Articles Tagged With: live theatre

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.

(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,

Frozen at Glyndon Area Players

Reviews August 4, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther Leave a comment

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.

Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Other Voices Theatre

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Other Voices Theatre

Reviews July 31, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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 &

Deathtrap at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 28, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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 they’ve produced up in the cabaret space this side of the pandemic.

It’s thrilleritis-malignus at its finest!

Return Engagements at Bowie Community Theatre

Reviews July 27, 2026 Ryan J Bordenski

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,

Footloose at Cockpit in Court

Reviews July 26, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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!

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.

The Colored Museum at Silver Spring Stage

Reviews July 17, 2026 Wes Dennis

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

Reviews July 17, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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,

Anatomy of Performance: An Interview with Nikki Ann Hartman on Her New Work Doll Parts… at The Voxel

Interviews July 15, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

Variations on Silence at Rapid Lemon Productions

Reviews July 14, 2026 Chris Pence

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?

Dare To Dream

News July 14, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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.

Beetlejuice on tour at Broadway at The National in DC 📷 Matthew Murphy

Beetlejuice at The National Theatre in DC

Reviews July 11, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

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 &

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,

Nick Fradiani (center) as Neil 'Then' and the company of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical 📷 Jeremy Daniel

A Beautiful Noise at The Hippodrome

Reviews June 24, 2026 Ryan J Bordenski

author: Ryan J. Bordenski

Good times never seemed so good (so good! so good! so good!), especially when The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise, is here in town at The Hippodrome, and you will be tapping your feet and screaming the lyrics, as if you were at a Neil Diamond concert! Side note: a moment of celebration and high praises in store for this touring cast celebrating not only a little over two years of touring together,

Fiddler on the Roof at HCST 📷 Neil Rubino

Fiddler on the Roof at Howard County Summer Theatre

Reviews June 23, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

A little bit of this… a little bit of that… And— only 94 actors!? That’s a new tradition for Howard County Summer Theatre! Marking their 50th annual production (founded in 1975 but there was a pandemic in there for a summer or two), HCST brings the iconic musical of tradition to the stage— for the 3rd time (1988, 2015, and now.) Directed by Tom Sankey with Vocal Direction by Miriam Kook, Choreography by Kassi Serafini,

Three Tall Women at WFB Productions

Reviews June 19, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

They say you can’t remember pain. Maybe you can’t remember pleasure either. What does it matter, it’s all glitter anyway, isn’t it? What day is it? I scarcely know myself. Thursday, I think. Likely Friday by the time this makes print. Likely Friday by the time this show opens. Truth or illusion, though that might be the wrong Albee. Have to keep these things delicately balanced, you know. If you’re looking for something theatrically impressive,

God of Carnage at Cockpit in Court

Reviews June 19, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

Are you eccentric enough to believe in the soothing power of culture? Theatre is meant to be culture. Dark comedies are meant to be funny. And Yasmina Reza’s darkish-comedy God of Carnage (as translated by Christopher Hampton) certainly has its moments in the upstairs cabaret theatre space of Cockpit in Court, the first of two non-musicals included in the 2026 summer season. Directed by Gabriel Lewin, this edgy dark deviance divulges into the territory of “what happens when adults behave like children and fail to act like th grown-ups that they’re pretending to be?”

I’ve seen shows in the cabaret theatre space of Cockpit in Court since 2012,

Xanadu at Cockpit in Court

Reviews June 19, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

A million lights are dancing— and there they are, a shooting star (ten of them, actually!) An everlasting world, lovely-in-blue…and they’re there with you! Must be—

Xanadu

ELO, ONJ, OMG, and all that jazz! It’s Venice… okay Venice Beach…well, Essex at CCBC but we’ll suspend our disbelief for this fun and whimsical bit of theatrical cotton candy. The iconic and camptastic screen-to-stage gem Xanadu is glittering its way onto Cockpit in Court’s main stage as the first of a five-show season (two upstairs,

Suffs at The National Theatre

Reviews June 18, 2026 Charles Boyington

author: Charles Boyington

“How will we do it when it’s never been done? How will we find a way, where there isn’t one?”

