All posts by Amanda N. Gunther

A full-time theatre reviewer in the Baltimore, Washington, and surrounding areas; Amanda holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Maryland Baltimore County as well as a minor in Creative Writing. Having spent two of her five years at college studying abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, she has learned a great deal about improv, devised work theatre, and interpretive movement pieces. Striving to promote theatre of all types, she can often be found in a theatre of some type, even on her nights off.

Dontrell, Who Kissed The Sea at Sisters Freehold

Reviews February 23, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Dreams are dreams. Awake is awake. Know the difference. But if you don’t know— or don’t want to know? In stunningly beautiful narrative that blend magical realism with the burning yen to simultaneously connect one’s past to one’s future, Dontrell, Who Kissed The Sea is playing a limited engagement with Sisters Freehold currently at The Peale Museum for the next two weekends. This evocative coming-of-age journey, written by Nathan Alan Davis and directed by Makeima Elise Freeland,

Nolan Almeida (left) as Peter Pan and Cody Garcia (center) as Captain Hook and Hawa Kamara (right) as Wendy and the cast of Peter Pan. 📷Matthew Murphy

Peter Pan at The Hippodrome

Reviews February 22, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

econd star to the right and straight on til— viral video ballroom waltzing? Shut the fort door, since when does Peter Pan have Wendy being obsessed with going viral so that she can help pay for her medical school training because she wants to grow up and be a surgeon?

~*~*~*ANGRY TINKLING & CHIMING NOISES*~*~*~

What was that, Tinker Bell? In the newly refurbished national tour launch production that’s leaping into the air with lovely thoughts straight out of Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre?

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.

The cast of Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s The Oresteia. 📷 Kiirstn Pagan Photography.

The Oresteia at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

Reviews February 17, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Do I remember this? Or is this what’s about to happen? This is no dream. This is no vision. This is the truth. Profound words. Or are they questions? What are words if not questions? You’ll hear them over and over— though never truly in one voice as one might expect from a chorus in a Greek tragedy; their effect, however, is no less striking. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company presents The Oresteia freely adapted from Aeschylus by Ellen McLaughlin and directed by Lise Bruneau.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Stand Up For…Theatre

Reviews February 16, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

COMMUNITY— noun. “a unified body of individuals such as: people with common interests living within a particular area broadly; a group of people with a common characteristic or interest; a body of persons with common interest scattered through a larger society; a group linked by a common policy.” Stand Up For…Theatre’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is fostering a real sense of dedication and commitment to the local theatre community,

Hello, Dolly! at The St. Demetrios Suburban Players

Hello, Dolly! at St. Demetrios Suburban Players

Reviews February 10, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Out there! There’s a world outside of Carney! Way out there beyond this suburb, Barnaby! There’s a theatre, Barnaby! Out there! Full of shine and full of sparkle! The Suburban Players of Saint Demetrios’ are glistenin’, Barnaby! Listen, Barnaby! Put on your Sunday clothes— or your Saturday clothes or your Friday clothes— and get yourself down to Hello, Dolly now appearing at The Suburban Players of St. Demetrios’ Greek Orthodox Church before that parade passes you by!

Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier at Street Lamp Community Theatre

Reviews February 9, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

No one mourns the Twisted.

No one cries they won’t return (…of Jafar, terrible movie. Just terrible.)

No one lays a Jasmin on their graaaave.

The good man scorns the Twisted.

Through their lives our children learn.

What we miss— when we misbehaaaave.

And goodness knows— the Twisted’s lives are zany!

Today4U Tomorrow 4 Iron Crow Theatre: An Interview with Artistic Director Sean Elias on Landing Rent at The M&T Bank Exchange Performance Space

Interviews February 9, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnight, in cups of coffee— in inches, in miles, in laughter, and strife!

The beautiful ephemeral nature of theatre is that it lingers on in our hearts long after the last curtain drops. And rarely do audiences get such an extraordinary chance to see a sold-out performance, which was so popular, it had to be extended. It had to be extended half-way across town to a brand new space!

Aparna Sri (left) as Lady Macbeth and Jaki Demarest (right) as Macbeth 📷 Constantia Rioux

Macbeth at The Rude Mechanicals

Reviews February 4, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

“Such welcome and unwelcome things at once ‘tis hard to reconcile.” Macduff, ActIVsc.iii

I spent hours trying to find the way I felt about the current Rude Mechanical’s production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth only to have Billy Bard having already wrapped it up for me more than halfway through the show. This particular production is a balancing act of strong performances, questionable conceptualizations, impressive technological inclusions, mismatched aesthetics, and a barrage of death,

Rob McClure as Euphegenia Doubtfire in Mrs. Doubtfire 📷 Joan Marcus

Mrs. Doubtfire at The Hippodrome

Reviews January 31, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Wanted: Heart-warming, feel-good, fun-loving musical to fill the aching hole in the hearts of Baltimore after Sunday’s devastating upset at Raven’s stadium.

Helloooooo, Poppets!

