Articles Tagged With: Sammy Jungwirth

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.

Jekyll & Hyde at The Havre de Grace Opera House

Reviews October 12, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

Mesmerizing. Haunting. Lingering. Distill the theatrical experience into a singularity of words and those are the three that flash immediately to mind. Look further still behind the façade for evocative sensationalism, hypnotic chaos, captivating moments of song, movement, and storytelling…and you just might find yourself seated in The Opera House of Havre de Grace for Jekyll & Hyde. Adapted for the stage by Steven Cuden and Frank Wildhorn, this musical thriller appears on the Opera House stage just in the throng of the calendar’s most haunted month.

Director Eric Bray Jr. (subbing for Matthew Peterson) as The Fiddler in Fiddler on the Roof ???? Matthew Peterson

Fiddler on the Roof at Phoenix Festival Theater

Reviews September 20, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles! Phoenix Festival Theater is up in production for the fall! And they’re bringing a time-honored classic, some might call it a musical theatre tradition— Fiddler on the Roof. Directed by Eric Bray Jr., whose main stage directorial debut could not have been more successful, with Musical Direction by Rebecca Rossello, and Choreography by Karlie Surgeon, this insightfully nuanced and emotionally driven production is truly an extraordinary feat,

Cats at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 20, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Gaffer

Interviews July 7, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Jellicle Cats are Scenography Cats! And Scenography Cats are Jellicle Cats! I don’t think T.S. Eliot or Andrew Lloyd Webber had any idea that cats could build sets! Or maybe they did and just wanted to keep that a secret…like a hidden third name…from all the rest of us!

Thank you for giving us some of your time today! Tell us who you are and how you fit into this Cats configuration!

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.

(L-R) Omar A. Said (Panch), Beth Amann (Rona Lisa), B.J. Robertson (Mitch), Taylor Litofsky (Logainne), Cera Baker (Marcy), Preston Grover (Chip), Sam Slottow (Leaf), Lila Cooper (Olive), and Stephen Emery (Barfée) in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, presented by Compass Rose Theater ????

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Compass Rose Theater

Reviews March 16, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Charming— (adjective) ‘Extremely pleasing or delightful.’ Compass Rose Theater is now producing the most charming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee I think I can ever recall seeing— and that’s saying something as I’ve covered it over a dozen times in as many years, including just a month ago elsewhere! C-H-A-R-M-I-N-G. Directed & Choreographed by Tommy Malek with Musical Direction by Rachel Sandler, this feel-good, upbeat, absolutely adorable musical is perfectly parsed in the intimate staging space that Compass Rose Theater has at Maryland Hall;

Witness For The Prosecution at Vagabond Players

Reviews January 12, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? You can’t handle the truth! Though I might be mixing up my courtroom dramas as this one seemed to be skirting all around the truth, only revealing parts of the truth, and there was a lot of questionable truths floating in the ether. In true Agatha Christie style, Witness For the Prosecution splashes onto The Vagabond Players stage to kick of the 2024-leg of their 108th season.

The Last Five Years at CJ Productions

Reviews November 3, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

When you see a show as many times as I (and has anyone seen these shows as many times as I?) you tend not to forget the very first time you saw the production and the most recent time you’ve seen it. Occasionally there will be stand-outs (for good and bad reasons) that stick in the mind, but the two that resonate strongest tend to be the first one and the most recent one. I’ve certainly never forgotten The Last Five Years the very first time I saw it— at a semi-active,

Sweeney Todd at The Havre de Grace Opera House. ???? Matthew Peterson

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at The Havre de Grace Opera House

Reviews October 17, 2023 Mike Zellhofer

“Spit it out, dear. Go on. On the floor. There’s worse things than that down there.” – Mrs. Lovett

And she’s right. In a world where borders are overlooked, people are minimalized, and one pill or another is all you need what ails you, the floor of humanity is riddled with disgust. The Havre de Grace Opera house has found a way to give us a three-hour respite from what lies outside their doors.

