Arts & Society

Gary Tischler •

Here’s something perfect: Shakespeare, music, The Castleton Festival Orchestra, and renowned Castleton director and conductor Lorin Maazel, all together at the Music Center at Strathmore June 30 to perform “Music Inspired by Shakespeare”.

The concert is a fundraiser for the Castleton Festival, which annually brings together young talented virtuosos and musicians of a superior grade for a season of 20 operas and concert performances around the Washington region, which, of course, includes Maazel’s Castleton Farms in Rappahannock County from June 25-July 24.

The evening at Strathmore promises to be special: Maazel himself will conduct the Castleton Festival Orchestra and the women’s voices of the Castleton Festival Chorus in a program of music inspired by Shakespeare , specifically plays like “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

Mirren and Irons are both veteran Shakespearean and stage actors as well as major league movie stars (Mirren won Oscars and Emmy’s for playing both Elizabeth 2 and Elizabeth 1). They will recite verses from “Misummer.”

If classical theater or music isn’t your bag, you might try some of the local stages, and performance arts centers. Something’s bound to please you.

For instance, if you just have to do the time warp again, in terms of oldies but goodies, then the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is for you.

Look here in the next few days: Monday, Hall and Oates, those 70s and 80s mysterious icons and superstars; Peter Frampton comes around June 23, probably with less hair than when he charmed a generation of slackers circa 80s and 70s. Going even further back, there’s a personal favorite, the hard-rocking “Credence Clearwater Revisited”, a treasure chest of 60s rock songs on June 24. Further back yet is “The Ultimate Doo-Wop Show”, June 25. It’s sort of like a class reunion with the music of the Drifters, the Platters, the Shantels and so on. Happy time travel.

The green witch is back at the Kennedy Center for a long broom ride with “Wicked”, which tells the story of the life and times of Glinda and Elfalfa in Emerald City and Oz in big, big Broadway musical style. A tough ticket, but a great, spectacular show with music by Stephen Schwartz
(“Pippin” “Godspell”) Now playing through August 21.

Ethan McSweeny is one of the Washington theater scene’s finest directors and he’s getting a chance to show it, not once but twice and one thing’s true: he’s not afraid of taking chances.

First off, he helmed “A Time To Kill”, an Arena Stage project which is an adaptation of John Grisham’s heated novel about race, the law and sundry other items with a bit cast, which is now winding up its run June 19. Last chance there. First chance to see McSweeny’s take on “The Merchant of Venice” begins June 21 for a nice long run through July 24 at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall.

“Merchant” is an enticing project for actors—Portia, the merchant, Antonio and various suitors—and it’s often been controversial because of its romantic comedy touches mixed in with a revenge plot that tethers dangerously between bigotry and remarkable tolerance. Could be there’s a cross-pollination between the two plays with concerns about tolerance, ethnicity and so on? Who would have thunk it: Grisham next to the Bard.

A couple of unusual projects going on right now: there’s the Forum Theatre’s “bobrauschenbergamerica” by Charles L. Mee running through June 25 at the Round House Theatre’s Silver Spring location 8461 Colesville Road in Silver spring and there’s Scena Theatre’s producing of “Purge”, a new play by young Finnish playwright of Estonian roots, at the H Street Playhouse at 1365 H Street N. Robert McNamara directors, and the cast includes the gifted husband-wife team of Kerry Water sand Eric ZLucas and Colleen Delany through July 3.

We’re not done yet with Georgetown University Glass Menagerie project: it’s full-stage production of “The Glass Menagerie”, with Sarah Marshall as Amanda Wingfield, is back, at Arena Stage’s Mead Center through July 3.

