Week of July 17, 2022
1. “A Midsummer NIght’s Dream” at Folger Theatre (at the National Building Museum)
“With a script that has been edited down almost ruthlessly, a cast that is both talented and hilarious, and a stunning and ethereal production design, this version…is made for anyone…breezy and joyful…“ – Jakob Cansler
READ review.
Synopsis: Enter the dream… Folger Theatre’s “whimsical and wondrous” (BroadwayWorld) A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the show of the summer. “There is never a dull moment” (MD Theatre Guide) in Folger’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s most magical and beloved comedy. This “stunning and ethereal” production is full of yearning young lovers, mischievous fairies, and bumbling actors colliding beneath the glowing moon. Be swept away by 90-minutes of sheer delight and romance in the majestic Great Hall of the National Building Museum.
Titania (Nubia M. Monks), queen of the fairies, stops Oberon (Rotimi Agbabiaka) in his tracks in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Photo by Brittany Diliberto.
2. “Something Rotten!” at Little Theatre of Alexandria
“…constant guffaws and groans as it operates on two levels—soaring vocals and low zingers…strong vocals, quips galore, and a supremely talented ensemble.“ – Brian Bochicchio
READ review.
Synopsis: Welcome to the Renaissance and the outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical farce, Something Rotten. Created by Grammy Award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick, and successful screenwriters Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell, Something Rotten was lauded by audience members and critics alike, receiving several Best Musical nominations and hailed by Time Out New York as “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years”.
Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as “The Bard.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz.
The cast of “Something Rotten!” Photo Credit: Matthew Randall.
3. “Julius Caesar” at Fools and Madmen
“…pure fire…a compact, yet breathtaking production.“ – Max Garner
READ review.
Synopsis: A hip-hop adaptation of Julius Caesar, written and adapted by Baltimore artists Joshua C. Thomas and Caitlin Carbone Hernandez. Inspired partly by the film Moonlight, our adaptation focuses on Brutus and Cassius’ relationship, showing a male friendship as complex and intimate to challenge the idea of Roman stoicism as a pillar of masculinity.
JC Payne as Brutus and Quincy Vicks as Cassius. Photo by Shealyn Jae.
4. “The Rude Mechanicals” at Artistic Synergy of Baltimore
“…a delight…These kids show us that as long as adults support them and give them space, the next generation of Baltimore theater is going to come up strong.“ – Emily Hofstaedter
READ review.
Synopsis: “The Rude Mechanicals” by Ed Graczyk is freely adapted from William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for young audiences. It tells the story of Bottom and the other tradesmen putting on a play to compete for a prize that the Duke is offering in honor of his marriage.
Oyin Omojola as Robin Goodfellow, Abel Browne as Duke Theseus, (Baby Yoda as The Priest), Eva Beau Marx as Princess Hippolyta, and Sabrina Cosden as Petra Quince. Photo courtesy of Melissa at Artistic Synergy.
5. “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” at Wildwood Summer Theatre
“…a fantastic production and hilarious retelling of Rick Riordan’s book, run and produced by the DMV’s talented youth.” – Taryn Carone
READ review.
Synopsis: The play follows the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson, as he discovers powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book, “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan.
The cast of Wildwood Summer Theatre’s “The Lightning Thief.” Photo by Siena Maxwell.
