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Incognito, Constellation Theatre Company 2023
"As the newly out neuropsychologist who drinks to hide her many layers of heartbreak, Kari Ginsburg commands the stage, especially as she so seamlessly switches then to scorned New Jersey housewife. She evokes your pity and your cheers in one fell swoop. " MD Theatre Guide "Four actors play a host of twenty characters, some more central to the plot than others, but all enthralling in their own way (indeed, some of the smaller roles stood out almost as noticeably as the central characters, thanks to the actors' fun interpretations). Ginsburg's portrayal of Martha was touching and frustrating, and it was really wonderful to see her character navigate her changing world." Broadway World "The role-juggling performers largely ace the realism and specificity that such dialogue demands. Ginsburg is particularly persuasive in shading exasperation into the Midwestern-nice aura of Harvey’s meatloaf-cooking wife." The Washington Post |
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Recent Tragic Events, Prologue Theatre 2020
"Kari Ginsburg as Waverly is an inspired blend of headstrong energy tempered with clutching fear." DC Metro Theater Arts "Ginsburg and Feuer are the undeniable standouts of Prologue’s holistically excellent production. Ginsburg, though running on and off the stage and spending half of her time tied to a cordless phone, manages to hold the center of the story while swinging between wildly manic and deeply vulnerable. Her delivery of drag queen-esque quips like “”It was a really bad day for Kevin Bacon,” when discussing how it seems like everyone knew someone in New York on 9/11 and heart-shattering lines like “Why did you even tell me this?” are equally memorable and affecting." DC Theatre Scene |
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The Wild Party, Constellation Theatre Company 2017
"Ginsburg matches her castmate’s forceful presence and vocal prowess, while adding touches of sneaky humor, turning Kate into a diverting troublemaker whose raucous manner can’t quite hide her vulnerability." The Washington Post "...The fabulous Kari Ginsburg’s entrance as Kate, a boozy, bedraggled partygoer who lusts after Burrs, is a climax unto itself, with the actress bursting onstage to perform “Look at Me Now.” A rousing force of talent, tenderness, and moxie, Ginsburg shifts the gravity onstage, projecting a maturity of experience that’s mostly missing from the other members of this uniformly young cast. Few in the cast convey scars of life as surely as Ginsburg. Where her Kate has been and where she’s going is of far more compelling interest than whether Queenie will steal away the handsome stranger who accompanies Kate to the party, the mysterious Mr. Black." Metroweekly "And don’t take your eyes off Kari Ginsburg’s Kate. As the self-described “Life of the Party,” Ginsburg eschews all cliché with her flapper hemline and raccoon eye shadow. Kate is one sloppy party girl, but there’s no mess here." Brightest Young Things Honoree, "23 most memorable moments on stage in 2017", The Staff of DC Theatre Scene |
Much Ado About Nothing, NextStop Theatre 2017
"I cannot say enough good things about Jonathan Lee Taylor’s Benedick and Kari Ginsburg’s Beatrice. The humor, the depth, the timing they brought to these characters is nothing short of astonishing, and some of the best damn acting I have seen since I moved to DC. They made these characters seem so real and so natural that I frequently forgot that they were speaking in an archaic form of English. They mastered not only the slapstick humor and wry wit needed to accurately portray Beatrice and Benedick, but the serious emotional nuance needed to give these characters depth and make their somewhat sudden break from scorn and snark into delicate emotional intimacy believable. I have frequently wanted a sequel to this play that is centered wholly around Beatrice and Benedick, but these two make me want an entire series of sequels." DC Theatre Scene
"Kari Ginsburg has the swing of it, giving a nice arched-eyebrow turn as Beatrice" The Washington Post
Next to Normal, Keegan Theatre 2016
"Essential for Next to Normal's success is a dynamic performance by its leading lady...
