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.

Tear Down The House: A Hockadoo Interview with the Masterminds Behind Memphis: Part 1- Meet Choreographer Christen Svingos

Interviews September 26, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

The Prince, Witch Wartsmith and Rapunzel at The Puppet Company in Glen Echo Park

Review: Rapunzel at The Puppet Company

Reviews September 23, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair! The classic fairytale that has transcended time with its whimsical tale of the maiden trapped high in the tower with long golden hair now appears with a big screaming *POOF* at the The Puppet Company at Glen Echo Park to start their fall season on their main stage. Performed solo by company co-founded Christopher Piper, this children’s fairytale classic is a fascinating engagement into the world of puppetry.

Review: Take Me Out at 1st Stage

Reviews September 22, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

It’s the bottom of the 9th; the bases are loaded with two outs and the home team trailing by four. Up to the plate is 1st Stage’s first production of their seventh season— Take Me Out— an exceptionally moving and poignant drama that will smash home a win for theatergoers all across Washington. Directed by Doug Wilder, this intensely relevant and exceptionally well-written play stirs deep emotions in theatre and sports lovers everywhere.

Review: Aladdin at The Pumpkin Theatre

Reviews September 21, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Follow me to a place where enchantment is real and fairytales thrive and grow. The stories are familiar and the characters are a squeal, it’s the only place you can go— Pumpkin Theatre for a full season of princes and princesses in this their 47th season. Starting off with the classic tale of magic and a princess, Pumpkin Theatre is proud to present their production of Aladdin. Directed by Stacey Needle,

Review: Stuart Little at Adventure Theatre Musical Theatre Center

Reviews September 21, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

A mighty great adventure awaits audiences of all sizes at Adventure Theatre-Musical Theatre Center this fall! The 63rd season kicks off with a jubilant squeak as Stuart Little takes to the stage. Based on the award-winning literary classic by E. B. White and adapted to the stage by Joseph Robinette, the story of a shy and thoughtful mouse who lives with his human family in New York City is perfect for children of all ages.

Review: God of Carnage at Silver Spring Stage

Reviews September 21, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Are we ever interested in anything but ourselves? If one can be interested in something other than ones’ self for just a moment, take interest in the Silver Spring Stage production of Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage. Translated by Christopher Hampton and Directed by Adam R. Adkins, this viscerally biting comedy displays the inner child in four seemingly sophisticated adults. As their children come to blows on the playground and how to handle the situation is discussed,

Review: Marie Antoinette at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Reviews September 20, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Beauty is a function but there is more to life than glittery things. The raw and striking humanity that is viciously exposed beneath the opalescent and lavish lifestyle of the spoiled queen of France kicks off Season 35 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Marie Antoinette, a revolutionary work written by David Adjmi, is starting off the season with an illustrious bang. Lavish extravagance never looked so good as it does strutting down the stage at Woolly but in the eyes of the masses such expenditures have their price.

Review: Amadeus at Centerstage

Reviews September 19, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

A note of music is either right or wrong; not even time can change that. Centerstage is hitting notes of marvelous perfection as they launch their 52nd season with a resplendent production of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus. Directed by Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah, the epic masterpiece of one man’s struggle against God comes to Baltimore in time to welcome in the autumn days. The tale is invigorating; a stunning exposure to the raw humanity that drives mortal men to unspeakable sins all spurned from jealousy.

Review: Masquerade at Wolf Pack Theatre Company

Reviews September 18, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Pain. Illness. Death. These are all parts of our lives. All too often the socially unacceptable topics along these lines creep in unnoticed and are swept away into taboos. Suicide becomes one of those un-discussable topics, the white elephant in the room as it were. The founding Artistic Director of Wolf Pack Theatre Company is pushing to change that convention with a brand new work entitled Masquerade. Playwright and Director William Leary embarks on a journey with a cast of six to create an honest conversation about the topic of suicide with his compelling new work;

Playwright Daria Marinelli outside of Venus Theatre premiering her work We Are Samurai.

Voices of Venus: Director Deb Randall Speaks Samurai

Interviews September 18, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

It has happened before. It will happen again. It’s happening right now. The innovative new work that is changing the way theatre is viewed right in Washington DC’s back yard. Venus Theatre is midway through ‘Fierce14’ with their production of We Are Samurai, a new work by emerging playwright Daria Marinelli. The piece itself fully supports the mission statement of the theatre company currently producing it. which is setting flight to the voices of women and children in theatre for live.

