Be vigitant! And if you have legs— you will come! To the final production of the 2026 Frederick Shakespeare Festival— Ardeo Theatre Company’s 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,
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 joy— the spirit— and their voices at St. John’s this summer with their reboot-inaugural production of Sister Act.
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 story— with music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and book by Bekah Brunstetter, based on the novel by Nicolas Sparks— has a lot of really exquisite moments woven throughout and features some incredibly talented performers to narrate that tale.
Define normal. Because normal is an illusion, what’s normal for the spider is a calamity of for the fly! And what really is normal— a family? A secret? A ring? Sounds like you’re in for the least normal night of your life…or maybe the most normal if you go to the theatre every night like certain people do. Me. I’m the certain people. Buckle up, theatergoers, you’re in for anything but normal when it comes to spending one kooky night (or afternoon,
I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes— and moreover, I will go with thee to— the black box at Tatem Arts to crash a rehearsal? Bet Shakespeare didn’t see that one coming! And neither, perhaps did the fantastic four— Beatrice, Benedick, Claudio, and Hero— as they were beset upon by me for a romping jaunt of a round-robin interview! In a TheatreBloom sit down exclusive, we’ve picked the brains of Shakespeare’s living finest…Gillian Shelly,
Certainly everywhere is somewhere. And after all, isn’t 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, does— to my mind— transport me to my first encounter with NPCs.
No matter what happens, it’s always important to believe in something! A very important lesson that Snow White is teaching us as Stand Up For…Theatre had to believe in that age old adage of “The Show Must Go On!” Faced with thunderbolts and lightning (very, very frightening!) and a mini sprinkled downpouring deluge of rain…the poor company’s opening night was very nearly fraught with cancellation! BUT! They believe! In the miracles of making it happen,
Love is an open door! Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours. Disney’s 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 love’s first kiss. And while there’s a total side-plot component in Frozen, this wintery-wonderland-fairytale musical is all about the love of family.
Red…yellow…green…brown…scarlet…black…don’t tempt me. I know all 29 colors by heart— Sara Bosworth of Lansdowne Middle School ensured that every kid in that production could say, sing, spell, and recite in order the colors of Joseph’s coat in the spring of 1998. I’ve 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-between— Joseph &
The very essence of romance is uncertainty! Will they? Won’t they? Is it a Happily-Ever-After? Join The Endangered Species Theatre Project as they embark down the well-worn theatrical path of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest this summer as a part of the Frederick Shakespeare Festival. Co-Directed by Christine Mosere and Kayla Swain, there’s some giddiness abound in this indoor-festival production.
Part of this production’s challenge is the overall pacing,
Of these two things I am certain; all else is confusion:
It’s thrilleritis-malignus at its finest!
author: Jake Schwartz
When the whole world starts to turn into a musical, you need to think about the implications! And in Wildwood Summer Theatre’s production of Starkid’s The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, the implications are everywhere. As with any Starkid show, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals is vulgar, violent, crass, bloody, and full of content warnings. Yet it has developed a cult following,
author: Ryan J. Bordenski
Love is in the air, but so is deceit, mockery, adultery, the withholding of information, lies, and…uh…dental procedures? But don’t 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,
Everything I learned that gets me through the worst, I learned at my Mama’s knee. And I invite her along plenty to come see musical theatre, out and about with me. And while she couldn’t make it to the opening of Cockpit in Court’s Footloose— my Mama says, it doesn’t matter, if you’re a first-timer or you been there before, you better get your tickets to see that show, before they ain’t got tickets no more!
End war before it ends you! Not something most of us thought would be resonating hard here in 2026. History doesn’t 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 Company’s production of Hair. Yes, that Hair, the one with the hippie-loving ‘be-in’ and the nudity at the end of Act I.
Well it’s a hard, cold, tumble of a tourney, jumble of a journey to Urinetown! Actually, it’s a long drive, and it’s pretty hot outside, all the way up to Rising Sun for Urinetown. But my friends, I say— you have to run, freedom-run-freedom-run-awaaaaaay— 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,
“Change doesn’t come whispered in your ear; it comes as a hurricane.” There was more to that strikingly profound quote but at the risk of butchering Nikki Ann Hartman’s beautiful phraseology, I’ll 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,
Secrets are the enemies of passion! Speaking truth will get you through the day. Truth is not a thing that one should ration— and believe me as I open up and saaaay—
Actually…they do a lot of the saying. I’m just doing the asking. In this sit-down, round-robin TheatreBloom interview, we’ve 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.
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,
In this hot summer heat if you need someplace cool to go—
Prepare yourself for a sensational show.
They put the ‘hell’ in hello, and you’re in for one hell of a ride
When you come see River Stone Theatre Company’s production of Bonnie & Clyde.
Why? Well, ‘cause ain’t nothin’ rhyme with Clyde & Bonnie. This rarely produced musical is currently appearing at the Opera House in Havre de Grace as River Stone Theatre Company’s third main-stage show and is directed and choreographed by Lauren Hampton,
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 People’s Repertory Theatre Company) this new work will debut as a part of the summer residency program offered at The Voxel.
author: Chris Pence
The Sounds of Silence: Variations on Silence at Rapid Lemon Productions
“Hello 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.” Is silence truly just the absence of sound, or something more?
Every adventure requires a first step! Even if you don’t know what comes next! It’s time to take that first step and go on a wonderful adventure— and spoiler, I’ll tell you what comes next! Why it’s a wonderful, heartfelt, hour(ish) long show performed by 16 terrific young actors who are doing their show’s namesake— 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 Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr.
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 Festival— 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,
Positivity is a luxury that few can afford! But I’m positive that you’ll want to catch Beetlejuice now that it’s returned home to The National Theatre for a two-week summertime engagement! It’s a show about death! And they tell you that straight away— no punches— no surprises— well, plenty of surprises, but not about the whole “being dead thing.” Based on the Geffen Company Picture of the same name, with story by Michael McDowell &
You wish to go to the— METstival? And it’ll be AGONY if you don’t get a ticket? A season ticket!? Or a ticket to any of their terrific five-mainstage, four-Fun-company— yeah it doesn’t really work after that because their Comedy Nights are sooooo expansive— at least five active teams plus the return/kickstart of some other fun endeavors— but you get the idea! Maryland Ensemble Theatre is kicking off their 29th season and there is so much in-store— you might even say they are not throwin’ away their shot!*
In fantastical Maryland Ensemble Theatre fashion,
‘Zounds, I will speak of it; and let my soul want mercy, if I do not join with them!
And speak on’t 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 true— 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 Shakespeare’s tongue,
author: Erin Tarpley
“Love’s a reason without reason”
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 “Shakespeare-Trope” bingo game; and all the audience is a winner with this production!
For let them be Diana’s 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, we’re chit-chatting all around the moon minions— or at least with two of them— 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 Nothing— AND they’re both acting in each other’s Shakespeare offerings in the 2026 Frederick Shakespeare Festival!
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 Theatre’s Summer Community Outreach production of As You Like It. And this isn’t just any As You Like It, it’s 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,