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July 15, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

1A Arts Lead Archives

Church Hill Theatre and Chesapeake College present “The Belle of Amherst” in January

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Christine Kinlock,

In a unique joint production, William Luce’s one-woman play The Belle of Amherst will come to the stage at Church Hill Theatre on January 10, 11, and 12, then move to the Cadby Theatre at Chesapeake College for performances on January 18 and 19.

The play is based on the life of the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson, one of the most important figures in American literature. Her work is known for its bold originality and haunting personal voice, with themes exploring death, immortality, nature, and love.

Director Gil Rambach has worked closely with actor Christine Kinlock, who brings Dickinson to life with wit, occasional mischief, and an irrepressible gaiety of spirit. Kinlock, a local English and Theatre teacher, is a graduate of Wellesley College, a “Seven Sisters” colleague of Mount Holyoke College, where Dickinson studied. She has had a lifelong interest in both Dickinson and this play about her life and art.

The Belle of Amherst is set in Emily Dickinson’s Amherst, Massachusetts home from 1830 – 1866, using her poems, diaries and letters to illuminate her interactions with the significant people in her life—family, close friends, and acquaintances. It balances the agony of her seclusion with the brief bright moments when she experienced joy.

Tickets and further information about the CHT production can be found at churchhilltheatre.org or by calling the office at 410-556-6003. Tickets for the Chesapeake College venue may be purchased at Chesapeake.edu/TPAC.  Enjoy the show!

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“Ride the Cyclone at Opens Church Hill Theatre November 6

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Choreographer Greg Minahan (center) runs actors through some moves (left to right: Saige Wilson, JW Ruth, Natalie Stinchcomb, Ian Stotts)

The waiting is over. The world-wide musical sensation Ride the Cyclone opens at Church Hill Theatre on November 8, for only nine performances. Tickets started selling in August, so be sure to make your own reservations immediately. Ride the Cyclone, with music, lyrics and book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell has been called “…the most uproarious and outrageous piece of musical theatre Canada has ever produced.”  Since its premiere in 2008, this musical about doomed students from Uranium City, Saskatchewan, has become that rarity: a viral teen favorite that appeals to all generations. That is thanks to a timeless plot of loss and redemption—and to the memorable music.

Ride the Cyclone is introduced by Karnak (Howard Mesick), a mechanical fortune teller with the macabre ability to foretell when people will die.  Unable to warn students in the St. Cassian Chamber Choir about an impending accident on a fair midway, Karnak arranges a game of life and death, pitting the teens against each other. Karnak also predicts that “the one who wants to win it the most shall redeem the loser in order to complete the whole.” Confusing, right?

The first contestant is Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg (Saige Wilson), a supremely self-confident school leader. She convincingly argues that as the most likely to succeed, she is the most worthy of continued life. Karnak seems less impressed with her song, “What the World Needs.”

Next up is Noel Gruber (Connor Christopher), who, while dishing out orders at Taco Bell, dreams of being a flamboyant French prostitute.  Believing himself the only gay boy in Uranium City, Noel emulates Edith Piaf or Marlene Dietrich in the tear-jerker “Noel’s Lament.”

The third competitor is Mischa Bachinski (JW Ruth), adopted by a Canadian family after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Instead of the toddler they expected, Mischa arrived a troubled teen and they never bonded. To cope, he projects a gangsta rap image to cover up an acute longing for his old home. His hip-hop performance transitions into the love ballad “Talia.” Although not a contestant, Mischa’s lost love Talia (Chloe Bennett) makes a poignant appearance.

Mischa is followed by Ricky Potts (Ian Stotts), who despite becoming mute and unable to walk after a mysterious illness, is a member of the choir. In compensation for his disability, he has a fully formed fantasy life that features “sexy cat women” from a far-off galaxy.  In “Space Age Bachelor Man,” we meet an entirely different Ricky.

The fifth contestant (Maya McGrory) is nameless because of the severity of her injuries.  Known only as Jane Doe, her spirit has no memory of a past life.  Her hauntingly beautiful “The Ballad of Jane Doe,” is the most memorable song in the whole show.

The final competitor is Constance Blackwood (Natalie Stinchcomb), Ocean’s side-kick and maybe the nicest girl in town. But Constance’s cheerful exterior hides self-loathing and self-harm. Only the roller coaster accident convinced her that living is “goddamn wonderful,” as she expresses in her song, “Jawbreaker/Sugar Cloud.”

