Barber's Best Bets

MOVIES: Up! is the tenth animated film from Disney/Pixar and their first in both 3-D and traditional 35 mm versions. Edward Asner (Lou Grant.) Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) and JohnRatzenburger (Cheers) provide some of the voices for this fanciful tale of an elderly man who journeys to the wilds of South America-by attaching thousands of balloons to his home.
Drag Me to Hell may be your (and my) reaction after seeing this horror drama about a loan officer (Alison Lohman, Matchstick Men) who’s forced to evict an elderly woman from her home. When a curse from the old woman turns her life into a nightmare, the young woman seeks supernatural help to end her misery.

THEATRE; The ever inventive Synetic Theatre Company, usually based at the Rosslyn Spectrum stage, is spending some time across the river. They’re closing their current season with their first Shakespeare comedy. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, That immortal tale of mismatched lovers, is running at the Kennedy Center through June 14. Arena Stage presents four-time Emmy
Award-winning actress Valerie Harper (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda) in a pre-Broadway run of a new play. Looped looks at the life and times of the flamboyant stage and screen actress Tallulah Bankhead. This one woman show plays the Lincoln Theatre in Washington from May 29 to June 28.

Fans of horror writer Clive Barker can check out his first theatrical effort. Crazy Face, presented by the Constellation Theatre Company, is currently on stage at the Source Theatre on 14th Street in Northwest Washington. A genre bending story whose cast includes a witch, a flying man and a nest of spies, Crazy Face runs through June 14. In the spirit of Defending the Caveman, award winning television writer and comedian Mike Dugan presents Men Fake Foreplay. This commentary on communication in relationships gets a pre-Broadway run at
the Bethesda Theatre through June 7.

More good news for Tom Stoppard aficionados: The Folger Theatre’s production of Arcadia, starring Holly Twyford, has been extended to June 21. Also, the Studio Theatre’s production of Rock ‘N’ Roll has been extended to June 14.

Finally, closing on May 31st are both of Signature Theatre’s current offerings the superb, four star musical See What I Wanna See and the flawed, but salvageable, two and a-half star musical adaptation of Giant. Metro Stage’s production of Tom Stoppard’s translation of the French play Heroes ends the same day. Rent,
starring original Broadway cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, closes at the Warner Theatre in downtown Washington that evening as well.

CLUBS/CONCERTS: Wolf Trap moves outdoor for the summer, as the Fieline Center welcomes audiences to its stunning and comfortable pavilion and spacious lawn. You can celebrate the “Kings of Cool” with The Rat Pack is Back! It’s a show in which four singer/actors present the music and comedy of Sinatra, Martin Davis and Bishop. The Pack performs on May 28. The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players make their annual visit to Wolf Trap for two performances of The Pirates of Panzance, on May 29 and 30. Beautiful voices are raised on May 31 when
singers Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin share the stage with special guest Buddy Miller during Three Girls and their Buddy.

The Birchmere in Alexandria offers an intriguing mix of performers over the next few days. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, always an area favorite, drop by on the 28th. Sax player extraordinaire Candy Dulfer takes the stage on Friday, May 29. Saturday, the 30th offers an all acoustic evening with two of soft rock’s standard bearers, Poco and Firefall. National Harbor in Prince Georges County, Maryland welcomes Little Feat for a concert as part of their fortieth anniversary tour on the 28th.

The Kennedy Center welcomes Motown legends The Temptations for three shows, starting May 28. They’ll share the Concert Hall stage with Marvin Hamlisch and the National Symphony Pops Orchestra. Performances continue through Saturday. Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland ricks the roof with Twisted Sister and Ratt on May 30th and Blues Alley in Georgetown welcomes the Joey DeFrancesco Trio from Thursday through Sunday. Enjoy!

Joe Barber’s entertainment reports and reviews can be heard Fridays through Sundays on the WTOP-FM Radio Network (103.5, 103.9, 107.7 & Wtop.com.) He can be seen regularly on WETA-TV’s Around Town and Fridays on Comcast Sports Net’s Washington Post Live.