Ginsburg's Diana is perfectly nuanced, capitalizing on the humor and weight of Diana's situation. Yes, humor, because while she may suffer from bipolar disorder, that does not preclude her from making dry observations such as, "Valium is my favorite color." Vocally, Ginsburg is impressive, not attempting to copy Alice Ripley's Tony winning performance and making Diana her own. She's at her peak commanding the production with the anthem "You Don't Know" and the electrically defiant "Didn't I See This Movie?"" Broadway World
"Diana Goodman, played by the remarkable Kari Ginsburg,… brings fragments of the “wife so alive” that Diana used to be, even so much as capitalizing on the brief glimpses of humor that we get into the character. Diana Goodman is set to be this generation’s Hedda Gabler or Mary Cavan Tyrone, and Ginsburg brings a worthy truthfulness to the character. She is heartbreaking in “I Miss the Mountains” and “How Could I Ever Forget?”, but the show stopping “You Don’t Know/I am the One” is her brightest moment." MD Theatre Guide
"...Ginsburg aptly suggests Diana’s vulnerability and disorientation." The Washington Post
“Ginsburg handles the immense challenge that is Diana with veteran poise and a powerful soprano. She narrates Diana’s draining road to recovery with the tired humor and weary resignation of someone who’s really been there. Ginsburg pulls off jarring emotional 180s with unnerving realism – all wild eyes and manic scrambling. Following one very frustrating setback, she unleashes an arresting cocktail of outrage and dread, like a deer in the headlights – totally aware of oncoming disaster, yet unable to step out of the way. And Ginsburg’s touching chemistry with co-star Chad Wheeler provides the show with a compelling emotional anchor point.” DC Theatre Scene
"Played with exquisite talent by Kari Ginsburg, Diana seems to be a normal, well-adjusted housewife as she helps her family prepare for their day… Later Ginsburg’s powerful “I Miss the Mountains” moves the story along, as we see her yearning for normality amidst her inner-turmoil." DC Metro Theatre Arts
"At Keegan that comes through movingly in Ginsburg’s amazing performance as Diana. She never belts it or plays it broad, the way one would expect with more typical, razz-ma-tazz, and less authentic central female characters in male-conceived and -written musicals (like Mame or Gypsy). Ginsburg’s nuanced performance always stays loyal to Diana’s truth, which the creators never betray either." Post-Play Palaver, DC Metro Theatre Arts
Honoree, "Take a Bow", The Staff of DCMetroTheaterArts' Favorite Spring/Summer 2016 Performances
Honoree, "Most memorable moments on the DC area stages in 2016," The Staff of DC Theatre Scene
Honoree, "Best performances and ensembles in Musicals in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA," The Staff of DcMetroTheaterArts, 2016 (recognized for individual performance and ensemble)
When the Rain Stops Falling, 1st Stage 2016
"And now we see Elizabeth younger and Elizabeth older onstage at once. They neither see nor speak to each other, but as embodied in two powerful performances by Ginsburg and Castracane they send unspoken emotional depth charges to us in the audience..." DC Metro Theatre Arts
"In 1950’s and 60’s England, Kari Ginsburg rocks the abandoned, yet relentlessly supportive housewife driven to the brink (and to drink) by her husband’s equally relentless inattention/fussiness/sinister mystery." DC Theatre Scene
Honoree, "Best performances and ensembles in Plays in Professional Theaters in DC/MD/VA," The Staff of DcMetroTheaterArts, 2016 (recognized for ensemble)
Friendship Betrayed, WSC Avant Bard 2015
"On several occasions, characters deliver overlapping soliloquies, briefly talking at the same time as they express their secret schemes and desires. It creates an appealingly musical effect….Ginsburg goes this one better by having Belisa and Don Juan tango as they argue, but Ginsburg doesn’t overstuff the play with frisky business." The Washington Post
"Like a sinful dessert that you can’t help dip your spoon into, Friendship Betrayed is sophisticated and sexy... Larson’s engaging translation has inspired sensitive and insightful direction by Avant Bard company member Kari Ginsburg." DC Theatre Scene, five star rating
"Friendship Betrayed is a unique experience, not just because of its blend of 17th-century substance with 20th-century style, but because of the heartfelt commitment of cast and director that bring it to rollicking life. It makes for an enchanting evening of theater." DC Metro Theatre Arts, five star rating
Top 5 Shows of the Week, MD Theatre Guide
DCMetroTheaterArts' honorees for Best of 2015's Best Plays in Professional Theaters
DCMetroTheatreArts' honoree for 2015's Best Director of a Play in Professional Theatre
Jeff Walker's Top 10 Shows of 2015, DC Theatre Scene
About Kari as a director, from the actors:
"... I want to be Kari Ginsburg (our director) when I grow up. She is such a generous, playful director and understands all of my babble in the rehearsal room." Alani Kravitz, DC Metro Theater Arts
" The energy of the cast and creative team is awesome and fun-loving, the story is hilarious, and Kari [Ginsburg] is so specific and intelligent with her direction that I knew this show would be special." Daven Ralston, DC Metro Theatre Arts
Very Still and Hard to See, Rorschach Theatre 2015
"Kari Ginsburg wrings unexpected laughs and pathos from her role as Betty, a cleaning-obsessed housewife getting crazier by the minute. " DC Theatre Scene
Visible Language, WSC Avant Bard 2014
"Kari Ginsburg is breath of colorful fresh air as Bell's wife, Mabel Bell. Bell's elegance and poise is naturally accentuated by Ginsburg's charm every time she appears on the stage." MD Theatre Guide
"[Ginsburg] captures the complexity of the vivacious Mabel Bell, wife of the acclaimed inventor of the telephone."
DC Metro Theater Arts
"Kari Ginsburg is breath of colorful fresh air as Bell's wife, Mabel Bell. Bell's elegance and poise is naturally accentuated by Ginsburg's charm every time she appears on the stage." MD Theatre Guide
"[Ginsburg] captures the complexity of the vivacious Mabel Bell, wife of the acclaimed inventor of the telephone."
DC Metro Theater Arts
The 12 Dates of Christmas, NextStop Theatre Company 2013
" Generally, I am not a fan of one-actor productions but Ginsburg made me rethink my personal policy about such shows. She is terrific with voices, accents, postures, making us see the many characters with whom she is interacting...My instincts were well-founded as the actress displayed an unbridled enthusiasm as well as an authenticity that, at times, had me thinking she wrote the script since she seems so genuine in the role."
