Photographs courtesy Classic Theatre of Maryland
Broadway musicals are elevated to classic standing at CTM.
Classic Theatre of Maryland has a bright marquee at 1804 West Street and a big mission: to make top-quality professional art happen. It presents shows in the main theater and cabaret space at that address, as well as Reynolds Tavern in downtown Annapolis. Under the stars in Reynolds’ historic courtyard, CTM is offering Moliere’s Tartuffe all summer long.
Founder and Producing Artistic Director Sally Boyett says utilizing ‘found’ spaces like the tavern aids the group’s goal of “getting theater to the people, especially the classics.”
“Tartuffe is a classic French comedy,” Boyett says of the current show. “It’s light and fluffy and easy to follow. We’ve edited it to keep the running time down to two hours, and the rhyming couplets make it fun for the audience to hear.” Patrons buy their tickets through CTM, then can dine in the courtyard before, during, or after the show.
On the main stage, the company offers classics that range from Shakespeare to beloved Broadway musicals. In the 2025–26 season, that lineup included The Importance of Being Earnest and A Tale of Two Cities as well as 42nd Street and Guys and Dolls. Each December, two seasonal favorites are on the boards; for 2026, an original adaptation of A Christmas Carol and Holiday Inn are scheduled.
Another CTM draw is its popular Cabaret series, featuring jazz and pop standards from the ’20s through the ’80s in a café-style setting. Each month, guest vocalists celebrate the American songbook, accompanied by members of the Unified Jazz Ensemble. “This is something unique that we started when we moved into our West Street space ten years ago and bought a grand piano,” Boyett explains. “We did two cabarets right away to earn some money, and they were well-received. Now it’s year-round. Each show is themed, and we have a special subscription series for it. We have a lot of Broadway artists, soloists from the Army Field Band, jazz singers—all very talented.”
For the America 250 celebration in July, CTM presented actor Laura Rocklyn in a one-woman show as Abigail Adams during high tea at Reynolds Tavern. “We like to take the opportunity to do some non-traditional things, too,” Boyett says.
As director and producer, Boyett brings a wealth of experience to her position. She began her career as a dancer, training at Houston Ballet and New York City Ballet in her teens. After a stint with the Joffrey Ballet, she segued into musical theatre, with gigs on Broadway and at Disney in Orlando. Invitations for international tours followed. “My favorite musical was Crazy for You, where I spent seven years playing the role of Patsy, the dumb blonde,” she recalls with a grin. The experience gave her membership in a personal/professional network of gifted collaborators, many of whom have since appeared in CTM productions. It also gave her a keen appreciation of the importance of paying artists for their work.
Photographs courtesy Classic Theatre of Maryland
Choreography is a specialty at CTM.
“One of our company’s goals is to raise artists’ compensation—not just actors but designers, musicians, sound, and lighting. We’ve done that every single year,” she says proudly. “We bring in all our dancers from New York, and young leads, too, and offer them a six-week contract. To get the best talent, salaries have to be competitive.
“We’re honored to have several resident actors who have been on the circuit for a while playing more mature roles. They like having an artistic home because art is a constant practice. You go on learning, and that’s what we offer.”
CTM’s focus on the classics began in its earliest days, when Boyett started doing theater workshops with Annapolis-area schools. “We did Shakespeare, which was a challenge for them and for me, so we called it the Annapolis Shakespeare Company.” The effort expanded, soon becoming part of the theater program at Anne Arundel County Public Schools and St. John’s College. When Boyett needed more teachers, actors from D.C. were hired. Next step: a full-fledged professional company.
Photographs courtesy Classic Theatre of Maryland
Classic Theatre of Maryland serves up comic gems and dramatic heavyweights from the masters, but that’s not all.
Today, the classics remain at the center of the company’s work. Over the upcoming 2026–27 season, CTM will present over 200 performances, with a lineup featuring Hamlet, Holiday Inn, A Christmas Carol, She Stoops to Conquer, Dames at Sea, and The Secret Garden. The mix of beloved classics and musicals spans drama, restoration, comedy, and terrific tap dancing.
“I’m really proud of the choreography we do,” Boyett says of her company’s reputation for excellent dance. She gives credit to McKenzie Koehne, a tapper who serves as associate choreographer and dance captain.
Boyette is aiming high. She wants CTM to be known as the preeminent classic theater in the region, and eventually the state. As the company moves forward, she’s intent on maintaining the high standard that it’s set. “If you want to see something that’s Broadway quality, come here!” she says. “We’ve got intimate seating, we’ve got free parking, and we’ve got incredible talent.”
Learn more at classictheatremaryland.org.
