theater

Shakespeare in Klingon Coming to Artisphere

By ARLnow.com

Klingon is making a theatrical comeback in Arlington.

Less than two years after the Arlington-based Washington Shakespeare Company made headlines with an evening of Shakespeare performed in the fictional Star Trek language, the company is planning on staging another Klingon production.

WSC Avant Bard, as the company is now known, will host “Shakespeare in Klingon II” at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 4. The one-night-only performance will be held at Artisphere’s Rosslyn Spectrum theater, the company’s permanent home since vacating the Clark Street Playhouse in Crystal City. Tickets for the show/fundraiser are $85 and include two “flexible-use passes” for future WSC Avant Bard shows.

Among those taking the stage — besides the Shakespearean Klingon actors — will be WSC Avant Bard Board President Marc Okrand, creator of the original Klingon language, and the fortuitously-named Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of the (unrelated) Shakespeare Theatre Company in D.C.

“The revelry for Washington’s Shakespeare moniker will be in both English and Klingon, using scenes from Hamlet, The Tempest, and others,” WSC noted on its website. “In addition, the Company Benefit performance will include a short conversation with Marc Okrand about his work with the Star Trek franchise over the years, and an audience question and answer session with Kahn, Henley, and special guest Klingons at the conclusion of the show.”

Photos courtesy WSC Avant Bard

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The Curious Grape to Reopen — There will soon be two competing boutique wine and cheese stores in Shirlington. The Curious Grape, which moved out of its storefront in Shirlington Village earlier this year in order to make way for Cheesetique, just announced that it will be reopening next month in a larger storefront one block away. [Shirlington Village Blog]

Loyalty Oath for Va. GOP Primary — Voters who want to cast their ballot in the March 6 presidential primary in Virginia will be required to sign a loyalty oath. The Virginia Republican Party requested the pledge — which is perfectly legal under Virginia law — as a condition of participation in the primary. The pledge (of support for the eventual Republican presidential nominee) is intended to reduce the number of non-Republicans voting in the otherwise open primary. [Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Earthquake Still Affecting Local Theater Troupes — The temporary closure of the Thomas Jefferson Community Theater due to earthquake damage is still having repercussions in the local arts community. As a result of the closure, a planned Spring 2012 production of Cats has been postponed until 2013. Also, the county’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tribute has been moved to Washington-Lee High School. [Sun Gazette]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Extended Mall Hours for Black Friday — Arlington’s two biggest shopping malls will be open earlier than usual for the traditional post-Thanksgiving shop-a-thon known as Black Friday. Ballston Common Mall will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., while Pentagon City mall will be open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Eminent Domain Change Proposed — A proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution would make it harder for localities to seize private property under eminent domain laws. The amendment, which has the support of some General Assembly Republicans, is being proposed at a time when Arlington is threatening to use eminent domain to purchase an office building in Courthouse. [Washington Times]

Romeo and Juliet in Crystal City — Synetic Theater’s dialogue-less production of Romeo and Juliet premieres today in Crystal City. The physical theater company’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s classic tragic love story runs through Dec. 23. [Synetic Theater]

‘Arlington Rap’ Guy Gets Write-In Votes — ‘Arlington Rap’ artist Remy Munasifi was among the recipients of write-in votes in this month’s County Board election. Munasifi received four out of the more than 1,000 write-in votes cast. A host of local and national politicians — George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton among them — were also written-in for the Board race. Write-in votes for commonwealth’s attorney, meanwhile, included rapper Lil Wayne, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and Capitals star Alex Ovechkin. [Sun Gazette]

Yorktown to Play for Regional Championship Today — The undefeated Yorktown Patriots football team will face the South County Stallions at 1:30 p.m. today for the Northern Region Championship. The victor will win the right to advance to the state football playoffs. The game is being played at Yorktown High School stadium (2700 N. Greenbrier Street).

Award-Winning ‘Othello’ Opens Tomorrow in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Synetic Theater’s award-winning production of Othello will kick off in Crystal City on Wednesday for a three-week engagement.

The winner of three Helen Hayes local theater awards, including Outstanding Director, Outstanding Costume Design and Outstanding Ensemble, Othello is part of Synetic’s “Silent Shakespeare Festival.” Like other Synetic productions, Othello lacks dialogue but amps up the Shakespearean tragedy’s physical and visual elements.

