Week of March 2, 2025
1. “Working – A Musical” at Colonial Players of Annapolis
“…imaginative, yet authentic…a decidedly local spin…Every member of this outstanding cast delivers an A+ performance…has all the markings of a sold-out hit.” – Susan Nolan
READ review.
Synopsis: Based on Studs Terkel’s best-selling book of interviews with American workers, Working paints a vivid portrait of the workers that the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason, and the housewife, just to name a few. Nominated for six Tony Awards, this classic has been updated for a modern age, featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia, James Taylor, Micki Grant, and more. While most of the professions have been updated, the show, still set in contemporary America, contains timeless truths. Behind every job, there is a person with a story to tell.
Kyle Eshom, Samantha McEwen Deininger, Lance Teller, Cheryl J. Campo, Kristen Cooley, and Peter N. Crews. Photo courtesy of Colonial Players.
2. “The Age of Innocence” at Arena Stage
“…this play soars.…a delight in every aspect…alluring, magnifying…” – Aidan O’Connor
READ review.
Synopsis: When Countess Ellen Olenska escapes Europe and a cruel past, only to find herself trapped behind the suffocating gilded cage of New York society and in love with the man engaged to her cousin May, she battles privilege, desire, and tradition in pursuit of her own destiny.
Shereen Ahmed (Countess Ellen Olenska) and Delphi Borich (May Welland). Photo by Daniel Rader.
3. ”Kinky Boots” at Silhouette Stages
“…fast-paced and effervescent…Goldman’s direction and Jeremy A. McShan’s choreography are high caliber. – Susan Brall
READ review.
Synopsis: Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie Price, who reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they realized… and discover that when you change your mind, you can change your whole world.
The cast of Kinky Boots. Photo by Shealyn Jae Photography.
4. ”Merrily We Roll Along’ at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn, in partnership with the Damascus Theatre Company
“This captivating production features a compelling story performed by a brilliant cast…unforgettable…” – Julia Tucker
READ review.
Synopsis: Merrily We Roll Along begins in the present and moves backwards, tracing the lives of wealthy, jaded composer, Franklin Shepard, and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their personal and professional lives (good and bad). The show ends with a touch of rueful irony, as the three best friends at the start of their careers face a bright future: young, talented and enthusiastic about the worlds waiting to be conquered.
“Bobby and Jackie and Jack” Adam Esrig as Charley, Ethan Kahwaty as Frank, and Faith Wang as Beth. Photo by Kenneth C. Visser.
5. “The Scenarios” at Studio Theatre
”…a firm but restrained critique of modern policing…does plenty right in its debut production.” –Charlotte Selton
READ review.
Synopsis: Angie, an actor, has just landed her weirdest gig yet: improvising scenes with active-duty cops, helping to train them to respond to people in acute mental crisis. But when the backstage tensions and workplace hijinks begin to pull focus from the training’s actual goal—to save lives—Angie tries making things a little more real. Funny and compassionate, this world premiere looks at the intricacies of empathy and asks what it costs to pretend to be someone else.
(Left to right) Joel Ashur, Sarin Monae West, Keeley Miller, and Joey Collins. Photo by Margot Schulman.
