JACQUELINE LAWTON: Why did you decide to get into theatre? Was there someone or a particular show that inspired you?
VICTORIA DURHAM: I have a degree in Film and Media Arts.  For years I worked in video production in various capacities, but always felt slightly unfulfilled in my work.  I remember going to see a friend perform in a Fringe show and suddenly the light bulb went off in my head.  Theatre offers something raw, organic and unfiltered that movies do not.  The live component of watching something occur in real time is exciting.  There’s a bravery in it that I find deeply inspiring.

JL: How long have you lived and worked as a theatre critic in D.C.? What brought you here? Why have you stayed?  
VD: I’m originally from the DC Metro area.  I attended college in Philadelphia, but decided to return home to work in video production.  There were just more opportunities in that field here than there were in Philadelphia at the time.  That was over ten years ago.  Before I decided to seriously pursue a career in theatre, I actually considered moving to the west coast.  However, I changed my mind when I realized that Washington’s theatre scene is one of the strongest in the country.  I’ve only been a theatre critic for a little over a year, but let me tell you, DC’s vibrant arts scene has kept me very busy. 

JL: How do you define the work you do? Specifically, what is the role of the theatre critic in the world of theatre? What contribution do you hope to make in the D.C. Theatre community and the American Theatre?
VD: The role of the theatre critic is to speak for the audience, to let theatre makers know what people think of their work.  I really want to be known as an intelligent and thoughtful who critic who sought to help theatres do their absolute best work.  I want my critiques to remind theatre companies and playwrights to create conscientious work that accurately reflects the diversity of the world around them. 

JL: If your work as a theatre critic doesn’t pay the bills, what else do you do? How do you balance this work with your play viewing and criticism?
VD: One of these days I’ll figure out how to turn my work as a theatre critic into a full-time paying gig.  For now I work as an account manager at a trade litigation consulting firm by day.  I am however, contemplating getting a job at a local theatre.  I’d like to immerse myself into that world a bit more.  Still, it isn’t difficult to balance play viewing and criticism with my current occupation. The theatres in DC are extremely accessible.  Occasionally I’m forced to sacrifice a few hours of sleep in order to get a review written on time, but hey, that’s the gig. 

JL: What skills and traits do you feel a successful theatre critic should have when writing about theatre, especially when it comes to new plays?  
VD: I think that good theatre critics lead broad and diverse personal lives.  You’ll write better informed critiques that way.  Being open-minded, culturally informed and detail oriented make for a strong critic as well.  A good critic also notices what the casual viewer doesn’t.  He/she sees the subtleties, nuance, etc. of a work.  

JL: What is your writing and viewing process? Do you read the script prior to seeing a production? Do you research the author and/or world of the play? Do you read the program notes?
VD: I don’t read scripts prior to seeing a production.  If the playwright and producing theatre have done their jobs, then I won’t need to do so.  But I definitely read program notes and often research a play’s background, context, history, etc., especially if the subject matter is unfamiliar to me.  A great example is the play, “Copenhagen,” by Michael Frayn.  At its core, the story is about human relationships and the precariousness of memory.  Yet there is a lot of scientific terminology included in the script because the characters are nuclear physicists.  I had to give myself a little refresher course in Chemistry 101 just so I could keep pace with the plot and dialogue. 

When a play begins, my first objective is just to get the gist of who the key players are and to get a general sense of the plot.  After that I allow myself to notice the production’s creative and technical elements, ie. set design, costumes, sound, etc.  It’s not until I’m sitting alone with my laptop that I consider the play’s theme, cultural relevance, timeliness or even if I liked the show.  I definitely need a minute to digest the material before I begin writing.

JL: In the article, “Ohio Critic's Tough Words Elicit Rough Reaction,” Denver Post Theater Critic John Moore states: “There is no universal rule book for criticism, no how-to manual. My guidelines: Be true to your visceral emotional response, good or bad. State your case and back it up. Be a catalyst for discussion. Encourage dialogue. Don't be personal. Never try to be funny at the expense of someone's feelings.” What guidelines, rules or standards do you have for your own work? Have you always upheld them? If so, at what cost? If not, what shifted the line for you?
VD: I work very hard to ensure that my reviews are written with great tact, respect and sensitivity – no brash and discourteous commentary, EVER.  Even if I hate a show, I’ll state my opinions respectfully and will give concrete examples to back up my critique.  I’m not here to kill dreams or to lambast anyone’s hard work.  Perhaps I’m one of the more kind (but honest) reviewers out there because I come from a creative background myself.  I write fiction and plays too so I know how useless, mean-spirited reviews can be.

