Articles Tagged With: Disney

Spotlight on Street Lamp Productions: 10th Season Announcement

News September 7, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Nice work, if you can get it and if you’ve got, flaunt it and all that jazz? Musical theatre— it’s that labor of love, that essence of existence for so many— and at the end of the day, it’s no small feat to have a small, grassroots theatre organization make it to its tenth anniversary season! Street Lamp Productions— the main operating umbrella for Street Lamp Community Theatre, Street Lamp Performing Arts Academy, and Street Lamp Arts Academy Teen Pre Professional Group— has a whole bunch of exciting and thrilling news to announce for their tenth anniversary season!

Newsies at Other Voices Theatre

Reviews August 2, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

Erica Hansbrough (left) as Belle and David Kaiser (right) as Beast in Beauty & The Beast at Small Town Stars Theatre Company ???? Mort Shuman

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast at Small Town Stars Theatre Company

Reviews July 27, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

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,

Newsies at Cockpit in Court Jr ???? THSquared Photos

Newsies at Cockpit in Court’s Court Jesters Summer Theatre

Reviews June 25, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

Finding Nemo Jr. at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

News March 3, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Just below the coral— sea parents dream of who their kids will be! And live on the stage of Children’s Playhouse of Maryland— you can see how wondrous these talented kids can be! Just as long as you— JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING! And you’d better swim fast if you want a chance at catching this production of Finding Nemo Jr.— several of the performances have sold out!

Caroline Bowman (center) as Elsa and the North American tour of Disney's Frozen ????Deen van Meer

Frozen at The Kennedy Center

Reviews December 24, 2023 Steven Kirkpatrick & Charles Boyington Steven Kirkpatrick & Charles Boyington

Currently playing at the Kennedy Center through Jan. 21st, 2024, Disney’s musical Frozen, a wintry fairytale loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen, is a fabulous theatrical spectacle for all ages, a celebration of love, family, and self-acceptance that is visually spellbinding (if a little light on characterization).

Based on the phenomenally successful 2013 animated Disney film, the stage version is delivered by the same artistic team,

The Lion King North American Tour. ???? Joan Marcus

The Lion King at The Kennedy Center

Reviews June 26, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer…

And where does it feature? Just listen to teacher…

It’s the main stage feature of The Kennedy Center’s Opera House stage. Disney’s The Lion King, one of its most spectacular touring productions to date (and that’s saying something considering all of the fantastical magical enchantment that’s rolling around the country with Aladdin and Frozen), has arrived in the nation’s capital for a month-long summertime engagement!

Caroline Bowman as Elsa in Frozen. ???? Deenvan Meer

Frozen at The Hippodrome

Reviews June 9, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle— but you’re going to have to LET IT GO. Because summer has arrived and with it blows the sparkly, dazzling, twinkly lights of Disney Broadway musical, blasting its way into Baltimore and ready to take Charm City by storm. We may not have seen any snow last winter, but fear now, with summer arriving— Frozen is here and ready to bring you all the snow you’ll ever need.

Beauty & The Beast at Phoenix Festival Theatre. ????Matthew Peterson

Beauty and The Beast at Phoenix Festival Theatre

Reviews March 3, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Well, who’d have thought? Well, bless my soul! Well, who’d have guessed? Well, who indeed? That Phoenix Festival Theatre would be sold out before you could be their guest? Just wait and see— standing room at least— that’s all that’s left for their stunning production of Beauty and The Beast. Disney has a funny way of enchanting ticket buyers to purchase tickets before the run even truly gets underway. Good luck finding someone who wants to give up their ticket to this sold-out performance.

Mary Poppins at The St. Demetrios’ Suburban Players

Reviews February 11, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

If you reach for the stars, all you get are the stars, but The Suburban Players of St. Demetrios have found a whole new spin! They have reached for the heavens— and they got the stars thrown in! Their current production of Mary Poppins is heartwarming, impressive, loaded with love and with talent, and above all it’s— Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! That fantastical nonsense word which means great joy, fantabulosity, and all things wonderfully excellent! Produced by Smaro Cook &

Spit Spot & Practically Perfect: An Interview with Suzi Eldridge & Jim Gross on Mary Poppins at Suburban Players

Interviews February 7, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Illusions may shatter, but memories stay… important lessons learned are all along the way! No strangers to Poppins, they’re giving their thanks! It’s Jim Gross and Suzi Eldridge— playing Mr. and Mrs. Banks! In a tale of what almost was once upon a time, these two area actors finally get to play opposite one another— this time for St. Demetrios’ Suburban Players— as the matriarch and patriarch of the Banks’ family in Mary Poppins.

