CHARM CITY STAGE DOOR – 06/13/2006

EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT FOR BROADWAYWORLD READERS!

BroadwayWorld.com – Baltimore/Washington and Spotlighters Theatre have teamed up again to bring you savings for one of the best-reviewed plays of the year – Southern Baptist Sissies! Production details are below. For all remaining performances – this Thursday at 8PM and Friday at 8PM, as well as Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and Sundays at 2PM through July 1, readers who reserve by phone or online at www.spotlighters.org or at the box office that mention BroadwayWorld.com at the time of purchase will get their tickets for just $10.00 each! That is a 33% savings over the $15.00 ticket price, just for you, loyal readers!

Spotlighters offers this advisory: No one under the age of 16 will be admitted due to content, language and partial nudity.

THANK YOU READERS!

I am so pleased to announce that in less than six months you have made the Baltimore page the NUMBER ONE regional site in the Unites States on BroadwayWorld.com! And we are second only to the UK page in total readers of the regional pages. That’s right, Baltimore, you have out read Chicago, LA, entire states like Florida, and have only been out read by an entire kingdom! All kidding aside, and I think I speak for my colleague Charles Shubow, when I say thank you so much! Baltimore is a great theatre town, and it is so gratifying to know that it is finally getting some large-scale recognition. That recognition isn’t just local, either. We have readers from the Broadway community, all of the touring companies, and readers nationwide who are hungry for great theatre when they visit our area. And thank you, too, to all of the theatres that have welcomed us and have been so generous in time and access. Congratulations, Baltimore!

TONY AWARDS 2006: A FEW THOUGHTS

1. Amazing what an announcement of a return engagement and possible tour will do to Tony voters – how else could Sweeney Todd have lost to The Pajama Game? And just yesterday, the producers said those plans are “up in the air” as they search for an available theatre (and a star or two). Interesting since they OWN two! Is this Avenue Q2?

2. Oprah should be ashamed of herself. Does everything she does have to be about her? Is reminding us that Spielberg “invited” her to play Sophia in the movie really important to the show? Isn’t her name above the title, even though there are other producers, enough? And what about Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker? Did Oprah really have to make her a footnote? And you said your precious line, GET OFF THE STAGE, DIVA!

3. How cute is Rod from Avenue Q?  Or John Tartaglia for that matter…

4. Ok, so time was taken up by that ridiculous montage of flop plays, and more than a few Brits got long-winded, but did a tribute to Harold Prince – a living legend, not to mention Phantom, the longest-running show in Broadway history - really have to be reduced to silly posing actors and a half a verse of “Music of the Night”? Someone should have told Howard McGillin he was being cut short. How embarrassing for the longest running Phantom! You are 100% class, anyway, Howard.

5. Ok, I’ve loved Christian Hoff ever since Tommy, and my adoration for LaChanze is pretty big, but come on – Manoel Felciano is doing career-defining work as Tobias, and Patti LuPone has redefined a legendary role and made it her own. Who deserves the Tony? Let’s face it, this time next year, when we are on our third replacements for Tommy DeVito and Celie, will anyone remember the originators that won the Tony? Sweeney will not be the same without these two.

6. Does anyone remember John Napier chewing out the Tony voters when he won for Les Miserables’ design, but wanted the award for Starlight Express (I agree with him)? Apparently, Mr. Sour Grapes, Bob Crowley, didn’t. He pulled the same thing for his win for the design of History Boys instead of Tarzan. Ungrateful, party of one!

7. Finally, Charles and I need to see more plays apparently, or at least the right ones. I guessed 14 out of 23 (60.8%) Tony winners. Charles guessed 12 correctly (52.2%). I hope we have better luck next year, buddy!

BEST BET OF THE WEEK # 1: CSC GOES REP WITH LEAR AND SHREW In true repertory, CSC is performing an alternating schedule of Taming of the Shrew and King Lear through July 9, 2006 on the grounds of the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, 3691 Sarah’s Lane in Ellicott City, Maryland, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. Gates open 90 minutes prior to show time for picnicking and The Show Before the Show. Tickets are $25; tickets for seniors are $22 and children under 18 are free (at least one paying adult for every three free children). Tickets can be purchased at 866.811.4111, on-line at www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com, or prior to the performance.

Sundays are special family performances with all ages welcome. Saturday, June 24 is the Shakespeare Doubleheader—both shows performed in one day, beginning at 4:00 with a break for dinner. For more information and a complete schedule, call 410.752.3994 or visit www.chesapeakeshakespeare.com.

