All posts by Amanda N. Gunther

A full-time theatre reviewer in the Baltimore, Washington, and surrounding areas; Amanda holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Maryland Baltimore County as well as a minor in Creative Writing. Having spent two of her five years at college studying abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, she has learned a great deal about improv, devised work theatre, and interpretive movement pieces. Striving to promote theatre of all types, she can often be found in a theatre of some type, even on her nights off.
Yo-ho! Yo-ho! A Pirate's life can be for you at Toby's Dinner Theatre!

The Pirates of Penzance at Toby s Dinner Theatre

Thar she blows! Land-ho! Those singing, dancing, prancing pirates have cast their ship upon the great shores of Columbia and weighed anchor at Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia for the summer! This revamped version of a Gilbert and Sullivan classic will bring rolling waves of comedy to the audience with a refreshing and revitalized love story to boot! Directed and Choreographed by Mark Minnick with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings,

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Veronica (Holly E. Gibbs). Photo by Chris Aldridge, CMAldridgePhotography.

God of Carnage at The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre

Behaving well gets you nowhere. Courtesy is a waste of time. In the end we’re all like children, bashing each other’s teeth in with sticks to settle our differences. Or that’s what Yasmina Reza would have us believe with her Tony Award-Winning dramadey God of Carnage, now appearing at the Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre as the final production of the 52nd season. Directed by Greg Bell, this engaging socio-civilized drama devolves at an alarming rate into comic outbursts that truly capture human nature at its finest: debased,

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The cast of Thunderous Productions' Verdict

Verdict at Thunderous Productions

Agatha Christie. The name immediately draws to mind thrilling murder mysteries of the ‘who-dunnit’ era of the utmost suspenseful caliber. Thunderous Productions in the black box theatrical space at the Greenbelt Arts Center, mounts a lesser known Christie work that showcases the versatility of the famed mystery writer’s crafting ability. Verdict, a play wherein the suspenseful twists keep turning even though the killer is revealed immediately.

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(l to r) Jean Valjean (John Day) Thènardier (Todd Hochkeppel) Madam Thènardier (Kay Washington) and Little Cosette (Nicole Wildy)

Les Miserables at Howard County Summer Theatre

The question of ,‘Do you hear the people sing?’ is being heard all throughout the Baltimore and Washington area this summer as Les Misérables makes its way across the professional and community theatre circuit. Howard County Summer Theatre joins in the revolution with their production of the Broadway sensation and with a cast of over 100 individuals there is no question as to whether or not you can hear these people sing.

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Review: Good People at Silver Spring Stage

Silver Spring Stage closes their 46th season with a riveting production of David Lindsay-Abaire’s Good People. This captivating dramadey about life struggles from rock bottom is both humorous and heartwarming; the perfect combination of reality and optimism blended into a brilliantly acted evening of theatre. Directed by Michael Kharfen, it’s an emotionally engaging opportunity to view life from many angles, including the less fortunate.

Set Designer Mike Hovde creates two contrasting locations within the confines of the uniquely angled stage.

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Review: The Arabian Nights at Silver Spring Stage

If the wind’s from the east, and the sun’s from the west, and the sand in the glass is right, then come on down, stop on by, hop a carpet and fly to Silver Spring Stage to see their sensational production of Mary Zimmerman’s The Arabian Nights. Directed by Jacy D’Aiutolo, this production lives up to the mission statement of The Stage— “Little Theater. Big Ideas.” With a cast of over a dozen on the intimate stage,

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‘Story of My Life: The Freak Flag Chronicles’ at Toby’s ‘Shrek’: Part 1: Heather Beck (Gingy)

Let your freak flag wave! Let your freak flag fly! Never take it down, never take it down and raise it way up high! For everyone at the Toby’s Dinner Theatre production of Shrek the musical to come and see! That’s right, folks! We’re hitting the swamp and the city of Duloc to uncover the truth behind these fairytale creatures! In a brand new interview series entitled ‘Story of My Life: The Freak Flag Chronicles’ we’ll venture into the story of six of Shrek’s characters and find out what life is all about in the land of unusual fairytales!

