March theater in Washington

By Stephanie Merry Friday, March 4, 2011 The Washington Post


With Arena Stage's celebration of playwright Edward Albee, the Kennedy Center's spotlight on India and Atlas's heaping buffet of music, theater and dance, you'd think D.C. had reached its festival quota. Yet this month promises a deep dive into the work of Irish playwright Enda Walsh and a blowout for Tennessee Williams's 100th birthday, not to mention some promising productions that stand alone.
Washington Stage Guild, always dependable for witty and thought-provoking productions, takes on Michael Hollinger's Cold War-era farce "Red Herring." The company has found success with the playwright's works, including the well-received "An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf" in 2006. This offering follows three couples (one of which includes Joseph McCarthy's daughter) dealing with Russian spies, murder and nuclear arms. Through March 27. Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 240-582-0050. www.stageguild.org. $40-$50. Pay-what-you-can Friday.
You might describe Molotov Theatre Group as gutsy. Literally. Shows from the local masters of gory Grand Guignol theater have involved bloody splash zones, lost limbs, even the removal of tongues. But now the Fringe Festival favorites have outdone themselves with the English-language premiere of the Brazilian "Morgue Story," which culminates in a cutthroat fight scene - performed in the nude. Through April 2. Playbill Cafe's black box theater, 1409 14th St. NW. www.molotovtheatre.org. $20.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of its hit play "The Chosen," Theater J heads south for a guest performance at Arena Stage. Aaron Posner adapted and directs this rendition of Chaim Potok's story about two boys growing up in Brooklyn, starring Rick Foucheux ("The Odd Couple") and Edward Gero (from Signature Theatre's "Sweeney Todd"). Tuesday through March 27. Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW. www.arenastage.org. 202-488-3300. $30-$60. Pay-what-you-can Tuesday.
Director Keith Baxter is no stranger to Shakespeare Theatre Company or Oscar Wilde, having directed "Lady Windermere's Fan" at the Lansburgh Theatre in 2005. Baxter returns with "An Ideal Husband," Wilde's charming play about a well-respected politician whose past threatens his promising future. Imagine that in this town. Tuesday through April 10. Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. 202-547-1122. www.shakespearetheatre.org. $20-$98.
Hot on the heels of its production of "The Cripple of Inishmaan" at the Kennedy Center, Ireland's Druid Theatre stages Enda Walsh's critically lauded play "Penelope." This fresh take on Odysseus's more patient half is part of Studio Theatre's festival celebrating the works of the Dublin-born playwright. March 15 through April 3. Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. 202-332-3300. www.studiotheatre.org. $44-$65.
The world premiere of "And the Curtain Rises," part of Signature Theatre's American Musical Voices Project supporting the creation of musicals, is a fictional - and farcical - retelling of the staging of America's first musical. March 17 through April 10. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. 703-820-9771. www.signature-theatre.org. $54-$86.
Monologist Mike Daisey isn't big on bells and whistles. Usually seated at a wooden table in a black shirt, Daisey manages to enthrall his audience with words alone. After taking on the financial crisis ("The Last Cargo Cult") and the Department of Homeland Security ("If You See Something Say Something"), Daisey returns to Woolly Mammoth Theatre to turn his perceptive eye and clever wit on the ever-expanding Apple empire in "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs." March 21 to April 10. Woolly Mammoth Theatre, 641 D St. NW. 202-393-3939. www.woollymammoth.net. $45-$65. Pay-what-you-can Monday and Tuesday.
You may not get to hear an alarming "Stella!," but Georgetown University's Tennessee Williams Centennial Festival promises a weekend full of activities, including performances of "The Glass Menagerie," a concert inspired by "A Streetcar Named Desire" and a visit from John Waters, who will stage his one-man show "This Filthy World" before discussing his admiration for Williams's work. March 24-27. Georgetown University, at the Davis Performing Arts Center. performingarts.georgetown.edu. Prices vary.
After taking on "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Othello," among other Shakespearean classics, Synetic Theater gives the tragedy "King Lear" the group's singular movement-focused treatment. March 24 through April 24. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 Seventh St. NW. 202-547-1122. www.synetictheater.org. $30-$55.