The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company is thrilled to announce that, thanks to a sponsorship from Group 1 Software, a Pitney Bowes Company, it is able to offer free admission to this summer’s King Lear and Taming of the Shrew for every child under 18. In order to ensure adequate supervision, there must be at least one paying adult per three free children.

(Shrew reviewed on BroadwayWorld.com – Baltimore 06/05/2006) (Lear reviewed on BroadwayWorld – Baltimore 06/12/2006)

BEST BET OF THE WEEK #1: SISSIES AT SPOTLIGHTERS

Southern Baptist Sissies, directed by Terry J. Long, explores the relationships between four friends growing up in a Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas and how their relationship with God, with each other, and with themselves affects their paths through life. A hilarious and poignant play; it is not one to miss this summer.

Spotlighters offers this advisory: No one under the age of 16 will be admitted due to content, language and partial nudity.

The cast includes: David Allen, Tammy Kugler, Alex Peri, John Sadowsky, Cathy Shipley, Andrew Syropoulos, Tony Viglione, Ed Zarkowski, and FUZZ Roark. The production staff includes: director Terry Long, stage manager Shannon Hunt, sound designer Robbie Heacock, costumer Nicolette LeFebre, lighting designer David Sadowsky, and set designer E. Tickets may be purchased at the Box Office one hour prior to each performance. Tickets may be placed on Will Call by phoning the theatre at 410-752-1225, or from the website: www.spotlighters.org. Will Call Reservations are strongly recommended. Cash and Credit Cards are accepted at the Box Office. Tickets may be purchased on line at www.missiontix.com using a credit card. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT ABOVE!

(Reviewed on BroadwayWorld – Baltimore 06/13/2006)

(And yes, they are BOTH worthy of number 1 status!)

COCKPIT IN COURT OPENS SUMMER SEASON WITH THE FULL MONTY & PLAZA SUITE

Starting this weekend, the Baltimore area premiere of The Full Monty will play at the Cockpit-in-Court Summer Theatre in Essex. Tickets for The Full Monty are on sale now, and cost $15 general admission and $13 for seniors, students, CCBC faculty, staff and alumni. The Cockpit Box Office is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 am to 3 pm, and two hours before every performance. Tickets may be purchased over the phone at 410.780.6369. Further information is available at www.ccbcmd.edu/cockpit.

(To be reviewed by BroadwayWorld – Baltimore 06/16/2006)

Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre, the oldest continuously running summer theatre in Maryland, continues its thirty-fourth season with a production of Plaza Suite, running June 23 through July 2. Performances take place Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3 pm. All performances take place in the Cabaret Theatre, upstairs in the B Building at CCBC Essex, 7201 Rossville Blvd. One of Simon’s early hits, Plaza Suite tells three stories of different marriages, all taking place in the same suite of the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Cockpit in Court’s production of Plaza Suite is directed by Joey Hellman. Costumes are designed by James J. Fasching, with lighting design by Samantha Swanson, and set design by Doug Kotula. All of the performances take place in the Cabaret Theatre, Cockpit in Court’s in-the-round venue, located on the second floor of the B Building at CCBC Essex, a wheelchair accessible facility. With advance notice, audio description for the visually impaired may be arranged. Patrons requiring special accommodations are urged to notify the Box Office in advance at 410.780.6369.

DO OR DIE INTERACTIVE MYSTERY THEATRE PERFORMS ALL AROUND (AND INSIDE) THE BELTWAY

Do or Die Productions, a Baltimore based comic, interactive murder mystery company offers two new locations for its summer/fall lineup. The company invites you to join them for an evening of diversion and try to solve a mystery with more twists and turns than a labyrinth, ?if you can stop laughing long enough to solve the crime. Eat, Drink and be Wary! Beginning July 16, Do or Die brings murder and mayhem to Whispers Restaurant, located in Glen Burnie, Maryland at 7954 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard. The cost for dinner and the show is $25. The doors open at 4pm, the buffet opens at 5pm and the show begins at 6pm. Do or Die will continue with a different murder mystery on Sunday each month. For more dates and directions see the website: www.dodmystery.com. Reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting the restaurant at 410.768.3900.

Founder C.J. Crowe is thrilled with the new location. “We have already performed in the space and it is delightful. The food is wonderful and the acoustics are remarkable. I love the fact that Whispers is as much nightclub as restaurant. The offer a wide variety of entertainment, from music to stand-up comedy, and the lineup is always changing.”

