Theatre has been a part of society since, some would argue, the beginning of time. Classic Greek tragedies and comedies have provided foundations that artists still use today. From Euripides and Aristotle, to Shakespeare and Moliere, to today’s contemporary playwrights, artists have been challenging and creating new status quos in the theatre forum.
But what keeps theatre fresh and alive? Perhaps it’s bringing untold stories from niches of the world to life with the help of lights, make-up, costumes or scarce set design. When I think of this statement, I look to Baltimore’s regional theatre Centerstage to see if there is truth in it.
What untold stories have I learned there? Naomi Watts’ Things of Dry Hours; a tale of communist African-Americans surviving in Alabama. That one isn’t in the history books. And from Centerstage’s upcoming season? These Shining Lives, based on women working with radium and fighting for their lives. A painful victory for women who, as a whole, had just entered the workforce.
So, a regional theatre can produce such dynamic stories, but how local theatres compete? How does The Theatre Project fill seats? What do The Mobtown Players do to fill seats?
There is more theatre lurking in Baltimore then people realize...if you have the guts to look for it.
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I love going to plays, but I hate having to look around at each theater's websites for what performances are going on. Maybe an idea for you would be to have something like a list of what shows are being put on at different Baltimore theaters, and the prices of tickets. I'd find that so convenient and it would be incredibly helpful for all theater lovers.
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