Articles Tagged With: highlight

Kim’s Convenience at Everyman Theatre

Reviews September 8, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

“Look same…not same thing…” a repeated phrase in the first several minutes of Ins Choi’s Kim’s Convenience, the opening bid to Everyman Theatre’s 2026/2027 season. A perfectly humorous, deeply heartfelt, earnest exploration of family dynamic, expectations and dysfunction, this brilliant performance, as directed by Cara Hinh (in co-production with Indiana Repertory Theatre and Portland Center Stage) will tickle the funny bone, warm the heart, draw a tear or two to the eye,

Much Ado About Nothing at Ardeo Theatre Company

Reviews August 22, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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,

Sister Act at The Long Green Valley Players

Reviews August 21, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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.

The Notebook at Broadway at The National Theatre in DC

Reviews August 20, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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.

The Addams Family at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre

Reviews August 18, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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,

(L to R) Evan Crump, Jake Urtes, Maureen O'Neal, and Gillian Shelly at rehearsal for Much Ado About Nothing.

Speak Low If You Speak Love: A Round-Robin Interview with Ardeo Theatre Company’s Much Ado About Nothing Folk

Interviews August 13, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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,

The Inn at Spotlighters Theatre

Reviews August 10, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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.

Snow White at Stand Up For…Theatre

News August 8, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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,

The Addams Family at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre

When You’re An Addams: A Full-Disclosure Interview with The Addams Family (and some Beinekes) at Beth Tfiloh Community Theatre

Interviews July 19, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

producing artistic director Tad Janes (left) with Rona Mensah (right)

Cheers to 29 Years: Maryland Ensemble Theatre Launches 2026/2027 Season

News July 2, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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,

Steven Todd Smith (lapped) as Hotspur and Maureen O'Neal (holding) as Lady Percy in a micro-scene from Henry IV Part 1 at the opening ceremony for the 8th annual Frederick Shakespeare Festival. 📷 Mandy Gunther

All O’ Frederick’s A Stage: And Unstrung Harpist, ESP, and Ardeo its Players

News June 30, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

‘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,

Baltimore Is Not Throwin’ Away It’s Shot: An Annual Interview with Ron Legler on the 2026/2027 Hippodrome Broadway Season

Interviews January 31, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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,

Phantom and Elephants and Gatsby, Oh My! Talking with Ron Legler on The Hippodrome’s 2025/2026 Season Featuring Three National Tour Launches

Interviews February 5, 2025 Amanda N. Gunther

Just when you thought Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre couldn’t get any more exciting for the 2025/2026 season— after announcing that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera will be launching its National Tour right from the heart of Charm City in November of 2025— the whole rest of the season announcement has dropped and it’s a glitter bomb of spectacular proportions! Three National Tour launches— not one, not two, but THREE. Seven extraordinary shows;