Photo Courtesy of The Grey Area

Happenstance is what brought The Grey Area together. It was March 2010 when Jason Steinhauer (vocals/guitar) stopped by Zoo Bar for an open blues jam. Drummer Timothy Jones (TJ) was playing with a few other guys on stage at the time, so Steinhauer sat at the bar and waited for his turn to join.

It didn’t take long for Steinhauer to get in on the action though. Instead of waiting for his name to be called, Steinhauer jumped on stage as soon as the song being played was finished. From there, he grabbed the mic, looked at TJ, and said, “‘You Shook Me,’ the Zeppelin version.”  TJ smiled, kicked the beat, and started the song. That’s all it took — an indie-rock band with the ability to write pop hooks and catchy choruses was born.

Steinhauer and TJ exchanged numbers that night, forged a friendship, and started writing music with each other. After toying around with the idea of adding a bass player, the duo made their official band debut eight months later at the Canal Room in New York City. Now they’re nominated for three 2012 Washington Area Music Association awards (including Best New Artist) and are playing an album release show at Strathmore this Friday.

Steinhauer took a few minutes to share The Grey Area’s story with We Love DC in anticipation of Friday night. Here’s what he had to say.

Photo Courtesy of The Grey Area

Rachel: The Grey Area’s had quite a memorable year. From being asked to perform live at Strathmore to filming music videos to being nominated for Best New Artist at the Wammies? Needless to say, the list goes on. What sticks out in your mind as one of your proudest moments?

Jason: It’s been a really great year, even better than we could’ve expected. It’s been surreal. Being recognized by our peers with three Wammie nominations is a great honor. Illegally shooting a music video on the New York City subway, as well as our new video shot inside a creepy greenhouse, has given us memories to last a lifetime. The bands we’ve collaborated with on shows have been awesome.

What stands out most are the people. Friends and family that push us. Musicians we’ve met that inspire us and keep us laughing. Talented photographers and filmmakers that make us look good. I guess we’re most proud of the community we’ve built around this project that’s enabled all the memorable stuff to happen. Sounds cheesy, but it’s true!

R: If fans read up on The Grey Area, they’ll find one consistent comment about the band no matter who’s writing the piece — the two of you sound more like a full band of five than a duo. What are your thoughts on that?

J: We love it. TJ and I both came from larger projects with a lot of instruments, a lot of parts, and invariably a lot of personalities. When I met TJ, I was looking to strip my songwriting and arrangements and get back to the basics of rock and roll. I think TJ was looking for the same.

R: So tell me then. How do you make two guys sound like five?

J: When we began to play together, we kinda looked at each and realized we didn’t need anything else. Our playing styles and personalities complemented each other perfectly. Someone wrote that it’s like we’re in mind-meld mode on stage, and it’s true: we shift rhythms a lot, have multiple tempos and parts within a song, songs alternate from heavy and blues to light and poppy. When you’re really in synch with someone creatively, anything is possible. What’s really fun is how we surprise each person that first sees us live. We hear, “I had no idea you guys would sound so raw,” a lot.

Photo Courtesy of The Grey Area

R: How would you characterize the DC music scene? Many have called it collaborative and supportive. Do you agree?

J: I would characterize the DC music scene as emerging. The scene is growing with the city. There’s a renaissance of sorts happening here now, with cultural events, concerts, poetry readings, talks, and exciting events seemingly every week. There’s a lot happening, and it’s only getting better. I think musicians and artists should continue to support each other.

If we’re all in it together, pretty soon people around the country are gonna know that DC’s music scene is united and a force to be reckoned with. And of course sites like We Love DC and others are crucial to supporting the scene and getting the word out about events like our Strathmore Friday Night Eclectic show. So we’re incredibly appreciative and grateful.

R: What do you think people in DC need to know about the local music scene that they don’t already know?

J: It exists and there are really good bands to see. Get out to Velvet Lounge, Rock n Roll Hotel, Iota or Wonderland Ballroom on a Wednesday and check out a local line up. You’ll be surprised by the quality of music, and how much fun you’ll have.

R: What’s your goal with The Grey Area and what sort of ultimate success do you hope to achieve while making music alongside TJ for as long as he’ll keep you around?

J: Who’s keeping who around! Ha ha. Seriously, I think TJ and I do a good job of challenging and motivating each other. We piss each other off sometimes —well, a fair amount actually—but he and I are like brothers. I love him in a way that’s hard to articulate. He’ll be a part of my life forever. That said, with The Grey Area our goal is to bring people together around a love of music, and to bring some fun and excitement to people’s lives. Our music is high-energy, enthusiastic, catchy, even “jaunty” as OnTap called us.

We want people to dance, move, and let loose. We want our music to be an experience. Even if an audience member doesn’t remember a single lyric we sang or riff we played, if they wake up the next morning saying, “Man, I really had fun last night, that was a great show,” then we’ve succeeded. We’ll keep doing that until someone tells us to stop. Actually, the cops did tell us to stop when we played at Eastern Market—they almost cited us for a noise violation. We still kept playing. I guess that tells you we’re committed to seeing this through.

