Past Seasons – Silver Spring Stage

One Man, Two Guvnors

By Richard Bean
Directed By William T. Fleming

July 07, 2017 – July 29, 2017
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: July 16 and July 23

Brighton, England. 1963. Change is in the air, and Francis Henshall is looking to make his mark. Fired from a skiffle band and in search of work, he finds himself employed by small-time gangster Roscoe Crabbe, in town to collect a fee from his fiancée’s gangster father. But the real Roscoe is really dead, and this Roscoe is really his sister, Rachel. She’s not only posing as her own dead brother, but she’s also in love with his killer, Stanley Stubbers, who becomes our hero’s other ‘guvnor.’ Fighting a mounting sense of confusion, Francis goes out of his way to serve both bosses. But with the distractions of a pneumatic book keeper, a self-important actor, and select members of the criminal fraternity (not to mention his own mammoth appetite) to contend with, how long can he keep them apart?

A Bright New Boise

By Samuel D. Hunter
Directed By Xxxxxx

April 7, 2017 – April 30, 2017
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: April 23 and April 30

In the bleak break room of a craft store in Idaho, someone is summoning The Rapture. Will, who has fled his rural hometown after a scandal at his Evangelical church, comes to the Hobby Lobby not only for employment, but also to establish a relationship with Alex, his brooding teenage son, whom he gave up for adoption years earlier. Alex works there along with Leroy, his adopted brother and protector, and Anna, a hapless young woman who reads bland fiction but hopes for dramatic endings. As their manager, foul-mouthed Pauline, tries ceaselessly to find order (and profit) in the chaos of small business, these lost souls confront an unyielding world through the prism of modern faith.

Anton In Show Business

By Jane Martin
Directed By Erin Bone Steele

February 24, 2017 – March 18, 2017
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: March 5 and March 12

This madcap comedy follows three actresses across the footlights, down the rabbit hole, and into a strangely familiar Wonderland that looks a lot like American theatre. As these women pursue their dream of performing Chekhov in Texas, they’re whisked through a maelstrom of “good ideas” that offer unique solutions to the Three Sisters’ need to have life’s deeper purpose revealed. In the tradition of great backstage comedies, Anton conveys the joys, pains and absurdities of “putting on a play” at the turn of the century.

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This unabashed comedy follows three actresses (a young woman from Texas, a veteran Off-Off-Off Broadway actress, and a Hollywood TV star) – along with producers, donors, directors, crew, and critics – as they attempt to put on Chekhov’s play The Three Sisters at a small theater in Texas. Instead, they reveal much more about themselves, and about the pull between “the business” and the desire to create something meaningful. As it journeys through the strange wonderland of American theater, Anton in Show Business carries on the tradition of great backstage comedies.

Director: Erin Bone Steele
Producers: Jim Robertson and Alika Codispoti

Cast

Lisabette: Shannon McCarthy
Casey: Bri Goode
Holly: Stephanie Dorius
T-Anne/Don: Erica Smith
Ralph/Wickewitch/JoeBob: Lenora Spahn
Kate/Ben: Leigh Rawls
Andwyneth/Jackey/Airline Agent: Stephanie Pounds
Joby: Rita Sengupta

Silent Sky

By Lauren Gunderson
Directed By Bill Hurlbut

January 13, 2017 – February 4, 2017
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: January 22 and January 29

Silver Spring Stage is honored to present the Washington-area premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s play about a nearly forgotten giant of astronomy. Henrietta Leavitt’s singular passion to answer the question “Where are we”? produced the foundational science that allowed others–men, of course–to measure the universe.

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Ms. Gunderson’s treatment of Henrietta’s story is at turns funny, touching, and inspiring. It explores the toll of Henrietta’s passion on family, relationships, and health. Set against the backdrop of the harsh cultural norms of the early 20th century, the suffragette movement, and the oppression of women in the workplace, “Silent Sky” ultimately celebrates the joy of discovery.

Directed by Bill Hurlbut and produced by Seth Ghitelman, “Silent Sky” will leave you awed by the power of persistent inquiry.

