playbill vip

Like a family displaced from their home and forced to flee over the Swiss Alps in the night, the Midnight Players had fallen on hard times when I met them: an auditorium being renovated and no performance space, everything packed away in storage, no rehearsal or construction room, no music director, no tech director, and three directors within a year.

How serendipidous that the Founding Artistic Director of DC's Landless Theatre Company should join them at this juncture. My own company was founded in 2003 on the premise of being "landless" (no venue) and having to turn storefronts and other nontraditional spaces into performance venues. Amidst theatres like Arena Stage and The Kennedy Center, we found our niche to thrive, leading to achievements like three Helen Hayes Award Nominations for creating the first (and only) heavy metal adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd.

Produce the most memorable Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of all time on a middle school stage in six weeks...? No problem!

I am overwhelmed by the student leadership I have met at PHS. Ruari the student choreographer who moved in the shadows without ever being seen. Milo the sound designer who is as competent as any professional sound tech I have ever known. Woodward, Kaitlyn, Virgil, and other designers who presented full professional plans and budgets for construction and painting. Caleb, the force of nature who single-handedly willed a pit orchestra into existence without a sponsor. Nora, the lead actor who designed this very program. And the stage management team of Claire, Beth, and Percy. I could go on and on. There are going to be some large shoes to fill when these students graduate!

Also, this production would not have been possible without the parent leadership of Mrs. Theresa Wallingford and Mrs. Dana Smith. THANK YOU!!!

The future is bright for The Midnight Players. Just on the other side of the mountain is a new state-of-the-art auditorium, and the sky is the limit. We look forward to starting our journey with you.

Andrew L. Baughman (Mr. B.)

Director, PHSMP

Andrew Lloyd Baughman is the Producing Artistic Director of DC's Landless Theatre Company and an Associate Artist of Maryland Ensemble Theatre. He worked as co-arranger and originated the title role in SWEENEY TODD [Prog Metal Version], nominated for three 2015 Helen Hayes Awards including Outstanding Musical. Local credits include MET: Lippa's Wild Party (Burrs), Little Shop (Orin), Assassins (Booth); SAB Productions: Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), Tommy (Captain Walker), Children of Eden (Father); Washington County Playhouse: Kiss Me Kate (Fred/Petrucchio), Shrek (Shrek); Weinberg Center: 1776 (John Adams). Baughman studied musical theatre at University of the Arts and University of Maryland.  andrewlloydbaughman.com