Director Jacqueline Youm puts an indelible stamp on Silver Spring Stage’s scintillating modern-dress production of Jeffrey D. Hoeper’s lively translation of Molière’s Tartuffe. Under her direction, the ensemble maintains a consistently high level of physical acting that perfectly fits and defines the playwright’s exaggerated stock characters. 

Examples abound. The title character, con man Tartuffe (Mike Kroboth), is all slovenliness. His mark, Orgon (Joseph Coracle), is all quick, self-important movement, utterly convinced of the righteousness of his feelings and his right to tell family members what to do. Orgon’s mother, Madame Pernelle (Tracye Brewer), who is fooled by Tartuffe even longer than Orgon, dramatizes her will to family power by loudly snapping her fan. 

Orgon’s wife, Elmire (Erin Gallalee), is at her best when feigning attraction toward the lecherous Tartuffe, striking odalisque-like poses. One of the funniest moments in the show occurs when Elmire, sitting on a sofa, seductively flirts with Tartuffe, while repeatedly shooing her hot-tempered stepson, Damis (Joshua Prescott), back inside a door. The self-absorbed Tartuffe never notices.

Youm herself plays a key character, the all-knowing maid Dorine. It’s a perfect role for a director, since Dorine acts as a sort of director for many of the other characters. Her dominating physical presence emphasizes who, regardless of social class position, runs the show in Orgon’s household.

It seems odd to talk of Molière and Arthur Miller in the same paragraph, but the reasonable man character in Tartuffe, Cléante (Chevell Thomas), occupies a role analogous to Charley in Death of a Salesman or Alfieri in A View from the Bridge. Each speaks reason and moderation to a main character who is blinded by his passions, failing to sway the main character from his path to destruction. But for the intervention of Prince at the end of Tartuffe, Orgon would be as ruined as Eddie Carbone. Standing tall, Thomas portrays Cléante with dignity and gravitas.

The play’s script is written in rhymed couplets, which the actors handle with aplomb, keeping the verbal rhythm going fluidly even through the frequent physical hijinks. One good example is Cléante’s heroic-length first-act monologue: Dorine at one point brings out a lectern to help him continue. 

There is a romantic subplot involving Orgon’s daughter, Marianne (Syd Johnson), and her beau, Valère (Justin Meyer). The relationship is never fully developed in the script, serving mainly as a plot device as Orgon tries to make Marianne marry Tartuffe against her wishes. Marianne and Valère have one amusing romcom-like scene, in which they quarrel and Valère repeatedly leaves, turns around, and comes back.

Two minor characters deserve mention for their physical acting. Filpote (Meagan Hinton), Madam Pernelle’s maid, manifests in intentionally over-the-top form everything her mistress, or sometimes Tartuffe, says. Laurent (Maggie Murphy), Tartuffe’s uber-subservient servant, bows and scrapes obsequiously enough to qualify for a post in the Trump cabinet.

A major theme of the play, of course, is how easy it is for someone, despite all the evidence, to be taken in by a hypocritically pious poseur. Kroboth channels the Jimmy Swaggart type of religious charlatan, laid-on-thick Southern accent and all. 

Douglas Becker’s set creates a refined living space appropriate to Orgon’s wealth, with white sofas and a highly significant table on a black-and-white checkered floor. The walls are covered in anodyne art set in elegant black squares, just the sort of space that would invite the greed of a grifter. 

Olivia Binder’s costumes are as varied as the characters that wear them. Orgon is in a natty suit, Tartuffe in sloppy white pants and a sloppy white shirt, Elmire in a tight-fitting green dress, Valère in a preppyish sport coat. It makes for colorful stage pictures. Youm’s choices for pre-show and intermission music — mostly well-known classical pieces — did not seem particularly related to the action.

Youm’s precise blocking, with an assist from movement specialist Chelsea Dee and fight coordinator Julia Rabson Harris, kept the action crisp throughout. There was a delightful moment when almost all the characters got into a melee that almost, but not quite, involved them coming to blows.

This is a funny, well-paced production that does full credit to a theater classic, without a trace of the cobwebs that can sometimes encumber a production of a classic. It’s well worth seeing, a show that should attract attention at WATCH award time.

Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission.

Tartuffe, or The Hypocrite plays through November 16, 2025 (Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm), at Silver Spring Stage, 10145 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD. Purchase tickets ($28; $25 for students and seniors) at the door, online, or by contacting the Box Office at boxoffice@ssstage.org or 301-593-6036.

Tartuffe, or The Hypocrite
By Molière
Directed by Jacqueline Youm

CAST
Syd Johnson: Marianne
Justin Meyer: Valère
Joshua Presscott: Damis
Erin Gallalee: Elmire
Chevell Thomas: Cléante
Mike Kroboth: Tartuffe
Tracye Brewer: Madame Pernelle
Joseph Coracle: Orgon
Zach Shields: M. Loyal
Jaylen Shode: Police officer
Megan Hinton: Flipote
Maggie Murphy: Laurent
Jacqueline Youm: Dorine

UNDERSTUDIES
Kimberly-Elise Recas: Dorine, Mariane, Flipote
Megan Hinton: Police officer, Elmire
Cristian Hernandez: M. Loyal, Laurent, M. Orgon, Tartuffe
Zach Shields: Valère, Damis
Maggie Murphy : Cléante, Mme Pernelle
Lillian Hall: Mariane

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By Valerie J. Mikles

When the curtain rises, you’ll be struck by the stunning and ambitious multi-level set. The deep maroon accents give a rich feel, the in situ lights and fire glow ominously, and you’ll never guess where all the secret compartments are hidden. Set designer Dan Lavanga and set dresser Roy Hammond have created a gorgeous interior of an old Victorian house that sets the mood for murder.

Bowie Community Theatre’s latest production, Web of Murder by Jonathan Troy, is a whodunit murder mystery in a classic style. It’s filled with family drama, creepy clues, and more than one twist to keep you guessing. 

Minerva Osterman (Jeanne Louise) is a domineering, ailing matriarch who invites her wealthy family to the mansion for a reading of her will — an event she wants to lord over them while she’s still alive. The wheelchair-bound woman lives with her spineless daughter (Melanie Belkin), her shrewd housekeeper (Rosalie Daelemans), and a mysterious doctor (Roy Hammond), all of whom are gritting their teeth so they won’t be disinherited. When Minerva’s nieces arrive with two unexpected guests, Minerva informs them that she knows she will be murdered soon and that several of them will die with her. Panic, hijinks, and murder abound in this tangled caper, though without a detective leading the case, it is up to the audience to piece together the clues. No one is above suspicion.

Jessie Duggan lights the stage as the animated, over-the-top Belle Hamilton. Duggan and Tatum Moss (playing ex-con Pete Martinelli) match their body language and stylized speech to heighten the characters’ chemistry and create an entertaining and endearing couple. Duggan foils perfectly off Dana Fleischer, who plays her sister, Mary Hamilton. Where Duggan is outrageous, Fleischer is poised and prim. Fleischer carries much of the show’s movement, being both strong and vulnerable as she draws out the clues and backstory from the other characters. 

Louise anchors the show as the mean-spirited Minerva, dominating and taunting her family, but revealing unexpected layers as the show progresses. She’s supported by a strong cast, all of whom give great performances. Melanie Belkin as the worn-down Stephanie Osterman stole my heart every time, because I really wanted her to escape the mother who treated her like a servant and held her hostage.