You can see The Grey Area live this Friday during Strathmore’s Friday Night Eclectic show. Tickets are still available for $10.

You may have noticed the signs posted in the front windows of Tryst, Local 16, Solly’s, or maybe even Hello Cupcake. But in case you didn’t , here’s the low down. For the past four months, there’s been a monthly “DC Local Music Day” (FYI: It’s February 8 this month).

What is DC Local Music Day? It is the day in which the aforementioned shops (and others) stream music created by local artists from open to close. This is all thanks to Listen Local First.

If you haven’t heard of it yet, LLF is a new local music initiative in town. LLF is devoted to building awareness and creating opportunities for local musicians and venues in order to raise the profile of DC’s local music scene. All things considered, they’ve been doing a pretty good job so far. They’ve got a growing list of local business partnerships and show no sign of slowing down.

LLF is the brain child of co-founders Chris Naoum and Rene Moffatt and their next goal for the project is bringing the DC music scene to SXSW this March.

“We have some very talented very serious musicians in this town. Many of them will be heading down to Austin. What can we do to bring extra attention to these artists while they are in Austin and when they come back home,” Naoum said. “The Mobile Music Venue is all about exposure.”

Want to get involved and support the Mobile Music Venue campaign? It’s easy. Visit the Listen Local First Kickstarter page to learn how.

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I don’t know about you but I’ve been searching for an excuse to get my karaoke on for quite some time. There’s Japone in Dupont where I went a few times in college and Hill Country Texas BBQ has country karaoke once a week, but now there’s a whole new karaoke game in town.

Thanks to Nats fan Laura Murphy for pointing it out earlier today, we now know that Policy (1904 14th Street NW) will start hosting the inaugural season of District Karaoke – the District’s only social karaoke league – this February. For real.

According to the newly created Eventbrite “player” registration page, signing up for the league “comes complete with team t-shirt, beer and food specials, prizes, giveaways, and other season events and cool surprises.”

There’s a limit of six teams made up of eight people and each team must have a minimum of two guys and two ladies per team. It’s $40 to join.

The first night of league play begins February 8 and a pre-season kick-off party will go down on February 1. Check the Eventbrite for more details.

Title : Zoé, John, Target Picture credit : Matt Beard Costume credit : Dominique Lemieux ©2011 Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil’s travelling show Quidam is coming to the Verizon Center this week (November 16 to 20). This particular show’s premise is: “A young girl’s escape into a world of imagination.” That leaves room for some provoking theater combined with acrobatics, live music, and a killer light show (among other things).

Skip Roper Adrienn Banhegyi, 28, took the time to talk about Quidam over the phone, giving We Love DC the 411 about what makes this Cirque du Soleil show special.

Here’s what she had to say:

Title : Skipping Ropes (Right: Adrienn Banhegyi) Picture credit : Al Seib Costume credit : Dominique Lemieux ©Cirque du Soleil

Quidam is really connected to the real world, Banhegyi said.

“It takes you to a magical place because of all the lights and the music and all the action that you can see. It looks like a magical adventure, but it’s performed by real people, and it really strongly connects to reality […] the story line is about reality.”

Banhegyi describes Quidam as a very colorful, high energy level act.

Besides her featured skipping rope performance, Banhegyi’s favorite part of the evening is the “hand to hand” act when part of the troupe dresses up as penguins. It’s Banhegyi’s favorite scene because of the performer’s proximity to the audience.

“[We] have a chance to look at the audience and see how people react to everything that moves. It’s a really nice experience.”

You can see what Banhegyi is talking about live at the Verizon Center this week, November 16 to 20. Tickets are available at www.cirquedusoleil.com/quidam or by calling 1-202-397-SEAT.

Nats Fans: Feeling Festive? Really into Halloween? In the mood to carve a pumpkin?

Whatever your motivation might be, the Washington Nationals are running their annual pumpkin carving contest this fall and are accepting entries up until Wednesday October 26 at 2 p.m.

Fans who enter have the chance of winning a game-used ball from the 2011 season. All you’ve got to do is submit a photo of your Nats-themed creative carving!

More information, including carving stencils and entry details can be found on the Nats’ website.

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The cast of the Ford’s Theatre Society production of the musical drama “Parade,” directed by Stephen Rayne. Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The hardest part of watching Parade at Ford’s Theatre is knowing that the story of Leo Frank’s trial and lynching in 20^th century Atlanta is true. Tony award nominee Euan Morton (Leo Frank) sheds a light on the tragic tale of Mr. Frank and his struggle as a Jewish pencil factory worker ostracized for his faith and Brooklyn heritage.

Director Stephen Rayne’s adaptation of Parade, which is based on the book by Alfred Uhry with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, is a passionate musical production with an important message of what happens when people show intolerance for others based on religious faith or skin color.