Requiem of Genius: An Interview with Bruce Randolph Nelson on Playing Salieri in Amadeus

Interviews September 18, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

What a story. What a scandal. What does he cry? Amadeus! But it is Salieri’s tale to tell. And what better a way to hear it than in an exclusive interview with Baltimore area actor Bruce Randolph Nelson, playing the lead role of Salieri in Centerstage’s production of Amadeus. The first production of their 2014/2015 season is underway and in a sit down interview Bruce gives us the real deal on what it’s like to play the lesser genius to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Interview: Unanswerable Questions- An In-Depth Look at Masquerade with Playwright and Director Bill Leary

Interviews September 16, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Unanswerable questions. Unbearable loss. This is the tagline for an evocative new drama presented by Wolf Pack Theatre Company, entitled Masquerade. Written and Directed by company founder and artistic director Bill Leary, the production tackles the tough social issue of suicide, brought to light in the face of a family tragedy. Having the distinguished honor of meeting the playwright prior to the production’s opening, I’ve sat down with Bill for an interview about what motivated him to write the play and what he hopes producing such a production will achieve in the community.

Let them Eat! Part I of Eating at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Kimberly Gilbert on being Marie Antoinette

Interviews September 16, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Let them eat cake! The infamous words that everyone attributes to Marie Antoinette. But did you know that she never actually said those words? In a full-disclosure, up-close-and-personal one-on-one interview with Woolly Mammoth Company Member Kimberly Gilbert, we go in depth with the actress about what it has been like getting ready to take on the iconic role of Marie as Woolly opens their 35th season of “Let them Eat” with the show Marie Antoinette.

Review: Game Show at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews September 14, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Ladies and Gentlemen! Step right up and come on down! You’re the next contestant on Game Show! Taglined as “The Comedy You Play” The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre kicks off their 53rd season with a unique audience interactive show. Directed by Kristen Cooley, this zany participatory program keeps the audience laughing and involved in a real live game show while a melodramatic comic plot unwinds around the host and all the members of the production team.

Interview: On Art and Friendship- a discussion with Actors Mark Scharf, Steven Shriner, and Eric C. Stein

Interviews September 14, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Friendships come and friendships go, and sometimes a disagreement in taste can be all the difference in the world between “best friends” and the end of 15 years of friendship. Taking a moment to dissect this concept, I’ve sat down with three seasoned veterans of the stage— Eric C. Stein, Mark Scharf, and Steven Shriner— who are currently performing in the Vagabond Players production of Yasmina Reza’s Art and gotten their opinion on the matter.

Huey Calhoun (L- Greg Twomey) and Felicia Farrell (R- Ashley Lauren Johnson) meet in Delray's club for the first time.

Review: Memphis at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia

Reviews September 13, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther 1 Comment

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,

The company of Rent at Phoenix Festival Theatre

Review: Rent at Phoenix Festival Theatre

Reviews September 11, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

How do you document real life when real life’s getting more like fiction each day? The Phoenix Festival Theatre is documenting the musical that captures that essential message with spectacular brilliance in their current production of Jonathan Larson’s Rent. Directed by Laurie Starkey with Musical Direction by Terri Mathews, this timeless musical of life, love, and humanity comes roaring to life straight off the stage in Harford County with punch,

Guy & Girl from the touring company of Once

Review: Once at The Hippodrome

Reviews September 10, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Love’s all very well but in the hands of people it all turns to soup. There is a delicious soup like no other presented in the form of Broadway’s 8-Tony Award-Winning musical Once making it’s Baltimore debut at the Hippodrome Theatre as a part of the 2014-2015 Broadway Across America— CareFirst Hippodrome Broadway series. Stunning music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markèta Irglovà and book by Enda Walsh,

Nigel Reed (l) and Valerie Leonard (r) as Bryce Cannon and Vanessa Wells- Hollywood's hasbeens.

Review: Four Weddings and an Elvis at Bay Theatre Company

Reviews September 9, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Just like the tides that crash into Annapolis harbor, the Bay Theatre Company is on its way back into town. Alive and kicking, though currently not producing, the company is endeavoring to raise a fund to get back up on their feet and wants the public to be aware. After a successful, albeit brief, run of Theresa Rebeck’s Bad Dates back in January, the company hosted a one-evening-only staged reading of an uproarious comedy Four Weddings and an Elvis,

Review: The Hero’s Tale at Greenbelt Arts Center

Reviews September 7, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

They’re the 1342 Dupont Circle Heroes! And they are appearing for a limited run engagement at the Greenbelt Arts Center. An evocative story of humanity and human nature written by Cheryl Poole, this one-act production is a striking performance that touches the deepest part of the audience’s souls. Directed by Gregory Poole, the story follows the memories of a quartet of men— self-proclaimed the Dupont Circle Heroes— a bumpy stumble down memory lane to a darker time that may have all but escaped their minds as time left them in the past.

The speaking cast of 'We Are Samurai' at Venus Theatre.

