HELLO, STAR
From Peabody Opera Theater
February 12 – 15
A young girl named Celeste is captivated by a call from a bright dying star. With curiosity as her leader and her Mother as guide, she still questions her ability to meet the star before it fades away. Will she allow her self-doubts and expectations of what should happen get the best of her curiosity or will she achieve her goal and see possibilities beyond her wildest dreams?
Composer Carla Lucero
Librettist Jarrod Lee
Co-commissioned by Opera Parallèle and The Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University
Based on the book by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
Directed by Mary Duncan
Conducted by Gloria Yin
Singers and orchestra from The Peabody Opera Theater
Approx. 55 minutes without intermission
Sung in English, ages 6 +
(Followed by a short audience talk back with the cast and creatives)
Showtimes:
February 12 @ 7:30pm
February 13 @ 7:30pm
February 14 @ 7:30pm
February 15 @ 3:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors: $15
Students: $10
Please click below to purchase tickets.
THE GREAT ESCAPE!
A BROADWAY JOURNEY
From Peabody Opera Theater
February 20 & 21
THE GREAT ESCAPE!
A BROADWAY JOURNEY
A lively evening of music from beloved contemporary and classic American Musicals.
Directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge
With pianist Patrick O’Donnell
Approx. 1 hour sung in English
Showtimes:
February 20 @ 7:30pm
February 21 @ 7:30pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors: $15
Students: $10
Please click below to purchase tickets.
THE OTHER SIDE OF HOLLYWOOD
By US Karagoz Theatre Company
February 26 & 27
THE OTHER SIDE OF HOLLYWOOD is a free adaptation of DELI DUMRUL, one of the oldest Turkish literary works, believed to have been written in the 10th century as part of the DEDE KORKUT stories. Rewriting and transporting the tale to Hollywood, Ayhan Hulagu weaves a fantastical world where humor, tradition, and modernity intertwine across cultures.
The story of DELI DUMRUL, a part of the DEDE KORKUT tales, revolves around a brave but arrogant warrior named Dumrul. He builds a bridge in a desolate area and seeks to profit unjustly from those who cross it. One day, a man dies near the bridge, prompting Dumrul to challenge Azrael, the Angel of Death. God punishes to teach him humility: Dumrul must find someone willing to sacrifice their life for him.
In this new adaptation, the tale is transported to Hollywood, with Karagöz, literally Black-Eye, who is the hero of traditional Anatolian shadow play, now taking up Dumrul’s role at the bridge. But this bridge is unlike any other—it connects good and evil, beauty and ugliness, this world and the afterlife. Karagöz, continuing to pursue unjust gains, crosses paths with Azrael once again. To save his life, he must find another soul to take his place. Along the way, he encounters stars like William Shakespeare, Charlie Chaplin, and Marlon Brando, who have crossed from the other world to this one, leading to humorous and entertaining attempts to get what he needs.
Combining the story of DELI DUMRUL, listed by UNESCO as part of humanity’s cultural heritage, with traditional Anatolian shadow theater, also recognized by UNESCO, Ayhan Hulagu builds a cultural bridge between traditions. The artist crafts all characters by hand, transferring them onto leather in the traditional style, and performs every role himself, bringing the tale to life in a one-of-a-kind performance.
*There will be a talk-back with the Artist following each performance.*
Showtimes:
February 26 @ 7:30pm
February 27 @ 7:30pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors & Artists: $20
Students: $15
Please click below to purchase tickets.
THE FOREST OF THE WITCH
By US Karagoz Theatre Company
February 28
THE FOREST OF THE WITCH is a modern interpretation of Karagoz, literally Black-Eye, who is the hero of traditional Anatolian shadow play. The story of THE FOREST OF THE WITCH is adapted from a play named THE BLOODY POPLAR by Turkish shadow theatre performer Muhittin Sevilen. The story is turned into a screenplay after being rewritten by Ayhan Hulagu. Karagoz and Hacivat are the lead characters of an exemplary subject of THE FOREST OF THE WITCH like all classic shadow texts.
THE FOREST OF THE WITCH is a universal theme for everyone. Karagoz fights with a huge poplar that turns green in the middle of a neighborhood. He cuts all branches of the poplar and then prepares them as wood in order to set it on fire during winter. After a while, he learns that the poplar is magical.
