Fall in love with theater this autumn, with stage productions throughout the Baltimore region.
From the musical that inspired the hit movie “Wicked,” to holiday shows ranging from spooky to jolly, there is so much local artistry to be celebrated this season.
Check them all out in this fall theatrical roundup:
Ceilidh, ongoing through Oct. 12, M&T Bank Exchange. Filled with Scottish music and dance, the musical “Ceilidh” a musical about family, legacy, the enduring power of stories and having a good time! It will leave you with a lasting feeling of joy long after the last dance ends.
Topdog/Underdog, ongoing through Oct. 12, Spotlighters Theatre. two Black brothers, Lincoln and Booth, who navigate poverty and sibling rivalry. This play explores survival amid poverty and sibling rivalry between two Black brothers: Lincoln, a former con artist turned Abraham Lincoln impersonator at an arcade, and Booth, a petty thief.
Saturday Night Fever, ongoing through Nov. 2, Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Based on the 1977 film of the same name that starred John Travolta, “Saturday Night Fever” uses the music of the Bee Gees to tell the story of Brooklyn paint store clerk Tony Manero as he enters a dance competition at the local disco. Will a dance partnership turn into something more?
Water for Elephants, Sept. 27 through Oct. 4, Hippodrome Theatre. Following the loss of his parents, a man flees home and encounters a traveling circus. There he finds a new life, love, and purpose as an elephant trainer. Sara Gruen’s 2006 novel “Water for Elephants” comes alive in this musical of the same name.
Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Oct. 3 through Oct. 26, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. In this adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel “Persuasion,” Anne Elliot finds a second chance at love with an ex-fiance in Regency-era England.
The Peculiar Patriot, Oct. 15 through Nov. 9, Baltimore Center Stage. Self-proclaimed “peculiar patriot” Betsy LaQuanda Ross regularly visits penitentiaries to raise morale. This one-act play is inspired by writer and director Liza Jessie Peterson’s work with prison populations, including on Rikers Island.
Hair, Oct. 17 through Nov. 23, Vagabond Players. The rock musical “Hair” tells the story of a group of long-haired navigating political activism, sexual revolution, and a fight against the Vietnam War draft. The production is recommended for mature audiences.
ART, Oct. 19 through Nov. 16, Everyman Theatre. In playwright Yasmina Reza’s “ART,” characters find their friendship put to the test by questions about what constitutes art.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Spectacular Anniversary, Oct. 24 through Oct. 26, M&T Bank Exchange. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” turns 50 years old this year! To celebrate, M&T Bank Exchange will show the cult classic while a local shadow cast from Satin Draped Frames will perform scenes from the movie on stage. Ticket purchases include a prop bag for interacting with the show.
Chocolate Covered Rocky Horror, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, Baltimore Center Stage. An African American Shadow-cast ensemble entitled “Chocolate Covered Rocky Horror” performs the beloved “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Enjoy a preshow, costume contest and audience partici…pation.
The Phantom of the Opera, Nov. 7 through Nov. 15, Hippodrome Theatre. “The Phantom of the Opera” is the longest running show in Broadway history and played its final performance on April 16, 2023. Now, it’s embarking on its North American tour to share the story of the Phantom who lives below the Paris Opera House, and the soprano Christine, the subject of the Phantom’s obsession.
Trouble in Mind, Nov. 7 through Nov. 30, Fells Point Corner Theatre. A Black actress long relegated to stereotypical supporting roles prepares to star in an anti-lynching play written by a white playwright on Broadway. But as the Black actors rehearse the play with a white director and stage manager, they face racial poltics and theatrical standards.
Elf, Nov. 7 through Jan. 4, Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Inspired by the holiday flick starring Will Ferrell, the “Elf” musical follows Buddy, a young orphan grows up in the North Pole after climbing into Santa’s bag of gifts one Christmas. In adulthood, Buddy travels to New York City in search of his birth father and his own identity. Along the way, he helps New Yorkers tap into the spirit of Christmas.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, Nov. 26 through Nov. 30, Hippodrome Theatre. Your heart will likley grow three sizes after watching this musical version of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” telling the tale of a Christmas-hating, furry, green Grinch who sets out to wreak havoc on the holiday — only to learn some lessons along the way.
Santa Claus is Comin’: A Motown Christmas Revue, Nov. 26 through Jan. 4, Baltimore Center Stage. Hear the classic holiday tunes with a Motown twist.
A Christmas Carol, Nov. 29 through Dec. 23, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company. Charles Dickens’ holiday classic comes to life in this production set in 19th-century Baltimore.
Deceived, Nov. 30 through Jan. 4, Everyman Theatre. A woman questions her relationships and even her own sanity when she starts seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. “Deceived” is an adaptation of the 1944 psychological thriller film “Gaslight.”
A Tuna Christmas, Dec. 5 through Dec. 21, Spotlighters Theatre. A “Christmas Phantom” known for vandalizing yard displays threatens an annual Christmas Yard Display Contest in the fictional town of Tuna, Texas. Meanwhile, one man attempts to end his probation, a woman is trying to hold her family together through the holidays, and another man is struggling to put on his production of a holiday classic.
The Long Christmas Ride Home, Dec. 5 through Dec. 21, Strand Theater. Emotional turmoil ensues on a family road trip as two parents and their three young children travel to visit grandparents for Christmas dinner.
Nutcracker! Magic of Christmas Ballet, Dec. 6, Hippodrome Theatre. With the winter holiday season right around the corner, now is a perfect time to enjoy the story of the Nutcracker told through ballet. After a young girl is gifted a nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve, the doll comes to life and the girl is whisked away to a world of magic.
Wicked, Dec. 17 through Jan. 11, Hippodrome Theatre. Two witches — one green, one blonde, both initially loathsome to one another — begin as reluctant roommates who eventually forge a friendship that lasts for good. Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel (and recently adapted into a hit film starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande), the “Wicked” stage musical tells the story of what came before “The Wizard of Oz.”
