What if I told you— you could change the world with just one thought? I think the thought you might think would be “please let me somehow get my hands on some tickets to see Big Fish at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre.” And it’s going to take a miracle to get your hands on those because the run is sold out. And rightfully so, the show itself is stupendous, thoroughly engaging, emotionally invested,
Be very careful of these rumors that prevail. Be very careful what you say. I am the girl who knows the truth behind the tale…don’t let this one get away! The Neva flows! September Song shows— and now it’s finally here… They’re on the stage, they’ll turn your page… with their Anastasia this year. In case you somehow haven’t heard, (the rumors in Carroll County-berg) September Song Musical Theatre is celebrating their 50th Anniversary season with Anastasia,
The answer that you’re after is the music lights and laughter— and they’ve got it— all you have to do is… be Italian! Well, not even that, just get your tickets to Nine now appearing in the Eisenhower Theatre of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as a part of the Broadway Center Stage series. Directed and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler with Musical Direction by Lily Ling, this visceral and evocative musical exploration of one man’s existence and his perceived madness of the women that create,
(Sacred) Heart don’t fail them now! Courage won’t desert them! Step right up— now that you’re there! People always say— theatre’s full of good times— things to make you clap and cheer! See their stage and their cast— let them take you— on this journey…to the past! Now, if you sang that intro to this review against the tune in your head, we know you’re a true fan of Anastasia! The Grand Duchess Anastasia?
Victory! Guts and glory! They’re a front-page story— they’re the kings of— Frederick! You heard it here first, folks, and the papes don’t lie! Newsies at Other Voices Theatre is a real smash sensation! OVT is on a mission, kill the competition! And they’re doing it right! Directed by Ashely Gerhardt with Musical Direction by Tyrus Mataban-Ward, and Choreography by Kiersten Gasemy, this exuberantly energetic production is carrying the banner of excellence and engaging the audience with their enthusiasm and heart from start to finish.
It takes a village— a village of 50 Frenchmen even— to assemble a production as massive as Disney’s Beauty & The Beast. And the little town— yes, that quiet village— with Belle, Gaston, all the enchanted objects? It’s set its sights on Small Town Stars Theatre Company and there it is! Disney’s Beauty & The Beast like you’ve never imagined it before, complete with flying shoes* and dancing peppermints all for young audiences,
Street Lamp Community Theatre. They’re here to tell you how this whole damn freak show works. And once you’ve seen…you can’t unsee. Known for their edgy, unusual choices in musicals that are rarely produced, SLCT is bringing you a dark and bloody thriller for the ages! Directed by Matthew Peterson with Musical Direction by Mia Bray and Choreography by Stephanie Peterson, Carrie is here to thrill you with a few shivers up the spine from the powerhouse company belt-blasting their way through this haunting score.
author: Leonard Taube
“I want a divorce”. So begins the play Grand Horizons which Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre is putting on in their upstairs In-The-Round space which opened tonight to rousing applause and enthusiastic reception. A relatively recent play written by American playwright, screenwriter, and actress Bess Wohl, Grand Horizons began previews on Broadway on December 23,2019 and opened on January 23, 2020. This play marked Wohl’s Broadway debut and was nominated for the 2020 Tony Award for Best Play.
Turn your face toward Cockpit in Court…let your memory lead you…open up enter in (to the F. Scott Black Theatre inside the Robert & Eleanor Romadka College Center) you will find there…the meaning of what happiness is… and a new show…will begin. If it was mystical the first time, magical the second, it will certainly be memorable, magnificent— truly Jellicle— the third as Bambi Johnson (who has become synonymous with Andrew Lloyd Webber and T.S.
author: Mark Briner
City life in the Metropolitan DC to Baltimore corridor can be harsh. We’re pulled in a hundred directions by work, family, and myriads of other obligations when sometimes just want to unplug, relax, and run away from it all. The good news is it doesn’t matter where you are or what time it is because, as they say on Island time, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”, and this month, that magical hour is tucked away in the heart of downtown historic Annapolis in a courtyard inside a little historic building right on the harbor amidst the multitude of docked yachts and rooftop bars.
