April 24 – 30, 2022
1. “Dream Hou$e” at Baltimore Center Stage
“Flitting in and out of reality and across the entirety of the playing space, ‘Dream Hou$e’ is a well-oiled machine of energy and passion.” –
READ review.
Synopsis: Two Latinx sisters guest star on an HGTV-style reality show to sell their family home in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Hilo Villa. As they perform for the camera, one sister grapples with turmoil in the family’s ancestral past while the other learns how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the family’s future. What is the cultural cost of progress in America? And is cashing in always selling out?
Pictured: Darilyn Castillo, Marianna McClellan, and Renata Eastlick in “Dream Hou$e by Eliana Pipes. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
2. “The Revolutionists” by Prologue Theatre at Atlas Performing Arts Center
“…an impeccable production…superlative staging …” –
READ review.
Synopsis: Paris. 1793. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle, experience the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. The women move ever closer to their own undeniable fates, while still trying to change their world, as they extol (and sometimes castigate) violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters.
Danielle Gallo, Anna DiGiovanni, Arika Thames, and Fabiolla Da Silva in the Prologue Theatre production of “The Revolutionists.” Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
3. “The Mamalogues” at 1st Stage
“…funny and moving, but also complex…powerful…“ – Jeannette Mulherin
READ review.
Synopsis: In this satirical comedy, three friends share the joys, challenges, and anxieties of being middle class single Black mothers in predominantly white suburbs. The story celebrates motherhood and community while exploring racial profiling on the playground and supporting your kid who is perpetually the Only Black Child (OBC). Follow their journey as they lean in and steer their children from pampers to college while navigating their own road toward retirement.
Deidra LaWan Starnes, Jasmine Joy Brooks, and Tamieka Chavis in “The Mamalogues” at 1st Stage. Photography by Teresa Castracane.
4. “Missed Connections” presented by the A Faction of Fools
“…this newly devised work perfectly encapsulated all the delight and tradition of an ancient comedy technique with relevant content and whimsical storytelling…a knockout performance…“ – Kateri Pelton
READ review.
Synopsis: Mystery. Mistake identities. Clandestine meetings…and missings. Bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and outdoor theatre goodies! Performed outdoors and completely devised and written by the cast, “Missed Connections” features your favorite Commedia dell’Arte archetypes as they are in 2022.
From left to right: Jesse Terrill, Andrew Quilpa, Natalie Cutcher, Desire Lovey Mae, Ben Lauer, and Deimoni Brewington in “Missed Connections” at The Parks At Walter Reed. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
5. “The Glass Menagerie” at Rep Stage
“…moving and entertaining…a new and interesting vision of this classic play. ” – Susan Brall
READ review.
Synopsis: Ghosts of the past continue to haunt in Williams seminal play The Glass Menagerie. Amanda Wingfield is a faded remnant of Southern gentility who now lives in a cramped St. Louis apartment with her aimless son, Tom, and her debilitatingly shy daughter, Laura. With their father absent and the Great Depression in motion, the siblings find comfort in their distractions — alcohol, movies and writing for Tom and a collection of glass animals for Laura. When a gentleman caller arrives for dinner, the Wingfield family is flooded with hope. But it’s uncertain if this mysterious visitor will change things for the better or shatter a family’s fragile illusions. This exciting new production asks us what do memories truly look like, and how is that answer different for each of us?
Dylan Arredondo as Tom Wingfield and Grace Bauer as Amanda Wingfield. Photo by Katie Simmons-Barth.
