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

The post A scintillating modern-dress ‘Tartuffe’ at Silver Spring Stage appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

There are two types of audience members at any production of The Rocky Horror Show — converts and virgins. Converts are devoted fans, regulars at midnight screenings of the iconic film, who call out and call back as if their lives depended on it, elevating the experience from passive theater watching to a fully immersive one. Then there are the virgins, audience members who have no idea what they’re walking into. Much like the characters Brad and Janet, they are lured in by converts looking to shock and entice — or by theater reviewers with family visiting from out of town. Which is how I found myself on Halloween night introducing my mother-in-law to a sweet transvestite and a muscle-bound creature of the night and watching sexually repressed college students lose their virginity on the Frederick Community College Jack B. Kussmaul Theater stage.

As an introduction to the cult classic, Maryland Ensemble Theatre and Theatre FCC’s co-production of the Richard O’Brien sci-fi/horror opus more than delivers. Featuring a cast and crew composed of MET ensemble members and apprentices, Frederick Community College students, and actors and artists from the DMV, the show moves at a breakneck clip, references the movie liberally, and seamlessly incorporates audience participation.

For the uninitiated, The Rocky Horror Show follows newly engaged couple Brad and Janet as they get caught in a storm with a flat tire and are forced to seek refuge at a gothic castle in the middle of nowhere. Once inside, they find themselves unwilling guests of a mad scientist in a tight corset, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, and his eccentric staff and guests. 

(“Are they vampires?” my mother-in-law whispered. Um, no. Just hang in there.)

As Brad and Janet soon find out, they have arrived on a special night. Dr. Frank-N-Furter is about to unveil his latest creation — Rocky, a muscle man created to satisfy the doctor’s every desire. And since the young couple seems so tightly wound, why not extend Rocky’s particular brand of hospitality to them as well? There’s also a murder. And aliens. And a floor show. 

The highlight of MET and FCC’s production is the cast. Eric Jones shines as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, towering over the rest of the actors in platform heels, teasing the audience with off-the-cuff quips, and swinging from seductive to cruel. Jeremy Myers and Mallorie Stern bring to life naïve couple Brad and Janet. Myer’s Brad is deeply closeted and almost cartoonish, with impeccable comedic timing, while Stern’s Janet goes from sweet innocent housewife-in-training to confident sultry sexpot belting out “Toucha Toucha Touch Me.” Willow Kyteler and Melanie Kurstin play Riff Raff and Magenta, Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s devoted staff, with a campy, magnetic flair that is both hilarious and delightful to watch. Rounding out the main cast are Karli Cole as the tap-dancing, manic Columbia, Christian Wilson as a very traumatized and defiant Rocky, Matt Harris channeling the late Meat Loaf as Eddie/Dr. Scott, and Ron Terbush as the Narrator, who inexplicably transforms from sober academic to leather daddy because why not?

Then there’s the Ensemble (Lucy Campbell, Amari Chambers, Cade MacFee, Katie Martin, Finn Martinez, Alex Pietanza, Mars Renn, and Khadeeja Sesay), the individual members of which are known as Phantoms, who serve as Greek chorus, party guests, stagehands, and even set pieces. When they aren’t actively performing in a scene, they lurk along the periphery of the stage, throwing out callbacks or offering commentary almost as an extension of the audience. They also dominate the dance numbers choreographed by Chambers and Melrose Pyne, weaving through the audience during the “Time Warp” or surrounding Dr. Frank-N-Furter with fluttering feather fans as part of “Rose Tint My World.”

Director Tad Janes was also responsible for scenic and sound design. The set dressing was minimal; the Phantoms moved around cylindrical platforms and scaffolding that served as the various set pieces, while different lighting effects (lighting designer Will Heyser-Paone) projected onto the white backdrop. The stage felt a bit too large for the production’s scale, even as the cast did their best to make the most of it. Costume design by Madeleine Davis was on point, a mix of sexy and campy, adjusting to each cast member’s particular body type and referencing the movie while also being unique.

Audience members were also decked out in costumes (it was Halloween, yes, but this is also a thing at any Rocky event) and didn’t miss a beat as they shouted out callbacks. The production even provided props and projected images onto the curtains above the stage when needed. Bless Dr. Frank-N-Furter for working with the novices in the audience and offering “sloppy seconds” when half of us forgot we needed to get our latex gloves ready for snapping.

Trying to explain what The Rocky Horror Show is about, or why people keep shouting at the cast, to someone who has never experienced it makes you realize just how bizarre this show is, but also why it works so well. It’s a show that transcends time, space, and periodic think pieces on why it’s problematic. It’s a show that ultimately builds community and is as much about liberation as it is about queering up B-movie tropes. Like Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle, it welcomes and corrupts all who dare to visit.

My mother-in-law’s review? “I have no idea what just happened, but I loved it!”

Running Time is 90 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.

The Rocky Horror Show, a co-production by Maryland Ensemble Theatre and Theatre FCC, plays through November 8, 2025 (8 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday), at the Frederick Community College Jack B. Kussmaul Theater, Visual & Performing Arts Center, 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, MD. Purchase tickets ($14–$30) online.

The program is online here.

The Rocky Horror Show
Music, lyrics & book by Richard O’Brien
Directed by Tad Janes

The post ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ more than delivers at Maryland Ensemble Theatre appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Round House Theatre continues its 2025/26 season with the U.S. premiere of Rules For Living, a wickedly funny yuletide farce about family dysfunction and societal norms. Written by British playwright Sam Holcroft, the play has been newly adapted for American audiences and is directed by Round House Artistic Director Ryan Rilette. It will run from December 3-January 4. More information and tickets here.

The play follows a family preparing Christmas lunch. As the matriarch of the house puts everyone to work to create the perfect meal, what seemingly starts as a pleasant Christmas tradition descends into chaotic revelations of secrets, hostilities, and bitter grudges. As the story unfolds, the audience uncovers the hidden “rules” each character follows to cope with family dynamics, offering a sharp, funny look at how we handle pressure and conflict.

“I’m so excited to tackle this hilarious holiday comedy with a dream team of comedic actors. Rules for Living takes the typical dysfunctional family holiday story into new territory by drawing attention to the unspoken rules we all follow, often unconsciously, and the coping mechanisms we rely on when navigating the complexities of family dynamics. It’s an entertaining and relatable story told with wit, heart, high energy, and a lot of laughs,” says Artistic Director Ryan Rilette.  

The cast includes Will Conard, Jonathan Feuer, Avery Harris, Naomi Jacobson, John Lescault, Maisie Posner, Dani Stoller, and Dina Thomas.