From a press release:

Fresh off of its nine Helen Hayes Award Nominations and three Awards, Synetic’s edgy, mind‐bending take on Othello will work its magic on the Crystal City stage in October.

The machinations of Iago are as labyrinthine and dark as the struggles of his mind, and these are all made manifest in Othello. The rapid ascent of the powerful Othello and his love affair with the beautiful Desdemona is thrilling to watch, but it literally fractures the jealous Iago. Themes of love, jealousy, race and perception are explored through the use of onstage projections, a shifting geometric set, and the swirling choreography and physical expression of Synetic’s performers and creators. Othello represents a bold new step in the evolution of the silent theater for which Synetic has become acclaimed.

The production will run through Nov 6. It will be followed by a production of Romeo and Juliet, which is scheduled to open on Nov. 25 and run through Dec. 23. Synetic Theater at Crystal City is located at 1800 S. Bell Street.

Photos courtesy Graeme B. Shaw/Synetic Theater

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Morning Poll: Nudity at the Theater

By ARLnow.com

A new play that’s currently being performed at Gunston Theater  One (2700 S. Lang Street) contains full-frontal male nudity.

“Take Me Out,” a Tony Award-winning play about a baseball player who comes out to his teammates, includes extended nude locker room scenes. Produced by Dominion Stage, the play runs though Oct. 22.

It’s not the first time that a production at a county theater has included nudity. As the Sun Gazette recounts, there was an all-nude Washington Shakespeare Company production of “Macbeth” in 2007 and a show called “Puppetry of the Penis” at the Rosslyn Spectrum in 2003.

County officials have said in the past that they don’t regulate the content of productions at public theaters. But is nudity appropriate at a taxpayer-supported venue?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Steve Jobs Memorial Grows — The Post-it-Note memorial to Steve Jobs at the Clarendon Apple Store is getting bigger. Since we arrived at the Apple Store yesterday morning, the memorial has grown from zero to dozens of hand-written notes for the late Apple founder.

Favola Takes Aim at Merrick on NRA Rating — Republican State Senate candidate Caren Merrick was given an “A-” rating in a new candidate “scorecard” issued by the National Rifle Association. Democrat Babara Favola, meanwhile, received an “F” rating. But it was Favola who took the offensive. It’s “not a grade my opponent should be proud of,” Favola Tweeted. Said Favola campaign manager Adam Scott: “Caren Merrick is supported by the Tea Party, the NRA, and anti-choice extremists who want to chip away at a woman’s right to choose in Virginia. That’s just not what we need in the state Senate.”

Relocated ‘Nine’ Starts Tonight — The Arlington Players production of ‘Nine’ starts tonight at the Kenmore Middle School Theater. The musical — which was made into a Hollywood movie two years ago — was originally scheduled to be held at the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Theater. It had to be relocated, however, due to earthquake damage at the theater. [The Arlington Players]

Lots of Events This Weekend — There’s plenty of stuff going on in Arlington on what promises to be an absolutely beautiful fall weekend. If you want to support a high school car wash, or attend an Oktoberfest, or party with artists, check out our Events Calendar.

Photo courtesy @btrpkc

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Musical Moves to New Theater — The Arlington Players are moving next month’s production of Nine to the Kenmore Middle School auditorium. Earthquake damage was discovered earlier this month at the musical’s original venue, the Thomas Jefferson Community Theater. [Sun Gazette]

Roosevelt Island Access From D.C.? — Greater Greater Washington argues that ferry service or bridge should be established/built from the Georgetown waterfront to Roosevelt Island. Why? “Roosevelt Island is in the District of Columbia, yet DC residents have to travel through Virginia via or along a highway to get to this fantastic and wild resource.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Metro Cell Phone Upgrades Behind Schedule — Metro is well behind schedule in providing cell phone service to all 47 of its underground rail stations. The agency had promised to add service to the 27 stations currently without cell phone infrastructure by last fall, but now says it’s not sure when the cell phone companies will complete the work necessary to provide the service. [Washington Examiner]

Thomas Jefferson Theater to Close Due to Earthquake Damage

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Public Schools announced today that the Thomas Jefferson Community Theater (125 Old Glebe Road) will be closed for the next 4-5 months due to earthquake damage.

The stage area of the theater was damaged during the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the D.C. area on Aug. 23, school officials say. The theater is expected to remain closed to all school and cultural events until Feb. 2012, while the damage is repaired

Numerous plays and other cultural events will be disrupted as a result of the closure. Among the scheduled events at the theater this fall are The Arlington Players production of Nine and the Encore Stage production of Robinhood.