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‘Shrek’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Once upon a time there was a little place called Toby’s Dinner Theatre that was nestled in the wooded highlands of Columbia, Maryland. And during their 35th year they decided to mount a little musical called Shrek. It was a pretty impressive musical, with Music by Jeanine Tesori and Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay Abaire. Fairytales, well you’ve never heard or seen one quite like this, but there’s a freak flag to wave for everyone at this up-tempo,

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The Dresser at Everyman Theatre by Amanda Gunther

There is danger in covering up the cracks. You can only hide behind a painted face for so long before the stuffing all comes flooding out and the truth is revealed. A hilarious and heartbreaking tale unfolds in just such a fashion as the Everyman Theatre continues into the back half of their 2013/2014 season with their production of The Dresser, by Ronald Harwood. Directed by Derek Goldman, this stunning emotional production keeps you fascinated as the story unfolds;

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Back to Methuselah at Washington Stage Guild by Amanda Gunther

If imagination is the beginning of creation, imagine a world where human beings could choose the length of their lives, creating for themselves an eternity of knowledge and power. Would you choose to live forever? Or would the notion of living forever, an immortal existence overwhelm the mind and force the imagination to create death? In George Bernard Shaw’s rarely done epic play, Back to Methuselah, Washington Stage Guild (WSG) explores these notions in a riveting and compelling stroke of drama.

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Superior Donuts at Colonial Players of Annapolis by Amanda Gunther

You may not recognize it, even if you’ve talked about it, think you’ve seen it, or may even think you’ve written it. We’re talking about the great American play. And it’s happening at the Colonial Players of Annapolis as they present Tracy Letts’ Superior Donuts to continue on in their 65th season. Rich dynamic characters, every day struggles and strife, real situations with real meat behind the story; all of that comes from the creative mind of playwright Tracy Letts.

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A Little Night Music at Damascus Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

A weekend in the country is exactly what you’re in for if you head up to the Damascus Theatre Company’s production of A Little Night Music at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn this month. The Sondheim classic is being revised to have a more modern feel with D. Scott Richards and Musical Director Keith Tittermary at the helm. Will the romantic entanglements of the well-known period musical still shine through, well the only way to find out is to go and see it for yourself.

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The Vagina Monologues at Greenbelt Arts Center

What would your vagina say if it could talk? Mine would say that you need to go see the Rude Mechanicals and their production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues at the Greenbelt Art Center. Co-Directed by Lauren Beward and Jaki Demarest, this particular production of the iconic feminist piece is defying the standards of which the original was formed with and setting the benchmark extremely high for all future productions.

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Monty Python s Spamalot at Toby s Dinner Theatre

If life seems jolly rotten then there’s something you’ve forgotten—Monty Python’s Spamalot is playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre! There is no better way to tickle your funny bone this season than with a good old-fashioned laugh-a-minute musical comedy like Monty Python’s Spamalot that will have you roaring in hysterics right through the company bow.

Directed by Mark Minnick with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings, this uproarious show,

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The Flu Season at Single Carrot Theatre by Amanda Gunther

One cannot feel time in words alone, but it is there, ticking, moving, existing. Passing us by as time so often does, as we invest our lives in one thing or another. We as humans spend our lives making an existence, making decisions that make us who we are, but when we depart there is no trace of us left behind except for our absence. Provocative as ever – Single Carrot Theatre opens up their brand new theatre space at 2600 N.

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Stones in His Pockets at CENTERSTAGE by Amanda Gunther

People don’t go to the movies to be depressed that’s what they have the theatre for, or so says Centerstage’s production of Stones in His Pockets; a darkly humored Irish comedy that will tickle your funny bone and bring a tear to your eye in one whirlwind of sensational acting and side-splitting shenanigans. Two actors, a dozen or so characters, and one stage; it’s bound to be a night of utter hilarity even if there are emotions heavy as stones to fill the audience’s hearts.