Jenny Fellner as Lucille Frank and Euan Morton as Leo Frank in the Ford’s Theatre Society production of “Parade,” directed by Stephen Rayne. Photo by T. Charles Erickson

Frank was sentenced to death – a ruling that was later overturned and changed to life in prison – for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan. The murder was a crime he did not commit. He was later hung by a group of Atlanta citizen’s who believed that he was guilty for the crime and wanted nothing more than to see him dead for his criminal acts.

To think that this man, a man who appears to be nothing but kind in nature, who puts his work above all else in order to save a nest egg to start a family with his beloved wife, was persecuted based on a lie is hard to stomach.

What makes Parade a must-see production is the fact that there is no weakest link in its string of performers. While nobody blew the audience away, it’s safe to say that each cast member was just as strong as the next.

Morton’s portrayal of Frank was delicate with moments of firey passion. His rendition of “This Is Not Over Yet” spoke of hope leading the to audience believe that he might get out alive and live happily with his wife once again.

Jenny Fellner (Lucille Frank) illuminated the theater with her brilliant resonating vocal performance and brought a raw emotion to an already heart wrenching production. “All the Wasted Time,” a duet between Fellner and Morton, was the musical high of the evening. Their vocal chemistry rang through the hall showing a pure love between Leo and Lucille. It was beautiful.

Kevin McAllister (Jim Conely) also put on a memorable performance of “Feel the Rain Fall,” which is one of Parade’s blusier numbers. His range and vocal quality is equivalent to the likes of Jesse L. Watkin’s portrayal of Tom Collins from the original Brodway cast of Rent (a role which he has played before, by the way) with a touch of delta blues that adds a sensual zest to his delivery.

Today, it’s hard to turn on the television news or log onto your local or national newspaper’s website without seeing a variation of an act of hate as a headline. Parade reminds its audience that blind hatred toward someone for being who they are is nothing more than a disgusting and vile act. But despite all that hate, there is still the hope that tomorrow might bring change and hate will soon become a distant memory. That is the story of Leo and Lucille Frank.

Parade is now playing through october 30 at Ford’s Theatre, located at 511 10th Street NW. Tickets range $15-$75 and may be purchased online at www.fords.org or via Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787. Closest Metro: Metro Center (Red Line).

Nationals’ starter Chien-Ming Wang, who returned from the disabled list after nearly two years away from the big leagues in 2011, recorded his third win of the season on Sunday in his longest outing since 2008. Manager Davey Johnson continued to sing Wang’s praises after the game, stating that Wang shows consistent signs of improvement each time he starts.

Washington beat the Marlins 4-3 thanks to Wang’s productive start. Wang threw 6 2/3 innings and gave up three runs, two homeruns, and struck out two batters over 93 pitches (60 for strikes). The second homerun of the afternoon hit by Marlins catcher Brett Hayes served as the proper cue for the starter’s exit.

The Nationals’ offense is what assisted Wang with being able to record his third win of the season.  Outfielder Jonny Gomes scored the Nats first run in the second inning off a sacrifice fly from rookie first baseman and September call-up Chris Marrero.

Ryan Zimmerman (2-for-4) and Michael Morse both scored runs in the fourth inning. Zimmerman leadoff the inning with a double followed by Morse drawing a walk off of Marlins’ starter Brad Hand. Danny Espinosa singled up the middle to score two runs, giving the Nationals a 3-0 lead.

Espinosa then reached third on a throwing error by Florda’s  centerfielder Bryan Petersen setting up an RBI situation for Marrero who was then up to bat. Marrero hit a ground rule double to right field to score Espinosa, giving Washington a 4-0 lead to end the fourth.

It wasn’t a spotless game for Wang but Washington was able to cobble together just enough offense to secure the win and help Drew Storen record his 38^th save of the season.

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John Lannan has made 125 career starts. Saturday night was only the third time he ever failed to record nine outs while on the mound for Washington. The Houston Astros ended up taking batting practice off the Nats’ left-handed starter in the third inning of Saturday night’s game. They got seven hits and six runs (four earned) off Lannan, which halted the game’s momentum.

Lannan lasted 2 1/3 innings and gave up eight hits, six runs (four earned), one walk, and one strikout over 55 pitches (36 strikes). He also committed a throwing error to first after the Astros had already scored four runs in the third. Needless to say, Saturday night was far from being Lannan’s best outing for the Nationals.

To add to the injury the Astros inflicted upon the Nats, Washington couldn’t string together a big enough offensive output to regain a semblance of a lead in the 9-3 loss. After hitting back-to-back singles in the fourth, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse both scored off a two-RBI single hit by rookie first basemen Chris Marrero. The Nats scored again in the sixth inning off a solo homerun from Morse, his 27 of the season, but that was it for Davey Johnson’s lineup.

Washington’s bullpen gave up three runs over 7 2/3 innings of work. Yunesky Maya relieved Lannan of the third inning blowout, giving up four hit and two runs in 2 1/3 innings of work. Colin Balester relieved Maya and put on a spotless two innings of work including two strikeouts. Rookie and recent September call-up Atahualpa Severino also got to pitch, giving up two hits and striking out two.