Mrs. Doubtfire is exactly what this city needs to wake up, feel good, laugh and cry a little, and be made whole again! Coming in hot off the boards of Broadway, Rob McClure and the sensational singing, rapping, hip-hop-happening Scottish nanny is hear to take Charm City by hilarious and heartfelt storm.

Kaitlyn Ruby (foreground) as Ruth and Amanda Harris (background) as Tillie in The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds at Spotlighters Theatre 📷Matthew Peterson

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews January 30, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Some people were born to speak, others just to listen. And occasionally those of us that listen will report back on what we hear. Form an opinion, as it were. It’s me. I’m a listening opinion-former. And I’m forming an opinion on the current production of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, now playing at The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre through February 4th 2024. The midway point of their 61st season,

Season of WOW: An Interview with Ron Legler talking about the 2024/2025 Broadway Hippodrome Season

Interviews January 27, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

The sun’ll come out— TOMORROW! Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow— they’ll be— A Lion!?

Charm City is packing its Bromo-Seltzer Arts District with some of the hottest tickets in town for the 2024/2025 Hippodrome Broadway Series, powered by CareFirst. With not one but TWO National Tour launches, compliments of some hard-earned tax-credits now working in the state of Maryland (by way of Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland State Legislature), several shows direct from Broadway (or in some cases— still currently on Broadway) and a whole bunch of fun for everyone,

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 cast of Girl From the North Country 📷 Evan Zimmerman for Murphymade

Girl From The North Country at The Kennedy Center

Reviews December 16, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Inspiration comes in dreams. Or maybe the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. Be it fever dream or disjointed wind that blows you into The Kennedy Center this December holiday season, you’re in for something a bit unusual when it comes to the National Touring production of Girl From the North Country. Now playing in The Eisenhower Theatre through new year’s eve, this ‘jukebox musical’ (and I use that term very,

Pat McPartlin (left) as Santa Claus, with Talis Tighe (center) as Mac Adamia, and Josh Handal (far right) as Felix Navi-Dodd in 'Murder on 34th Street' 📷ANG Pix

Murder On 34th Street at Do or Die Productions

News December 13, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

They’ve lived to kill another day! After a tumultuously ubiquitous 30th Anniversary Season, Do Or Die Productions has landed steadily in their Monday Night Mystery venue— Perry’s Restaurant of Odenton— and is thrilling and killing just in time for Christmas! Making its world-premiere, new script Murder on 34th Street, written and directed by the company’s founder, CJ Crowe, is— as the tag-line promises— a killer show with a dinner to die for!

A Christmas Carol at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews December 12, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Of all the blithe sounds you’ll hear this holiday season, tis none merrier than that of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, performed in near-entirety by Phil Gallagher as a one-man endeavor at Spotlighters Theatre. For its third year running, this solo-performer adaptation of the iconic Christmas classic holds its own against the 400 other productions of the Dickensian money-maker this time of year. Adapted for the stage by Sherrionne Brown and Phil Gallagher,

Elf at Tidewater Players

Reviews December 9, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

If you find yourself short on cheer just think about that special year (no, not 2019 that was a different year…same story) that Tidewater Players reached up on their shelf…and put up on their stage a musical called Elf! It’s sparkle-jolly-jingle-twinkly! Or however it goes (this Christmas Grinch over here still hasn’t finished writing out her Christmas cards…) but however it goes— it goes with lots of razzle-dazzle seasonal pizzazz! Elf at Tidewater Players is a heart-warming,

Moulin Rouge! at The Hippodrome

Reviews December 6, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Hello, Chickens!!! Are you ready to experience the epicenter of your passions? The apogee of your desires? Of course you are, you radiant reprobates and rascals!

Truth

Beauty

Freedom

Love

They’ve got it all in Montmartre— it’s all there to titillate the senses, tease the mind, sway the heartstrings— it’s all there inside The Moulin Rouge! And Moulin Rouge has landed itself grandly at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre for a limited two-week engagement just in time for the holiday season.

Neverland: A New Musical at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

Reviews December 5, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

What if you can’t remember the last time you were able to let go, have fun, and just be yourself? Well isn’t that exactly what theatre is for? A place to let go, have fun, and just be yourself! And Children’s Playhouse of Maryland has always been that place for all of the up-and-coming theatrical talents that pass through their doors over in Essex. Celebrating the holiday season with a very special, brand-new-production (written and conceived by their musical director and her father) Children’s Playhouse of Maryland is thrilled to present Neverland: A New Musical.

L to R, Front to Back - Alix Fenhagen, Britt Olsen-Ecker, Molly Margulies, Hailey Withrow, Jem Creuzter; Meghan Stanton, Heather Morrison 📷 Kiirstn Pagan

The Lights Went Out Because of a Problem: A Found Opera at The Acme Corporation

Reviews December 4, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Merriam-Webster defines the word Opera as a noun— “…a drama set to music and made up of vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment and orchestral overtures and interludes.” Merriam-Webster also defines theatre as— well, a whole lot, see here for yourself, but the one I like the best is definition 5b— Spectacle sense— 1a (dramatic or theatrical quality or effectiveness) followed by 5c— entertainment in the form of a dramatic or diverting situation or series of events.

