1. ‘Henry V’ at Baltimore Shakespeare Factory.
“Owen clearly has underscored the horrors of war. The play draws some visual and verbal pictures of death and suffering that war can cause both for the winner and the loser.” – Susan Brall.
READ review.
Synopsis: A story of one of England’s greatest kings, Shakespeare’s Henry V is also a subtle exploration of the balance between patriotism and nationalism. As thrilling as it is thoughtful, Henry V forces us to confront how power is taken, how its wielded, and the lengths to which we go to keep it.
2. ‘Shipwreck, A History Play About 2017,’ at Woolly Mammoth.
“‘Shipwreck’ is a play worth seeing. Go for the outrage and chaos which mirror our current national discourse. Stay for the unspoken questions.” – Mary Ann Johnson.
READ review.
Synopsis: A group of well-meaning liberals gather at a farmhouse in upstate NY for a relaxing weekend. A son adopted from Kenya struggles to feel connected to his new family and country. And the 45th US President sends a history-altering dinner invitation.
3. ‘Gun & Powder’ at Signature Theatre.
“…hopefully this exciting musical will land on Broadway.” – Lynne Menefee.
READ review.
Synopsis:
Inspired by a true story, make way for the sisters Clarke in a dynamic, moving and inspiring world premiere musical of notorious outlaws who ruled the Wild West. To help their mother settle a sharecropper debt, Mary and Martha Clarke—African American twins—pass themselves as White to seize the funds by any means necessary. However, their bond of sisterhood is tested when they fall in love with two very different men, one Black, the other White.
4. ‘Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps’ at Annapolis Shakespeare Company.
“… a masterfully done production that makes for a remarkably entertaining night of theatre…” – Liz Ruth-Brinegar.
READ review.
Synopsis: In this satirical adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 thriller, a cast of four actors portrays every hero, villain, spy, and love interest of this farcical mystery. Moving by train from London to the moors of Scotland, the characters’ many illusions to Hitchcock films provide lots of laughs and surprises on the journey.
5. ‘Comedy of Venice’ at Best Medicine Rep Theater.
“. . . a fun and diverting way to spend a couple of hours and learn more about the Commedia dell’ Arte and its role as a forerunner to the more modern form of playwriting we have today while having some good chuckles.” – Mary Ann Johnson.
READ review.
Synopsis: It’s the hilarious true story of rival playwrights battling it out for the soul of Italian comedy. Venice isn’t big enough for the two of them! When authors Carlo Goldoni (The Servant of Two Masters) and Carlo Gozzi (Turandot) square off, the city must choose the type of comedy it prefers: Written or improvised? Masked or unmasked? Punching up or punching down? But no matter your choice, the result is laughter!
