Maryland Ensemble Theatre
A short trip, north of the nation’s capital will bring you to the Maryland Ensemble Theatre (MET) located in the city of Frederick, Maryland. It is fast becoming a “destination” with an Arts and Entertainment District where Maryland Ensemble Theatre stands out with an amazing professional theatre company. For more than 20 years, Maryland Ensemble Theatre has provided accessibility to high quality and thought-provoking theatre, helping to ensure local audiences witness great performances in their backyard.
Managing Director Kathryn Vicere and Producing Artistic Director Tad Janes sat down with “The Soul of the American Actor” to discuss how important a professional, collaborative theatre ensemble connects to the community by inspiring passion for the arts.
Ms. Vicere told us: “Everything that MET performs is meant to make Frederick County thrive with six MainStage shows and five family shows each season. For the 2019-2020 season, MET was scheduled to produce “Sweat” by Lynn Nottage, “Circle Mirror Transformation” by Annie Baker,” “The Ultimate Christmas Show” by Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor, “Admissions” by Joshua Harmon, “Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches” by Tony Kushner and “The Legend of Georgia McBride” by Matthew Lopez.”
Mr. Janes said: “MET consists of thirty-eight artists, a staff of eight and fifteen board members who dedicate a massive amount of energy to make the theatre work. The facility is a hundred-seat black box theatre, a second stage seating sixty-two patrons, a classroom/rehearsal space, a sixteen-person dressing room, costume shop, scene shop, and our box office. MET first produced main-stage theatre in 1997, and originally the group first performed together with the creation of The Comedy Pigs sketch comedy/improv troupe in April of 1993. The group began teaching classes in acting and improvisation in 1995, piloted the MainStage program with the ensemble creation “Finally Heard! Heroines of an Uncivil War” in the summer of 1997, and we opened our first theatre space and a full season of plays in June of 1998.”
Ms. Vicere said: “All of the actors, directors, writers, musicians, technicians, and designers assist in all areas of production and administration.”
Maryland Ensemble Theatre also offers Comedy Nights from September to June, acting classes, summer camps for ages 7-16, a special Tiny Tots Mini-Camp for ages 3-6, and an after school program in partnership with the Frederick County public schools, the city of Frederick and Frederick County.
Maryland Ensemble Theatre doesn’t stop there. Also offered is Vet Arts Connect, a studio-style acting class free of charge for all veterans in the U.S. military and has also partnered with the Frederick County senior services division to offer theatre classes and workshops at all four county senior centers in Frederick, Urbana, Brunswick and Emmitsburg.
Mr. Janes shared: “MET is dedicated to the creation and production of extraordinary theatre art through the combined voices of a diverse ensemble of professional resident artists who are influential leaders in the community and visionaries in the art of theatre. MET strives to create a positive environment where artists and audience share an exciting, emotional, thought provoking theatre experience for our times and our community.”
Morgan Southwell, Christine Jacobs and Molly Parchment in ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ (photo: Joe Williams)
Ms. Vicere continued by saying: It’s a bright future for MET. We’re also launching a new Partner Restaurants Initiative, which promotes several locally-owned establishments within walking distance of MET so that before or after a show, and you can get a discount at the restaurants if you show your ticket to help downtown business owners. And with financial assistance from the city, county and private foundations, MET will thrive going forward.
Recent MET MainStage productions included “Hand to God” by Robert Askins, directed by Tad Janes, “Let the Right One In,” adapted by Jack Thorned, directed by Julie Herber, “Who’s Holiday” by Matthew Lombardo, directed by Gené Fouché, “Radium Girls,” by D.W. Gregory, directed by Gerard Stropnicky, “Curse of the Starving Class” by Sam Shepard, directed by Peter Wray, and “Pride & Prejudice by Katie Hamill, directed by Suzanne Beal. For more info: Maryland Ensemble Theatre 31 W. Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701, (301) 694-4744, www.marylandensemble.org
