Articles Tagged With: highlight

Different Words for Happiness at Everyman Theatre

Reviews October 24, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

Theatricity— the happiness you experience when the electrical nature of live theatre simultaneously tickles your funny bone and gives a hard yank on your heartstrings. The word is mine, the notion gently borrowed from and inspired by the master wordsmith— playwright and Everyman resident company member— Katie Kleiger, author of Different Words for Happiness, presently making its world premiere as the second play of the 2026/2027 season. A properly evocative, emotional roller coaster,

Nunsense at Damascus Theatre Company

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

What’s the Pope’s favorite garment?

WHITE SOCKS!!!

If you’re not prepared for that level of groan-inducing humor, and is anybody ever prepared for that level of groan-inducing humor— then you are not prepared for Nunsense at Damascus Theatre Company. Seriously, those puns are habit-forming! #IYKYK Directed by Keith Edward, with Musical Direction by Paul Rossen, and AD/Choreography by Megan McNellage, this trippy little musical comedy will get you back in the habit of laughing your tail off.

Avenue Q at Stand Up For…Theatre

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

Do you wanna feel…special? For an hour or two? Cause they can make you feel…special… if you just give them your money! It’s like the mid 00’s on retro-repeat over at Stand Up For…Theatre with their current production of Avenue Q and just like when it went up for its Tony against Wicked, we’re hoping that the *INSERT TEMPORARY THING* that they chose for the “For Now” ending is indeed just that!

The Much-Needed Third Space: An Interview with Evan Crump on the New Musical “Welcome to Quarantino’s’

Interviews October 17, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

For me? It was the little dive bar— The Angle Inn— who was always pretty low attended, except on trivia nights and railroad-union worker meeting night, even before the lockdown so only allowing a limited number in at a time wasn’t ever really going to be an issue for them. That place that once the ‘small gatherings in public limited to X-number of people’ were allowed to happen…that sacred “third space” that wasn’t work and wasn’t home…the place we all still retreat to even on this side of the pandemic and certainly before the pandemic,

Matilda at Silhouette Stages

Reviews October 13, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

Silence, maggots! The smell of rebellion is in the air! And it’s wafting through the atmosphere all the way over from Silhouette Stages in Columbia with their brilliant production of Roald Dahl’s Matilda! Directed by Amy Haynes Rapnicki (assisted by Derek Cooper) with Musical Direction by Terin Kelsey and Choreography by Hunter Lubawski, this zesty, good-fun musical is filled with heart and is being enjoyed by the audience as well as everyone on the stage;

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

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

This story begins with a spark. A spark of light. A spark of life. A spark of humanity. Truly, an electrifying retelling of the iconic monster novel, now such a smashing success on stage that it’s already received it’s first extension before officially being open. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company jolts their 2026/2027 to thrillifying life with Mary Shelley’s Frankestein, by David Catlin, directed by Ian Gallanar and Lizzi Albert. This devilishly delicious sweet treat is the perfect pop of terrifying thriller to start spooky season on the right foot.

The Pansy Hour at Submersive Productions

Reviews October 2, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

“Like a pansy in winter, even the brightest things must fade.” Tragically beautiful, a quote pulled from the ‘history wall’ at the front of the ‘exhibit’ before you fully submerse yourself into Submersive Productions The Pansy Hour. Conceived by Josh Aterovis and fabricated into fruition by The Creative Team— Josh Aterovis, Aaron Barlow, Liz Gordon, Vicky Graham, Jacob Marrero, Ursula Marcum, Glenn Ricci— this secretive, immersive theatrical experience delves into the history of Baltimore’s Queer social scene and visibility,

Annalese Starzec (Frances “Baby” Houseman) and Blake Zelesnikar (Johnny Castle). 📷Matthew Murphy

Dirty Dancing at The National Theatre

Reviews September 30, 2026 Steven Kirkpatrick & Charles Boyington Steven Kirkpatrick & Charles Boyington Leave a comment

author: Steven Kirkpatrick & Charles Boyington

Dirty Dancing—The Musical, now playing at The National Theatre, is a visually rich, energetic dance showcase built around the beloved 1980s film’s signature elements: the Catskills setting; the romance between Frances “Baby” Houseman (Annalese Starzec, who resembles Jennifer Grey) and dance instructor Johnny Castle (a muscular Blake Zelesnikar channeling Patrick Swayze); the famous lifts; and, of course, the climactic declaration that “no one puts Baby in a corner.”

