All stories by Susan Brall on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour at the The Columbia Festival of the Arts by Susan Brall

The Columbia Festival of the Arts under Executive Director, Todd Olson, continues to bring the Howard County Area some of the greatest performers of our time. Since the Festival started 30 y…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 01:30PM
Saturday, February 6, 2016

Review: ‘The Laramie Project’ at the Kensington Arts Theatre by Susan Brall

The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and Members of the Tectonic Theater Project, and produced by Craig Pettinati and directed by John Nunemaker, opened at the Kensington Arts Theatre on F…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 02:32PM
Saturday, January 30, 2016

The Columbia Festival of the Arts Presents ‘Winter Beyond the Blues’ From February 4-21st by Susan Brall

When Todd Olson began his present position as Executive Director of the Columbia Festival of the Arts in 2013, he decided to change the format of the program to include a program for every s…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 06:50AM
Saturday, January 16, 2016

Review: ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ at The Rude Mechanicals by Susan Brall

This Rude Mechanicals’ production of one of Shakespeare’s ‘problem’ plays – All’s Well That Ends Well – is an example of the fact that if you have great wr…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 02:14PM
Saturday, January 9, 2016

Review: ‘Humble Boy’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

Humble Boy, written by Charlotte Jones, is obviously based on the plot of Shakespeare’s famous Dane, Hamlet. The parallels are purposefully obvious. A young man comes home to his mother. …

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 10:26AM
Monday, October 26, 2015

‘Northern Lights’ at Columbia Pro Cantare by Susan Brall

On Saturday October 24, 2015 the Columbia Pro Cantare Choral group, lead by Conductor Frances Motyca Dawson, opened their 39th Season with Northern Lights, performed at the Jim Rouse Th…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 06:22AM
Monday, October 19, 2015

‘Damn Yankees’ at The Heritage Players by Susan Brall

The Tony Award-winning musical Damn Yankees, with Book by George Abbottt and Douglass Wallop, and Words and Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, opened this past weekend at the Heritage Pl…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 06:34PM
Saturday, October 17, 2015

‘9 to 5’ at Silhouette Stages at Slayton House by Susan Brall

9 to 5 is based on the 1980 movie of the same name, with Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton, and Book by Patricia Resnick. Parton not only was one of the stars of the movie (her costars were…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 01:14PM
Monday, October 5, 2015

‘The Turn of the Screw’ by the Hub Opera Ensemble at Columbia Festival of the Arts by Susan Brall

On Saturday, October 3, 2015 the Columbia Festival of the Arts, as part of their Fall Festival: The British Invasion, presented the Hub Opera Ensemble’s production of The Turn of the Screw…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 02:50PM
Sunday, September 13, 2015

‘Underground Rooftop Coffee House: Voices from the Edge’ at Arts Collective at Howard Community College by Susan Brall

Opening their 2015-2016 season, Howard Community College’s Arts Collective presented an evening of improvisations by their own improv group called What Improv Group?!?! or W.I.G?!?! This …

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 11:35AM
Sunday, August 30, 2015

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club ‘Adios Tour’ at Wolf Trap by Susan Brall

Everyone at Wolf Trap tonight must have oiled their hips tonight as just about the whole audience was dancing in the aisles by the end of the evening to the Latin beats coming from the stage…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 01:51PM
Saturday, August 22, 2015

‘2015 One-Act Festival’: Weekend 1 at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

A night of One-Act Plays is always interesting. It gives new or little-known playwrights a chance to shine. It gives new directors a shot at showing their talent. Actors who may never have h…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 11:18PM
Saturday, August 1, 2015

‘Disney’s High School Musical’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Disney’s High School the Musical, at Laurel Mill Playhouse, is directed by AJ Lukacsina, and is produced by Maureen Rogers and Laila Riaz. This is the 12th year that LMP has given …

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 03:45PM
Tuesday, July 14, 2015

‘The Springfield Boys’ at The Seventh Street Playhouse at the Greenbelt Arts Center by Susan Brall

If you think you know everything about Lincoln, you may be surprised to find out that there is a great deal of information out there that is not in text books. The Springfield Boys, now play…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 05:58PM
Saturday, July 11, 2015

‘Venus in Fur’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

Venus in Fur directed by John Dellaporta opened last night at Silver Spring Stage, literally with a bang. The play opens during a thunderstorm that is a metaphor of the action to come, and t…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 07:55PM
Monday, June 29, 2015

‘The Miss Firecracker Contest’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

The Miss Firecracker Contest by Beth Henley opened this weekend at the Laurel Mill Playhouse, and is directed by Patrick Pase and produced by Julie Rogers. Maureen Rogers is the Executive Pr…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 02:56PM
Sunday, June 28, 2015