“We sincerely regret the impact that this situation is having on the school and community including the Arlington County Cultural Resources programs, but the safety and well-being of everyone in our schools and community are our first priority,” Assistant Superintendent for Facilities and Operations Clarence Stukes said in a statement.

See the rest of the school system’s press release, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Report on BRAC Impacts — With the Base Realignment and Closure Act-mandated relocation of Defense Department offices delayed, BRAC’s impact on Arlington County will be eased considerably, according to a new report from real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle. The report presents the drain of DoD offices from Crystal City and the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor as a chance for building owners to update and redevelop. “If anything, we see this as an opportunity for Arlington County -as a whole – to reinvent itself somewhat, to update older inventory, and to cement its place as the leading submarket in the Metro D.C. area,” the report said. [Citybizlist]

Wakefield Groundbreaking Scheduled — The public is invited to attend a groundbreaking for the new Wakefield High School next week. The groundbreaking will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 9, outside the Aquatics Center. Construction of the new 380,000 square foot building is expected to begin next month, with students expected to start using the building in the fall of 2013. [Arlington Public Schools]

Leeway Overlee Community Day and Yard Sale — The 33rd annual Leeway Overlee Community Day and Yard sale will be held along the John Marshall/Ohio Street greenway from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. “About 100 local families and other vendors offer a wide range of items for sale, including plants, clothes, sports equipment, and furniture,” organizers say. [Craigslist]

Don Quixote Opening — Synetic Theater’s production of Don Quixote will have its opening night Saturday in Crystal City (1800 South Bell Street). The show starts at 8:00 p.m. The production runs through July 3.

Flickr pool photo by Mark C. White

Lubber Run Amphitheater Repairs Approved

By ARLnow.com

The Lubber Run Amphitheater will be open for performances later this summer thanks to the efforts of community members and county staff.

Just two months ago, a 107-page county-commissioned study suggested that it could cost up to $3.5 million to get the deteriorating amphitheater back up to current code standards. With tight county finances, amphitheater supporters feared that it could be years before the amphitheater would be restored and reopened.

Shortly after the study was released, though, a group called the Lubber Run Amphitheater Foundation was formed and began arguing that only a few relatively inexpensive fixes were necessary to reopen the local landmark. As we found out at this afternoon’s County Board meeting, they were right and they were able to work with county staff to turn their convictions into action.

For less than $100,000 — the amount allotted by the County Board this year for a floodplain study — contractors will soon commence a number of repairs to make the 43-year-old amphitheater safer and more accessible. They will replace the wooden stage, replace area and stage lighting, purchase portable hearing devices, and install handicap-accessible parking spaces, portable restrooms and designated seating.

“With the community’s help, we have developed a plan to make the amphitheater a safe, seasonal venue for outdoor entertainment,” County Manager Barbara Donnellan said in a statement today. “These basic repairs and modest improvements will make the amphitheater accessible to persons with disabilities and keep it in compliance with federal, state, and local guidelines for work in a 100-year floodplain and Resource Protection Area (RPA).”

Donnellan first announced the repairs at a Lubber Run Amphitheater Foundation-sponsored meeting last night.

“To say they were thrilled was an understatement,” Donnellan told the board today. “This is not a perfect solution, but it is do-able.”

The repairs are expected to take until the end of July. After that, there’s ample money in the budget to fund outdoor programming at the amphitheater.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Clarendon Office Building Sells for D.C. Prices — The 200,000 square foot office building at 3101 Wilson Boulevard, located across the street from the Clarendon Metro station, has sold for a whopping $112.6 million.”Pricing was on par with building trades in Downtown DC,” reports GlobeSt.com. The building is home to a TD Bank and Georgetown’s continuing studies programs. [GlobeSt.com]

County Issues Bonds for Projects — Arlington County has sold $11.9 million in bonds at a relatively low 4.18 percent interest rate. The bonds will fund the last phase of Fire Station 3 in Cherrydale, a new park in Buckingham Village and initial construction of the Arlington Mill Community Center. Although a direct comparison is difficult, in July Arlington sold $73 million in bonds at an interest rate of 2.70 percent. [Arlington County]

Midsummer’s Night Dream Starts in Crystal City Next Week — It may be mid-winter, but Synetic Theater’s word-less production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream will start on Tuesday in Crystal City. [Shirlington Village Blog]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin H

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