With the Threepenny Opera, Baltimore’s Annex Theater is moving into the big leagues… in a manner of speaking. The theater company is known for productions that charm through their creative use of salvaged materials, tongue-in-cheek pop culture parodies, and silly spirit. And while much of that heart will still be on evidence in this production of the 1928 hit musical by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, the Annex will — for the first time — be taking the stage on, well, a real stage. They’ve commandeered the long-vacant theater on the corner of Charles and 25th Streets, lined up some live musical accompaniment, and will be taking the production on the road for shows up and down the east coast once the Baltimore run is through.
The show — centering on the complex machinations of a group of prostitutes, criminals, and other lovable low-lifes — was directed by Evan Moritz (deemed Baltimore’s best director by the City Paper) with help from musical director Walker Teret.
And although plans for the play were well underway before the Occupy movement sprang up, it seems a serendipitous time to revisit a work where the villains are bankers. You’ve got both this weekend and next to check out the show. “Mack the Knife”! “Pirate Jenny”! This is a crowd-pleaser if ever there was one. Buy tickets here.
