Call it “The Season of Paula Vogel.” Several area companies are staging several of the most compelling works by the Baltimore-born, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a member of the LGBTQ community, including The Baltimore Waltz (Keegan), How I Learned to Drive (Round House) and Indecent (Arena). It’s also the season of Elton John, with two of the iconic rocker’s musicals — Billy Elliot (Signature) and Aida (Constellation) — hitting the local boards. The season also marks the final year for Michael Kahn, who during his tenure as Artistic Director, transformed The Shakespeare Theatre Company into an international, critically-acclaimed powerhouse. He’ll be ending his run, fittingly, on a tragedy of mythic proportions.
Naturally, this wouldn’t be a Washington Theatre season with more than a smattering of political dramas as well an abundance of satirical appearances by the delightful Second City gang. But Washington is clearly turning, more and more, into a town known for big, sparkling musicals. Signature will grant us a stay at the Grand Hotel, Olney will ship us off to the South Pacific, Ford’s will take us Into the Woods, GALA celebrates Fame, and the Kennedy Center will let Aladdin’s genie out of the lamp while it opens its own Little Shop of Horrors. After all, who doesn’t love a singing plant?
Blueberries for Sal — Based on the classic book by Robert McCloskey, featuring music and lyrics by William Yanesh (9/21-10/21)
Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas — Nancy has enough money to buy a brand-new sparkly tree topper, but when things don’t turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous? (11/17-1/6)
Huckleberry Finn’s Big River — The Mark Twain classic in which Huck helps Jim, a slave, escape captivity. Based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical, with music and lyrics by Roger Miller (2/8-3/10)
Winnie the Pooh — Pooh and Piglet have to find the Heffalump, watch Rabbit scheme to rid the forest of Kanga’s dreaded bathtub, and help Eeyore search for his tail. Based on the A.A. Milne classic (3/29-5/26) ^ The Cat in the Hat — A rainy day is turned into a miraculous, mayhem-filled adventure in this adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic. Directed by Theater J’s Adam Immerwahr (6/21-8/18)
Turn Me Loose — An intimate and no-holds-barred drama that chronicles Dick Gregory’s rise as the first black comedian to expose audiences to racial comedy (Now-10/14, Kreeger Theater)
Anything Goes — Molly Smith puts her stamp on the Cole Porter favorite (11/2-12/23, Fichandler)
Indecent — The story of the courageous artists who risked their careers to perform Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance on Broadway in 1923, a work deemed “indecent.” By Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel (11/23-12/30, Kreeger)
Kleptocracy — A World Premiere drama by Kenneth Lin that turns the spotlight on U.S. — Russia relations (1/18-2/24, Kreeger)
The Heiress — Based on the novel Washington Square by Henry James (2/8-3/10, Fichandler)
JQA — Aaron Posner imagines key confrontations between John Quincy Adams and a few of America’s most dynamic figures, including George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln (3/1-4/14, Kogod)
Junk — A junk bond trader prepares a hostile takeover of a family-owned manufacturing company in this bracing new work from playwright Ayad Akhtar (4/5-5/5, Fichandler)
Jubilee — A World Premiere written and directed by Tazewell Thompson and featuring such spirituals as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” (4/26-6/2, Kreeger)
BALTIMORE CENTER STAGE
700 N. Calvert St.
Baltimore, Md.
