The Wizard of Oz at Phoenix Festival Theatre
author: Lisa Standish
There’s a certain magic that happens when a beloved classic finds a fresh stage to call home, and that is precisely what occurred as Phoenix Festival Theatre followed the Yellow Brick Road to the newly renovated Chesapeake Theater. Bringing the 1939 MGM masterpiece to life with vibrant energy, this production of The Wizard of Oz manages to bridge the gap between silver-screen nostalgia and high-spirited live performance. Based on the timeless story by L.
Next To Normal at Iron Crow Theatre
author: Leonard Taube
Do you know what it’s like to die alive? That may be a heavy question, but it’s one that Diana asks and sets the stage for an evening of intense, raw, gut-wrenching drama. Iron Crow Theatre’s production of Next to Normal opened at the beautiful M&T Bank Exchange this evening to a large house and more than a few wet eyes. You simply cannot be unmoved by its subject matter and,
City of Angels at Colonial Players
People never see themselves as other people write them. And when you write them walking into a tangled web of film-noir meets golden-aged Hollywood with musical theatre camp and coziness all cuddled up together on the squarish stage of Colonial Players, well that’s one script you just have to see to believe. City of Angels— that rarely produced hybrid gem of show-inside-a-show like a nesting doll of page-to-screen-to-stage— is now playing as the penultimate production of the 77th season at Colonial Players of Annapolis.
A View From The Bridge at Greenbelt Arts Center
If you say something, you know it. If you don’t say something, you don’t know it. So many people keeping their sayings to themselves so that they— what? Get to remain unknown? Anonymous? Ignorant? Blood may be thicker than water but betrayal— that can cut deeper than any bond. Arthur Miller and his seemingly ageless drama A View From The Bridge is painting a bloody and brutal— and tragically still relevant— picture of the American condition.
Spring Awakening at Tidewater Players
What serves each of us best is what serves all of us best. Right? Radical idea, no? Tidewater Players is serving up a liberal dose of teenage angst and heartache with their current production of Spring Awakening (based on the play by Frank Wedekind with book & lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik.) Exploring the topics of growing up and simply yearning to learn outside of what’s being forcibly presented as knowledge within the confines and strictures of the institutions of schools and churches,
By The Way, Meet Vera Stark at Laurel Mill Playhouse
author: Rick Bergmann
By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Balances Screwball Comedy and Sharp Cultural Reckoning
By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage, now showing at Laurel Mill Playhouse, sets out to do a lot—and nearly pulls it off. First produced in 2011, the play examines the legacy of African Americans in Hollywood, skewering racial stereotypes while reveling in the conventions of classic cinema and theater.
Back to the Future at The Hippodrome
Great Scott! 1.21 gigawatts!? Where are you going to get that kind of power in 2026!? At Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre, of course! Back to the Future: The Musical is proof positive that you can achieve anything if you just put your mind to it! Based on the film by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale (book), Back to the Future (with music & lyrics by Alan Silvestri & Glen Ballard) is zooming at 88 miles per hour into Charm City— but for one week only!
Peter Rabbit and the Secret Garden Gate at MET Fun Company
This is passing extraordinary! This lovely, whimsical adventure— Peter Rabbit and the Secret Garden Gate, which is now appearing in the Stage II space at Maryland Ensemble Theatre as a MET Fun Company production! Charmingly devised and Directed by Shea-Mikal Green, a cast of four performers tumble around in the world of Beatrix Potter, most notably with the Peter Rabbit character and it’s delightful; a remarkably felicitous escape into the nostalgic world of childhood,
Arsenic and Old Lace at Vagabond Players
Do you long for a simpler time? A time when things weren’t so complicated? A time, perhaps, when simpler virtues— things like candlelight, good manners, and poisoned wine were on offer in every Old Spinster household? Vagabond Players has got just the show for you, my friends, but whatever you do— DO NOT DRINK THE WINE! That tried and true comedic classic, Arsenic and Old Lace, written by Joseph Kesselring, is now appearing at Vags under the direction of Katie Sheldon and it’s a doozy!
Small Mouth Sounds at Maryland Ensemble Theatre
Once you see the ocean you may never be able to return to the well. Once you say a thing, it’s said and can never be unheard. Once you see Small Mouth Sounds at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre, the first production on their mainstage for the 2026 calendar year, you will certainly never be able to unsee it, and you may find yourself wondering if you need to be on the path of enlightenment.
