Although Theatre of the Absurd is often associated with mid-twentieth century European writers, How the Money Goes is a relatively new (2008) absurd comedy from American playwright Robert Cousins.  While it receives a spirited production from a talented troupe from the University of Maryland’s Theatre Department, the work is ultimately a little too sprawling to provide a satisfying experience. [Read more...]

I had seen both of Hillary Kacser’s one-woman plays in previous Fringes. I immoderately enjoyed Rose, which was a portrait of a single character in Doris Lessing’s justly famous book “In Search of the English” in 2006. On the other hand, DISORDEr, which I saw last year, struck me as a DISASTEr. I went this year in the hope that I would find Rose in even fuller bloom, and DISORDEr in better array. I am pleased to report satisfaction on both scores. [Read more...]

Pop quiz: What does it take to score? High school basketball star Joe Marks (Hunter Hoffman) says it’s about physical stamina, devotion to team, and impeccable strategy. For his world-weary English teacher Mrs. Edwards (Sarah Holt) it’s about intellectual rigor, patience, and inner curiosity. So when the dry-witted teacher picks up a raunchy note, soaking with hormones, that Joe’s tried to pass to his girlfriend Hannah (Carly Bates) in class, we’re set up for a sparring match between muscle and mind. [Read more...]

Three scenes and thirty minutes, War and Therapy barely scratches the surface with its subject material. More of a spark to encourage discussion, the short play shows audiences the issues with therapy and war veterans, and it warns against the dangers of labeling “mental illnesses” in vets. Writer Paula J. Caplan is clearly an expert on her subject material, but the execution and performance could use work. Despite its theatrical pitfalls, the information is there, and hopefully the piece can serve as a jumping off point to educating the public about therapy and war vets. [Read more...]

Annoyance Theatre may not be an East Coast tribe (they hail from Chicago) but, wouldn’t you know it, they’ve gone and made something I’ve seen many a local theater fail at creating: a historically accurate musical retelling of the founding of Salem, Massachusetts, penetrating in its commitment to research and fact. [Read more...]

With a charming smile, Marc Spiegel captivates his audience with rhyming couplets and animated voices. The Grubrag’s Ballad is an epic poem, but it doesn’t read anything like Beowulf. Instead, Spiegel enchants his audience with tales of mythical creatures, carrying a musical-like rhythm throughout the piece. [Read more...]

Playwrights frequently knock down the fourth wall between the stage and the audience, but in The Perfect Chocolate Milkshake, playwright Lee August Praley knocks down the first wall – the one between the playwright and the stage. Some guys can do this successfully – Pirandello, certainly, and probably Stoppard – but Praley, at least at this stage of his development, does not. [Read more...]

I’ve been trying to decide what to name it. Help me out, sweetie, what do you think? I’m considering something classic, like “Portrait of the Artist as a Bewildered Mother-To-Be.” Or, “How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Embryo.” As it stands, the name “Running:AMOK” implies a sort of chaos and intensity that doesn’t ever surface in this calm, confident musical performance piece. [Read more...]

John Morogiello has a thing for redheads, and his play, while not filled with gut-busting laughs,  is witty, quirky, entertaining, and somehow, someway, manages to add in a splash of drama. [Read more...]

Angela Neff grew up in a large family with a larger than life father.  Unfortunately, his exploits which stemmed from a bi-polar disorder became increasingly destructive and eventually led to hospitalizations, divorce, and suicide.  [Note:  that’s not a spoiler, it’s in the program.]  Writer-performer Neff gives a descriptive solo presentation of scenes from her life, but leaves out too much of her own feelings and insights for the story to be as affecting as it could be. [Read more...]