The sound design team of Mo Gaia, Sally Dodson, and Randy Tusing brings an unexpected, but noteworthy element. The use of mood music underneath the dialogue adds intrigue to the exposition. They work in concert with the lighting design team of Collin Griese, Nicholas Mudd, and Randy Tusing to never let you forget that it is a stormy night in a gloomy mansion surrounded by ravenous, murderous dogs. The use of lamps around the set creates a wonderful, eerie vibe. As a three-act show, there are one-and-a-half acts before intermission and one-and-a-half acts after. The lighting and sound design use their elements as glue to transition between acts.

There were a few imbalances in the set that sometimes distracted me from the performance, namely the cluster of chairs blocking the fireplace and the too-small couch that often had three people squeezed onto it. While director Randy Tusing did a good job of creating balance in the blocking, at times I felt the characters were moving in circles for the sake of moving. Some perceived imbalances may have been to keep the paths wide for the wheelchair and for the sheer number of corpses that had to be hauled off the stage. 

Story-wise, a few threads never got woven into the plot, leaving the motives of the individual characters too nebulous to grasp. This led to one of my murder-mystery pet peeves: the killer’s reveal speech brought a lot of brand-new information rather than weaving in tidbits or clues that had been scattered along the way. 

Regardless, the actors truly breathe life into the characters, making the show engaging and fun to watch. Overall, it was a delightful night out and was well-received by the audience. I’m glad BCT is bringing its signature murder mystery shows back to the stage.

Running Time: Two hours, including one 15-minute intermission and a raffle.

Web of Murder plays through November 16, 2025 (Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sunday matinees at 2 PM), presented by Bowie Community Theatre performing at Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Dr., Bowie, MD. Purchase tickets ($25, general; $20, seniors and students) online, by phone at the BCT Hotline at 301-805-0219, or by email (boxoffice@bctheatre.com) prior to the performance date.

Web of Murder
Written by Jonathan Troy
Directed by Randy Tusing

CAST
Nora, The Housekeeper: Rosalie Daelemans
Stephanie Osterman: Melanie Belkin
Minerva Osterman: Jeanne Louise
Mary Hamilton: Dana Fleischer
Keith Latimer: Andrew Rappa
Belle Hamilton: Jessie Duggan
Pete Martinelli: Tatum Moss
Dr. Adler: Roy Hammond
The Woman: Lauren Barnes

PRODUCTION TEAM
Producers: Alan & Penni Barnett
Director: Randy Tusing
Stage Manager: Penni Barnett
Set Designer: Dan Lavanga
Costume Designer: Linda Swann
Set Dresser/Decorator: Roy Hammond
Properties Designer: Roy Hammond
Sound Designer: Mo Gaia, Sally Dodson, Randy Tusing
Lighting Design: Collin Griese, Nicholas Mudd, Randy Tusing
Sound and Lighting Crew: Bowie Playhouse Staff

Valerie J. Mikles is a Ph.D. astronomer who made a career leap to work on weather satellites. Balancing her science life, she fills her free time writing novels, playing songs on her ukulele, and vacuuming cat hair. Her motto in life is “I can be everything I want, just not all at the same time.”

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The veil is thinnest near Halloween, and through it, Noël Coward’s haunting play Blithe Spirit has returned with a bewitching ensemble. Coward’s razor-sharp 1941 comedy blurs the boundaries between the living and the dead, the dignified and the ridiculous. In keeping with British propriety, I arrived at Gunston Theatre Two in a modest black dress, my evil-eye necklace tucked underneath, ready for mischief.

Novelist Charles Condomine (Eric Kennedy) invites a medium to his home as research for a book about a fraudulent psychic. Even before the arrival of the mystical Madame Arcati (Meghan Williams Elkins), the memory of his first wife, Elvira (Mary Rodrigues), haunts his second marriage with Ruth (Fosse Thornton). The pair engage in a battle of wits, the usual manner of conflict between Coward’s characters. Prompted by Ruth’s green-eyed curiosity, Condomine compares his wives, admitting Elvira’s superior sensuality but lamenting her moral untidiness, unlike Ruth, whose “good breeding” and stiff-upper-lip bring peace to their lives. They are joined by the honorable Dr. Bradman (Stephen Wheeler) and his chirpy wife, Mrs. Bradman (Karey Hart), who want in on the amusement of Madame Arcati’s seance, which they all believe to be a farce. Yet, it is their marriage that becomes a farce when Elvira returns as a poltergeist. 

In his memoir, Graham Payne quotes Coward describing Blithe Spirit as a heartless play: “You can’t sympathise with any of them. If there was a heart it would be a sad story.” This vital lack of sentimentality relies on tongue-in-cheek performances. I applaud the cast for their humorous, lively renditions of Coward’s beloved characters.

Kennedy’s elastic movements could portray the smugness of a debonair writer or the anxious agitation of a henpecked husband with just his eyebrows. He sparked chemistry with both actresses portraying Ruth and Elvira, whose contrasting energies might have thrown off a less experienced leading man. A stiff demeanor and sharp delivery characterized Thornton’s Ruth. Her head swiveled in displeasure as she spewed icy commands, while her body remained in perfect placement — hands folded, ankles crossed — the very picture of composure. Rodrigues as Elvira was more spectacle than spectre. She flitted through the second act, pouty-faced, fingers wiggling. Her performance in Act Three maintained its necessary silliness but grew more grounded, revealing Elvira’s earthy side.

To don the beads and scarves of Madame Arcati is coveted by many actors. Elkins wears the character like a well-fitted kimono jacket, whose jewels reflected glittering lights across the dark floor that followed her around like little spirits. She acted on the tips of her toes, gesticulating each line to its fullest, throwing herself into frenzies and songs. “Away with melancholy,” she cried, and away it went as the crowd became uproarious with laughter. 

Blithe Spirit is Alden Michels’s directorial debut with Dominion Stage. Best known for his work as an actor and dialect coach, Michels must have felt at home working with the varied English accents and funky inflections this play demands. Each character’s voice skillfully reflected their apparent selves. Ruth, whom Elvira teased for “not seeing past the end of her nose,” spoke in a nasal tone, pitched high in her throat. Dr. Bradman spoke low, staying deep in his chest to produce a sensible and decisive voice, perhaps to protect the vulnerable skeptic within. This attention to detail showcases Michels’s experience with the vocal aspects of the performing arts, extending well beyond musicals.

A play like Blithe Spirit cannot be fully realized without a hard-working tech crew orchestrating blink-and-you’ll-miss-it lighting effects along with spine-chilling cues that give the audience a taste of the other realm. The set had a campier aesthetic than I was familiar with: pink pinstriped walls paired with grandma’s floral wallpaper, baroque wooden chairs, and bookshelves laden with miniature paintings of upper-class women in domestic settings. This gaudy design lent credence to Elvira’s claim that since moving in, Ruth had “ruined the place.” A touch of realism in the whimsical world of Blithe Spirit.

Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes, including two 10-minute intermissions. 

Blithe Spirit plays through November 8, 2025, presented by Dominion Stage, performing at Gunston Theatre Two, 2700 S Lang St, Arlington, VA. Purchase tickets ($30 for general admission) at the door or online. 