Naturally, Karnak then changes the rules of the game, and it gets more exciting before we learn who wins.

Director Kat Melton has put the orchestra in the balcony and incorporated amazing video projections to transform CHT’s Art Deco jewel box theatre into the carnival ambience of a second-rate traveling amusement park.  Ride the Cyclone will open on Friday, November 8, and run through Sunday, November 24, with performances at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm on Sundays. More information and tickets on the website: churchhilltheatre.org

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Church Hill Theatre to hold auditions for “A Brief History of Man”

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Director, Earl Lewin will be seeking actors for A Brief History of Man which will be on stage at CHT for five performances, February 6 through 9. Those performances will be

Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 with Matinees at 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Auditions will be held as follows:

  • Thursday, October 24 in the theatre at 7 pm to 9 pm
  • Saturday, October 26 in the theatre at 10 am to noon
  • Saturday, October 26 in the theatre office at 2 pm to 4 pm.

The audition will consist of cold readings from the script. Anyone who wishes to review the digital script prior to the audition, may make a request to [email protected].

Actors needed:

  • Eve, Female God and Female AI robot: (Preferably one actor to do all three. Up to three persons may be cast should that appear to be a better talent option.)
  • Man: (eighteen to forty years of age.)
  • Saint Michael: (any age could work.)

Anyone who wishes to audition but finds these dates impossible can contact [email protected] to try to make alternate arrangements

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Cast chosen for Ride The Cyclone at Church Hill Theatre

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L to R: Connor Christopher, Ian Stotts, Saige Wilson, JW Ruth, Natalie Stinchcomb. Seated center: Reanna Sherman Not pictured: Howard Mesick, Chloe Bennett

Months before it was on CHT’s official list of coming attractions, potential cast members started adjusting their schedules and preparing to audition for Ride the Cyclone. This amazing musical has achieved cult-like status on social media and has played to sold-out houses around the world. Local audiences will soon have the opportunity to see what all the buzz is about.

Director Kat Melton has assembled a stellar cast to portray the doomed members of the St. Cassian Chamber Choir, off on a school trip from their high school in Uranium City, Saskatchewan. After a horrific accident on a fair midway, The Amazing Karnak, a fortune-telling automaton, offers the teens a chance to sing for a second chance at life. They outdo each other in truly glorious music that is sometimes sad, sometimes comic, and always memorable.

In the Church Hill Theatre revival, a live orchestra (positioned in the balcony) will be led by music director Michael Casey, a featured member of the Chester River Chorale. Choreography will be provided by the triple threat Greg Minahan, Artistic Director of Shore Shakespeare.

The essential, but non-singing, role of Karnak will be played by Howard Mesick, one of CHT’s most versatile actors. The teen-aged choir members are portrayed by experienced actors with the outstanding singing chops the score demands.

The first contestant, the overachiever Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg, will be played by Saige Wilson of Galena who is making her CHT debut. Natalie Stinchcomb of Barclay, a Green Room Gang alum, plays her side-kick Constance Blackwood, a girl with serious self-esteem and anger issues.

Connor Christopher, of Ridgely, portrays Noel Gruber, who fancies himself a French reincarnation of Marlene Dietrich.  Connor has been active in CHT productions since early childhood. Mischa Bachinski, played by the multi-talented J.W. Ruth of Centerville, is a Ukrainian, adopted by a Canadian family, but who never fully fit in. Mischa projects a gangster persona through rap music. JW is an accomplished actor and director often seen on the stages of CHT and the Garfield.  Although not a contestant, Mischa’s lost love Talia makes a poignant appearance; Chloe Bennett, a Gunston School student from Centreville, takes on this smaller crucial part. She is making her CHT debut, though she appeared on the CHT stage last year in the Gunston School production of Night Chills.

Ian Stotts, of Sudlersville, another Green Room Gang alum and CHT main stage performer, takes on the role of Ricky Potts. While Ricky is mute and has a degenerative condition, his imagination soars to “infinity and beyond.” The last teen, an enigma known as Jane Doe, is played by Reanna Sherman, of Grasonville, who made her debut at CHT as Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady in June. Reanna graduated from Washington College and is the Choral Director at Kent Island High School.

While this is Kat Melton’s directorial debut at Church Hill Theatre, she all but grew up on the CHT stage helping her dad, CHT’s master lighting designer Doug Kaufmann.  She is a graduate of St. Andrews College in Laurinburg, NC with a degree in Communications and Theatre Arts and a minor in Film History.

