Maryland

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #4: Best Plays in Professional Theaters

Here are the DCMetroTheaterArts Staff’s honorees for Best Plays in Professional Theaters in 2015: A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas at Olney Theatre Center. A Conversation With the Man Who...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Maryland Ensemble Theatre

Like most Americans of a certain age, I have seen A Christmas Carol… a lot. I have seen multiple different iterations of the traditional story, I have seen Scrooge!, I have seen Scrooged. This is...

A Report on ‘It’s A Wonderful W.I.G.’ at Arts Collective@HCC

Howard Community College’s Arts Collective continued its spirited 21st season line-up with its second of four shows, a one-night-only holiday improv show called It’s a Wonderful W.I.G., featuring its...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Wolf Pack Theatre Company

Charles Dickens’ immortal classic, A Christmas Carol, was first published in 1843. Now, in 2015, the Wolf Pack Theatre Company, in association with Community Crisis Services and St. John Evangelical...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #2: Best Musicals in Professional Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Musicals at Professional Theatres honors go to: The Addams Family at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre. The Addams Family at...

‘All Kids Out of the Pool’ at Ottobar This Friday, 12/18 and Sat 12/19 at Bier Baron

You know at this time of year, so much is centered on kids and entertainment for kids. Personally … blecch! I say it’s time to take that shiz back from the kids! I like my kids entertainment to be...

‘The Holiday Special’: ‘The Santa Closet’ and ‘The Seven Poor Travellers’ at Baltimore Theatre Project

Baltimore Theatre Project’s The Holiday Special is a coupling of Jeffrey Solomon’s The Santa Closet and Charlie Bethel’s adaption of The Seven Poor Travellers. Both of these one-act, solo-performer...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ Best of 2015 #3: Best Musicals in Community Theatres

The staff of DCMetroTheaterArts is honored to announce that their 2015 Best Musicals at Community Theatres honorees are: Altar Boyz at Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre. Avenue Q at Other Voices...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ ‘Best of 2015 Honors’ Begins Tomorrow-A Look Back at the 2014 Honorees

We will be begin announcing announcing our ‘Best of 2015 DCMTA Honors’ tomorrow. Because we will have reviewed over 1,450 shows/concerts/dance in 2015, there is a lot to choose from and to honor. But...

Buy 1 Get 1 Free Ticket to Wolf Pack Theatre Company’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ This Thurs-Sat To Benefit the ‘Warm Nights Hypothermia Shelter Program’

BUY ONE TICKET AND GET ONE TICKET FREE: Thursday-8pm Friday-8pm Saturday-3 pm matinee and 8 pm performance Purchase your tickets at https://wolfpacktheatrecompany.webconnex.com/ACC Call 301-864-7095...

A DiSalvo ‘Tuna Christmas’: Thomas, Dillon, and Frank on Parlor Room Theater’s ‘A Tuna Christmas’ Playing 12/17-20

It’s an all-family affair at Parlor Room Theater‘s A Tuna Christmas and Thomas, Dillon, and Frank DiSalvo, Jr. tell us all about it. Joel: This production of A Tuna Christmas is has several family...

‘The Nutcracker’ at Metropolitan Ballet Theatre

As a fan of dance and ballet, I have seen a number of professional productions of The Nutcracker over the years, but this particular performance by the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre is going to stick...

‘Year of the Rooster’ at Single Carrot Theatre

For those of you with a penchant for theatre about cockfighting, ‘tis the season indeed for plays on the subject in our fair city of Baltimore. As Fells Point Corner Theater is closing its very fine...

‘The Nutcracker’ at Ballet Theatre of Maryland at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts

A sure sign the holiday season is in full swing is the annual return of classic ballet, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. It is almost as iconic as Santa Claus, a Christmas tree and catching the final...

‘Outside Mullingar’ at Everyman Theatre

There was a festive atmosphere at Everyman Theatre last night. Irish music played as the audience arrived for the Baltimore/DC Metro premiere of Outside Mullingar. The music alone could lift your...

‘Peter Rabbit’ at Red Branch Theatre Company

The world premiere of the new musical Peter Rabbit at Red Branch Theatre Company in Columbia finally puts to rest one of life’s great riddles: Why are bunny tails so short? Answer: To keep tiny young...

