Much Ado About Nothing at Ardeo Theatre Company
Be vigitant! And if you have legsâ you will come! To the final production of the 2026 Frederick Shakespeare Festivalâ Ardeo Theatre Companyâs Much Ado About Nothing! Set in the bodacious and totally rad 1980s, this hilarious Shakespearean comedy is directed by Aaron Angello and features a mostly repertory cast from the FSF first main-stage show of 2026, Henry IV Part 1. Witty, humorous, heartfelt, and above all fun,
Sister Act at The Long Green Valley Players
Raise your strength, raise your spirit, raise it so the angels can hear it! Raise some heat! Raise some Cain! Raise it to a higher plane! And The Long Green Valley Players are RAISING IT!!! Not only have they raised themselves up like Lazarus after a good double-decade hiatus, but they are raising up the joyâ the spiritâ and their voices at St. Johnâs this summer with their reboot-inaugural production of Sister Act.
The Notebook at Broadway at The National Theatre in DC
Inside the sadness there is joy; a powerful and universally true statement, no matter what your situation may be. And The Notebook is steeped deeply in both sadness and joy. Now touring Broadway at The National in Washington DC through the end of August, this tragically beautiful storyâ with music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and book by Bekah Brunstetter, based on the novel by Nicolas Sparksâ has a lot of really exquisite moments woven throughout and features some incredibly talented performers to narrate that tale.
The Addams Family at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre
Define normal. Because normal is an illusion, whatâs normal for the spider is a calamity of for the fly! And what really is normalâ a family? A secret? A ring? Sounds like youâre in for the least normal night of your lifeâŚor maybe the most normal if you go to the theatre every night like certain people do. Me. Iâm the certain people. Buckle up, theatergoers, youâre in for anything but normal when it comes to spending one kooky night (or afternoon,
Speak Low If You Speak Love: A Round-Robin Interview with Ardeo Theatre Company’s Much Ado About Nothing Folk
I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyesâ and moreover, I will go with thee toâ the black box at Tatem Arts to crash a rehearsal? Bet Shakespeare didnât see that one coming! And neither, perhaps did the fantastic fourâ Beatrice, Benedick, Claudio, and Heroâ as they were beset upon by me for a romping jaunt of a round-robin interview! In a TheatreBloom sit down exclusive, weâve picked the brains of Shakespeareâs living finestâŚGillian Shelly,
The Inn at Spotlighters Theatre
Certainly everywhere is somewhere. And after all, isnât it more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be? Or am I perhaps conflating Norton Juster and upcoming playwright Elliot Kashner. The latter, I think. Though his current new work, The Inn, appearing at The Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre as a part of the summer 2026 Baltimore Playwrights Festival offering, doesâ to my mindâ transport me to my first encounter with NPCs.
Snow White at Stand Up For…Theatre
No matter what happens, itâs always important to believe in something! A very important lesson that Snow White is teaching us as Stand Up ForâŚTheatre had to believe in that age old adage of âThe Show Must Go On!â Faced with thunderbolts and lightning (very, very frightening!) and a mini sprinkled downpouring deluge of rainâŚthe poor companyâs opening night was very nearly fraught with cancellation! BUT! They believe! In the miracles of making it happen,
Frozen at Glyndon Area Players
Love is an open door! Love is putting someone elseâs needs before yours. Disneyâs Frozen was a game-changer in redefining what an act of true love really could be; so many Disney fairytale animated features (and subsequent Broadway musicals) depended on the princess finding her prince and true loveâs first kiss. And while thereâs a total side-plot component in Frozen, this wintery-wonderland-fairytale musical is all about the love of family.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Other Voices Theatre
RedâŚyellowâŚgreenâŚbrownâŚscarletâŚblackâŚdonât tempt me. I know all 29 colors by heartâ Sara Bosworth of Lansdowne Middle School ensured that every kid in that production could say, sing, spell, and recite in order the colors of Josephâs coat in the spring of 1998. Iâve been married to this production for almost as many years as the coat has colors. And seeing my umpteenth production from church basements to national touring houses and everywhere in-betweenâ Joseph &
The Importance of Being Earnest at Endangered Species Theatre Project
The very essence of romance is uncertainty! Will they? Wonât they? Is it a Happily-Ever-After? Join The Endangered Species Theatre Project as they embark down the well-worn theatrical path of Oscar Wildeâs The Importance of Being Earnest this summer as a part of the Frederick Shakespeare Festival. Co-Directed by Christine Mosere and Kayla Swain, thereâs some giddiness abound in this indoor-festival production.
Part of this productionâs challenge is the overall pacing,
Deathtrap at Cockpit in Court
Of these two things I am certain; all else is confusion:
- Cockpit in Court puts up five shows a year in their summerstock season; two main stage shows, two shows in the cabaret, and a junior show for youth performers over in the admin building.
