Articles Tagged With: Rikki Howie Lacewell

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals at CJ Productions

Reviews November 9, 2024 Anthony Case Leave a comment

author: Anthony Case

Halloween might be over, but that doesn’t mean we have to leave the thrills and chills of Spooky Season behind. CJ Productions might have just what you’re looking for with their production of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals. The show, with Music and Lyrics by Jeff Blim and a book by Nick and Matt Lang, gained a lot of popularity online when a professional recording of the original cast was posted by the very popular Chicago based Starkid Productions.

Sweeney Todd at Rockville Musical Theatre

Reviews November 2, 2024 Jake Schwartz Leave a comment

author: Jake Schwartz

Anyone need a shave? Why not come on down to Fleet Street? Or even better – why not come down to Rockville Musical Theatre’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

We need to start by saying Director Karen Fleming does a PHENOMENAL job with this production. The show was a well-oiled machine, and while the run time was nearly 3 hours: it didn’t feel that way at all.

The Guy Who Absolutely Loved Musicals: Chatting with Sammy Jungwirth about CJ Productions’ The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals

Interviews October 31, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

Some make you happy! Some make you sad! Some are quite big! Some are quite small! Some are too long— some are just plays with song! And they’re— all— called— MUSICALS! And CJ Productions (a relatively new and upcoming small professional theatre company based in the Baltimore area) is producing The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals. Direct from Team StarKid, this 2018 viral sensation of a musical is making its Charm City debut under the Direction of Sammy Jungwirth (the J in CJ Productions) with area musical director Charlotte Evans at his side.

Ms. Story’s Living History at Greenbelt Arts Center

Reviews February 20, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Dreams don’t have to be deferred. They can grow and bloom; they can bring nourishment to the soul. The sentiment, if not the words exactly, of creator Shemika Renee in the setting the tone for her one-woman production of Ms. Story’s Living History, now appearing at the Greenbelt Arts Center through March 3rd, 2024. Directed by Rikki Howie Lacewell, this educational presentation explores important narratives of historical women of color, telling their stories to help unravel the mystery of history when all too often these stories are overlooked.

Merrily We Roll Along at Greenbelt Arts Center

Reviews January 16, 2024 Stephen Duda

When Director Roy Hammond got the rights for Merrily We Roll Along in 2019, little did he know a pandemic and some Broadway wizardry would interfere. But it’s up! And it’s amazing! This 1981 musical covers the trials and tribulations of three artistic friends … backwards … starting with their ultimate breakup and ending with the hopeful youths staring up on a roof in October 1957. Being Sondheim, you’ll be hard pressed to whistle a melody on the way home,

DOT at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 25, 2022 Cybele Pomeroy

A Black family at Christmas finds love and humor dealing with Mother’s cognitive issues.

Cockpit In Court at CCBC Essex (formerly Essex Community College) presents DOT at the Cabaret Theatre in the Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center. DOT, a relatively new play, (2016), describes itself as ‘twisted and hilarious’ but that’s not entirely accurate. Let me get through this intro and I’ll explain. It’s a family show that isn’t remotely family-appropriate,

Zanna Don’t! at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews July 9, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Garbage punctuated by art. Isn’t that what life is? Sure feels like it sometimes. If you’re feeling like the garbage part of your life is overwhelming, The Audrey Herman Spotlighters theatre has a magical hall-monitor from a parallel universe ready to wave their magic wand and give you all the wonderful art and zany comedy one could hope for in a musical called Zanna Don’t! This musical fairytale, created by Alexander Dinelaris and Tim Acito,

Motherhood Out Loud at Greenbelt Arts Center

Reviews October 31, 2019 Tommy Malek

Motherhood: sometimes a complete joy,
sometimes an utter pain… but either way, the ladies (and gentleman) at
Greenbelt Arts Center are taking us through ALL the motions; the good, the bad,
and the ugly of being a mom in Motherhood Out Loud by Leslie
Ayvazian, Brooke Berman, David Cale, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Lameece
Issaq, Claire LaZebnik, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Marco Pennette, Theresa Rebeck,
Luanne Rice, Annie Weisman and Cheryl L. West.

Director
Rikki Howie Lacewell guides this voyage of vignettes with a skillful hand and a
keen eye.

The Wild Party at Greenbelt Arts Center

Reviews August 31, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Queenie was a blonde.

And Burrs will make you happy.

And Kate is the life of the party.

And maybe they like it that way.

They’re raising the roof over at The Greenbelt Arts Center with their wild, wild party. Not just any party, but Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, directed by Jeffrey Lesniak with Musical Direction by Elizabeth Alford, and Choreography by Rikki Lacewell.