Mary Bird • June 20, 2011

Diplomatic author and former Georgetowner columnist Gail Scott hosted friends on May 22 as she bids farewell to her beloved “Frog’s Leap.” This 1864 Federal home at 29th & Q was immortalized in late Georgetown photographer Fred Maroon’s iconic image of the icicle-encrusted antique gas lanterns during a1976 blizzard which paralyzed the city for days. The property’ s name comes from the large copper frog statue playing his violin on a park bench in the walled garden. Guests enjoyed elegant treats prepared by the French Embassy chef and joined in an exuberant sing-along with Chilean Ambassador Arturo Fermandois, who has led two rock bands [gallery ids="102566,102567" nav="thumbs"]

Gary Tischler • June 16, 2011

Charles Fishman, the executive producer of the DC Jazz Festival, likes to compare jazz to basketball, a sport he loves.

“Watch a game sometimes,” he said. “You’ve got the basic positions: center, forward, guards, and they all have their tasks but operate as a team. Just so, a jazz trio or quartet works the same way. Everybody works off a basic theme, plays together, and then you improvise—like a great shooter, or dribbler or passer—off of that. It’s a team thing where individuals shine, and that’s what your solo is, a riff on what everybody’s working on. The first solo sort of sets the plate, and the next guy works off of that and incorporates and creates.”

Fishman is a huge Celtics fan, and he could probably talk about Red Auerbach and Bill Russell and the Celtic glory teams for hours on end.

If jazz is like basketball, then talking with Fishman about the festival, which kicked off this week and runs through June 13, is a little like jazz itself. The talk inevitably leads to the whys and wherefores of jazz, true stories and tall tales about the music and musicians. In the course of things, you know why you’re here, where you’re going and what you’re going to talk about—like knowing the lyrics to “My Funny Valentines,” then playing off the melody.

That conversation encompasses a lot for Fishman. He can talk jazz history from his longtime stint as Dizzy Gillespie’s manager. He can talk current news and he can talk jazz futures, and the DC Jazz Festival is one of the exemplary and characteristic events of the state of jazz and where it is going.

“The world of jazz today is different,” he says. “In a weird way, it’s sort of happening off the radar, but it’s one hundred percent bigger in terms of audiences and artist, not to mention the range of music and venues, than what it used to be. What you’re seeing now is the international explosion of jazz. It’s a brave, interesting new world, let me tell you. Jazz is being listened to and played in Latin America, in Japan, in the Middle East and Africa. Jazz is different, the music is more expansive.

“But then, it’s always been like that, jazz is fluid. It moves, it soars and it changes, and you can see that in the festival.”

This is a festival that, since it started out as the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival seven years ago, has grown like topsy to the point where an almost inevitable name change occurred last year. “We wanted a national, an international presence,” Fishman said. “It’s about the city, and we wanted the city to be presented as a center of jazz.”

DC is for Jazz Lovers

“One of the things we’ve always wanted to do is showcase Washington as a jazz city,” Fishman said. “It’s got such a rich tradition in the U Street area—back in the days of Ellington, the big bands, the big singers and performers who came here to the clubs and venues. We still have that today.

This year, with a slew of sponsors, one of the key components is Microsoft Bing—a search engine if you haven’t heard—which is joining the festival in bringing new musical education programs to the city and which will co-present the Jazz on the National Mall free concert on June 12, featuring Toby Foyeh and Orchestra Africa, Frederic Yonnet, a local favorite, the great Cuban singer Claudia Acuna, Roy Hargrove and the RH Factor, and the Eddie Palmieri All-Star Salsa Band.

Bing, which supports the festival’s year-round Roberta Flack Music Excellence Program, will also sponsor three master classes and a financial literacy workshop for professional musicians at the Bohemian Caverns, the “official” club for the festival.

As for presenting DC as a jazz town, there is the festival’s Jazz in the ‘Hoods program, being presented all over the city with 80 performances at 41 museums, clubs, restaurants, hotels and galleries, and featuring some 70 DC-based jazz groups. “It’s a chance to show off the city and what it is,” says Fishman. “This diverse city of long-standing cultural and jazz history… We have a lively jazz scene here, with lots of gifted, talented young players, which says a lot about what jazz is—a continuing, ongoing kind of music with a rich mentoring and educational component.”

You’ll get to sample jazz as it’s played in the neighborhoods, including Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, Downtown DC, Dupont Circle, Chinatown, the H Street Corridor, Georgetown, the U Street Corridor, Woodley Park and others.