Stereophonic at The National Theatre DC
Music isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s supposed to be about making something together. Theatre too. And that’s what makes Stereophonic so perfect. It’s no wonder it took home five Tony Awards, including best play, in 2024. The imperfections. The rawness. The realness. The ugly, gritty truth of desperation seeking to be perfection guised as making music— that is theatrical perfection incarnate. Stereophonic is a transformative theatrical experience— a true rare bird amidst the era of “Oprah Musicals” (you get a musical,
Dawn at Everyman Theatre
“No one understands their mother!” That was the line that got the most relief-laden laugh during the 82-minute run time of Dawn, a new play by Tuyết Thị Phạm, currently making its world premiere at Everyman Theatre. And while the sentiment may indeed be very true, its placement and timing were the exact break of levity that was required in the heaviness of the work as a whole. Directed by Seonjae Jim,
Company at Damascus Theatre Company
Phone rings, door chimes, in walks— Company. Damascus Theatre Company (in partnership with the city of Gaithersburg) is presenting this Sondheim classic for three weekends during February and it’s a heartfelt joy with a lot of beautifully humorous moments that really bring the show to life. Directed by Rachelle A. Horn, with Musical Direction by Keith Edward (live orchestra conducted by Stuart Y. Weich), and Choreography by Karen Kushner Creel,
Catch Me If You Can at The Suburban Players
The Suburban Players did it in style! So set back and let them be your— well it’s not a TV Guide— because they’re live in living color for their 51st production. And it’s a doozy! Catch Me If You Can is flying to Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church this February and it’s a smashing success! Directed by Lauren Hampton with Musical Direction by Steven Edward Soltow and Choreography by Amie Bell, this zippy zinger of a musical comedy,
Fences at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
Some people build fences to keep people out. Other people build fences to keep people in. A powerful statement to be sure; an evocative thought that primes the mind for the emotional journey that is August Wilson’s Fences. Produced at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company as a part of the multi-year, city-wide Baltimore August Wilson Celebration, this striking production is a theatrical pleasure, inviting audiences into the intimate details of day-to-day life in the backyard of the Maxson home in Pittsburgh,
Jesus Christ Superstar at Street Lamp Community Theatre
When do we— ride into Jerusalem? When do we— ride into Jerusalem? When do we— ride into Rising Sun? When do we— ride into Rising Sun? What’s the buzz— I’ll tell you what’s a-happening? JCS— that is what’s a-happening! Triumphantly returning to the Street Lamp Community Theatre Stage under the majestic direction of Rylynn Woods, Musical Direction of Mia Bray and Choreography of Stephanie Peterson, the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar is back!
The Great Gatsby at The Hippodrome
Where’s the party? Can you take me there? Why, of course, Old Sport! It’s roarin’ on over at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre! Come celebrate the glamour, glitz, opulence, and decadence— J. Gatsby himself is sending you a personal invitation! The party never ends at The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center as the national tour of The Great Gatsby launches itself right here in Charm City. Based on the iconic classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald,
Baltimore Is Not Throwin’ Away It’s Shot: An Annual Interview with Ron Legler on the 2026/2027 Hippodrome Broadway Season
It’s a tale as old as time…waiting and waiting and waiting for those hills to be alive with the sounds of— the new season drop at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre! (Did you see what we did there? #IYKYK) And the new season— the 2026/2027 Broadway Across America Broadway Hippodrome Series— has officially dropped! EIGHT SHOWS. THREE NATIONAL TOUR LAUNCHES. TWO SEASONAL ADD-ONS. And a whole bunch of Broadway magic ready to razzle, dazzle, entertain, and wow audiences in Charm City,
Romeo & Juliet a Comedy at The Rude Mechanicals
“Fear is like a rhubarb enema!” might just be the wildest thing I’ve ever heard come out of the mouth of a player at a Rude Mechanical’s show. And I’ve seen their King John! My one regret (aside from seeing their King John) is that I couldn’t hear the rest of the line— delivered in utter brilliance by Marin (Linda “Spencer” Dye) the fraidy-cat servant to Roselo because both myself and the rest of the audience were laughing so hard it drowned out whatever insanity came next.
The Plæy That Goes Wr∅ng at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland
Mǝlɔoɯǝ ʇo ┴ɥǝ Ԁlɐʎ ┴ɥɐʇ פoǝs Mɹouƃ˙
Ah. Well. There you have it.
.gnorW seoG tahT yalP ehT ot emoclew ,dias I ?ew llahs ,niaga taht yrt s’teL
Good grief. Somebody call The Stage Manager!
You think all that text went wrong— you should see all the crazy things that happen on the set of Children’s Playhouse of Maryland’s Teh Plaaay That Goes wRoNg.
