Cumberland Theatre’s 35th Season Continues with Hollywood Classic

The Wisdom of Eve filmed as All About Eve is next up on the CT stage

The Cumberland Theatre will continue their 35th Anniversary Season with the stage version of the classic film All About Eve on Friday, March 10th. A red carpet themed opening party is planned to follow the performance which includes complimentary refreshments, champagne, prizes and the debut and sampling of CT’s signature 35th Anniversary barrel-aged Manhattan cocktail. There is no additional cost to attend the party. It is included in the ticket cost for that evening’s performance.

The stage play The Wisdom of Eve is adapted from the short story by Mary Orr, on which the film All About Eve and the musical Applause! is based. An engrossing and revealing “inside” story of life in New York’s theatre world, told in terms of an unscrupulous ingenue’s rise to Broadway stardom. When we first meet Eve Harrington, she is standing in the rain by the stage door of the theatre in which the renowned Margo Crane is starring in her latest long-run hit. Waiting for a glimpse of her professed idol, she accosts Karen Roberts, Margo’s good friend and the wife of the playwright, Lloyd Roberts, and inveigles an invitation to meet the great actress herself. The meeting leads to unexpected opportunity as Margo, struck with Eve’s “sincerity,” takes her on as a personal secretary. Before long, Eve begins to move ahead in earnest, her true character emerging as she lies, cheats and blackmails leaving the wreckage of her friends’ trust behind her. The Wisdom of Eve examines the lengths individuals will go to for fame.

Orr, who was an actress, penned the short story for Cosmopolitan Magazine in 1946. The film All About Eve debuted in 1950 and starred cinema legend Bette Davis as well as Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Thelma Ritter and Marilyn Monroe in one of her earliest film roles. Praised by critics at the time of its release, All About Eve received a record 14 Academy Award nominations and won six, including Best Picture. All About Eve is the only film in Oscar history to receive four female acting nominations (Davis and Baxter as Best Actress, Holm and Ritter as Best Supporting Actress). Widely considered as among the greatest films of all time, in 1990, it became one of 25 films selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress' National Film Registry, deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film was ranked No. 16 on AFI's 1998 list of the 100 best American films.

CT’s upcoming production features Artistic Director Kimberli Rowley as Margo Crane and, making her CT debut, Alexandra Tarsinov as Eve Harrington. Rowley was most recently seen as Barbara in August: Osage County and Countess Andrenyi in Murder on the Orient Express. Tarsinov is a graduate of the Hartt School’s Musical Theatre BFA program and has appeared throughout the region in such roles as Annette in Saturday Night Fever and Hope Harcourt in Anything Goes.

Also featured in principal roles are CT regulars Bill Dennison (Lloyd Roberts), Ashley Snow (Karen Roberts) and Seth Thompson (Clement Howell). Dennison has recently appeared as Little Charles in August: Osage County and Austin in True West. Snow was last seen as Miss Scarlett in Clue on Stage. Thompson was last seen as Samuel Ratchett in Murder on the Orient Express.

Returning to the CT stage from last season are local actors Lura Thompson, Emily Snyder and Garrett County actor Mikey Virts. Thompson appeared in last fall’s Haunting of Hill House. Snyder was last seen as part of the ensemble of the musical Rock of Ages and Virts portrayed Steve in August: Osage County and currently serves as the Artistic Director at Our Town Theatre in Oakland.

Other visiting actors in supporting roles include Adian Chapman who was just appeared as Colonel Arbuthnot in this season’s Murder on the Orient Express and New York based actor Pierce Bunch who is making his CT debut.

The production is under the direction of Seth Thompson, who also directed 2021’s production of The Outsiders and served as Assistant Director on Murder on the Orient Express. The design team is comprised of Rhett Wolford (set), Cody Gillum (costumes) and Joshua Taylor (lighting). The run crew consists of Hayden Kline (stage manager) and Elizabeth Mudge (assistant stage manager).

The show is being sponsored by Carl Belt, Inc. Performances are March 9th – 19th with Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm. The red carpet themed opening reception is included in the ticket price for Friday, March 10th.

More information on ratings, group sales, etc can be found on cumberlandtheatre.com where single tickets are available for purchase as well as 2023 Season Passes.

CT STARS OF TOMORROW HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR SPONGEBOB THE MUSICAL

Roles available for young actors 5 – 20 years old

The Cumberland Theatre will be holding auditions for their first Stars of Tomorrow production of the season on February 13th and 14th at the theatre from 5:00 – 8:00 pm. The program is designed for young actors ages 5 – 20 years old. This year, the production will be SpongeBob the Musical based on the popular cartoon SpongeBob Square Pants.

The plot is simple, yet it will resonate with audience members of all ages. When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. With lives hanging in the balance and all hope lost, a most

unexpected hero rises up and we realize that the power of optimism really can save the world!

