Astute End of the Year Theater Wrap Up

I'm in Safari, so I can only link in the title.

But above - an article by Jayne Blanchard, Theater Critic for the Washington Times that is really smart, cohesive, and well written. It blows Peter Mark's "end of the year review" out of the water. I totally agree with most of her points and I couldn't have said (well, written) it better myself.

Her folks to watch are right on, and mostly local (I don't think that Gillentine is):

"Fresh faces we'd like to see more often. Cooper D'Ambrose, still a college student at North Carolina School of the Arts, displayed unusual poise and bearing playing Oscar Wilde in "Gross Indecency" at Theater Alliance.

James Flanagan was outstanding in "The "Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow" and "Kimberly Akimbo," in which he played two characters trying to hide their insecurities through a fusillade of sarcasm.

Meg Gillentine gave us a Lola from the musical "Damn Yankees" embodying graceful athleticism, killer pipes and that kittenish Laura Petrie-style sexiness.

When Alexander Strain walked onstage at the Washington Shakespeare Company in the small but essential role of the Narrator in "Medea," people were muttering, "Who is that guy?" He went on to have a brilliant year, playing everything from Jennifer Mendenhall's drug-dealing lover in "You Are Here" at Theater Alliance to various roles in "Gross Indecency." We hope to see more of this promising young actor in 2006."

I didn't see Damn Yankees so I don't know anything about Gillentine. But Cooper is lovely and full of so much potential. And Jimmy and Alexander will make your heart pitter patter. They are two of the most endearing, engaging, and totally egoless actors I have encountered in a long time. They deserve the praise.

But I'm gushing.

The familiar faces is also spot on. Rick was wonderful in Take Me Out, Jennifer was masterful in You Are Here, Aubrey is always a talent and a sweetheart, and really - I can't argue with anyone she mentioned. Aaron deserves the praise for Two Gents as much as for his several year run of effervescent, exquisite Shakespeare plays at the Folger...

Anyway, she wrote the article, I didn’t, so the fact that she praised so many of my favorite people if nothing else, confirms that I at least have good taste.

And I have to say, all of these people, wonderful people. All of them. I'm proud to know them.