410-332-0033 centerstage.org
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof — Must-see Tennessee Williams (Now- 10/14)
King of the Yee (10/25-11/18)
A Wonder in My Soul (11/29-12/23)
Fun Home — The stunning, heartfelt musical based on the work of LGBTQ cartoonist Alison Bechdel. Directed by Hana Sharif (1/17-2-24)
Indecent — Produced in conjunction with Arena Stage (2/28-3/31) ^ How to Catch Creation (5/2-5/26)
Aida — The Elton John/Tim Rice musical is based on Verdi’s epic opera, telling the story of forbidden love between a princess and her captor. Directed by Michael J. Bobbitt (10/11-11/18)
The Master and Margarita — A new adaptation of the Russian novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, as spiritual inquiry and absurd satire intertwine (2/7-3/3)
The White Snake — In Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of an ancient Chinese folktale, a snake spirit transforms itself into a woman in order to experience the human world and falls in love with a pharmacist’s assistant. Directed by Allison Arkell Stockman (4/25-5/26)
Dancing at Lughnasa — Irish playwright Brian Friel’s timeless memory play (Now-10/7)
Sweat (10/23-11/25)
The Importance of Being Earnest — This tour-de-farce is arguably Oscar Wilde’s greatest play, as courtships, class, and convention square off with handbags, puns, and perambulators. Directed by Rep Stage’s Joseph Ritsch (12/4-1/6)
Everything is Wonderful — When the repentant driver in a fatal collision seeks forgiveness from the Amish family whose sons’ lives he claimed, faith guides them to welcome him into their community (1/29-3/3)
Dinner With Friends — A dinner party goes south as two couples find themselves grappling with questions of loyalty, individuality, and commitment. Donald Margulies’ funny, sharply observed Pulitzer Prize-winning drama is celebrating its 20th anniversary (3/12-4/14)
Macbeth — Shakespeare’s murderous tragedy is seen anew in Davenant’s Restoration-era adaptation. Starring Ian Merrill Peakes and Kate Eastwood Norris, with music performed by Folger Consort (Now-9/23)
King John — Everyone from the Pope to his own court seem to think John’s crown is up for grabs. Directed by Aaron Posner, and featuring Kate Eastwood Norris and Holly Twyford (10/23-12/2)
Nell Gwynn — A darling of the Restoration theater becomes the mistress of King Charles II. Directed by Robert Richmond (1/29-3/10) ^ Love’s Labor’s Lost — Shakespeare’s spry comedy is full of lovers and clowns, foolery and the follies of the heart (4/30-6/9)
Born Yesterday — A sharp-edged 1940s screwball comedy in which an opportunistic tycoon is upended by an idealistic Washington reporter. Edward Gero and Kimberly Gilbert star. Directed by Aaron Posner (9/21-10/21)
A Christmas Carol — Wallace returns for his third year as Scrooge in the perennially popular Dickens tale (11/15-12/30)
Twelve Angry Men — Tensions run high as a lone juror argues the innocence of a teenager accused of murder in Reginald Rose’s sizzling drama. Sheldon Epps directs a cast that includes Michael Russotto (1/18-2/17)
Into the Woods — Three words: We. Can’t. Wait. (3/8-5/22)
Like Water for Chocolate — A young woman trapped by traditions finds freedom in cooking so magical it inspires people to laugh, cry, and burn with desire (Now-10/7)
The Old Man, The Youth, and The Sea — Based on historic events, Spaniard writer Miguel de Unamuno, who represents the power of reason, and a boy who dreams of tomorrow plan an escape under the watchful eye of the General guarding Fuerteventura Island (2/7-3/3)
Fame, the Musical — A diverse group of ambitious, young hopefuls dream of stardom while attending a prestigious high school for the performing arts (5/9-6/9)
Lincolnesque — A speechwriter for a mediocre Congressman turns to his brother, who thinks he’s Abraham Lincoln, for help writing great oratory. Playwright John Strand will conduct a post-show discussion on Sept. 30 (9/22-10/14)
As You Like It — A musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s winsome comedy (11/3-12/2)
An Irish Carol — The Keegan holiday tradition continues (12/13-31)
The Baltimore Waltz — Susan Marie Rhea directs Paula Vogel’s wry comedy about a brother and sister who go on a journey that may not be exactly as it seems (1/19-2/9)
Hands on a Hardbody — In this new musical from Doug Wright, Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green, ten Texans struggle to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. Directed by Mark Rhea (3/9-4/6)
God of Carnage — A playground altercation between two boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. Things turn ugly (5/4-5/25)
World Stages: Measure for Measure — Shakespeare’s classic play becomes a mirror of modern society in a dexterously crafted adaption from director Declan Donnellan (10/10-13, Eisenhower)
Broadway Center Stage: Little Shop of Horrors — Megan Hilty, Josh Radnor, and James Monroe Iglehart star in the man-eating plant smash (10/24-28, Eisenhower)
Anastasia — This dazzling musical takes audiences from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s. Book by Terrence McNally and score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (10/30-11/25, Opera House)