The cast is joined by a brilliant creative team, which includes Scenic Designer Jimmy Stubbs, Costume Designer Ivania Stack, Lighting Designer Emma Deane, Sound Designer Delaney Bray, Fight Director Casey Kaleba, Dramaturg Naysan Mojgani, Casting Director Sarah Cooney, Assistant Director Michael Glenn, Production Stage Manager Tori Schuchmann, and Production Assistant Ellen Mitchell.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Sam Holcroft (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Theater credits include A Mirror (Trafalgar Theatre, West End), co-produced with Second Half Productions; the musical Fantastic Mr. Fox (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton and Lyric Hammersmith); Rules for Living, The Wardrobe, and Edgar and Annabel (The National Theatre); While You Lie (Traverse Theatre); Pink (Tricycle Theatre); Vanya (Gate Theatre); and Cockroach (National Theatre of Scotland). Television work includes The Rook (Lionsgate). Awards include the Windham Campbell Prize for Literature in the Drama category and the Tom Erhardt Playwriting Award for Most Promising Writer. Sam is currently writing on an HBO series, is developing a new play for Second Half Productions, and is under commission to the National Theatre. 

Ryan Rilette (Director) is in his fourteenth season as Artistic Director of Round House Theatre. For Round House, he has directed Bad Books (world premiere), The Seafarer, “We declare you a terrorist…” (world premiere), Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up, Homebound, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Oslo, Small Mouth Sounds, “Master Harold”…and the Boys, The Book of Will, Angels in America: Perestroika, The Night Alive, Fool for Love, This, and How to Write a New Book for the Bible. He also acted in Ink and Uncle Vanya at Round House, has directed at theatres throughout the country, and has acted in a handful of TV shows and films. During his tenure at Round House, he has produced seven of the 10 highest grossing seasons and 17 of the top 20 highest grossing productions in the theater’s history. His productions have received 99 Helen Hayes Awards nominations and 30 Helen Hayes Awards. Ryan created the theater’s Equal Play commissioning program, Resident Artist program, Fair Play pay scale for artists, and Free Play ticketing program. Prior to joining Round House, Ryan served as Producing Director of Marin Theatre Company, Producing Artistic Director of Southern Rep Theatre, and co-founder and Artistic Director of Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company. He is the former Board President of the National New Play Network. 

CAST INFORMATION (ALPHABETICAL)

Will Conard (Matthew) is a recent graduate of NYU’s Grad Acting MFA program and is very excited to begin his theatrical career at Round House Theatre in this production of Rules for Living. Film/TV: Lapsis. BA: Brown University.

Jonathan Feuer (Adam) is making his Round House Theatre debut. Local credits include Richard III and As You Like It at Shakespeare Theatre Company, John at Signature Theatre, Monumental Travesties and Charm at Mosaic Theater Company, Antigone Project at Rep Stage, and The Call at Theater J. He has also worked at Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Kennedy Center TYA, Imagination Stage, Prologue Theatre, Solas Nua, Spooky Action Theater, The Keegan Theatre, Adventure Theatre, and more. Jonathan is an MFA graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting at GW. He will next appear in Eureka Day at Theater J in the spring.

Avery Harris (Emma) is delighted to be stepping onto the Round House Theatre stage for the first time. Her most recent credits include The Bedwetter (Laura) at Arena Stage and Ragtime (The Little Girl) at Signature Theatre (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Ensemble). Other theater credits include The Little Mermaid (Ariel) and Matilda (Matilda).

Naomi Jacobson (Deborah) has appeared at Round House in Caroline, or Change; The Lyons; Wintertime; The Talented Mr. Ripley; Smell of the Kill (all married to actual husband John Lescault); The Tempest; and Mere Mortals. She has performed at most of the DC-area Equity theatres, including The Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre, Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre. Regionally, she has performed at the Guthrie Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Milwaukee Rep, Center Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, Indiana Rep, Arizona Theatre Company, Village Theatre, Maltz Jupiter, and the Berkshire Theatre Festival. Her voiceover work includes NPR, PBS, Discovery Channel, and the Smithsonian. She has received three Helen Hayes Awards, numerous nominations, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, the Anderson-Hopkins Award, and a DC Arts Individual Artist grant. 

John Lescault (Francis) Previous credits at Round House include Shakespeare, Moses, and Joe Papp; Our Town; Wintertime; The Lyons; Caroline, or Change; A Prayer for Owen Meany; and Handbagged. International credits include Defiant Requiem (Prague Spring Music Festival) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare Theatre Company/Macau Arts Festival). New York credits include Handbagged (59E59/ Round House Theatre) and Le Deserteur (Opera Lafayette at Lincoln Center). Regional credits: Native Gardens and A Prayer for Owen Meany (Cincinnati Playhouse); The Second City’s Twist Your Dickens, Love Factually, and Opera Lafayette’s Sancho Ponca (The Kennedy Center), as well as productions at Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Studio Theatre, Olney Theatre, and CATF (among many others). Film/TV: Lincoln, The Day Lincoln Was Shot, Unsolved Mysteries, Beautiful Something, The Fox Hunter, and Dakota. John has been a narrator of commercial audiobooks and for the Library of Congress’s Talking Books program for 30 years. He is a graduate of The Catholic University of America.

Maisie Posner (Emma) is ecstatic to be making her Round House Theatre debut in this hilarious and heartfelt play. Previous professional roles include Bielke in Fiddler on the Roof at the Olney Theatre Center and Rebecca Gibbs in Our Town at the Shakespeare Theatre. She has also done professional readings of The Story of Walter for Signature Theatre and Shakespeare & the Zombie Plague of 1590. Maisie is a 9th grader in the CAP Program at Montgomery Blair High School. 

Dani Stoller (Carrie) is an award-winning playwright and actor currently based in Washington, DC. Performance credits include This Much I Know (59E59 Off-Broadway); Which Way to the Stage and Ragtime (Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer); My Body, No Choice (Arena Stage, Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer); As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and District Merchants (Folger Theatre); The Joy That Carries You, The Humans, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Crucible (Olney Theatre Center); and This Much I Know, Hester Street (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer), and Prayer for the French Republic (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Supporting Performer)(Theater J). She has also performed at Studio Theatre, 1st Stage, Keegan Theatre, and The Kennedy Center. Playwriting credits include Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes (Signature Theatre), Just Great: an adaptation of some book by F. Scott Fitzgerald (recently published by Broadway Licensing), The Voices of Blackwell Island, The Possumneck Playhouse Presents…, Failureland (Signature Theater SIS Program), Girlhood (Round House Theatre Teen Performance Company commission), and The Joy That Carries You, co-written with Awa Sal Secka (Olney Theatre Center, winner of the Helen Hayes Charles MacArthur Award for Best New Play). Education: BFA Ithaca College, MFA CUA.

