Spinozorgasm

That's how Ari Roth, indomitable artistic director, referred to the recent spate of highly popular Spinoza-centered events at Theater J, including a sold-out day-long symposium on the philosopher who dared think for himself across the grain of an orthodox society in 17th century Amsterdam. Spinoza was the forerunner of Darwin, an independent thinker ostracized from his (Jewish community) society for daring to question. The April 1 Sunday morning chamber reading of "Spinoza's Solitude," a play-in-progress, showed the splendidly self-effacing man living alone with only a dog for company. Recall Harry Truman's line about 'if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog,' to imagine (granted, a stretch) an updated message. Special note: That production had some terrific actors all including two graduates of DC's graduate Academy for Classical Acting - Daniel Flint and Will Cooke, class of '09. (theaterj@theaterj.org)