Blithe Spirit
By Noël Coward
Directed by Alden Michels

CAST
Charles: Eric Kennedy
Ruth: Fosse Thornton
Elvira: Mary Rodrigues
Madame Arcati: Meghan Williams Elkins
Mrs. Bradman: Karey Hart
Dr. Bradman: Stephen Wheeler
Edith, U/S Ruth: Katie Barnett
U/S Charles: Michael McCarthy

PRODUCTION STAFF
Executive Producer: Brianna Goode
Producer: Andrew Goldman
Director: Alden Michels
Asst. Director: Mel Gumina
Stage Manager: Maureen Dawson
Asst. Stage Manager: Maggi Richard
Lighting Designer: Andrew Harasty
Special Effects Designer: Allison Gray-Mendes
Special Effects Designer: Adam Ressa
Sound Designer: Janice Rivera
Costume Designer: Joan Lawrence
Hair & Makeup Designer: Maureen Roult
Set Designer: Julie Fischer
Master Carpenter: Julie Fischer
Props Designer: Emma Bowers
Set Dresser: Emma Bowers
Intimacy Choreographer: Brianna Goode

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“Okay, cats, throw your mittens around your kittens, and away we go!” Deejay Vince Fontaine, the “Main Brain” from WAXX, implores the crowd to get with it and dance up a storm. Gals in gowns and guys with slicked-back hair tear up the gymnasium floor and hand-jive like there’s no tomorrow.

This can only be describing one legendary musical: Grease. Yes, the show that really reignited the 1950s nostalgia craze in the early 1970s and has been entertaining audiences the world over ever since. The show’s reputation only grew when the 1978 film adaptation blew up and propelled John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into the heavens, driving their magic hot rod into the sunset.

But we’re here to talk about the original Grease — the stage musical, now playing to capacity crowds at Little Theatre of Alexandria. This distinction needs to be addressed because if you want to hear “Hopelessly Devoted to You” or “Sandy” or the show-stopping “You’re the One that I Want,” pull out your DVD and watch. Those songs were added to the over-stuffed 1978 film, along with other 1950s tunes thrown in for atmosphere.

Director Frank D. Shutts II and his production have returned to the source, i.e., the original book and score of Grease, by sole authors Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Loosely inspired by their own high school adventures from the late 1950s, this show was bottom-line their creation: story, music, and lyrics. The tunes echo pop hits from the old juke box, and the story is nearly as old as time: Will the pure good girl end up with the handsome bad boy? 

Before we talk about performances and performers, a note about the content. This show was made by grown-ups for grown-ups. Sure, Grease is wildly popular with schools as well as community and professional theaters — mostly because it usually guarantees big box office returns. But schools have the option to choose a toned-down version of the script. This is not the “school version.” The language and innuendo are wide open here. This is not a criticism but just a note about the language and subject matter. Take it or leave it.

Grease is a total trip down memory lane. The show goes beyond nostalgia, since many of us were not alive when Eisenhower was president and black-and-white televisions showed “The Mickey Mouse Club.” But we can all relate to those days of high school angst and fun, no matter what year we graduated. All anyone has to do to enjoy Grease is sit back and let the music and characters take you back to a simpler time. Shutts knows this and allows the show and his talented cast to get on with the action. 

Suzy Alden, Shutts’ choreographer, keeps the movement lively and period-perfect, with step-touch-step-touch, doo-wop footwork, and grander lifts and thrills for the big numbers. Adding punch and drive to the show is the live band, tucked away onstage above the action, snappily led by Mark V. Deal. The seven-piece ensemble rocks out and makes the show sound right in step with the ’50s-pastiche tunes, supporting the actors with every number.

Leading the cast of greasers and bobby-soxers are Shannon Hardy and Jake C. Schwartz as Sandy and Danny, respectively. Hardy, complete with blonde ponytail, is the essence of the sweet, fish-out-of-water, sheltered school girl, fresh from Catholic school, now fending for herself in a rough and tumble public school. With thick, wavy hair and the requisite leather jacket, Schwartz strides through his scenes with an easy, swaggering charm; Danny might be a bad boy to his pals, but he’s mostly a pussy cat around Sandy. Hardy and Schwartz also have the vocal chops to handle their big numbers, starting with “Summer Nights,” recounting their vacation rendezvous, joined by their classmates eager for the juicy details. They also impress with their penultimate number together, “All Choked Up” (the original song replaced with “You’re the One That I Want” for the movie). 

Flying solo, Hardy tugs the heartstrings with her reprise of “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” revealing the wounded bird inside yearning to embrace her wild side. And Schwartz, backed up by his gang, evokes pop idols of yesteryear with his rendition of “Alone at the Drive-in.”

Danny and Sandy’s fellow Rydell Ringtails are a lively bunch, each bursting with energy and youthful pizzazz. Danny’s entourage, going by the original moniker “The Burger Palace Boys” (“T-Birds” in the movie), fill up the stage with friendly shenanigans and work together like ringedy-ding-dong, to quote one of the songs. Matt Yinger is wild as the second-in-command Kenickie, who leads the showstopping “Greased Lightning.” As innocent and goofy Doody, Jonathan Grygiel is endearing. His ringing tenor voice brings to mind Paul Anka singing “Those Magic Changes.” Ryan Walker is an even bigger goofball as Roger, known as the king of the mooners who gets to (ahem) bare himself in the charming duet “Mooning,” with Allyson Markussen’s food-obsessed Jan. Rounding out the Burger Palace Boys is Hugo Del Pino Jr. as Sonny La Tieri, the resident lady-killer — or so he thinks.

Their feminine counterparts, the “Pink Ladies,” are a mix of sassy, brassy, ditzy young broads, and they are always entertaining. Markusson’s food-obsessed Jan is everyone’s friend. Not the best student, Frenchie is the one who tries beauty school only to drop out and return to Rydell. Sydney Morefield plays Frenchie endearingly, complete with thick, New Yawk-ish accent. As the fashion-plate of the bunch, stylish Marty is brought to life by Gabrielle Priest, who makes the most of her scenes and her featured number “Freddy, My Love,” bringing back memories of Connie Francis or Etta James. 

And as the prime “Pink Lady,” Lourdes Turnblom is Rizzo, the bold and mouthy alpha-dog, quick with a quip and withering look to all beneath her. Turnblom’s turns bloom when she pops out her signature song, “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” poking fun at Sandy and her squeaky image. She also shines with the 11 o’clock number, “There Are Worse Things I Can Do,” pouring out her heart and soul.

Other Rydell Ringtails that make the grade are Mollie Becker as the uppity cheerleader Patti, Ryan Brown as Vince Fontaine, the slick radio announcer, and Cha-Cha, a chick from a rival school who crashes the big dance. These actors bring laughs galore and embody the spirit of the exaggerated nostalgia on display.

Stepping out of the lively ensemble, Brady Misustin is the boy singer Johnny Casino (“Born to Hand-Jive”), Garret Rinker warbles winningly as Frenchie’s teen guardian angel, with the song “Beauty School Dropout,” and as a radio singer, Marissa Michaels duets with Hardy’s Sandy for the sweet and sad “It’s Raining on Prom Night.” 

The action and fun all take place on a unit set that brings back memories of cinderblock walls, lockers, and the smells of the school cafeteria — all courtesy of Julie Fischer’s functional set design. The actors are aided in their performances by the period-perfect wigs and hair designed by Andre Hopfer, and the wardrobe by the design team of Jean Schlichting and Kit Sibley, with assistance from Janis Johnston. The busy Ken and Patti Crowley provide a colorful lighting design that enhances the production. The award-winning lighting duo are currently also represented at Prince William Little Theatre’s Woman in Black.

No matter what era you grew up in — for some of us, it was the MTV-era of the mid-1980s — those days when your entire life was still before you and the biggest decisions you had were whether the cute girl from the marching band had a date to the prom were golden. Grease celebrates the innocence (accented by a little raunchiness, of course) of the late 1950s and does it very well. Shutts’ production and cast are ready to welcome you to Rydell for a drive down memory lane.

Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 10-minute intermission.

Grease plays through November 15, 2025, presented by Little Theatre of Alexandria, performing at 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA. To purchase tickets ($36, reserved seating), go online or contact the Box Office via phone (703-683-0496) or email (boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com).

The program for Grease is online here.

LTA is holding a 1950s costume contest with prizes for the October 31 Halloween performance. Patrons are invited to come dressed to impress in their best 1950s threads and enjoy a night of music, dancing, and Halloween fun.

Grease
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
Producer: Kadira Coley
Director: Frank D. Shutts II
Music Director: Mark Deal
Choreographer: Suzy Alden

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For more than 125 years, Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale, Dracula, has been retold through numerous stage and film adaptations. From the 1931 Universal Studios horror film masterpiece to the 2012 Sony Pictures children’s animated movie, Hotel Transylvania, this fabled story has thrilled generations. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, the latest incarnation of Stoker’s mainstay, debuted off-Broadway in 2023 to critical acclaim. This comedy by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen is a farcical take on the classic novel, featuring raucous comedy in the style of Mel Brooks and Monty Python. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors can currently be seen onstage at the Colonial Players, and it’s a bloody good show!

As the play begins, we meet English real estate agent Jonathan Harker, who travels to Count Dracula’s remote Transylvanian castle to assist with his upcoming move to England. During their meeting, Dracula sees a picture of Jonathan’s fiancée, Lucy Westfeldt, and mistakenly believes she is his long-lost love. Dracula is smitten with Lucy and relentlessly pursues her when he arrives in England. Concurrently, Lucy’s sister, Mina, is stricken with a mysterious blood disease, and it is suspected that Dracula might have caused this. Lucy and Jonathan decide to hire the famed vampire hunter Dr. Jean Van Helsing to kill Dracula and stop his macabre mission, and hilarity ensues along the way.

Ron Giddings’ portrayal of Count Dracula was sensational, and his spectacular presentation was mesmerizing. His magnetic stage presence and commanding demeanor perfectly matched the role, and he exuded unrelenting confidence. Giddings delivered his lines with a flawless Transylvanian accent, and his articulation and diction were outstanding. Jason Vellon’s marvelous performance as Jonathan was marked by his extraordinary ability to convey vastly different emotions in seconds, most notably when his character instantly transitioned from businesslike to frantic when dealing with Count Dracula’s antics. Vellon was hilarious while overcoming his differences with Dracula, and his physical comedy in a bumpy carriage ride scene was delightfully amusing. This gifted performer additionally played Lord Cavendish, Lord Worthington, and Lord Havemercy (all at the same time!) while seamlessly transitioning among “character” voices. This routine was comedic gold.

Melanie Gordon, as Lucy, impressively maintained a steady British accent for the entire production, and she colorfully expressed every emotion from stunned shock at Dracula’s romantic advances to heartfelt caring during her sister’s illness. Gordon also played Kitty Rutherford (the Westfelds’ housekeeper) with a cackling delivery that ideally illustrated her evil temperament. Eric Lund remarkably portrayed both Mina and Dr. Van Helsing, excelling in both roles and demonstrating extraordinary versatility. As Mina, Lund was tremendously entertaining, executing pratfalls and slapstick that elicited side-splitting laughter. In a complete 360, Lund played Dr. Van Helsing with a scholarly and determined spirit, effortlessly communicating intelligence. Shannon Benil portrayed Lucy and Mina’s father, Dr. Wallace Westfeldt, with a dignified disposition, heartwarmingly relaying the character’s concern for his family. She additionally played Dracula’s assistant, Renfield, with a frenetic and frazzled disposition, and her whirlwind argument scene (where she instantaneously switched between both characters!) was warmly received.

Debbie Barber-Eaton’s ingenious direction brilliantly staged the play in the Colonial Players’ intimate in-the-round house, and she effectively utilized every inch of the 180-seat space. Oftentimes, actors directly engaged with audience members and entered/exited through the aisles, placing theatregoers directly in the center of the action. Christina R. McAlpine’s ornate costumes displayed ominous hooded cloaks, elaborate period dresses, and, of course, Dracula’s iconic black cape. Lighting and Sound Designer Dudley Whitney created detailed fog and strobe-light illusions that deeply enhanced the play’s ominous mood. Puppet Maker J.B. McLendon inventively created props from foam and paper-mâché, and Constance Robinson’s illuminated wolf masks were visually stunning.

The Colonial Players have created a frightfully entertaining Halloween treat for audiences as this historic organization continues its 77th season with a modern take on a creepy classic. Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is the perfect fall outing, and this splendid production is well worth the trip to downtown Annapolis. The clever wordplay (complete with local humor!) is guaranteed to elicit monstrous laughs, and this show is a wonderful opportunity to experience Stoker’s illustrious story through a whole new lens. 

Running Time: One hour and 35 minutes, no intermission

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors plays through November 15, 2025, at Colonial Players of Annapolis – 108 East Street, Annapolis, MD. Tickets ($23–$28) can be purchased online, in person at the Colonial Players box office, or by calling 410-268-7373.

A virtual playbill is available here.

Content advisory: This play features comedic horror, sexual innuendo, stylized violence, and some jump scares/loud effects. Mild to moderate language. Strobe lights and fog effects are also used in the production.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors
Written by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen
Directed by Debbie Barber-Eaton

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Whether your car breaks down outside a spooky mansion or you just need a two-hour escape from the cares of modern horrors and headlines, Reston Community Players embraces the wild, weird, and wonderful world of mayhem, madness, sex, rock and roll, and so much more, bringing the cult favorite musical The Rocky Horror Show back for the spooky season.

There is a new, crispy fall feel to the air outside recently, but things are hotter than an electrically charged mad scientist’s laboratory inside the Leila Gordon Theatre at the Reston Community Center.

Even before curtain time, sexily clad ensemble members roam the house, teasing and taunting open-minded audience members to jump-start the experience. Is that a drag queen with a two-foot-tall hairdo? Check! Savvy fans of local drag performer Anja Dick (or his alter ego, Ryan Kincade) will be pleasantly surprised.

Not feeling like being messed with or touched? They have you covered: grab a set of red beads, and the “phantoms” and other cast members will pass you by.

For anyone game for some good-natured and naughty fun, you may just find your happy place at this show. Extroverts and party folk, this show is tailor-made for you. Fueled by the legend and lore of the 1975 film version, which became a midnight-showing cult phenomenon, this Rocky Horror stage show embraces many of the traditions from the picture show. The production highly encourages audience participation, especially the call-outs. (The theater sells goodie bags with a few approved props to use and throw, but no toast, frankfurters, rice, confetti, or water guns.)

On one Sunday matinee, the audience was filled with Rocky Horror super-fans and possibly even a few “plants”; there were new interjections that mentioned Lionel Ritchie and even Elon Musk! These call-outs, old and new, will likely change depending on the specific performance. But this is the kind of show that lends itself to a second or even a third visit, following the cult status.

Super-duper fans and those for whom Halloween is the “most wonderful time of the year,” RCP has you covered: At no extra charge during the Friday, October 31 performance, the brave and the bold can enjoy The Rocky Horror Halloween Extravaganza, complete with prizes and a costume contest, featuring Witti Repartee, drag queen extraordinaire. Register by 7:40 pm, judging begins at 8 pm, and the musical kicks off at 8:15 pm.

Atmosphere? Audience participation? All set. But what about the show itself? Whether you are a Rocky Horror Show virgin or weirdo from way back, this production has something for everyone, every creature, and everything in between.