The puppets of Karagoz and Hacivat are made from the hide of a camel or water buffalo like those made during the era of the Ottoman Empire. The puppets are designed and made from natural colors by the performing artist and they are staged with the aim of conventional methods. In general, classical Karagoz music is played during shadow play. All the characters are performed by a single artist.
*There will be a talk-back with the Artist following each performance.*
Showtimes:
February 28 @ 2:00pm
February 28 @ 7:30pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors & Artists: $20
Students: $15
Please click below to purchase tickets.
FRANCES HARPER: AN ACTIVIST/ARTIVIST LIFE
By Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre
March 1
FRANCES HARPER: AN ACTIVIST/ARTIVIST LIFE portrays Harper’s multiple accomplishments through a choreographic, multidisciplinary production. Directed by Professor Emerita, Lynnette Young Overby, the program brings to life Harper’s poetry, novels, lectures and enduring legacy that not only informs us of the impactful life she lived from 1825-1911 – but is relevant to the challenges we face today. The production includes Her poems Blessed Hope, Slave Mother, and Sketches of a Southern Life. Her novel, Iola Leroy; short story, The Two Offers; and her lecture, We are All Bound Up Together are also included in the program. Additionally, there are original poems by Glenis Redmond and Original music by Ralph Russell, David Horton and Vianne Reay.
The 14 performers include current and former University of Delaware students as well as local community and professional performers. Seven choreographers have created dances that are evocative and illuminate the meaning of Harper’s work and life. Sheria Benn, a professional actress who has previously performed a solo work based on Frances Harper’s life, embodies Harper as she weaves together the various suites in this program. The production concludes with an adapted version of Every Time I Feel the Spirit, by Arreon Harley-Emerson, performed by his award-winning choir – Elevate Vocal Arts.
Performed by Sharing Our Legacy Dance Theatre, the piece exemplifies “embodied history,” Dr. Overby’s method of interpreting African American narratives through dance, music, poetry, and visual art. Her past works—created through deep collaboration with choreographers, historians, and artists—include David Drake: An Enslaved Potter’s Tale, Sketches: The Life of Harriet E. Wilson, Mary Ann Shadd Cary: Her Life and Legacy, and Women of Consequence.
With FRANCES HARPER: AN ACTIVIST/ARTIVIST LIFE, Dr. Overby continues her vital work of illuminating untold Black stories and engaging audiences through the power of performance. In partnership with #DigBlk, she brings Harper’s legacy to life for a new generation—reclaiming history, honoring resilience, and celebrating artistic activism.
Showtime:
March 1 @ 3:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $20
Students & Seniors: $10
Please click below to purchase tickets.
PLEASE
By Felicia Cooper
March 6 – 8
A New Woyzeck is erected as a pea-eating cam girl for the 21st century using puppetry, projection, and pop music. A high intensity trip through expressionism and indie sleaze, this performance explores the depths of surveillance, power and who holds it.
Felicia Cooper is a Minneapolis-based artist working puppetry and performance. Her work has been seen at Dixon Place, LaMama Theater’s Puppet Festival, the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, Full Moon Puppet Show, In the Heart of the Beast Theater, and more. Her work has been supported by The Tri M Foundation, The National Humanities Center, the National Puppetry Conference, the Connecticut Sea Grant, the Heinz Foundation, the Pennsylvania State Arts Board, and others. She has held artistic residencies with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, The Bell Museum, the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance, Open Eye Theater, Winterthur Museum and Gardens, folkLAB, the New Hazlett Theater, and others. As an extension of her social practice, she conducts contextual research. She holds an MFA in Puppetry from the University of Connecticut.
Showtimes:
Photo by Richard Termine
March 6 @ 7:30pm
March 7 @ 7:30pm
March 8 @ 2pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors & Artists: $20
Students: $15
Please click below to purchase tickets.
REALLY QUITE A LOT OF MECHANISMS
By Alex and Olmsted
March 12 – 29
REALLY QUITE A LOT OF MECHANISMS is a darkly comedic puppet show set in the not too distant Now when nations are at war, bad things happen to good people, and dropped toast always lands butter side down.
Life is illogical but you know what isn’t? Mechanisms! The Lever! The Pulley! And, O! Hail the Inclined Plane!
Life is full of chaos and confusion but, good people, take solace in the knowledge that just beneath the world we see, there are…Really Quite A Lot of Mechanisms.
