Top 5 shows of the week
April 24 – 30, 2022
1. “Dream Hou$e” at the Baltimore Center Stage
“Floating in and out of reality and across the entire play space, ‘Dream Hou$e’ is a well-oiled machine of energy and passion. –
READ the review.
Synopsis: Two Latinx sisters are guest-starred on an HGTV-style reality show to sell their family home in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Hilo Villa. As they play in front of the camera, one sister grapples with upheaval in the family’s ancestral past while the other learns just how much she’s willing to sacrifice for the family’s future. What is the cultural cost of progress in America? And does the cashout still sell?
Pictured: Dariln Castillo, Marianna McClellan and Renata Eastlick in “Dream Hou$e by Eliana Pipes.” Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
2. Prologue Theater’s “The Revolutionists” at the Atlas Performing Arts Center
“…impeccable production…top-notch staging…” –
READ the review.
Summary: Paris. 1793. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former Queen Marie-Antoinette and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle experience the reign of terror of the French Revolution. Women are moving ever closer to their own undeniable destiny, while trying to change their world, as they advocate (and sometimes castigate) violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism , compatriots and chosen sisters.
Danielle Gallo, Anna DiGiovanni, Arika Thames and Fabiolla Da Silva in the Prologue Theater production of ‘The Revolutionists’. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
3. “Les Mamalogues” on the 1st floor
“…funny and moving, but also complex…powerful…“ –Jeannette Mulherin
READ the review.
Synopsis: In this satirical comedy, three friends share the joys, challenges, and anxieties of being single, middle-class black mothers in predominantly white suburbs. The story celebrates motherhood and community while exploring racial profiling on the playground and supporting your child who is perpetually the only black child (OBC). Follow their journey as they bend down and steer their kids from Pampers to college while navigating their own path to retirement.
Deidra LaWan Starnes, Jasmine Joy Brooks and Tamieka Chavis in “The Mamalogues” on the 1st floor. Photograph by Teresa Castracane.
4. “Missed Connections” presented by A Faction of Fools
“…this newly conceived work perfectly encapsulated all the fun and tradition of an old comedy technique with relevant content and whimsical storytelling…a breathtaking performance…“ – Kateri Pelton
READ the review.
Synopsis: Mystery. Erroneous identities. Clandestine meetings… and missing. Bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and outdoor theater goodies! Performed outdoors and entirely conceived and written by the cast, “Missed Connections” presents your favorite Commedia dell’Arte archetypes as they are in 2022.
Left to right: Jesse Terrill, Andrew Quilpa, Natalie Cutcher, Desire Lovey Mae, Ben Lauer and Deimoni Brewington in ‘Missed Connections’ at The Parks At Walter Reed. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
5. “The Glass Menagerie” at Rep Stage
“…moving and entertaining…a new and interesting take on this classic piece. ” – Susan Brall
READ the review.
Synopsis: Ghosts of the past continue to haunt Williams’ seminal play Glass factory. Amanda Wingfield is a faded remnant of Southern kindness who now lives in a cramped St. Louis apartment with her aimless son, Tom, and debilitatingly shy daughter, Laura. With their absent father and the Great Depression in motion, the siblings find solace in their distractions – booze, movies and writing for Tom and a collection of glass animals for Laura. When a calling gentleman arrives for dinner, the Wingfield family is flooded with hope. But it’s unclear whether this mysterious visitor will change things for the better or shatter a family’s fragile illusions. This exciting new production asks us what memories really look like, and how is that answer different for each of us?
Dylan Arredondo as Tom Wingfield and Grace Bauer as Amanda Wingfield. Photo by Katie Simmons-Barth.
