Dolly Parton’s books for kids
Every month, when Eris Doweary’s 4-year-old daughter sees a book arrive in the mail, she “gets excited,” her mother said. “She’ll yell at me, ‘Mommy, I got a new book!’” said the D.C. resident. “It’s a treat for her when the books come into the house.” Doweary’s daughter, who has been receiving free books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since she... READ MORE
Three local retirees publish works
Writing poetry is like baking a fresh batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. At least that’s what poet John Biggs says. For Biggs, poetry doesn’t have to be perfect but should have an insight, reflect our passions and — most importantly — be honest. His poem “Sudsville” was recently published in Passager, a Baltimore-based literary journal highlighting the work of older... READ MORE
It’s not so easy to play Cupid anymore
My wife came home from lunch with a former colleague. She’s usually bubbly after such events. On this day, she was a bit moody. “He got divorced,” she announced. “And he wants me to fix him up with a female friend of mine. Any female friend.” She agreed to try, without enthusiasm, without any guarantees offered or expected. But as she tossed her raincoat onto a chair and ... READ MORE
Shakespeare connects in S. African play
This month the Shakespeare Theatre Company brings the play Kunene and the King to D.C. for its U.S. premiere. Written by and starring South African playwright Dr. John Kani, it’s a heartfelt play in which, Kani has said, “A piece of you is on that stage.” Kani is best known as King T’Chaka in the film Black Panther, but he’s also an activist, writer and Tony Award-winning... READ MORE
Area premiere of Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’
“It’s a rich man’s game no matter what you call it, and you spend your life puttin’ money in his wallet.” Although that’s no way to go through life, take time off to see 9 to 5: The Musical, where those lyrics came from, now playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Columbia. The musical is based of course on the popular 1980 movie starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin,... READ MORE
In friends we trust at Everyman Theatre
The new production at Everyman Theatre combines the small-town nostalgia, humor and life lessons of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry with the allegorical devices of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. The result is a thought-provoking, heartwarming and satisfying 90-minute play. Primary Trust is the 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning work by actor and playwright Eboni Booth. It runs through March 2 at... READ MORE
WTH? Couple buys ‘What the Heck’ home
They married in their 20s and immediately bought a small house in the near-in suburbs. Until last month, they lived there still — nearly 50 years later. Their house has two bedrooms, one and a half baths, a carport large enough to accommodate one car and a patch of grass in front “about as big as a deck of cards,” the wife said. “We have lived very modestly,” she... READ MORE
Virginia professor publishes eighth book
When we think of African American history, Hawaii may not be the first place that comes to mind. Now a new book by Virginia author Miles Jackson Jr. traces the history of African Americans in the Hawaiian Islands. Black sailors from New England began settling in the islands in the late 18th century, perhaps because the whaling industry offered a way to escape discrimination on the... READ MORE
Tooling down memory lane in old cars
Taking a walk past the neighborhood elementary school is usually a benign affair. But one recent morning, as I sauntered by the faculty parking lot, I was brought up short. Here was a Toyota. Then another. Followed by a Hyundai. Followed by another. Then a gaggle of Hondas. Then a cluster of Kias. I decided to count. In all, 42 cars were parked in the lot. Not a single one was an... READ MORE
‘Room Service’ delivers laughs at Vagabond
It’s a trope we’ve seen in films and theater over the years, usually for comic effect: a hall or wall of doors that open and close as characters spring in and out, surprising, shocking, and saying all sorts of salacious and sappy things. It’s used to slapsticky effect in John Murray and Allen Boretz’s farce Room Service, which debuted in New York in 1937 and returns in 2025 in... READ MORE
