All stories by Mary Ann Johnson on BroadwayStars

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ at Washington Stage Guild by Mary Ann Johnson

  The Washington Stage Guild has produced a thoughtful and handsome meditation on women’s choices and society’s limits and judgments. Playwright George Bernard Shaw also cleverly focuse…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 11:58AM
Thursday, March 3, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘Blue Stockings’ at Little Theatre of Alexandria by Mary Ann Johnson

‘”Blue Stockings” is both a rousing and thoughtful play. Set in the late 1890s as young women were pushing for the right to be allowed a degree while attending one of the women’s col…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:38PM
Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘A Delightful Quarantine’ at Reston Community Players by Mary Ann Johnson

  Mark Dunn’s “A Delightful Quarantine” is, at its heart, a totally demented and compressed “Our Town.” This play is a mad-cap romp of what could happen in a quarantine—at least…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:39AM
Thursday, February 17, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘Girls of Madison Street’ at Creative Cauldron by Mary Ann Johnson

  Helen Hayes Award-winner, Iyona Blake, has given us a love letter to sisters, family, and staying the course. One of the DMV’s most talented actors, singer sand playwrights, Blake has w…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 09:49PM

Theatre Review: ‘La Casa de la Laguna’ (The House on the Lagoon) at GALA Hispanic Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

  “La Casa de la Laguna” (“The House on the Lagoon”) at Gala Hispanic Theatre is a passionate play—  intense and fascinating. Between the political underpinnings and the lives of…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 09:21PM
Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘Bad Seed’ at Rockville Little Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

Rockville Little Theatre’s production of “Bad Seed” harks back to that old debate about nature vs. nurture, as well as the question of can children kill? Can they really understand wha…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 06:48PM
Sunday, January 23, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘White Noise’ at Studio Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

  “White Noise” is not an easy play. Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks takes the dark history of America and presents it in a searing drama that forces four people to confront some very deep …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:42PM

Theatre Review: ‘Bright Star’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria by Mary Ann Johnson

The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s (LTA) production of “Bright Star”‘ is a sprawling, Southern Gothic that is inspired by a true story. It’s a big-hearted story with the music, boo…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:04PM
Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Theatre Review: ‘Sam & Dede or My Dinner With André the Giant’ at Washington Stage Guild by Mary Ann Johnson

The current offering at Washington Stage Guild is a delight and unexpectedly so. It’s a fascinating fictional tale (based on a very tiny nubbin of truth) of an episodic, shared journey thr…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 06:26PM
Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘The Kinsey Sicks’ Oy Vey in a Manger’ at Theater J by Mary Ann Johnson

There are questions that need to be answered: Do you like your humor raucous? Rowdy? Completely irreverent? Topical? Sarcastic? Wry? Ironic? Punny? Unabashedly blue? Delivered with panache a…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:33AM
Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘A Snowy Nite at the Dew Drop Inn’ at Anacostia Playhouse by Mary Ann Johnson

During the holiday season, reviewers go to shows that are very diverse. One night we’re reviewing a charming children’s story, and the next, we’re lucky enough to listen to the roof be…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 06:48PM
Monday, December 13, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘The Christmas Angel’ at Creative Cauldron by Mary Ann Johnson

Creative Cauldron’s new Bold Works for Intimate Musical Stages initiative continues with a new work, “The Christmas Angel,” by the stalwart creative team of Matt Connor and Stephen Gre…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:58PM
Monday, December 6, 2021

Theatre Review: August Wilson’s ‘How I Learned What I Learned’ at Avant Bard Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

Avant Bard Theatre kicks off it’s 2021-2022 in-person theatre season with a meditation on what it means to be Black in America through the life experiences of August Wilson in “How I Lea…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:38PM
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ at Olney Theatre Center by Mary Ann Johnson

Olney’s production of John Cameron Mitchell’s (book) and Stephen Trask’s (music and lyrics) “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is a high-octane, raucous, roller-coaster of a journey. From…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:53PM
Monday, November 29, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Secret Things’ at 1st Stage by Mary Ann Johnson

“Secret Things,” now playing at 1st Stage is a heartfelt, beautifully-staged and acted play about the quest for identity and love. If you enjoy a healthy dose of magical realism, you wil…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 02:02PM

Theatre Review: ‘On The Farce Day of Christmas’ at Best Medicine Rep by Mary Ann Johnson

Best Medicine has staked out the comedy territory, and overall, they produce very funny shows. Throughout the closures of the pandemic, they produced a beautifully staged version of “Roari…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 01:27PM
Monday, November 22, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Catch Me If You Can’ at Sterling Playmakers by Mary Ann Johnson

