42nd Street Lights Up the Stage at Classic Theatre of Maryland
The sound of synchronized tap shoes is filling the intimate confines of Classic Theatre of Maryland in Annapolis, where a joyful and ambitious production of 42nd Street is now playing through May 17, 2026. From the moment the overture fades and the lights rise on a stage packed with dancers, the company makes clear that this beloved backstage musical has found a vibrant new home, and that the closeness of the venue only intensifies the spectacle rather than diminishing it.
Directed and choreographed by Sally Boyett, with music direction by Maureen Codelka, the production is a heartfelt tribute to the pains and joys of theater life. The familiar story follows Peggy Sawyer, a wide-eyed hopeful fresh from the sticks who arrives late to a Broadway audition and stumbles into a chorus spot only because the show happens to need one more dancer. When the production's aging, imperious leading lady breaks her ankle and unfairly blames Peggy for the accident, the young dancer is fired, only to be summoned back when the company realizes she is the only one who can possibly learn the lead role in the thirty-six hours before opening night. It is a campy and entirely predictable plot, and that is exactly the point. The thin storyline serves as the connective tissue between one show-stopping production number after another, leaving plenty of room for romance, rivalry, and the kind of showbiz sentiment that has made the title a fixture of musical theater since its multi-Tony-winning Broadway debut in 1980.
Katie Van Horn anchors the production as Peggy Sawyer, balancing innocence with quiet steel and growing visibly in confidence with each scene. Her rendition of the title song begins tentatively and builds into something genuinely powerful, and her tap duets sparkle with both technical precision and warmth. Stephanie Meadowcroft brings full diva energy to Dorothy Brock, the temperamental star whose entitlement is matched only by her undeniable talent, and her duet with Van Horn on "About a Quarter to Nine" lands as a surprising moment of connection between two characters who had every reason to remain rivals. Kees Hoekendijk plays the charming tenor Billy Lawlor with easy confidence, swinging through "Young and Healthy" and joining Peggy for a sultry, spellbinding tap number on "42nd Street."
John Pruessner is a longtime company favorite and delivers a commanding turn as director Julian Marsh, closing the show with a moving solo that lingers long after the curtain falls. Nancy Krebs adds warmth and comic timing as writer Maggie Jones, equal parts mother hen and mischievous insider, while Tommy Malek brings goofy enthusiasm to co-writer Bert Barry and shines in "Shuffle Off to Buffalo." Austin Rose lends easy charm to Pat Denning, and Dexter Hamlett is a delight as the Texan benefactor Abner Dillon. The hardworking ensemble fills out the company with distinct personalities and tireless energy, with Sara Davis especially captivating in her spins and leaps as the Pickpocket.
The technical achievements here are substantial. Boyett's choreography is intricate and constant, weaving complex tap sequences into nearly every scene without ever appearing to tire her dancers. Her costume designs evoke 1930s Broadway in glittering, fringed gowns and gleaming headpieces, with what feels like an endless parade of changes for each new number. Sam Terrell's lighting elevates every scene, including a clever bit of stagecraft during "Shadow Waltz" that projects Dorothy's silhouette against the backdrop. Tommy Malek's wigs supply all the curly Shirley Temple flourishes the era demands, and William K. D'Eugenio's sound design keeps voices and orchestrations in clean balance throughout.
The score is packed with the standards audiences come hoping to hear, including "We're in the Money," "Lullaby of Broadway," "Shadow Waltz," "Go into Your Dance," and the irresistible title number. Codelka has shaped the cast into a tight, polished vocal unit, and the band keeps the tempo crackling from one number to the next.
What might have seemed like a risky undertaking for a small-staged company has turned into something special. The proximity of the audience to the stage transforms every tap break and every grand finale into an immersive experience, and the production never feels scaled down so much as concentrated, with all the brass and sparkle of the Broadway version delivered at arm's length. It runs approximately two and a half hours with one fifteen-minute intermission, and it is exactly the kind of evening that sends audiences out humming and grinning.
42nd Street runs through May 17, 2026 at Classic Theatre of Maryland, 1804 West Street, Suite 200, Annapolis, MD 21401. Tickets range from $61 to $89 and are available by calling the box office at 410-415-3513 or visiting classictheatremaryland.org.