Melanie Gordon and Jason Vellon star in “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors,” on stage this month at Colonial Players. Photo by Brandon Bentley.
Colonial Players is a tiny miracle among Annapolis’ cultural institutions. The intimate theater in the round has been entertaining local audiences with dramas, comedies, and musicals for an astonishing 77 years (yes, you read that right). How does it manage to stay fresh, relevant, and beloved, season after season?
From its East Street location, just steps from the State House, Colonial Players taps into the Annapolis community—whether through locally resonant stories, outreach, or simply being a space where people come to gather and share something human. “It’s unlike anywhere else you’ve likely seen a show,” says marketing director Amy Atha-Nicholls. “With our in-the-round stage, you’re never more than a few feet from the action, which means you don’t just watch a play—you feel it, right alongside the actors.”
In its early years, Colonial Players performed at the old Recreation Center on Compromise Street. Later, it purchased a commercial garage on East Street, and then the building next to it, turning the properties into a permanent home. Today it rents additional space in an industrial park, with room for offices, a rehearsal facility, script library, construction shop, and costume loft.
In addition to consistently excellent productions, Colonial Players is known for its thoughtful show selection. A volunteer committee reads and evaluates more than 100 scripts each year, working to create a balanced and varied slate of opportunities for the company’s actors, designers, and audiences. The goal is a season that mixes the familiar with the new.
“We love presenting a classic that has enduring or renewed relevance, or that’s just plain entertaining,” says Beth Terranova, Colonial Players’ artistic director. “But retaining loyal patrons while enticing newer ones often means presenting something that’s new and getting attention, or something that hasn’t been done everywhere.”
This October, for its second show of the season, the theater chose “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors,” a lively spoof of the Halloween heavy. “It’s basically a farce, with the actors taking on 14 different roles—so it’s wild and crazy!” Terranova explains “Drac is the new neighbor who moves into town, and there are lots of mistaken identities.” Complications ensue, but they’re the not-too-spooky kind. (Terranova advises that sexual innuendo makes this show better suited to adult audiences.)
The holidays herald the return of a much-loved musical written specifically for Colonial Players. “A Christmas Carol,” with book and lyrics by Rick Wade and music by Dick Gessner, takes the Dickens tale and spins it into a musical—and the result is a perennial pleaser. “Since it premiered in 1981, I think everybody who’s ever lived in Annapolis has seen it,” Terranova says laughing.
The cast members of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” take on a variety of roles. Pictured are Eric Lund, Shannon Benil, Ron Giddings, Melanie Gordon, and Jason Vellon. Photo by Brandon Bentley.
“Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” spoofs the Halloween heavy. Shown are Ron Giddings and Melanie Gordon. Photo by Brandon Bentley.
Once offered annually, the show is now staged every other year. Tickets for “A Christmas Carol” are in such demand that the theater offers a special in-person sidewalk sale a month ahead (for 2025, it’s 9 a.m. to noon on November 22). Buyers gladly queue at the theater to secure their seats, with remaining tickets sold after that date.
With a solid financial foundation created by its founders and a loyal base of subscribers, Colonial Players has the luxury of being able to budget its shows in advance. It keeps operating expenses to a minimum by relying on scores of willing and able volunteers, who take on nearly every job required to launch a successful production. That includes the Board of Directors, ushers, directors, designers, and actors, as well as crews that handle the set, lights, sound, props, costumes, and more.
“We welcome anyone who wants to understand what goes on behind the scenes,” says Terranova, adding that the intimate setting is a great place to learn. “The challenge of a theater in the round is that the audience is up so close that every imperfection is clearly visible. In recent years, technological advancements have given us a welcome assist in ‘making the magic.’ But it’s the immense contributions of time and talent from our volunteers, working for the love of it, that keep Colonial Players a successful and award-winning theater.”
Colonial Players also offers half-day workshops that focus on a particular element of stagecraft, such as costuming. And it helps audiences deepen their theater experience by presenting “Talk Back” sessions after some shows. These discussions offer viewers a chance to talk with the cast or director, share impressions, and ask questions. The sessions are held following a performance, usually after a Sunday matinee, and no tickets are required.
As theater changes and audiences evolve, Colonial Players has proven its flexibility, presenting classic plays, contemporary works, intimate dramas, and bold comedies—always finding ways to stay relevant without losing its identity. The tiny miracle has become part of the cultural fabric of Annapolis.
To purchase tickets and learn more about the current season, visit thecolonialplayers.org.