Showtimes:
March 12 @ 7:30pm (Pay-What-You-Can)
March 13 @ 7:30pm
March 14 @ 3:00pm
March 14 @ 7:30pm
March 15 @ 3:00pm
March 19 @ 7:30pm
March 20 @ 7:30pm
March 21 @ 3:00pm
March 21 @ 7:30pm
March 22 @ 3:00pm
March 26 @ 7:30pm
March 27 @ 7:30pm
March 28 @ 3:00pm
March 28 @ 7:30pm
March 29 @ 3:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission – $25
Students, Seniors & Artists – $15
March 12 (Pay-What-You-Can)
Please click below to purchase tickets.
From IN Series
FOR WOMEN SERVING TIME
Music by Adrienne Torf
Text by Fatemeh Keshavarz
Directed by Timothy Nelson
Musical Direction by Adrienne Torf
April 10 – 12
Persian-American poet and scholar Fatemeh Keshavarz and jazz pianist and composer Adrienne Torf come together to make a new piece of opera-theater that fuses Faure’s Requiem, jazz elements, and Brechtian theatrical traditions in a powerful contemplation of the human experiences contained in “ female incarceration in America”.
This extended poem-opera sheds light on the lives and resilience of women in the U.S. prison system, their hopes, dreams, fears, and day to day experiences, offering a voice to a population often overlooked.
Six acclaimed local performers join the composer herself, leading an instrumental ensemble from the piano, to animate the important original work.
Showtimes:
April 10 @ 7:30pm
April 11 @ 7:30pm
April 12 @ 2:30pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $35
Students: $25
Please click below to purchase tickets.
From Baltimore City College Drama Club Presents
A FEW GOOD MEN
By Aaron Sorkin
April 16 – 19
When two Marines are accused of murdering a third, their trial snowballs into a showdown pitting military hierarchy against individual morality. Aaron Sorkin’s modern classic A Few Good Men portrays this gripping courtroom drama with ingenious dialogue, whip-smart humor, and explosive intensity
Showtimes:
April 16 @ 6:00pm
April 17 @ 3:00pm
April 18 @ 6:00pm
April 19 @ 1:00pm
Tickets:
Adults: $7
Students & Children: $5
Tickets will be available soon.
ESCENAS FLAMENCAS
From Canvas to Life
By Furia Flamenca Dance Company
April 25
ESCENAS FLAMENCAS brings the world of flamenco to life by turning iconic oil paintings into live performances. Each painting represents a different flamenco style. First the scene appears as a still image, full of color and mood. Then the dancers break away from the canvas and carry the style forward with movement, rhythm, and emotion.
The production is created by Furia Flamenca and The Flamenco Workshop. Choreography and dance are performed by Estela and Daniel Paredez from Furia Flamenca. The music is brought to life by Alma and Paul, with the special collaboration of Bruno Lucini, percussionist and drummer from the Latin jazz band Downtown Tumbao.
Together they shape a show that feels both artistic and electric. Each cuadro grows from brushstroke to dance, from silence to guitar, voice, and percussion. The result is a unique espectáculo filled with power, passion, and the spirit of flamenco in its purest form.
Showtime:
April 25 @ 2:30pm
April 25 @ 7:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors & Artists: $20
Students: $15
Please click below to purchase tickets.
EVERYTHING IS OK
Music and Lyrics by Melissa Sharlat
Book by Rich Espey
Directed by Gina Braden
April 26
Everything Is OK is a rock musical about a woman learning to recognize the signs of narcissistic abuse in a relationship and learning how to end that relationship, heal, and triumph.
Singer/songwriter Victoria is in a “great” relationship with charismatic sci-fi novelist Nick, but his praise and attention gradually devolve into malignant narcissism. A hard road for Victoria leads her to a supportive therapy group that offers clarity, healing, and empowerment. It’s a piece that blends serious relationship issues, humor, and a wide variety of musical styles.
This performance is a concert reading with a full band onstage.
Showtime:
April 26 @ 2:00pm
Tickets:
Pay-What-You-Can (Suggested Amount: $20)
Please click below to reserve tickets.
GOOD TROUBLE (Excerpts)
By VTDance/Vincent E. Thomas
May 9 & 10
VTDance/Vincent E. Thomas presents Excerpts of GOOD TROUBLE.
“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” (John Lewis)
The dance project GOOD TROUBLE is an artful and ‘necessary’ work to ignite, instigate, investigate, and inspire dialogue and actions to strengthen the soil and soul of America. Join the journey with new excerpts of GOOD TROUBLE.
