There is more to love in NextStop Theatre’s ‘Once’ than boy...

Thankfully, the talented ensemble has enough personality to make up for the script’s relative blandness. By MELISSA LIN STURGES

A lusty, gutsy ‘Lysistrata’ kicks off new Glass Canon Theatre Company

Raunchy wit meets antiwar radicalism in this spectacularly entertaining debut production. By JOHN STOLTENBERG

A lively and laugh-filled ‘Emma’ at Everyman Theatre

Kate Hamill’s rollicking and fresh adaptation of Jane Austin’s marvelous classic modifies it to suit modern sense and sensibility. By JENNIFER GEORGIA

An excellent ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ by Ardeo Theatre

This is above all an actors’ play, and the level of acting in the production does full justice to Albee’s words and characters. By BOB ASHBY

There’s magic at play in Signature Theatre’s dazzling ‘Pippin’

Director Matthew Gardiner molds a ’70s-era rock musical into a timely and timeless production that feels fresh and relevant. By LISA TRAIGER

Camp and joy for the entire family in ‘The SpongeBob Musical’...

What begins as a bright, chaotic adaptation of a children’s cartoon evolves into a reminder that optimism, empathy, and imagination are paramount. By LAURA MILLS

With ‘Guys and Dolls,’ Riverside Center rolls a winner 

This standout musical comedy production has style, timing, and big voices. By JEFFREY WALKER

The fine art of survival as a woman artist in ‘Or,’...

In this deliriously witty, fast-paced, and fun-to-watch show are memorable aphorisms of advocacy for the first Englishwoman professional playwright. By JOHN STOLTENBERG

Thoroughly charming ‘Little Women: The Musical’ at Creative Cauldron

The production combines tradition and feminism into a feast for the eye, the ear, and the heart. By JENNIFER GEORGIA

‘The Motion’ at Arena is a mindbender problem play

Christopher Chen’s latest provocation serves up an ethical parable right out of a ‘Star Trek’ episode. By CHRIS KLIMEK

A mother searches for her disappeared son in mythic ‘Ghost Limb’...

Set in 1970s Argentina, when a military dictatorship waged war against its own people, Marisela Treviño Orta’s striking play dramatizes one family’s suffering. By BOB ASHBY

WNO’s ‘West Side Story’ at Strathmore: a musical meditation on violence 

Performed in concert with no set, Washington National Opera’s no-gimmicks production was riveting. By MARC FJOR

The audience is the supporting cast in ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ at Maryland...

In an age of profound distrust, the show’s ability to bring a crowd of strangers together for a personal experience is, in itself, a brilliant thing. By MORGAN FEDDES SATRE 

Theatre Lab’s ‘Cabaret’ in Dupont Underground has echoes of 2026 

The musical addresses fascism when our own country is passively embracing fascism. By GREGORY FORD

‘The Great Gatsby’ musical is a grand spectacle on tour at...

In keeping with the luxurious extravagance that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about, this show is wonderfully ostentatious in the best possible way. By ZOE WINSKY

‘Purlie Victorious’ at Studio Theatre: over the top in the business...

A provocative, farcical race satire inspires a personal response. By MARC FJOR

Applause for Washington National Opera’s take on ‘West Side Story’

Director Francesca Zambello and her WNO team have created a show with the highest production values. By SUSAN GALBRAITH

‘42nd Street’ showcases Classic Theatre of Maryland talent

Sally Boyett directs and choreographs a fun tribute to the pains and joys of theater life. By CHARLES GREEN

GALA’s spirited ‘Aguardiente’ falls flat

A vibrant concept turns muddled in this confusing musical experiment. By ERIC COLCHAMIRO

In ‘El Ciclón’ at UMD, a womanist guide to community when...

The University of Maryland's multimedia musical is an affirmation of the free-floating anxiety and rage that many are experiencing now. By GREGORY FORD