The audience was thrilled and the production is certainly worth seeing,

Where Dead Women Go To Dance at Theatre Prometheus

Reviews September 29, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

“Life can still be good; better than death.” The quote may presently come from Stephen Spotswood’s Where Dead Women Go to Dance, but there’s a ubiquity and a universality to its truth. No matter what you’re facing, no matter what you’re going through, life can still be good; better than death. It’s a powerful notion that gets driven home in this new work, appearing under the direction of Lauren Patton Villegas at Theatre Prometheus.

Moon Festival Alice at MET FunCompany

Reviews September 29, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

Stories can borrow. Stories can change. Stories can put on new clothes. Perhaps you’re familiar with the story of the little girl who chased…or followed… a white rabbit down a rabbit hole in her garden one afternoon? What if it was a little girl who was gazing up at the moon, trying to write lyrics for a song for her Moon Festival Celebration? A story that has borrowed…and put on new clothes. That beauty and wondrous strange fun is what’s occurring at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre’s Fun Company as they kickoff their 2026/2027 season with Moon Festival Alice.

It’s Alive: An Electrifying Interview with Vince Eisenson on Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s Frankenstein

Interviews September 26, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

“Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”

A quote that could readily send chills up the spine if taken out of context, or perhaps, even presented with context. A beautiful sentence, complex and nuanced, and yet eight simple words. From a creation to its creator, but there is beauty in power, strength too, and fearlessness is what it takes to continue to produce evocative art, challenging the norms, and pushing the envelope when it comes to that mythical,

Billy Elliot at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland

News September 24, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

What the hell is wrong with expressing yourself? For trying to be free— and lemme tell ya’— them wee bairns over at Children’s Playhouse of Maryland are pretty flippin’ special, oh yes they are! And they’re expressing themselves just fine with this really heartfelt production of Billy Elliot. Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans and Choreography by Lauren Stuart, this dance-focused musical tells a story about learning to love yourself and being accepted for who you are,

Cabaret at Rogue Swan Theatre Company

Reviews September 22, 2026 Andrew Worthington Leave a comment

author: Andrew Worthington

Life is a cabaret, old chum. Come to the cabaret! In the heart of downtown Havre de Grace, MD, Rogue Swan Theatre company is presenting an impressive, though startling, rendition of the Kander and Ebb masterpiece, Cabaret. The cast and creative team have created a fabulous production filled with incredible music, impressive dancing, gritty storytelling, and a message that is needed now more than ever. Director Lilli Burril-Gordon,

Our Town at Colonial Players of Annapolis

Our Town at The Colonial Players of Annapolis

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

Some people ain’t made for small town life. And everybody is entitled to their own trouble. Of course, there’s layers and layers of nonsense whenever you come near the human race— and if our present day societal existence isn’t proving that one, I don’t know what is. But small town life, whether you’re meant for it or not, whether you’ve got your troubles with it or not, has come to Church Circle in that little black-box-in-the-square of Annapolis because Colonial Players is kicking off their 78th season with Thornton Wilder’s American chestnut,

The Drowsy Chaperone at Laurel Mill Playhouse

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

Do you know what I do when I’m sitting in a darkened theatre waiting for a show to start? I’m mostly wondering why the lights have gone down if the show hasn’t actually started. Though it sounds like me and “Man in Chair” of The Drowsy Chaperone infamy, have some similar thoughts. Like “please, God, let it be a good show. And if not a good one, at least let it be short.” And let me tell you,

Come From Away 2026 at Ford's Theatre 📷 Scott Suchman

Come From Away at Ford’s Theatre

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

You are here— at the start of a moment:

9:37am Tuesday September 11th 2001. The buzzer-bell that should have dismissed second period at Western School of Technology & Environmental Sciences, is two minutes late and instead, the voice of Principal Don Weglein comes on the intercom, excusing the interruption to classes, to state that two planes have crashed into The World Trade Center, classes are to be dismissed in an orderly fashion, and all students are to proceed to their next class or the cafeteria for lunch period,

Into The Woods at Maryland Ensemble Theatre 📷 Alan Kayanan

Into The Woods at The Maryland Ensemble Theatre

Reviews September 17, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

This was just a moment in the woods— again, please!

165 minutes, give or take an intermission, to be semi exact, and they’ll do it again for 2,475 more minutes over the course of the next three weekends. Give or take, as I chose theatre and the arts not math and numbers. But whichever of your minutes you have to spare over the next several weekends, give them to The Maryland Ensemble Theatre by going to see their production of Into The Woods.

Kim’s Convenience at Everyman Theatre

Reviews September 8, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

“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,

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,

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,