These Shining Lives, an Inspiring Tale of Workers’ Rights
By Dava Sentz
Centerstage is home to the world premier of These Shining Lives, the latest production from Melanie Marnich, a renowned playwright and writer for the HBO series Big Love.
In an inspirational tale of workplace justice, Emma Joan Roberts stars in the true story of the workers at the Radium Dial Company, which was once located in New Jersey. Fired after they fell ill from chemical-related ailments, Catherine and her friends fight back by bringing a lawsuit against the factory.
“I wanted to tell the story of the women who were unsung,â...
Peter Pan 2008: Lost in Electroland
By Dava Sentz
West Side Story, Rent, Wicked. These are musicals that have been modernized to be viewed from a new prospective. That’s what playwright Michael Todd has done with the story of Peter Pan in his latest work (((Lost In Electroland))), presented by the Theatre Project and Towson University, April 17th-27th.
Loosely based on James Barrie’s tale, Lost in Electroland depicts a culture obsessed with fame, money, and the computer age. Peter Pan is a youth struggling for maturity in a world of lost communication and generic lifestyle choices.
“Electroland is ...
No Tears to be Seen In Cry-Baby
By Amber Blueford
Watch out Baltimore, the juvenile delinquent we know and love is back and breaking more hearts in the hilarious Broadway musical adaptation of the John Waters film Cry-Baby. With new songs and hilarious characters, the show, which is about to hit the stage, is sure to make you howl with laughter. The New York City preview of Cry-Baby was an absolute treat to watch. None of the original songs remain, but the fun eccentricity of John Waters is alive in this show.
James Snyder (Cry-Baby) makes his Broadway debut as the original Baltimore bad boy. Elizabeth Stanley (Allison) plays the role of a square outside “drape” inside perfectly. Even the supporting cast stands out, with Alli Mauzey (Lenora) exhibiting...
Brilliance in the twilight at Centerstage
By Jacqueline Watts
The things we do for love.
That’s the theme of most of drama and all of comedy, and it, with a pretty garnish of “what fools these mortals be,” is the center of “A Little Night Music,” currently at Centerstage, and aren’t we lucky fools with three more weeks to catch it?
“A Little Night Music” is Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece, as near perfect as a musical comedy can g...
Musical Review: Camelot
By Michael Wiles
The problems with Broadway Across America’s current production of Lerner and Loewe’s “Camelot” surround preconceptions: those of both the legendary Kind Arthur and star Lou Diamond Phillips.
Regarding the former, an audience rightly expects a king comprised of dignity and leadership, one whose dream of a just civilization is undermined by the ill-fated passion of others despite his own unceasing devotion to the cause. In Phillips, a well-known film and Tony-nominated actor, an audience expects a quality depiction of those characteristics as well as a fair dose of star power. Sadly for this production, neither expectation comes to fruition as Phillips fails to connect with his character fro...
Romeo Et Juliette at the Lyric: An Elegant Tale
By Dava Sentz
There are few love stories that can match the romance of Romeo and Juliet. The Lyric Opera House in association with the Baltimore Opera Company has continued the elegance of Shakespeare’s tale with the use of French language, luxurious sets, and a powerful score accompanied by a cast whose vocal talents are nothing short of magical!
Because subtitle monitors weren’t prominently displayed at all angles of the theatre, following dialogue was a challenge on occasion. Yet, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise perfect production. The supporting cast deserves praise for their stellar performances. It is the opinion of this reviewer, however, that the shows’ stars are the most impressive. Youngok Shin, ...
Beatboxing for Truth: Middle East Conflict takes Centerstage
By Alex Mudge
You won’t get this story about the Middle East from an international correspondent.
Centerstage’s one-man play, From Tel Aviv to Ramallah:
A Beatbox Journey, captures the spirit of the people living through the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The play highlights the similarities of two main characters, Amir, an Israeli DJ and motorcycle messenger, and Khalid, a Palestinian Internet café owner. They live on different sides of the conflict, but share a universal youth culture – hip hop.
The show’s star, Yuri L...
The Real Verona: Italy’s Amorous Town
By Allison Sandza
In fair Verona where we lay our scene…
I always thought Romeo and Juliet was set on the beach in California and Romeo dropped acid and looked like Leonardo DiCaprio. Ok, that’s a stretch, but I never knew it was based on a true story. During my junior year abroad I traveled to Verona, in northern Italy—the town where the Montagues and the Capulets actually lived and held a grudge.
The story of the actual “star-crossed lovers” dates back way before Shakespeare, but this version featur...
Opera You Can Get: Romeo et Juliette at the Lyric
By Dava Sentz
Interested in the opera, but worried you won’t get it? First-time opera goers will have a safe bet in the Baltimore Opera Company’s performance of Roméo et Juliette.
If you don’t speak the language of love, just read the subtitles that project over the stage at the Lyric Opera House.
“The subtitles will be in close reference to Shakespeare’s original language,” says B.O.C.’s General Director Michael Harrison. “Having subtitles makes everyone more comfortable.”
The opera, based on Shakespeare’s tragic story of love and loss, is more a...
Review: La Cage Aux Folles at Toby’s
By Eddie Applefeld
Toby’s Dinner Theatre is performing the madcap musical La Cage Aux Folles, a comedy about a gay couple in the French Riviera that inspired the Robin Williams and Gene Hackman movie, The Birdcage.
Conflict arises in the off-the-wall comedy when Georges, the manager of the club, and Albin, his performer and partner, attempt to rid their house of X-rated portraits and other suggestive material in order to greet their son’s girlfriend...
