One of the nicest things about a short play festival is that you’ll see things you’ve never seen before. One of the saddest things is that you are unlikely to see them again. For both of these reasons, I recommend you see Rapid Lemon Production’s Variations on Night at Strand Theater on Harford Road sooner rather than later. Opening night played to a sold-out house.
Baltimore’s Variations project presents a dozen or so short plays, freshly written, around a theme chosen by the previous Variations audience. At last year’s Variations on Courage, audiences chose “Night” as this year’s theme. by cash donations into glass milk jugs. When you come to see Variations on Night, bring some bills so you can vote to choose the theme for the next iteration of Variations: Silence, Resistance, or Destiny.
I had the opportunity to be immersed in the project’s development process this year. I attended the Variations party in January, which was open to everyone and is a community event focused on idea generation. Finished scripts were due at the end of February. In March, the plays were read over the course of several weekends by a number of actors who attended one session or many, reading each submission “cold,” that is, without preparation time. These cold readings allow playwrights to hear their words read aloud, possibly for the first time. The readings also serve as auditions for the actors. Once all the plays were read, the selection of cast and scripts happened simultaneously, as an ensemble cast performs all the roles in all the plays. One person — this year, Lauren Davis — directs the entire show, which lends continuity, aesthetically speaking, no matter how different the pieces are from one another. Rehearsals began in April, with playwright involvement, in case tweaks or rewrites were advisable. This season’s batch of scripts is solid, each with a kernel of human universality, sometimes sweet, sometimes unsettling, and occasionally brilliant.
Variations on The End, the 2023 one-act festival, had a distinct science fiction ethos. Variations on Night strikes me as thriller/ horror, a genre not frequently seen live on stage. The hardest thing in theater is, theoretically, comedy, whatever theme is the current soup du jour. The Lemons excel in this regard. No matter which flavor of Variations you sample, there’s frequently at least a sprinkle of comedy, often a generous dollop or an entire sandwich (I’m looking at you, “Bar Noir,” and the extra cheese all over that sandwich), and Variations on Night certainly highlights humor.
The actors, without exception, are impressive, versatile, watchable, relatable, and in a few cases, even better than the scripts. Devon Michelle Hernandez plays characters who are eternal, teenage, middle-aged, and a few hundred years old with equal panache and enthusiasm. Pablo Akira is terrific in both serious roles and silly ones. His deadpan is to die for, and his timing during a sound-cue-heavy sequence is perfect. ReginaGinaG is a spitfire of an elderly woman, a silky, foxy spot of trouble, a troubled teen, and a furious wife, so different in each that I checked the program twice.
Isaiah C. Evans has a delightful voice and a charming, grounded presence each time he appears, and his mournful sweetness as a marshy icon communicates even through layers of ghillie suit. Sarah Lynn Taylor’s performance ranges from exhausted sibling to femme fatale to super mom, and her sharp delivery is crisp and keen. Anthony Ross Ocampo is all over the spectrum of archetypes and clearly loving it. He is convincing as an anxious teen with an alarming issue, and disturbingly recognizable as a slimy, predatory dude who swears he’s harmless, giving each character a different attitude and physicality. This season’s Variations cast is outstanding and full of heart. Director Lauren Davis has made great choices with casting, timing, and blocking, and the whole show looks polished and shiny.
The show’s technical aspects are also exceedingly well done. Each costume, designed by Rowan Gardner, is perfect for its character, yet understated, so that the performance, not the wardrobe, is the star. Lighting Designer Martin Sundiata delivers beautiful regular lighting and excellent special effects. He and Sound Designer Max Garner create a wonderfully convincing thunderstorm that acts as an additional character in one of the plays.
I like short play festivals because I’m guaranteed to avoid looking at some old thing I’ve already seen, and if it’s boring or badly written, it’s over pretty quickly. Sometimes I sort of like some of them, and sometimes the whole thing is a hot mess. Rapid Lemon’s thoughtful and comprehensive handling of the Variations Project has taken it to a very high level of production value. Variations is now a showcase for local writing and acting talent. If you’re in the market to produce something brand new by a local writer, you need to cast an upcoming show, or you’re a curious theatergoer with a taste for fresh takes, come have a look at Variations on Night, and while you’re at it, enjoy a few laughs.
The plays
“Light Strikes a Deal” by Meri Robie
“Night Crawlers: A Coming-of-Age Story” by Isaiah C. Evans
“Son of My Son’s Son” by Dwight R.B. Cook
“Night Hawks” by Jalice Ortiz-Corral
“Who is She” by Kristen Wheeler
“Bar Noir” by Jonathan Tycko
INTERMISSION
“Fanann” by Tad Cleaves
“Meeting at Midnight” by Janis Hannon
“Another Dark Night of the Soul” by Clarinda Harriss
“Thank Myrnis” by Felicia Barr
“The Switch” by Iman Michele Dancy
“The Nicest Hotel in All of Iceland” by Allegra Hatem
Running Time: Two hours and 10 minutes, including one brief intermission.
Variations on Night plays through July 27, 2025 (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 PM; Sundays at 2 PM) presented by Rapid Lemon Productions performing at Strand Theater, 5426 Harford Rd, Baltimore, MD, (443) 874-4917. Purchase tickets ($25) online or at the door.
Seating is general admission, and, as Strand features nicely arranged risers, you’ll have a good view, wherever you sit. Intermission allows for a snack and bathroom break, but since Strand has only one restroom, there may be a wait. Street parking is available, and though it’s not necessarily plentiful or close, it’s often free.
Strand Theater, which is devoted to amplifying the voices of women, is located near a couple of really nice eateries — I’ve been meaning to try Maggie’s Farm, Diasporan Soul, and Lost In The 50s diner. However, I can personally recommend Koco’s Pub, Silver Queen Cafe, and Emma’s Tea Spot.
Final Factoid: Max Garner, who has been involved with the Variations Project since its inception in 2005, can recite, in order, each theme from all of the years.