The Prom at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 22, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

“And nobody out there ever gets to define the life I’m meant to lead with this unruly heart of mine.” Because love is love is love is love. And you will fall in love with The Prom at Cockpit in Court. Not because it’s an amazing story that should be told and seen and heard and embraced. Not because it has an amazing cast chock-a-block with sensational talent all across the board or because its got astonishing scenery,

Matilda Jr. at Cockpit Court Jesters

Reviews July 11, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

They are revolting children! Living revolting times! They sing revolting songs! Using revolting rhymes! And you’ve got to get your tickets to see them do their thing— they’re stupendous, they’re great— they are REVOLTING! Only in a Roald Dahl musical could you use an adjective like revolting as a pride-of-place badge to describe a wildly talented bunch of kids as they bounce all around the stage with exuberant energy and smashing voices. Which musical is that you ask?

Changing Lives: The Apples & Bees of The Prom at Cockpit in Court with Coby Kay Callahan, Randy Dunkle, Darren McDonnell, and Shannon Wollman

Interviews July 11, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Earth-shaking! Life-affirming! Breathtaking! Gut-wrenching! Heart-aching! In two words, it’s history-making! They’re really and truly changing lives— at least they hope to be! The four actors, some of Baltimore’s most recognized members of the theatre community, playing the four Broadway stars who find themselves in a small town in Indiana trying to ‘change lives’ though perhaps for all the wrong reasons. Sound familiar? It is Prom season, after all. In a sit-down interview, we talk with Shannon Wollman,

Something Rotten at Cockpit in Court

Reviews June 13, 2023 Jimi Kinstle

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.

Jesus Christ Superstar at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews May 8, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Sing out for yourselves for you are blessed! Blessed to hear the stellar talent performing live on stage for the final production of the Children’s Playhouse of Maryland 2022/2023 season. Closing this season with a bang, their production of Jesus Christ Superstar is nothing short of stunning; it will give you chills, bring tears to your eyes, and make you thunder with applause by the time the show reaches its conclusion. Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt,

The Graduating Seniors of Children's Playhouse of Maryland's "Jesus Christ Superstar" (from L to R) Sophia Koman, Sammy Jungwirth, Myles Taylor, Emma Hammett, Linda Brown, and Katreese 'Clover' Wellons

Everything’s Alright, Yes. Everything’s Fine: An Interview With The Six Graduating Seniors of Children’s Playhouse of Maryland’s Jesus Christ Superstar

Interviews April 19, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

What’s the buzz? Tell me what’s a’happening? What’s the buzz? I’ll tell you what’s happening!

It’s Jesus Christ Superstar! Yes, the full-length stage musical, yes produced by Children’s Playhouse of Maryland, yes featuring some of the finest young talents in Baltimore and the surrounding areas. And TheatreBloom has a special treat for you readers. We’ve taken a few moments, on an early* Saturday morning to sit down with six very special cast members of the upcoming Jesus Christ Superstar to talk to them all about their experience with this production thus far and their experiences with Children’s Playhouse of Maryland as a whole.

Prepare Ye The Way of Peace Players: An Interview With Albert & Lisa Boeren

Interviews January 27, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Prepare ye! The way of the— new theatre company!? The Peace Players are the new harbingers of hope, after quite some years in the making, and are preparing their debut production of Godspell, arriving in the actual sanctuary of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church. In a TheatreBloom exclusive interview, we’re sitting down with founders Albert and Lisa Boeren to talk all about the company, their inaugural production, and their hopes for the future when it comes to this blossoming new theatre company.

Zelda: A Staged Concert at CCBC Essex

Reviews January 21, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Dazzling.

In a word. To add another, dizzying and astonishing, though technically that’s two. As a writer I often find it a challenge, though one I’m ready to embrace, to put the right words to paper (digital though it may be in this day and age) in order to describe an experience, relate a situation, review a performance. I cannot recall a time in recent memory (even before the Pandemic) where such a challenge befell me and I was honestly at a loss for words.

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.

SHOUT! The Mod Musical at Vagabond Players

Reviews October 28, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Are you ready to color your world with sunshine yellow today? Color your world with musical theatre happiness all the way? Just take the green from the grass and the blue from the sky up above and you can color your world just paint it with their love! Who’s love? SHOUT! The Mod Musical and their colorful singing quintet, that’s who. The quirky 60’s musical (jukebox variety style) SHOUT! The Mod Musical has made its way to The Vagabond Players in Fells Point as the opening musical (and second total show) in their 107th season.