JL: What is the greatest part of being a theatre critic? What has been your most difficult challenge?  
VD: The best part of being a theatre critic is that I get to witness and experience so much talent on a regular basis.  I love that I get to let theatre makers know what their audiences are thinking about their work in an articulate manner. 

The most difficult part is knowing that I may potentially offend an artist with my critique even if it is thoroughly and kindly expressed. 

I also cringe when artists say that the opinions of theatre critics don’t matter.  What we do is an art form in its own unique way and a well written critique requires a lot of brainpower and hard  work.  That said, I’d like the theatre community to include critics in their discussions a bit more.  We really aren’t the enemy. 

JL: Who are your favorite playwrights? What is it about their work that inspires or draws you to them? 
VD: I am just a little bit obsessed with Tennessee Williams.  His writing is always sultry and sexy and musical.  His characters are so emotional and deeply flawed, yet somehow beautiful at the same time. I must have seen and read “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” a hundred times.   I’m also a big fan of Alan Ball.  Ball does oddball, damaged, slightly off kilter like no other.  His short play, “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” is one of my favorites. 

JL: DC artistic directors are …
VD:  Aware of their strengths and weaknesses.   They are constantly thinking of ways to diversify their audiences, content, production staff, etc.  

JL: DC actors, designers and directors are …
VD: Resourceful, innovative and crazy talented.  I’m a little in awe of how many rising starts that are floating around Washington.   

JL: DC playwrights are …
VD: Underrepresented in the Washington area.  I’d love to see more work by local playwrights produced at professional theatres.  I know that this issue is slowly being addressed; initiatives by venues like Theater J come to mind. Good news is local writers are great about making sure their work is being seen even if the heavyweight theatres aren’t producing them.  There’s always a play reading happening somewhere and I’m constantly meeting playwrights who have launched their own companies and troupes.  


JL: DC audiences are ...
VD: Open-minded and extremely intelligent.  They get the joke, the pun, the innuendo.  

JL: How do you feel the DC theatre community has addressed the issues of race and gender parity? How has this particular issue impacted you and your work?
VD: I think the DC theatre community is aware that there’s an imbalance and is taking baby steps to solve the issue.  A lot of theatres have developed diversity initiatives designed to give talented and underrepresented minorities a voice.  In the meantime I think that minorities are simply creating their own avenues.  They’re renting out spaces all over the city and staging shows themselves. 

As a theatre critic, I feel the parity much more deeply as an African-American than I do as a woman.  There’s no shortage of white, male critics and there’s a decent population of female critics as well.  But I rarely meet Black critical writers.  There needs to be more of us.  As a Black writer, my opinions and critiques are informed by a perspective completely different from those of my male, White colleagues.  That’s good. That’s important.  The reviews you read in the paper or online should reflect that. They should be just as diverse and well-rounded as the selection of plays produced each season. 

JL: What advice do you have for an up and coming DC based theatre critic who has just moved to the area?
VD: Do your homework and learn everything you can about both local and national theatre trends.   Before you write a single word, consider that a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into the work you are reviewing.  Careless, snarky quips do nothing to improve an artist’s or a theatre’s work.  Back up every critique you make with concrete examples.  Be willing to review ANY show.  If you have the opportunity to cover a star studded show at Arena Stage, great, but the area’s smaller venues and community theatres are doing lovely work as well.  Volunteer to write reviews for Capital Fringe.  Pace yourself and eventually you’ll find your rhythm.  Remember to enjoy the show you’re reviewing too.  Sometimes I’m so consumed with note taking and analyzing a play that I forget that it’s meant to be a fun experience. 

JACQUELINE LAWTON: Why did you decide to get into theatre? Was there someone or a particular show that inspired you?
RJR: I wouldn’t say I’m from an artsy family, but I am from a family that loves music and musicals. In the 1980s, my Grandfather Stein was active in a Baltimore-based community theater called the Senior Star Showcase. So my earliest theatergoing memory is seeing my then-septuagenarian grandfather playing Ali Hakim in Oklahoma.

JL: How long have you lived and worked as a theatre critic in D.C.? What brought you here? Why have you stayed?
RJR: I moved to DC in 2007 to take a two-year contract position at the National Endowment for the Arts. I wrote a few theater previews for the Post later that year, and always looked for ways to cover DC theater for publications in other cities. (Reviewing the August Wilson cycle for the Post Gazette, interviewing a Maine congresswoman who acted in “Will on the Hill” for the Press Herald, etc.) In 2011, I started regularly reviewing theater for City Paper.