Buy your ticket now and see this show! Suffs by Shaina Taub and directed by Leigh Silverman, now playing at the National Theatre in DC, is extraordinary: a “do not miss” theatrical event! The packed house went wild with praise and applause!

Godspell at Woodbrook Players

Reviews June 15, 2026 Mike Zellhofer

author: Mike Zellhofer

I have a friend who told me, “I start every day looking for heaven on earth; and when I find it, that is for what I am grateful.” Yesterday I found my heaven on earth at Govans Presbyterian Church, where the Woodbrook Players put on a fabulous performance of Godspell. This was the revised 2012 version, and the latest in the bevy of Godspells.

American Idiot at Silhouette Stages

Reviews June 13, 2026 Ryan J Bordenski

author: Ryan J. Bordenski

Do you love angst and grunge fashion of the early 2000s? Do you love putting on layers upon layers of eyeliner? Do you love banging and bopping your head along to some punk rock anthems? Or, do you simply love Billy Joe Armstrong, and the rest of Green Day? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then you should head over to Silhouette Stages in Columbia for their latest production of Green Day’s American Idiot.

Rent at Phoenix Festival Theatre

Reviews June 8, 2026 Lisa Standish

author: Lisa Standish

It is a special treat to watch a community theater production where the love for the craft is palpable from the moment you walk in. Phoenix Festival Theatre’s current production of Rent, running now through June 14th at the Chesapeake Theater, is a vibrant, visually stunning testament to the talent in our community. Under the spectacular vision of co-directors and choreographers Bambi and Eyvo Johnson, this production feels both fresh and deeply respectful of the source material.

The Divine Sister at Vagabond Players

Reviews June 5, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

All religion is a mania. And the maniacs are going to be coming after Charles Busch (the farce-loving playwright) for The Divine Sister. How do you solve a problem like Maria? Or a problem that you— ‘can’t face’? (Put that one in a British accent while you’re at it) well…take a hearty dose of holy high hilarity down at Vagabond Players to close out their 110th season. Whoever greenlit this one as the season closer has got a bone to pick with the big guy upstairs… or big girl?

Something Rotten! at Theatreworks Live

Reviews May 29, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

It’s… a… musical! A Mus-i-cal! Theatreworks Live is doing an amazing musical! With song and dance and sweet romance and happy endings by happenstance! They’re giving you bright lights— stage fights— and a razzle-dazzle ensemble…oop! Nothing rhymes with ensemble! But it’s still… a… musical! Yes! A Musical! In fact, it’s Something Rotten! on their stage, that’s the musical! That’s right, they’re fancy! And they are bringing you moments of culture and art and a whole lot of talented young performers who just can’t wait to show you all of their singing,

Monica Tulia Ramirez (center on horse) as Inez Milholland and the company of Suffs 📷 Joan Marcus

Suffs at The Hippodrome

Reviews May 27, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

Lifting as we climb, onward and upward we go! The rallying cry of Suffs— women on the march! Women on the move! And these women will show you who they are as they march for justice, for freedom, for equality! And they’re bringing that march right through the heart of Charm City— to Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre! The First National Tour of Suffs plays a limited week-long engagement at The Hippodrome and it’s playing in one of the most crucial moments in history.

Emma at Everyman Theatre

Reviews May 26, 2026 Amanda N. Gunther

You can’t control everything, Emma! But isn’t it fun to watch her try!? Yes! Yes it is! And far more than fun— it’s practically a divertissement of the most jubilant nature; it’s a rather uproarious, madcap enjoyment! Emma, the Jane Austen classic— as recently adapted by Kate Hamill for maximum rom-com tomfoolery— is situating itself onto the Everyman Theatre main stage as the final production of the 2025/2026 season. Directed by Laura Kepley,