Todd Coffey gave up one more run to the Astros in the ninth but Doug Slaten was able to finish Houston off for Washington, thereby ending a struggle of a night of the Nationals.

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With the tenth anniversary of 9/11 this Sunday, the Washington Nationals are encouraging fans to arrive earlier than they’re used to. This is due to an increase in security precaustions surrounding Sunday’s day of rememberance.

According to the Nationals, fans should prepare to arrive early and expect slow entry into the ballpark on Saturday and Sunday. Fan are encouraged to keep in mind that limited entry points will be available for getting into the park as well. The center field gates are scheduled to open at 4:30 on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Fans driving to park should prepare for vehicle checks in parking areas.

Additionally, no outside beverages or liquids of any kind will be permitted into the ballpark. Food items of any kind are strongly discouraged.

So be smart, Washington. Use your heads. I know you want to bring in that sealed bottled water this weekend, but if you try, you’re only going to hold up the line.

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The Washington Nationals might as well change their nickname to the Washington Walkoffs with all the last minute, down-to-the-wire wins they’ve accumulated this season (12 in total). Davey Johnson and his boys in red, white and blue beat the last place Houston Astros 4-3 in 11 innings Friday night at Nationals Park in front of the thin crowd who stuck it out until the end.

Starting pitcher and recent call-up Tommy Milone pitched an effective game. The young gun has yet to issue a walk in his two career starts in the big leagues and isn’t afraid to throw inside on right-handed batters as a south paw.

Washington scored early creating a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Rick Ankiel scored on a homerun hit by Ryan Zimmerman, his eleventh of the season, after drawing a one out walk. Houston trickled back to tie the game at two a piece after scoring a couple runs until they eventually took the lead in the sixth.

Astros first baseman Carlos Lee leadoff with a double in the sixth and scored off a single hit by shortstop Clint Barmes (2-for-4).  That lead stuck around for eight at-bats until the Nats tied the game back up 3-3 in the seventh. Danny Espinosa drew a one out walk and moved all the way to third after Houston’s starting pitcher Bud Norris made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first. Once Espinosa got to third during first baseman Chris Marrero’s at-bat, Marrero proceeded to hit an RBI-double.

For as efficient as the Nats bullpen remained after Milone’s exit in the sixth inning, the Nats offense remained sporadic all night. Relievers Craig Stammen, Henry Rodriguez, Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard did their jobs and pitched a collection of clean frames but the offense couldn’t muster the same.

When it came down it, though, Washington solidified the win in the 11^th inning when Ryan Zimmermand and Michael Morse drew back-to-back walks with one out. Jayson Werth followed those walks with a single that the Astros’ third baseman Chris Johnson could not make a play on. His error was the Nationals gain and Zimmerman scored to win it.

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“Not many people get an opportunity to actually come down on the field,” 21-year-old Josh Wege said after his pre-game warm up at Nationals Park with ball and glove in tote. “Well … they actually get to come on the field but to actually play a game on this field, this is incredible.”

It’s true. More often than not, the people playing ball on a Major League field are professional players employed by Major League Baseball. On Sunday, though, the giant state-of-art sandlot located in Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood hosted the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team in an exhibition game against a group of D.C. celebrities.

The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball team is comprised of veterans and active duty soldiers who have lost limbs while seriving their country in the military during the post-9/11 wars. It is also the brainchild of Coach David Van Sleet, who started compiling the team six months ago. Van Sleet’s background is with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of the 30 years Van Sleet’s spent with the VA office has been in prosthetics, during which time he was also playing softball at a high level.

“I started seeing some of the guys come back from Iraq and Afghanistan and how fit they look,” Van Sleet said. “University of Arizona was going to have a disabled veterans sports camp for the third year and the first two years was just wheelchair type athletics.”

The University of Arizona asked Van Sleet if he had a new idea for the Veterans sports camp which prompted him to share the vision he’d been cultivating for awhile. “I’ve always had this idea. I want to start the first ever amputee softball team in the world and they said do it so we brought 20 guys to Tucson, Az. this past March.” They picked up a few more players along the way to comprise the team of players represented at Nationals Park over the weekend.

While assembling the team, one of Van Sleet’s coaches walked passed Wege while he was at Walter Reed’s Military Advanced Training Center doing some agility drills. The coach asked Wege if he played softball at all.

“Heck yes I do,” he replied. From there, after a 20 month stay at Walter Reed, he joined the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team.

“I was waiting for this the entire stay at Walter Reed,” Wege said. “This means the world to me.”

Dan Lasko made the team based on a referral from another player. His friend had already made the squad, so Lasko asked if he’d tell the coach how much he loved all sports, how competitive he was, and how athletic he could be. That was three months ago.

“He gave the coach my name and number and next thing you know I’m in Louisville,” Lasko said.