Dina Thomas (Nicole) is a DC theater artist and real estate agent who is thrilled to be back after making her Round House debut earlier this year in the reading of Baby Shower Katie. Other DC credits include At The Wedding, Cry It Out and 2.5 Minute Ride at Studio Theatre; The Berlin Diaries, Chameleon, and The Wanderers at Theater J; Much Ado About Nothing and The Metromaniacs at Shakespeare Theater Company. Her Off-Broadway credits include The Metromaniacs at Red Bull Theater, Clever Little Lies at Westside Theatre, and Tribes at Barrow Street Theatre directed by David Cromer. Regional credits include Everything You Touch at Contemporary American Theater Festival; The Metromaniacs at The Old Globe; See How They Run and 10×10 New Play Festival at Barrington Stage Company; and Bad Jews (BroadwayWorld Award, Best Actress), I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard, and Miss Witherspoon at Unicorn Theatre. She has an MFA in Acting from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and a B.A. in Theatre from Binghamton University.

Ari Post (Understudy, Matthew/Adam) is thrilled to make his Round House Theatre debut with Rules for Living. DC credits include The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, and The Rover at Shakespeare Theatre Company; Electionland at Storyworks Theater; and The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Odyssey at Shakespeare Theatre Company (MFA). Other credits include Now to Ashes at the DC Fringe Festival (Best of Fringe), and Venus in Fur, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and Side Man at local area theaters. Upcoming credits include Appropriate at Olney Theatre Center and Once at NextStop Theatre Company. Training: MFA in Acting, Shakespeare Theatre Company at George Washington University.

Vince Rossano (Understudy, Francis) is back for his second understudy gig at Round House.  He is a recent arrival in the DMV area, having spent most of his nearly-60-year theatrical career performing in regional theater in his home state of Vermont. In the past few years, he has appeared in Much Ado About Nothing, The Seagull, and The Father at Unadilla Theater, Taming of the Shrew at the Vermont Shakespeare Festival, Native Gardens and A Number at Vermont Stage, and To Kill a Mockingbird and Kiss Me Kate at the Mirror Repertory Theater. He and his wife have also toured the Eastern Seaboard with their production of A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters. He has a degree in theatre from the University of Vermont and also studied theatre at Goddard College.

Amy Benson (Understudy, Carrie/Nicole) is thrilled to be understudying at Round House Theatre once again! Amy is Round House’s Artistic and Executive Associate, was the assistant to director Alan Paul on Round House’s production of Next to Normal, and understudied the incomparable Kimberly Gilbert in What the Constitution Means to Me. She is also the Festival Producer for the workshops during the Bonnie Hammerschlag National Capital New Play Festival. She was the Founding Artistic Director of Walking Shadow Readers Theatre, a new play development company, and has directed Best Medicine Rep, Too Much Damn Theater, and the Philadelphia Dramatists Center.  Amy also has extensive teaching experience as a teaching artist at Imagination Stage, Adventure Theatre, and Epworth Preschool. She has taught in Beijing, China, and Berlin, Germany, where she founded her own acting studio, Amy Benson Studios. Amy has a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Mara Rosenberg is delighted to return to Round House Theatre, where she understudied the role of Nan in Jennifer, Who is Leaving. Since relocating to the DMV from Charlotte, NC, Mara has been seen in productions at Silver Spring Stage (Circle, Mirror, Transformation), NOVA Nightsky Theater (Picnic and The American Plan), The Arlington Players (A Daughter’s a Daughter), Greenbelt Arts Center (Motherhood Out Loud), and Pipeline Playwrights (Wednesdays in Mississippi). Mara spends her days making silly voices as a school librarian.

Rules for Living runs December 3, 2025-January 4, 2026, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 8:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets start at $50 with ticket discounts available. Purchase tickets by calling 240.644.1100, ordering online, or visiting the box office.

Available ticket discounts include:

• Pay-What-You-Can performances: PWYC tickets go on sale online or by phone only (no walk-up sales) beginning three weeks before the first performance of each show. The patron decides the admission price. Limit of two tickets per order. PWYC tickets are available for performances on Wednesday, December 3 (7:30pm) and Saturday, December 6 (2pm) and are subject to availability.

• 2-For-1 Tuesday: For all Tuesday performances of Rules for Living, all seats are buy one, get one free. 2-for-1 Tuesday tickets are available online or by phone (240.644.1100) with promo code TWOFORONE. Discounts may not be combined. Not valid on previously purchased tickets.

 • Free Play: Free Tickets for students ages 13 through college: Round House Theatre’s Free Play initiative ties into its greater strategy to develop theater audiences of tomorrow by providing rich, meaningful arts experiences today. For more information, visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/FreePlay or email Education@RoundHouseTheatre.org.

• On the House community ticket access program: Round House’s next step to remove barriers that can make it difficult for some community members to experience its work is On the House, which provides complimentary group tickets to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and community-serving organizations with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. For more information, visit RoundHouseTheatre.org/On-Stage/On-The-House or email Community@RoundHouseTheatre.org.

• Blue Star Theatre Program: Active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their immediate family qualify for a $10 discount off the single ticket price. Learn more at RoundHouseTheatre.org/On-Stage/Tickets.

• Group Sales: Groups of 10 or more can save 10% off the single ticket price and are exempt from single ticket fees. These tickets must be reserved and purchased in advance by calling 240.644.1100 or emailing GroupSales@RoundHouseTheatre.org.

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES

• Audio-Described performances: December 13 (matinee)
• Open-Captioned performances: December 14, December 20 (matinee)
• Masks are required at the following performance: January 3 (matinee)

POST AND PRE-SHOW DISCUSSIONS

• Post Show Discussions: Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 14, Dec 21
• Director Discussion: Dec 5 at 6:45 pm
• Designer Discussion: Dec 3 at 6:45 pm
• Teen Night: Dec 5: Join Round House for dinner followed by a pre-show discussion before the show and attend a performance of the play followed by a post-show activity.

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES

Round House Theatre no longer requires that audience members wear masks for most performances in its theater. However, masks are required for certain performances and for events in other Round House spaces, including the Event Room. Round House continues to strongly recommend masks as the best way for individuals to protect themselves from COVID-19 and other seasonal viruses, and asks audience members to respect the choices of others. Round House will offer a limited number of mask-required performances for audience members who may prefer a fully masked environment. Masks are required for the matinee performance on January 3.

ABOUT ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

Round House Theatre is one of the leading professional theaters in the Washington, DC area, producing a season of new plays, modern classics, and musicals for more than 50,000 patrons each year at its theater in Bethesda. Round House has been nominated for 235 Helen Hayes Awards and has won 54, including four Outstanding Resident Play Awards and the Charles MacArthur Award for Original New Play in 2016. Round House’s lifelong learning and education programs serve more than 5,000 students each year at its Education Center in Silver Spring, in schools throughout Montgomery County, and at its Bethesda theater. Cornerstone programs include Free Play, which provides free tickets for students age 13-college, the Teen Performance Company, which culminates in the student-produced Sarah Metzger Memorial Play, Summer Camp for students in grades K-12, and a full slate of classes for adults and youth.