Beginning November 17th and 18th, Do or Die will debut murder mystery shows at Spotlighters Theatre, located at 7 St. Paul Street in Baltimore, Maryland. The admission cost is $15 and tickets may be purchased online at www.spotlighters.org or by calling 410.752.1225. On Fridays the show begins at 9pm and on Saturdays the show begins at 8pm. The company will continue in the spring and summer of 2007. For additional show dates and directions, check the website: www.dodmystery.com. Crowe performed in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None at Spotlighters and fell in love with the venue. “Spotlighters is profoundly respected in the Baltimore area theatre scene, and I am honored to be a part of their season. The space lends itself beautifully to murder mystery shows.” She has been writing, directing and producing interactive murder mysteries since 1987 and has over forty shows to her credit.

Every show is as much comedy as mystery. Do or Die Productions continues performing at the Rod n Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland and at the Wye River Conference Center on the Eastern Shore. Do or Die is also available for private events and corporate functions.

TOBY’S BALTIMORE IS ‘FOOTLOOSE’& COLUMBIA HAS ‘MILLIE’ & ‘BUDDY’ FOR SUMMER

As summer heats up, Toby’s Dinner Theatres help area theatregoers stay cool, light and refreshed! At Toby’s Baltimore, Footloose: The Musical takes the stage in this high energy 80’s music musical. Based on the smash hit Kevin Bacon film, the show includes the top hits “Footloose” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” and several others. So dust off your dancing’ shoes and get to Toby’s Baltimore. That show begins Friday, June 9th through August 20th. (To be reviewed on BroadwayWorld.com – Baltimore 06/17/2006.)

 Delicious food, great performances and good times are to be had at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Columbia, with their dazzling production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. The show ends its run this Sunday, June 18th. (Reviewed on BroadwayWorld.com – Baltimore 03/06/2006.) And after Millie packs up her tap shoes, the late, great Buddy Holly takes the stage in the rock n’ roll bio of a music legend in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Musical from June 22 – September 9. (To be reviewed on BroadwayWorld.com – Baltimore in July 2006.) For tickets and information for both shows go to www.tobysdinnertheatre.com

VAGABOND PLAYERS END SEASON ‘ON BORROWED TIME’

The fantasy-drama On Borrowed Time by Paul Osborne will run at the Vagabond Players in Fell’s Point from June 9 – July 9, Fridays and Saturdays at 8Pm, Sundays at 2PM. Tickets are $15.00, with a $2.00 discount for seniors and students. Call 410-563-9135 for information and reservations. (To be reviewed on BroadwayWorld – Baltimore 06/24/2006)

EVERYMAN’S “Candida” CONTINUES

Candida , George Bernard Shaw’s witty comedy of love, desire, marriage, and morality continues at Everyman Theatre, and features Everyman company members Deborah Hazlett and Stan Weiman, as well as Helen Hayes Award-winner, Jenna Sokolowski (Urinetown) Hazlett’s performance is one of the best by a leading actress this year! Candida runs through June 25th, offering performances Tuesday through Sunday . For tickets call the Everyman Theatre Box Office at 410.752.2208 or online at www.everymantheatre.org. (Reviewed on BroadwayWorld.com – Baltimore 05/21/2006.)

NEW YORK REVIEWS FOR BALTIMORE AUDIENCES AVAILABLE VIA EMAIL – THREE MORE ADDED

For those of you who are occasional readers, I have written reviews that are available to you via email. Currently, I have reviews of Broadway’s Wicked, The Drowsy Chaperone (Winner of 5 Tony Awards), the long running hit Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the tour of which will be playing Baltimore’s Hippodrome later this year, with Tony-winning star, Norbert Leo Butz, no less, and now, just added: Avenue Q , Sweeney Todd, and The Wedding Singer. Later this month, I’ll have Tarzan. And later in the year, I’ll have The Times They Are A-Changin’, A Chorus Line, Mary Poppins and Jersey Boys. If you are interested, please email me at jameshoward@broadwayworld.com, and be sure to tell me which reviews you’d like.

REMEMBER:

•  When you see a local show, please tell the box office and theatre staff that you read about them here on Baltimore.BroadwayWorld.com. It helps them to know that we are a valuable source of information to local theatregoers. And the more they know you are reading us, the more times they'll offer exclusive discounts and ticket giveaways.
• New York reviews are available via email at jameshoward@broadwayworld.com.
• SEE A SHOW! Everyone wins!

Thanks for reading!  James