The amount of success the team has accomplished in such a short time period leaves players like Lasko without the words to describe the feeling in full. “Taking the field with them [for] the first time, I got goose bumps,” Lasko said. “I always say there was only three times I got goose bumps in my life: getting married, my first child and then taking the field with these nine guys.”

The team’s rapid pace toward gaining momentum with the project is well deserved as far as Coach Van Sleet is concerned.

“A couple things have happened since we’ve begun in the past six months,” Van Sleet said. “Obviously Osama Bin Laden’s been caught and all these guys joined the service after 2001 and suffered their injury after 2001. So that was a milestone for them because they were all over there looking for him.”

As the tenth anniversary of September 11^th approaches, playing at National Park in conjunction with the organization itself is a success viewed with pride. Van Sleet beams when asked what the experience means to him. The team means the world to him.

“My ultimate goal was just to get them back into their hometowns and cities playing in a beer league or a softball league, just get them back playing softball, but when I saw what we had I said, ‘We can go a little bit more than that.’”

“A perfect example is we’ve got a young guy on our team, 21-years-old, missing both legs. He lost them at 19. He plays in three leagues during the week and plays with us on weekend’s traveling. So I think I succeeded my goal.”

The Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team went on to beat the D.C. Celebrities 15-4 and also won a great deal of respect from their competitors. “Watching them run is probably the most fascinating thing,” local blogger K Street Kate said.

“It’s as if they don’t have any disability at all. They actually have, I don’t really know how I can explain this, but they are managing the disability so well that it’s actually an ability for them. They are moving through it to do something that’s just incredible.”

MASN Reporter Debbi Taylor was also moved by being able to compete against the Wounded Warrior team. “Those guys are fantastic and I am so inspired by them and what they do,” she said.

The Washington Nationals and the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team announced Sunday that they have joined together in a partnership that will align the two teams in support of one another. “We are very excited to have the support of a team like the Nationals, whose players, coaches and executives have proven time and time again how committed they are to the military,” Van Sleet said of the partnership.

“Partnering with the Nationals gives our players a greater platform from which to motivate others to overcome adversity in their own lives. Our partnership with the Nationals is a perfect fit for us and for the baseball community.”

It’s time for the young talent to get their chance. That’s what Nationals Manager Davey Johnson has said and continues to say about the upcoming crop of homegrown pitching. It’s September. Therefore, based on previous trends of calling up the younger guys to play ball in the big leagues, Johnson is correct.  With that said, right-handed starter Livan Hernandez made his final start of the 2011 season Sunday. Washington lost 6-3 versus the New York Mets.

Hernandez was informed by Johnson on Friday that we would not start again in 2011. The team would like to get a look at Stephen Strasburg and other pitching prospects during the final three weeks  And, although the outcome was not desirable, Hernandez approached his final appearance as a professional.

He tipped his cap to an ovation by the fans as he headed toward the mound from the bullpen to start the game. After a couple three up, three down innings, the Mets scored off Hernandez in the third when Ruben Tejada hit a two RBI-single with men on second and third.

Washington answered back in the fourth when second baseman Danny Espinosa, first baseman Chris Marrero and catcher Wilson Ramos each raked in RBI’s to take reign of the lead of 3-2. Outfielder Jayson Werth led-off the inning with a walk followed by a single from outfielder Rick Ankiel to set up the RBI option for Espinosa who scored Werth with an RBI double.

Marerro grounded out, sending Ankiel around to score. Ramos followed pace with an RBI double to give the Nats a temporary lead.

That lead only lasted until the sixth inning when the Mets offense struck up with a four run rally, including a leadoff solo homerun by Lucas Duda off Hernandez, marking end of the day for Washington’s starter.

Washington couldn’t manage any runs after that offensive output by the Mets in the sixth, though the bullpen did hold the Mets from scoring again.

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Thurdsay night’s game versus the first place Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t go the way starting pitcher John Lannan wanted it to. The left-handed pitcher gave up seven hits and two runs in six innings against the top team in the National League West, including a two-run bomb homerun to center fielder Chris Young.

That at-bat weighed heavy on Lannan’s mind after the game which ended in an 8-1 loss when a bullpen implosion followed his exit.

“You’ve just got to bear down and keep it as close as you can,” Lannan said. “You can only control what you can control and that’s just throwing strikes. Right now, I’m not thinking too much about what’s going on offensively. I know that these guys are going to come through but you know you just got to do what you can do and that’s what I’ve been doing.”

Washington’s offense made many attempts at coming through for Lannan but ended up stranding 12 runners on the base path. In four of the game’s nine innings, the Nationals stranded two base runners a piece and only managed to score one run all night after Michael Morse hit an RBI-single allowing Ian Desmond to score in the seventh.

Desmond led off that inning after getting hit by a pitch. Brian Bixler followed suit by getting a base with a single but Ryan Zimmerman struck out in the third spot, setting up Morse for the RBI opportunity.

Tyler Clippard entered the game in the bottom seventh and posted an uncharacteristic outing when compared to the rest of his 2011 all-star season. The right-handed reliever had only allowed one earned run since July 20 in a span of 17 innings but he gave up a total of three earned runs in the eighth.

