Articles Tagged With: Tommy Malek

Evita at Silhouette Stages

Reviews October 19, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

What makes a city hum? Who gives it life? Evita! Evita! And Silhouette Stages’ current production of the Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita will have the whole city of Columbia more than just humming. You’ll cheer. You’ll cry. You’ll be moved. Directed by Daniel Douek, with Musical Direction by Ginny Moses, and Choreography by Amie Bell, this tragically beautiful tale of Argentina’s first lady— the first ‘princess of the people’— is in gloriously capable hands under Daniel Douek’s direction and his production team’s innovative practices on stage.

Spring Awakening at Maryland Theatre Collective

Reviews July 15, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

There is no doubt that they are going to wound you; they are going to be your bruise. Viscerally evocative and emotionally stunning, Maryland Theatre Collective closes out their season with Spring Awakening, a musical by Duncan Sheik with Book & Lyrics by Steven Sater based on the play by Frank Wedekind. Directed & Choreographed by Tommy Malek with Musical Direction by Rachel Sandler, this gloriously impactful musical is a gut-punch for the ages with a stellar cast,

The company of Falsettos at MTC ???? Matthew Peterson

Falsettos at The Maryland Theatre Collective

Reviews April 22, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Sex and games in Brooklyn Park— gotta be played with flare and passion! Songs and dance at Chesapeake Arts (Center)— gotta be played with flare and passion! Welcome to Falsettoland! It’s so much more than just a ‘march of the Falsettos’ it’s the whole damn show— Falsettos— a half-decade in the making for The Maryland Theatre Collective, currently in residence at CAC. This brilliant production is the perfect close to their first,

Falsettos at Maryland Theatre Collective in rehearsal at sitzprobe

Please Come To Our House: An Interview With Tommy Malek & Rachel Sandler On Maryland Theatre Collective’s Falsettos

Interviews April 15, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

“It’s a song I was waiting to hear so long, so long ago.”

Five years in the making— a show that was planned and cast and ready to go before the pandemic, now finally appearing on the Maryland Theatre Collective Stage— Falsettos is rounding out MTC’s first full season in production and it’s a proper doozy well worth investigating! In a few minutes following their sitzprobe, Director and Musical Director Rachel Sandler and Associate Director and Performer Tommy Malek sat down to discuss the production and how thrilled they both are to finally be getting it up on its feet for an audience in 2024.

(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;

Ragtime in concert at Maryland Theatre Collective ???? Matthew Peterson

Ragtime at Maryland Theatre Collective

Reviews November 1, 2023 Mark Briner

At the turn of the 20th century, a new music emanating from African-American urban communities began creeping into mainstream culture for the first of what eventually became many times over the course of the century. But in 1975, E.L. Doctorow used this musical form as a metaphor for not only the infusion of African-American influences into the white musical world, but for the changes in emerging racial presences that forced drastic social and class struggle,

Agnes of God at The Maryland Theatre Collective

Reviews July 29, 2023 Leonard Taube

Forget Sister Act (no nuns belting out rousing choir songs). Move over Nunsense (even though it is “habit forming”). No comedy tonight. Take a seat, open your mind, and get ready for one of the most powerful, well-acted and thought-provoking pieces of theatre you will see this year. Maryland Theatre Collective’s (Brooklyn Park, MD) production of Agnes of God will leave you speechless with contemplation and full of emotion by curtain call.

Freaky Friday at The Maryland Theatre Collective

Reviews March 28, 2023 Leonard Taube

Hey guys! Sup?! I had the most awesome, freakiest experience last night. Actually, it was a good kind of freaky and I think you should get your freak on too! What am I talking about? Glad you asked! I think you all should come and, well, you know, like chill with the cast and crew of Freaky Friday presented by The Maryland Theatre Collective at The Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park. I guarantee you will laugh,

Seth Fallon (left) as George with Xander Conte (center) and Henry Cyr (right) in The Wedding Singer. ????Ana Johns

The Wedding Singer at Silhouette Stages

Reviews March 22, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

I’m going to be honest. I’m not Adam Sandler’s biggest fan— or even really a fan, period— by any stretch of the imagination. I don’t like most of his movies, I think he thinks he’s funnier than he actually is, and on the whole, although we’re living in the golden “Oprah Era” of musicals (“…you get a musical, you get a musical, you get a musical, everybody gets a musical!”) and this particular one is not ‘new’ per se,

Zoomin’ Speech & Debate at The Baltimore Theatre Collective

News June 12, 2020 Amanda N. Gunther

In an overzealous, albeit admirable, attempt to commit to producing their previously announced season, The Baltimore Theatre Collective— one of Baltimore’s most recent live-theatre incarnations pre-Global-Covid-19-Pandemic— Artistic Director Tommy Malek alongside four talented area actors set their sights on delivering their production of Stephen Karam’s Speech and Debate. Directed by Tommy Malek and featuring Seth Fallon, Amanda Matousek, Pamela Northrup, and Max Wolf, this show is the mark of a true effort in the “keeping the faith” movement of theatres all across the world whose stages have been darkened by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at The Heritage Players

