author: Anthony Case
Sometimes, you just really need to escape the world for a while, sit in a dark theater, and pray you’re about to see a great show. That was certainly the mood I was feeling sitting in the dark theater at the Opera House in Havre de Grace last night, waiting for Scottfield Theatre Company’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone to start. While not a huge fan of the wink-wink nudge-nudge nature of some similar musicals,
I’ve been a reviewing critic for nearly 15 years. And there’s no irony lost on me that on the day my personal publication, TheatreBloom, turns 10 years old, Cats at Cockpit in Court will be closing its three-week run, concluding the main-stage 2024 season for that company. The “Local Limelight” was a series of interviews that was cooked up during the pandemic, when everyone was wondering if we’d ever get to “theatre” again (like it was a true verb.) And it’s designed to shine a spotlight on someone in the community who gets up to great things,
BAWDY-LICIOUS! Something Rotten Brings Down the House.
Cockpit In Court opens its summer season with the ribald musical, Something Rotten, by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell with music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, in the F. Scott Black Theater. The show runs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays till June 25th and from the response of the audience at the Sunday matinee I attended, I would suggest purchasing your tickets in advance.
“…truly a singular sensation…full of heart, full of feeling, full of beautiful sounds and amazing dance routines…”
Two midnights gone. The slotted spoon doesn’t hold much soup
but it can catch— well, in this case, the Phoenix Festival Theatre production
of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods appearing now as a part of LIVE! at
Harford Community College. Directed by Dickie Mahoney and with Musical
Direction by Terri Matthews, the iconic fairytales of happily after plague the
stage in a warped and twisted fashion, craftable only by the depraved mind of Sondheim.
“My, my… how can I resist ya!”—Dundalk Community Theatre ends their superb season with a
vibrant and visually stunning presentation of Mamma Mia! “the smash hit musical featuring the songs of ABBA!”
With Direction by John Desmone, Music Direction by Nathan Scavilla, and
Choreography by Gary Dieter, this show is sure to leave you singing &
dancing your way out of the theatre!
Amanda N. Gunther | TheatreBloom Rachel Weir (left) as Tanya,
It was a
cold and rainy night. Ironic, since I was on my way to see a play about a drought.
I was driving to Harford County. A place that has been in the news recently
because one of its politicians apologized for making a racial remark that she
didn’t recall making. Fitting since this show also features nasty politicians.
Finally, I arrived at Harford Community College and Urinetown. Wow! What an unexpected surprise!
I say this with humility in this— online open space! They’re your responsibility in— good ol’ Havre de Grace! If you want to see their show and all the feelings that they spill, in Havre de Grace Opera House that’s halfway down the hill, then for God sakes get thee to it! For Congress never will! Yes, yes, it’s not even July and the Tidewater Players are calling to order the second continental congress of America with their production of 1776.
Story of my life! Another Shrekin’ show! Seen ‘em all before— but this one you should know— they’re brought the makin’ the story of their life, oh yeah! You should go out and see Shrek, yes sir! That’s— the story— of this— taaaaale. Shrek! If you’ve seen one then you’ve seen them all, you may have even seen this exact Shrek & Donkey combo before, but Dundalk Community Theatre already knew that and really stepped up their game to reimagine,
Order. Design. Tension. Symmetry. Composition. Balance. Light. Harmony. And look they made a hat, where there never was a hat. Producing the final production in a “Celebration of Sondheim” festival that spanned the course of nearly two seasons, The Milburn Stone Theatre brings to a close an era of one of musical theatre’s greatest minds by mounting Sunday in the Park with George. With Musical Direction by Dan McTiernan and Production Coordinator John Desmone at the canvas,
There is life outside your apartment, I know it’s hard to conceive. But there is life outside your apartment! And you’re only gonna see it if you leave! There is cool shit to do, but it can’t come to you, and who knows, dude, you might even score— tickets to Phoenix Festival Theater Company’s production of Avenue Q if you’re lucky! For a limited two-weekend engagement, the zany Off-Broadway musical sensation is eking out a home on Thomas Run Road and is providing barrels full of laughter for everyone in attendance.
This time of year, it seems as though every theatre company is trying to take advantage of the holiday season by producing kitschy holiday shows full of traditional Christmas songs, gaudily decorated artificial Christmas trees, and folks dressed up like Eskimos. And you know what I say to that? BRING IT ON! This is one of my favorite times of year and I adore the kitsch! I had the honor and pleasure of attending Dundalk Community Theatre’s holiday offering,
Show business can be tough but more than that, it can be RUTHLESS! And that’s what you’ll learn at Dundalk Community Theatre’s delightful offering of Ruthless! The Musical with Music by Marvin Laird and Book and Lyrics by Joel Paley. Under the very creative Direction of Baltimore theatre jack-of-all-trades John Desmone, and Musical Direction by Michael DeVito, this rarely produced show lets the audience in on what it takes to be a star whether it’s in your blood or if you have to attain your success and stardom in other ways.
Old situations! New complications! Something for everyone at Milburn Stone tonight! A true feel-good comedy for everyone, one of Sondheim’s earliest musicals barrels its way through the doors at the theatre housed on the Cecil College Campus and is received to herculean applause. Directed by John Desmone with Musical Direction by Nicole Tart, this witty farcical evening of entertainment delivers on the promise of the show’s opening number, with comedy tonight!
Rome is looking splendid in its three house representation conceptualized and created by the theatre’s Technical Director Bob Denton.
Let your freak flag wave! Let your freak flag fly! And it’s waving high and proud over at the St. Demetrio’s Suburban Players as they celebrate their 40th season with a production of Shrek the musical! Directed by John Desmone, this fairytale masterpiece has a happy ending for everyone who comes to see it. A truly remarkable production, the Suburban Players are getting their happily ever after on and it’s a giddy delight.
It’s time to get serious! Less of a classic, more of a pop hit! Serious! It’s a fun musical that they’re doing at Cockpit— in Court, that is. And it’s Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin’s Legally Blonde! Wowee! Sisters of Delta Nu unite! With book by Heather Hach, and under the Direction of Robert W. Oppel and Musical Direction of Michael Clark, and conducted by Jeff Baker, this is one upbeat summer show that will have you recalling fondly that movie that swept the nation by storm when it debuted nearly 15 years ago!