CHARM CITY STAGE DOOR - 09/05/2006
By: James Howard Sep. 05, 2006
MAMMA MIA! TO PRESENT BENEFIT IN
Mamma Mia fans have many reasons to rejoice! Not only is this crowd-pleasing favorite making a two-week return stop to the Hippodrome, but the cast will again give
If this show is like the one they held last time they were here, tickets will sell fast! The entertainment is first-rate, showing what these energetic young people can do aside from singing and dancing to the tunes of ABBA. In fact, last time, they performed nothing from the show, so don't expect Mamma Mia in a club setting.
And tickets are CHEAP! $8.00 general admission/$10.00 for reserved seating. The door opens at 10 PM, the pre-show starts at 10:30 PM, and the night goes on from there! Call 410-576-0018 or go to www.clubhippo.com for more information and reservations.
Trust me, you'll have a great time! See you there!
BEST BET OF THE WEEK: MAMMA MIA AT THE HIPPODROME
Through September 10th, the acclaimed National Tour is back. Shows run Tuesday – Saturday at 8PM, Saturdays at 2PM and Sundays at 1PM and 6:30PM. Go to www.france-merrickpac.com for more information and to order tickets. Spandex never looked so good! You are sure to have the time of your life!
(Review posted 08/31 - BroadwayWorld - Baltimore and Interviews with Laurie Wells (Donna) and Sean Allan Krill (Sam) posted 09/05/2006.)
MIND YOUR MANNERS REDUX: MAMMA MIA! WHAT A PAIN!
Last Tuesday, as I was watching the opening night performance of Mamma Mia! at the Hippodrome, all was going along nicely. The cast was energetic, the performance smooth and fresh. I will confess to having seen Mamma Mia more than once, so I knew when the "Dancing Queen" scene was coming. Let's face it – it's the scene everyone is there for. But it is also important to the plot. Female bonding is the order of the moment, and comedy ensues. Well, comedy requires timing and concentration – most actors will tell you that comedy is much more difficult to perform than drama. So, the scene starts and all is well. And then it happened.
A cell phone went off in the second row of the orchestra. It was loud – loud enough that it seemed to be coming out of the speakers. It rang at least five times (waiting for the answering machine to pick up?) Down the aisle came a diligent usher, looking for the guilty party. And the actors kept at it. Then, it happened again, 5 or more loud rings. Everyone, including the culprit, looking around as if to say, "Whose phone is THAT?" Still the actors persevered, but you just know they could hear it and were fighting to stay on track. The same usher came trotting down, "Miss, (the entire area in front of me was females only) you need to silence that phone." She was greeted with a shrug of shoulders and dismissive turn of the head. And then… it happened a third time, inciting a gentleman to loudly whisper, "Turn that <expletive> thing off!" I know at least 100 of us, including the cast and the conductor, who was also visibly distracted, all wanted to scream the same or worse. Kudos to the cast and to the usher who kept after it.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, and it certainly isn't just happening at the Hippodrome. In fact, it seems to be getting worse everywhere. Earlier in the year, we posted an article about theatre etiquette (2 parts, actually) after area ushers were surveyed about the topic. The number one rule of etiquette to remember? TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE! The articles were done with a sense of humor, but there was a point. It is rude, disruptive and COMPLETELY unnecessary. And if you are THAT important that you need to be reached no matter where you are, or if someone in your family is on the verge of birthing or dying, the theatre is NOT where you should be, no matter how great the show is, or how important you think you are.
In an effort to keep this from happening, a pre-show announcement is made at all shows. Some try to be clever, and always get a laugh. So why don't some heed the warning and power down? I guess it's like paying attention to a flight attendant giving emergency instructions, we hear it, but we don't listen. Thank God theatre isn't life and death. If I am overlooking a very good reason to have this happen three times with one phone, please correct me. If not, please join me in begging our fellow theatre goers to hit the off button. Now, if we could just get people to remember that theatre is a LIVE, SHARED experience, not an at-home DVD party…
SPOTLIGHTERS OPENS 45th SEASON WITH A CELEBRATION OF THEATRE AND A DISCOUNT FOR BWW READERS!
Leave to the folks over at Spotlighters to be unconventional! As they open their 45th season, they chose to celebrate with an eclectic mix of theatre, all by new and local artists, which is in keeping with the mission of the theatre as set forth by founder, Audrey Herman. And so they open with a special return engagement of their acclaimed summer production, Hope's Arbor, running September 8, 9 (at 8PM) and 10 (at 2PM) only. (Reviewed on BroadwayWorld - Baltimore on 08/22/2006.) Then, they have the
But the fun doesn't end there! "An Evening of Shorts" is up next, running September 15 and 22 at 8PM, 17 and 24 at 2 PM. The evening will consist of 4 one acts presented by local talents. The first two, "Date with a Stranger" and "The Cagebirds" mark a return of two popular comedies from this summer. (Reviewed on BroadwayWorld - Baltimore on 08/23/2006.) They are being paired with two new comedies, "Sex Sells" and "Why Not?" And finally, two nights of cabaret will grace the stage at Spotlighters - September 16th at 8PM will have The Baltimore Iprov Group, and September 23rd at 8PM will have InHarmony.