The Choir of Man — A feel-good pub show from the U.K. (11/23-25, Terrace)
World Stages: Barber Shop Chronicles — Set in barbershops in Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos, Accra, and London, the show explores a rich, intimate community where African men gather to discuss the world and their lives (11/28-12/1, Eisenhower)
The Second City’s Love, Factually — A parody of that nauseating movie so ripe for parody (12/3-31, Theater Lab)
Miss Saigon — A thrilling new production of the hit musical from the creators of Les Miz (12/11-1/13, Opera House)
The Play That Goes Wrong — A classic murder mystery chock-full of mishaps and madcap mania (12/18-1/6, Eisenhower)
Broadway Center Stage: The Music Man — Broadway legend Norm Lewis stars as consummate con man Harold Hill (2/6-2/20, Eisenhower)
World Stages: NeoArctic — Making its U.S. premiere, this collaboration between Denmark’s artistic incubator Hotel Pro Forma and the Latvian Radio Choir daringly explores a new geological age characterized by the harsh impact of humanity on our vulnerable ecosystem. Looks remarkable (2/13-2/16, Terrace)
Tap Dogs — All tap, no canines (2/19-2/24, Eisenhower)
World Stages: Cirkus Cirkör: Limits (3/6-3/9)
Broadway Center Stage: The Who’s Tommy — The world’s most famous rock opera (4/25-4/28)
Hello, Dolly! — Broadway legend Betty Buckley stars in this Tony-winning revival, directed by Jerry Zaks (6/4-7/7, Opera House)
Byhalia, Mississippi — A new Kennedy Center production of playwright Evan Linder’s uncompromising exploration of race, family, and betrayal in the American South (6/11-6/30, Terrace)
Falsettos — William Finn and James Lapine’s groundbreaking musical revolves around the life of a charming, intelligent, neurotic gay man named Marvin and his family (6/11-6/23, Eisenhower)
The Band’s Visit — A critically acclaimed new musical that celebrates the deeply human ways music, longing, and laughter connect us all (7/9-8/4, Eisenhower)
Disney’s Aladdin — Pure Mouse House spectacle and magic, flying carpet and all (7/18-9/7, Opera House)
Dear Evan Hansen — If you missed it when it started its life at Arena, you can now see the Tony Award-winning masterpiece in the Eisenhower (8/6-9/8)
METRO STAGE
1201 N. Royal St.
Alexandria, Va.
703-548-9044 metrostage.org
The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek — Thomas W. Jones II directs Doug Brown in this Athol Fugard drama inspired by the life of outsider artist Nukian Mabuza (Now-9/30)
Rooms: A Rock Romance — In 1970s Glasgow an ambitious singer songwriter meets a reclusive rocker and romance is born as they aim for stardom in first the London, and later, New York punk scene. Music and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman (10/11-11/11)
Christmas at the Old Bull and Bush — Catherine Flye’s cheery holiday tale centers on patrons at a pub telling corny jokes and singing British music hall songs and Christmas carols (11/20-12/23)
Three Sistahs — Chekhov meets gospel, rhythm & blues, bebop and funk in this musical by William Hubbard set at the height of the civil rights and anti-war movements of 1969 (1/24-2/24)
Dress Up Day — A spunky first-grader discovers that all her friends have the same plans for their school’s dress up day in this musical (February)
Daddy Long Legs — A two person musical, set in the 19th Century, tells of a love that grows between two people by way of handwritten letters (3/7-3/13)
Be More Chill — A high school loser goes to great lengths to gain self-confidence in this musical (7/11-7/29)
Marie and Rosetta — A celebration of two pioneers of mid-20th Century music, whose approach helped pave the way for rock and roll (Now-9/30)
The Agitators — The 45-year friendship and occasional rivalry between two great, rebellious, and flawed American icons: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass (10/24-11/25)
Oh, God — A psychotherapist gets a visit from a new and desperate patient: God (12/12-1/13)
Shame — A documentary portrait of the challenges facing Israelis and Palestinians who decide to work together against formidable opposition (1/30/2-17) ^ Native Son — Richard Wright’s iconic novel about oppression, freedom, and justice comes to life in a ground-breaking adaptation (3/27-4/28)
The Shooting Gallery — Aaron Davidman’s one-man show on one of the most incendiary topics of our day: guns (4/7-4/27)
Sooner/Later — An exploration of romance, marriage, and parenting by Allison Currin (5/15-6/16)
Twisted Melodies — A powerful one-man show, based on the life of ’70s soul singer Donny Hathaway, imagines the troubled and brilliant musician’s last day on Earth (6/19-7/21)
Beetlejuice — Alex Timbers directs the pre-Broadway world premiere of this new musical comedy, based on Tim Burton’s iconic film (10/14-11/18)
Beautiful — The music of Carole King. Where you lead… (11/27-12/30)
School of Rock: The Musical — Another hit from Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber (1/16-1/27)
Finding Neverland (2/26-3/3)
A Bronx Tale (3/26-3/31)
Jim Steinman’s Bat Out of Hell — Paradise by the dashboard lights, indeed (5/7-5/26)
OLNEY THEATRE CENTER
2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd.