For good jazz in this city, says Fishman, there are a number of standout venues: the Bayou—a new club on U Street—the Black Fox Lounge, Cashion’s, the Grill from Ipanema, Twins and Bohemian Caverns. Bohemian Caverns, a huge supporter and key venue for the festival, will feature Cyrus Chestnut June 3 and 4, Antonio Hart June 8 and 9, and the Heath Brothers June 10 and 11.

As usual, the Festival is not without its big headliners. Bobby McFerrin, a multi-talented, big-name performer with a huge pop hit (“Don’t Worry Be Happy”) to his credit will be at the Warner Theater June 11, performing with the Howard University Afro Blue Reunion Choir.

As always, the festival will pay tribute to legendary performers. This year, two life time achievement awards will be presented, to the brilliant saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the incomparable Puerto Rican pianist Eddie Palmieri. Both men have left a legacy of teaching, creativity, composition and respect. “These two men have dedicated their lives to jazz as an art form, educational tool and unifying force,” Fishman said. Palmieri is a nine-time Grammy winner noted for his unique blend of jazz and Latin rhythms, with a career spanning 50 years as a composer, pianist, leader of famed salsa and Latin bands and smaller ensembles. Palmieri will be part of the free Jazz on the National Mall concert June 12.

Jimmy Heath is the second oldest brother of the legendary Heath Brothers. He’s a major composer, artist, performer, mentor and jazz icon who has performed on over 100 recordings with his own group and with Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie.

Think jazz isn’t hip or doesn’t hop? Check out the DC Jazz Loft Series, with edgy new national jazz bands performing at such eclectic sites as Red Door, the Fridge (part art gallery, performance space, and classroom and music venue at Eastern Market) and Subterranean A near Logan Circle.

Concluding the festival will be “A Night in Treme: The Musical Majesty of New Orleans” at the Kennedy Center, with the HBO Series’ star Wendell Pierce, the Rebirth Brass Band, Dr. Michael White, trombonist Big Sam Williams and trumpeter James Andrews.

“It’s grown, no doubt about it,” Fishman said about the festival. “But you can see what a world it encompasses. There’s so many different kinds of music we now call jazz, and it originated with the legendary pioneers like Gillespie, the Duke and the Count, Bird, Miles, Monk.”

When you listen to Fishman, sitting in his office—which is more like an improvisational shrine to Jazz and Dizzy and clutter—you feel a lot of love for the music. He’s like John the Baptist for the great American musical invention.

We talk about the neighborhood, we told stories about concerts we’d attended over the years, about the great tribute concert to Elllis Marsalis two years ago at the Kennedy Center: “That was maybe one of the best all-time concerts, period,” said Fishman.

And there’s Moses, Fishman’s six-year-old son, a preternaturally charismatic boy who may one day run the festival. “He’s taking piano lessons now,” Fishman said proudly. “He gave up the drums.” For a parent, even one as musically inclined as Fishman, a kid giving up drums can’t be all that bad.

For a complete list of performances, venues, times and dates, jazz buffs should go to the festival website at DCJazzFest.org or pick up a festival program guide which can be found all over Washington.
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Shannon McGovern • June 15, 2011

The artists on exhibit at the Maurine Littleton Gallery bring to life an otherwise cold and transparent medium in their glass art, which flaunts dimensions and depth of color unmatched by other art media. Contemporary glass art by local artists, including the “Macchia” collection by the internationally renowned Dale Chihuly, has been displayed at the gallery since its opening in 1984, each work reflecting new interpretations and uses of a range of traditional craft media.

Michael Janis, a D.C. native and a director at the Washington Glass School, experiments with dimension in his fused-glass art. He carefully crafts images on sheets of glass by funneling fine glass powder onto the sheets, which he then uses various tools to move and shape. The sheets are fused together in a kiln to create one panel of glass, but the layering adds an unexpected depth and sense of perspective to the images. A former architect, Janis explores buildings from different perspectives in his art, which has won him recognition and acclaim in recent years. The Florida Glass Art Alliance named him Outstanding Emerging Artist in 2009, and Janis recently received a Fulbright Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State.