The post Round House Theatre announces cast for U.S. premiere of ‘Rules for Living’ appeared first on DC Theater Arts.

Baltimore Center Stage (BCS) proudly announces the next cohort of Lab410, the theater’s play development initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of playwrights with deep connections to Baltimore. Following a competitive open call that drew dozens of submissions from across the region, three playwrights have been selected for the 2025/26 residency: Ty’Ree Hope Davis, Madeline “Mo” Oslejsek, and Jalice Ortiz-Corral.

Launched in 2024 under the artistic leadership of Stevie Walker-Webb, Lab410 reflects BCS’s commitment to nurturing bold new voices whose stories are nurtured by, based in, or dedicated to Baltimore. Each playwright will participate in a year-long residency, receiving developmental support, mentorship, and the opportunity to present a public reading or workshop of their new work.

“Baltimore is a city of storytellers and Lab410 exists to make sure those stories are heard,” said Stevie Walker-Webb, Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage. “This new cohort represents a dynamic range of artistic perspectives, each rooted in truth, courage, and creativity. Their voices are exactly what the American theater needs right now.”

Meet the 2025/26 BCS Lab410 Playwrights

Ty’Ree Hope Davis – RIOT: The Beat of Freddie Gray

A recent BFA Acting graduate of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, Davis is an actor, poet, and artistic activist from West Baltimore. His one-man play, RIOT: The Beat of Freddie Gray, explores rhythm, grief, and resilience in the wake of social unrest. The piece has been performed at Howard University, Young Playwrights Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and will appear at Everyman Theatre in 2026.

Madeline “Mo” Oslejsek – A Beautiful and Interesting Disease

A queer multidisciplinary artist and graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London), Oslejsek’s work interrogates identity, queerness, and the multiplicity of human experience. Her writing blends poetic imagination with theatrical experimentation, reflecting an evolving journey toward authenticity and artistic freedom.

Jalice Ortiz-Corral – Who’s Been Giving out Plan-B at the Library?

A writer, director, and stand-up comic from Baltimore, Ortiz-Corral is a two-time graduate of London’s Royal Holloway University and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She currently serves as Marketing Coordinator at Everyman Theatre and has directed at Strand Theatre and the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory. Her sharp, irreverent writing explores modern womanhood, reproductive politics, and humor as survival.

About Lab410

Lab410 offers selected playwrights a year-long residency including dramaturgical guidance, professional mentorship, and opportunities for public presentation. The initiative was established as part of Baltimore Center Stage’s broader mission to cultivate local talent and contribute new voices to the national theater landscape.

The program’s inaugural cycle drew nearly 100 submissions, culminating in a staged workshop of Karen Li’s Canton Waterfront in August 2025. The Lab410 name pays tribute to Baltimore’s area code — a symbolic nod to the city’s creative heartbeat, charm and the artists shaping its future.

About Baltimore Center Stage

Designated the State Theater of Maryland in 1978, Baltimore Center Stage provides the highest quality theater and programming for all members of its community, including youth and families, under the leadership of Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb and Producing Director Ken-Matt Martin. Baltimore Center Stage ignites conversations and imaginations by producing an eclectic season of professional productions across two mainstages, through engaging community programs, and with inspiring education programs. Baltimore Center Stage is led by its core values — chief among them being Access For All. Its mission is heavily rooted in providing active and open accessibility for everyone, regardless of any and all barriers, to Mainstage performances, education initiatives, and community programming.

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How do you teach someone to be human? The latest production from Flying V, Carla Milarch’s Doctor Moloch, thinks it has an answer: you can’t. Humanity comes from within, says the playwright; it’s either there or it isn’t. The real question is knowing when and how to use one’s own humanity for good. 

With this uncharacteristically straightforward production from a company more frequently known for immersive and “out of the box” experiences, Madeleine Regina nonetheless directs Milarch’s three-hander with gusto and elegance. At its core, Doctor Moloch offers a meditation on human empathy, relationships, and trust in the most unlikely, but timely, of avenues: artificial intelligence. In the not-too-distant future — the year 2029 to be exact — Silicon Valley tech mogul Mo (Andrew Chi) has nearly perfected the first humanoid AI robot, Doctor Moloch (James Finley). Moloch was designed to advance the medical field with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The trouble is, Doctor Moloch’s bedside manner could use some work. Mo believes he can help Moloch become more empathetic and gentle by hiring Academy Award–winning actress Serena Blaise (Nhea Durousseau), a self-proclaimed expert in human behavior, to teach him. Old-school artistry meets sci-fi thriller in Milarch’s smart and savvy drama. 

As if seen through the AI bot’s own eyes, a luminous molecular backdrop blinks to life as Moloch enters a secure interior setting. Dom Ocampo’s minimalist set design succeeds with the help of Malory Hartman’s lightscape, which effectively captures both the simulated dreamworld of Silicon Valley and the nightmare that lies beyond its reach. Modeled as a conventionally attractive young man dressed in muted khakis, teal, and grey sportswear, Moloch enters the playing space causally but with a touch of artificial poise. Inviting an abundantly skeptical Serena into the room — she is already entangled in a lawsuit over the use of AI representation in the media — Mo reveals the extremely lucrative task at hand: 10 million dollars if she succeeds in teaching Moloch to act more like a human. 

Costumed simply but with astute attention to character detail by Nyasha Klusmann, each character embodies an archetypal trope in a greater conversation about scientific advancement. Mo is after the money; Serena mourns the loss of human integrity; and, most ironically — and perhaps most persuasively — Moloch encapsulates our most significant and most unspoken fears regarding AI: how do we control it? And how much are we willing to risk for it?

Durousseau’s blasé cynicism pairs well with Finley’s cool, considerate altruism, creating a calculated yet deeply intimate tension in this small-scale epic. Durousseau’s take on Serena is refreshingly consistent but somehow muted compared to Finley. Chi’s Mo provides much-needed comic relief but, first and foremost, steers the plot and its many twists and turns. The director seemed to aim for a more stylistic approach to the script. While visually compelling, this approach felt limiting in terms of character payoff. For a script so focused on the meaning of empathy, it’s a little challenging to empathize with the characters themselves. 

Though hesitant at first, Serena and Moloch form an unexpected bond over the course of Milarch’s play. Durousseau and Finley’s chemistry was best exemplified when Moloch supported Serena over the loss of her son to addiction. Despite their emerging sense of trust and friendship, Moloch, however, is bound by the rigidity of Azimov’s laws (a plot device borrowed from 1940s science fiction author Isaac Asimov, who articulates these laws in several of his stories). According to Asimov’s Laws: 1) a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2) A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. Yet, there is a fourth law, unbeknownst to anyone except the manufacturer: A robot may not divulge information that could jeopardize its owner’s market cap. In obeying each of these laws, Moloch ensures his ability to protect and serve the human species at all costs. But there is a catch. In following each of these laws, Moloch self-polices his own humanity, remaining unable to recognize his own emotional instincts — which can be as tied to love as they are to hate for the human race.