Olney, Md.
301-924-3400 olneytheatre.org
South Pacific — The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic directed by Alan Muraoka (Now-10/7, Mainstage)
Around the World in 80 Days — The National Players create a wondrous telling of the Jules Verne classic (9-18-10/26, Olney Theatre)
Labour of Love — A witty comedy about the ups and downs of left-wing British politics over the past twenty-five years (9/26-10/28, Theatre Lab)
Elf the Musical — Based on the Will Ferrell movie, and starring a powerhouse cast, including Patricia Hurley, Kevin McAllister, Nova Y. Payton and Bobby Smith. Directed by Michael J. Bobbitt (11/9-1/6, Mainstage)
A Christmas Carol — Paul Morella’s one-man adaptation of the Dickens’ holiday classic (11/23-12/30, Theatre Lab) ^ Once — Based on the Oscar-winning film, a street guitarist meets a curious woman who wants to know all about him and romance blooms (2/6-3/10, Mainstage)
Comedy of Tenors — Ken Ludwig’s latest door-slamming farce is set on the eve of a big concert in 1936 Paris (4/10-5/12, Mainstage)
Mary Stuart — Jason Loewith directs the bracing Friedrich Schiller drama (5/8-6/9, Theatre Lab)
Matilda — Based on the book by Roald Dahl, a young girl discovers her magical powers in this enchanting musical (6/21-7/21, Mainstage)
REP STAGE
10901 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, Md.
443-518-1500 repstage.org
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Sondheim’s rapturous macabre musical about a murderous barber and meat pies made from his slaughtered customers (Now-9/23)
Things That Are Round — A dentist specializing in existential terror and an aspiring opera singer square off in a strange ballet of truth or dare in this dark comedy (11/1-18)
Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 — Anna Deavere Smith’s stunning one-person tour de force explores the people who experienced the Los Angeles riots in the wake of the Rodney King verdict (2/28-3/17)
The 39 Steps — Patrick Barlow’s fast-paced spoof of Hitchcock’s 1935 classic thriller. A cast of four portray a multitude of characters in a madcap evening (5/2-5/19)
The Laramie Project — The true story of Matthew Shepard’s death and its seismic effect felt nationwide is detailed through interviews from those connected to the case and other citizens of little Laramie, Wyoming (9/26-10/19)
Who’s Holiday — A grown-up Cindy Lou Who prepares Christmas Eve festivities for friends, and recounts the infamous night she met the Grinch (11/14-12/15)
Act of God — A divine comedy by David Javerbaum (2/27-3/23)
Small Mouth Sounds –A weeklong silent retreat in the woods proves to be anything but tranquil for six restless souls in search of enlightenment. Directed by Ryan Rilette (Now-9/23)
How I Learned to Drive — Paula Vogel’s astonishing chronicle of one woman’s journey to break the cycle of sexual abuse (10/10-11/4)
Gem of the Ocean — This first chapter of August Wilson’s monumental play cycle. Directed by Timothy Douglas (11/28-12/23)
Oslo — In 1993, a husband-and-wife team of Norwegian bureaucrats assemble a motley band of would-be diplomats from the Middle East to negotiate peace between Israelis and Palestinians (4/24-5/19)
A Doll’s House, Part 2 — Holly Twyford, Craig Wallace, and Nancy Robinette lead a powerhouse cast in this “sequel” to the Ibsen classic (6/6-6/30)
The Comedy of Errors — Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy of mistaken identities involves two sets of twins and an ocean of confusion. Directed by Alan Paul (9/25-10/28, Lansburgh)
An Inspector Calls — A festive evening at the home of a well-heeled British family is suddenly punctured by a visit from a grim inspector investigating the death of a young woman. Stephen Daldry, who first staged J.B. Priestley’s chilling drama in 1992 at London’s National Theatre, directs (11/20-12/23, Harman)
The Panties, The Partner, and The Profit — David Ives adapts Carl Sternheim’s epic comic trilogy, Scenes from the Heroic Life of the Middle Classes. Michael Kahn directs (12/4-1/6, Lansburgh)