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Romeo and Juliet at Spotlighters Theatre by Amanda Gunther

The tale of star-crossed lovers, thwarted by fate before their stories even began; the Bard’s oldest and most tragic love tale. We’ve seen it all before, we’ve heard it all before, but The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre is bringing us Romeo & Juliet with a new take on the Shakespearean classic drawing us into the story and making us love and cry all over again. Directed by Lance Bankerd, this production keeps the integrity of the text while transporting the setting to Ancient Greece;

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Boeing Boeing at Fells Point Corner Theatre by Amanda Gunther

Pleasure. Variety. It’s the ideal life; three fiancées, one apartment, and a wild ride. Just so long as the girls don’t find out about each other. Kicking off the new year with a madcap comic farce, Fells Point Corner Theatre proudly presents a smashingly successful production of Boeing Boeing, written by the French playwright Marc Camoletti. The English language adaptation used here was translated by Beverley Cross.

The cast of Boeing Boeing at The Fells Point Corner Theatre. Photo courtesy of Fells Point Corner Theatre.

The cast of ‘Boeing Boeing.

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Harvey at Vagabond Players by Amanda Gunther

People are people no matter where you go. Unless they’re not people, in which case they might be a giant white rabbit measuring in at six feet eight inches— I’m sorry, six feet eight and a half inches— they might just be a Pooka. What’s a Pooka? Look it up! Or head down to The Vagabond Players to see Mary Chase’s Harvey, both are good options, but it’ll be much more fun if you go to the theatre rather than brush off the dictionary.

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Miracle on 34th Street by Meredith Wilson at Toby s Dinner Theatre of Columbia

The age old question that hangs around the holiday season that has been debated, discussed, commercialized, and caused quite the stir over the years: Is there a Santa Claus? Doubt no more, for Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia has the real thing— the proof’s in the pudding— as they bring Meredith Wilson’s  (The Music Man) musical version of Miracle on 34th Street to life just in time for Christmas.

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Appropriate at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company by Amanda Gunther

Death does strange things to people. And in familiar circumstances, people struggling with a death in the family will turn on each other in a heartbeat; siblings and relations will treat each other worse than strangers on the street because they know how to cut – and when they do – they cut deep. Continuing in the vein of unearthing America’s sordid past in Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s 34th season: America’s Tell-Tale Heart,

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Red at Everyman Theatre by Amanda Gunther

The blood of angry men, the color of desire, a sunset; so many things that a simple color can represent. It pulsates and lives when being viewed, but is that life still within the art when it is alone in the darkness without the eye of the beholder to animate it? The captivating, moving drama, winner of six Tony Awards, Red comes to Everyman Theatre as the second show in their 2013/2014 season.

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Review: Detroit at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Are you able to walk up to your neighbor’s house and borrow a cup of sugar? Does anyone even do that anymore? Or is it just easier to go down to the 24-hour food mart and buy what you need rather than trying to determine if you have a functioning relationship with your neighbor? Do you even know the people that live next door? A compelling, yet highly humorous, socio-economical commentary on the devolution of neighborhoods in modern America is what comes to the stage to kick off Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s 34th Season: America’s Tell-Tale Heart.

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‘Les Misèrables’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia

Do you hear the people sing? The beating of their hearts echoes the beating of the drum, as the show is about to start at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia. Presenting the regional premier of the Tony Award-winning classic, one of the longest running shows on Broadway— Les Misèrables stirs up a revolution of the heart and soul as it takes to the in-the-round stage at this spectacular theatre.

Directed by Toby Orenstein and Steven Fleming,

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Nunsense at Toby s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore

When the saints go marching in they’re all heading straight for Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore to see the sensationally hysterical madcap musical revue Nunsense. The little sisters of Dundalk have come to town to put on a variety show in order to raise some funds for their order. Of course it’s never so straight forward, the reason the little sisters need the money is because Sister Julia, Child of God,

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Women of the Blues at Creative Cauldron by Amanda Gunther

A new sound is sliding its way into town as Creative Cauldron presents Women Of The Blues. An original blues review featuring those melancholy melodies from the turn of the twentieth century right on up to more modern inspired music this cabaret style evening is sure to entice your senses with four sensational singers bringing you the songs made famous by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt,

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