‘A Quick 5’ with Sarah Schulman, Playwright of ‘A Very Jewish Christmas’ at Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) by Susan Brall

Maryland Ensemble Theatre will be premiering an original play, “A Very Jewish Christmas,” written by Sarah Schulman and directed by Sache Satta, opening November 22, 2024. The play is bo…

Theatre Review: Agatha Christie’s ‘A Murder is Announced’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Many of Agatha Christie’s novels have been turned into plays. In this Laurel Mill Playhouse production, the crime solver is none other than Miss Marple (Sam David), one of the most intrigu…

Theatre Review: Ayad Akhtar’s ‘Junk’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

‘A Quick 5’ with Eric Jones, Actor in ‘The Rocky Horror Show,’ presented by Maryland Ensemble Theatre at Frederick Community College by Susan Brall

A great treat for this Halloween will be the Maryland Ensemble Theatre’s production of “The Rocky Horror Show” at Frederick Community College. If you have never gone to a production of…

Theatre Review: ‘Evita’ at Silhouette Stages by Susan Brall

Evita Peron was one of the most charismatic women of the 20th century. An illegitimate child of a rancher who left her and her mother in poverty in a small village in Argentina, she was on h…

‘A Quick 5’ with Giovanna Alcântara Drummond, Actor, in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ at the Folger Theatre by Susan Brall

The Greater Baltimore-Washington Area is fortunate to have several top-notch Shakespearean companies. Probably one of the most well-known of these, not just locally but internationally, is t…

Theatre Review: ‘Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground’ at Olney Theatre Center by Susan Brall

Dwight D. Eisenhower was president when I first became old enough to realize there was a president, so I grew up in his era. “Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground,” now running at the Olney …

‘A Quick 5’ with Gené Fouché, Director of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ at Maryland Ensemble Theatre by Susan Brall

The Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) launched it 27th season with Kate Hamill’s humorous adaptation of the classical Jane Austen novel, “Sense and Sensibility.” This production is direc…

Theatre Review: ‘Church & State’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

Lately, I have heard pundits complain that movies and television producers are timid about doing political drama. Early Greek playwrights, Shakespeare, writers like Arthur Miller, and those …

Theatre Review: ‘The Addams Family’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre by Susan Brall

  When you attend a performance at Toby’s Dinner Theatre, you never are disappointed. The musical,“The Addams Family,” directed and choreographed by Mark Minnick, lives up to expectat…

‘A Quick 5’ with Awa Sal Secka, Actor in ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ at Arena Stage by Susan Brall

A Tony Award nominee for Best Play, “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” by Jocelyn Bioh opened September 6, 2024 at Arena Stage. It is a very funny comedy that gives insight into one of our…

Theatre Review: ‘Anastasia: The Musical’ presented by September Song Musical Theatre at The Scott Center for the Fine and Performing Arts by Susan Brall

For their 50th Anniversary, September Song Musical Theatre presented the recent Broadway musical “Anastasia:The Musical,” directed by Debbie Mobley. With a book by the late, great Terren…

‘A Quick 5’ with Jeremy Goldman, Executive Director of Silhouette Stages, Celebrating Its 20th Anniversary by Susan Brall

For this writer, I have many personal connections to Silhouette Stages. Almost forty years ago, when I was living in Columbia and a member of the now defunct Columbia Community Players, I ad…

‘A Quick 5’ with Peggy McKowen, Artistic Director of the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University by Susan Brall

 If you are a theatre-buff and want to plan a fun trip this month, you might want to head out to Shepherdstown, West Virginia for the Contemporary American Theater Festival this July. There…

‘A Quick 5’ with Jalice Ortiz-Corral, Director of ‘Variations on Courage’ presented by Rapid Lemon Productions by Susan Brall

Theater Review: ‘Winter’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

“Winter” is an original play by Mark Scharf and it is currently being presented at Laurel Mill Playhouse. The two-character play is Lori Bruun’s directorial debut of a full-length play…

