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Fall, 2023
The Caretaker
by Harold Pinter
A review is now available at DC Theater Arts–please click or tap here.
“It’s funny till it’s not.” 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
The Caretaker was 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
sound design by David Bryan Jackson
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.
July, 2022
A Number
by Caryl Churchill
directed by Stephen Jarrett
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.