As the playwright smartly borrows from Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart: “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” In a dynamite second act, Milarch’s drama heats up as each character weighs the pros and cons of AI’s existence and looks directly into Moloch’s future — a future that will unwittingly shape the impact of human security as we know it. With so much left to be explored about the ethics of artificial intelligence, Flying V’s timely production reminds us that humanity may be difficult to define, but that it often reveals itself in moments most difficult to face. 

Running Time: 110 minutes, including one intermission.

Doctor Moloch plays through November 2, 2025, presented by Flying V performing at Silver Spring Black Box, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD. For tickets ($35), purchase them online. Learn more here.

The program is online here.

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Round House Theatre has announced the passing of Jerry B. Whiddon, longtime artistic director of Round House and founding member of Street 70, who died on October 17 at age 77, surrounded by family and friends. The cause of death was complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

“It is difficult to overstate Jerry’s impact on the history and growth of this organization,” says Artistic Director Ryan Rilette. “Beyond his two decades of leadership, which marked a period of profound growth for Round House, Jerry’s artistic point of view — as both an actor and a director — was experienced in performances all over the region. He was a visionary and a dear friend, and he will be deeply missed.”

In 1970, freshly armed with a theatre degree from Towson University, Whiddon became a founding member of the new Street 70, the Rockville city program that, in 1973, became associated with the Montgomery County Department of Recreation — and that would eventually become Round House Theatre. Street 70 was “literally a street theater,” Whiddon told the Washington Post in 1998. “We performed at intersections. In shopping center parking lots. There was lots of touring, lots of classes.” Whiddon became artistic director of Street 70 in 1977, the same season that it was rechristened as Round House Theatre. A year later, he relinquished the role to Jeffrey B. Davis and moved to New York to pursue an acting career, though he continued to perform at Round House.

In 1985, recently married to Jean Brown and expecting their first child, Whiddon returned to Maryland to assume the role of Round House’s Producing Artistic Director, serving in that capacity until 2005.

Whiddon’s years at Round House’s helm were transformative for the company, including the expansion into an independent non-profit entity, the transition of the theater to a LORT-D union house, and the move from the former venue on Bushey Drive in Silver Spring to Round House’s current home in downtown Bethesda and Education Center in downtown Silver Spring.

Whiddon directed 23 productions at Round House (including Our Town with Pat Carroll, the production that opened Round House’s current building) and appeared on stage numerous times, including favorite roles in An Almost Holy Picture, The Weir, and Uncle Vanya, receiving multiple Helen Hayes Award nominations across acting and directing categories. He acted and/or directed at theaters across the region, including Adventure Theatre, Arena Stage, Bay Theatre, Everyman Theatre, Folger Theatre, the Kennedy Center, Olney Theatre, Studio Theatre, and Theater J, as well as Off and Off-Off Broadway.

“It always matters to me that the artists are at the center of everything we do,” said Whiddon in 2002. “Creating the environment where they can each be their best, bring their best, and explore the outer edges of their abilities brings me no end of joy.”

Whiddon is survived by his wife of 42 years, Jean Whiddon (Lewes, DE); daughters Amelia (Jon) DeBord (Brooklyn, NY) and Hannah (fiancé Matthew Axell-House) Whiddon (Lewes, DE); grandsons Cole and Tate DeBord; and brother William Whiddon (Ashburn, VA).

A memorial service celebrating the life of Jerry Whiddon will be held at Round House Theatre (4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD) on Monday, December 15 at 1pm. His family asks that those wishing to commemorate Jerry consider a memorial donation to Round House Theatre, his artistic home for so many years.

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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)

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Jane Austen’s Persuasion, published posthumously in 1817, is sometimes viewed wistfully as an elegiac novel, the plaintive wish-fulfillment of an old maid, as if Austen were aware of her impending death and looking back with regret on lost romances and the second chances she would never have.

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s current production proves brilliantly that this is rubbish. Without in any way short-changing the delicacy of the original novel, this stage production fills it to the brim with humor, music, song, and dance, giving modern audiences all the liveliness and snappy pace they could wish for alongside the beautiful language, graceful manners, and subtle expressions of strong feeling that Jane Austen fans revere.

Sarah Rose Kearns, the adaptor, does a fine job of compressing the story while keeping the most important characters and plot elements. In 1814, the vain spendthrift Sir Walter Elliot is forced to rent out his estate and move to smaller digs in Bath so he can continue his fine lifestyle for less lucre. It turns out that the Admiral he rents it to is related to the man his middle daughter Anne was persuaded to break off her engagement with eight years before, because her snobbish godmother thought it was imprudent and beneath her — although now he is a wealthy naval captain. The former lovers are thrown back together, and it seems clear he has not forgiven what he sees as her wishy-washy abandonment of him. All the other young ladies in the neighborhood immediately “set their caps” at him, while Anne shrinks back, assuming her chance is long past. Will they or won’t they overcome all obstacles and find a second chance at love? That is the plot of the play.

Meghan Behm, the director, seizes the nautical themes of the novel, setting the tone at the start with three actors rousing the audience with a series of sea chanteys. These are followed by some more plaintive songs sung by some of the women, and then a fully choreographed song and dance prelude that beautifully shows the history of the two lovers. (Music direction is by Grace Srinivasan, choreography by Cjay Philip.) From there on, Behm misses no opportunity to adorn the proceedings with dances and songs (including a lovely interlude of Italian opera). But perhaps the greatest gift Behm gives the audience is hearty dollops of humor, perfectly transferring Austen’s wit to the stage. Touches like two silly sisters engaging in a hilarious duet with one growling through the male part, or hiking up their skirts to climb out an invisible window, mesh well with Austen’s verbal zingers and prevent the presentation from becoming reverential. Another way Behm keeps the energy flowing is by having characters frequently interrupt and talk over each other. She also makes good use of Kathryn Kawecki’s lovely flower-touched multilevel set on the Shakespearean thrust stage, at times focusing on a particular character doing something as simple as donning a coat and thinking, while distracting from the other characters changing the furniture on set.

The other technical aspects are equally well done. The costumes (by Kristina Lambdin), always vital in a period piece, are lovely, with special touches such as a jaunty asymmetrical plum-colored pelisse, some fetching bonnets, and well-appointed naval uniforms. Most of the actors embody several roles, and while most of the transitions are obvious — civilians reappearing as officers, or the Admiral’s wife wearing a navy-blue and white ensemble, for instance — and all of them differentiate their characters well by their bearing and accents, for some of the young women it would be easier for the audience to tell their characters apart if there were more changes in their appearance, especially in how they dress their hair. Katie McCreary’s lighting capably distinguishes between present and flashbacks and helps keep everything clear, while Matthew Datcher’s sound keeps everything in balance and allows everyone to be heard.