Columbia Festival of the Arts Part 6: ‘The Best of Second City’ by Susan Brall

What do Anne Meara, Jerry Stiller, Joan Rivers, Jim Bulushi, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Steven Colbert and Steve Carrell have in common?  Well, they are all very funny,…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 11:03AM
Saturday, June 27, 2015

‘The Stoop/Stoop Storytelling Series: Kitchen Confidential’ and Comedian Max Silvestri at Columbia Festival of the Arts by Susan Brall

Friday, June 26, 2015 was a night of laughter at the Smith Theatre. First, the Columbia Festival of the Arts, presented The Stoop Stoop Storytelling Series: Kitchen Confidential which was …

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 07:20PM
Sunday, June 21, 2015

Columbia Festival of the Arts: Part 5: ‘Butcher Holler Here We Come’ by Susan Brall

Imagine you are in a West Virginia coal mine, and there is a cave it. It is cold, and the only light is from the tiny one on top of your helmet or the helmet of a coworker. That is what Azt…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 03:38AM

Columbia Festival of the Arts: Part 3: The Blind Boys of Alabama and Andy Poxon Band by Susan Brall

The indoor performances of the Columbia Festival of the Arts began on Friday, June, 20, 2015 at the Jim Rouse Theatre in Columbia, MD. It could not have picked a more inspirational group t…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 01:12AM
Monday, June 15, 2015

Columbia Festival of the Arts: Part 3: Last Day at Lakefront by Susan Brall

Mother Nature was kind to the Festival this weekend. Thunderstorms were predicted but there was only one close call. So, though many were sweltering, it was a wonderful day to listen to good…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 11:42PM
Sunday, June 14, 2015

Columbia Festival of the Arts: Day Two at the Lakefront by Susan Brall

It was a hot day and a hotter night at the Lakefront but that did not keep the crowds away. Good music, especially free for the listening, is always a way to attract an audience. Folks liste…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 11:43AM
Saturday, June 13, 2015

Columbia Festival of the Arts Part 1: Opening Night at the Lakefront by Susan Brall

Last night the Columbia Festival of the Arts began on the Lakefront in Columbia. (This review is of the last two performances of the evening as those were the ones that were viewed and not t…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 02:41PM
Saturday, May 30, 2015

‘On the Razzle’ at Silver Spring Stage by Susan Brall

In Tom Stoppard‘s wonderful farce, On the Razzle, the humor relies on mistaken identities, lots of puns and malapropos, pratfalls, sex, and pomposity. Silver Spring Stage’s hila…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 06:21PM
Friday, May 29, 2015

A Love of the Bard is Passed to Another Generation at ‘The Tempest’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Tonight, Laurel Mill Playhouse will be presenting one of Shakespeare’s later comedies, The Tempest. Unlike the Bard’s earlier comedies, The Tempest does not rely on some of his more tra…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 04:41PM
Saturday, May 23, 2015

The Columbia Festival of the Arts Runs June 12-27, 2015: Events, and A Reflection of the Jim Rouse Dream by Susan Brall

The Columbia Festival of the Arts is in the 28th  year. It began is an offshoot of the Columbia Fair that celebrated the anniversary of the city. On the 20th anniversary celebration they ad…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 11:03AM
Monday, May 18, 2015

‘The Price’ at Olney Theatre Center by Susan Brall

Arthur Miller’s The Price, now playing at Olney Theatre Center, is brilliantly directed by Michael Bloom. The play, which opened in 1968 on Broadway, takes place in the late 1940s. Lik…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 12:55AM
Saturday, May 16, 2015

‘Godspell’ at Silhouette Stages by Susan Brall

Silhouette Stage’s Godspell, directed by Stephen M. Deininger, opened last night at Slayton House in Columbia. With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by John-Michael Te…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 12:17PM
Sunday, May 3, 2015

‘The Great American Songbook’ by Columbia Pro Cantare at the Jim Rouse Theater by Susan Brall

On Saturday May 2, 2015 the Columbia Pro Cantare choral group, lead by Conductor Frances Motyca Dawson, ended their 38th Season with The Great American Songbook performed at the Jim Rouse T…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 04:04PM
Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Israeli Tea at the Strathmore Mansion by Susan Brall

What a glorious day to go to tea at a beautiful mansion. The Israeli Tea at the Strathmore Mansion was a special as the beautiful Spring Afternoon. If you get there early, you can browse the…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 10:35PM
Saturday, April 25, 2015

‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Laurel Mill Playhouse by Susan Brall

Little Shop of Horrors opened last night at the Laurel Mill Play House, directed by Michael Hartsfield and produced by Maureen Rogers. This quirky satirical farce has become an American clas…

SOURCE: DC Metro Theater Arts at 01:24PM

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