Theater-goers and supporters of local playwrights will not want to miss “Variations on Silence” at Strand Theater, an evening of 12 world premiere short plays by Baltimore-area writers.
Taking place this year from Friday, July 10 – Sunday, July 26, this is Baltimore’s 22nd annual ten-minute play festival. The festival is produced by Rapid Lemon Productions, and The Variations Project is considered an annual highlight of Baltimore’s theatrical calendar.
Max Garner is managing director of Rapid Lemon Productions.
“It’s surprising after 22 years, but I think the Variations Project just keeps getting better and better each time,” Garner told Baltimore Fishbowl. “Variations on Silence is the strongest batch of scripts, actors, and production talent we’ve had for as long as I can remember.”
Each year, the audience votes on the theme for the following year’s Variations Project. Last year, the theme “Silence” won the audience vote during 2025’s “Variations on Night”. Attendees of these productions will vote on next year’s theme for the 2027 Variations Project.
Once the theme is chosen, a party is held in January where people interested in being involved with the project explore ideas and spark the beginnings of stories that act as springboards for authors to use for writing their ten-minute original plays. Submissions are due towards the end of February, and selections are made in March. Rehearsals begin, and then productions take place in July. The Variations Project has been taking place since 2005.
“Variations on Silence” will feature plays by Deborah Carry-Amland, Allison Chen, Gabe Fremuth, Natasha Joyce and Martin Thompson, Taylor Leigh Lamb, Wendy Matt, Alfonso Morales-Escobar, Tia Nellie, Regan Marie Nelson, Mae Philippe-Auguste, Douglass E. Smith Jr., and Colin Tillery. The plays will be directed by Janis Hannon, and performed by an ensemble cast of six, two of whom have participated in previous Variations Projects.
Broadway World has described The Variations Project as “an important construct in the Baltimore arts community”, and DC Metro Theater Arts called it “a fun and worthwhile Baltimore institution”.
Rapid Lemon Productions was established in 2012 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit theater company to develop and show new work that represents its community, created by its community. The company has taken on the Variations Project since 2015 but also presents world and regional premieres of full-length plays. Established playwrights, including Suzan-Lori Parks, Chisa Hutchinson, D.W. Gregory, Audrey Cefaly, Hope Villanueva, and Erlina Ortiz have all premiered their work with Rapid Lemon Productions.
Performances will be at Strand Theater, 5426 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD. Tickets are general admission, $25. A special discounted “Industry Night” performance is just $15, on Monday, July 13.
Tickets are available at Rapid Lemon Productions’ website. Rapid Lemon Productions uses paperless ticketing, so patrons’ names will be at will call on the date of the performance.
