Community Calendar

Marlene Dietrich is quoted as saying, “It’s the friends you can call at 4 a.m. that matter.” Becca, Tammy, and Kim are those kinds of lifelong 4 a.m. Friends with humor and heart and the ties that bind. A myriad of iconic moments, people, and fashion from the 1970s to the present propel these friends as they laugh, fight, argue, support, and love through some of life’s most challenging hurdles -- growing from their teens to their sixties. You know, just like you might do with your own 4 a.m. Friends.

4a.m. Friends runs from Saturday, April 18th through Tuesday, April 21st at the ESPloft (16 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD, 21701) and Thursday, April 23rd through Tuesday, April 28th at Sky Stage (59 South Carroll Street, Frederick, MD, 21701).

Please note that our Tuesday, April 21st performance will feature a special post show discussion with the playwright.

Tickets are available on a pay what you will basis starting at $0 with general admission seating. Tickets can be reserved online at www.esptheatre.org or in person immediately prior to the start of a performance.

THE CRUCIBLE

BY ARTHUR MILLER
DIRECTED BY JULIE HERBER

APRIL 3 – 26

Preview April 2
ASL Interpreted Performance April 10

A group of teenage girls creates mass hysteria as they accuse fellow villagers of witchcraft in the rigid Puritan society of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The accused face the choice of maintaining their ideals or conforming in order to survive in this play about the dangers of unchecked fear, the fragility of justice, and the consequences of history.

Based on the beloved Newbery Medal- and National Book Award-winning novel—and the hit 2003 film starring Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, and Jon Voight—this theatrical adaptation is a thrilling ride for audiences of all ages. When teenager Stanley Yelnats is hit by a pair of falling sneakers, his unlucky family curse strikes again. Wrongly convicted of stealing the sneakers and sent to the mysterious Camp Green Lake, Stanley joins a ragtag group of boys digging endless holes under the blistering sun—all in the name of building character. But as the layers of dirt pile up, so do the secrets buried beneath them. Part mystery, part adventure, and packed with heart, Holes is a wildly imaginative tale about friendship, fate, and the courage it takes to rewrite your story. Holes is “a fast-paced and inventive family show that works on every level” (The Stage).

1999 Newbery Medal
1998 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
1999 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction

A Soldier's Play is a gripping adaptation of the acclaimed 1984 film A Soldier's Story. This powerful production dives deep into the complexities of race, duty, and justice within the military, exploring the mysterious murder of a Black sergeant on a Louisiana Army base during World War II.

Towson University composition students present a concert of original works in this collaborative concert performed by fellow students in the Department of Music.

The Neighborhood Design Center (NDC) invites you to join The Vision is Yours, a transformative regional forum focused on placemaking and placekeeping.

This multi-day gathering convenes urban planners, community leaders, designers, artists, and public officials to explore innovative approaches to reimagining public spaces across Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area.

From inspiring keynotes and hands-on learning labs, to lively networking events and mobile workshops showcasing groundbreaking projects, the forum sparks the radical imagination needed to shape a brighter, more equitable and inclusive future shaped by local communities.

Experience the legendary tale of the Titanic like never before with Titanic: An Immersive Voyage. Featuring more than 300 artifacts, life-sized reconstructed rooms, 3D views, video animations, and state-of-the-art technology, this immersive experience offers a riveting and emotional journey through one of history’s most iconic tragedies. From the ship’s grand construction to its fatal collision with the iceberg, you’ll get to fully immerse yourself in the Titanic's captivating story. Wander through its lavish halls, watch the iceberg appear, and relive the ship’s dramatic final moments in an immersive gallery. Plus, with a virtual reality exploration of the Titanic’s wreck site more than 2.5 miles deep into the ocean, it promises to be a retelling of the Titanic story like no other.

When was the last time you unplugged?

Disconnect, slow down, and rediscover what it means to be present inside the BMA’s historic Spring House, where acclaimed American conceptual artist Rachel Lee Hovnanian presents the Nature Deficit Disorder immersion room this spring. The powerful installation challenges our digital dependence and rekindles our connection to the natural world.

Inspired by journalist Richard Louv’s term “nature deficit disorder,” described as a growing disconnection from nature, often linked to diminished focus and negative moods, Hovnanian transforms the Spring House into a simulated nighttime forest.

“My work has long explored how technology shapes attention, mental health, and human connection. This installation emerged from my observations of society’s growing digital dependence, alongside my own experience of it.” –Rachel Lee Hovnanian
Away from the constant ping of notifications and endless scrolling, surrender your phone, surround yourself with fir trees, and let lantern light guide you. Hear the crunch of leaves beneath your feet and watch the flicker of a campfire casting shadows across the room.

In a world where we check our phones every other minute, Hovnanian invites you to linger for at least five minutes in the immersion room and consider what is lost when we give our attention to apps and devices rather than real-life experiences.

“What do we lose when our lives are constantly mediated by screens? I hope to offer a pause—an invitation to rediscover how it feels to be fully present.” –Rachel Lee Hovnanian