The Chameleon at Theater J

The Chameleon

Theater J
1529 Sixteenth Street, NW Washington

Nothing says Jewish Christmas more than Chinese takeout. The food tastes even better this year for actor Riz Golden-Kruger and her family - Riz finally got her big break, the starring role in a new superhero franchise, The Chameleon. But when news leaks that could threaten to ruin Riz's career, she must decide to hide or fight for what's right. Ignited by the fast-paced frenzy of social media, the play rampages through questions of identity, representation, and the complications of assimilation. The Chameleon is an outrageous, laugh-out-loud intergenerational world premiere.

Thru - Nov 5, 2023

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 202-777-3210

theaterj.org

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The Chameleon Reviews

Average Rating based on 5 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Washington Post - Somewhat Recommended

"...With such a delicate issue, in such an emotionally wrenching time for Jews and non-Jews alike, a comedy leaping into the fray shoulders an especially formidable burden. Weiner’s play, directed with unmodulated freneticism by Ellie Heyman, tries a bit too hard. It seeks to fill the stage with the emotional baggage of eight characters, many of them hyperventilating over various dilemmas and disasters. In the process, it simply overpacks."

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- Peter Marks

DC Theater Arts - Somewhat Recommended

"...There are many characters, and though the script’s humor is appealing, only Riz’s personality is really explored in depth. The shifts in tone are sometimes disconcerting. Still, Director Ellie Hayman’s light touch draws fine work from her actors. And love, in the face of disaster, is always welcome."

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- Sophia Howes

MetroWeekly - Somewhat Recommended

"...Riz tries to play the game. Fueled in part by her ill-advised Tweets, the Chameleon director controversy blows up from a minor spark to a full-on wildfire, a viral media event that she can't control. The playwright forfeits some control as well, with the situation spinning and developing at a rate too fast to be believed, sorely straining credulity as the social media storm finally settles down for the melodrama's mawkish conclusion."

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- Andre Hereford

Washington City Paper - Somewhat Recommended

"...Even then, Riz’s apparent affection for the Chameleon as a relatable hero and underappreciated icon comes so late to the party, after so many Twitter diatribes and frantic efforts to save face, that it’s hard to take seriously at first. In short, though its titular hero is an apt metaphor for Jewish resilience, this Chameleon’s key moments do not yet emerge to full effect."

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- Jared Strange

MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended

"...World premieres can be tricky to navigate. You really aren’t sure what might transpire on that stage and how, consequently, it will all be received. With its deeply sophisticated sense of humor and a resonant atmospheric quality throughout, Theater J’s world premiere of “The Chameleon” will certainly be one that sticks with you."

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- Anne Valentino

The Chameleon at Theater J

The Chameleon

The Chameleon Reviews

Washington Post - Somewhat Recommended

DC Theater Arts - Somewhat Recommended

MetroWeekly - Somewhat Recommended

Washington City Paper - Somewhat Recommended

MD Theatre Guide - Highly Recommended

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