All posts by Larry Bangs:
Larry Bangs has both a B.A. and an M.A. in Theatre and many years of experience acting and directing in church basements, retrofitted art galleries and such -- including The New Playwrights Theatre which performed during the 70’s in the space currently occupied by the Church Street Theatre. Now semi-retired, he keeps his frustration level up by playing golf and soothes his soul by attending Live HD Met opera performances.
The Merchant of Venice
February 20, 2012 By 1 Comment
The Merchant of Venice is rightfully considered one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays” with its dark overtones of anti-Semitism and a feud between a Jew standing obstinately with the Old Testament (“Cursed be my tribe if I forgive him.”) and Christians clinging righteously to the New (“The quality of mercy is never strained.”). Shakespeare does not make it as black and white as it sounds and eventually paints himself into a corner that requires some questionable poetic license to resolve at least the immediate conflicts. It was so controversial that for nearly a hundred years after Shakespeare’s death, nobody performed it. [Read more...]
Mad Love (an Anti-Valentine’s Day Performance)
February 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The Young Playwrights’ Theater is a revelation. Originally founded by playwright Karen Zacarías seventeen years ago, YPT’s After-School Playwriting Program won the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award in 2010. That’s a pretty big deal given that the award was presented by First Lady, Michelle Obama at the White House. [Read more...]
The Miracle Worker
February 13, 2012 By 1 Comment
The Compass Rose Studio Theatre in Annapolis is the zealous undertaking of Lucinda Merry-Browne, who co-founded The Bay Theatre Company in Annapolis and was its Artistic Director and Managing Director for eight years. It is no small thing to start a theatre from scratch and build it up to a full-blown professional, Equity company. Obviously, she is not a lady to be underestimated. [Read more...]
Laughter on the 23rd Floor
January 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
You want funny? Keegan Theatre has funny. Laughter on the 23rd Floor. They killed it, nailed it, knocked it out of the park. [Read more...]
A Christmas Carol
December 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Paul Morella, backed by the Olney Theatre Center, has done something wonderful with Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. He has taken it back to its roots by returning to the novella penned by Dickens in 1843 and brings it to life in the simplest possible terms. He tells the tale exactly as written, as Dickens himself might have done it, embellished only with the most minimal set pieces, some creative lighting and realistic sound effects that blend effortlessly into the storytelling. The result is delightful. [Read more...]
Our Town
October 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
There is magic afoot in Ellicott City, specifically at the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park (PFI for short), often referred to simply as “The Ruins.” PFI, which once housed a girls’ boarding school, sits atop the highest hill in Ellicott City. [Read more...]
Dreamgirls
September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Toby’s Dinner Theatre in Baltimore pulls out all the stops with this production of Dreamgirls. From top to bottom, beginning to end, everything about it is larger than life. The vocal performances and musical production numbers are first-rate, sometimes dazzling. [Read more...]
Fela!
September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Fela! is all about the music and the tragically inspiring story of the legendary Nigerian musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Immensely stirring and emotional, it was a hit on Broadway, winning almost universal acclaim, and in 2010, Fela! was nominated for eleven Tony Awards and won three (best choreography and best design in costume and sound.) [Read more...]
The Country Girl
September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In the very first scene of Clifford Odets’ The Country Girl, Frank Elgin (Brian Crane), is auditioning for a play. In the course of improvising a character, he says: “I have to like him or I can’t get inside him.” This single line of dialogue turns out to be a harbinger for all that follows. [Read more...]
F#@king Up Everything
July 16, 2011 By 2 Comments
Not everything at the Fringe Festival is “hungry” – produced on a dime for the sheer joy of creating live theatre. F#@king Up Everything (let’s call it FUE), in spite of what the title conjures up, comes to us with a list of support personnel that fills one entire page in the program. These folks know how to put together a musical and they are deadly serious about doing it right. [Read more...]