Reviews February 21, 2020 Amanda N. Gunther

Baltimore is full of theatre shows; some comedies, some with
duels, but I prefer a company that produces flashy jewels! A show on your stage
might be quite continental— but “in concerts” are your new best friend! At
least, they are for The Heritage Players this winter. On their third annual “musical
in concert” The Heritage Players breathes new life into a golden oldie— Gentlemen
Prefer Blondes. Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Malek (with Lori
Struss-Weatherly),

Terrifying Thrills with Baltimore Theatre Collective’s Creepy Kooky Cabaret

News November 14, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

They’re being pulled in a new direction! Quite literally in
all senses imaginable too! Baltimore Theatre Collective, formerly known as The
Purple Light Theatre Company, has progressed into its next phase of life, now
under the auspices of Baltimore Theatre Collective. And just as their first
major cabaret was attempting to get underway, a snag in their original performance
venue pulled them right over to Genesis Arts, a dance studio in Columbia’s Red
Branch corridor.

Ruthless! at The Heritage Players

Reviews October 25, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Talent. Either you’ve got it. Or you don’t. Luck for you,
The Heritage Players production of Ruthless! has got it. And they’ve got
it pouring out of their wazoos in spades. Directed & Choreographed by
Ashley Gerhardt with Musical Direction by Michael Clark, this zany and
uproarious musical send-up will have your gut aching with laughs. Nobody’s in
the mud, nobody’s in distress in this production— except the characters
themselves— and it’s a madcap scream from simple start to diabolical finish.

Cabaret at Silhouette Stages

Reviews May 18, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

The sun on Columbia is summery warm. It’s shining on a
theatre gem. So gather together and see their show. Tomorrow belongs— to them.
Silhouette Stages mounts the production of the season— Kander & Ebb’s Cabaret as Directed by Stephen Foreman,
with Musical Direction by Michael Tan and Choreography by Aime Bell. Truly not
your momma’s Cabaret, this heady and
intoxicating production doesn’t just showcase the darkness burbling readily
beneath the surface of the iconic Kander &

The Company of ASoB's 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore

Reviews February 28, 2019 Amanda N. Gunther

Miraculous— (adjective.)
“performed by or involving a supernatural power or agency. Of the nature of a
miracle; marvelous. Having or seeming to have the power to work miracles.” This
current production of The 25th
Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a miraculous show put forth by
Artistic Synergy. M-I-R-A-C-U-L-O-U-S. Produced
by Melissa Broy Fortson, with Direction by Atticus Cooper Boidy, and Musical
Direction by Rachel Sandler, the astonishing talent, the heartfelt
performances,

The Addams Family at Silhouette Stages

Reviews October 13, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

Move toward the darkness.

Don’t avoid despair.

Creep into Silhouette Stages

And you’ll see what’s there!

They’ve got family first— and family last— and family through and through! They’ve got The Addams…and now they’re waiting just for you! After its run on the circuit of community and professional houses all over the tristate area, The Addams Family musical has risen from the dead in time for Halloween and is taking up a three-week residence at Silhouette Stages.

Brooklyn at Monumental Theatre Company

Reviews March 27, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

It looks like every star in heaven is shining down on DC tonight; well, shining specifically down on the Ainslie Arts Center of the Episcopal High School, which technically is in Virginia but we’ll let that slide because there’s a story behind their hands, there’s a story beneath their clothes…and Monumental Theatre Company is telling the story of Brooklyn, the edgy, immersive, in-your-face raw-and-reel musical of NYC street reality. Directed by Michael Windsor with Musical Direction by Marika Countouris and Choreography by Patricia “Pep” Targete,

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.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Silhouette Stages

Reviews March 16, 2018 Amy Haynes

While there’s nothing that’s formal and nothing that’s normal, there is something for everyone at Silhouette Stages—a true comedy tonight! Old situations! New complications! Nothing portentous or polite! There may be tragedy tomorrow but, thankfully, there is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum tonight! Smartly directed by Conni Ross, with superb Musical Direction by William Georg, and entertaining Choreography by Tina DeSimone and her assistant Maddie Bohrer,

Young Frankenstein at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Reviews January 26, 2018 Amanda N. Gunther

If you’re blue— and don’t know where to go— why don’t you go where theatre’s fine?

See Young Frankenstein!

Different songs to really please the ear— dancing feet to watch and you’ll cheer— it’s sublime!

See Young Frankenstein!

Dressed up like a million-dollar trooper! Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper— it’s SUPERDUPER!

You won’t get to see a better show— and Columbia is the place to go— take their word and mine!

