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Opening Sept. 29

The Caretaker

Art by PIXTRIXDESIGN.com

by Harold Pinter

“It’s funny till it’s not.”–Harold Pinter.  First staged in London, 1960, Pinter’s first success still has the power to surprise, entertain, and unsettle audiences. Soon after a pair of working-class brothers allow a boastful vagabond to temporarily stay in their decrepit London house, they’ve each separately offered the man a job as caretaker. Trapped in their own individual worlds of dreams and delusions–they’re soon at odds as kindness and loyalties give way to cruelties unleashed and lies exposed in this bitingly funny psychological exploration of life’s menace and absurdity. “. . . can move from bitingly funny to eerie in a trice . . . powerful drama with a climax that tears at the heart” —New York Times

Tickets are now available from the menu above.

The Caretaker is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Directed by Stephen Jarrett

Featuring David Bryan Jackson*, Max Johnson,

Mark Krawczyk*

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

scenic design by Sarah Reed

costume design by Lauren K. Lambie+

lighting design by Christina Giles

props design by Liz Long

casting by Naomi Robin

+Member, United Scenic Artists Local USA 829

at the Theatre in The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, MD 20815

CONTENT TRANSPARENCY: The play contains multiple uses of racial epithets.  Racist remarks made by one character do not reflect the  beliefs of either the playwright or the theatre company, but do help to reveal the psychology of the character.

Our previous shows

July, 2022

A Number

by Caryl Churchill

directed by Stephen Jarrett

Art by PICTRIXDESIGN.COM

designated “Best of Fringe”,

among other shows, by dctheaterarts.org—

for a review, click or tap here.

featuring Jacob Yeh and David Bryan Jackson*

casting by Naomi Robin

scenic design by Simone Schneeberg

costume design by Lauren K. Lambie+

music by Steve Antosca

stage management by JJ Hersh

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

+Member of United Scenic Artists Local 829

“A Number confirms Churchill’s status as the first dramatist of the 21st century. . . . A Number deals with both the essentials and the extremities of human experience . . . brilliant, harrowing play . . .”   “questions . . . almost unanswerable . . . must be asked”

—Sunday Times

Home Rule Theatre

3270 M St., N.W.

Floor M1

Washington, DC

This production was presented as part of the 2022 Capital Fringe Festival, a program of the Washington, DC non-profit Capital Fringe.

A Number was presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Fall, 2021

Laughter in the Shadow of the Trees

by James Prideaux

directed by Stephen Jarrett

as an online radio play, utilizing the power of the visual imagination

trees, shadows, family, memories, mortality

featuring Holly Twyford*, Sarah Marshall*, and David Bryan Jackson*

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

Sound design and audio production by David Bryan Jackson

Casting by Naomi Robin

To read a review, click here.

Fall, 2020

Utilizing the visual imagination—an online audio presentation of an 1889 farce with dark reflections on the human character,

The Marriage Proposal

by Anton Chekhov

directed by Stephen Jarrett

For the review from DCMetroTheaterArts.com, click here.

Fall, 2019

My Barking Dog

by Eric Coble

directed by Michael Chamberlin

A woman.  A man.  A wild coyote.  A societal upheaval?

For a review from DCMetroTheaterArts.com, click here.

Christopher Crutchfield Walker and Tia Shearer in My Barking Dog, photo by Lock & Co.

one troubled man, one isolated woman, and a wild coyote who shows up at their apartment building, changes them, and perhaps starts a major change of human civilization

Featuring

Tia Shearer* and Christopher Crutchfield Walker

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

Set design by Giorgos Tsappas

Costume design by Kristen P Ahern

Lighting design by Colin K. Bills

Sound design by Tosin Olufolabi

Intimacy direction by Lorraine Ressegger-Slone

Casting by Jane Margulies Kalbfeld

Caos on F, 923 F St., NW, Washington DC

Recommended for ages 16 and over

The characters communicate with you, bearing not only their own personages but also a message about the future of humankind.

Summer, 2018

The Vandal 

by Hamish Linklater

directed by Aly B. Ettman

Art by Joe Mach

The Vandal involves three characters in a nighttime terrain marked by a hospital, a bus stop, a graveyard, and a liquor store. The characters, known as WOMAN, BOY, and MAN, all emotional and unusual one way or another, were portrayed by Alison Bauer, Gianna Rapp, and Tom Howley. With an ending you’d never see coming, this tale of life, death, rage, and forgiveness addresses what it means to exist as a modern human.  The Vandal received five-star reviews on DCTheatreScene.com and DCMetroTheaterArts.com, enthusiastic audience reactions, and sold-out houses.

Set design by Dan Remmers

Lighting design by Allie Heiman

Sound design by Reid May

at Caos on F

923 F St., NW, Washington, DC  20004

This production was presented as a part of the 2018 Capital Fringe Festival, a program of the Washington, DC non-profit Capital Fringe.

