One of the most renowned plays from the Spanish Golden Age, Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s La Vida es Sueno (Life is a Dream), was initially published in 1636. In 1981, the “mother of Latinx playwrighting” María Irene Fornés adapted this classic into Life is a Dream, a production that has since been in a deep slumber, now awakened at Baltimore Center Stage. Cover photo: Segismund, portrayed by Jak Watson, is at the center of the narrative of Life is a Dream. (Photo by J Fannon Photography) Under the direction of Tony Nominee Stevie Walker Webb, Life is a Dream […]
Harvey Brings Joy to Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre
If you’ve ever revisited a story you remember from your childhood only to uncomfortably realize “Oh, that didn’t age well,” fear not. Mary Chase’s Pulitzer-winning play, Harvey, written in the 1940s, continues to shine a light on the timeless values of compassion and kindness, as showcased in this recent Everyman Theatre production. Led by resident company member Bruce Randolph Nelson as Elwood P. Dowd, the cast effortlessly brought the characters to life. Nelson’s portrayal of Elwood, with his infectious smile and unwavering kindness, immediately won me over. I couldn’t help but root for him, wanting to shield him from the […]
Fifties Forever: Grease at Toby’s Dinner Theatre
We’re probably at a time in history where, unless you’re a very young child, you’ve heard of Grease, most likely the classic 1978 feature film that starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as the leads Danny and Sandy. Then in 2016 the Fox television network produced a live television special that melded elements from the movie and the original 1972 Broadway show (which itself has been re-adapted for the stage in the wake of the movie’s immense popularity), so you have to have been living under a rock to never have heard of Grease. And now Paramount Plus is streaming […]
Lady First – A chat with Strand Theater director, Emma Hooks
America’s first celebrity isn’t a founding father. It isn’t even a man. The accolade belongs to Charlotte Cushman, a 19th century actress well-known for playing male and female stage roles from Romeo to Lady MacBeth. She was also openly queer. Keeping with their mission of creating theater by women for everyone, Strand Theater is telling Cushman’s story in Barbara Kahn’s play The Lady Was a Gentleman. Baltimore OUTloud spoke with director Emma Hooks about Cushman’s life, the technical challenges of the production, and the importance of acknowledging queer joy. This is the regional premiere of The Lady Was a Gentleman. […]
Edgar Allen Poe comes home to Baltimore and it’s Not a Midnight Dreary
In 2006, the musical Nevermore, with music by Matt Conner and book by Grace Barnes featuring lyrics adapted from the writings of Edgar Allan Poe, made its live theatre debut. In northern Virginia. What’s wrong with this story? Ask any Baltimorean – Poe is ours. Yet somehow the musical ran in Virginia, England, and even Australia. Never Baltimore. After a 16-year wait, Stillpointe Theatre is to thank for Nevermore’s Baltimore debut. Director Ryan Haase, along with the talented cast and crew, have delivered a cryptic and immersive experience to finish their 13th season. Nevermore isn’t a full biography, but an […]
Angels in America’s Michael Kevin Darnall on Overcoming Fear and Avoiding Apathy
If you regularly attend live theatre in Washington, DC, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Michael Kevin Darnall perform onstage. Frequently spotted at the Hub Theatre and Spooky Action Theatre, Darnall recently made his Arena Stage debut in Tony Kushner’s epic play, Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches, which recently ended it’s run on the Fichandler Stage on April 23. Top image: Michael Kevin Darnall as Louis in Angels in America, Part One: Millenium Approaches. Photo by Margot Schulman. Darnall, who plays the role of Louis Ironson, spoke with Baltimore OUTLoud to share his thoughts on Arena Stage, the AIDS epidemic, […]
There’s ‘Something Rotten’ at Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Shakespearean send-up scintillates as consummately clever comedy by Chuck Duncan The Broadway musical Something Rotten opened on April 22nd, 2015, garnered ten Tony Awards nominations (winning one for Christian Borle as Best Supporting Actor) and for some reason closed after just 742 performances on January 1st, 2017. I first became aware of the show while watching the Tony Awards performance of its signature number, “A Musical,” and finally got to see the show when it went on tour in 2017. I was instantly smitten with Rotten’s simultaneous parody and embrace of Broadway musical conventions. Possessing everything anyone would want in […]
Monty Python’s Spamalot looks on the bright side of life at Toby’s Dinner Theatre
In 1975, British comedy troupe Monty Python hit the big screen for the second time — the first film was basically a collection of their TV sketches — with the original film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The film lovingly and hilariously skewered the legend of King Arthur and it was a hit, and has accrued new fans ever since its release. In 2005, a musical adaptation of the film titled Spamlot opened on Broadway, with a book by Pythonite Eric Idle, and it too was a hit, earning 14 Tony Award nominations, and garnering three awards including Best […]
Serious Adverse Effects: A Timely Production
Running until Sunday, May 23rd, Rapid Lemon Productions presents Serious Adverse Effects both on the in-person stage at the Motor House, as well as streaming platforms. The production, written by Derek McPhatter, explores the story of an unconventional scientist on the cusp of a cure for a mysterious disease. But to complete her research she must find forgiveness from a family with no reason to trust her and embrace the transformative potential of her own healing. Baltimore OUTloud recently chatted with Ohio-native, and playwright Derek McPhatter to discuss the upcoming performance. Frankie Kujawa: In your own words can you tell […]
Two Strikes Theatre Collective Illuminates Black Female Voices
Baltimore’s newest theatre company, Two Strikes Theatre Collective, recently announced their 2021 season complete with virtual devised works, staged readings of original plays, a podcast, and the second annual Brown Sugar Bake-off play festival. The independent theatre company, founded in July 2019, celebrates, promotes, and encourages the intersectional voice of Black women and how it can be used for social change through art and community engagement. Baltimore OUTloud recently chatted with Aladrian C. Wetzel, Executive Director of Two Strikes, to discuss the upcoming season, their upcoming work The Crown is Mine (May 22nd – See Sidebar), and why now more […]