“There was just a combination of bad pitch selection and bad execution on my part,” Clippard said. “The combination of both of those things, usually, you’re not going to succeed when that happens […] tonight was a pretty good indicator of that.”

The pressure was on the Nats bullpen to keep the game in tact but after Todd Coffey retired the side in the seventh, Clippard, Ryan Mattheus and Henry Rodriguez couldn’t manage the challenge. Mattheus left the game with right shoulder tightness, which is the same issue that had been bothering him last week. He is now listed as day-to-day. Rogriguez faced nine batters in the top of the ninth and gave up three runs and five hits before the could end Arizona’s late-inning rally.

When asked if the lack of a steady offense might be putting extra pressure on the pitching staff, bullpen included, Manager Davey Johnson responded with “Oh my goodness, it sure does.”

Washington’s bullpen combined for a total of six runs and seven of the Diamondbacks’ fourteen hits.

“As far as relievers are concerned,” Clippard continued, “the game is what it is when we get into the game so I don’t necessarily think that it should affect us at all and hopefully it doesn’t affect the starters either,” he said.

“It’s just one of those things, we’re in a little bit of a wall right now.”

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After one strange (earthquake filled) day in Washington, D.C., the Nationals did their best to keep things on the diamond interesting. Washington took a 2-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in what was likely right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann’s penultimate game of the season, but it was a well fought battle.

Neither team scored until the seventh inning. Arizona third baseman Sean Burroughs hit his first homerun of the season, a two-run shot, off Zimmermann to give his team the upper-hand. The Nats biggest issue of the night was stranding men in scoring position.

Washington had eleven base runners Tuesday night. Five of those runners reached scoring position.

Zimmermann put up his highest pitch count of the season with 109 (71 for strikes). Manager Davey Johnson said he chose to leave Zimmermann in the game to start the seventh inning after giving up a double to catcher Mmiguel Montero in the sixth inning because he wanted to try and get him the win. That plan did not work out the way he would have liked, however, and a one-out walk to centerfielder Chris Young set up the RBI-opportunity for Burroughs, whose homerun won the game for Arizona.

After last night’s 6 1/3 inning start, Zimmermann falls to 8-11 this season with one more start this year after his return from Tommy John surgery. This was the sixth time in the 2011 season that Zimmermann has allowed two runs or less and has lost the game.

Washington did have able opportunities to score, though. During the fourth inning, Washington had runners on the corners but a strikeout from Laynce Nix ended that. Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse both came to the plate with the bases loaded in the fifth inning but couldn’t muster a run off Arizona starter Ian Kennedy, who recorded eight strikeouts against the Nationals in his seven inning outing.

Jayson Werth went 2-for-3 and singled in the sixth for the Nats final hit Tuesday night. Laynce Nix walked with one out, putting Werth in scoring position, but Wilson Ramos grounded into a double play to end their final potential rally of the game.

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Two years ago, right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann and catcher Jesus Flores founds themselves sidelined due to injury. Since then, Zimmermann has returned to the Nationals’ clubhouse after successful Tommy John surgery and Flores has regained his spot behind the plate which makes them regular fixtures in Washington’s 2011 25-man roster.

Flores, although he fills a current slot on manager Davey Johnson’s lineup card due to Ivan Rodriguez being placed on the disabled list, is a player Johnson is proud of this season. He is also the reason the Nationals scored their first run in Thursday night’s 3-1 victory versus the Cincinnati Reds while Zimmermann got the necessary work done on the mound. It was Flores’ first homerun – a solo shot – since May 8, 2009.

The 26-year-old catcher has since recovered from a torn labrum, an injury that cost him almost two seasons. Thursday’s starting pitcher Zimmermann spent time with Flores in Viera, Fla. during their recovery time together forging bonds that made Thursday’s 3-1 victory a special success for Nationals.

Zimmermann‘s record does not demonstrate the consistency and grandeur of his work for Washington in 2011. He is 7-10 with a 3.23 ERA and although he did give up six hits last Thursday night, he did not manage to give up any runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Johnson acknowledged in his post-game discussion that he feels Zimmermann is arguably the team’s best pitcher all year long. His two walks, one strikeout and six hits over 102 pitches (64 strikes) spoke to Johnson’s beliefs.

2011 addition Jonny Gomes also had a standout night against his former team. Gomes was acquired from the Reds on July 26 for outfielder Bill Rhinehart and left-handed pitcher Chris Manno. Gomes hit a two-RBI single with the bases loaded and two out in the sixth inning to add a few security runs to Zimmermann’s shutout.

Washington did not hold on to that shutout, though.

The hard throwing reliever, right-handed Henry Rodriguez, continued his streak of being fast but erratic from the mound during the seventh. After a throwing error by shortstop Ian Desmond, which allowed the leadoff batter from the Reds to reach first, Rodriguez served up a wild pitch. Then a passed ball got behind Flores at the plate to move pinch hitter Fred Lewis to third base. Reds’ leadoff man Brandon Phillips then hit for a groundout but not before the RBI reached home.