JL: How do you define the work you do? Specifically, what is the role of the theatre critic in the world of theatre? What contribution do you hope to make in the D.C. theater community and the American theater?
RJR: Theater journalists should be knowledgeable audience members with specialized writing skills. In my case, I’ve been writing about theater professionally for 13 years (19 if you count my student years) and have a master’s degree in arts journalism. I’ve studied drama from a literary perspective in college, and from an actor’s perspective in grad school, so I’d like to think I offer an informed viewpoint.

A few months ago, TheatreWashington’s Rachel Grossman interviewed Post critic Peter Marks, and they came up with a cool Venn diagram depicting Peter’s observatory role. I rather liked that. I’m writing for the people who are thinking about buying tickets; in the case of City Paper, I imagine culturally vociferous young professionals. I’d like to think I’m helping steering them towards good shows, and away from subpar ones. I’m always thrilled to see a theater tweet that I show I reviewed positively is sold out.

JL: If your work as a theatre critic doesn’t pay the bills, what else do you do? How do you balance this work with your play viewing and criticism?
RJR: I am an adjunct professor in the University of Maryland’s professional writing program. I have been known to sing showtunes in class.

My answer to “What do you do?” is always that I’m a writing professor and a journalist. I don’t identify as a theater critic. I write about dance (and occasionally theater) for the Post, and I interview local artists for American Craft magazine. I am my neighborhood’s go-to cat-sitter, and I was a stringer for the Associated Press on Election Night. You get the idea. I am always working.

JL: What skills and traits do you feel a successful theater critic should have when writing about theatre, especially when it comes to new plays?
RJR: When it comes to new plays, it’s important to be knowledgeable about the theater ecosystem. What workshopping opportunities are out there? Did this company take advantage of them? If the play is recent but not a premiere, where else has it been staged? I’m fortunate to know many writers from across the country through the American Theatre Critics Association. If I’m reviewing a new(ish) play, I seek out previews written by a colleague I respect.

JL: What is your writing and viewing process? Do you read the script prior to seeing a production? Do you research the author and/or world of the play? Do you read the program notes?
RJR: If I’m seeing a classic, I do try to reread at least a few scenes. I have to admit that how I prepare has changed over the years. Before going to grad school, I had a staff writer position at the Intelligencer Journal in Lancaster, Pa. I had several beats, but in terms of theater, I was only covering two companies, one touring venue and a few colleges. I had guaranteed steady income, so on my own time, I would do things like read scripts, or make a point of seeing a play in other city before it came to Lancaster. As a freelancer, there is no such thing as “your own time.” I do what I can.

As for program notes, I often skip the director’s comments, because I don’t like reading, “Here is what I’m trying to do.” But I do appreciate well written dramaturgical notes.

JL: In the article, “Ohio Critic's Tough Words Elicit Rough Reaction,” Denver Post Theater Critic John Moore states: “There is no universal rule book for criticism, no how-to manual. My guidelines: Be true to your visceral emotional response, good or bad. State your case and back it up. Be a catalyst for discussion. Encourage dialogue. Don't be personal. Never try to be funny at the expense of someone's feelings.” What guidelines, rules or standards do you have for your own work? Have you always upheld them? If so, at what cost? If not, what shifted the line for you?
RJR: That’s a great list. I would add that it’s important not to review people who you also socialize with. Years ago, I met a young director who was in Lancaster on a Princess Grace fellowship. I interviewed him before a premiere, and thought he was cool. (There weren’t many artsy young people around.) But the show sucked. I figured that was that. The next time I saw him, he came up to me and said, “You were right. In fact, you were generous. That play was terrible. Can we hang out?” We did, but that meant his next show didn’t get reviewed. Instead, I consulted on the script and even helped give rehearsal notes. I’d like to think that was a good experience for both of us, but only because initially, I stuck to my principals.

JL: What is the greatest part of being a theatre critic? What has been your most difficult challenge?
RJR: Seeing a good show, then coming home and sitting down at my computer, and trying to transfer one art form to another.

JL: Who are your favorite playwrights? What is it about their work that inspires or draws you to them? 
RJR: Shakespeare and Moliere. Thank God for the 1993 Kenneth Branagh Much Ado About Nothing. I loved that movie so much, I started reading Shakespeare for fun. I was like, 14. But I never saw a professional production of a classic play—unless you count school assemblies—until I was in college. A somewhat doddering professor took all the English majors to the Stratford Festival every year. Finally, I understood why good theater onstage was much more powerful than words on the page, or on VHS.  