Spit Spot & Practically Perfect: An Interview with Tammy Oppel on Mary Poppins at Suburban Players

Interviews January 30, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Brimstone and treacle and cod liver oil! Those are the tricks of her trade! A far cry from the syrupy, sweet, spoonful-of-sugar-style nanny, Miss Andrew is on the scene! Continuing on in our practically perfect interview series with the Suburban Players’ cast of Mary Poppins, we’ll have a chat with Tammy Oppel about playing the nasty and nefarious Miss Andrew, foil to Mary Poppins herself and villain extraordinaire in the musical.

So excited to get to chat with you,

Disney’s Descendants at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews December 8, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

They got all the ways to be W-I-C-K-E-D! Just get your tickets and you’ll see them be W-I-C-K-E-D! Children’s Playhouse of Maryland is bringing the house down this holiday season with their production of Disney’s Descendants. And it is living up to its wicked namesake! Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans and Choreography by Rachel Miller this thrilling, high-energy, totally upbeat and wildly twisted tale of the children of Disney’s finest ‘evils’ will have you recognizing that bad is the new good all through the holiday season.

Kaenaonālani Kekoa (left) as Jasmine and Jonah Ho'okano (right) as Aladdin. Photo: Deen van Meer

Aladdin at The Hippodrome

Reviews November 15, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Gotta keep— one jump, ahead of the box-office line! One
swing— ahead of the rest! Disney’s got a show that truly tops the rest! So make
way— for Disney’s Aladdin! Make way— for Disney’s Aladdin! Coasting
in on a magic carpet just in time for the holidays this highly adventurous, memorably
Disney stage show brings you a cave of wonders and them some when it comes to
theatrical spectacle.

The Little Mermaid at September Song

Reviews September 5, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

The seaweed is always greener, on somebody else’s stage. You’ve
seen a bunch of productions, cause last year it was all the rage. But look at
the show that’s happenin’— right there on the Carroll Arts Center floor, such
different things about it— what more is you looking for? The Little Mermaid
is splashing on stage as the 45th anniversary production of
September Song. Directed by Debbie Mobley with Musical Direction by Kelly
Stoneberger,

Kaenaonālani Kekoa (left) as Princess Jasmine and Clinton Greenspan (right) as Aladdin in Disney's Aladdin. Photo: Deen van Meer

Aladdin at The Kennedy Center

Reviews July 22, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Well Ali Baba had them 40 thieves, Scheherezad-ie had a thousand
tales! But DC, you in luck, ‘cause on your stage— you got a Disney show that
never fails! You got some Disney in your Opera House, it’s the summer show, it’s
set up camp! The Kennedy Center’s punching with pizzazz, and all you’ll wanna
do is rub that lamp and you’ll get— Disney’s Aladdin! Direct from
Broadway on its National Tour,

Newsies at The Fredericktowne Players

Reviews July 19, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Newsies on a mission; kill the competition! The
Fredericktowne Players are carrying the banner of Disney’s latest screen-to-stage
hit musical with their production of Newsies. Directed by Meg Williams,with Musical Direction by Matthew Dohm, and Choreography by Kendall Sigman,
this heartfelt production showcases some vivaciously talented individuals and
produces a quality summertime show for everyone to see during the sweltering
heat of Maryland’s 2019 indoor summer season.

The Fredericktowne Players The cast of Newsies at The Fredericktowne Players

With bold ambitions,

Newsies at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews May 6, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

And The World will
know! And The Sun will too! ‘Bout
these Newsies and the awesome job they
do! The things they do today will be tomorrow’s news! And you heard it here
first— right in black in white— front page ABOVE the fold! That’s right— read
all about it! Right here! Children’s Playhouse of Maryland does Newsies and makes Disney proud with all
of their energy,

Jessica Bennett (left) as Esmerelda and Sam Kobren (right) as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Jeri Tidwell Photography)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Reviews April 10, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Here it is— the moment you’ve been waiting for! Here it is—
you know exactly what’s in store! A story like you’ve never seen or heard
before! Now’s the time to head to Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia to see the
DC-regional premiere of The Hunchback of
Notre Dame. Directed by Toby Orenstein & Mark Minnick, with Musical
Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings, this musical masterpiece inspired by the
Victor Hugo novel with musical selections from the Disney animated feature film
presents a hauntingly beautiful tale with striking,

Newsies at Third Wall Productions

Reviews February 9, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Amanda N. Gunther | TheatreBloom

Now is the time to seize the day! Third Wall Productions are
staring down the odds— and everyone else who wants to tackle this bear of a
musical production— and seizing the day! Proudly carrying the banner of their
first major children’s inclusive production since 13: The Musical (their second-ever production as a company, almost
three full years ago!), TWP is thrilled to present Disney’s Newsies.