DC Metro Theatre Arts
"...Ginsburg quickly endears herself to the audience as Mary. Ginsburg is likeable and sympathetic even as she dishes out witty and sarcastic barbs for everything from Christmas to dating to men in general. Mary is the kind of storyteller you want around to liven up a dinner party, and Ginsburg uses the role to exhibit some serious range. To the audience’s delight, Ginsburg shifts gears seamlessly between humor and despondence while showcasing an impressive ability to keep the energy up even as she bounds around the stage, performs some light calisthenics and carries on without a break for roughly 90 minutes." DC Theatre Scene
" Generally, I am not a fan of one-actor productions but Ginsburg made me rethink my personal policy about such shows. She is terrific with voices, accents, postures, making us see the many characters with whom she is interacting...My instincts were well-founded as the actress displayed an unbridled enthusiasm as well as an authenticity that, at times, had me thinking she wrote the script since she seems so genuine in the role."
DC Metro Theatre Arts
"...Ginsburg quickly endears herself to the audience as Mary. Ginsburg is likeable and sympathetic even as she dishes out witty and sarcastic barbs for everything from Christmas to dating to men in general. Mary is the kind of storyteller you want around to liven up a dinner party, and Ginsburg uses the role to exhibit some serious range. To the audience’s delight, Ginsburg shifts gears seamlessly between humor and despondence while showcasing an impressive ability to keep the energy up even as she bounds around the stage, performs some light calisthenics and carries on without a break for roughly 90 minutes." DC Theatre Scene
The Full Monty, The Keegan Theatre 2013
"Kari Ginsburg, who plays Dave’s wife Georgie is not only an affecting singer but, tears streaming, gave one of the best performances of the evening in the scene where she confronts Dave, declaring her love for her “big man.” " DC Theatre Scene
"Kari Ginsburg is quietly moving as Dave's loyal wife, Georgie." The Washington Examiner
"And Priscilla Cuellar and Kari Ginsburg, who play intelligent, supportive wives, do some assured, melodious singing." The Washington Post
"Kari Ginsburg, who plays Dave’s wife Georgie is not only an affecting singer but, tears streaming, gave one of the best performances of the evening in the scene where she confronts Dave, declaring her love for her “big man.” " DC Theatre Scene
"Kari Ginsburg is quietly moving as Dave's loyal wife, Georgie." The Washington Examiner
"And Priscilla Cuellar and Kari Ginsburg, who play intelligent, supportive wives, do some assured, melodious singing." The Washington Post
The Mistorical Hystery of Henry I(V), WSC Avant Bard, 2011
"Kari Ginsburg is an effectively rowdy ringleader as Doll Tearsheet (who frequently plays Hal’s father, King Henry IV)."
The Washington Post
"Still, as Doll Tearsheet, the leading lady on the tavern stage and the floor, Kari Ginsburg gives her Doll compelling color, edge and dimension and truly carries the long scenes of the re-enactments as much as is possible. She is always an intriguing, provocative presence and increasingly an actor to watch." Metro Weekly
"Kari Ginsburg is an effectively rowdy ringleader as Doll Tearsheet (who frequently plays Hal’s father, King Henry IV)."
The Washington Post
"Still, as Doll Tearsheet, the leading lady on the tavern stage and the floor, Kari Ginsburg gives her Doll compelling color, edge and dimension and truly carries the long scenes of the re-enactments as much as is possible. She is always an intriguing, provocative presence and increasingly an actor to watch." Metro Weekly
Voices Underwater, Rorschach Theatre 2011
"Kari Ginsburg as Franklin’s wife Emma has the challenging task of appreciating the tough social dynamics that Franklin is dealing with, and attending to her own needs without going over the top. It’s a struggle, but Ginsburg finds that balance while bringing an urgency to her role that keeps the stakes at full throttle." DC Theatre Scene
"Kari Ginsburg as Franklin’s wife Emma has the challenging task of appreciating the tough social dynamics that Franklin is dealing with, and attending to her own needs without going over the top. It’s a struggle, but Ginsburg finds that balance while bringing an urgency to her role that keeps the stakes at full throttle." DC Theatre Scene
Every Young Woman's Desire, Washington Shakespeare Company 2010
"This is [another] female role in which a lesser actor might resort to a Days of Our Lives hand-wringing by way of compensation for the unorthodox narrative. But Kari Ginsburg, demonstrating just how versatile an actor she is, digs in deep. From her mousey insecurities to her winsome inner-siren, she is this She. There is not a moment when Ginsburg loses the fiction or the tension. " Metro Weekly
"This is [another] female role in which a lesser actor might resort to a Days of Our Lives hand-wringing by way of compensation for the unorthodox narrative. But Kari Ginsburg, demonstrating just how versatile an actor she is, digs in deep. From her mousey insecurities to her winsome inner-siren, she is this She. There is not a moment when Ginsburg loses the fiction or the tension. " Metro Weekly