Cybele Pomeroy

The WIZARD OF OZ is familiar to so many after all this time (and so many versions, including the Disney alternate universe ‘Wicked’ franchise) that one might be forgiven for thinking that no version is capable of any surprises anymore. AND YET. I am delighted to report that in this production lovingly done by Toby’s, there are delightful, unexpected moments, including puppetry and a surprising dance number, plus The Jitterbug.

SUFT has a great deal to be proud of with this production of RAPUNZEL: It's a cute and colorful show which even backstage is devoted to teamwork, personal ethics, resourcefulness and an untiring devotion to the quality of experience for people participating in theatre for perhaps their first time. Stand Up For… Theatre is an embodiment of WHY live theatre exists, for both participants and audiences. See it at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum MD, through March 29th, 2026.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS: The beautiful theater inside of CCBC Dundalk hosts an equally beautiful production. What a treat to view this classic, seeing and hearing people respond to its twists and turns as if seeing it for the first time- or perhaps actually seeing it for the first time- realizing that writing that’s worth watching even a century later is a rarity and a prize.

Iron Crow’s brave production of NEXT TO NORMAL deserves a longer run. The script is a dramatic treatment of a nearly untouched topic, and the music is gorgeous and brilliantly rendered by excellent musicians and vocalists.

ROCK OF AGES is mostly cheese. It’s a jukebox musical packed with big-hair 80s hits that refuses to take itself seriously. Rachel Cahoon portrays “Sister” Sherrie Christian, a small-town kid with Hollywood dreams, with expressiveness and powerhouse vocals. Noah Mutterperl as Drew Boley, a city kid with guitar dreams, is a strong singer with heart and charisma. Ross Scott Rawlings, Conductor and Keyboardist as well as Musical Director, delivers authentic ‘80s sound from the band and the cast.

FROM EAST, LIKE THE SUN is a multi-generational drama, a mystery, a comedy, a coming-of-age story, a social commentary and a completely captivating experience. It explores themes of stability, opportunity, other-ness, connection and growth in a fresh way that feels completely natural and heart-wrenchingly honest. The real-people characters navigate emotional and physical obstacles that they often aren’t able to completely articulate, even to themselves.

Run, do not walk, to see A CHRISTMAS CAROL at Chesapeake Shakespeare in Baltimore. This adaptation of the classic tale sets the events of Ebenezer Scrooge’s fateful evening in Baltimore and surrounding areas and is infused with joy and merriment. The cast is simply amazing; in fact, the craftsmanship on every level from acting to technical details to house management is remarkable. Gregory Burgess continues to portray an amazingly believable Ebenezer Scrooge.

Enthusiastic performances, a snappy live band, bright costumes and lively dancing adorn Toby's production of ELF The Musical. This sweet and charming lighthearted family-pleaser will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. Director/ Choreographer Mark Minnick delivers engaging group numbers and Musical Director Ross Scott Rawlings creates glorious harmonies in this infectious show. Through January 4, 2026.

Mark Minnick directs SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at Toby's in Columbia through November 2, 2025. The music is most of the Saturday Night Fever album by the incomparable BeeGees. It’s a terrific immersive experience, filled with color and sound. The band is flawless, the vocals impressive, the choreography inspired, and the cast’s commitment to the performance unrestrained.

Musicians and vocalists shine in an undersea world that’s full of color and liveliness, longing, love, and a desire for authenticity at Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland. Mark Minnick directs Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID, playing through August 17th, 2025.

Stand Up For…. Theatre's anti-bullying, pro-inclusion mission results in casts more diverse than usually seen in community performances. CATCF's cast includes first-time performers, parent-offspring pairs, body and gender positivity, and neurodivergence. Inclusiveness is sufficient reason to support SUFT's production, and also, the show’s quite a lot of fun. 

HOW TO TRANSCEND A HAPPY MARRIAGE, directed by Ann Turiano at Iron Crow, is highly polished and lovingly crafted. The Iron Crow team builds an experience that’s immersive, fascinating and a delight to the senses. Excellent acting and snappy dialogue augment unusual situations in this surreal show.

Salvation in the form of a children's band? Sure, why not? THE MUSIC MAN has captured the hearts of audiences for generations. Now, the beloved Toby's Dinner Theatre in Columbia, Maryland undertakes this winner, through May 18, 2025. It's beautifully done and highly entertaining.

Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? at Everyman Theatre through April 20, 2025, directed by Vincent M. Lancisi presents a contentious couple who return from a faculty party that has lasted past midnight to spitefully host young guests for additional drinks in their campus-adjacent home. It's awful, funny, entertaining, perplexing and satisfying

9 TO 5 at Toby’s is a treat for all your senses, with color-saturated visuals, harmonious, heartwarming songs created especially for the show and strong characters you’ll adore. It’s just the thing to relieve winter ‘blahs’ and get your toes tapping. Experienced performers have snappy timing, and dramatic lighting fosters swift set changes to retain the rapid pacing. The buffet is ample, the service is speedy and Toby's devotion to a quality experience is unparallelled.

Rapid Lemon and Strand, both known for promoting new works, present a puzzle of humanity with HONEY BEE BABY, a new work by Philadelphia-based Erlina Ortiz through January 25th. Elements of acting, theatrical technology and direction augment an unusual and satisfying script that asks hard questions with no pat answers.

An evening at Toby’s Dinner And Show in Columbia, Maryland for THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a clutter-free treat for your loved ones. Toby's presents a classic, now entertaining a fourth generation, that feels lush and rich with detail and meaning, and contemporary relevance. An audience favorite since the dawn of the 1960s, this beloved Rogers & Hammerstein standard runs at Toby's through January 12th, 2025.

Lumina Theatre’s A FEW GOOD MEN at Howard Co. Center for the Arts is More Than A Few Good Actors: visual details and realistic settings offer an intimate angle to audiences of this emerging theatrical company.

Imagine ‘40s fashions, stark lighting, shadow-play, fog, fedoras, fistfights, physical comedy, femmes fatales, torch songs, desperation, dance, and dozens of puns: Happenstance Theater’s CABARET NOIR at Baltimore’s Theatre Project on Preston Street will thrill you with high-contrast comedy, drama and music through November 10th, 2024.

Is it time to Time Warp? Why, yes, yes it is. If it’s October on the East Coast, you can bet your Hot Patootie that there will be an abundance of Sweet Transvestites in many locations who Can Make You A Man at The Rocky Horror Show.