Director Liz Colandene and choreographer Kendall Mostafavi have set up a perfect stormy night of a show, tipping their hats to memorable moments from the film and honoring the simplicity of the stage show while adding their own innovative elements. “The Time Warp” fills the stage with joy and energy with the signature moves intact.

Just in case this is all new to a reader of this review: The Rocky Horror Show is a horror, sci-fi spoof that also uses the tropes of 1950s and ’60s musicals to tell the tale of a hapless couple, Brad and Janet, who stumble onto an old castle with a crazy party going on presided over by the diva-tastic “sweet transvestite from Transexual Transylvania,’ Dr. Frank N. Furter, and his retinue of strange and unusual servants, guests, and victims. Richard O’Brien created the show in the tradition of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, or Rupert Holmes’ Drood — actor O’Brien wrote the book, music, and lyrics, a mélange of pastiche numbers that move the plot by inches but provide ample opportunities for the cast to shine and take the spotlight.

As the “phantoms,” members of the ensemble, circulate and head to the stage, the lights dim, and Ryan Kincade, dolled up as his Anja Dick drag persona, serves as the usherette, Trixie, setting the tone of the wild and wacky night of nostalgia, ecstasy, and betrayal, “Science Fiction, Double Feature.” Clips from the ’50s era, black-and-white sci-fi and horror flicks, highlight the opening number.

When we’re introduced to Brad (“bastard”) and Janet (“sl*t”), Cristian Bustillos and Lottye Lockhart inhabit the roles of the dating couple who soon become victims of Frank N. Furter’s sexy and dangerous world. Their duet, “Dammit, Janet,” sets up their sexually repressed relationship. Later, when she is able to cut loose with Dr. Frank’s perfect physical creation Rocky (“Bullwinkle!”), Lockhart is able to belt out “Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me” with a powerful vocal instrument, all while being touch-a, touch-a, touched.

As Frank’s right-hand lackey and ultimately conniving servant, Riff Raff, Steve Cairns brings the seedy creepiness and rock tenor voice that raises the roof in his numbers, especially “The Time Warp.” As Magenta, henchwoman to the evil sidekick, Leah Chiaverini matches Cairns with malicious intention. They are joined by the tap-dancing pixie Columbia, played with cutesy weirdness by Hannah Conradt.

With all the henchmen and phantoms in place, as well as the innocent bystanders, how about the host and mad scientist with the unbridled libido and cruel streak, Dr. Frank? Making his entrance striding down the center aisle like the entire theater was his to own, Eric Morris commands the stage from his first withering look to his glorious death scene in the “final reel.” Nearly everyone knows how Tim Curry became a legend playing Frank in the 1975 motion picture. Not to take anything away from Curry, but Morris makes the role his — and her — own, owning the black corset, fishnets, and fabulously styled black wig. Switching from a purr to a snarl, from wounded bird to vicious villain, Dr. Frank fits Morris like a glove. His take on Frank’s signature song “Sweet Transvestite” is a highlight, and he makes it his own.

Morris shows a different side of Frank’s persona as he extols the virtues of his manly creation — think Frankenstein’s creature but made for Chippendale’s.

The apple of Frank’s eye, Rocky is brought to life — literally — by Jonathan Hardin, who is not only a physical specimen but a strong vocalist, shining during “The Sword of Damocles,” near the end of Act One.

The first act closes when Columbia’s former boyfriend, Eddie, emerges from a freezer, now a zombie determined to save his paramour, singing “Hot Patootie” like a rock and roll idol. Doubling down on the gender fluidity of the production, Paulina Stehr cuts a dashing figure as Eddie, playing it in the tradition of a drag king. Stehr makes the most of Eddie’s brief and ultimately tragic scene.

Later, Stehr rolls out, now as Brad and Janet’s paraplegic science tutor, Dr. Everett Scott, sporting a gigantic mustache. Rounding out the cast, Javier Buentello is dashing and campy as the narrator. Along with Ryan Kincade as Trixie, Syd Austin, Melissa Dyer, Jeffrey Mouritzen, and Haley Viar make up the phantoms — the guests and members of the ensemble. Each one embraces the sexy and free world of the musical.

The cast is aided in their libidinous and lasciviousness by the costumes, credited to Lourdes Turnblom, Jared Foeppel, and Allie Zito. Their designs are playful, sensual, and honor the traditions of the film and the show. Special mention to ensemble member Kincade, who also provided the wig and hair design of wild and wonderful looks.

Last but certainly not least, David Weinraub’s onstage band literally rocks the house from start to finish. Credited in the program as The Impalers (a mysterious rock band from Eastern Europe, with an entire hilarious backstory), the band handles each number with style. Weinraub (keyboards), David Smigielski (guitar), Christopher Willett (bass), Tito Perez (drums), and Dana Gardner (saxophones) make beautiful music together.

During this time of Spirit Halloween stores, pumpkin-spiced everything, and preparations for trick-or-treating, The Rocky Horror Show is another grand tradition of this time of year. RCP brings the strange and unusual characters to life with verve and wild abandon — a perfect match for O’Brien’s unique creation.

In a world where some factions keep trying to silence and push out the true diversity of humanity, a musical that embraces every type of gender identity, pushes sex positivity, and celebrates the message of “Don’t dream it, be it” is as right for the times now as it was in the early 1970s. Probably even more so.

Running Time: Two hours with one 15-minute intermission.

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show plays through November 1, 2025, presented by Reston Community Players, performing in the Leila Gordon Theatre at the Reston Community Center, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA. Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM, and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Reserved seating ticket prices are $26–$31. Purchase tickets online.

The program is online here.

Content Warning: Sexual themes, horror movie violence, and language. “The 1975 film based on this musical is rated R.”

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
By Richard O’Brien
Directed by Liz Colandene

CAST
Trixie (Usherette): Ryan Kincaid
Brad: Cristian Bustillos
Janet: Lottye Lockhart
The Narrator: Javier Buentello
Riff Raff: Steve Cairns
Magenta: Leah Chiaverini
Columbia: Hannah Conradt
Dr. Frank N. Furter: Eric Morris
Rocky: Jonathan Hardin
Eddie/Dr. Scott: Paulina Stehr
Phantoms: Syd Austin, Melissa Dyer, Ryan Kincade, Jeffrey Mouritzen, Haley Viar

CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION
Producer: Jocelyn Steiner
Music Director: David Weinraub
Choreographer: Kendall Mostafavi
Production Stage Manager: Anthony Pohl
Lighting Design: Kim Crago and Jeff Auerbach
Costume Design: Lourdes Turnblom, Jared Foeppel, Allie Zito
Sound Design: Andie Matten
Set Design: Anna Mintz
Set Decoration and Properties Design: Natalie Foley
Technical Director: Dan Widerski

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The centerpiece of Carl L. Williams’ Under a Cowboy Moon, now playing at the Vienna Theatre Company (VCT), is a cowboy poetry competition, a kind of poetry slam taking place in a small bar in a dried-up, dying, West Texas town.

Like perhaps many people who have lived primarily in urban, Eastern environments, I had no idea what cowboy poetry sounded like. Here’s an example, generated by ChatGPT:

Out where the sage and silence meet,
The prairie winds don’t miss a beat.
My boots are worn, my hat sits low,
Chasing the sun where wild herds go.

The campfire flickers, stars appear,
Coyotes singing where none can hear.
A lonesome tune, a life untamed,
A cowboy’s heart can’t be contained.

