All stories by Susan Brall on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Concert Review: ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ presented by The Columbia Orchestra by Susan Brall

On May 20, 2023, Maestro Jason Love conducted the Columbia Orchestra for the last time in his long tenure as Musical Director and Conductor. It was a perfect sendoff performance which includ…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:29PM
Monday, May 8, 2023

Concert Review: ‘American Tapestry’ presented by Columbia Pro Cantare by Susan Brall

On Saturday, May 6, 2023, Columbia Pro Cantare performed its last concert of the season, “American Tapestry,” conducted by Laura Lee Fischer at the Jim Rouse Theatre in Columbia. Sadly, …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:48PM

Theatre Review: ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

“The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee” at Laurel Mill Playhouse is produced by Maureen Rogers and, with direction by Michael Hartsfield, you know you will be seeing a polished show…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 01:55PM
Thursday, May 4, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘Falsettos’ at Rep Stage by Susan Brall

“Falsettos,” a pop-opera with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by William Finn and James Lapine, is Rep Stage’s swan song at Howard Community College. It is directed and chore…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 11:24AM
Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Concert Review: Jerusalem Quartet ‘Music Under Tyranny’ at Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

On April 23, 2023, the Candlelight Concert Society presented “Music Under Tyranny” performed by the Jerusalem Quartet. The program featured three composers—Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Sho…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:00PM

‘A Quick 5’ with Maestro Frances Motyca Dawson, Founder, Artistic Co-Director and Conductor, Columbia Pro Cantare by Susan Brall

In 1977, Frances Motyca Dawson had a vision of bringing choral music to Columbia, Maryland. Since then, as Columbia has grown to the second largest city in Maryland, CPC has become an integr…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:32PM

‘A Quick 5’ with Joseph W. Ritsch, Producing Artistic Director of Rep Stage by Susan Brall

Rep Stage was founded in 1993 by Valerie Lash at Howard Community College. It has been the only theatre in residence at a community college in the country. Its professional casts and creativ…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:21PM

Theatre Review: ‘The World Goes ‘Round – The Music of Kander & Ebb’ at Olney Theatre Center by Susan Brall

“The World Goes ‘Round – The Music of Kander & Ebb” is a revue of the music of the prolific team of Kander & Ebb (“Cabaret” and “Chicago” being the most successful) t…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:45PM
Monday, April 17, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Composer Peter Hilliard and Lyricist Matt Boresi for ‘Inbox Zero’ by UrbanArias at The Keegan Theatre by Susan Brall

“Inbox Zero,” a monodrama presented by UrbanArias, will be performed as a live stage reading at the Keegan Theatre in Washington, D.C. on May 4, 2023. UrbanArias was founded in 2010 by G…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:21PM
Thursday, April 13, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Alexander Pavlovsky, violinist with the Jerusalem Quartet, presented by the Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

The Candlelight Concert Society will be presenting the Jerusalem Quartet at the Horowitz Center at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD on Sunday, April 23, 2023. The concert is called �…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:38PM
Monday, April 10, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Maestro Jason Love, Music Director of the Columbia Orchestra by Susan Brall

Columbians will acutely miss the presence of Maestro Jason Love after he steps down at the end of this season’s performances in his role as Music Director of the Columbia Orchestra. Of cou…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 01:21PM
Monday, March 27, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘Consecrated Ground’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Laurel Mill Playhouse is currently presenting George Boyd’s “Consecrated Ground” until April 7, 2023. It is important to mention the date because this is a play that need to be seen. I…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 09:26PM
Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Concert Review: ‘Symphonic Pops’ by The Columbia Orchestra by Susan Brall

On Saturday, March 18, 2023, The Columbia Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Jason Love, performed their much-acclaimed “Symphonic Pops.” The Columbia Orchestra, which all-volunte…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:54PM
Sunday, March 19, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Lorraine Brooks, Director of ‘Consecrated Ground’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Regional and community theatre allow us to watch productions that we might never have a chance to see live onstage. Sometimes, venues are just too far away or too costly. Sometimes larger, m…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:29PM
Wednesday, March 15, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Carrie Compere, Actor, as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in ‘Shout Sister Shout!’ at Ford’s Theatre by Susan Brall

Ford’s Theatre will be presenting the East Coast premiere of “SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!” by Cheryl L. West and directed by Kenneth L. Roberson opening this week and playing at the historic t…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:40PM
Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘King Lear’ at Shakespeare Theatre Company by Susan Brall