Ride the Cyclone will open on Friday, November 8 and run through Sunday, November 24, with performances at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm on Sundays. More information and tickets on the website: churchhilltheatre.org

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Smooth Jazz from the Bratcher Project at Church Hill Theatre October 19

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For one performance only, on Saturday, October 19, Church Hill Theatre will host an outstanding group of regional musicians for a night of smooth jazz with an R&B twist. The Bratcher Project is an ongoing musical journey founded by acclaimed bass guitarist and song writer Vaughn Bratcher. Other Project members are Karen Linette on vocals, Rodney Kelly Jr. on keyboard, “J. R.” on drums, and Tracey Cutler on sax.

Bratcher calls his group a project because they are a dynamic musical workshop in constant development, exploring new ways to achieve the “almighty Groove.” The musicians intertwine traditional and contemporary jazz in a format that is always fresh and engaging. The other members in the current “project” are all fine musicians at earlier stages in their own careers.

Vaughn Bratcher played with top R&B artists like Al Green, Betty Wright, Doris Duke and Z.Z. Hill early in his career. He moved on to work with gospel legends and “young lions” of the jazz scene like Cyrus Chestnut and George Culligan.  He has performed at the Rehoboth Jazz Festival, Artscapes in Baltimore, and many other important venues.  His CD, “The Pleasure’s Yours,” got substantial air play and his composition “Island Flow” received an award from the John Lennon Songwriting Competition.

Bratcher promises to lay down a funky groove and seduce listeners with a soft and sweet melody. Church Hill Theatre, known mostly for live dramas and musicals, is branching out to include other genres of artistic expression. The theatre’s new seating, decor, and lighting will make this a “date night” to remember.  Join the Bratcher Project on Saturday, October 19, at 7:30 pm.   CHT is located at 103 Walnut Street in Church Hill, MD. Tickets are available through the website: churchhilltheatre.org.  Or call (410) 556-6003 for additional information.

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Church Hill Theatre Welcomes Back Dan Brown’s Clean Comedy

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Dan Brown, a Cleveland native who appeared at Church Hill Theatre in September 2023 is returning, on October 3 and 4. Dan is a favorite at comedy clubs, theatres and corporate events all over the US. His Dry Bar Comedy Special, “Not Shopping Here Today,” was released in October 2021. He headlined the Finger Lakes Comedy Festival in Ithaca. He appeared in Walt Disney Resorts in 2023.

Dan’s combines real life observations and experiences that is honest and insightful and relatable to all audiences. Dan talks about life from the perspective of a father, family man, relations and laughing through life as a wannabe superhero. If you want a sample, danbrowncomedy.com has a few video clips.

Joining Dan this year is friend and colleague Jesse Pimpanella. His debut comedy special, HOT MESS was #1 on Amazon and is currently streaming on Roku TV. He recently shot his second special, which will be released in late 2024. When Jesse is not on the road, he is working with Good Medicine Productions, which brings live and empowering entertainment to children’s hospitals. No matter when or where, Jesse Pimpinella will have an audience rolling in laughter and wanting more!

The Church Hill Theatre will present Dan Brown on Stage on Friday and Saturday October 4 and 5 at 7 pm. Tickets are $20 if purchased online at www.churchhilltheatre.org or $25 at the box-office on performance nights.

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“August: Osage County” Opens at Church Hill Theatre September 13

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From L to R: Steve Hazzard, Sharon Herz, Kathy Jones, Chelsea Clough, Paul Briggs, Gil Rambach
Violet Weston tells some unwanted truths at the dinner table.

August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts, swept all the major awards when it opened on Broadway in 2008, winning the Pulitzer Prize as well as multiple Tonys, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and other awards.  The 2013 film version was a critical success, with both Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts nominated for Academy Awards. The Church Hill Theatre revival, directed by Shelagh Grasso, promises to be the dramatic highlight of the season.

Although a comedy, ranging from snarky one-liners to belly-laugh physical humor, this is not frivolous entertainment. The play covers several weeks in the life of the Westons, an outwardly normal and successful Oklahoma family. But inside the sprawling country house, their dysfunctional rot is spreading. Too many secrets. Too many pills and too much booze. Too much abuse. And too damn hot. And that’s just setting the scene for the real action.