Showtimes:
Saturday, May 9 @ 7:00pm
Sunday, May 10 @ 2:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors/Artists: $20
Students: $15
Please click below to purchase tickets.
From Music in Words
ENOCH ARDEN
Words by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Music by Richard Strauss
Transcription for string trio by Molly von Gutzeit
May 15 – 17
The narrative poem ENOCH ARDEN was published by ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON in 1864 during his tenure as England’s poet laureate. The poem tells the emotionally charged story of a fisherman-turned-merchant sailor who becomes lost at sea, and it gives its name to the legal precedent whereby a person can remarry in the event of a spouse’s absence and presumed death. In 1897, RICHARD STRAUSS set the poem as a recitation for speaker and piano. These performances mark the world premiere of a transcription for string trio accompaniment by Molly von Gutzeit.
JUDITH KRUMMECK, Speaker
NIKITA BORISEVICH, Violin
BENJAMIN VON GUTZEIT, Viola
MOLLY VON GUTZEIT, Cello
*Running time: 75 minutes with a brief intermission
Showtimes:
May 15 @ 7:30pm
May 16 @ 7:30pm
May 17 @ 3:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $30
Seniors: $25
Students: $20
Please click below to purchase tickets.
THE VIEW UPSTAIRS
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Max Vernon
Iron Crow Theatre
May 29 – June 14
THE VIEW UPSTAIRS is a fiercely original, soul-stirring tribute to queer history, community, and resilience. With a lush, genre-blending score by Max Vernon, this boundary-pushing work transports audiences to 1973 New Orleans and into the Upstairs Lounge—a vibrant gay bar and haven for queer joy, chosen family, and radical self-expression.
Inspired by the true story of the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ+ community in U.S. history prior to the Pulse Nightclub tragedy, THE VIEW UPSTAIRS reclaims a moment in our collective history many tried to erase. It invites us to gather in solidarity with those we lost, and challenges us to confront what allowed the world to look away.
Showtimes:
May 29 @ 8pm
May 30 @ 8pm
May 31 @ 3pm
June 5 @ 8pm
June 6 @ 8pm
June 7 @ 3pm
June 12 @ 8pm
June 13 @ 2pm
June 13 @ 8pm
June 14 @ 3pm
Tickets:
Available soon
Please click the crow below for more information.
From IN Series
THE SONG OF SAKUNTALA
Music by Timothy Nelson
Texts by Sarojini Naidu Rabindranath Tagore, Vidyapati
Direction and Dance by Hari Krishnan
June 19 – 21
With its story taken from India’s most famous dramatic work, Kalidasa’s 5th century play SHAKUNTALA, itself made into an opera by composers such as Alfano and Schubert, this new opera by IN Series Artistic Director Timothy Nelson fuses Western baroque instruments with Indian classical instruments to create a “dance-opera” on the themes of love, loss, and redemption. Its libretto is formed from the texts of formational Indian poets from across centuries, as well as the sacred Mahabharata words.
Imagined in the still of a concert of Indian classical music, it promises an evening like a “single song, permutated across the hours, in a mood of evocation and remembrance and longing illuminated by swirling, dizzying aspiration – meditation, yearning, whispering, calling, chanting, talking and touching late into the night.”
Featuring: Aryssa Leigh Burrs, Teresa Ferrara
Showtimes:
June 19 @ 7:30pm
June 20 @ 7:30pm
June 21 @ 2:30pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $35
Students: $25
Please click below to purchase tickets.
PHARAOH: EGYPT’S WOMAN KING HATSHEPSUT
Written by Tim Hogan
Directed by and Starring Michal Roxie Johnson
August 8
Driven by ambition and a call from the gods, Hatshepsut, a woman who lived 3,500 years ago, defied the odds, claimed the throne from a boy-king, dressed like a man, and ruled patriarchal Ancient Egypt (Kemet) as a female Pharaoh before her memory was nearly erased.
Relive the untold true story of history’s first great woman ruler and her Machiavellian-like rise to power. In an epic biographical One-Woman play featuring a tour-de-force performance by actress Michal Roxie Johnson, embodying 18 distinct roles across every age, class, and gender, the work speaks to universal themes of womanhood, gender identity, and empowerment once thought lost to the sands of time…
Showtime:
August 8 @ 2:00pm
August 8 @ 8:00pm
Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Seniors & Artists: $20
Students: $15
Please click below to purchase tickets.