Even if you have seen “King Lear” before, you will want to see this fascinating production by Shakespeare Theatre Company. Expertly directed by Simon Godwin, the play is taken into the m…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 01:39PM
Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Concert Review: ‘Hanzhi Wang, Accordion, Steven Banks, Saxophone, with Xak Bjerken, Piano’ at Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

Now celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season, the Candlelight Concert Society presented the “musically brilliant” Hanzhi Wang on the accordion and the equally talented Steven Banks (read …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:16PM
Monday, February 20, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘Kinky Boots’ at Olney Theatre Center by Susan Brall

“Kinky Boots,” with a Tony® and Grammy®-winning score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Tony®-winner Harvey Fierstein, is currently playing at the Olney Theatre Center. The musical is b…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 05:40PM
Saturday, February 18, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Saxophonist Steven Banks performing at Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

Candlelight Concert Society will be presenting “Hanzhi Wang, accordion and Steven Banks, saxophone, with Xak Bjerken, piano” in concert on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the Smith Theatr…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:50PM
Wednesday, February 15, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Shaquille Stewart, Actor in ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]’ at Chesapeake Shakespear by Susan Brall

Now playing at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is the delightfully witty “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again].” The play was is written by Adam Long, Da…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:06PM
Thursday, February 9, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘Men in Boats’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

“Men in Boats,” by Jaclyn Backhaus, is currently playing at Silver Spring Stage. It follows the 1869 expedition of John Wesley Powell (Stephanie Dorius) who led nine men to map out the t…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 09:39AM
Sunday, February 5, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘Something Rotten!’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre by Susan Brall

“Something Rotten!” is a Tony Award-winning musical comedy with book by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Directed and choreogra…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 01:21PM
Sunday, January 22, 2023

Theatre Review: ‘Towards Zero’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

What could be more fun on a winter’s night than to try to solve a wonderful Agatha Christie mystery with friends? Laurel Mill Playhouse is currently presenting “Towards Zero” by Christ…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:53PM
Wednesday, January 18, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Taryn Smithson, Actor in ‘CATS’ at The National Theatre by Susan Brall

Many years ago, I saw “CATS” at The National Theatre in Washington, D.C. Since then, I have seen it two more times, but that first time was the most memorable. Now “CATS” is back at …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 09:53PM
Saturday, January 14, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Niranjali Amerasinghe in ‘[email protected],’ presented by Rockville Little Theatre at F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre by Susan Brall

[email protected]” written by Daniel Elihu, is an updated look at Jane Austen’s beloved novel. The play opens January 27, 2023 and is being presented by Rockville Little Theatre which i…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 07:45PM
Friday, January 13, 2023

‘A Quick 5’ with Sabriaya Shipley, Actor, Poet, Educator, and Community Ethnographer in Iron Crow Theatre’s ‘Hurricane Diane’ by Susan Brall

Beginning on January 20, 2023 you can see the force of Iron Crew Theatre’s “Hurricane Diane” by Madeleine George at Baltimore Theatre Project. “Hurricane Diane” is an Obie-winning …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:26PM

‘A Quick 5’ with Jonathan Dahm Robertson, Scenic Designer for Theater J’s ‘Two Jews Walk Into a War…A Vaudeville’ by Susan Brall

Now playing at Theater J is the “profound and absurd” philosophical comedy, “Two Jews Walk Into a War…A Vaudeville.” The updated play by Seth Rozin follows Ishaq and Zeblyan, the l…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 11:59AM
Friday, December 16, 2022

‘A Quick 5’ with Shanara Gabrielle, Director of ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company by Susan Brall

Once again Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is presenting the holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. This version takes place in Victorian Baltimore which ties the story …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 11:46AM
Thursday, December 15, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘A Christmas Story’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

It’s the season to be jolly and what could be jollier than watching a performance of “A Christmas Story” at Laurel Mill Playhouse. The play was written by Philip Grecian, is produced b…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:12PM
Thursday, December 8, 2022

‘A Quick 5’ with Actor Ryan Spahn in Shakespeare Theatre Company’s ‘Jane Anger’ by Susan Brall

The works of Shakespeare have led to many new great scripts from “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” to “Shakespeare in Love” and, recently “Gary.”  Some are based on the ch…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 01:09PM

Concert Review: ‘Handel: Messiah’ presented by Columbia Pro Cantare by Susan Brall

The holiday season was feeling more familiar with Columbia’s Pro Cantare’s performance of the timeless “Handel: Messiah” on Sunday, December 4, 2022 . Residents of Columbia and the s…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:55PM

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