Drew Storen recorded his 33 save this season after giving up two hits in the ninth. Brian Bixler, part of a double switch in that inning, played a mean left field to assist in that save effort. Had his feet not labored as swiftly as they did, the Reds might have come back, but Bixler was too quick for pinch hitter Ramon Hernandez and robbed him of a potential extra-base hit.

Washington took 2-of-3 games versus Cincinnati this week to win the series.

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Nationals draft pick LHP Matt Purke, who signed with the team in the late hours of Monday night, introduced himself to the core group of Nationals beat writers this afternoon from the team’s ballpark at the Navy Yard. He spoke with what Dave Nichols of Nats News Networks called “a quiet confidence.”

What convinced him to sign with Washington? “They come highly recommended,” he said. “I’ve seen the things they’ve done the last few years with the prospects they’ve brought in and the Major League players as well. This organization is going to be very strong, they’re building, and they’re going to be a serious team to deal with in the years to come. I knew I wanted to be a part of that and hopefully to be a helpful piece in the puzzle.”

The 21-year-old southpaw from East Texas just completed his sophomore year at Texas Christian University and told media members who were present that he’s ready for about two or three innings of work based on how his arm feels.

Purke suffered from bursitis in 2011 which limited him to 11 starts during the college season. Bursitis is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that lies between a tendon and skin or between a tendon and bone. That’s the reason the Nationals requested Purke complete a physical, MRI and arthogram.

Other than that minor medical setback, Purke was dominant during his time at TCU with a 21-1 record over two years of work. He was also named NCAA College Freshman of the Year in 2010.

For more from Purke’s press conference today, Nats News Network has a complete transcript up and ready for reading! You can check it out here.

A hot offense served up right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang’s second victory since his return to Major League Baseball on Tuesday night when the Washington Nationals topped the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 to kickoff this week’s homestand. It was Wang’s first time facing the National League Central club managed by Dusty Baker.

Wang pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up 7 hits, 4 earned runs and 1 walk over 78 pitches (51 for strikes). It was his longest start since June 10, 2008 when he went 7 1/3 innings. The first inning, however, continues to be a struggle for Wang. Last night there were no ground outs for Wang during the first and four balls hit into the air.

Nationals Manager Davey Johnson was pleased with the outing despite a rocky first where Cincinnati tallied three of their base hits for the night as well as Wang’s only walk of the game. Washington answered back with a leadoff single from centerfielder Rick Ankiel, who scored off a double from Michael Morse to start the inning’s three run rally. At the close of the first, Nats were up 3-2 and hung onto the lead from that point forward.

Between the second through the fifth inning, Wang retired 12 consecutive batters while the Nationals offense continued to get their respective job done. Both Morse and Ryan Zimmerman crushed solo homeruns; Morse doing so in the third and Zimmerman in the fifth. Johnson said Zimmerman even called the shot in the dugout before the at-bat versus the Reds’ right-handed starter Mike Leake.

Zimmerman said he would hit a bomb and that’s exactly what he did, all the way to left field near the concourse. Zimmerman has seen an abbreviated season due to abdominal surgery before the All-Star break, but he continues to be a valuable piece of the Nationals lineup since his return.

Morse is also the most consistent slugger on the team in 2011, however, he may not stay at first base forever. Johnson did mention in his post-game press conference that he’d like to get Morse some time back in left field since Adam LaRoche will resume his role at first base upon his inevitable return from the disabled list. It was also mentioned that a September call-up is likely to see some time at first which will also give Morse some time to get his bearings back in the outfield.

Washington went on to win the game 6-4 while Drew Storen collected his 32^nd save of the season. Storen has joined Chad Cordero (47 in 2005, 37 in 2007) as the second Nationals closer to reach the 30-save mark with the team.

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The audience: 30,114 in paid attendance.

The critics: an overflowing Press Box with Taiwanese media swarming.

The stage: Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

The Man of the Hour: Chien-Ming Wang

When right-handed starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang was acquired by the Washington Nationals in 2010, many wondered if he would have a successful recovery following surgery on a capsule in his right shoulder.

Wang, who won 19 games each in 2006 and 2007 for the New York Yankees, missed the rest of the team’s championship season in 2009 due to injury. Friday night was his first night back on a Major League mound.

It was a shaky start but Nationals manager Davey Johnson admitted he was impressed with what he saw despite Wang allowing four runs, four singles, and a leadoff walk to the first five batters he faced.

Wang gave up eight hits, six runs (four earned), one walk and two strike outs. He threw 60 pitches and 39 for strikes.

The Nationals main concern for Wang is health at this point and building up his strength is a major component of that. Johnson mentioned that while Wang, who struggled to find his pitch location until the second inning, doesn’t think he’s fully strong just yet. It will take time to strengthen and get back to his full potential.

