Pi Theatre

DAY TWO

Today was a great day for walking. The temperatures were in the mid 80’s. Cool for this time of year.  I headed in the direction of the White House and the National Mall. Washington is about myth building and tourism, policy making and government, the military, education and history. I was puzzled by the single sign in front of the White House until I realized that although the photo below looks like a protest, it supports Obama’s current nuclear treaty negotiations with Russia.

One thing I found remarkable were the number of large union buildings – headquarters of the American labour movement, centered around the Capitol. It makes perfect sense of course, but I couldn’t help but think of the union-busting era of Ronald Regan and Margaret Thacher and how the proximity of these buildings to the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government plays out in the national narrative.

After clocking many miles on my poor feet during the day, I walked (or should I say limped) to Kennedy Centre that evening to see the Broadway touring production of Wendikin’s Spring Awakening. The show won 8 Tony’s in 2007, but I’d never seen it. It turned out to be an excellent production and, although a little tame in the era of South Park, it was still able to speak to the generational divide. It was extremely well produced and the songs are actually very good, not always the case for new musicals.

After the show I hit went back down into the Metro and popped up in my own neighborhood not far from the Utopia bar, a very nice little jazz joint with a small stage where a solid quartet played on into the night.

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