In depopulated Spitwhistle, Texas, the Saddle Horn Bar can attract only a handful of contestants. There’s the young Henry Burke (Jaye Frazier), a poetry rookie competing for the first time. Frazier’s Burke is appropriately insecure and callow. In counterpoint, Williams gives us Boone Hawkins (Raymond G. Gagliardi), a longtime veteran of the cowboy poetry world, who shows genuine kindness to Henry. I’d have liked Boone’s hair and makeup to be more suggestive of the older Willie Nelson, better to portray the character’s near-the-end-of-the-trail situation in life.

Then there’s Rafe Cainfield (Scott Stofkost), all ego and loudness, with nary a nuance in sight. He’s accompanied by his just-short-of-bimbo girlfriend, Terri Blair (Kim Paul), who by show’s end begins to get a clue about her boyfriend’s character.

The final contestant is Michael Tibbets (Chris Dockins), a UT Austin English professor who, under a pseudonym, visits the contest to analyze cowboy poetry. Excessively erudite and egregiously pretentious, Michael is a portrait of everything people love to hate about academia. Dockins does get one of the best comic bits of the evening, as Michael delivers a cowboy poetry adaptation of a portion of T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, with a hilarious reference to western novel writer Louis L’Amour.

While Michael’s English Department take on life may not cut much ice with the bar patrons, it does gain the attention of Rebecca Proctor (Janice Zuker), a PBS producer there to record the contest and interview the locals for a documentary. She hangs on Michael’s every word, and romantic attraction blooms. In her way, Rebecca is as much a satire on PBS documentarians as Michael is of humanities professors. Williams wrote the play in 2007; the notion of a PBS reporter showing up at a small town gathering today, let alone with a humanities grant in hand, has a considerably more ironic edge.

Jon Roberts makes an excellent impression as Simon Dawes, Rebecca’s cameraman, whose manner is more laconic than that of any of the cowboys, making occasional wry, often delightful, comments on the goings-on.

The bar owner, P.A. Carswell (Liz LeBoo), is a pillar of what remains of the community. LeBoo gives a grounded portrayal of someone whose dreams of the future have a low horizon: to go to Texarkana and work with her sister in a diner. Her life is in contrast to that of Jill Milligan (Shelby Kaplan), who is finishing up a business degree at UT, and who therefore has a chance of escaping small town topor.

P.A.’s former boyfriend, Deuce Whatley (Charlie Boone), a regular at the bar, still hopes to rekindle their romance. While Under a Cowboy Moon is not a romcom, Deuce and P.A. through most of the play have some of the bickering banter interaction typical of many romcom characters. They are the two characters who are most credible as people who have long lived in a place like Spitwhistle.

Director Jessie Roberts keeps the pace consistent and the movement clear. In this she is well aided by lighting designer Nicholas Boone, whose tight area lighting provides the equivalent of close-ups to, for example, two characters talking at a table while the other characters are in low light. Kudos to sound designer Myer Kim for selecting pre-show and intermission country music that is credible for the time and setting, rather than samples of the generic, and synthetic, Nashville sound. Carol Pappas’ costumes suit the characters well; one particularly nice example is Rafe’s outfit for the recital of his poem, every bit as showy as Rafe’s personality.

Its humor and local color notwithstanding, Under a Cowboy Moon is a rather melancholy play, portraying the long, slow decline of a way of life and a community. In this, it called to my mind the brilliantly written A Texas Trilogy by Preston Jones. These three 1970s plays take place in the West Texas town of Bradleyville, realized in far greater depth than Williams’ Spitwhistle. Theater groups would do well to revive any or all of Jones’ three plays, which provide roles that good actors would crave.

Running Time: One hour and 45 minutes, including one intermission.

Under a Cowboy Moon plays through November 2, 2025, presented by Vienna Theatre Company performing at Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St SE, Vienna, VA. Tickets, priced at $16, are available online or in person at the Vienna Community Center.

Note: The air conditioning (not under VCT’s control) can make conditions in the theater uncomfortably cold. It would be prudent to prepare accordingly.

The post A buckaroo poetry slam ‘Under a Cowboy Moon’ at Vienna Theatre Company appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic is an extremely silly play with a somewhat serious message. It’s so silly, in fact, that the director, Ruth Sturm, asks the audience in her program note to take a minute to get in the right frame of mind. (That was something of a tall order on a dark and deserted Capitol Hill dotted with a few uniformed and armed National Guard troops two nights before the “No Kings” protests. And even Sturm mentioned a certain famous author using fame to advocate against trans rights — and responded by ignoring gender in casting, which was commendable. But I digress. My point is that it might be harder for some people to capture the mood now than it might have been in 2015 when Puffs premiered.)

Both the silliness and the message come from the original idea of the show, by New York playwright Matt Cox: What must it have been like to be at that “certain school” as a “regular” student — especially one from the House that was mostly ignored — merely trying to get a magical education while a certain other student kept attracting disasters and then heroically saving the school from them? Since the play revels in mixing its pop-culture references, it would not be out of line to say that it must be like being a “red shirt” in Star Trek — a minor character introduced only to get killed off. Or, even more to the point, what might it have been like to be a student who has read and watched all those teen fantasy franchises about adolescents finding they’re special! and being whisked off to a magical land where they are destined to be heroes! … only to find you’re not special at all? That is the sobering question underlying the parody party that is Puffs.

This production plays in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, an impressive Gothic revival edifice, making it a wonderful setting for the world of the show, even without much set. Unfortunately, the extremely echoey acoustics of the church make it difficult to hear many of the lines, even when the actors project, and when they drop their voices for punchlines, as often happens, the words are lost. It is somewhat easier to hear in the front row, as opposed to higher up in the third-row risers.

Because of the impressive venue, there is little set, other than a paper sign on some drapes and pipes saying “School of Magic and Magic” and a couple of beanbags on the floor. The actors run on and off from behind the drapes or down the short aisles between the seating. This makes it difficult to get any sense of place, other than from hearing the actors announce where they are (subject to the acoustic problems mentioned). The lighting is equally minimal. The costumes, by Amelia Schuster, Fiona Meagher, and Rose Lane, are multitudinous and need to be changed quickly, lending to the slapdash humor of the production. The costumers seem to have taken advantage of some robes belonging to the church for the many professors who show up and disappear quickly (usually saying disdainfully, “Oh … Puffs.”). The many props wrangled by Tongjia (Tonya) Fu are effective.

The director and actors bring a great deal of enthusiasm to the performance. They obviously are very familiar with the source material, as they — and the audience — must be to appreciate the parody. However, the challenge with a show that is originally based on improv (especially one with as many “you can do what you want here!” directions in the script as Puffs) is that it requires more than just enthusiasm; it requires extra touches of originality. One good one here is when the Snake from the Second Book shows up as a remote-controlled car bearing an inflatable snake that scoots across the stage. Unfortunately, this production consists mostly of the actors just saying the lines — enthusiastically, yes, or on occasion amusingly bored, as when they find themselves sitting and watching the surface of the lake for an hour during the “Three-wizard Tournament” — but not much more. Even though some characters are American and others are British, there seems to be little consistency in accents, but this may be another problem with acoustics. There are very few attempts to show magic happening, other than light-up wands and a repeated gag about the Narrator throwing books to characters trying to “summon” them. Since the lines go by so fast and are so difficult to hear, it can be somewhat difficult to fully appreciate the humor. Still, the audience there the night I saw it thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The actors distinguish themselves in various ways. Alicia Yass makes many transitions playing numerous professors, and is particularly effective as the (turns-out-to-be-not-so) evil Xavia Jones, proving that even would-be villains sometimes have to cope with being nothing special. Betsy Scarisbrick makes a good “a certain Potions professor” and numerous others. Hart Wood is charmingly goofy as the amorous adolescent Sally Perks and humorously heartrending as the tragic house-elf, Bippy, who shows up out of the blue only for his death scene. Lilly McGee is delightfully loopy as the perpetually confused Leanne, and touching as the supremely accepting Helga, founder of the House of Puffs. Madeline Marie proves a fine and funny Harry, running on and off saving the day, preening, dancing, stealing everyone’s thunder, and spending a year being a grumpy adolescent jerk, while maintaining a credible British accent throughout. Marcus Martinez has the unfortunate job of portraying several rather unlikable characters, including J. Finch Fletchley (who refers to himself in the third person), Wayne’s redneck Uncle Dave, and Zack Smith, the head of the magical sports team, who is saddled with a lengthy and inexplicable monologue in the second act that was apparently impressively improvised 600 different times by the original actor, but now has no purpose other than to interrupt the action with a string of profanity for no reason.