Theatre Review: ‘Guys and Dolls’ at Howard County Summer Theatre by Susan Brall

Howard County Summer Theatre’s productions are always something joyfully anticipated. This year proves to be no disappointment with their sparkling production of “Guys and Dolls.” From…

‘A Quick 5’ with Catrin Rowenna Davies, the Artistic Director of Young Victorian Theater Company and Director of This Summer’s ‘Ruddigore’ by Susan Brall

Beginning July 14, 2024, the Young Victorian Theatre Company will be performing “Ruddigore” by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. J. Ernest Green will be the musical director and conducto…

Theatre Review: ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ presented by Chesapeake Shakespeare Company at Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park by Susan Brall

“The Merry Wives of Windsor” may not be one of Shakespeare’s classics comedies, but it is fit for a queen. Many scholars feel the Bard wrote this farce on the “suggestion” of Queen…

‘A Quick 5’ with Bradley Adam Stein, Actor in ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ presented by Iron Crow Theatre at Theatre Project by Susan Brall

Iron Crow Theatre’s production of “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” is opening this Friday at Theatre Project. It is a show based on the true-life story of a 16-year-old British sch…

‘A Quick 5’ with C. Brian Williams, Founder and Executive Producer of Step Afrika! performing at Arena Stage by Susan Brall

The wonderful and world-renowned Step Afrika! will be performing their production, “The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence,” at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theatre beginning on June 7,…

‘A Quick 5’ with Sherrod Brown, Actor in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar 50th Anniversary Tour’ at The National Theatre by Susan Brall

If you have never seen “Jesus Christ Superstar,” you are in luck. The 50th Anniversary Tour will be opening this weekend at The National Theatre in Washington, D.C. for a short run. I ha…

Concert Review: ‘Broadway Hits’ presented by Columbia Pro Cantare by Susan Brall

On May 4, 2024 Columbia Pro Cantare took us on an entertaining musical trip down the Great White Way under the new leadership of conductor, Laura Lee Fischer. Appropriately, the night began …

‘A Quick 5’ with Brandon Patrick George, Flutist with Imani Winds, performing at Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

Imani Winds has been playing for the world for over twenty-five years, and on Sunday, May 12, 2024 they will be gracing the stage for Candlelight Concert Society at the Smith Theatre at Howa…

‘A Quick 5’ with Ronald Joe Williams, Actor in ‘Unknown Soldier’ at Arena Stage by Susan Brall

On March 29, 2024 Arena Stage will be begin the run of the “heartfelt” musical, “Unknown Soldier,” co-written by Daniel Goldstein and the late Michael Friedman. It is directed by Tri…

Concert Review: Quatuor Van Kuijk String Quartet at Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

This youthful foursome of extremely talented musicians appeared at the Smith Theatre at Howard Community College straight from their debut at Carnegie Hall. They made the strings of their in…

‘A Quick 5’ with Derrick D. Truby, Jr., Actor in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Ford’s Theatre by Susan Brall

“Little Shop of Horrors” was a small off-Broadway show that became American classic. It is reflective of the latter half of the 20th century with its weird monster, reminiscent of “The…

Theatre Review: ‘Dance Nation’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

Now playing at Silver Spring Stage, “Dance Nation” by Clare Barron is a coming of age play about several young teenage girls and one boy who are students at a small-town dance studio. (I…

Theatre Review: ‘Noises Off!’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Frank Rich, the New York Times drama critic for many years, wrote that Michael Frayn’s “Noises Off!” was the funniest play of his lifetime. I’m not sure I would go as far as Mr. Rich…

‘A Quick 5’ with Actor Wilson J. Heredia in Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ at Authentic Community Theatre (ACT) by Susan Brall

On March 22 and 23, 2024, Authentic Community Theatre (ACT) will be presenting a production of Green Day’s “ground-breaking” musical, “American Idiot” at The Maryland Theatre. This…

Concert Review: Natalie Clein, Cello and Qing Jiang, Piano at Candlelight Concert Society by Susan Brall

After a two-day postponement due to weather, Candlelight Concert Society treated us to the moving music of British cellist, Natalie Clein, with amazing piano accompaniment by Qing Jiang, on …