Cast

Henrietta Leavitt: Marnie Kanarek
Margaret Leavitt: Annie Caruso
Anne Cannon: Marianne Meyers
Williamina Fleming: Mindy Shaw
Peter Shaw: Noah Rich

The Greatest Holiday Special (N)Ever

A Collaboration With The Coil Project

December 9, 2016 – December 18, 2016
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: December 11 and December 18

This year, treat yourself to a detour off the beaten holiday path. There’s nothing worse than tech week for a terrible holiday play…except getting snowed in with the cast and crew. Laughs abound, songs echo, and a few expletives fly as DC’s The Coil Project puts its spin on much-loved TV holiday specials of yore. (Recommended for patrons ages 16+)

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Cast

Lorraine Bouchard: Shelly
Kathleen Burnard: Nona
John D’Amato: Paul
Rebecca Fischler: JuliAnn
Erik Harrison: West
Jimmy Heyworth: Grant
Sara Joy Lebowitz: Anderson
Diego Maramba: Nathaniel
Andrew Quilpa: Baker
Bridgette Saverine: Spike
Michael Silver: Oliver
Amanda Zeitler: Glenn

Stupid F*cking Bird

By Aaron Posner
Directed By Ricky Drummond

October 21, 2016 – November 12, 2016
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: October 30 and November 06

In this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov’s The Seagull, Aaron Posner stages a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all. Stupid F*cking Bird will tickle you, tantalize you, and incite you to consider how art, love, and revolution fuel your own pursuit of happiness.

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Cast

Con: JC Payne
Emma: Emily Morrison
Trig: Kevin Dykstra
Nina: Annie Caruso
Sorn: Craig Miller
Mash: Tori Boutin
Dev: Zac Brightbill

Production Team

Director: Ricky Drummond
Producers: Andrea Spitz and David Gross
Stage Manager: Rebecca Talisman
Assistant Stage Manager: Alie Kamara
Set Designer & Master Carpenter: Andrew S. Greenleaf
Lighting Designer: Chris Curtis
Sound Designer:J ordana Abrenica
Sound Design Associate: Eric Small
Costume Designer: Maddy Belknap
Props Master: Sarah Forman
Artistic Liaison: Karen Fleming

The Emperor of North America

By Thomas Hischak
Directed By Scott Bloom

September 16, 2016 – October 1, 2016
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 2pm: September 18 and September 25

Silver Spring Stage is proud to present the world premiere of The Emperor of North America. The Stage is one of just seven theatre groups nationwide selected by the American Association of Community Theatre (AACT) to produce world premiere plays as part of the AACT NewPlayFest 2016.

In San Francisco 160 years ago, Joshua Norton of San Francisco declared himself the first Emperor of North America. Instead of ostracizing him as a madman, his city was charmed and played along. In this touching comedy by Thomas Hischak, Norton’s story has captivated Leo, a writer. But Leo struggles with competing pressures from his aging father, his girlfriend, his daughter, and his agent…as well as with his own internal conflict as he weighs his passion for his work against the draw of commercial success.

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Cast

Norton I, the emperor: Ted Culler
Leo, a writer: Brendan Murray
Sylvia, his agent: Pamela Northrup
Rita, his girlfriend: Lena Winter
Molly, his daughter: Lenora Spahn

Production Staff

Director: Scott Bloom
Producers: Lennie Magida and Jerry Schuchman
Assistant Director & Stage Manager: Kassie Stroud
Set Designer & Master Carpenter: Andrew S. Greenleaf
Lighting Designer: Jim Robertson

2016 One Act Festival

Silver Spring Stage is delighted to host Montgomery Playhouse for the 2016 One Act Festival.

The Festival takes place August 18-21 (Montgomery Playhouse) and August 25-28 (Silver Spring Stage) with a different program each weekend of published and non-published plays.

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Weekend 1 August 18-21 (Montgomery Playhouse)

Marriage Suite (drama)
by Daria Kerschenbaum

Directed by David Dossey
Kenneth – Cole Greenberg
Brynne – Z. Jones

Virtual Reality (absurdist)
by Alan Arkin

Directed by Bruce Hirsch
DeRecha – John Van Eck
Lefty – Stephanie Pounds

10,000 Cigarettes (comedy)
by Alex Broun

Directed by Jen Katz
Gloria 1 – Corrie Bolcik
Gloria 2 – McKenna G. Kelly
Gloria 3 – Melanie Lawrence
Gloria 4 – Courtney James

Weekend 2 August 25-28 (Silver Spring Stage)

Like the Last (comedy)
by D.L. Siegel

Directed by Bob Scott
Marcus – Matthew Datcher
Gray – Sean Gabbert
Bel – Juliana Ejedoghaobi
Kokoro – Momo Nakamura

TGIF (comedy)
by Michael Wolfson