- Deathtrap is arguably the best show theyâve produced up in the cabaret space this side of the pandemic.
Itâs thrilleritis-malignus at its finest!
The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals at Wildwood Summer Theatre
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author: Jake Schwartz
When the whole world starts to turn into a musical, you need to think about the implications! And in Wildwood Summer Theatreâs production of Starkidâs The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals, the implications are everywhere. As with any Starkid show, The Guy Who Didnât Like Musicals is vulgar, violent, crass, bloody, and full of content warnings. Yet it has developed a cult following,
Return Engagements at Bowie Community Theatre
author: Ryan J. Bordenski
Love is in the air, but so is deceit, mockery, adultery, the withholding of information, lies, andâŚuhâŚdental procedures? But donât worry; this is a comedy so everything will be funny and fine in the end, right?! Of course, I am talking about Return Engagements at Bowie Community Theatre. This farcical and comedic play by Bernard Slade tells the story of four unique and awkward couples who have separate chance encounters and trysts,
Footloose at Cockpit in Court
Everything I learned that gets me through the worst, I learned at my Mamaâs knee. And I invite her along plenty to come see musical theatre, out and about with me. And while she couldnât make it to the opening of Cockpit in Courtâs Footlooseâ my Mama says, it doesnât matter, if youâre a first-timer or you been there before, you better get your tickets to see that show, before they ainât got tickets no more!
Hair at Small Town Stars Theatre Company
End war before it ends you! Not something most of us thought would be resonating hard here in 2026. History doesnât repeat itself so much as it rhymes with itself. And you can feel that rhyming resonance in all too relevant way raging through the talent at Small Town Stars Theatre Companyâs production of Hair. Yes, that Hair, the one with the hippie-loving âbe-inâ and the nudity at the end of Act I.
Urinetown at Street Lamp Community Theatre
Well itâs a hard, cold, tumble of a tourney, jumble of a journey to Urinetown! Actually, itâs a long drive, and itâs pretty hot outside, all the way up to Rising Sun for Urinetown. But my friends, I sayâ you have to run, freedom-run-freedom-run-awaaaaaayâ up there to go and see this fine production! Campy, humorous, creative, clever, with all sorts of piss-taking songs and a company 32 strong in that little black box of Street Lamp Community Theatre,
Doll Parts… at The Voxel
âChange doesnât come whispered in your ear; it comes as a hurricane.â There was more to that strikingly profound quote but at the risk of butchering Nikki Ann Hartmanâs beautiful phraseology, Iâll leave it there. It was one of several, one of many, one of more than a handful that really stuck with me while experiencing Doll Parts⌠a one{trans}-woman show at The Voxel in Baltimore City last night. A friend of mine likes to tease me about how I struggle with the difference between a couple,
When You’re An Addams: A Full-Disclosure Interview with The Addams Family (and some Beinekes) at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre
Secrets are the enemies of passion! Speaking truth will get you through the day. Truth is not a thing that one should rationâ and believe me as I open up and saaaayâ
ActuallyâŚthey do a lot of the saying. Iâm just doing the asking. In this sit-down, round-robin TheatreBloom interview, weâve got seven Addamses and two Beinekes* talking all about their current experience of working on The Addams Family musical, opening on Sunday August 16th 2026 at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre.
The Colored Museum at Silver Spring Stage
author: Wes Dennis
I approached The Colored Museum with deep skepticism. Too often shows that spotlight aspects of the black American experience leave me shaken and incensed: not in a truly powerful or earned way, but in a way that I find offensive and even insulting. A play that ends with the dramatic reveal that a black youth has been shot to death may serve as a gut punch to white audiences,
Bonnie & Clyde at River Stone Theatre Company
In this hot summer heat if you need someplace cool to goâ
Prepare yourself for a sensational show.
They put the âhellâ in hello, and youâre in for one hell of a ride
When you come see River Stone Theatre Companyâs production of Bonnie & Clyde.
Why? Well, âcause ainât nothinâ rhyme with Clyde & Bonnie. This rarely produced musical is currently appearing at the Opera House in Havre de Grace as River Stone Theatre Companyâs third main-stage show and is directed and choreographed by Lauren Hampton,
Anatomy of Performance: An Interview with Nikki Ann Hartman on Her New Work Doll Parts… at The Voxel
A one-[trans]-woman show about memory, becoming, and transitioning gender in later life. If that sounds like a show that has piqued your interests, then Doll Parts⌠appearing at The Voxel in Baltimore from July 21st through July 25th 2026 is the show for you. Written and performed by Nikki Ann Hartman (Founding Artistic Director of The Peopleâs Repertory Theatre Company) this new work will debut as a part of the summer residency program offered at The Voxel.
