Oren Levine presented “Are You Out of Your Mind: Songs of obsessing, confessing and second-guessing” as part of the inaugural District Fringe Festival.
Broadway World DC calls it “a delightfully baggage-free hour filled with joy.”
DC Theater Arts praises the “smooth and engaging chemistry between the two” performers, giving it a “Best of Fringe” recommendation as “an easy-listening aperitif for any evening.”
MD Theatre Guide recommends the show, remarking that “classic American songwriting, with its wit and punning wisdom intact, is alive and well and living in Washington, DC.”
Oren (he/him) plays piano and accompanies himself and Barbara Papendorp (she/her) in a revue of contemporary songs exploring our relationships with our friends, our partners and ourselves. The lyrics are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, and (almost) always share a positive message encouraging us to carry on no matter how much we get in our own way.
The show features Oren’s original jazz songs, including two being performed in public for the first time. Oren’s writing expresses the traditions of the American Songbook with a contemporary twist. The show also includes works by Dave Frishberg and Jill Leger.
Oren and Barbara have performed Oren’s songs and standards from the American and French songbooks for almost 15 years, including performances at Blues Alley, Bistrot Lepic and La Maison Française. Barbara was featured on Oren’s 2018 album of original songs “Making Up For Lost Time,” where she performed “Let’s Wander,” recognized by the ASCAP Foundation with the Alan and Marilyn Bergman Lyric Award in 2023.
Oren writes songs and plays jazz piano around the DC area and on St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. He performs his songs regularly at jazz gigs and cabaret events in DC and has shared his songs at the long-running Cast Party open mic in New York City. Oren’s songs have been performed and recorded by Aaron Myers, Carolyn Malachi, Lionel Lyles, Tony Gudell, Donna Singer, and the DC-based funk/hip-hop band The Lucky So & Sos.
Barbara’s musical performances draw on her childhood in Paris and experience on stage with many of Washington’s theater companies, including Forum Theater, Washington Shakespeare Company, Le Neon, and American Century. As a cabaret artist she and musical partner Amy Conley have presented a variety of themed revues at venues including the Arts Club of Washington, Mr. Henry’s and the Harman Center of the Arts. Her 2011 album “Taking Requests: From Paris to Porter” showcases her witty and romantic interpretations of American standards and French classics.
“Are You Out of Your Mind” plays in the Lecture Hall, Building 44 Room A03 at the University of the District of Columbia, 4200 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC as follows:
July 17: 6 pm, July 18: 7:45 pm, July 19: 7:15 pm, July 20: 1 pm and July 25: 10 pm
Contact: Oren Levine, oren@ohljazz.com, 202-642-8098
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 