As for the actors, their biggest challenge, as mentioned above, is differentiating between their characters. For the most part, they do well. Brendan Murray sets the tone at the start as the amusing preening peacock, Sir Walter. Later, he brings more poignancy (and a soft Irish brogue) to the bereaved Captain Harville. Jonas Connors-Grey begins as the rather colorless Mr. Shepherd, but comes into his own as the gruff and hearty Admiral Croft, and hysterically later as … well, you’ll just have to see the show for that one. Molly Moores is almost unbearably snobbish as the engagement-wrecking Lady Russell, but her bewildered soliloquy at the end about her inability to understand these changing times redeems her somewhat. Moores is more down-to-earth in her brief turn as the (also Irish) Mrs. Harville. Elana Michelle plays an interesting trio of characters; she is almost invisible as Sir Walter’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, but much more lively as the cheerful Mrs. Croft, clearly in love with her husband, but taking no guff about women’s capabilities. But Michelle’s most interesting role is as the melancholy Captain Benwick, whom she portrays with dignity and depth. Isaiah Mason Harvey is equally effective (although greater costume differentiation would add even more) as the very loud Charles Musgrove, alternately fighting and giving in to his whiny wife, and the slimy player Mr. Elliot, attempting to sweep Anne Elliot off her feet. Harvey has tremendous fun with a bit where Mr. Musgrove is “looking out the window” at (his other role) Mr. Elliot, remarking that he looks familiar, and exclaiming what a handsome, fine figure of a man he is! As Mary Musgrove, Charles’s wife and Anne’s other sister, Mady Sims does not double any other role. Perhaps that is because to be such a whiny, melodramatic, self-centered hypochondriac is a full-time job. She is one of Austen’s great comic characters, and Sims does her justice. Sophia Early nicely embodies the stubborn, silly, but delicate Louisa Musgrove as her only credited role, but also beautifully sings the Italian love arias in the concert scene. And Dawn Thomas Reidy, although she doesn’t really get much chance to reveal the scheming side of the man-hungry Mrs. Clay, is tremendously funny as Henrietta Musgrove. Her every action and expression, from mooning over her fiancé to singing baritone to merely falling asleep on Anne in a carriage, evokes laughs. She is another character, though, who could benefit from a more obvious costume change between her characters, especially while the audience is just catching on to the doubling at the beginning of the show.

Of course, every Austen story depends on its lovers, and Persuasion has a good pair. As Frederick Wentworth, Joe Carlson is pleasing in looks and manner, and conveys a fairly wide range of emotion, from awkward affection at the beginning, through spurned anger, to obligatory flirting with the girls, back to agonized, hopeful potential lover. His best moments may actually be his brotherly interplay with his sister Mrs. Croft; their sibling affection and humor are obvious. He seems, however, to take his affronted anger just a bit further than a gentleman’s restraint would allow — or perhaps it is because he seems to pitch almost all his lines at a greater volume than the other characters’, as if he were yelling into the teeth of a gale.

It is Marissa Chaffee’s Anne Elliot, though, who is the crowning jewel of the show, as is only right. Chaffee spends most of the first act simply reacting to what other characters are doing and saying — one of the hardest tasks an actor can take on — and does it brilliantly. Her delicate, expressive face covers every possible emotion in a moment — chagrin, surprise, embarrassment, humor, amorous interest, longing, regret. And when she does begin standing up for herself, she perfectly captures Anne’s strength of character, capability in the face of idiocy all around her, modesty, and lasting devotion. Anne Elliot, in the wrong hands, could come across as washed-up and passive, but Chaffee infuses her with sparkle and amusement as well as constancy and strength. Her manner and bearing are quintessential Austen. She is a delight.

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s Persuasion presents a fitting tribute for Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday Celebration — beautiful, humorous, lively, delicious, and romantic. It is everything Austen could wish. And she would graciously invite you to enjoy it.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

Persuasion plays through October 26, 2025 (Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 pm), at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, 7 South Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD. Adult tickets start at $69, tickets for youth 25 and under start at $31. Purchase tickets by calling 410-244-8570, emailing boxoffice@chesapeakeshakespeare.com, visiting the Box Office in person, or ordering online. For directions, parking, transportation, and other plan-your-visit information, click here.

The program for Persuasion is online here.

Jane Austen’s Persuasion
A new adaptation by Sarah Rose Kearns
Directed by Megan Behm

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Olney Theatre Center continues its tradition of big holiday musicals with Hello, Dolly! in the Roberts Mainstage (November 6 – January 4). Two-time Helen Hayes Award-winner Nova Y. Payton stars as the meddling matchmaker Dolly Levi in a production directed by Kevin S. McAllister, choreographed by Eamon Foley, and music direction by Christopher Youstra. Tickets are available to the public from $27 – $112 and can be purchased at olneytheatre.org/hellodolly or by calling the box office at 301-924-3400.

To accommodate family audiences, the regular curtain times for this productionwill be adjusted to 7:00 pm for evening performances and 1:00 pm for matinees.

Says Olney Theatre’s Senior Associate Artistic Director Hallie Gordon, “Hello, Dolly! is a true classic of American musical theater that everyone should experience. Director Kevin McAllister, Music Director Chris Youstra, and Choreographer Eamon Foley are creating a vibrant production that honors the timeless story. While the show evokes a ‘simpler’ time when women were often relegated to being wives and homemakers, Dolly is a force of nature — she’s out of this world. In the end, she gets exactly what she wants, spreading love and wealth as she goes.”

In addition to Payton, Broadway veteran Moses Villarama (Here Lies Love) makes his Olney Theatre debut as the irascible bachelor (and “half-millionaire”) Horace Vandergelder, whom Dolly marks for marriage. Michael Perrie Jr. (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) and Rick DeVon Hall (Disney’s Frozen) star as Cornelius and Barnaby, Horace’s clerks, headed for an adventure in the city. Caitlin Brooke (Ford’s Theatre’s Sister Act) and Alex De Bard (Disney’s Frozen) play hat shop owner Irene Molloy and her assistant Minnie Fay. Wood Van Meter (Waitress) plays Ambrose Kemper, who seeks Dolly’s help wooing Horace’s niece Ermengarde, played by Anna Maria C. Ferrari. Montel B. Butler (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) plays Rudolph the maître d’, and Karen Vincent (World Goes Round) handles the role of the eccentric Ernestina Money, as well as serving as the understudy for Dolly. Rounding out the ensemble are Eve Dillingham, Ciara Hargrove, Delaney Jackson, Alyssa Enita Stanford, Taryn Smithson, Ava Wilson, Quadry Brown, Patrick Leonardo Casimir, Matthew Millin, Robert Mintz, Nico Nazal, and Eli Schulman. Emmy J. Lane and James B. Mernin swing for the 9-week-long run.