JL: DC artistic directors …
RJR: Need to get out more. I see Janet Griffin (of the Folger) and Michael Kahn (of Shakespeare) around town at other theaters. Bravo. I get that you’re busy and working nights, but I am too. Go see other people’s shows. Go see dance. Go to Fringe. Find artists you’d like to collaborate with.

JL: DC actors, designers and directors are …
RJR: Designers are doing amazing things, often with limited means. DC actors do amazing things despite holding down day jobs. DC directors are diplomatic, and manage to work for multiple theaters. I’m so glad they do.

JL: DC playwrights are …
RJR: Scrappy multitaskers.

JL: DC audiences are … 
RJR: Mature and well educated. I was in the lobby at intermission recently for a Sunday matinee. The play was pretty new, and I heard a gentleman say, “I miss the old Irish comedies.” I was one of five people under 40. I think some of us writer-types have been too hard on local theaters for not being bolder with their programming. No Rules Theatre Company opened its season with Black Comedy, a play from the 60s that I’d never seen—and I loved—but clearly it had some resonances with older audience members. I thought that was so, so smart. We have so many young theater companies around here, but they won’t survive unless they find a way to be innovative without alienating.

JL: How do you feel the DC theatre community has addressed the issues of race and gender parity? How has this particular issue impacted you and your work?
RJR: Here’s the thing: Women have come sooooo much farther in North American theater than they have in music and dance. Take the New York City Ballet’s May American Music Festival, for example. Three weeks of performances, and not a single female composer or choreographer. I’m not saying theater should rest on its laurels, but there are reasons why women are more prominent in leadership and artistic positions. There are some great grant and mentorship programs out there. Figure out what’s working, celebrate it, and keep doing it.

Are there times when I disagree with a male colleague, and think gender was the reason? Certainly. I loved Leslye Headland’s play Bachelorette at Studio last year. The other three City Paper critics are men, as is our editor. I heard from some guys who thought the show was too mean, but I doubt any other them had ever planned a bachelorette party. It’s also important for theater critics to remember that the majority of their readers are likely female, because the majority of theatergoers are female. (See the NEA’s 2008 arts participation survey.) With all due respect, it’s statistically silly to drop Bruce Springsteen and Die Hard allusions into theater reviews. We have to think about our readers, just like theaters have to think about audiences.

JL: What advice do you have for an up and coming DC based theatre critic who has just moved to the area?
RJR: Get a high-paying, low-stress day job, and get writing.

JACQUELINE LAWTON: Why did you decide to get into theatre? Was there someone or a particular show that inspired you?
JOJO RUF: I don’t really know the answer to this (although I keep getting asked this question, and I should really come up with one!).  In my last interview with you I said that by the end of college I was hooked and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.  Which I suppose is basically true.

JL: How long have you lived and worked as a theatre critic in D.C.? What brought you here? Why have you stayed?
JR: I grew up in Takoma Park, and with the exception of my time abroad, I’ve lived in DC all my life.  But I’ve only written about theatre (I don’t consider myself a theatre critic, more on that below) for a year.  I’ve stayed for a number of reasons, partially because of my family and personal life, and partially because my work has kept me here.  But it’s an incredibly generous and warm community – who wouldn’t want to stay!?

JL: How do you define the work you do? Specifically, what is the role of the theatre critic in the world of theatre? What contribution do you hope to make in the D.C. Theatre community and the American Theatre?
JR:  I don’t think of myself as a theatre critic; I don’t write reviews, I don’t judge productions, and I don’t evaluate scripts (although it’s sometimes impossible to prevent my personal view from slipping in, particularly when I’m wildly enthusiastic about a piece).  Instead, I write pieces that are published prior to a play’s World Premiere that provide dramaturgy and context for the audience (theatreWashington calls it Audi-Turgy).

Producing new work can be a daunting task, and one of the things we talk about time and time again at the National New Play Network with our 50 member theaters is how challenging it is to train your audience to take a risk on a play they’ve never heard of.  There are so few theaters in the country (and some of them happen to be here in DC) that have cultivated an audience who will come see a brand new play, hate it, but come back again for the next new thing.  The motivation behind starting Audi-Turgy was to help provide context for unknown plays so that an audience member will take that leap.