Review: We Are Samurai at Venus Theatre

Reviews September 7, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

It has happened before. It will happen again. Cats. Souls. Revenge. Samurai. Venus Theatre is taking a daring new leap in the middle of ‘Fierce14’ with their 49th production. Unlike anything previously staged at the Playshack, Director Deborah Randall is giving Daria Marinelli’s We Are Samurai its regional premier. As a promenade style performance, this ensemble piece takes place in five different locations set both inside and outside the theatre;

Review: Art at Vagabond Players

Reviews September 6, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

What is it that binds us to other human beings? On what do we base our friendships with others? And can something as insignificant as a disagreement in artistic tastes be the basis for ending a deep and lasting relationship with a best friend? All of these questions are answered as the Vagabond Players mount their 99th season with a production of Yasmina Reza’s Art. Directed by Howard Berkowitz,

Review: White Suit Science at Single Carrot Theatre

Reviews September 5, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Ladies and gentlemen! Step right up! The circus has come to town! Only, not exactly. Hold onto your brain-balls, it’s about to get a little bit “thinky” over at Single Carrot Theatre as they launch the first production of a brand new initiative called their ‘Featured Second Series.’ Existing outside of the Carrots’ 8th season, this second series will serve as a theatrical incubator; a safe space for shows that take big risks on tiny budgets.

Review: Yentl at Theater J

Reviews September 3, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Mysteries of appearances. Deceptions of the heart. Androgynies of the soul. These are no longer dated topics held applicable to only women of the Jewish faith. As Theater J opens its 18th season with an invigorating and refreshing new production of Yentl, theatergoers are compelled to reflect upon the change for everyone that this particular show inspires. Directed by Shirley Serotsky with Musical Direction by Jonathan Tuzman, this strikingly beautiful tale is a remarkable work,

The Understudy at Everyman Theatre featuring resident company artists Danny Gavigan, Beth Hylton, and Clinton Brandhagen.

Review: The Understudy at Everyman Theatre

Reviews September 1, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Silence is not beautiful. Understudies are not bitter. Silence is a failure of words; silence is defeat. And understudies are real actors that are failed to be recognized in light of a big name draw to a Broadway show. This riveting and uproarious concept, albeit completely true, is wrapped up in Everyman Theatre’s production of Theresa Rebeck’s The Understudy. Directed by Joseph W. Ritsch, this exciting dramadey is more than just a metaplay about real life actors and Kafka.

The Brighton Beach Memoirs Family Photo- Top Row L to R: Stanley Jerome (Mike Culhane), Eugene Jerome (Casey Baum) and Nora Morton (Sophia Speciale) Bottom Row: Blanche Morton (Jill Goodrich), Laurie Morton (Annalie Ellis), Kate Jerome (Nora Zanger) and Jack Jerome (Steve Feder)

Review: Brighton Beach Memoirs at Prince George’s Little Theatre

Reviews September 1, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Advice is free. If it doesn’t fit you can always return it. And just like any shopping endeavor, good advice is often hard to find. Prince George’s Little Theatre is a great place to go looking for it in their production of Brighton Beach Memoirs, the first of three shows in the 55th season. A poignantly witty, well received , emotionally touching comedy, the family featured in the Neil Simon classic puts the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional.

Tarzan(Frankie Rowles) and Jane (Carli Smith)

Review: Tarzan at The Milburn Stone Theatre

Reviews August 29, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

With every ending comes a new beginning and that’s exactly what is swinging into town up at The Milburn Stone Theatre as they present Tarzan, the stage musical based on the epic Disney film. With book by David Henry Hwang, and Music and Lyrics by Phil Collins, this catchy family show is filled with fun for everyone. Directed by Bambi Johnson, this production is quickly earning a spot in the hearts of audiences everywhere.

Sweeney Todd: A Prog Metal Introspective Interview with the Women Behind the Show

Interviews August 29, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd, who served a prog and a metal god! With the blessing of the mastermind himself, The Landless Theatre Company has taken Stephen Sondheim’s musical thriller to new heights with their prog metal rendition of the notoriously grim show. Reinventing the classic orchestrations with a self-proclaimed ‘nerd metal’ vibe, the company has created a hybrid performance that lives up to their slogan— “theatre for the theatre-challenged.” This production has caused quite the stir around the Washington DC Theatre scene— being the first of its kind as well as providing a strong voice for female directors in both the theatrical ring as well as the metal scene.

ImprovAcadia: Theatre on Vacation

News, Reviews August 21, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

When one takes a vacation the last thing one thinks about is work, generally speaking. But when you work in and around the theatre it is hard not to enjoy the chance to see performance at an out of town venue. Especially when it’s the only little Improv Troupe in all of Bar Harbor— if not the whole of Mount Desert Island up in Maine. Ten years in the running, ImprovAcadia has a brilliant little hybrid form show that they have compiled right in the main thoroughfare of downtown Bar Harbor.

Review: Macbeth- The Instruments of Darkness at The Rude Mechanicals

Reviews August 18, 2014 Amanda N. Gunther

Light and darkness make fools both of the eyes. But it is oft better to live in the bliss of darkness than in the harsh intelligence of the light for once a thing is known and learned it can never be unknown. The Rude Mechanicals illustrate this concept with exception as their bring their 2014 Capital Fringe Festival production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth: The Instruments of Darkness to the Greenbelt Arts Center for a limited five show engagement.