Variations on Silence at Rapid Lemon Productions
author: Chris Pence
The Sounds of Silence: Variations on Silence at Rapid Lemon Productions
âHello darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk with you again / Because a vision softly creeping / Left its seeds while I was sleeping / And the vision that was planted in my brain / Still remains / Within the sound of silence.â Is silence truly just the absence of sound, or something more?
Dare To Dream
Every adventure requires a first step! Even if you donât know what comes next! Itâs time to take that first step and go on a wonderful adventureâ and spoiler, Iâll tell you what comes next! Why itâs a wonderful, heartfelt, hour(ish) long show performed by 16 terrific young actors who are doing their showâs namesakeâ they are daring to dream! Hop on that magic carpet and soar on over to the Court Jesters (the junior division of Cockpit in Court) for this magical production of Disneyâs Dare to Dream Jr.
Henry IV Part 1 at Unstrung Harpist
Is not truth the truth? Instinct is a great matter. And your instincts ought be telling you to get thee to Frederick for the inaugural production of the 2026 Frederick Shakespeare Festivalâ Henry IV Part 1 as presented by Unstrung Harpist. Directed by Evan Crump, this jam-packed history can turn even the most skeptical of audient into a history appreciator if not wholly an enthusiast. Remarkably well executed, this sword-clashing, heartbreaking, villainously ripe tale doth tread upon the heels of Richard II,
Beetlejuice at The National Theatre in DC
Positivity is a luxury that few can afford! But Iâm positive that youâll want to catch Beetlejuice now that itâs returned home to The National Theatre for a two-week summertime engagement! Itâs a show about death! And they tell you that straight awayâ no punchesâ no surprisesâ well, plenty of surprises, but not about the whole âbeing dead thing.â Based on the Geffen Company Picture of the same name, with story by Michael McDowell &
Cheers to 29 Years: Maryland Ensemble Theatre Launches 2026/2027 Season
You wish to go to theâ METstival? And itâll be AGONY if you donât get a ticket? A season ticket!? Or a ticket to any of their terrific five-mainstage, four-Fun-companyâ yeah it doesnât really work after that because their Comedy Nights are sooooo expansiveâ at least five active teams plus the return/kickstart of some other fun endeavorsâ but you get the idea! Maryland Ensemble Theatre is kicking off their 29th season and there is so much in-storeâ you might even say they are not throwinâ away their shot!*
In fantastical Maryland Ensemble Theatre fashion,
All O’ Frederick’s A Stage: And Unstrung Harpist, ESP, and Ardeo its Players
‘Zounds, I will speak of it; and let my soul want mercy, if I do not join with them!
And speak onât I shall. Borrowing some words in true wordsmith fashion, a call to attend! Attend thyselves upon this festival of merriment, this festival of drawn-daggers and teacups (every family has one) and knavery and bloody history and comedy and tragedy and all! Tis trueâ tis The Frederick Shakespeare Festival upon which I dote and dare speak (and will be waiting for two of the directors to flounce me round the ears for my bastardization of Shakespeareâs tongue,
The Tale of Cymbeline at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
author: Erin Tarpley
âLoveâs a reason without reasonâ
What is the first trope you think of when you think of Shakespeare? Star-crossed lovers? Mistaken identities? Cross-dressing? Tragic flaws? Dramatic irony? Do you tend to prefer his tragedies? Comedies? Romances?? Well, when it comes to The Tale of Cymbeline, this show feels like it is competing for a âShakespeare-Tropeâ bingo game; and all the audience is a winner with this production!
While You Live Tell Truth and Shame The Devil: An Interview with Evan Crump and Aaron Angello {mostly} on Henry IV Pt1 (and also a lil Much Ado)
For let them be Dianaâs foresters, gentlemen of the shade (and indoor air-conditioning!) minions of the moon! Said Falstaff, Act I Scene ii, more or less. In a TheatreBloom sit-down, weâre chit-chatting all around the moon minionsâ or at least with two of themâ Evan Crump, Artistic Director of Unstrung Harpist and director of Henry IV Part I, and Aaron Angello, Co-Artistic Director of Ardeo Theatre Company and director of Much Ado About Nothingâ AND theyâre both acting in each otherâs Shakespeare offerings in the 2026 Frederick Shakespeare Festival!
As You Like It a Summer Community Outreach Production at Maryland Ensemble Theatre
Trying to tell a story you can feel. How do you make the magic real? Love makes magic real. And is love bursting at every seam in Maryland Ensemble Theatreâs Summer Community Outreach production of As You Like It. And this isnât just any As You Like It, itâs the one adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolrey (music and lyrics by Shaina Taub, source material William Shakespeare.) And it has the love of Julie Herber and Karli Cole,