‘Michael Feinstein: Sinatra Centennial with Big Band’ at Strathmore

Michael Feinstein is as warm, relaxed, and personable a musician as you’ll ever find. Last night, he worked every seat in the big house, making sure the folks in the nosebleed balconies in back felt...

WAPAVA Offers Free Showing of Olney’s Smash Hit “Colossal’ on Monday 12/14@7:30 PM @The Clarice at U of MD in College Park;Panel DIscussion Follows by Karen Shod

Fellow theatre-football-dance enthusiasts — Exciting one-night-only opportunity: This Monday, December 14th @ 7:30 at UMD, WAPAVA inaugurates a new “movie night” series with a FREE showing of its...

‘Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)’ at Silver Spring Stage

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some) Brings on the Joy at Silver Spring Stage Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some) got its start in 2003 when Michael Carleton, James Fitzgerald,...

Scene Stealers/Showstoppers of the Week-December 10, 2015

Congrats to our new Scene Stealer/Showstoppers honorees. ______ Sandy Bainum, as Mame, Singing “If He Walked Into My Life’ in Mame at Riverside Center Dinner Theater “The cast here is stellar, with...

‘The Sound of Music’ at The Hippodrome Theatre at The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center

The Sound of Music strikes a slightly different tone but its hills are still full of life in the new national touring show at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre. Season ticket-holders should brace...

‘A Christmas Cactus’ at Off the Quill by Meredith DeFalco

I recently had the pleasure of seeing the funny, charming, and at times heartwarming show, A Christmas Cactus, performed beautifully at the Greenbelt Arts Center by Off the Quill. Walking into the...

The Philadelphia Orchestra Presented by Washington Performing Arts at Strathmore

Composers wrote great ballet and opera music for two reasons. The first was to help dancers and singers to portray characters and tell their stories. The second was to have the music led in the 21st...

‘As You Like It’ at Lumina Studio Theatre

What’s in a name? Taking the title of Shakespeare’s character-rich, eminently quotable pastoral comedy literally, is rare—and has rarely been done with the gender-bending, genre-mashing, gleefully...

Arts Collective’s “What Improv Group?!?!” (W.I.G.) Presents ‘It’s a Wonderful W.I.G.!’ This Friday, 12/11@7:30 PM

HCC’s Arts Collective Improv Group presents Holiday Improv Fun for Everyone THIS Friday, December 11, 2015 at 7:30 PM Arts Collective’s “What Improv Group?!?!” (W.I.G.) presents It’s a Wonderful...

‘Stage Kiss’ at Round House Theatre (Review #2)

The line between art and life become colorfully blurred when two actors are unexpectedly reunited in Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominee Sarah Ruhl’s romantic backstage comedy Stage Kiss, which made...

‘Christmas Belles’ at Bowie Community Theatre

If you are looking for a show to get you in the Christmas mood but simply can’t face one more version of A Christmas Carol, Bowie Community Theatre invites y’all to come to the small town of Fayro,...

‘A Year with Frog and Toad’ at Imagination Stage

Arnold Lobel’s lovable characters from his classic children’s books, Frog and Toad, come to life at Imagination Stage in a Tony Award-nominated musical, A Year with Frog and Toad, with books and...

‘Stage Kiss’ at Round House Theatre

Plays about playmaking have an enduring appeal. Think Noises Off, Six Characters in Search of an Author. Shows about shows on the musical stage have indelible charm. Think Chorus Line, Kiss Me Kate....

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ at Sandy Spring Theatre Group and The City of Gaithersburg at The Arts Barn

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of the American classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson. That is right – Charlie, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, and the gang have...

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ at the Washington County Playhouse

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, presented at the Washington County Playhouse, is a ‘must-see’ for the whole family this holiday season. This hilarious production, lovingly adapted...

‘A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas’ at Olney Theatre Center

This December, the Olney Theatre Center is ushering in the holiday season with Paul Morella’s A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas. There’s hardly a Christmas story better known than A...

Fantasia at ‘An Elegant Evening of Giving’ at Strathmore

Queen of Rock Soul and American Idol winner, Fantasia brought the house down at An Elegant Evening of Giving benefit concert presented by Talking Hands Incorporated at the Music Center at Strathmore...

‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’ at Annapolis Shakespeare Company

Annapolis Shakespeare Company (ASC) presents It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by Joe Landay that will delight audiences of all ages. A play-within-a-play, Annapolis Shakespeare Company rolls...

‘The Zoo Story’ and ‘Pullman, WA’ at CCBC Academic Theatres

As the fall semester comes to a close, the theater department at CCBC Essex has taken a turn for the absurd. Julie Lewis directs the double feature of Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story and Young Jean Lee’s...

‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre

It is normally difficult to translate classic Christmas movies to the stage because comparisons with the beloved films are inevitable. However, It’s A Wonderful Life at Toby’s Dinner Theatre is truly...

‘A Christmas Carol’ at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company

Have yourselves a very merry Christmas – go see this timeless classic with a Charm City twist. Bring the family to this show! Kids of all ages will love it. Instead of watching the Mister Magoo...

‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever rings in the holidays at Laurel Mill Playhouse In this busy season of shopping, baking and parties, it’s nice to take some time with our families to be gently reminded...

Scene Stealers/Showstoppers of the Week-Part 2: December 2, 2015

Here’s Part Two of this week’s Scene Stealers/Showstoppers honorees, from productions that played during this Fall season. Read Part One Here. ______ Shayna Blass, as Piggie, Joe Mallon, as Gerald the...

‘Total Verruckt!’ at Baltimore Theatre Project

I have to admit I had extremely high expectations when I went to last night’s opening of Total Verruckt!, the one-woman show currently – briefly – playing at Baltimore Theatre Project. I always try to...

‘Baskerville – A Sherlock Holmes Mystery’ at Philadelphia Theatre Company

If there’s one thing the recent spate of cinematic and televised incarnations of Sherlock Holmes has proven, it’s that after more than a century, the appeal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s celebrated...

Arts Collective’s “What Improv Group?!?!” (W.I.G.) Presents ‘It’s a Wonderful W.I.G.!’ on Friday, 12/11@7:30 PM

HCC’s Arts Collective Improv Group presents Holiday Improv Fun for Everyone on Friday, December 11, 2015 Arts Collective’s “What Improv Group?!?!” (W.I.G.) presents It’s a Wonderful W.I.G.! A...

5 Scene Stealers/Showstoppers of the Week-Part 1: December 2, 2015

As we are about to reveal our Best of 2015 honorees, we are introducing our 5 Scene Stealers/Showstoppers of the Week which will appear on Thursdays every week. Here’s Part 1 of this week’s honorees....

Art and Survival: A Conversation with Joanna Caplan, Creator and Performer of ‘Total Verruckt!’

Total Verruckt! presents the real-life story of members of the Camp Westerbork Theatre Group, an unlikely troupe that was formed at the Westerbork Transit Camp – a Nazi transport and detention center...

Silver Spring Stage Presents ‘Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some)’ December 11-20th by Michael Kharfen

Silver Spring Stage presents Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some) by Michael Carleton, James Fitzgerald, and John K. Alvarez, directed by Susan Brall and produced by Jim Robertson, a...

‘The Rainbow Crow’ at Pumpkin Theatre

Theater for children is tricky. Five-year-olds don’t know – or care – what “theater” is. Nor do they have any preconceived expectations about what they’re “supposed” to see. Thus a good children’s...

Review: Hope Garden Children’s Ballet Theatre Presents ‘A Christmas Carol’

I walked in to The F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre yesterday feeling very ‘Bah Humbug-gy’ and I left overflowing with holiday joy and the spirit of the holidays after being entertained by over 40 young...

‘Entertaining Mr. Sloane’ at The Edge of the Universe Players 2

When a dark farce titled Entertaining Mr. Sloane opened in London in 1964, it was viewed as rude, scandalous, and repugnant because of its homosexual content and its three main characters’ blatant...

DCMetroTheaterArts’ ‘Best of 2015 Honors’ To Be Announced Shortly-A Look Back at the 2014 Honorees

We will be announcing our ‘Best of 2015 DCMTA Honors’ in the upcoming weeks. Because we will have reviewed over 1,250 shows/concerts/dance in 2015, there is a lot to choose from and to honor. But...

David London’s ‘Magic Outside the Box’ at The Writer’s Center

How many magic shows have you seen where the magician spends an inordinate amount of time making up magic words to distract you while performing his trick? Big news… David London does not use magic...