The Washington Diplomat

Busy Stages
Russian and Hispanic Theaters Invade Washington Area
by Gary Tischler

Stanislavsky does Goethe. Gala Hispanic brings back the golden age. Teatro de la Luna throws a festival, and Classika Theatre keeps Gogol in town. In other words, the Russian and Hispanic theater companies in the area are keeping busy.

First, to the Russians: The Stanislavsky Theater Studio, hailed as one of the most innovative as well as traditional theater companies seen in a long time, brings back one of the reasons that it has become so successful in such a short time—its highly stylized rendering of Goethe’s classic “Faust.” In the play, Mephistopheles tempts scholar Dr. Faust as he travels the ends of the earth, heaven and hell.

This is the production—directed by Paata Tsikurishvili and Andrei Malaev-Babel—that you might recall ran for two sold-out months last year and earned choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili her second Helen Hayes Award for choreography. It’s also as good as any production to get the full appreciation of the Stanislavsky’s unique blend of stylized theater in which mime, music, movement, choreography and design come together for a mix of new and old theater.

At Classika Theatre in Shirlington, Va., Nikolai Gogol, whose “Dead Souls” was resurrected by Stanislavsky last month, is honored with a production of his “The Marriage” under the direction of visiting artist Yuri Kordonsky.

“The Marriage” (subtitled “A Quite Incredible Incident in Two Acts”) is a farce in which a bachelor and his friend arrange a marriage on their own, without the help of a traditional matchmaker. The bride in question, however, has more than one suitor—four to be exact. Inna Shapiro, Classika’s founder and artistic director, has adapted this tale.

Kordonsky also directed Classika’s hugely successful children’s theater production of “The Little Prince,” based on Antoine de St. Exupery’s famous book. Kordonsky is a visiting director from the Maly Drama Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, which is part of Classika’s International Exchange Program. Kordonsky is also teaching acting and directing classes at Classika’s Professional Drama Studio and The George Washington University.

Gala Hispanic Theatre is bringing back the golden age of Spanish theater with its production of “La Verdad Sospechosa” (“The Truth Can’t Be Trusted”) by Juan Ruiz de Alarcon. This comedy of social manners and errors is the work of the playwright once dubbed the “First Playwright of the Americas.”

Alarcon was born in Mexico City in 1581 during the high-water mark of the Spanish empire. His play is set in Madrid of the 1600s and concerns the handsome young Don Garcia, who is eager to make his mark at court. He’s also an inveterate liar, who is constantly exaggerating, telling half-truths, tall stories and outright lies to the point where he gets into some serious and funny trouble.

Gala founder and artistic director Hugo Medrano directs a cast that includes Gala regulars Cynthia Benjamin and Leslie Yanez as well as Cuban actor Harold Ruiz, part of Gala’s ongoing cultural exchange with Cuba. Ruiz has appeared several times at Gala. The sets are by renowned Chilean designer Ramon Lopez who designed last season’s “Cosi Fan Tutte” at the Kennedy Center.

At Teatro de la Luna in Arlington, Va., it’s that time of year again, as nine companies from Latin America and the United States show their theatrical wares in the Fifth International Festival of Hispanic Theater.

A joint effort by Teatro de la Luna and the Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division, the festival features productions from Argentin a, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Uruguay and the United States. There will be all sorts of theater: comedy, drama, cafe-concert and pantomime, as well as workshops, post-performance discussions, a mini-festival for children and informal exchanges between local and festival artists.

There will also be an opening night reception and fundraiser at the residence of the ambassador of the Dominican Republic on Feb. 6. Here’s a quick look at some of the offerings of the festival (for more details, please visit www.teatrodelaluna.org.):

From Puerto Rico, there’s “Another Damn Love” by Orlando Rodríguez from Artefacto Inc. (Feb. 8-9). Mexico is represented by “Moliere, By Herself” by Françoise Thyrion from Grupo Forum (Feb. 15-16). “Lord of Enchantment, Stories from Atlas’ Reign,” adapted by Carlos Velis from Grupo O’Yarkandal, is from El Salvador (Feb. 22-23). “The Fool in the Academy” by Andrés del Bosque from La Tribu Imaginaria is from Chile (March 1-2). “The Lady of the Camellias ... Backside” by Juan Carlos Sagaceta Koldo from Koldo Teatro is the offering from the Dominican Republic (March 5-6).

Uruguay is represented by “The Executor, at Night in Front of the Forests” adapted by María Dodera and Cesar Troncoso from Grup del Sur (March 8-9). Argentina, perhaps not surprisingly, is represented by “Tango, That Passionate Feeling” by Francisco Cocuzza from Teatro Concert (March 15-16). All performances except for some special events and children’s programs are at the Theater on the Run.

“Faust” runs through March 10 at the International Stanislavsky Theater Studio, 1742 Church St., NW. For more information, please call (202) 265-3748.
“The Marriage” runs through March 10 at Classika Theatre, 4041 South 28th St., Arlington, Va. For more information, please call (703) 824-6200.
“La Verdad Sospechosa” runs Feb. 7 to March 17 at the Gala Hispanic Theatre, Warehouse Theatre, 1021 7th St., NW. For more information, please call (202) 234-7174.
“The Fifth Annual Festival of Hispanic Theater” runs Feb. 6 to March 16 at the Teatro de la Luna, Theater on the Run, 3700 South Four Mile Run Drive, Arlington Va. For more information, please call (703) 548-3092.

Gary Tischler is a regular contributor to The Washington Diplomat.