JL: If your work as a theatre critic doesn’t pay the bills, what else do you do? How do you balance this work with your play viewing and criticism?
JR:  Most of my time is spent as the General Manger of the National New Play Network (NNPN), an alliance of theatres across the country dedicated to the development, production, and continued life of new plays.  I also work as the Coordinating Producer for the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University, and as a Teaching Artist with Ford’s Theatre.  It’s certainly challenging to balance all of these various pieces of my life.  Thank goodness for Google calendar!

JL: What skills and traits do you feel a successful theatre critic should have when writing about theatre, especially when it comes to new plays?
JR:  I think a successful theatre critic needs to be able to separate the production from the script.  They need to be able to see a play’s potential, and not just what appeared on stage.  I think they should also have an intense curiosity, and a desire to dig deep into the world of the play and playwright.

JL: What is your writing and viewing process? Do you read the script prior to seeing a production? Do you research the author and/or world of the play? Do you read the program notes?
JR:  I start by reading a draft of the play – often a relatively early draft – in order both to prepare for the interviews and to know what I’m writing about.  I then interview the playwright, and often the director, Artistic Director and dramaturgy (depending on the piece). 

JL: In the article, “Ohio Critic's Tough Words Elicit Rough Reaction,” Denver Post Theatre Critic John Moore states: “There is no universal rule book for criticism, no how-to manual. My guidelines: Be true to your visceral emotional response, good or bad. State your case and back it up. Be a catalyst for discussion. Encourage dialogue. Don't be personal. Never try to be funny at the expense of someone's feelings.” What guidelines, rules or standards do you have for your own work? Have you always upheld them? If so, at what cost? If not, what shifted the line for you?
JR:  I try to listen to the story the play wants to tell, rather than what I think would be best prior to reading the script.  (And the times I’ve gone in with preconceived notions about the play or the playwright have been the most difficult articles to write.)  But my number one rule is: THIS IS NOT A REVIEW.  It’s not about whether I like the play or not, it’s about helping to serve the play and the playwright and about providing context for the audience.

JL: What is the greatest part of being a theatre critic? What has been your most difficult challenge?
JR:  I love being able to talk to a playwright about their play.  It’s such an exciting experience to be able to sit and ask them about their inspirations, to find out what they’re still grappling with (as a majority of the time they are still knee-deep in rewrites), and to gain insights into the rehearsal process.  The tone of that interview shapes the tone of the article itself, and it’s fun to let them drive me and my writing.

The biggest challenge is simply time.  I go through quite a laborious process, from reading the script to conducting interviews to transcribing interviews to writing the article, and it’s often challenging to fit this in to my already hectic schedule.

JL: Who are your favorite playwrights? What is it about their work that inspires or draws you to them? 
JR:  Oh goodness.  This is a constantly expanding list: Federico Garcia Lorca, Tony Kushner, Naomi Wallace, Aditi Brennan Kapil, Brian Friel, Sarah Kane, Tennessee Williams, Sarah Ruhl.  The list goes on and on.  I’m drawn to plays that are lyrical and strange and fantastical and stimulating.  I could read any of these playwrights’ work again and again and discover something new each time, and I love nothing more than a play that keeps me up at night, one that continues marinating long after the final scene.

JL: DC artistic directors are...
JR: Becoming more bold and exciting.

JL: DC actors, designers and directors are ...
JR: Amazing at engaging with new work.

JL: DC playwrights are ...
JR: Excitingly diverse in aesthetic and style.

JL: DC audiences are ...
JR: Smart and curious.

JL: How do you feel the DC theatre community has addressed the issues of race and gender parity? How has this particular issue impacted you and your work?
JR:  Wow.  This is quite a question.  Honestly?  I think we are having some fascinating conversations around these issues (both within DC and nationally), but I think we still have a ways to go on our journey. 

JL: What advice do you have for an up and coming DC based theatre critic who has just moved to the area?
JR:  See as many plays as you can and read and write as much as possible.  Start a blog!  Put yourself out there.  And know that the only way you’ll get better at writing is by practicing.

Welcome to the Women Theatre Critics of D.C. Series! Over the next few days, you'll be introduced to a smart, talented and diverse group of women working in the American Theatre as freelance and staff theatre critics, and also as feature writers. Many of these women are writing locally, regionally and nationally. Their combined credits include BroadwayWorld, DC Metro Theatre Arts, DC Theatre Scene, Huffington Post, MD Theatre Guide, Washington City Paper, the Washington Post and the Washington Times. And I admire each of them for efforts, ability and commitment to the theatre. 