Richard the Third — Studio’s David Muse directs one of Shakespeare’s most compelling, and evil-minded, history plays (2/5-3/10, Harman)
Vanity Fair — A new adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel by Kate Hamill (2/26-3/31, Lansburgh)
The Oresteia — Michael Kahn goes out with a huge Greek bang, directing Ellen McLaughlin’s adaptation of Aeschylus’s potent trilogy (4/30-6/2, Harman)
Passion — Natascia Diaz and Claybourne Elder star in Stephen Sondheim’s lush and romantic musical (Now-9/23, Max Theatre)
Heisenberg — A chance encounter at a London train stop changes the course of life for two people in this tender, funny, intimate comedy. Directed by Joe Calarco (9/18-11/11, Ark Theatre)
Billy Elliot — All 11-year-old Billy wants to do is dance in this Elton John musical based on the popular film (10/30-1/6, Max)
Ain’t Misbehavin’ — A swinging, dancing celebration of big band and the songs of Thomas “Fats” Waller starring Nova Y. Payton, Kevin McAllister, and Iyona Blake (1/23-3/10, Ark)
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity — Three women are trapped in a ravaged museum during a catastrophic hundred years war tasked with restoring a damaged Rembrandt painting. Holly Twyford stars (2/26-4/7, Ark)
Grand Hotel — Eric D. Schaeffer directs this intricate and magnificent musical set in a lavish hotel in 1928 Berlin (4/2-5/12, Max)
Spunk — Based on three short stories of Zora Neale Hurston and adapted by Jelly’s Last Jam writer George C. Wolfe (4/30-6/23, Ark)
Blackbeard — The World Premiere of a high seas musical adventure by the authors of The Witches of Eastwick and The Fix, commissioned by Signature (6/11-7/7, Max)
Sleepy Hollow — Gothic horror, iconic characters, and imagery combine to produce the kind of wondrous, wordless evening Synetic is renowned for. Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili and choreographed by Irina Tsikurishvili (10/3-11/4)
Cyrano de Bergerac — An athletic, acrobatic telling of the world-famous story (2/6-3/10)
Richard III — The latest entry in the company’s Wordless Shakespeare series (5/15-6/16)
Titus Andronicus — Synetic founder Paata Tsikurishvili tackles this revenge-driven tragedy as the 13th entry in the company’s celebrated “Silent Shakespeare” series (4/25-5/27) ^ Treasure Island — The company works its magic on Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure classic (7/17-8/18)
The Events — In the wake of a mass shooting, a lone survivor yearns to find the compassion, understanding, and peace she needs to overcome her trauma. Directed by Colin Hovde (Now-10/7) ^ Blood at the Root — When a black student disrupts the status quo at her high school by occupying space typically reserved for white students, her community erupts in hate speech, violence, and chaos (2/27-3/24)
Klytmnestra: An Epic Slam Poem — Dane Figueroa Edidi’s dynamic one-woman slam poem is a saga of strong women, the men who seek to destroy them, and the dangerous extremes this kind of society can reach if left unchecked (5/19-6/16)
THEATER J
1529 16th St. NW
202-777-3210 theaterj.org
While the DCJCC is renovated, Theatre J becomes nomadic
The Pianist of Willesden Lane — The true and inspiring story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish pianist whose dream of making her concert debut at the storied Musikverein concert hall is dashed by the onset of World War II (Now-9/30, Kennedy Center Family Theater)
Actually — What begins as a casual college hookup turns into a Title IX hearing in which both students have everything to lose. Starring Jaysen Wright (Wig Out!) (10/17-11/18, Arena’s Kogod Cradle)
Talley’s Folly — Lanford Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning romantic comedy is a poignant valentine to unlikely love. Directed by Aaron Posner, and starring Erin Weaver (12/7-12/30, GALA Hispanic)
The Jewish Queen Lear — Penned in 1898, Jacob Gordin’s story of power and pride revolves around a wealthy widow who wants to find a good wife for her son. A masterpiece of Yiddish theater with a new English translation. Directed by Adam Immerwahr (3/13-4/7, Georgetown’s Davis Performing Arts Center)