Although this is the epitome of an ensemble show, there are principal characters, and they are good here. Erica Irving makes a compelling and comprehensible Narrator, especially in her increasingly horrified reactions as the “books” get longer and the time grows shorter. Maya Lameche, as Oliver Rivers, shows the heartfelt horror of a student who has never gotten an answer wrong, finding himself in a school where academics mean nothing, but fortunately realizes that friendship and love make up for it all. Brianna Rodriguez Day beautifully portrays her journey from an angsty goth who revels in being different to realizing that it’s okay to be ordinary if it means having friends. Chris D’Angelo shines as the comically charismatic and handsome Cedric, the only Puff who ever got to be a hero (and look what it got him!), and then amuses as the green-painted villain Mr. Voldy. And Aarij Mohammad touches the heart as the would-be hero Wayne, presenting the sober truth that sometimes one isn’t meant to be a hero or a lauded martyr, but that love, in the end, may be the greatest magic of all.

Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic can be a hoot if you’re in the mood, and conveys the important truth that even if not everyone gets to be a hero, we can still save the world (or our corner of it) just by being true to our friends and our principles. And that’s a good message in any world.

Running Time: Two hours, including one 15-minute intermission.

Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic played October 3 to 18, 2025, presented by St. Mark’s Players, performing at St. Mark’s Church, 301 A Street SE, Washington, DC.

The program is online here.

Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic 
By Matt Cox
Directed by Ruth Sturm

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In Prince William Little Theatre’s haunting October production of The Woman in Black, director Cameron McBride conjures a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling that lingers long after the final blackout. Staged in the intimate Gregory Family Theater at the Hylton Performing Arts Center, this adaptation of Stephen Malatratt’s play (based on Susan Hill’s novel) embraces minimalism with maximum impact, inviting the audience to lean into the shadows and fill in the terror with their own imagination. PWLT’s imaginative retelling of the story that played for over 30 years in London’s West End is a perfect treat for the ghoulish season.

In this story, Arthur Kipps, a lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the specter of a Woman in Black, engages a skeptical young actor (and his spectral stagehands) to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul. It all begins innocently enough, but then, as they reach further into his darkest memories, they find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes and moaning winds.

The principal actors, John Mathews and Scott Heine, deliver a complex retelling of the story with a masterful challenge of portraying multiple layers of character simultaneously. The play, which is essentially a play within a play, is haunted throughout by the ghost story. Scott’s Arthur Kipps hires John’s Actor to depict himself, retelling the ghost story. At the same time, Arthur Kipps takes on the roles of numerous other characters in the story. Their chemistry is compelling, especially as the boundaries between performance and reality start to blur. 

The ensemble of “Shades” — Becca Anderson, H. Christian Aguilar, Ava Botros, Laura Gibson, Emily LaCroix, and Billy Lister — adds eerie texture, haunting the periphery with silent menace and spectral grace. They add an extra layer of subtle dread, foreshadowing the ghost story that underlies both the reality of the past and the horror that may come.

The production team deserves high praise for crafting an immersive world with subtlety and skill. Michelle Brooks and Cameron McBride’s set design is evocative without being literal, allowing the audience’s imagination to roam. Award-winning lighting designers Ken and Patti Crowley manipulate shadow and silhouette with finesse, bringing the stage to life and afterlife, while Matthew Scarborough’s sound design heightens the tension with moaning winds and distant echoes. Riley Leonhardt’s costume work and Emily Lagana’s hair and makeup complete the illusion, grounding the ghostly in the Victorian.

The Woman in Black is a triumph of suggestion over spectacle, of imagination over exposition. It’s a ghost story that doesn’t just ask you to watch — it asks you to participate. As McBride writes, “The real chills are not on stage, but in what you picture just beyond the light.” PWLT’s production delivers those chills in spades, offering a perfect October night of theatrical magic.

Catch it before it vanishes into the mist. And when you leave the theater, don’t forget to glance over your shoulder — you never know what might be following you home.

Running Time: One hour and 50 minutes, with one 15-minute intermission.

The Woman in Black plays through October 19, 2025, presented by Prince William Little Theatre performing at Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Cir, Manassas, VA. Purchase tickets ($20–$25) online.

CAST
Actor: John Mathews
Arthur Kipps: Scott Heine
Shades: Becca Anderson, H. Christian Aguilar, Ava Botros, Laura Gibson, Emily LaCroix, Billy Lister

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director: Cameron McBride
Producer: George Fulda
Stage Manager: Deb Hansen
Hair and Make-up Design: Emily Lagana
Set Design: Michelle Brooks & Cameron McBride
Set Dressing: Michelle Brooks
Lighting Design: Ken Crowley & Patti Crowley
Costume Design: Riley Leonhardt
Properties Design: Julianna Gedney
Dramaturg: Jenn Robinson

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French Cupcakes by Neal Learner is a fluffy, engaging, world-premiere musical about allowing ourselves to dream and the reality when those dreams just don’t come true. The story is set in a midwestern college town, where French café owner Pierre, played with aplomb by Aref Dajani, dreamed of introducing Americans to delish French baguettes to replace the pasty white stuff they call bread. The years have taken a toll on his quaint shop to the point that he’s forced to sell his beloved bakery. But to whom? Well-heeled Dana Miller, played with steely-eyed focus by Cathy McCoskey, is ready to offer a mega-buck corporate franchise, while a young, aggressive MBA upstart, Bridget Anderson, played assuredly by Brett Jordan, promises even higher revenue options without succumbing to the “Big Bean” hierarchy.

Daughter Tina, played with earnest appeal by Camilla Wilbraham, functions as the café manager but only temporarily while she anxiously hopes to (finally) pass her graduate exams to become an international policy ambassador. Apollo Yong is a standout as Nick Butler, a wannabe-famous country music singer-songwriter awaiting reviews for his debut album. Both have to face the music when their hopes and dreams are dashed. While his rejection letter is hilarious, Nick takes the news in stride and discovers hidden gifts and talents when Tina needs some emergency assistance, and he ends up baking delicious croissants. The showdown of what happens to the bakery includes a tantalizing tango, “I Want You,” with Dana and Bridgett literally pulling at Pierre to make a decision. His choice and results play out in the second act, where the characters make peace with the circumstances they’re in instead of flinging headlong into turmoil and despair. The music and songs help ease the disappointment, along with a love interest that develops along the way.  