When the noted poet Beverly Weston goes missing, his wife, three daughters and other family members gather as the search for him continues.  Bev’s wife Violet, in treatment for cancer, needs their support but not as much as she needs to prove who’s in charge. Her cruelty and sharp tongue soon inflict more pain and revenge than she might have intended.

The audience gets to watch the disintegration in horrified suspense, maybe finding flickers of similar experiences or guilty memories of their own.  In his rave New York Times review, Christopher Isherwood called August: Osage County “…flat-out, no asterisks and without qualifications, the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years. Fiercely funny and bitingly sad…”

Carmelo Grasso and his team have constructed a set that amplifies the pressure cooker relationships: nobody has quite enough room to breathe, much less protect secrets. There are no small parts in this play and all actors present full, essential and complete versions of their characters.

Kathy Jones, playing the matriarch Violet, moves effortlessly from real vulnerability to full-force attack mode. While the poet Beverly Weston appears only briefly, Greg Minihan’s portrayal shadows the entire

Chelsea Clough and Paul Briggs as cousins Ivy Weston and Little Charles Aiken

production.

The three Weston daughters have all attempted to escape the toxicity of their childhood home. The oldest, Barbara, thought she had found safety in marriage, motherhood and a teaching career in Colorado with her husband Bill and daughter Jean. They should have known better. Tess Jones and Christopher Wallace bring exceptional chemistry to a tight but failing relationship. Addyson Crooks is sadly believable as yet another victim of the family discord.

Karen attempted to change her fate by breaking contact and having lots of fun without any real commitments. Sharon Herz is hilarious, and deeply sad, as this discarded child. Her sleazy fiancé Steve Heidebrecht, played by Steve Hazzard, doesn’t seem affected by the Weston malaise but he is not welcome—and ultimately is forced out.

Ivy is the good girl, the daughter who stays near home to care for her parents…until she isn’t. Chelsea Clough’s Ivy plays the long game, one she intends to have a happy ending. Well, she isn’t a fortune teller.

Violet’s sister Mattie Fae Akin and her family (husband Charlie and son Little Charles) live not that far away but haven’t visited in two years. The sisters share a lot of painful history and Bev and Charlie were once good friends. Still, secrets fester and, hey, why does Mattie Fae always diss her son? Debra McGuire and Gil Rambach have lots of the best comedic lines in the show and are utterly believable as a close, but squabble-prone, couple. Paul Briggs brings real depth to Little Charles, a man who has finally gotten, he thinks, what he wants.

Shortly before disappearing, Bev Weston hires Johnna Monevata, a Cheyenne woman, to oversee the household and assist Violet. She is largely ignored by the family but almost always visible in the house.  Brianna Johnson plays her as a stoic observer, not judging, but protective of her charges. The local sheriff, Deon Gilbeau, is an old high school friend of Barbara. James Diggs plays him with dignity and compassion.

August: Osage County opens on Friday, September 13 and runs through Sunday, September 29, with performances at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 pm on Sundays. While suitable for most teens, this show with strong language and strong themes is not recommended for younger children. Tickets are available through the CHT website: www.churchhilltheare.org.

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Medium Debbie Wojciechowski Returns to Church Hill Theatre August 7

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Debbie Wojciechowski

 For one night only, on August 7, acclaimed medium Debbie Wojciechowski will appear at Church Hill Theatre to help connect patrons with their loved ones who have passed. As an Evidential Medium with extensive training in the U.S. and England, she is an expert in both near-death experiences and grief counseling.

Debbie does not perform on a stage, but works more intimately, walking through the theatre connecting with members of her audience whose loved ones who have moved beyond their physical lives. As she channels each message, she hopes to bring comfort and awareness to people that there is a life after this one: our loved ones are always with us. Her clients have described her as empathetic and down-to-earth, with a real gift for sensitive readings.

Ms. Wojciechowski studied extensively with local and international mediums and spiritual mentors.  She trained with British Mediums and learned the traditions of the Spiritualist Churches of Great Britain. Debbie studied with internationally known and respected professions in the field and obtained formal certification as both a Medium and a Master Teacher. Her education also includes a Master of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University.

In addition to being an Evidential Medium, Ms. Wojciechowski worked over 25 years with law enforcement. As such, she worked in the areas of mental health, grief counseling, and crisis intervention. She also volunteered with The Hospice of Baltimore. She is aware of the sensitive nature of some readings, and delivers messages in a respectful manner.

