While Into the Woods may be all the rave in the world of Stephen Sondheim right now, the Vagabond Players takes a step back to a simpler time in the musical master’s history. The earlier works all bound together in a magically enchanting evening; one musical revue to thoroughly enjoy an evening of intimate musical theatre is now opening on the stage as the second musical show in their 99th season.
The dust has settled. A week gone by. And it all seems like some vaguely fantastical theatrical dream. The 31st Annual Helen Hayes Awards Ceremony has just passed us by and the heads of thespians, artists, and theatrical natured people all across Washington DC are still spinning in a blissful blur from the evening’s events. Celebrating the finest in Washington DC Theatre this year was the first year that the treasured awards ceremony executed its new adjudication system resulting in more recognition and more awards across the board for over 50 theatres being recognized throughout the evening’s events.
It’s family first and family last and family by and by! When you’re an Addams? You do what Addams’ do or die! Finishing out the Move Toward the Darkness interviews, we bring the series to a close with the patriarch of the family, Gomez Florencia Addams. Toby’s Co-Artistic Director is back to the stage after nearly a year’s acting hiatus and is loving every minute of what this creepy and kooky papa character has to offer.
Oh she of skin so pale, eyes so black, and dress cut down to Venezuela; Morticia Addams is muddling through plums as she discovers that not each husband is a gem! Fortunately, death is just around the corner and she’s happy being both the mourned and mourner! Settling in for the penultimate piece of the Move Toward the Darkness interview series, we sit down with Priscilla Cuellar and discover what life is like as Morticia Addams in the Toby’s Family Household.
A secret in the house: a girl, a boy, a ring! Wednesday’s growing up— she’ll be Thursday before you know it! And she’s got herself a secret! His name Lucas Beineke and he comes from the “Normies.” Watch out, Addams family, there’s a whole lot of normal coming your way! In Part 5 of “Move Toward the Darkness” we sit down with MaryKate Brouillet and AJ Whittenberger to psychoanalyze the deep dark hole that is the love between Wednesday Addams and Lucas Beineke.
They’re normal people, not like you, not like me. Well, not exactly normal. One’s uptight and really boring, and the other one has rhyming poems that just sprout up through her whenever she feels stressed or blessed. But at least they’re not zombie butlers or dating the moon, right? In Part 4 of the Move Toward the Darkness interview series, we meet the Beineke Family— Mal and Alice— played by Darren McDonnell and Elizabeth Rayca respectively.
Living…dead…and…undecided! Every member of the Addams Family clan is welcome in this creepy and kooky interview series. And Grandma Addams is definitely on the undecided line of the family fence. Why, they aren’t even sure whose mother she is! In Part 3 of the Move Toward the Darkness Interview Series, veteran of the stage David James sits down with TheatreBloom to discuss his role in The Addams Family musical at Toby’s Dinner Theatre.
You rang? Though you won’t hear the iconic TV series line from this butler, Lurch is still a prominent feature in The Addams Family musical over at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Continuing on in Part 2 of the “Move Toward the Darkness” interview series, we are introduced to seasoned stage veteran David Bosley-Reynolds, who takes on the zombie-butler role with a unique panache all his own.
Let’s start off by introducing our readers to you.
When you’re an Addams you need to have a taste for death! And there is plenty to taste over at Toby’s Dinner Theatre with their regional premier of Andrew Lippa’s The Addams Family musical. In a highly comical musical that reanimates the classic comic strip characters, this brilliant production sends the message to embrace your inner darkness and enjoy the world outside the boundaries of normal. What is normal anyway? In an exclusive series entitled “Move Toward the Darkness” readers of TheatreBloom will delve into the darkness with the cast of The Addams Family and find out just what being a part of this creepy and kooky production is like!
Full Disclosure: The Addams Family has risen up from the shadows and gloom and descended upon the stage of Toby’s Dinner Theatre. This wickedly entertaining new musical comedy is making its regional premier in the round; a tour de force of hilarious comedy, intoxicating dancing, and the creepiest of kooks all on one stage! Directed and Choreographed by Mark Minnick, with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings, this charming, feel-good family fun musical is a tremendous success with extraordinary talent to be enjoyed all evening long.