Spring, 2018

A Fool Named “O”, photo by Lisa Julia

In a temporary departure from serious theatre, on Sunday, March 11, we presented

A Fool Named “O”

“O”, a Fool of long experience at the Maryland Renaissance Festival, assisted by a few simple objects and no words, engaged the audience in old-world delights.

At The Writer’s Center, Bethesda, Maryland

Click here for more information.

Fall, 2017

Nora Achrati played all 5 roles

Mystery School

by Paul Selig

directed by Aly B. Ettman

featuring Nora Achrati

“highly recommended”—MDTheatreGuide.com

and a Staff Pick at DCTheatreScene.com

closed Nov. 19

a one-woman show depicting five colorful characters, all of them involved in at least an attempt at spirituality, religion, or cosmic consciousness, in very different ways. Mystery School presents five cosmic views and five individual crises that get solved or don’t—and still has abundant humor.   There’s the hotel room cleaner who seems to think that everyone else in town is damned—and has some evidence from her job—and Dr. Edie, who’s told by an apparently divine voice to become a dedicated educator—and does—and three more. In Penn Quarter, DC.

A reading and talk-back—Sat., April 29, 2017

Seashell

by William Goodman

directed by Clare Shaffer

A 29-year-old man of questionable mental health searches the beach, woods, and mountains for the one mysterious, beautiful thing all humankind needs—even though he doesn’t know what it is.  An existential comedy

The reading received strong applause, and the talk-back yielded mostly very favorable comments, and some valuable critical ones.  We thank our audience, director, and cast!

Featuring 

Devin Horne

Lizzi Albert

Craig Houk

Jasmine Jones

Yvonne Paretzky

Moriah Whiteman

For more information, click here.

Fall, 2016

Art by Alex R. Hughes, alexrhughes.com

a workshop production of

Pullman, WA

by Young Jean Lee

directed by

Michael Chamberlin

For an interpretation by our producer, click here.

featuring Tia Shearer*, Jenna Rossman, Drew Kopas*

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

at Melton Rehearsal Hall, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D Street, N.W., Washington, DC  20004

Pullman, WA can be perceived either as a hilarious satire or as a frightening description of a society (ours?) with an identity crisis.  Three “helpers” with very different approaches address the audience.  They each announce that they can guide us to better lives, then conflict with each other and have psychological meltdowns of their own before our eyes.

From the publisher, Samuel French:  Young Jean Lee has been called “hands down, the most adventurous downtown playwright of her generation” by the New York Times and “one of the best experimental playwrights in America” by Time Out New York.

For information about our cast, director, designers, and others, click here.

For comments from DCMetroTheaterArts.com, click here.

For comments from TheHumanist.com, click here.

Pullman, WA was presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

Fall, 2015

Matthew Aldwin McGee as young Mr Sloane

Entertaining Mr Sloane

by Joe Orton

directed by Stephen Jarrett

Click here for a critical interpretation

See the review from The Washington Post:

click here

And two more, four-star reviews:

DCTheatreScene.com

DCMetroTheaterArts.com

This dark comedy from the 1960’s is British playwright Joe Orton’s tale of people desperately searching for love, but weaving an outrageous tangle of lust, deceit, and violence in its place.  We find it a commentary on morality and pragmatism in the worst sense.  The story leads to questions about the structure of civilization.  It’s also hilarious in many places.

The cast

Claire Schoonover as Kath

Matthew Aldwin McGee as Sloane

David Bryan Jackson* as Kemp

Jim Jorgensen* as Ed

*Member, Actors’ Equity Association

At the Allan B. Lefcowitz Theatre at Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, Md.  In downtown Bethesda, just east of Wisconsin Avenue, within walking distance from the Bethesda METRO and across the street from a large parking lot.

Running time 2 hours 15 minutes including one intermission

For more info on the cast, designers, director, and others, click here.

Entertaining Mr Sloane was presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

Summer, 2014

Chesapeake

by Lee Blessing

directed by Aly Ettman

Dexter Hamlett portrayed Kerr

About Chesapeake, from the publisher: “When conservative candidate Therm Pooley’s criticism of Kerr’s government-sponsored performance art lands him a Senate seat, Kerr seeks revenge. The centerpiece of Pooley’s political career is his labrador retriever, Lucky, whose tricks ingratiate Pooley to voters. Kerr seeks to kidnap and retrain Lucky, but his attempt is foiled by a mysterious and supernatural transformation that brings him closer to Pooley than he ever imagined.”

Chesapeake has been performed in New York, Chicago, and greater Los Angeles and has received some fabulous reviews–including ours.   (See our “Some past reviews” post.)  This production was presented as a part of the 2014 Capital Fringe Festival, a program of the Washington, DC non-profit Capital Fringe.

Fall, 2013

The Summoning of Everyman

God (Keith Irby) and Messenger (Lynette Rathnam)

author unknown

directed by Stephen Jarrett

Our first play after incorporation, written around 1475, Everyman features God, Death, Everyman, and others.  This reflection on death and human meaning is considered a medieval masterpiece.  A live ensemble provided the music.  Reviews were unanimously positive.  For the review from DCMetroTheaterArts.com, click or tap here.