42nd Street- Youth Edition at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews September 23, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Hey— y’all hear? CPM is doin’ a show! Children’s Playhouse of Maryland is doing a show! So get ready to come and meet those dancing feet— on the avenue they’re taking you to—42nd Street (youth edition.) All the glamor, glitz, and glory of your favorite tunes, with all of the dusty treacle trimmed out for a succinct bullet (over-Broadway) point version of the iconic musical with a sensational score of tap-dancing youth ready to knock your socks off!

Newsies at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre

Reviews August 23, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

See the headline:

Newsies Make Front Page News At Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre Summer 2022

That’s right! They’ll be out there— for two more performances— carrying the banner, side by side! Yes, they’re out there— filling all their parents’ (and friends and families’) hearts with pride! Newsies on a mission— kill the competition! They are out there— giving one of the most rousing, engaging, and talented productions of Disney’s Newsies that the Baltimore area has seen in quite a long,

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,

High School Musical at Cockpit In Court Jr.

Reviews July 16, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

They’re soarin’! Flyin’! There’s not a star in heaven that they can’t reach! Because they’ve got their heads in the game! That’s right! Cockpit in Court Jr. is bringing you millennial Grease AKA— Disney’s High School Musical. Serving as the high-school show of the early 00’s, this Disney show gives agency to characters who are too often pigeonholed into a particular stereotype. Two things can be true and when you live your best life?

Cheryl Campo (center) as Mama Euralie and The Storytellers????Trent Haines-Hopper/THsquared Photography

Once On This Island at Cockpit In Court

Reviews June 15, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Two different worlds on one island. (Not unlike Cockpit in Court with two different productions in one theatre…one above and one below…) If you’re ready to be swept up in the most astonishing production to wash ashore on Cockpit In Court’s stages since the times of the before, then Once On This Island is the show for you. Directed and Choreographed by Tom Wyatt, with Musical Direction by Elizabeth Fink, the uplifting and joyous music of this stirring tale of love fighting to survive in the face of death is an astonishing experience all its own.

Matilda at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews September 20, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

When I grow up… I will be smart enough to know that the real
cool place to go is Children’s Playhouse of Maryland to see all these awesome
kids before they grow up! And now’s your chance to change their story— by
coming to support some of Baltimore’s most talented young performers in their current
full-length production of Matilda, the Roald Dahl story turned stage
musical opening the 2019/2020 theatre season for CPM.

Anything Goes at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews September 18, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

At words poetic, they’re not pathetic; they’re always at their best!

They’re getting those songs up off their chest

And they’ve got lots of things to express— The Children’s Playhouse of Maryland that is with their fall opener of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes! They’re a stellar show, they’re a must see-n-go, they’re the farthest thing from a flop! Yes, baby, they’re not the bottom— they’re the top! Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans and Choreography by Amanda Poxon,

Scrooge at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews December 7, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther 1 Comment

Of all the days in all the year that I’m familiar with— there’s several very important ones leading up to— December the 25th! Correct! And those important days are any days between now and December 17, 2017 wherein The Children’s Playhouse of Maryland has a performance of their holiday musical, Scrooge. Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans and Choreography by Amanda Poxon, this classic and musical spin on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol will put you in the holiday spirit for certain with all of its spry and spirited youngsters skipping and spinning about!

Singin’ in the Rain Jr. at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews September 16, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

Moses supposes that of all of the showses, that this one is roses, so Moses supposes. But who needs Moses and his supposes when the Children’s Playhouse of Maryland has got Singin’ in the Rain Jr. Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt and Musically Directed by Charlotte Evans? It’s a glorious production! You’ll be happy again to be back with CMP for the 2017/2018 season, this production being first of this season, and you’ll love every minute of this timeless Hollywood style movie musical stage show.

Pippin at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre

Reviews August 21, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

So you’ve heard of Pippin? Have you heard of Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre? Cast all previous conceptions aside and let Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre do their thing because they’ve got magic to do! Oh, it’s time to start living! Time to take in this performance that they’re giving! Time to take time to go see Pippin! And you’ll love it all— in just no time at all. Directed by Diane M.