Ben is an avid theatergoer who has seen more than 350 musicals and plays. Some of his most memorable theatrical experiences include: accidentally insulting Andrew Lloyd Webber at a performance of Love Never Dies, attending the last Broadway performance of Elaine Stritch at Liberty and watching George Bizet’s opera The Pearl Fishers from the Presidential Box at the Kennedy Center Opera House.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Ben works for a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization, and previously served in The White House. Ben has a Bachelor of Arts degree from George Mason University and a Master’s degree in strategic public relations from The George Washington University.
If you loathe formulaic television sitcoms where one spouse is always right and the other is wrong, then Defending the Caveman is certain to be something you'll enjoy.
DC BroadwayWorld.com recently sat down with Defending the Caveman's Vince Valentine to discuss how the show has been updated since playing on Broadway, what it's like to perform in the same role for a decade and why Yoda is credited in his biography.
The Hello Girls: Unknown Heroines of WWI tells the story of 233 women who answered their country's call to service only to have that service questioned because of their gender. While the show may lack the theatrical flair of the Festival's other offerings, the story itself is too important to pass up.
DC Broadwayworld.com recently sat down with the co-directors of 2ndStage's Carrie: The Musical, Keith Alan Baker and Jacob Janssen, to discuss their vision for this production.
I love theater that challenges me as an audience member and An American Soldier does just that.
No Rules Theatre Company's revival of Boeing Boeing is a non-stop riotous romp filled with first-class performances.
West Side Story returned to the storied National Theatre on Tuesday night with an energetic revival that contains all the elements of what made this show a beloved classic.
Forum Theatre's solid revival of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot is sinfully provocative.
Theater J has gained a reputation for producing theatrical works that address society's most contemporary and controversial issues in a manner that is intelligent and inviting. Now Theater J's thought-provoking production of Freud's Last Session seeks to explore humanity's most perplexing question: the existence of God.
Be prepared for your gut to hurt after watching Keegan Theatre's Things You Shouldn't Say Past Midnight because you'll have been laughing for the last 85 minutes. This production perfectly matches Keegan Theatre's talented acting ensemble with Ackerman's fresh, modern and sharp script.
Synetic Theater's Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) is an ingeniously witty exploration of the trials and tribulations of traveling all told through the exploits of three men and their dog cruising the Thames.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company's revival of Henry IV, Part 2 is a fine production filled with terrific acting and some wonderful ensemble moments. Nevertheless, that doesn't stop the play from failing to achieve the dramatic excellence of its prequel.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company's well-crafted, well-acted and magnificently directed revival of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1 is an exciting production perfect for a novice theatergoer or the most seasoned Shakespearean veteran.
With continued violence in the Middle East and the possibility of another nuclear state in the region, the questions explored by Tovah Feldshuh as Golda Meir of what happens when idealism meets power continues to have a piercing relevance in Theater J's tremendous production of Golda's Balcony.
"Mr. Chief Justice, may it please the court," is the opening every lawyer states before presenting oral arguments. When Arguendo at Woolly Mammoth Theatre keeps its focus on the oral arguments of Barnes v. Glen Theatre Inc., the show is praiseworthy on many levels. But when the Arguendo becomes distracted, it not only fails to please the court, it loses on appeal.
In Washington, it is not unusual to see Marine One fly the first family to the presidential retreat - Naval Support Facility Thurmont, more commonly known as Camp David. A trip to the wooded retreat located 62 miles north of the nation's capital in Thurmont, Maryland, is usually intended to be a relaxing weekend for the nation's chief executive. However, 36 years ago it became the crux of American foreign policy in the Middle East and home to a summit that was anything but tranquil. After five wars in less than three decades, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin were brought together by President Jimmy Carter to broker peace between the two nations. The resulting Camp David Accords would be a highpoint of American foreign policy in the twentieth century. The story behind the Accords is the focus of Arena's Stage's world premiere production of Camp David.
Theater J has established a reputation for presenting works with solid acting, and thought-provoking questions that force audiences to challenge their beliefs. The Admission is no exception.
Helena's Act II lamentation in A Midsummer Night's Dream, 'O weary night, O long and tedious night, abate thy hours,' is not something anyone will ever say watching the Kennedy Center's current revival. This innovative production uses a synergy of human and puppet interaction to bring alive Shakespeare's timeless classic in a splendid production.
Broadway has often been called the 'Fabulous Invalid' and those who fear its demise can be reassured. After watching Act Two @ Levine's riotously funny production of Urinetown, it's clear that the American theater has a long, healthy and talented life ahead of it. Urinetown is not an easy musical to perform. It's made harder still when the staging timeline is a mere four weeks. The ability of this young cast to create a production in such a short time while comprehending the nuance, satire and humor of Urinetown bodes well for the future of Washington, DC's regional theater and musicals at large.
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