Joining McAllister, Foley, and Youstra on the creative team are Riw Rakkulchon (Scenic Designer), Paris Francesca and Julie Cray-Leong (Co-Costume Designers), Rueben D. Echoles (Wig Designer), Christina Watanabe (Lighting Designer), and Matthew Rowe (Sound Designer). Ben Walsh is the Production Stage Manager, with Assistant Stage Managers Fior Tat and Kate Kilbane. 

Hello, Dolly! runs November 6, 2025 – January 4, 2026 in the Roberts Mainstage at Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 7:00 pm, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday matinees at 1:00 pm, and select Sunday evenings at 7:00 pm. Additional performances will take place around Thanksgiving and Winter Break. Tickets range from $27 – $112 and are available at olneytheatre.org/hellodolly or by calling the box office at 301-924-3400. Discounts for teachers, active military, and first responders are available at: olneytheatre.org/discounts 

Accessible Performances

Audio-Described Performance – Wednesday, November 19 at 7:00 pm

ASL Interpreted Performance – Thursday, November 20 at 7:30 pm

Sensory Friendly Performance – Saturday, December 6 at 1:00 pm

ABOUT OLNEY THEATRE CENTER

Mission

Olney Theatre Center for the Arts produces and curates theatrical performance for the diverse audiences in its community, and educates, learns from, supports and inspires a more inclusive generation of theater-makers.

Vision

Olney strives to become an arts and culture powerhouse, redefining the American regional theater movement by cultivating and sharing the creativity of its community.

History

Founded in 1938 as a summer playhouse, Olney Theatre Center now produces year-round world and American premieres of plays and musicals, and reimaginings of familiar titles; presents the work of leading companies; tours nationally and locally; teaches students of all ages; and mentors the next generation of theater-makers. For more than 8 decades, Olney Theatre has brought impactful theater performance and education to its community, helping to grow the vibrancy and vitality of its home in central Maryland.

Over the years, some of the biggest names in theater and film have appeared on Olney stages, including Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Hayes, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Bob Fosse, Phillip Bosco, Eve Arden, Eva Gabor, Burl Ives, Jose Ferrer, Carol Channing, Olivia de Havilland, Tony Randall, Paulette Goddard, Dorothy and Lillian Gish, Jane Seymour, Anne Revere, Frances Sternhagen, Arthur Treacher, James Broderick, Olympia Dukakis, Sir Ian McKellen, Marcia Gay Harden, John Colicos, Uzo Aduba, Alan Cumming, Cheyenne Jackson, Robin de Jesus, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, among many, many others.

Olney Theatre is now the cultural anchor of a rapidly changing region and serves one of the most diverse, best educated, and wealthiest counties in the country. Situated on the unceded land of the Piscataway-Conoy people, the Olney area was once a rural farming community with a unique Quaker heritage. Now the area is occupied by every kind of family that makes up 21st-century America, along with major corporations, shopping districts, civic associations, nonprofit organizations and a diverse collection of houses of worship. Montgomery County’s 1 million residents play a dynamic role in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, and are a driving force behind the region’s creative economy.

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Classic Theatre of Maryland’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest is a hilarious celebration of wit and farce, and a fun way to open the new season. Directed by Sally Boyett, the production shows why Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of fake identities, comic absurdities, and clever one-liners continues to charm audiences.

The Importance of Being Earnest follows two young men, Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who both lead double lives to escape social obligations and pursue romance. Jack invents a brother named “Ernest” so he can visit the city and woo Gwendolen Fairfax, while Algernon uses the same alias to court Jack’s ward, Cecily Cardew. When their deceptions are exposed, chaos and witty confusion ensue.

Actor Pierce Bunch brings a mischievous joy to the lead role of Algernon Moncrieff, a young dandy enjoying this deception. He excitedly speaks with Cecily (Tabitha Bradley) under the assumed identity of Ernest. Bunch shines in comedic scenes, where he dictates his love to Cecily and casually eats muffins while tossing off absurd remarks as his plans fall apart.

Joe Staton brings a seriousness to Jack Worthing, Algernon’s friend. He tries to grab the cigarette case Algernon holds, hoping to avoid revealing his own schemes. In love with Algernon’s cousin Gwendolyn (Stephanie Greenwood), he moves as close to her as propriety allows. He politely but firmly objects to the marriage, using the power he has. Staton and Bunch have excellent chemistry, trading insults and protesting at each other’s plans while still remaining friends. Greenwood plays Gwendolyn with quiet determination. She momentarily hangs back to speak with Jack and defends her love for him against opposition, all while delivering comic lines.

Tabitha Bradley plays Cecily, Jack’s ward and Algernon’s love interest, with a seeming innocence. She excitedly relates to Algernon the progress of their courtship and plays up the double entendres of Oscar Wilde’s comedy. She and Greenwood work perfectly together, moving comically from a hesitant friendship to insults and back to sisterhood.

Nancy Krebs commands as Lady Bracknell, Gwendolyn’s mother and Algernon’s aunt. She firmly orders Gwendolyn to their train and questions Jack, remarking on his unusual background. Excited by another marriage prospect, she has the young woman turn around, remarking on her dress and chin. She offers witty observations on society in between her demands.

Kristen Rankin plays Miss Prism, Cecily’s tutor, with a seriousness hiding great passion. She urges Cecily to continue with her studies and engages in deep intellectual conversations with Reverend Chasuble (John Pruessner), dropping double entendre metaphors and scheming to spend time with him. She takes center stage when explaining a secret from her past.

Pruessner brings a gentleness to Reverend Chasuble, trying to give charitable interpretations to seemingly bad news. He eagerly speaks about a sermon he has adapted for multiple occasions.

Brian Davis plays Algernon’s servant Lane with a dry wit as he responds to Algernon’s questions. Dexter Hamlett plays the butler Merriman with a hint of sarcasm, relaying instructions.

Scenic Designer Salydon Boyken creates a late 19th-century living space, with chairs, a sofa, and end tables up front, while two large tables in back contain lamps, books, and other items. For the garden, wrought-iron chairs and tables are brought out, and flowers are placed throughout the stage. Costume Designer Sally Boyett and Wig Designer Tommy Malek evoke the period with long dresses for the women and suits for the men. Algernon is colorful in a bright blue suit, while Lady Bracknell commands attention with a large hat holding many flowers.

