Everyman Theatre closes season with animated 'Beaux' Stratagem'

It could stand a little more swash, and maybe an extra buckle or two, but Everyman Theatre's staging of "The Beaux' Stratagem" provides a diverting close to the company's first season in its new home.

Marni Nixon cancels Baltimore Symphony appearance due to illness

This just in: Marni Nixon has had to cancel her scheduled appearance with the Baltimore Symphony this week due to what a press release from the orchestra describes as "a sudden temporary illness."

Kennedy Center unveils new version of 1910 play 'The Guardsman'

In theater history, the names Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne still register strongly -- the husband-and-wife team enjoyed enormous popularity on the American stage from the 1920s into the '50s. (Some...

Midweek Madness snaps into 'West Side Story' mood

A worthy revival of 'Private Lives' from Vagabond Players

In terms of enthusiasm for the art form, there is really no difference between community theater groups, with their mostly volunteer corps, and professional companies, with their Actors’ Equity card-carrying cast members.

'Approaching Ali' enters operatic ring, shows promise

New operas don't often score knock-outs. But, if crowd response were the determining factor, "Approaching Ali" sure sounded like a champion Saturday night at the Kennedy Center, where Washington National Opera presented the premiere of this hour-long piece.

Hearing the voice behind 'West Side Story'

UPDATE: This just in on June 13, 2013: Marni Nixon has had to cancel her scheduled appearance with the Baltimore Symphony this week due to what a press release from the orchestra describes as "a sudden temporary illness."  Read more on the Artsmash blog.

Baltimore Symphony delivers a dynamic 'Carmina Burana'

To wrap up its subscription season, the Baltimore Symphony is performing one of those surefire works beloved by orchestra box offices everywhere, Carl Orff's earthy cantata "Carmina Burana."

Everyman stages update of 17th-century comedy 'Beaux' Strategem'

Cads on a (fresh) quest in 'Beaux' Strategem.'

$200,000 grant to bring European artists to Baltimore

European artists will help transform Baltimore bus, train and light rail stations to be more attractive, better designed and more user-friendly as part of a $200,000 grant from ArtPlace America, a consortium of banks and foundations that gives money to art projects with the potential for regenerating communities.

John Williams brings down the house in Baltimore Symphony Orchestra debut

Letting out roars that must have been audible in Ocean City, the capacity crowd at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall rewarded film composer John Williams with ovation after ovation Tuesday night, each louder than the one before.

Midweek Madness raises its mug to 'Carmina Burana'

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is trotting out "Carmina Burana" for its next program, excuse enough for Midweek Madness to hoist a few brewskis in the general direction of Carl Orff's indestructible cantata (not that Midweek Madness ever indulges in said beverage).

Maryland roots in new 'Ali' opera

In his typical rhyming style, Muhammad Ali might call it something like "a whopper of an opera."

Film composer John Williams to make Baltimore conducting premiere

John Williams has won just about everything there is to win in the music industry, including a slew of Grammys, Golden Globes, Emmys and no less than five Academy Awards — his record of 48 Oscar nominations is second only to Walt Disney.

Baltimore Symphony cancels 'Matrix' concert

Due to what are being described as "unforeseen contractual issues related to the production," the Baltimore Symphony has canceled "Matrix Live," a concert that had been scheduled for July 13 at Meyerhoff Hall as part of the orchestra's summer season.

Midweek Madness has to salute 'Rite of Spring' centennial

So OK, it is exactly 100 years since Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" was premiered in Paris, causing "The Riot of Spring" because so many people in the audience hated it. Since the anniversary date coincides, conveniently, with my Midweek Madness featurette, I had to find at least a slightly nutty way to mark the occasion.

Iron Crow Theatre closes season amusingly with 'Act a Lady'

Is there a cross-dresser in every man just dying to leap out and into some lacy outfit: Maybe so.

Baltimore Annex Theater breaks in new home with 'Macbeth'

The city's eclectic theater scene includes DIY-style troupes that cleverly carve out spaces for themselves, sometimes in unlikely spots. Consider the case of Baltimore Annex Theater.

For Memorial Day, a Civil War ballad

On this Memorial Day, I thought it would be worth recalling the Civil War origins of this annual observance. Here is one of the most beloved songs from those terrible years of when the country was torn apart by an internal conflict.

'Great Day': New life for old music of black churches

As afternoon light tried to filter through the thick, stained-glass windows of Sharp Street United Methodist Church last weekend, Marco K. Merrick pounded out the bass line of a spiritual on a raw-sounding piano, singing along in a raspy voice: "Great day, the righteous marching. Great day, God's going to build up Zion's walls."

Modell Lyric sets theater, dance season

One of Santa's helpers, a man who tilts at windmills, and Toto, too, will be part of the 2013-2014 season of the Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric. One of the country's most distinguished dance companies, the Joffrey Ballet, is also scheduled.

Carlos Kalmar makes welcome return to BSO podium

If you missed Thursday night's Baltimore Symphony Orchestra concert at Meyerhoff Hall -- and, based on a glance around the room, a whole heckuva lot of you missed it -- there's another chance Friday (Strathmore gets the program Saturday). It's time well spent, I'd say.

A sublime way to take note of Wagner's birthday

OK, I couldn't just offer the mirth of Midweek Madness to mark the Wagner bicentennial today. (I think it quite decent of the old chap to have his 200th birthday fall on a Wednesday, so I could slip him into my weekly, widely and wildly clamored for featurette.)

Midweek Madness celebrates Wagner's 200th birthday, Part 3

No celebration of Wagner would be complete without a sampling of Anna Russell, the fabulous comedienne who invariably brought down the house with her analysis of the 'Ring.' Midweek Madness understands that you don't have time to wallow in silliness all day, so this is just a sample of Anna in action -- her incomparable description of 'Die Walkure.'

Midweek Madness celebrates Wagner's 200th birthday, Part 2

For this second Midweek Madness salute to Wagner's big 200, how about a nutty clip from an ever-so-forgotten film called "Hi Diddle Diddle"?

Midweek Madness celebrates Wagner's 200th birthday, Part 1

As you must know, May 22 is Richard Wagner's 200th birthday, and, as you must have guessed, Midweek Madness couldn't let that milestone go unturned. In fact, it will take at least three posts to do justice to this musical genius (and repugnant human specimen).

Plays by Pinter, Mamet get vibrant stagings

In Harold Pinter’s “The Caretaker,” men who seem to have empty centers where their hearts should be engage in a strange dance involving intimidation and entitlement.

Lyric Opera offers sterling cast in 'Rigoletto'

Lyric Opera Baltimore is wrapping up its comfort-food season with Verdi’s stirring drama of love, nastiness and misplaced loyalties, “Rigoletto.” The staging looked a little square and economical Friday night at the Modell Performing Arts Center, but it often sounded splendid; Sunday’s matinee ought to be even better.

Center Stage premieres 'Beneatha's Place,' Kwei-Armah's answer to 'Clybourne Park'

The multifaceted issue of race continues to cling to this country. Every sign of progress in relations seems to come with an opposite move, so that it often seems as if little has ever really, fundamentally changed since the age of Jim Crow, or even Reconstruction.