The show features original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, and David Bowie.

All roles are open and no experience is required to audition. Those auditioning will be asked to prepare 16 bars of an uptempo song and bring a karaoke track to sing to as well as learn a short dance combination. Those interested in principle roles will be asked to read from the script. A complete character list can be found on the theatre’s website.

The show will play for six performances April 13th – 16th with Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows at 7:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday shows at 2:00 pm. Rehearsals will begin in late February. The creative team consists of Marty Jellyson (Director), Mikayla Dodge (music director) and Kimberli Rowley (choreographer).

To schedule your audition appointment time, please visit www.cumberlandtheatre.com and fill out the form under SOT Auditions.

Murder on the Orient Express kicks off CT's 35th Year!

Classic murder mystery will open anniversary season

The Cumberland Theatre will officially open their 35th Anniversary Season with the classic murder mystery Murder on the Orient Express on Friday, February 10th. A celebration gala is planned to follow the performance which includes complimentary refreshments, a champagne toast, prizes and the announcement of the Cumberland Theatre Patron of the Year award. There is no additional cost to attend the gala. It is included in the ticket cost for that evening’s performance.

Written in 1934 by Agatha Christie, and loosely based on the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby, the story focuses on an unlikely group of passengers aboard one of the most famous railways in the world. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again.

The novel has been recreated on television, the silver screen and the stage several times over. The most recent incarnation was the 2017 film starring Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Michelle Pfieffer and Kennth Branagh. This clever stage adaptation by Ken Ludwig boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense of Dame Agatha's celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humor to quicken the pace.

CT’s upcoming rendition features both local and visiting actors and marks the debut of several new faces to the theatre’s stage. The role Hercule Poirot, Christie’s famous detective – who has been embodied by the likes of Albert Finney, Alfred Molina and Branagh will be filled by Michael P. Sullivan. Based in Baltimore, MD, Sullivan has been a member of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company for over 15 years. Favorite roles at include: Dracula in Dracula, Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, and Titus in Titus Andronicus He began his professional career as a reporter for WHAG-TV working in Cumberland.

Michael P. Sullivan will portray Hercule Poirot

Also make their CT debuts will be Reiner Prochaska as Monsieur Bouc and Mindy Shaw as Helen Hubbard. Prochaska is an actor, playwright, filmmaker and novelist from Frederick, MD. He has been a member of the Maryland Ensemble Theatre since 2005. Shaw has performed in NY, LA, DC, and FL and is currently based in Illinois. Before being transported to the Midwest Mindy worked extensively in and around Washington, DC. She can be seen in the feature filmsBurntHickory,I Like Me, andThe American Dreamand numerous award-winning short films.

Returning to the CT stage from last season’s production of Macbeth will be Joe Staton as Hector MacQueen and Mark Worth as Michel the Conductor. Staton is a British actor, director, and producer based in New York City. Worth is based out of the Central Atlantic and New York area and has been acting for film and stage since age eight. Most recently, he was cast in the national tour of Encore!

Other CT veteran actors joining the cast are Alexandra Shephard as Greta Ohllson, Seth Thompson as Samuel Ratchett and Kimberli Rowley as Countess Adrenyi. Shephard has appeared in several CT shows including Company, Macbeth and Ring of Fire. Thompson was seen last season as Lee in True West and the title role in Macbeth. Rowley is the current Artistic Director of the theatre and was last seen on stage as Barbara in August: Osage County.

Completing the cast are newcomers and visiting actors Adian Chapman and Brenna Peerbolt and local actor Ellen McDaniel-Weissler. All three are making their first appearance with Cumberland Theatre. Chapman is an actor, writer and director comedian from Richmond, Virginia. Peerbolt is originally from Holland, Michigan but now resides in New York City where she graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. McDaniel-Weissler has been working in professional theatre since the 1980’s. She has appeared across the nation in Tulsa, Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, New York, and Philadelphia–and, of course, Cumberland, where she currently resides with her family.

The production is under the direction of Kimberli Rowley with assistant direction by Seth Thompson. The design team is comprised of Rhett Wolford (set and lighting), Joel Hoover (costumes) and Trevor McCabe (props). Nicole Mattis will serve as the dialect coach. The run crew consists of Hayden Kline (stage manager), Elizabeth Mudge (assistant stage manager), Tyler Gilks (deck crew) and Jack Tabb (deck crew).

The show is being sponsored by Doug Schwab & Betsey Hurwitz Schwab, Mary Splain Shrout and Chessie Federal Credit Union. The concession stand for the show is being sponsored by Allegany College of Maryland and will feature signature cocktails in the theme of the show.

Performances are February 9th – 19th with Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm. The gala opening reception is included in the ticket price for February 10th. More information on ratings, group sale, etc can be found on cumberlandtheatre.com where single tickets are available for purchase as well as 2023 Season Passes.