There is no doubt that they are going to wound you; they are going to be your bruise. Viscerally evocative and emotionally stunning, Maryland Theatre Collective closes out their season with Spring Awakening, a musical by Duncan Sheik with Book & Lyrics by Steven Sater based on the play by Frank Wedekind. Directed & Choreographed by Tommy Malek with Musical Direction by Rachel Sandler, this gloriously impactful musical is a gut-punch for the ages with a stellar cast,
You know you’re going to be in for a night when the characters in the program don’t actually have names. Buckle up, bicycle kick, and get ready to go for— goal— with The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe now officially open at Spotlighters Theatre as the last main-stage show of their 61st season. Directed by Lanoree Blake, this 90-minute, no-intermission, theatrical exploration gives you glimpses into the lives of teenage girls and their indoor-soccer-dominated world.
author: Steven Kirkpatrick
“Don’t tell me not to fly, I simply got to
If someone takes a spill, it’s me and not you
Who told you you’re allowed to rain on my parade?”
This colorful, surprisingly fresh production of a vintage musical is decidedly worth a trip to The Kennedy Center, where Funny Girl lights up the Opera House, in grand old fashion, through July 14th 2024.
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Ain’t it a fine life? Carrying the banner to the hall (The lecture hall— of the admin building!) A mighty fine life! Carrying the banner tough and tall! And boy oh boy is them kids doing exactly that with this brilliant and energetic production of Disney’s Newsies! You read it here first, folks! And the papes don’t lie! Some sensationally talented kids are giving you two weekends worth of summertime entertainment over at Cockpit in Court Jr.
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Call it hell, call it heaven, it’s a probable 12-ta-7 that HCST is doing— Guys & Dolls! That iconic, classic musical where the dice and the prayers are rolling all over New York City has landed (once again after being Howard County Summer Theatre’s inaugural production in 1975 and was produced again in 2008) at Marriotts Ridge High School for a two-week engagement and this ain’t no fly-by-night-Broadway-romance!
author: Amanda N. Gunther
They’ve taken the photographs and still-frames in their mind and hung them on a shelf— well, a stage— in good health and good times… Small Town Stars Theatre Company is putting tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial with their striking and impressive production of Green Day’s American Idiot. Directed by Miranda Secula-Rosell (with Assistant Director Erik Secula) with Vocal Direction by Jude Sims, and Choreography by Delaney Goodwin &
author: Erin Tarpley
“There nothing that a hundred men on Mars could ever do”
If you’re like me, then you have never heard of the play Crocodile Fever before. If you’re like me, you didn’t immediately see the connection between “crocodile” and Northern Ireland when you did get a brief whiff of where the story was set. If you’re like me, and you are ready to take a chance on the unknown but are ultimately looking for an evening of comedy and drama,
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Hundreds and hundreds of girls! At least they didn’t just get off of the train…though that might be a different composer. And actually, it’s only six— six girls— and no, three of them are not named Katherine. Different six- ~Casey~ * ~Heather~ * ~Holly~ * ~Izzy~ * ~Lizzie~ * ~Meli~ and Steven. And while they may not be famous dead queens formerly married to a tyrant, they are certainly queens of the stage with their vocal prowess as they tackle this musical revue-cabaret of Jerry’s Girls,
author: Amanda N. Gunther
The thing you have to remember is spirit and teamwork! And that happiness is anything and anyone that’s loved by you. And you’ll just love all the spirit and teamwork that’s coming together in Stand Up For…Theatre’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! It may not be the Broadway revival version (so no Sally, no “Beethoven Day” and no “That’s My New Philosophy”) but it’s still adorable,
author: Amanda N. Gunther
There’s music to play— places to go— people to see! Everything— at The Kennedy! (…Center for Performing Arts!) And that luscious, glorious 22-person orchestra is playing the sensational music of Bye Bye Birdie! appearing in The Eisenhower through June 15th 2024 as a part of the ‘Broadway Center Stage’ series at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts! And you should definitely come see this refreshing revamp of this show;
author: Amanda N. Gunther
Angry men don’t write the rules and guns don’t right the wrongs. A debatable truth from “The Ballad of Booth” inside of a Sondheim show. What’s not up for debate is the caliber and quality of the production of Assassins now appearing live at Silver Spring Stage— their first musical in 27 years! And it’s quite the impressive feat considering it’s their first musical in nearly three decades and it’s a Sondheim to boot!