Save My Black Soul at Laurel Mill Playhouse
author: Rick Bergmann
A Stage for the Soul: Save My Black Soul Shines at Laurel Mill Playhouse
One of the great joys of being immersed in the community theater scene is the occasional chance to encounter something genuinely new. New works are always a risk—sometimes rough around the edges, sometimes still finding their voice—but they offer the rare thrill of discovery. It is therefore a pleasure to report that Save My Black Soul,
Shakespeare In Harlem at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company & UMBC Theatre
There is a big blue emptiness in a dream deferred. And Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is filling it up with a first of its kind collaborative production between themselves and UMBC Theatre. Langston Hughe’s Shakespeare In Harlem, adapted for the stage and directed by Gerrad Alex Taylor, is appearing for a one-weekend only performance at CSC’s downtown stage after a successful run at UMBC Theatre in the fall of 2025. Evocative poetry in theatrical motion,
Other Desert Cities at Colonial Players
You need seasons to mark where you are. It’s currently winter season; halfway through the darkness— halfway through season 77 at The Colonial Players of Annapolis. And they’re bringing you Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz. Directed by Laura Gayvert, this edgy, albeit questionably dated, drama hits hard with its deep questions of family dysfunction when secrets threaten to unravel pre-existing ways of life.
While the play itself isn’t wholly ‘dated’ there are references that for the younger audiences will be obscure and it certainly bears the signature of its timestamp.
A Man For All Seasons at Kentlands Community Players
author: Rick Bergmann
Conscience on Trial: A Man for All Seasons at Kentlands Community Players
One of the ongoing frustrations of community theater is how often companies return to the same familiar titles. Box-office logic tends to favor what is popular and proven, even if it means repeating shows audiences have seen many times before. That is why it is genuinely exciting when a theater announces a new work—or, as Kentlands Community Players has done this week,
The Mountaineer at Greenbelt Arts Center
Who would you risk your life to save? And how high would your chance of dying have to get before you changed your mind? An evocative question that gets posited, albeit left unanswered, in the world premiere of the new musical The Mountaineer (a high-altitude musical by Diana Raynes) at the Greenbelt Arts Center running now through January 17th 2026. Directed, produced, and designed by Eric Honour, this three-person musical experience is a vexing project that has great potential for a future life beyond this first outing on the GAC black box stage.
From East, Like The Sun at Rapid Lemon Productions
author: Chris Pence
Perpetual Guests in Foreign Lands: From East, Like The Sun at Rapid Lemon Productions
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Written in 1883, Emma Lazarus’ The New Colossus has welcomed immigrants into The United States since being mounted inside the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening The World) since 1903. From its inception, The United States has stood as a guiding light for disenfranchised immigrants,
The Shark is Broken at Vagabond Players
Art and entertainment are not mutually exclusive; something can tickle your funny bone and give you great pause for appreciation. And vice versa. It’s what Ian Shaw & Joseph Nixon’s script The Shark is Broken sets out to prove. It’s now appearing— the area community premiere— at Vagabond Players, kicking off the back-half of the 110th season! Directed by Stephen Deininger, this fast-paced, truth-based theatrical engagement gives audiences a deeper look at what really happens when filming for a movie gets stalled in tight quarters.
Seven Guitars at Spotlighters Theatre
Death is fairer than life; it comes for everybody and does not discriminate. ‘Everybody got a time coming. Can’t nobody say they ain’t got a time coming.’ We all live on borrowed time from the start of our existence; nobody is getting out alive. On a play that opens with its conclusion in plain sight, driving you back through the events of how it ended up that way, August Wilson’s Seven Guitars is a harrowingly beautiful theatrical experience,
Something Wicked This Way Comes: Macbeth bloodies Frederick at Endangered Species Theatre Project
By the pricking of my thumb… a wicked new year does this way come!
Not exactly what Shakespeare had in mind, but the dude had a lot going on with thumbs. I mean biting them started a whole street brawl in that other bloody tragedy, so why shouldn’t pricking them bring about the end of days? Seems par for the course with the country’s current climate. What better way to welcome the new year than with a production of the bloody and iconic,
Wicked at The Hippodrome
One short day— here in Baltimore City— one short day— full of so much for you! Ev’ry way that you look at the city— there’s something exquisite— that you’ll want to visit— before the day’s through! And while it’s here for several short days (though not too many, only through January 11th 2026) that exquisite thing you’ll want to visit is Wicked on its triumphant return to Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre. Landing just in time for the holiday season,