Disaster! at Cockpit in Court

Reviews June 21, 2019 Mike Zellhofer

This
review can practically write itself. Let’s face it, there is nothing disastrous
about Cockpit in Court’s current production. Of course, I am talking about Disaster! the 70’s disaster movie
musical written by Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick and directed by Todd
Pearthree. Pearthree and his production team (Music Director Michael DeVito,
Technical Director Jason Randolph, Set Designer Michael Rasinski, Lighting
Designer Thomas Gardner, Costumer Designer Will Crowther, Sound Designer Corey
Sekulow, and Stage Manager John Chrzanowski) have put together THE smash hit of
the summer.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Kensington Arts Theatre

Reviews May 17, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

Hello, Possums! Welcome to The Kensington Arts Theatre— the drag capitol of the world! Because they have the most dragulous show all lined up for you over these next few weekends! That’s right, Possums! It’s— *GASP* Priscilla Queen of the Desert! Directed by John Nunemaker with Musical Direction by Valerie A. Higgs and Choreography by Rikki Howie Lacewell, this area community theatre premiere has lots of dragtastic potential and a heart-warming story about embracing yourself no matter who you are!

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Prince George’s Little Theatre

Reviews April 24, 2018 Rachel Zirkin Duda

Who is going to believe a con artist? Everyone, if she [he] is good. – Andy Griffith

In the 18th century, a grifter named Samuel Thompson tried to swindle people out of their money and watches by attempting to gain their confidence. Though in the end he was not highly successful, the New York Herald publicized the story, dubbing him the “Confidence Man.” The term took off and was eventually shortened to simply – “con man.” In 1988,

The Wizard of Oz at Greenbelts Arts Center

Reviews November 28, 2017 Rachel Zirkin Duda

Ordinarily, the day after Thanksgiving consists of folks sitting around the house with still-loosened belts, eating delicious leftovers, perhaps catching up on missed episodes of favorite TV shows, and/or attempting to recover from the tryptophan-induced comas still plaguing them from the night before. But this year – at least for some – things unfolded a little differently. Instead of relaxing in their living rooms, dozens and dozens of people filled the seats at the Greenbelt Arts Center to watch a visually stunning,

Sister Act at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 28, 2017 Cybele Pomeroy

Hallelujah for Sister Act at Cockpit In Court! CCBC Essex presents a family musical with sincerely praise-worthy voices and a lot of spirit in the F. Scott Black Mainstage Theatre. The stage musical of Sister Act is based on the Whoopi Goldberg movie of the same name, but while audiences loved hearing familiar Motown tunes used innovatively in the context of a cloister, the stage production got Alan Menken— you remember Alan Menken?

Review: Seussical the Musical at Greenbelt Arts Center

Reviews December 6, 2016 Rachel Zirkin Duda

“Think and wonder, wonder and think.” Infamous children’s book author Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) seemed to be a big fan of a good think. All throughout his books, he encouraged kids to think for themselves, find out and become who they are and fight for what they believe in. So, it’s no small wonder that a musical based on his books is all about characters trying to do just that. Seussical, The Musical,

Review: Kiss Me, Kate at 2nd Star Productions

Reviews June 25, 2015 Amanda N. Gunther

Brush up your Shakespeare! You might need it to thoroughly enjoy each and every hysterical joke featured in 2nd Star Productions current performance of Kiss Me, Kate, the musical whose focus revolves around the Bard’s Taming of the Shrew. Directed by Roy Hammond with Musical Direction Joe Biddle, the show is a smash-hit sensation with an extraordinarily talented cast that makes an afternoon at the theatre thoroughly enjoyable.

Interview: Keepin’ Out of Mischief with Vagabond Players Director Rikki Howie Lacewell

Interviews October 20, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Take a stroll through the square of Fells point any evening weekend this fall and you’ll hear the joint is truly jumpin’ over at The Vagabond Players. Their production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ has got the whole of Baltimore tappin’ its toes and stompin’ its feet! TheatreBloom took a quick break from doing the jitterbug waltz and sat down with Director Rikki Howie Lacewell to find out just what this crazy cool cat musical is all about!

Review: Ain’t Misbehavin’ at The Vagabond Players

Reviews October 17, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

When taking a chance on an evening out at the theatre just what one gets? Well, one never knows, do one? But one will certainly be having a toe-tappin’ foot-stompin’ swingin’ ringin’ good time down at The Vagabond Players as their 99th season continues on with Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Fats Waller Musical Show. Conceived by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby Jr. this jazzy swinging sensation of a musical revue hits the stage a stompin’ and has the whole joint jumpin’ before all is said and done.