As a theatre artist, advocate, teacher and audience member, I engage in a great deal of critical thinking about theatre. I first learned critical theory and analysis in grad school at the University of Texas Austin while studying under Omi Olomo Osun (Dr. Joni Jones) and Jill Dolan. From them, I learned about the complicated ways in which race and gender politics for and against artists, audience members and critics. On a basic level, when we approach and engage with a piece of theatre we must be open-minded enough to consider and also counter cultural biases that work against women and artists of color. We must be socially aware, racially conscious and establish a more diverse and inclusive cultural literacy.

In her blog for the Washington Post, journalist and classical music critic Anne Midgette wrote this about the role and responsibility of the art critic:

“The role of a critic is to cover a field. This doesn't mean simply pandering to popular taste. It means doing one's best to convey a sense of what is going on in a given discipline by writing about every possible side of it. It means trying to convey a perspective that a reader who doesn't spend every night going to concerts/plays/films may not be able to gather himself; or offering a thoughtful take that might stimulate a reader who does go to everything to see something in a different light.

For part of our role is to foster dialogue and debate. That doesn't mean setting forth judgments of taste in order that readers might fall obediently into line behind us. Quite the contrary: it may mean putting out views that one knows may represent the minority. It means being interested in the thoughts of those who disagree. It means being delighted when someone is powerfully moved by something one didn't like oneself. It also means writing well enough that someone might want to read you -- a goal that's hard to reach if all you're doing is trying to push readers to buy tickets.”

For me, this is criticism at its very best and actually, it's what I see Howlround.com accomplishing so masterfully. 

When I first began these series, I knew that I wanted to connect with the Women Theatre Critics of D.C. I wanted to engage them in a discussion not only about their ideals, standards and passion for the form, but also about the impact they hope to make on the American Theatre. As with my previous series on Playwrights, Directors, Artistic Directors, and Dramaturgs, it is my hope that these interviews will serve others who are making their way as theatre critics and feature writers in the Nation's Capital, and beyond. I also hope it will shed light on the essential role of the critic in the American Theatre and offer a point of entry into their process of engagement. 

JAYNE BLANCHARD

Jayne Blanchard has been a critic covering DC theater for the past 14 years, most recently for DC Theatre Scene and previously for the Washington Times. Prior to that, she was a theater critic in the Twin Cities and a movie reviewer in the Washington area. She is a proud resident of Baltimore.

SOPHIA BUSHONG

Sophia Bushong is very flattered to have been asked to participate in this series, even though she reviews plays very rarely and usually just for the fun of it. She has been a creative writer, theater geek and actress all of her life. She has a BA in English Literature and Dramatic Arts from Dickinson College. She spent ten wonderful years acting and studying in New York City. She trained at the New Actor's Workshop, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, the American Globe Theatre Conservatory with John Basil, and with the best Voice for Actors coach ever, Robert Perillo. Favorite roles include: Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, STNJ, Shakespeare Live; Sylvia in Sylvia, Lake Placid Center for the Arts; the Angel in Angels In America, Parts I & II, Pendragon Theater; Woman in Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act,Prospect Theater; Madge Larrabee, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Bernadette in The Misadventures of Julia Child, Upright Citizen's Brigade. A special mention must go to the part of Dissenter in MacRune's Guevara, Mirror Repertory Company, because she was cast in the role by her future husband. Five years into their friendship he sweet-talked her into moving to Washington, DC. Once here, she turned her focus towards writing. She has been a freelance contributor to the Washington City Paper Arts Desk blog for about sixteen months.

SYDNEY-CHANELE DAWKINS

Sydney-Chanele Dawkins is an award-winning feature filmmaker, film curator, film festival and theater producer, and an impassioned advocate for the Arts as a Commissioner and Vice Chair for the Arts for the City of Alexandria,VA. She also is also a staff writer and theater and film reviewer for DC Metro Theater Arts.  Sydney-Chanele made her theater producing debut, 'Someone Who'll Watch Over Me' in May 2012 with Port City Playhouse, in Alexandria VA. and just ended a very successful theater producing effort in McLean, VA. with Neil Simon's 'Rumors' for  McLean Community Players at Alden Theater.  Her next producing effort will be Pearl Cleage's 'Blues for an Alabama Sky'. Co-Chair of the Film Program with Artomatic 2012, and Programmer of Cinema Art Bethesda, Sydney-Chanele is the past Festival Director of the Alexandria Film Festival, the Reel Independent Festival , and Female Shorts Film and Video Showcase. She is active with DC Metro area film festivals, including programming and leadership positions with FilmFest DC, the Washington Jewish Film Festival, Arabian Sights Film Festival, DC Shorts, Rosebud Film Festival, and AFI's Docs