Director Michael Fowle keeps the cast of over 20 performers moving comfortably along the stage, and the trio of Frenchie-style baristas is a hoot (Maureen Freshour, Catherine Taylor, and Maria Getahun). They welcome the audience and open the production with cell phone notices and emergency exits, then shimmy along the entire show offering commentary and reactions like an animated chorus. With French berets and black-and-white striped tops (neat costuming by Carole Glover), they swerve and sway and even bust out in a can-can or two with zest. 

The ensemble fills the café with customers, stands in line for service, and even takes on a triangular Les Misérables resistance formation extolling Vivé La French Cupcakes. The set design by Lynne and Grant Wagner and Leah Nadelman uses movers in white hard hats at intermission to convert the cozy, cluttered though homey café into a pristine white, streamlined corner spot. Customers fill the joint that’s finally making more revenue, but the gloomy baristas indicate that money isn’t everything. Nick and Tina make new dreams come true as reflected in their musical numbers — “When Something Special Comes Along” and “Let’s Make This Our Own” — with new approaches, possibilities, and opportunities for all.

Musicians Paul Rossen on piano and keyboard and Chip Carvell on guitar blend beautifully with Taha Pulvamacher’s enchanting violin.

Per the director: French Cupcakes “is a reminder that dreams are not fixed destinations. Sometimes they falter, sometimes they shift, and sometimes they surprise us by leading somewhere even sweeter than we imagined.”  

French Cupcakes is written, directed, and performed with charm, panache, and a good deal of whimsy for a chucklingly good time.

Running Time: Two hours with a 15-minute intermission.

French Cupcakes plays October 17–19, 2025, presented by Bethesda Little Theatre, at the Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda, MD. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $28 general admission ($22 for senior citizens and military servicemembers and $18 for children 12 and under) and available by e-mail (bethesdalittletheatre@gmail.com), by phone (202-796-3431), or online.

Credits for the cast, creative team, and crew are here.

French Cupcakes
By Neal Learner
Director: Michael Fowle
Music Director: Paul Rossen
Choreographer: Catherine Oh

SEE ALSO:
‘French Cupcakes’ is on the menu at Bethesda Little Theatre (preview by Kaitlyn Gibbens, October 10, 2025)

The post Bethesda Little Theatre’s new musical ‘French Cupcakes’ is delish appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

By Kaitlyn Gibbens

Bethesda Little Theatre is about to serve up a new treat — and this one comes with plenty of heart, humor, and life’s twists and turns. Following the production of two other original musicals, including Neal Learner’s Trees in 2023, BLT proudly presents the world premiere of Leaner’s new work, French Cupcakes.

French Cupcakes is a (fictional) legendary café-bakery in a quaint midwestern college town. Under the direction of Michael Fowle (director), Paul Rossen (music director), and Cathy Oh (choreographer), BLT’s new and seasoned actors bring the charming locale and characters to life.

When Pierre, the café’s beloved owner, is ready to hang up his apron and chase sunsets on the French Riviera, the other characters are left to determine the café’s fate. The main characters’ dreams of becoming a diplomat, a shining country star, and a Wall Street titan collide with the reality of French Cupcakes’ future as a community mainstay. And, as fate would have it, old ambitions melt away, making room for unexpected new beginnings — even for the “Greek Chorus” of baristas. French Cupcakes promises heartfelt moments, laugh-out-loud scenes, and an ending that reminds us: Sometimes dreams come true… just not the ones you expect.

French Cupcakes, presented by Bethesda Little Theatre, runs October 10–12 and 17–19, 2025, at the Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda, MD. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $28 general admission ($22 for senior citizens and military servicemembers and $18 for children 12 and under) and available online.

Join BLT for the icing on the [cup]cake: a talkback from playwright and composer Neal Learner, along with the director and music director, after the October 12 performance and a post-performance dessert party after the October 17 performance!

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Aldersgate Church Community Theater presents Paul Slade Smith’s The Outsider, a farcical satire about politics and government. Director Eddie Page chose this production because it mirrors our current political climate, stating that there is “no intent to undermine or endorse any party or candidate,” but it “invites us to laugh at the absurdity we all recognize.” What the show offers is a safe space for us to collectively shake our heads, throw up our hands, and laugh — because if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry.

Since the play takes place in only one setting, designer Shah Choudhury is able to transform and flesh out the stage effectively. What we have is a governor’s office: elegant, austere, and somewhat intimidating. Centered under a golden chandelier is a veritable mountain of a desk — one that makes a character muse, “Have you seen a more governor’s-looking desk than this desk?” and effectively swallows the new governor whole — when he takes a seat, all we see is the top of his head peeking out from the polished tabletop.

When a state governor is forced to resign after a salacious affair becomes public, lieutenant governor Ned Newley (Steve Rosenthal) finds himself the unwilling new chief executive. Self-conscious and a bundle of nerves, Newley fumbles and mumbles throughout his swearing-in ceremony, an embarrassing moment that goes viral online. While he shows himself to be extremely intelligent and able when the cameras are off, Newley struggles with his public persona and falls to pieces in front of an audience. Newley’s chief of staff, Dave Riley (Jim Pearson), dives into damage control and works hard to save face, only to discover that the general public is charmed by Newley’s “realness.”

Newley’s new online fame attracts the attention of Arthur Vance (Richard Fiske), an esteemed political consultant who sees victory where Ned and Dave see a lost cause. Vance takes Ned’s “realness” and runs with it, insisting on dumbing down the new governor’s persona with flashcards and overalls and stating that Ned’s “a real phenomenon: a leader who looks like an idiot.” Political pollster Paige Caldwell (Maya Reva) shares the facts — the more inept Newley seems, the more the public adores him. Dave serves as the “straight man” in this farce, the one seemingly sane person who gets more and more bewildered by the chaotic world around him, until he ends up whimpering on the floor in the fetal position.

With things already seeming upside-down, the plot really takes off when Newley’s affable secretary Louise Peakes (Elizabeth Replogle) inserts herself into a live interview. Louise finds herself campaigning on Newley’s ticket. America wants politicians who are “just like us!” but at what cost? Dave finds himself more and more disturbed by what’s going on around him, and takes decisive action to shed light on the absurdity of it all.

The cast works well together, and while perfect polished performances shouldn’t be expected with community theater, the occasional flub wasn’t severe enough to dampen the overall experience. Rounding out the cast are Sara Joy Lebowitz as feisty reporter Rachel Parsons and Charles Dragonette as her cameraman, A.C. Peterson. Dragonette gets laughs throughout the show with his taciturn delivery as a man who can’t be bothered, only for him later to deliver the most memorable monologue of the show. Steve Rosenthal’s comical facial expressions were a hit as well, and Jim Pearson’s escalating anxiety is well done as well. 

Politics is inescapable, especially in the DC Metro area. I think it’s safe to say that a lot of us are thoroughly overwhelmed and — I’ll say it — sick of the subject overall. Still, The Outsider is charming, and it’s refreshing to find some levity in a subject that’s becoming increasingly oppressive with each headline. If there’s ever a perfect time to produce and experience The Outsiders, it’s definitely now.

Running Time: Two hours, including one 15-minute intermission.

The Outsider plays through October 19, 2025, at Aldersgate Church Community Theater, 1301 Collingwood Road, Alexandria, VA. Tickets ($17.39 with service fee for senior, student, and active-duty military; and $20.57 with service fee for general admission) can be purchased at the door or online.

The Outsider
A Comedy by Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Eddie Page
Produced by Charles Dragonette and Marg Soroos

COVID Safety:  For your health and safety, we invite you to wear your mask while in the building.  All cast and crew are fully vaccinated and boosted.

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