CAPITAL ACTS

A history of some of the great and lesser-known arts and artists of Washington, D.C.

For most casual readers, the one example of the long artistic history of the nation’s capital that comes to mind is probably the fact that President Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre while taking in a play. In these pages, Moore (and co-authors Holliday, Lorenz, and Young) aim to fill out that picture considerably, giving readers a panoramic look at the wide variety of arts that have either premiered or flourished in D.C. Moore covers both the broader history of the region and his own personal story, sometimes combining them, as when he reflects on growing up in the bedroom community of Anacostia and becoming aware of the Indigenous American heritage of the area: “I would later learn of the forced displacement and total loss of the Nacotchtank’s ancestral territory through a combination of treaties, coercion, and military actions that prefaced the establishment of our Capital.” Dozens of acts are lovingly described; readers learn of the staggering number of stage shows, for instance, that debuted for audiences at the National Theatre before they moved on to Broadway, including Hello, Dolly!; Annie; Rent; and Avenue Q, among many others. Musical acts are likewise profiled, many of them coming through the legendary Georgetown venue called the Cellar Door (there’s a terrific story about the origins of John Denver’s hit “Country Roads,” for example, which was born out of happenstance when Denver was involved in a D.C. car accident). Lavishing his narrative with illustrations (playbills, photos, album art), Moore writes with warmth and irresistible energy throughout, regularly picking the perfect anecdotes and vignettes to bring D.C.’s artistic history to life. Fans of the scene shouldn’t miss this book, and its sheer energy will make it of interest far beyond the Beltway.

A lively and richly detailed story of Washington, D.C.’s artistic history.