The Wang that pitched Friday night was an arm was fresh to the league, much like a player’s return to Spring Training camp in March. The batters faced were post-All-Star game bats.

That, of course, doesn’t matter though.

Washington lost 8-5 to the New York Mets after starting out with a 4-0 deficit in the top of the first inning. Laynce Nix helped support the Nationals’ offense in the fourth inning after hitting a ball to New York’s second baseman Justin Turner. Ryan Zimmerman scored, giving Nix an RBI, and Michael Morse reached as well due to a throwing error by shortstop Jose Reyes to first baseman Daniel Murphy.

There were two more ample opportunities for the Nationals to score, both of which were bases loaded situations that they failed to take advantage of. The first opportunity was in the sixth inning. Jayson Werth, who reached base twice with one hit and three strikeouts, walked with two outs. Nix returned to the plate for his second hit of the night to move Werth around the bases. Newly acquired Jonny Gomes came up to pinch hit and walked to load the bases but Wilson Ramos popped out to end the potentially run rally.

Washington showed signs of life again in the eigth inning by scoring two runs off an unlikely string of singles from Nix, pinch hits Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Jesus Flores, and couple more hits from Wilson Ramos and Rick Ankiel but Danny Espinosa and Zimmerman struck out to end the rally with the bases loaded again.

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Ensemble of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Photo by Suzanne Bluestar Boy.

Arena Stage’s 2010 production of Oklahoma! has been revived for another run. Don reviewed the original production in November of last year. Here’s Rachel’s take on the current remount.

Modern America is riddled with stress. This stress is self-inflicted. 40-hour work weeks, a 24-hour news cycle, social media overload – these are all characteristics that personify our society. America wasn’t always the go-go-go place that it is now. There was a simpler time when people couldn’t be bothered by a phone call in the middle of the night or a flashing red light on a mobile device telling them that they’ve got e-mail to check and tweets to read.

Oklahoma! is a reminder of those days gone by.

Eleasha Gamble as Laurey and Nicholas Rodriguez as Curly in the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Photo by Suzanne Bluestar Boy.

The show is hokey. There’s no doubt about that. The southern accents feel forced at times and the songs are clichés set to music, but there’s something wholesome and reassuring about the story. Back in a time where Oklahoma was still a territory searching for a spot in the union, Rodgers & Hammerstein use that piece of America’s past to create a novel love story. It’s a love story where men fight for their lady’s affection by proving their worth through hard work.

Oklahoma!’s leading men, Curly and Will Parker, both find themselves in a situation where the girl of their dreams isn’t easily accessible. But after some impromptu wooing and coming into some cash by selling their prized possessions, they demonstrate how deep their love is.

Curly, played by Nicholas Rodriguez, stole the show. He looks and sounds like a 21st century incarnation of Richard Beymer, who played Tony in the 1961 film adaptation of West Side Story. He’s got a pure voice and a contagious smile that infects the audience the second he steps on stage.

Eleasha Gamble’s Laurey made for a sturdy vocal pairing. Their harmonies were entwined like a symphony of strings producing a chord. Gamble was a delight as Laurey. She kept the character strong-willed with a vocal ability to match Laurey’s independent woman mentality.

June Schreiner as Ado Annie Carnes, Nehal Joshi as Ali Hakim and Cody Williams as Will Parker in the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Photo by Carol Rosegg.

June Schreiner (Ado Annie) and Cody Williams (Will Parker) reminded the audience that hokey can still be cute. Schrenier’s Ado Annie was reminiscent of the orphan Annie … had the little red-headed, curly top been portrayed as an innocent and naive, yet boy-crazy, teenage flirt with blonde pigtail braids. She’s got that “cute” factor that’s just downright adorable. Williams’ vocals were often overpowered by the pit orchestra but his dance moves more than made up for it. He’s as fluid as they come, much like Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow in the 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

Three other characters standout in this particular production for their role interpretations: E. Faye Butler as Laurey’s Aunt Eller, Nehal Joshi as Persian gypsy Ali Hakim and Aaron Ramey as farmhand Jud Fry. Butler’s sense of humor garnered laughter from the audience from the start due to her genuine line delivery. Joshi’s performance seemed reminiscent of Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat (in a good way). And Ramey put a darker spin on an already sinister character. It was almost as if Gaston from Beauty and the Beast joined forces with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom to create a whole new Jud Fry.

The ballet company should also be acknowledged along with the creative team behind-the-scenes. The “Out of My Dreams/Dream Ballet” sequence had a sinister carnival feel to it with the lights spinning in-the-round and seeping out of the wooden floor planks. The lighting effects brought the dream inside Laurey’s head into the audience’s. It was mesmerizing to watch while set to Rodger and Hammerstein’s score.

If given the chance, go see Oklahoma!, it’s sure to put a smile on your face even in the dog days of a D.C. summer. Just keep in mind that you’re likely to find yourself singing “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” for the rest of the night and well into the next day. You’ve been warned.

Tickets are still available and the show runs through October 2, 2011.