson, Hayes and John Quincy Adams – appear to him in the Lincoln Bedroom to convince him otherwise in one of the show’s most hilarious scenes. Imagine the Secret Service as an armed-and-dangerous chorus line fronted by the President’s Chief of Staff. Now, you’ve got the picture.
It’s a feel good, validating, change-the-world, political comedy musical with a flawless cast that will have you cheering all the way home.
Highly recommended. A total hoot from beginning to end.
Drew Gehling (Dave Kovic/President Bill Mitchell) and the cast, in Dave, running July 18-August 19, 2018 at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Photo by Margot Schulman.
With Jenny Ashman (Reporter, Ensemble), Jared Bradshaw (Reporter, Harding, Ensemble), Josh Breckenridge (Duane Bolden), Dana Costello (Reporter, Montana Jefferson, Ensemble), Trista Dollison (Reporter, Harrison, Ensemble), Sherri L. Edelen (Tour Guide, Mrs. Smit, Taft, Ensemble), Kevin R. Free (Murray Stein, Adams, Ensemble), Adam J. Levy (Mr. Wheeler, Ensemble), Erin Quill (Reporter, Hayes, Ensemble), Jonathan Rayson (Gary Nance, Johnson, Ensemble) and Vishal Vaidya (Paul, Ensemble)
Book by Thomas Meehan and Nell Benjamin, Set Design by Dane Laffrey, Choreography by Sam Pinkleton, Orchestrator Michael Starobin, Music Director Rob Berman, Costume Design by Toni-Leslie James, Lighting by Japhy Weideman, Sound Design by Walter Trarbach, Projection Design by Peter Nigrini.
In the Kreeger Theater through August 19, 2018 at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St., SE, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information call 202 488-3300 or visit www.ArenaStage.org.
When composers Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber brought their controversial musical sing-through to the Broadway stage in 1971, four-and-a-half decades ago, it wasn’t heralded by critics. In fact, the mixed reviews didn’t bode well for the young men who at the time had only one successful musical to their credit, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. But after thousands of national and international productions, a film and a recent NBC TV staging starring John Legend, Sara Bareilles, Brandon Victor Dixon and Alice Cooper, this musical hasn’t missed a beat or an audience.
Rishabh Bajekal (Jesus of Nazareth) and Thea Simpson (Mary Magdalene) in Jesus Christ Superstar, now playing at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Photo by Matt Liptak.
You know the story. A gentle, charismatic carpenter from Nazareth with a devoted following is betrayed, abandoned, tormented and ultimately crucified by King Herod’s army. His only faithful supporter remaining is a former prostitute, Mary Magdalene, played by Thea Simpson. Director Jim Howard interprets the setting as INRI Inc., a subsidiary of Genesis, Ltd., a corporate headquarters where cell phones, laptops and iPads are the preferred mode of communication for text updates on Jesus’s status, and where millennials celebrate with fist bumps and high fives.
Carlos Antonio Ramirez (Judas) – Photo by Matt Liptak
Notwithstanding some mic glitches in Act One on opening night (“blessedly” corrected by Act Two), we could easily hear the powerful and chilling voice of Rishabh Bajekal as Jesus of Nazareth. Bajekal, had at first been cast as Judas when Howard asked him if he would like to play Jesus. That left Howard to find his Judas, which he did when he discovered Carlos Antonio Ramirez, a local radio traffic reporter and sometime local band member who has an emotional, raspy, rock-and-roll voice that reaches far beyond the theater’s front door. His star turn commences in the second number with “Heaven on Their Minds”, and from that moment on every time he solos, he rattles the theater’s foundations. Sweet Jesus, this boy can rock out!
Thea Simpson (Mary Magdalene), Cody Boehm (Simon Zealotes), Theo Touitou (Ensemble), Rishabh Bajekal (Jesus of Nazareth), Tyrone Brown Jr. (Ensemble), Michael Gale (Peter), Hilary Adams (Ensemble), Tracey Lucas (Ensemble) – Photo by Matt Liptak
Another pitch perfect belter is Cody Boehm who plays Simon Zealotes. In the eponymous song from the middle of Act One, she sets a thunder-and-lightning tone that only Bajekal and Ramirez, and the fathoms-deep bass voice of Ryaan Farhadi as the evil Caiaphas can meet. And Andy Izquierdo, coming off his success as Elwood P. Dowd in LTA’s recent production of Harvey, stuns in his role as the campy/snarky King Herod with a hilarious second act surprise in the number, “King Herod’s Song”.
Cody Boehm (Simon Zealotes) in the center with the ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar, now performing at the Little Theatre of Alexandria. Photo by Matt Liptak.
The excellent 24-member cast is choreographed by Michael Page, veteran of five previous productions at LTA of which this one has the most dance numbers. How, you may ask, can so many performers dance and sing on a relatively small community theater stage? Very well! Music Director Christopher A. Tomasino, a six-time WATCH Award winner, all for six LTA musicals, conducts this jammin’ 21-piece band (including ten horns!). Kudos to guitar soloists Ben Young and Danny Santiago who are outstanding.
Highly recommended, even if you’ve seen it a dozen times or more.
Additional cast members – Michael Gale as Peter, Amy Lapthorne as Annas, Emmy Kampe as Priest, Hans Dettmar as Pontius Pilate and a fifteen-member ensemble. Lighting by Ken and Patti Crowley, Assistant Choreographer Liz Colandene and Set Design by Matt Liptak.
Through August 11th 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.