VICTORIA DURHAM

Victoria Durham is a writer, spoken word artist and lifelong resident of the DC Metro area. After earning degrees from Temple University (PA) in both Film and African-American Studies, Victoria worked extensively as a freelance talent and production coordinator throughout the local independent film circuit. She also contributed her talents to such companies as Girard Video, BET, The Barrie School, WTTG FOX-5 and the CW (formerly UPN-20). In 2011, after contributing an article to the website of the late author Erica Kennedy, Victoria decided to more seriously pursue a career in arts writing and began penning her first stage play.  More significantly, she began working as a freelance arts journalist.  In 2012, Victoria covered the ever popular Capital Fringe Festival for the well-established website DC Theatre Scene.  That same year she joined the staff of MD Theatre Guide as a contributing writer. 

SUSAN GALBRAITH

Susan began studying the field of theatre criticism as an assistant to theatre director and critic-at-large Robert Brustein in London 1972-1973. Subsequently, while pursuing a career on stage in New York, Minneapolis, and Boston, Susan continued to write reviews periodically. For the last three years, Susan has worked for DC Theatre Scene, covering theatre and opera for Washington’s premiere on-line arts magazine. Recently she was invited to write dance reviews dance for The Washington Post. Trained as both an actress and dancer, Susan brings diverse perspectives to her writing on performance. She has directed and also performed in repertory theatre, new plays, and experimental cross-over forms of dance-theatre. She served as Artistic Director of Performers Ensemble from 1978 to 1989 including serving as a company member of Peter Sellars’ Boston Shakespeare.  In 1994, she co-founded Alliance for New Music-Theatre working collaboratively to develop libretto for operas and musicals and directing new works.

MARLENE HALL

Marlene Hall grew up an army brat and has lived all over the world and in Washington, D.C. Marlene graduated from the University of Virginia where she wrote for the Cavalier Daily and was in Air Force ROTC. Commissioned an Air Force officer, she served in Korea, Germany, New Mexico, and Louisiana. Marlene earned two masters degrees while in the Air Force in Management and IO Psych. After leaving active duty, she has worked as a government contractor, freelance writer, public relations executive, and sales for Viridian green energy. She just graduated with her third master's in Public Relations from Georgetown University. Marlene dabbles in improvisational comedy and has taken classes at the famed iO Theater in Chicago. She is very active in the D.C. charity and social scene and contributes her time to veterans' issues including Team Red, White, and Blue, bringing veterans together through social and physical activities. Marlene has been going to plays since she was a little girl and her all time favorite play is "Les Miserables."  She covers the plays in the DC area for The Huffington Post and Ask MissA.  She love the vibrancy of the theatre in the DC area. She also participates in the GI Film Festival which honors the military through authentic story telling.

JANE HORWITZ

Jane Horwitz has been a regular panelist on WETA TV's critics' roundtable show “Around Town” since 1988. Horwitz wrote the "Backstage" column for The Washington Post's Style section from 1997 to 2011, covering the Washington area theater scene in feature stories and interviews. She currently writes freelance theater reviews for The Washington Post and for Washingtonian magazine's website.  Her column The Family Filmgoer appears every Friday in The Washington Post's Weekend section and is syndicated by The Washington Post Writers Group to newspapers around the country. A Chicago area native, Horwitz earned her bachelor's degree from Stanford University and received a master’s from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She began her career in radio as a reporter in Springfield, Illinois, then joined the television news department at WFAA TV in Dallas/Fort Worth. After eight years as a reporter and film/theater critic at WFAA, Horwitz married and relocated to Connecticut, and then to the Washington area. She worked on WTTG TV’s “Ten O’ Clock News” as a  theater and film critic for four years, co-hosted the national cable program “The Moviegoing Family” on The Learning Channel and became a panelist on WETA's "Around Town." She began writing "The Family Filmgoer" column in 1993. In the 1990s, Horwitz was heard Friday afternoons on WETA 90.9 FM’s “PM Program” in a weekly segment called “Talking Pictures.” She also produced and hosted two pilot film review programs titled “Chicks on Flicks,” that featured a panel of female critics.

DEBBIE M. JACKSON

Debbie is recognized throughout the Center for her creativity, energy and zest for life.  In addition to fostering camaraderie within the office, encouraging and contributing to group activities, she makes full use of her theater background at numerous NCHS events, most recently performing as “Sistah D” for Diversity Day.  She organized the NCHS Double Dutch Jumpers and she is a walking and jogging coach who has helped many log miles on the trails in University Park.  Debbie has performed on plenty of stages from Chicago to Montgomery, AL to  Washington, D.C. and organized a dance troop while in college.  She is a member of the Black Women Playwrights’ Group with works performed as part of the Source Theater Festival and NYC.  She has a Masters in English from the University of Illinois and currently writes for D.C. Theatre Scene.

