Hold Hands With Your Sweetie at These Washington Area Shows
By • February 8, 2024 0 400
Onstage, Georgetown by Mark Edelman
Valentine’s Day usually means flowers, candy, dinner and — if you’ve behaved yourself — a good night kiss. How about giving that special someone the gift of theater? Hold hands at one of these great productions, live! on Washington area stages during V-Day week:
‘LAS HERMANAS PALACIOS’ Gala Hispanic Theatre
Cuban siblings navigate Miami’s treacherous landscape circa 1985 in this freeform adaptation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters. Clinging to memories of their homeland, the sisters survive in this poignant tale of longing, resilience and the unbreakable bonds of family. In Spanish with English sub-titles. Tickets at www.galatheatre.org
‘THE SENSATIONAL SEA MINK-ETTES’ Woolly Mammoth
HBCU dance team the Sensational Sea Mink-ettes are days away from their Homecoming half-time show and the pressure is on. The student body, the administration, the alumni, their families — everyone is expecting perfection. As the big day creeps closer, the women must contend with flaring tempers, bodies pushed to their limits, and what it means to be a team in another Woolly Mammoth world premiere. Tickets at www.woollymammoth.net
‘PRIVATE JONES’ Signature Theater
A world premiere musical inspired by the true story of a deaf Welshman who hides his hearing loss and fakes his way through enlistment, becoming a celebrated World War I sniper. An unexpectedly funny and gripping musical adventure about service, friendship, and the cost of war. Tickets at www.sigtheatre.org.
‘KEN LUDWIG’S LEND ME A SOPRANO’ Olney Theatre
After he gave up his day job lawyering at Steptoe and Johnson, D.C.’s own Ken Ludwig wrote a slew of funny plays. For this new one, he swaps genders from his first Broadway hit, “Lend Me A Tenor,” to follow world-famous Italian soprano Elena Firenzi and her penchant for men and liquor. When Ms. Firenzi comes to town for a gala performance to save the opera, it falls to a lowly assistant to keep her on schedule and out of trouble. As expected, trouble ensues. Tickets at www.olneytheatre.org
‘AIN’T TOO PROUD’ The Kennedy Center
Warm up an otherwise chilly night with the group that put Motown on the map. Fans of playwright Dominique Morisseau, whose “The Mountain Top” and “Skeleton Crew” drew raves at Round House and Studio Theatres respectively, get the inside scoop on the celebrated Temptations, whose career had as many hits as heartaches. “My Girl,” “Get Ready” and the eponymous track are just three of more than thirty songs that made R&B history. Tickets at www.kennedy-center.org
‘DESPERATE MEASURES’ Constellation Theatre
A gun-slinging nun teams up with a shrewd sheriff and salty salon dancer to save Sister’s bad boy brother from certain death in this Wild West musical version of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure.” Tickets at www.constellationtheatre.org
‘ROMEO & JULIET’ Synetic Theatre
The perfect V-Day show! In fair Verona, two young lovers find themselves in the middle of a violent family feud. Reimagined as only Synetic can, Shakespeare’s tale of love and tragedy finds meaning in an unforgettable, wordless production. Tickets at www.synetictheatre.org
‘TEMPESTUOUS ELEMENTS’ Arena Stage
Born into slavery in North Carolina, Anna Julia Cooper was a visionary Black feminist and educator in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and only the fourth African American woman to earn a doctoral degree. Arena Stage shines a light on Cooper’s herculean efforts to keep Black education alive, despite the racism, gossip and sexism that threatened to consign her to obscurity. Tickets at arenastage.org
Mark Edelman is a playwright who loves writing about theater. He is a lifetime member of the Broadway League and a Tony voter.