author: Jimi Kinstle
Head Over Heels, book by James Magruder, conceived by Jeff Whitty, is open and running at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) in Frederick, MD. Directed by MET Associate Artistic Director, Gené Fouché, it offers an entertaining evening of frivolity and fantasy while exploring themes of love, acceptance and self-discovery – all set to the sounds of the 1980s high energy band, The Go-Gos.
Set in an Elizabethan-esque fairy tale world,
author: Charles Boyington
Is Topdog/Underdog worth seeing at Round House Theatre? That is what you want to know, of course, and the answer is Yes. It is an excellent production of a difficult but truly remarkable script that at times will make you laugh and also, at times, render you incredibly uncomfortable. It is a play that general audiences should definitely see, not just because it is well produced, but because of its story.
Prescribed plans for wellness do not allow for love at first sight. But haven’t we all been there? Or at least seen our friends and family be there? Jumping into something when they shouldn’t based on nothing more than a glance across the Supercenter shopping aisle? Or not jumping out of something when they should have because there just wasn’t an easy way out? If you’re looking for a good evening of dark, laugh-out-loud comedy,
One thing’s universal! Life’s no dress rehearsal! And they are certainly making waves before it’s through! Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre has indeed built a prom! For everyone! And they’re showing us— it can be done! Kicking off the 2024 season under the stars, ASGT is bringing The Prom to life with its powerful, important message and it’s a real glittering spectacle well worth attending. Directed and Musical Directed by David Merrill, with Choreography by Elysia Merrill,
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” ~Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest.
Well, say it ain’t so, hon! Because Baltimore Center Stage is closing out its 2023/2024 mainstage season with a wild new adaptation of Wilde’s fanciful comedy— The Importance of Being Earnest— and it’s just a delightful gem, serving as the perfect sparkling cap to the five-show season. Adapted and Directed by Jenny Koons,
Step aside, Cinderella! Move over, Imelda Marcos! Because Dundalk Community Theatre is here! And they are lighting up the stage like a live wire with Lola’s Kinky Boots! Directed by Roger Schulman, with Musical Direction by Catina Ramis McLagan, and Choreography by Rachel Miller, this stunning production of a gloriously heartwarming tale invites you to embrace yourself for who you are, live your best life, and to simply— just be!
Buckle up for a trip to Northampton as seasoned Technical Director Marc W.
author: Erin Tarpley
You’ll sing, you’ll laugh, you’ll want to buy things!
Let’s play a little thought experiment. When I say the word “Tupperware,” what is the first thought that comes to mind?
Is it “bowls”? Is it “plastic food preservation”? Or is it “Party!”?
Ok, for a lot of men, the honest answer is probably “bowls;” but for so many others who had a more traditionally feminine upbringing in the later half of the American Twentieth Century,
I’m reviewing— the situation! Or as the case may be— the production! Of Oliver! at Tidewater Players this spring. And it is not your grandma’s Oliver! which is arguably one of the best things that can be said for a production of this show, as so many people write it off as either a children’s show or Annie with boys. This production is neither of those things and I’ll raise all the flagons of ale in the tavern in a grateful cheer to that!
author: Erin Klarner
The Wedding Singer at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore, the company-in-residence at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Rosedale, is directed by Bryan Brown, assistant directed by Lou Otero, and music directed by Darwin Ray, with choreography by Suzy Zacker. This stage musical – book by Chad Beguelin and Tim Herlihy, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics also by Chad Beguilin – is based on a popular 1998 movie (of the same title) which this reviewer has never seen,