It’s that time of year again. The following list is my choice of the 10 plays I personally consider to be the most memorable theatrical experiences of 2006.
» Crime and Punishment” (Stanislavsky Theater Studio): An audacious stage adaptation of the Dostoyevsky classic, with a droll performance by Sasha Olinick as Inspector Porfiry Petrovich, the original model for TV’s “Columbo.”
» “Death of a Salesman” (Keegan Theatre): Keegan once again produced the year’s most powerful drama, starring Brian Hemmingsen in a heartbreaking turn as the Great American Failure, Willy Loman.
» “An Enemy of the People” (Olney Theatre Center): The area’s best mainstream company actually got a little jiggy this summer with their Ibsen festival, of which this was the highlight, featuring a pair of tours de force by Christopher Lane and James Slaughter as the sibling protagonists.
» “Faust” (Synetic Theatre): D.C.’s premiere theatrical troupe’s modern-day retooling of Goethe’s classic, staged by resident genius Paata Tsikurishvili, was not only the most impressive production of the year, it was also — thanks to Dan Istrate’s hilarious performance as the devil — the funniest as well.
» “Haroun and the Sea of Stories” (Theater Alliance): This stage version of Salman Rushdie’s ode to the power of storytelling was by far the best family-friendly presentation of the year.
» “Howie the Rookie” (Solas Nua): Eric Messner and Dan Brick shined as a couple of low-level Dublin hoodlums in this Irish stage noir that managed to be exhilaratingly funny despite its incredibly depressing subject matter.
» “Measure for Measure” (Folger Theatre): Director Aaron Posner’s boldly imaginative staging, with its use of puppets and futuristic sets, made this the finest rendition of Shakespeare’s work for the year.
» “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (Catalyst Theater): Both director Christopher Gallu and actor Scot McKenzie, as a gangster version of Hitler, outdid themselves here. This production of Brecht’s satire, and Synetic’s “Faust” were easily the two most entertaining shows of the year.
» “She Loves Me” (Arena Stage): There was some stiff competition, but this late entry,a revival of an unjustly little-known gem, succeeded in taking the honor for the best musical of the year.
» “U.S.A.” (The American Century Theater): Another neglected classic, this stage adaptation of novelist John Dos Passos’ “U.S.A.” trilogy was wonderfully served by Jacqueline Manger’s multimedia direction.