Ensemble of Cinderella (Enchanted Edition) at ArtsCentric & Baltimore Center Stage📷J Fannon

Cinderella at ArtsCentric & Baltimore Center Stage

Reviews December 2, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Glass Slipper? ✔

Pumpkin Carriage? ✔

Lousy step-family, prince and princess, big ol’ ball? ✔✔✔

But if you think you know the story of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, think again. To quote my 63-year-old mother (who at the time of this review, we’re now 12 hours post leaving the theatre and she’s still telling me things she discovered and was awestruck by and enjoyed), “that was the best,

Inebriated Holiday at Maryland Ensemble Theatre

Reviews December 1, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Deck the MET with cans and corks! Fa-la-la-la-laa! La-la-la-laaa!

Gather round ye hist’ry dorks! Fa-la-la-la-laa! La-la-la-laa!

Don you now your drunk apparel! Fa-la-la-la! La-la-la! La-la-laaaa!

And hear the tale of A Christmas Carol! Fa-la-la-la-laa! La-la-la— hold-up. Nah. That’s not right. Shoot.

Inebriated Holiday. D’oh! That’s the one this one is about! Good grief, how many Three Kings draft beers did I have at Maryland Ensemble Theatre last night!?

'Twas The Night Before....Cirque du Soleil Acro Table Performers 📸 Kyle Flubacker

‘Twas The Night Before… at The Hippodrome

Reviews November 25, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

And what to our wondering eyes should appear— why it’s a holiday extravaganza live at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre! Dashing in from the rooftops to kick off the holiday season, Cirque du Soleil proudly presents ‘Twas The Night Before…, a wondrously enchanting, theatrical spectacle that combines the vivaciously thrilling acrobatic and aerial work that Cirque-shows are known for with a cherished Christmas classic, Clement Clarke Moore’s poem, A Visit From Saint Nicolas.

Witch! at Stillpointe Theatre

Reviews November 18, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Which

Inquisitive

Theatre

Challenges

Humanity?

Not nearly as clever as some of the textual incarnations of the acronym of the show’s title— like “Why Is The Church Heretical?” or “Why Is This Continually Happening?” or “What Is This Cult Hollywood?” but I wanted to throw my broomstick in the cauldron so to speak.

Big at Scottfield Theatre Company

Reviews November 4, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Fun! It isn’t planned! It isn’t programmed! Though you may have to do some planning and programming to make sure you get this big ol’ dose of fun into your calendar sometime over the next couple weekends. See what I did there? ‘big ol’ musical?’ I’m talking about Big, of course, now appearing— making its area premiere— at Scottfield Theatre Company to close out their 2023 calendar. Based 20th Century Fox Film (of the same name,

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,

Outward Bound at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews October 31, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

“…to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave…”

Christmas starts in October for everyone else, so why not use a lesser-recognized Dickens’ quote to welcome in the latest show of Season 61 at Spotlighters? (And if you need more Dickens in your life, beyond this hook-quote, be sure to book your tickets for the cherished annual performance of Phil Gallagher’s one-man A Christmas Carol coming this December) But this particular quote feels apropos for Outward Bound,

Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. 📸 Evan Zimmerman

Funny Girl at The Hippodrome

Reviews October 25, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

She must shine in every detail! And we ain’t just talking about the perfect showgirl, no sir! We’re talking about the costumes, the lights, the choreography, the singing, the movement, the atmosphere— if you want to impress as a major Broadway musical these days— you’ve got to tick all the boxes! And with 36 expressions, Funny Girl has all the pip and pizazz! It’s a dazzling revival musical harkening back to the golden days of Broadway and the audiences of Baltimore are here for it!

Chess at Vagabond Players

Reviews October 23, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Throw the rulebook right out the window. It won’t help you anyway. And forget what you think you know about Chess as that won’t help you here either. Can’t even say “not your Grandfather’s Chess” because there are so many different variations on this concept album-turned-musical-come-concert-album that it’s hard to pinpoint which one is the one for a standard basis of comparison. Based on an idea by Tim Rice, inspired wholly if not incompletely by historical events.

The Nine Nutballs of DitS' "Evil Dead: The Musical- 2023 Edition" with the reviewer that got bled all over (center, Mandy Gunther) 📷 Lithia Knopp

Evil Dead: The Musical at Deer In The Spotlight Productions

Reviews October 21, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

Forget about the Time Warp! And the Monster Mash’s no good!

You’ll have a much better trip rolling with these five to their CABIN IN THE WOOOOOOOODS!

Hi, I’m Amanda. And I work at S-Mart run a reviewing site that has all your theatrical ‘in-the-know’ needs (just like S-Mart only with fewer tires and frozen fish sticks.) I also can’t count (which is why I chose a profession in theatre.) Evil Dead: The Musical is now in its seventh year of production!