Week of January 29, 2023
1. “Peter and the Starcatcher” at Children’s Theatre of Annapolis
“This tight, well-timed production is constantly surprising, from the unexpected opening numbers to the last ensemble lift.” – Sue Tilberry
READ review.
Synopsis: The Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair… and the bonds of friendship, duty and love.
A young orphan and his mates are shipped off from Victorian England to a distant island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They know nothing of the mysterious trunk in the captain’s cabin, which contains a precious, otherworldly cargo. At sea, the boys are discovered by a precocious young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training who realizes that the trunk’s precious cargo is starstuff, a celestial substance so powerful that it must never fall into the wrong hands. When the ship is taken over by pirates – led by the fearsome Black Stache, a villain determined to claim the trunk and its treasure for his own – the journey quickly becomes a thrilling adventure.
Finn Hintermister as Boy/Peter, Justin Porath as The Black Stache and Lia Klug as Molly Aster. Photo by Wendy Hickok Photography.
2. “The Cake” at Prologue Theatre
“The cast…bring[s] true pathos, depth, and dimension to their performances…Prologue Theatre has a winner on their hands…” – Anne Valentino
READ review.
Synopsis: Della makes cakes, not judgment calls – those she leaves to her husband, Tim. But when the girl she helped raise comes back home to North Carolina to get married, and the fiancé is actually a fiancée, Della’s life gets turned upside down. She can’t really make a cake for such a wedding, can she? For the first time in her life, Della has to think for herself. (Recommended for adults only.)
Left to right: Sam Lunay (Tim), Nicole Halmos (Della), Tara Forseth (Jen), and Sabrina Lynne Sawyer (Macy), in “The Cake” by Bekah Brunstetter presented by Prologue Theatre in association with NextStop Theatre Company. Photo: DJ Corey Photography.
3. “Something Rotten!” at Toby’s Dinner Theatre
“You will find Toby’s ‘Something Rotten!’ quite delicious.” – Susan Brall
READ review.
Synopsis: Nominated for 10 Tony Awards! Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of a “Renaissance Rockstar.” When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, they set out to write the world’s first MUSICAL! Critics and audiences alike went wild for SOMETHING ROTTEN, an outrageous, crowd-pleasing musical farce that received several Best Musical nominations and was hailed by Time Out New York as, “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years.”
From left to right: Patrick Gover (The Queen), Jeffrey Shenkle (Nick Bottom) and Justin Calhoun (The King) in “Something Rotten.” Photo by Jeri Tidwell Photography.
4. “Sunset Boulevard” at Kennedy Center
“……a must-see for its creative artistry and Block’s performance…“ – Lynne Menefee
READ review.
Synopsis: For Broadway Center Stage, Tony®Award–winning powerhouse Stephanie J. Block (The Cher Show, Into the Woods, Wicked) takes on the iconic role of Norma Desmond. Based on the 1950 film noir, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony-winning masterpiece weaves a compelling tale of romance, obsession, and faded glory.
Derek Klena and Stephanie J. Block in “Sunset Boulevard.” Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
5. “Endgame” at Washington Stage Guild
“The acting, direction, and set and sound design are all top-notch.” – Peter Orvetti
READ review.
Synopsis: A quartet of characters inhabit a nearly empty room, surrounded by nothing, it seems. Do they want it to end, or can they go on with their limited lives? A profound and eerie masterpiece from Beckett, the author of WAITING FOR GODOT and HAPPY DAYS (Happy Days was produced by WSG in 1990.)
Bill Largess and Matty Griffiths in “Endgame” at Washington Stage Guild. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
Honorable Mention: “Vanishing Girl,” A New Musical at Flying V
“…a foot-tapping, light-hearted musical and yet one that has some very big and bold things to say.” – Anne Valentino
READ review.
Synopsis: Bright college student Luciana has always felt invisible. She leans on her one best friend, crushes on the girl at the comic shop from afar, and toils at writing alone. Suddenly, Luciana acquires electricity-related superpowers and finds that, like a battery, she’s slowly fading out. Can she figure out how to be seen before it’s too late? A week-long developmental workshop of the new coming-of-age musical Vanishing Girl.
(L-R) Carl L. Williams as Mason, Julieta Gozalo-Michaud as Luciana, Talya Sindel as Taima, Sunita Param* as Fairoz, Steve Lee as Andre. Photo by Kelly Colburn.
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