JENN LARSON

Jenn Larsen is one of the founders of We Love DC, a website created by a group of writers dedicated to exploring and celebrating life in the nation's capital. Currently serving as editor-in-chief, she writes about art, theater, and the craft cocktail scene. She is a graduate of the Catholic University of America's drama program where she studied both acting and design, and is a veteran of National Players, the nation's longest running classical touring company. In addition to We Love DC, her theater reviews have been featured on DC Theatre Scene, and she's been profiled by Washingtonian's Capital Comment and My Voice is Strong. An advocate for DC's talented food and drink industry, she's judged the Corcoran Gallery of Art's ARTINI gala, the DC Craft Bartenders Guild's Rickey Month Contest, the Jefferson Hotel's Quill Competition, and is a founding member of LUPEC DC. 

ROSALIND LACY

Rosalind Lacy MacLennan, who hails from Los Angeles, has enjoyed writing for DCTheatreScene since 2006, where she covers Washington's Hispanic theatres.  A 25-year journalism veteran, with newspapers such as the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette, the Butler Eagle in Pennsylvania, the Suburban Newspapers of Northern New Jersey, Rosalind won a MD-DC press award for the Montgomery Journal in 1999. Acting started her career at Occidental College in L.A.  Rosalind switched to U.C.L.A. for their theater and film departments and supplemented by joining the acting workshop of Martin Landau, from the Mission Impossible TV series. Since moving to the Washington area, she has reviewed theatre and classical music for the Gazette Newspapers, until she joined DCTheatrescene.com. Invited to join the National League of American Pen Women in 2007, several of Rosalind's poems have been published and won awards.  A former board member of FootlightsDC, Rosalind is an aficionado of Spanish theater history. As a community activist, she attended Montgomery College, took law courses for three years and earned a paralegal degree.  "I always wanted to be a lawyer or a novelist or both, but the draw of theatre is like a magnet." Reviewing and writing is something she has to do, or die.

JENNIFER PERRY

Jennifer Perry hails from Liverpool, New York and has been a DC resident since 2001. When not attending countless theatre, concert, and cabaret performances in the area and in New York, she works for the US Federal Government as an analyst and previously worked in non-profit research and advocacy organizations.  Jennifer previously wrote for Maryland Theatre Guide and DC Metro Theater Arts and continues to review theatre and cabaret for BroadwayWorld and DC Theatre Scene. Ms. Perry earned her B.A. in Sociology and Spanish (Linguistics) from Houghton College in Houghton, NY and her M.A. in International Affairs from the School of International Service at American University in Washington DC where she focused on international security and ethnic conflict.  

REBECCA RITZEL

Rebecca J. Ritzel is a writing professor and freelance journalist who lives in Alexandria, Va. Her cultural reporting has been featured in more than two dozen American, British and Canadian publications. Locally, she writes about dance for The Washington Post and theater for City Paper. She has taught literary journalism in the MFA program at American University and currently teaches in the Professional Writing Program at the University of Maryland. Ritzel is originally from Baltimore and earned her master's degree in arts journalism from Syracuse University. Follow her on Twitter @rjreporter

JOJO RUF

Jojo Ruf is the General Manager of the National New Play Network, an alliance of nonprofit theaters across the US that champions the development, production and continued life of new plays, and the Coordinating Producer for the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University.  She is a freelance writer for theatreWashington, a Teaching Artist for Ford’s Theatre, and has worked with Arena Stage, the Kennedy Center, Theater J, the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, and Georgetown University as a freelance producer and director. Jojo graduated from Georgetown University with a dual degree in English and Theater and Performance Studies.  In 2010 she assistant directed and co-adapted In Search of Duende: The Ballad of Federico Garcia Lorca as part of the UNESCO/ITI World Festival of Theater Schools in Peru, and represented Georgetown as the lone US delegation among representatives from dozens of the world’s leading theater academies.  She was the Coordinating Producer for the Tennessee Williams Centennial Festival, presented by Georgetown University and Arena Stage, and served as the Coordinator for Theater J’s Spinozium and other Beyond the Stage events for New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza.  She also produced Will the Circle be Unbroken: Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith, a Georgetown University/Arena Stage Collaboration.