Fables and fairytales are represented in the work of Allegra Marquart, who uses the images in her art to explore broader themes associated with the subject matter. Her process involves a different layering approach, in which she spreads a granulated glass material called “frit” over a smooth panel of glass. Placed in a kiln, the loose material melts and fuses with the panel to create a textured surface in which she carves images in relief. The result is like that of a print or stamp and uses dimension and color to create contrast. Marquart formerly taught printmaking at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and now enjoys retirement from her home in Baltimore.

An important element of glass art lies in the interaction between light and color in the work, an aspect embraced by Therman Statom in his constructed glasswork. Statom experiments with dimension, shape, color and light in his glass sculptures to tell a story or explore a school of thought. His ladders and miniature houses are on exhibit at the Maurine Littleton Gallery, but he is internationally recognized for his full installations such as those on exhibit at the Los Angeles International Airport, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum, Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Musée de Design et d’Arts Appliqués/Contemporain in Lausanne, Switzerland. Statum studied at the Pratt Institute of Art and Design and has been recognized by critics as one of the most influential and significant American experimental glass artists.

2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Harvey Littleton’s involvement in founding the Studio Glass Movement. Maurine is in the process of compiling his father’s biography with the intention of publishing it in honor of the anniversary. The Corning Museum of Glass in New York and the Chazen Museum of Art in Wisconsin will feature exhibitions showcasing the glasswork of Harvey Littleton in the next year. [gallery ids="99986,99987,99988,99989" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Ford’s Theatre was aglow on June 5 as guests strode the red carpet for the Annual Gala. With Richard Dreyfuss as host, the performance was titled” Lincoln’s Legacy and a New Era of Hope.” Highlights included Anika Noni Rose’s rendition of “If I Had My Way” with students from the Oyster-Adams Bilingual School, David’s Selby’s reading from Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and Joshua Henry and Jeremy Gumbs singing “Go Bank Home” from “The Scottsboro Boys.” Attorney General Eric Holder presented the Lincoln Medal to the NBA’s all-time scoring champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did the honors for first lady of the musical theatre Julie Andrews. In closing remarks, Vice President Biden hailed the recipients “powerful voice” and called Ford’s Theatre “this hallowed hall of American history.” After the performance guests enjoyed a seated dinner in the courtyard of the National Portrait Gallery & American Smithsonian Art Museum. [gallery ids="102531,102532,102533,102534,102535" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Award winning Constellation Theatre celebrated its over the top season with a gala “Kick Up Our Heels & Toast to the Stars!” at The Washington Club on June 9. The evening’s silent auction had myriad goodies including costumes and props from the past season’s productions. Artistic Director Allison Stockman opened a brief program saying “reviews—good or bad—“are always entertaining.” “The Green Bird” was lauded for “extravagant, whimsical creations” and “a multi-sensory joy feast.” Constellation was praised as an ensemble with “practical coherency” espousing a “live connection between actors and audience.” Tom Teasley, a two-time Helen Hayes award winner for sound design, entertained and quipped “there’s another instrument you’ve never seen before.” [gallery ids="100044,100045,100046,100047,100048" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Curated by Claudi Carreras, C.EO presents submissions from 20 Latin American and European photographic collectives highlighting their countries’ major environmental concerns. The exhibition is presented by the Ministry of Culture of Spain, the Embassy of Spain and the Spain-USA Foundation in cooperation with the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center and FotoDC as part of Spain Arts & Culture 20121 Program. The images are riveting and alarming. The overriding themes are waste and water issues. A June 2 opening reception was attended by Director of Promotion of Arts, Ministry of Cultural of Spain Angeles Albert, Embassy Cultural Counselor Guillermo Corral, Founder of PhotoDC (South Africa) Theo Adamstein and Keith Lipert of the eponymous Georgetown Gallery. The photo exhibition will run through Aug. 14. [gallery ids="100054,100055,100056,100057" nav="thumbs"]