Lighting Designer Adam Mendelson helps create a sense of transition between scenes by dimming the lights for each act break. Sound Designer Folger Ridout incorporates various sound effects, including birds singing and Jack rummaging around, as well as music during romantic scenes. Dialect Coach Nancy Krebs ensures the actors’ accents sound authentic while still being understandable. Sally Boyett keeps the energy high with lots of movement, from Algernon and Jack fighting over a plate of muffins to Jack and Gwendolyn tenderly signaling each other. The actors hit all the right comic moments, making for an evening of delightful laughter and a treat for those who know the play and those watching it for the first time.

All in all, the Classic Theatre of Maryland’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest is a standout accomplishment.

Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission and one 10-minute intermission.

The Importance of Being Earnest plays through October 19, 2025, at Classic Theatre of Maryland – 1804 West Street, Annapolis, MD. For tickets ($61–$89 ), call the box office at 410-415-3513, email BoxOffice@classictheatremaryland.org, or purchase online.

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Step inside! Lions, tigers, elephants, oh my! Welcome to the show! There’s something magnetic about a good circus — its danger, its brightness, and the curious mix of broken dreams and wonder. Water for Elephants, the new musical based on Sara Gruen’s novel and directed by Jessica Stone, aims to wrangle all of that into a rich spectacle. Fresh off a 2025 Broadway run, Water for Elephants’ first national tour plays at the Hippodrome now through October 4.

The story is set during the Great Depression, when the American circus circuit was at its peak. It follows Jacob Jankowski, portrayed by Zachary Keller, who joins the Benzini Bros. circus after being dealt a life-changing tragedy. While a triangular love story plays out among the main characters, the circus animals also exert an emotional presence. They are more than just big ticket money makers; they are very real and highly loved members of the circus family.

From the moment the musical begins, amid shifting train cars and tattered tents, there’s a strong sense of immersion. The acrobats, aerial work, juggling, and movement — these aren’t just gimmicks. They feel built into the story. Shana Carroll’s circus design, paired with Jesse Robb’s choreography, gives the show kinetic energy. Some scenes, especially those involving the animals (puppets and otherwise), hit with an emotional weight you might not expect. You are absolutely given a special pass to go behind the scenes of the circus.

The overall cast created genuine moments of awe and childlike wonder. August, the circus owner, played by Connor Sullivan (who you may recognize from the national tour musical Chicago), was truly a standout. His contentious relationship with Jacob as his rival is always at a near boiling point. He offers very little respect to Jacob, even though he desperately needs him to keep his circus going. But August’s voice, especially during the number “The Lion Has Got No Teeth,” was nothing short of captivating. Hands down, my personal favorite number of the show. His presence was loud even when he didn’t say a word.

Zachary Keller (Jacob Jankowski) also dominated the stage in the numbers “I Choose the Ride” and “Go Home.” He clearly loves his voice, and his voice loves us. The way he opened and captured the entire auditorium was breathtaking. And of course, his fervor would’ve been meaningless if not for the strong and sweet Marlena, wonderfully performed by Helen Krushinski. Their chemistry was palpable. Their duet “Wild” is truly what life was meant to be. Passionate, vulnerable, endless, and slightly unhinged. Their intertwined voices were pure chaotic magic.

Then there were the animals. There was a mix of puppets and humans playing the part of circus animals. The most notable of course was Silver Star, the horse gracefully performed by Yves Artieres. There was a certain elegance and poise as he moved through the air. You could see and feel the horse that he was once as he cantered above the audience in the sky. He gave you drama without a single syllable.

The performers who become Rosie the elephant (Ella Huestis, Bradley Parrish, John Neurohr, Carl Robinett, Grant Huneycutt) deserve special kudos. While there were some minor placement continuity issues (physically moving the elephant’s trunk underneath Marlena), this group was astounding. They disappeared into the role, and all you saw was Rosie. Impressive. That level of skill and near perfection is stunning.

My very minor disappointment was the songs in general. The songs are sincere, often beautiful, and well sung — but they aren’t always memorable. Some numbers feel like bridges rather than destinations. The show lacks one standout anthem that lingers after the curtain, the songs providing more mood than “I-can’t-get-it-out-of-my-head” hooks.

Overall, Water for Elephants at the Hippodrome is well worth seeing. If you come expecting a classic, tight, song-after-song musical, you might find parts of it wanting. But the high energy and the stunts will keep you entertained the entire time. And if you’re drawn to theater that dares — balancing spectacle with sorrow, beauty with grit — this is your tent.

You’ll leave thinking about the people behind the circus, not just the show. And sometimes, that’s more powerful than a perfect tune.

Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.

Water for Elephants plays through October 4, 2025, at the Hippodrome Theatre’s France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw Street, Baltimore, MD. Purchase tickets ($56–$230) online or call 410.837.7400.

Complete cast and creative credits for the touring company are in the online program here.

COVID Safety: Masks are recommended but not required. The Hippodome’s Health & Safety policy is here.

Water for Elephants will play at the National Theatre from December 9 to 14, 2025.

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Montgomery County-based Perisphere Theater has announced its 2026 season: Silent Sky, by Lauren Gunderson, and I Know How To Curse: a re-blackening of shakespeare, a new one-man show written and performed by Perisphere’s co-artistic director, Gerrad Alex Taylor. Performances will be held at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. 

Submersive Productions’ Susan Stroupe directs Silent Sky, Lauren Gunderson’s moving, magical look at the true story of astronomy pioneer Henrietta Leavitt. In early twentieth-century Wisconsin, hearing-impaired mathematician Henrietta Leavitt can’t stand not knowing where she is in the universe. When she’s recruited to the Harvard Observatory to work as a human “computer” mapping the stars, she embarks on a journey to answer that question and others: how do you balance your commitment to the heavens with your obligations here on Earth? How do you make discoveries when you’re not even allowed to touch a telescope? And what role will women play, in the lab, at the ballot box, and in society? Silent Sky will run January 30-February 14, 2026, and feature Perisphere co-artistic director Lizzi Albert in the role of Henrietta. 

In April, Perisphere will present the world premiere of I Know How To Curse: a re-blackening of shakespeare, a fierce and funny solo show confronting the legacy of minstrelsy in American theater. Using the structure of a minstrel show to critique the casting politics of the classical canon, the play interrogates how Black actors are seen — and unseen — onstage. A radical blend of Shakespeare, satire, and self-reflection, it reclaims space for Black artists in the roles we’re too often denied. Part manifesto, part mirror, and fully unflinching, this play is a reclamation — a re-blackening — of Shakespeare and the stages that keep rewriting the same story. Nigel Semaj directs Gerrad Alex Taylor in his solo show debut. I Know How To Curse will run April 3-25, 2026.

About Perisphere Theater: Founded in 2015 by Heather Benjamin, Perisphere Theater produces plays that examine personal and collective history and the notion of history itself. Perisphere strives for a theater experience that gives audiences a greater appreciation of history and of those who are often left out of its retelling. In 2023, the Washington Post included Perisphere on its list of small companies worth bookmarking as a “thought-provoking company.”

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