Miracle on 34th Street at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

Reviews November 29, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

It’s that time of year when the world falls in love and every song you hear seems to say… buy this toy for Christmas! Purchase that thing for Christmas! Spend, spend, spend for holiday cheer! Armed to the teeth with the true spirit of Christmas and holiday bliss, Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia is fully prepared to combat Christmas commercialism and slay seasonal cynicism with their superb production of Meredith Willson’s Miracle on 34th Street.

Lindsey Litka (left) as Allison and Michael Nugent (right) as Wade "Cry Baby" Walker

Cry Baby at Silhouette Stages

Reviews October 14, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther 1 Comment

It’s a beautiful day for an anti-polio picnic! It’s a beautiful day to get a polio shot! And if you’re in for all that plus an insanely good production, well then at Silhouette Stage, you’ve come to the right spot! Watch your a$$ and do take care because there’s talent lurking everywhere all throughout Silhouette Stage’s production of Cry Baby: The Musical. Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Malek with Musical Direction by John Keister and Nathan Scavilla,

Little Shop of Horrors at Purple Light Theatre Company

Reviews August 15, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

You better— tellin’ you, you better— tell your mama! Something’s gonna get her! You better— everybody better— be aware! Something’s gonna get ya! Look out. Look Out! LOOKOUT! It’s Little Shop of Horrors! At Purple Light! Purple Light Theatre Company! Don’t wait— dates are gonna pass you— right by— don’t let this show pass you— right by! It’s Little Shop of Horrors— it’s one-weekend-o-o-only-y-y! You won’t want to m-i-ii-s-s-s it!

Look Out. Look Out! LOOK OUT! Little Shop of Horrors Invades Purple Light Theatre Company

Interviews July 31, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

On the 16th day

Of the month of August

In an early year of a decade

Not too long before our own

The Baltimore Theatre Scene

Suddenly encountered

A vivacious resurgence

To its very existence!

And this nearly-forgotten company surfaced

As such companies often do

With the seemingly most innocent

And unlikely of productions…

PURPLE LIGHT!

Legally Blonde at Silhouette Stages

Reviews May 15, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

Love! They’re doing this for love! And love will see them through— the incredibly talented cast of Legally Blonde at Silhouette Stages! Yes, love! They’ve got a lot of love— and with love on their side they can’t lose! Now appearing in the Slayton House Theater of Wilde Lake Village Center, Silhouette Stages’ final production of the 2016/2017 season— Legally Blonde is here to show you a thing or to about pop-modern movie-musicals!

Steel Magnolias at Heritage Players

Reviews March 27, 2017 Amanda N. Gunther

Wouldn’t you rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime full of nothing special? Well, you’re in luck because Truvy’s beauty shop, where the gossip’s going non-stop in Chinquapin Parish, has more than just 30 minutes of wonderful. They have almost five times that tucked away for an evening’s escape in a heartfelt, inspirational, and truly touching coming of age tale that the masses knows well. Co-Directed by Kevin James Logan and Katie Sheldon,

Review: Young Frankenstein at Silhouette Stages

Reviews October 14, 2016 Amanda N. Gunther

Have you heard about the mania? If not, then let me explain-iya, popping up in Columb-ania— yes, sir! It’s the Transylvania Mania! And it’s making its way across Silhouette Stages this October in the guise of And it’s making its way across Silhouette Stages this October in the guise of the new Mel Brooks’ musical, Young Frankenstein. Directed and Choreographed by Tommy Malek with Musical Direction by Nathan C. Scavilla, it’s a doozy— it’ll make you woozy— this masterpiece and phenomenon!

Review: The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd at Compass Rose Theater

Reviews May 9, 2016 Amanda N. Gunther

Wish upon a wishbone! Pluck a four-leaf clover! That you’ll snag tickets and understanding before this production run is over. Closing out the 2015/2016 season at Compass Rose Theater, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd takes to the stage with its beautiful music and curious political statement that burbles just beneath the surface of the overarching allegory of the tale in total. Directed by Lucinda Merry-Browne with Musical Direction by Anita O’Connor,

Review: Southern Baptist Sissies at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews February 13, 2016 Amanda N. Gunther

Everybody has their truth. Yours may be different from mine, but there’s only one way to the promised land…of theatre…and for the moment that way is through the gates of Spotlighters Theatre as they warm up the winter with their production of Southern Baptist Sissies. Written by Del Shores and Directed by Fuzz Roark, this evocative, heartbreaking tale of reconciling religious truth with reality tugs the heartstrings hard and doesn’t let go until the show’s stirring conclusion.

Review: 9 to 5 at Silhouette Stages

Reviews October 19, 2015 John Nunemaker

Growing up in the 80’s I had several heroes, one of whom was Dolly Parton. I saw every movie, had every album and knew everything I could about her; I was a fanboy before the term fanboy was used in normal conversation. So getting the opportunity to see one of my favorite movies turned into a musical was extremely exciting for me and overall after leaving the theatre I was not disappointed. Silhouette Stages’ production of 9 to 5: the musical,