Tickets for each evening are $15.00, but readers of this column will receive a $5.00 discount per ticket by mentioning BroadwayWorld.com at the door or when reserving tickets by phone. See the September Charm City Theatre calendar for contact information.
FELLS POINT CORNER THEATRE OPENS 20th ANNIVERSARY SEASON
Fells Point Corner Theatre, as part of their 20th anniversary, presents a revival from their 3rd season. The Boys Next Door, by Tom Griffin, is about four mentally handicapped men who live under the supervision of an earnest, but increasingly "burned out" young social worker. Mingled with scenes from their daily lives, where "little things" sometimes become momentous (and often very funny), are moments of great poignancy when, with touching effectiveness, we are reminded that the handicapped, like the rest of us, want only to love and laugh and find some meaning and purpose in the brief time which they, like their more fortunate brothers, are allotted on this earth.
Richard Dean Stover, the director, is a twenty year veteran of
Featured in the cast are John Pruitt, Josh Waters, John Hurley, Russell Wooldridge, Mike Robinson, Sarah Zietlow, and Dave Gamble.
The show runs from September 8th through October 8, 2006, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Call 410-276-7837 for reservations. Tickets are $15, Seniors/Students $12.
(To be reviewed 09/15/2006 on BroadwayWorld – Baltimore.)
JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE PLAYS VAGABONDS
The late, great August
(To be reviewed on BroadwayWorld-Baltimore on 09/16/2006.)
CENTERSTAGE TO PRESENT THE THREE SISTERS
CenterStage, the State Theatre of Maryland opens is 2006-2007 season with Anton Chekhov's classic, The Three Sisters. The drama will play September 15 0 October 29 at the Head Theatre at the CenterStage complex on
(To be reviewed on BroadwayWorld - Baltimore 09/20/2006.)
EVERYMAN THEATRE OPENS WITH OPUS
Violist turned playwright Michael Hollinger's latest play, Opus, captures the richness and power of great music while it explores the individual artist's contribution to the collaborative process. With only a few days left to rehearse Beethoven's Opus 131, a renowned string quartet struggles to prepare for their highest profile performance ever. Their rehearsal room turns pressure cooker as passions rise, personalities clash, and the players are forced to confront the ephemeral nature of their life's work.
"I really wanted to write something that was simple — at least outwardly: five actors, four chairs, a bare stage… As I was writing, I realized that although the characters are musicians ... it's really about the theatre. It's about performance, and how you're dependent on other people in this world, and you don't have anything except them." says Hollinger.
This elegant and provoking piece is the latest from the author of Red Herring, and will be directed by John Vreeke, who directed Everyman's popular production of Red Herring during their 2003/04 season.
Opus received its world premiere at The Arden Theatre in Philidelphia in January 2006. Everyman Theatre's production of Opus provides the Baltimore/DC premiere of the play, running September 6–October 15, 2006. MEDIA SPONSOR: WBJC 91.5fm.
Everyman Theatre is a professional Equity theatre company with a resident ensemble of artists from the Baltimore/DC area dedicated to presenting high quality plays that are affordable and accessible to everyone. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 410.752.2208 or online at www.everymantheatre.org.
(To be reviewed on BroadwayWorld - Baltimore on 09/08/2006.)
TOBY'S DINNER THEATRES: NOW PLAYING: RAGTIME; COMING SOON: KISS ME, KATE
Toby's Columbia has Kiss Me, Kate beginning this week. For more information about this classic crowd-pleaser, call 1-800-88TOBYS or go online at www.tobysdinnertheatre.com.
Toby's Baltimore just began previews of the beautiful musical Ragtime, set to open September 10th. Co-directed by Daniel McDonald and Toby herself, the show looks to be another exciting production. Add to that reasonable ticket prices, a great buffet dinner, including a make your own sundae bar, and a great location, and you simply cannot lose!
(To be reviewed in September 10 on BroadwayWorld.com –
COME TO THE CABARET AT HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
One of this summer's most enchanting new stars, Kathryn Lyles (Louise in MAF's Gypsy) is now starring as Sally Bowles in Cabaret . The show will be at the Phoenix Festival Theater (performed in the Chesapeake Theater @ Harford Community College). The shows are Friday September 8th @ 8pm, Saturday September 9th @ 3pm & 8pm, Friday September 15th @ 8pm and Saturday September 16th @ 3pm & 8pm.
Tickets are $ 16 for adults and $ 8 for students and seniors* (*at matinees only). For more information, directions and/or to order tickets: http://www.harford.edu/cultural/category.asp?intEventTypeID=5
If you see this show, please send me your review to post in the CCSD column!
Remember:
- Support local theatre!
- 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 theatre goers. And the more they know you are reading us, the more times they'll offer exclusive discounts and ticket giveaways.
- Comments, suggestions and items to include in Charm City Stage Door should be sent to me at jameshoward@broadwayworld.com.
Thanks for reading! James
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