Review: SUMMER's Not Over At Toby’s In Columbia

Pumpkin Spice abounds, apple cider everything  s everywhere, along with maple whatsit and you grabbed a jacket at least once this week; obviously it’s Autumn in Maryland. In spite of that, SUMMER: THE Donna Summer MUSICAL is still going through November 1, 2026 at Toby’s. It is the penultimate performance at the original building. The holiday show follows, then future productions will be in the new facility. 

Toby’s is located in the lively Merriweather section of Columbia, popular for arts, culture, shopping and food. However, be advised that arriving for dinner is more complicated at Toby’s than it used to be. The construction of the brand new arts center, where the Toby’s operation will be relocated once the building is complete, has reached a point that parking near the theatre is impossible. Toby’s has arranged parking a very short shuttle ride away and provided the shuttle as well. Motivated folk COULD walk from the ‘offsite’ parking area to the theatre, but really, as there’s no provision for pedestrians, please use the shuttle instead of making yourself into a road hazard. 

Come prepared for a good meal. The salad bar is ample, the buffet varied and well seasoned, ice cream sundae bar has options, two choices for dessert, coffee, tea, bread and butter and the very special cocktail or mocktail. Today's is called  Arriving with an empty stomach is ideal.

I am not usually a fan of the jukebox musical, which is a show in which the songs are put into a script written around them, rather than songs and script being generated together. This script, however, created in 2017 by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary and Des McAnuff, works really well. Think of a Netflix bio-pic with songs, but not just any songs, Donna Summer songs. And more  than a couple: this two and a half hour performance is packed with 23 of her groundbreaking songs, many of which were written in conjunction with Giorgio Moroder and Paul Jabara. 

Co-Directors Jessica Bennett and Mark Minnick have lots of talent to work with in this show. Music director Ross Scott Rawlings as usual delivers terrific vocals - the singing, from everyone,  is absolutely stunning- and a cohesive live band backup. Sound design by Mark Smedley is flawless.

Little Donna, referred to as Duckling Donna, is charmingly performed by Gracious Ndungu, who also plays Donna Summers’ daughter Mimi.  This is her first role at Toby’s, and I hope the first of many. Her voice is exquisite, her face expressive and her physical bearing adds much to her characters.

Aniyah Serrell Lee, another new face at Toby’s, carries the weight of Donna Summers’ rise to super stardom playing Young Donna /Disco Donna and is brilliant doing it. She’s sexy, firey, uncertain, determined and everything a young woman with talent and ambition ought to be. I look forward to seeing her in future productions.

Adult Donna, called Diva Donna, performed by Tierra Strickland, who also plays Mary Gaines, Donna’s mother, and Strickland’s vocal modulation, with the help of a crucial cardigan, ensures there is never any confusion who Strickland is playing. She is magnificent as both Donna and Mary. Diva is absolutely the right word to describe her. I’m impressed and amazed.

The voices of these women are not to be underestimated. When they are singing individually, or, as is sometimes the case in the way the script is constructed, all three of them together, they are a treat to hear.

Playing Donna’s father is Otega Okurume, whom I’ve seen before and will enjoy seeing again. He walks the fine line balancing protectiveness and unreasonableness without tipping too far into an extreme that would strain belief.

Ariel Messeca is listed as an understudy and a Swing, which means he is prepared to step into ANY of the male Ensemble roles, and he does so seamlessly. I’m fortunate to be a repeat visitor so that I notice the substitution as it is 100% seamless. 

Choreographer Jessica Bennett does a nice job of incorporating Ensemble dance numbers in a script that seems to stretch a little bit to need them. The choreography is active and engaging and the costumes, by Sarah King and Rose Ryon, are a great deal of fun. I’m especially intrigued by the wigs, courtesy of Jayson Kueberth.

Lighting, by Lighting Designer Lynn Joslin, creates drama for beautiful visuals. Run crew gets scenery, designed by Scenic Designer Shane Lowry, on and off stage superfast, making sure there’s no lag in the action onstage, which is important, as this show feels like, in less capable hands, it might run a little long. 

Donna Summer died in 2012 of lung cancer at age 63. Her music, however, continues to live, and to inspire people to dance. Whether you were a fan, a casual listener or too young to know who she is, this musical is a treat to the ears as well as a delightful way to learn about a superstar whose impact reverberates even today. This is a high-quality show- please trust that your family will enjoy SUMMER: THE Donna Summer MUSICAL at Toby’s.

Running time is 2.5 hours with one intermission.

Photo

Photo Credit Jeri Tidwell

SUMMER THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL plays at Toby’s, 5900 Symphony Woods Road Columbia MD 21044, through November 1, 2026. 

Tickets, $67-94, can be purchased directly through Tobys’ Box Office- please phone them at 410-730-8311. Box Office hours are Monday- Saturday  10:00am- 8:00pm; Sunday  10:00am – 7:00pm. Performance days are Tuesdays through Sundays. Doors open for evening performances Tuesday through Saturday at 6 PM, dinner beginning at 6:30 PM, show at 8 PM. Wednesday and Sunday Matinee performances doors at 10, buffett at 10:30, show at 12:30. Sunday evening performances doors open at 5 PM, buffet at 5:30, show at 7 PM.

See the SUMMER Playbill here.

Final Factoid: SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical The Donna Summer Musical will be ASL interpreted on Wednesday, October 21 at 10:30 AM.

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