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In musical fable ‘Islander’ at Olney, humans seek harmony with nature

The two-person show from Scotland has a unique soundtrack of haunting melodies and syncopated interludes mixed with the cries and calls of the sea. By DERYL DAVIS

In ‘The Last Drop’ at Scena, castaways from a catastrophe have...

For the survivors in this Beckettian dystopia imagined by Australian playwright John Shand, drinking water is scarce and so is civility. By JOHN STOLTENBERG

‘A Jumping-Off Point’ at Round House embraces nuance

The questions the play is asking are some of the most pertinent to our time. By ALEXANDRA BOWMAN

STC’s outstanding ‘Macbeth’ is stellar — from humor to horror

Director Simon Godwin and a remarkable cast breathe new, humanizing life into this familiar tale about the dehumanizing effects of violence. By DERYL DAVIS

A moving and thought-provoking ‘Unknown Soldier’ is recalled at Arena

With its well-constructed story and strong production, the memory musical unfolds with the delicacy of an heirloom music box. By D.R. LEWIS

Scathingly funny ‘Webster’s Bitch’ at Keegan Theatre wants a word

Playwright Jacqueline Bircher's light-hearted sitcom pulses and surprises with the sexual politics of language. By JOHN STOLTENBERG

Father comes home from the revolution in ‘Sunset Baby’ at Anacostia...

A Black political prisoner seeks reconciliation with his family in Dominique Morisseau's compelling and timely drama. By WHIT DAVIS

Closeted ‘Nance’ plays flamboyant and funny onstage at 1st Stage

The tension in the gay camp moments of winks and caricature, alongside a heated love relationship that cannot be public, ultimately makes the play. By CAROLINE BOCK

Life and love among newcomers in ‘Hester Street’ at Theater J

The push and pull of assimilation in the “melting pot” of New York City retold in a play with music based on the beloved film. By AMY KOTKIN

A First Lady and first people face off in hilarious ‘Nancy’...

With solid comedic timing and talented actors, the satire is laugh-out-loud funny, but the show’s more serious moments lack the punch they could have packed. By JILLIAN PARKS

‘Beauty and the Beast’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre is what musicals...

The ‘tale as old as time’ brings fantasy, romance, humor, and child-like innocence to the stage with stellar performances. By WILLIAM POWELL

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ grows big and strong at Ford’s Theatre

Pulling inspiration from Motown and doo-wop, virtually every song is catchy or memorable, and virtually every number is show-stopping. By JAKOB CANSLER

‘At the Wedding’ at Studio Theatre takes the laugh-a-minute cake

Playwright Bryna Turner lampoons and reimagines classic wedding-genre stories and adds a delicious dash of queer spice that freshens up the familiar. By D..R. LEWIS

 ‘Migraaaaants!’ at ExPats Theatre on the border between sendup and serious

Subtitled 'There's Too Many of Us on This Damn Boat!,' the play is as enjoyable in its theatricality as it is heartwrenching in its content. By JOHN STOLTENBERG

Waiting mate gets her say in spellbinding ‘Penelope’ at Signature Theatre

In new cabaret-style musical about Odysseus’ long-suffering wife, Jessica Phillips takes on Alex Bechtel’s stunning songs with total mastery. By AMY KOTKIN

Laugh-packed and hard-hitting ‘School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play’...

Jocelyn Bioh’s script cleverly weaves in the social issues African girls grapple with, and each member of the cast of eight is impressive in their role. By TENIOLA AYOOLA

A richly theatrical mother-and-son memoir in ‘Avaaz’ at Olney

Playwright Michael Shayan plays both a single Jewish woman immigrating from Tehran to Los Angeles and her queer American-born son, himself. By MORGAN PAVEY

Liberal thinking and racism on trial in ‘The Niceties’ at Perisphere...

A debate between a Black social activist college student and a white liberal history professor propels a brilliant and important play. By ANDY ARNOLD

‘Coriolanus’ as video game scores big at Avant Bard and Longacre...

In a co-production that enhances both companies' reputation for pushing creative boundaries, Coriolanus has been turned into a human weapon. By SOPHIA HOWES

Exhilarating ‘Trans-Atlantic Time Traveling Company’ at Theater Alliance shifts arc of...

Sisi Reid, Cynthia Davis, and Amani Alexander as three freedwomen from the future take the show's proposition by the horns and never let go. By GREGORY FORD