Andrew Horn News

Fiddler traffics in the safest kind of nostalgia, reminiscences of a world no one would want to return to. It's a lovely flirtation with a way of life that is safely dead. The only real question is whether it is done well. And I'm pleased to say that it's done very well by Toby's.

The Atlanta Opera, one of the nation's finest regional opera companies enriching lives through the power of opera, yesterday announced its 2013-2014 season. The season opens with Tosca in October 2013, followed by Gounod's Faust in March 2014, and concludes with The Barber of Seville in April and May 2014. All performances will take place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

With over 30 new productions opening on DC area stages, 4 large festivals, and 2 world premiere musicals, it may still be chilly outside, but DC area stages are sizzling and bursting with great theatre. So come visit the Nation's Capital and visit our vibrant theatre scene.

Happy Holidays everyone! Come visit our Nation's Capital during the holiday season. It's such a beautiful time of the year here, with so many lights shimmering on the monuments, The Mall, and on The White House. As we await the first snow flakes, DC area theatres are chocked full of productions for the whole family filled with elves, reindeers, Santas, and Scrooges.

Toby's Baltimore Dinner Theatre gives the award-winning musical adaptation of the Dickens novel a worthy production.

The DC area stages' theatre choices in March are dizzying! There's a new play by Terrence McNally at the Kennedy Center, and an off-Broadway gem at Signature Theatre. Adam Guettel's gorgeous Tony Award-winning harmonies will fill Arena Stage in Crystal City. Fagin and his orphans and zaftig Edna Turnblad and her daughter Tracy - will be singing and dancing at Toby's Dinner Theatre in Baltimore and Columbia, MD, and a blood-thirsty musical will be establishing roots at Ford's Theatre. With over 30 shows opening this month, come visit the DC area's 205 theatre venues, and have a monumental time!

There are two things you should know about me: I am a musical theatre lover, and I love to schmooze with actors and composers. I am very fortunate to live in the DC area where our theatre community is growing by leaps and bounds. There are so many productions opening in September in DC, Maryland and Virginia theatres, my head is spinning trying to figure out which ones I will see.

'Gang of Seven,' a new comedy by Jim Neu, rips the lid off the dynamics, delusions, and dangers of the focus group movement sweeping across America.

Toby's original version of Phantom of the Opera, written by local artists, plays at the Baltimore location through November 16.

The area premiere of All Shook Up plays at Toby's Dinner Theatre of Columbia through August 24th!

REVIEW: The Dreamcoat is hidden in this good, but less than Amazing revival.

Toby's Dinner Theatres' David Bosley-Reynolds

WHO: Toby's Dinner Theatre of Columbia WHAT: The Sound of Music WHEN: Through February 17. Show times and prices vary. TICKETS AND INFORMATION: 410-995-1969 or 1-800-88-TOBYS or www.tobysdinnertheatre.com

Penguin Rep, a suburban Equity house formed in 1977 as a community theater, is presenting 'The Goldman Project' in NYC.

WHO: Toby's Dinner Theatre of Columbia WHAT: Titanic: The Musical WHEN: Through November 11. Performance schedule and pricing varies. INFORMATION: www.tobysdinnertheatre.com or 1-800-88-TOBYS

WHO: Toby's Dinner Theatre of Baltimore WHAT: Fiddler on the Roof WHEN: Through June 10; Schedule varies. INFORMATION & SCALE OF PRICES: Go to www.tobysdinnertheatre.com or call 410-649-1660

WHO: Toby's Dinner Theatre of Baltimore WHAT: The Full Monty WHEN: Through March 25. Thurs. - Sun., with some Tues, Weds, evenings and Thurs matinees. BWW Discount 03/01, 02 and 04! Buy One, Get One!

WHO: Toby's Dinner Theatre of Baltimore WHAT: It's a Wonderful Life: The Musical WHEN: Through January 14th, Thurs - Sun, with select Weds and Thurs matinees HOW MUCH: Prices vary. Go to www.tobysdinnertheatre.com