It’s time to say a prayer with Gator as Part 2 of the exclusive Hockadoo Interview series continues here on TheatreBloom. We’re sitting down with actor Jonathan Randle, who plays the strong but silent Gator in Toby’s production of Memphis to find out what he has to say about the role.
Let’s have a quick introduction of who you are and where the readers of TheatreBloom might have seen you around the Columbia,
It’s time to tear down the house over at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia! Their smokin’ hot production of Memphis is burning down the roof! In an exclusive interview series featured only on TheatreBloom, we go in-depth and behind the scenes with the cast and creative team of this Tony Award-Winning musical to get the full musical experience and find out exactly what Memphis means to them.
Well, Hockadoo! Don’t touch that dial, you good folks of Baltimore and Washington DC because coming to you straight from the center of Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia is the regional premier of the smashing Broadway sensation Memphis. Winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, this stunning tale of underground rock & roll and rhythm & blues comes exploding onto the stage at Toby’s with electrifying choreography,
Hoist your sails and raise your colors for adventure and intrigue as TheatreBloom undertakes its first official interview! A new voice is taking the soprano stage scene by storm, though Laura Whittenberger is no stranger to performing. Currently being featured as Mabel in The Pirate of Penzance at Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia; I’ve taken a moment to sit down with Laura and find out just what this seaworthy experience has been like for her.
Thar she blows! Land-ho! Those singing, dancing, prancing pirates have cast their ship upon the great shores of Columbia and weighed anchor at Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia for the summer! This revamped version of a Gilbert and Sullivan classic will bring rolling waves of comedy to the audience with a refreshing and revitalized love story to boot! Directed and Choreographed by Mark Minnick with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings,
Let your freak flag wave! Let your freak flag fly! Never take it down, never take it down and raise it way up high! For everyone at the Toby’s Dinner Theatre production of Shrek the musical to come and see! That’s right, folks! We’re hitting the swamp and the city of Duloc to uncover the truth behind these fairytale creatures! In a brand new interview series entitled ‘Story of My Life: The Freak Flag Chronicles’ we’ll venture into the story of six of Shrek’s characters and find out what life is all about in the land of unusual fairytales!
Once upon a time there was a little place called Toby’s Dinner Theatre that was nestled in the wooded highlands of Columbia, Maryland. And during their 35th year they decided to mount a little musical called Shrek. It was a pretty impressive musical, with Music by Jeanine Tesori and Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay Abaire. Fairytales, well you’ve never heard or seen one quite like this, but there’s a freak flag to wave for everyone at this up-tempo,
If life seems jolly rotten then there’s something you’ve forgotten—Monty Python’s Spamalot is playing at Toby’s Dinner Theatre! There is no better way to tickle your funny bone this season than with a good old-fashioned laugh-a-minute musical comedy like Monty Python’s Spamalot that will have you roaring in hysterics right through the company bow.
Directed by Mark Minnick with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings, this uproarious show,
The age old question that hangs around the holiday season that has been debated, discussed, commercialized, and caused quite the stir over the years: Is there a Santa Claus? Doubt no more, for Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia has the real thing— the proof’s in the pudding— as they bring Meredith Wilson’s (The Music Man) musical version of Miracle on 34th Street to life just in time for Christmas.
Do you hear the people sing? The beating of their hearts echoes the beating of the drum, as the show is about to start at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia. Presenting the regional premier of the Tony Award-winning classic, one of the longest running shows on Broadway— Les Misèrables stirs up a revolution of the heart and soul as it takes to the in-the-round stage at this spectacular theatre.
Directed by Toby Orenstein and Steven Fleming,
When the saints go marching in they’re all heading straight for Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore to see the sensationally hysterical madcap musical revue Nunsense. The little sisters of Dundalk have come to town to put on a variety show in order to raise some funds for their order. Of course it’s never so straight forward, the reason the little sisters need the money is because Sister Julia, Child of God,