Who new there could still be “new” work from Mr. Poe! With a Poe-related play coming next fall, we’re excited to read this tidbit:
Exhibit to include short-story and poem manuscripts, as well as four of the famed author’s letters….

The official blog of the Dramaturgy Department at Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE. For posts related to our current and upcoming shows, click the links to the right. Alternatively, you could begin at the beginning, and explore our posts in chronological order.
Who new there could still be “new” work from Mr. Poe! With a Poe-related play coming next fall, we’re excited to read this tidbit:
Exhibit to include short-story and poem manuscripts, as well as four of the famed author’s letters….
Including this vivid recommendation at #8:
Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Tips on How to Write a Great Story - Entertainment - The Atlantic
Sunday, April 15, following the 7:30 pm performance of The Whipping Man at CENTERSTAGE:
Post-Show Discussion, The Head Theater.
Dr. Raymond A. Winbush, celebrated author and historian, will host a discussion focusing on the legacy of slavery in American: What are the historic and modern implications of slavery in our country? How does it continue to influence race relations and public policy?
Images of The Civil War
Take a look back at some of the famous faces and places that now stand as legendary in the history of the United States. Photography was in its infancy during the Civil War, and war photography was unheard of. On the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, these images stand as a faithful record of the country’s most turbulent times – of heroic figures, terrible sacrifices, and the shame of slavery. (via Images of The Civil War – The Eye: a Peoria photo blog - pjstar.com)
Among the ruins…
A forlorn figure finds a perch amid the ruins of what was Richmond, Virginia—shattered in the final days of the Civil War.
It is this Richmond in which three unlikely fugitives seek refuge in Matt Lopez’ The Whipping Man, at CENTERSTAGE.
In honor of tomorrow’s opening night of Mathew Lopez’ The Whipping Man, here’s a link to a digital copy of the show program.
Throughout the production of The Whipping Man, CENTERSTAGE will be providing numerous opportunities for audiences to engage in discussion inspired by the themes of the show. Conversations will focus on the notion of inheritance— inherited faiths, political systems, racial struggles, and all of the inherited gifts and issues associated with our multifaceted identities. Prominent leaders of Baltimore’s African American and Jewish communities will participate, to encourage exploration of these two communities’ relationships over time. Theater scholars and artists will also contribute, offering historical and cultural expertise as well as behind-the-scenes insights to enhance audiences’ experiences of The Whipping Man and its rich subject matter. Click here for events, dates, times, locations, and guests.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Maryland Humanities Council, through support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this programming do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the Maryland Humanities Council.
“A Choreographer Hopes His New iPad Application Will Lead Theater Productions Into the Future”
Piece on the upcoming production, featuring here our wonderful production dramaturg, guesting in from University of Maryland, Faedra Chatard Carpenter. Read on!

Fabulous Towson U prof Robyn Quick offers this marvelous guide to selected online resources for dramaturgy and theater history.
Kim Furano’s deft digest of the Grimm’s process, history, and agenda—program dramaturgy for Into the Woods at CENTERSTAGE and Westport Country Playhouse.
Giuseppina Bozzacchi as Swanilda in the original Saint-Léon/Delibes production of the ballet Coppélia, which premiered in Paris in 1870. (The young dancer died of smallpox only about a year later). The ballet is based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s The Sandman, and bears some resemblance to elements in another of his stories that inspired The Nutcracker. The works of Hoffmann, and in particular the figure of the toymaker and his life-like mechanical dolls, are at the core of director Mark Lamos’ take on Sondheim’s Into the Woods, currently in rehearsal to open at CENTERSTAGE in Baltimore in a few weeks. Faint glimmers of Coppelia have appeared in some of the show choreography, to close the loop.