“Catch Me If You Can,” with the libretto by Terrence McNally and a theatrical score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Whittman, borrows much from the 2002 film of the same name which, in turn, w…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:26PM
Saturday, November 20, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘My Children! My Africa! at Washington Stage Guild by Mary Ann Johnson

Washington Stage Guild’s current production of ‘My Children! My Africa!’ is as relevant today as it was in 1989. Thirty-two years have passed, and Black people are still affected by ce…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:29PM
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘The Great Leap’ at Round House Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

Lauren Yee’s “The Great Leap” is raucously funny, incredibly profane, not for the kids, thoughtful, and will leave you uncomfortable. The latter is not a bad thing—but you may well h…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 12:25PM
Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘N’ at The Keegan Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

Keegan is currently presenting the regional premiere of “N” by Adrienne Earle Pender. This is a quick exploration of race, culture, and the heavy lifting Blacks did (and still do)—ment…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:10PM
Saturday, November 6, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Five Women Wearing the Same Dress’ at Dominion Stage by Mary Ann Johnson

This was the show I didn’t know I needed on a Friday evening after a long week at work. Dominion Stage is welcoming back theatre-goers with a delightfully funny production of “Five Women…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 05:56PM
Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Choreopoem Theatre Review: ‘A Chorus Within Her’ by Theater Alliance at the Anacostia Playhouse by Mary Ann Johnson

“A Chorus WIthin Her” is a choreopoem theater experience, one written by several developmental poets (Gabrielle Brant Freeman, Glenis Redmond, Christine Sloan Stoddard, and Carmin Wong) …

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 10:00PM
Sunday, October 31, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Birds of North America’ at Mosaic Theater Company of DC by Mary Ann Johnson

One of the funniest moments in the spare, beautifully crafted “Birds of North America” by Anna Ouyang Monech, comes when John (or Dad) dismisses a bird his daughter Regina spies at the b…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 04:14PM

Theatre Review: ‘Flyin’ West’ at Everyman Theatre by Mary Ann Johnson

‘Flyin’ West,’ now showing in-person at Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, MD, through October 31, 2021, and streaming on-demand through November 14, 2021, is a magnificent reason to retur…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:43PM
Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘By The Way, Meet Vera Stark’ at The Colonial Players of Annapolis by Mary Ann Johnson

The Colonial Players are staging a smart, vivid “By The Way Meet Vera Stark” at their theatre in Annapolis. The costumes are pure glam, the set in the first act embodies 1930s Art Deco s…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 09:02PM

Theatre Review: ‘Clay’s Place: Inside My Blue Mind’ by TheAngelWing Project by Mary Ann Johnson

Last Saturday was the world premier of “Clay’s Place: Inside My Blue Mind” by Angela Wilson of The AngelWing Project. The play is a slice of life in the Black community of Memphis that…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:40PM
Saturday, October 23, 2021

Theater Review: ‘The Realistic Joneses’ at Spooky Action Theater by Mary Ann Johnson

The last show I saw in person in March 2020 before the complete shut-down was “The Realistic Joneses” at Spooky Action Theater. Last night I returned to see Spooky’s first in-person sh…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 05:53PM
Friday, October 22, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Girls’ Night (With Spirits)’ presented by The Welders by Mary Ann Johnson

“Girls’ Night (With Spirits)” is an audio play about all kinds of spirits—from the dead to the undead, to the weight we carry in our hearts and souls. Guess which type causes the mos…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 03:56PM
Sunday, October 17, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Wait Until Dark’ at The Little Theatre of Alexandria by Mary Ann Johnson

Frederick Knott wrote the psychological thriller “Wait Until Dark” in the early 1960s and the film version (1967) starring Audrey Hepburn is ranked by both AFI and Bravo as one of the sc…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 05:21PM

Theatre Review: ‘The Beatle Club’ at Providence Players of Fairfax by Mary Ann Johnson

The Providence Players of Fairfax are presenting “The Beatle Club,” a world premiere by Teresa Sullivan, for their first, back-in-person show of the season. It’s a very family-appropri…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 04:22PM
Monday, October 11, 2021

Theatre Review: ‘Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years’ at Creative Cauldron by Mary Ann Johnson

  This production is a like a dip in the warmth of late spring. Written by Emily Mann (and adapted from the book by Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth “Bessie” Delany with Amy Hill Hearth…

SOURCE: mdtheatreguide.com at 08:28PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards