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Is Penn Quarter the Broadway of DC? What other neighborhood can boast the same concentration of theaters (by my count we have at least 7 within a 6 block radius)? From large-scale productions to obscure, avant garde acts, we are so fortunate to have so many performing arts opportunities at our doorstep. Here are just a few performances you could be entertained by this week.
National Theatre (1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW)
9:30 am, 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29
Free
I first saw Reptile World when I was in elementary school. I learned that Buttercup the albino turtle and Iggy the “agreeable” iguana, while different and scary were also unique and special. This is a wonderful program for teaching children about ecology, the environment and some very “cool” reptiles.
Fly
Ford’s Theatre (511 Tenth St, NW)
Various dates and times through October 21
From FT: “Based on the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen, Fly is the powerful story of four African-American military pioneers who proved themselves as officers and pilots during World War II.”
Lewis Black
Warner Theatre (13th and E streets NW)
8 p.m. Thurs – Saturday, Sept. 29
A Silver Spring native, Black is most known for his intense rants. I’ve enjoyed his guest appearances on The Daily Show (like this one) and am sure a stand-up performance in his hometown area will be hilarious and entertaining.
Black Watch
Shakespeare Theatre Company – Harman Hall (610 F St. NW)
8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Sept. 27-28
2 p.m., 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29
2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30
7:30 pm Tuesday, Oct. 2
From STC : “The National Theatre of Scotland presents a show by Gregory Burke about what it is like to be a soldier in Iraq.”
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, Sept. 26-28
3 p.m., 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29
2 p.m., 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30
8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, Oct. 3-5
Woolly Mammoth Theatre (641 D St., NW)
From WMT “The Pulitzer Prize finalist about an up-and-coming pro wrestler taking on the current champ is staged.”
I have seen this show and so should you. A typical Woolly performance, it is thought provoking and ideal challenging, creatively staged with an actual ring, powerfully acted and simply belly-laugh funny much of the time. At it’s heart is a story about identity – what defines who we are and where we belong? I don’t think I will be running to see pro wrestling the next time it is in town, but I certainly have a whole new level of appreciation for it. Plus, there are some great lobby activities, like a graffiti wall where you can illustrate your very own wrestling name.
The Government Inspector
Shakespeare Theatre Company – Lansburgh Theatre (450 Seventh St. NW)
8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Sept. 27-28
2 p.m., 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29
2 p.m., 7:30 pm Sunday, Sept. 30
7:30 pm Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct. 2-3
From STC: “Artistic Director Michael Kahn directs Nikolai Gogol’s farce about a group of corrupt Russian officials who mistake a visitor for an undercover investigator.”
Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW)
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Their tagline says it all “We put the Mock in democracy.”
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Missed in the count are Flashpoint’s black box theater in Mather Studios on G Street and the Undercroft Theatre at Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church, at Penn Quarter’s northern border, where the Washington Stage Guild performs.