Newsies at Street Lamp Productions

Reviews December 5, 2018 Mike Zellhofer

Now is the time seize the day! Or in this case, “Carpe scaena!” And seize the stage like they did! Street Lamp Productions presentation of Disney’s Newsies, Directed and Choreographed by Bambi Johnson, is well worth the drive to Rising Sun, MD. I reckon it may be a bit out of the way for some Baltimore City folk, (Admittedly, had my mother not lived in Colora for over eleven years, I may not have known about it either.) but I promise you it’s worth the trip.

The Little Mermaid at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Reviews December 5, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

Watch and you’ll see— you too can be— part of their world! If you book your tickets quickly, that is, you too can be a part of the irresistible holiday magic happening at Toby’s Dinner Theatre this Christmas. Presenting Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Directed and Choreographed by Mark Minnick with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings, this epic adventure will bring you under the sea and into the fully animated world of Disney’s cherished coming-of-age tale about a little mermaid and her dreams to be part of the human world.

Beauty & The Beast at Damascus Theatre Company

Reviews November 5, 2018 Jonathan Jackson

“Tale as old as time” perfectly describes this musical and I can’t think of one person that hasn’t watched this classic Disney movie, or most recently the remake in 2017. Beauty and the Beast at Damascus Theatre Company under the direction of Lee Michele Rosenthal and musical direction by Marci Shegogue will leave you feeling magical and uplifted, however there are a few bumps along the path. I must admit, this iconic Disney film is one of my favorites,

Beauty & The Beast at MAD

Reviews October 30, 2018 Rachel Zirkin Duda

Fun fact: The story of Beauty and the Beast was originally published in 1740 as “La Belle et La Bête,” a French tale written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Gallon de Villeneuve (now, that’s a mouthful!) Oddly enough, there weren’t any talking clocks or candelabras involved in that iteration. Two and a half centuries later, Disney turned it into the animated classic most modern audiences are familiar with. It has also been adapted for the stage,

The Little Mermaid at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 23, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

Look at their set; isn’t it neat? Wouldn’t you think their set design is so sweet? Wouldn’t you think Michael Rasinski’s the guy— the guy who’s designed everything? Look at those lights— colors so bold! How many wonders can Lighting Designer Thomas Gardner behold? Looking around the stage you’d think— the creative team’s done everything! They’ve got James Hunnicutt designing the properties. They’ve got Brent Tomchik making splashes with sound. You want Choreography? That’s Karli Burnham.

Newsies at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre

Newsies at Shenandoah Summer Musical Theatre

Reviews June 28, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

What’s in the papes today? Who made the headlines? Above the fold?!? Why it’s Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre with their real swell production of Disney’s Newsies. Directed by Edward Carignan, with Musical Direction by Rick Edinger, and Choreography by Dionysia Williams, this charming tale based on the 1992 film of the same name, will catch your eye like a bold and sassy headline on the morning paper. Filled with heart and some incredibly impressive moments,

Newsies at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Reviews March 23, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther 1 Comment

Toby’s Carries Banner! Makes Newsies Smash Success!

Toby’s on a mission! Kills competition with stellar new musical production!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Newsies makes area premiere at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia! Directed by Mark Minnick & Toby Orenstein with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings and Choreography by Ilona Kessell, this moving and inspirationally sensational Disney musical inspired by the 1992 Disney film is a regular prize-winning affair.

Beauty and The Beast at Tidewater Players

Reviews November 18, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther 2 Comments

Aha! Oui, oui, mah friends! The day we have waited for may be at hand! The Tidewater Players are producing Disney’s Beauty and The Beast. Ah…Beauty and The Beast. Think what that means! They’ll be singing again! They’ll be dancing again! They’ll be dressing up in glitter galore! They’ll be acting again! They’ll be living again! They’ll be entertaining audiences by the score! And The Tidewater Players,

The Little Mermaid at Phoenix Festival Theatre

Reviews September 17, 2017 Andrew Worthington

They’ve got the spirit (you’ve got to hear it) under the sea! Disney’s The Little Mermaid, part of Phoenix Festival Theater’s 2017-2018 season, is a coming of age story that is bursting with talented performances throughout. Along with Music Director Chris Rose and Choreographer Amanda Poxon, Director Laurie Starkey has assembled a talented cast that truly breathes life into the Disney classic.

Upon entering the theater, the audience member is immediately transported to an underwater world due to thoughtful decorations,

Beauty and The Beast at September Song

Reviews August 31, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

No one’s dressed like they are— glitter-pressed like the are— no one’s show’s as incredibly blessed as they are! For their whole run is already sold out! There are definit’ly worse problems to haaaaaave! Their production’s so unique and awesome! That September Song packed all the seats that they have! Who do they think they are? That theatre has tangled up with the right people— darn right they have! Well, gosh it disturbs me to say this,