Summerland — A spirit photographer has a talent for capturing haunting images from the world beyond the veil. Based on a true story (9/27-10/21)
All Save One — A World Premiere comedy playwright Greg Jones Ellis set in 1950’s Hollywood (11/15-12/9)
Gulf View Drive — The final installment in the popular romantic trilogy by Arlene Hutton (Last Train to Nibroc, See Rock City), reunites Raleigh and May, last seen on separate life paths. Lexi Langs and Wood Van Meter reprise their roles (1/17-2/10)
Resolving Hedda — Playwright Jon Klein reimagines Ibsen’s notorious schemer Hedda Gabler in this inventive work in which a major literary character refuses to succumb to her written fate (3/21-4/15)
Gloria — When an ordinary day at one of New York’s most prestigious magazines suddenly becomes a nightmare, two survivors transform the experience into career-making stories (Now-9/30)
The Fever — An ordinary party evolves into a spellbinding examination of how we assemble, organize, and care for the bodies around us. Performed in collaboration with the audience (11/23-12/4)
The Second City’s She the People — Performed by an all-female team of the sketch troupe’s most fearless comics (12/3-1/6) BLKS —
A day in the life of three twenty-something black women wrestling with love, uncomfortable truths, and the anguish of adulting in New York City (2/4-3/3)
What the Constitution Means to Me — In 1988, a young woman tries to earn enough money to go to college by entering speech competitions about the U.S. Constitution in American Legion halls all across the country (4/1-29)
Describe the Night — Seven lost souls are connected across decades by history, fiction, lies, and blood when a centuries old Russian diary is unearthed (5/27-6/3) For more Fall Arts Preview Stage listings, visit metroweekly.com.
Imaginative and powerfully delivered, the Washington National Opera's Macbeth is the opera to drop everything and see. Verdi's gorgeously dramatic distillation of Shakespeare's tragedy is already ever-so-accessible, the dark and swooping grandeur of his score the perfect medium for the tale's high drama and mystery.
Add director Brenna Corner's elegantly innovative vision and this is classical opera for the 21st century at its best: so good it needs no compromises. If you have even the slightest interest in seeing the real deal, this is the one for you. If you are already in, this will be a treasure trove of pleasures.
Kevin McHale is regaling me with tales of being mistaken for Hall of Fame Boston Celtics baller Kevin McHale.
"During the Glee days especially, pre-Uber and all of that, you'd have drivers picking you up if you flew in from out of town," says the actor and singer. "And almost every single time, the look, how disappointed they were when they saw me coming down the escalator. You get in the car, and they had moved up the passenger seat so my 6'10" legs could fit. I'm 5'7", so it's not really the same thing."
Of course, to millions of Glee fans, McHale is eternally unmistakable as New Directions show choir member Artie Abrams. Sitting face-to-face with him, virtually, he is at ease, thoughtful, self-deprecating, and blessed with baby blues that genuinely sparkle.
Every single day, for 20 years straight, bookstore assistant Kenneth has headed after work to Wally's Tiki Bar to get blitzed on Mai Tais with his best friend Bert. Wally's, as Kenneth informs the audience at the top of Eboni Booth's 2024 Pulitzer-winning drama Primary Trust, is his favorite place in Cranberry, New York, the sleepy Rochester suburb he's called home all 38 years of his life.
Standing center stage, Kenneth (Julius Thomas III) proudly points out Wally's among the buildings and homes of Cranberry, modeled in relief around the walls of Signature's ARK Theatre. He speaks of the place with childlike joy, admitting he might be prone to angry outbursts on occasion, but all's well as long as he's got Wally's and Mai Tais after work with Bert.
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