Small family or friend groups find Medium Debbie particularly insightful.  She has touched many audience members in her previous appearances at Church Hill Theatre.  Tickets to her August 7 presentation and readings may be purchased at www.churchhilltheatre.org  for $50. Or tickets may be reserved by calling the Church Hill Theatre office weekdays between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm at (410) 556-6003.

For more information about Debbie Wojciechowski and her work, please visit mediumdebbie.com or follow her on social media at facebook.com/mediumdebbie and instagram at @mediumdebbie.

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Retro Vibe Coffee House at Church Hill Theatre on July 26

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How many times have you driven by our theater without ever coming to a show? Maybe you’re new to the area and haven’t even heard of us. Maybe you think we perform only long and serious dramas. Well, Church Hill Theatre offers a wide range of live performances, from stand-up comedy to modern dance, and yes, to well-known Broadway productions.

This month, we will offer something entirely new, as a special invitation to those who have never been inside our gorgeous Art-Deco playhouse.  Old friends are, of course, welcome as well. One of our favorite performers, Kathy Jones, will present the first-ever CHT Coffee House on Friday, July 26, from 7-9 pm. And, because this is a new event, there is no charge for reservations,  just a request that you donate what you can at the show.  All contributions will go toward our various Church Hill Theatre projects.

Kathy has serious singing chops, from years with Sweet Adelines groups, gigs in Key West and lead roles in musicals such as Matilda, the Musical, Fiddler on The Roof, and The Little Shop of Horrors. For the Coffee House, she and her guitar will entertain with Classic Rock from the 60s and 70s as well as folk music, and a few current pop songs.  There might even be some audience participation and a chance for requests.

Our flexible seating will be arranged informally with tables and chairs.  We’ll be selling coffee as well as a variety of other drinks and some special snacks.  While tickets are free, because space is limited, we do ask that you make reservations through our website: churchhilltheatre.org.   Church Hill Theatre is located at 103 Walnut Street in Church Hill, Maryland.  There is ample free parking in a marked lot nearby.  Please call the office at (410) 556-6003 if you need more information.

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Church Hill Theatre Invites Director Proposals for 2025 Season

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Church Hill Theatre is eager to receive proposals from new talent and well-established veterans to direct the following productions in the upcoming 2025 Season.

  • The Philadelphia Story, by Phillip Barry, is a comedy about Tracy Lord’s wedding weekend on the Philadelphia Main Line and the events that ensue involving her ex-husband, fiancé, a couple of journalists and her family. Production Dates: March 14-30, 2025
  • The Bridges of Madison County, a musical based on the novel by Robert James Walker, with music by Jason Rober Brown and book by Marsha Norman, a sweeping “what if” love story set on the Iowa plains. Production Dates: June 6-22, 2025
  • Murder on the Orient Express, adapted by Ken Ludwig from the Agatha Christie novel, a mystery with Hercule Poirot trying to solve the murder of an American tycoon while the train is stuck in a snow drift. Production Dates: September 12-28, 2025
  • Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage, a drama in which truck stop sandwich shop offers its formerly incarcerated kitchen staff a shot at redemption as they aspire to create the perfect sandwich. Production Dates: November 7-23, 2025
  • A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, the classic Dickens tale based on the Orson Welles radio broadcast of 1938. Production Dates: December 19-21, 2025

Note: The first production of 2025 season, The Belle of Amherst by William Luce. Production Dates: January 10-12 is already in rehearsal.

Information and instructions for submitting a proposal are on the CHT website: www.churchilltheatre.org.  Perusal copies of the scripts from the office are limited. Interested directors may also call the office (410-556-6003) to arrange a mutually convenient time to walk the stage, inspect the light booth, look at our props and costume collection, and generally get a feel for the facility. Proposals must be received by September 15. The CHT Production Committee then will review submissions and reach decisions by early October. Nobody on the Production Committee will be eligible to direct during the 2025 season.

Note that some parts of the submittal are very open-ended and require an explanation of director’s vision and how it would be created on the CHT stage. Directors who have not directed at CHT before should include enough information for the committee to evaluate proposals accurately. Any director interested in submitting a proposal should notify the CHT office of their interest so that changes in the program or proposal procedures can be communicated to them before the deadline.

Church Hill Theatre is excited about the upcoming season and hopes area directors share our enthusiasm.

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