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- calendar_today November 3, 2026
Introduction to ‘All the World’s a Stage’
Adam Gwon’s musical All the World’s a Stage is running at Arlington’s Signature Theatre through December 20, inviting audiences into the familiar yet fraught territory of the high school auditorium. The show opens with the ensemble evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of a school theater, immediately calling out to former theater kids and anyone with memories of adolescence spent backstage.
Plot: Drama Onstage and Offstage
The story is set in rural Pennsylvania in the fall of 1996, where closeted math teacher Ricky Alleman (played by Kyle Sherman) has just started working at a new high school. He finds support in secretary Dede Rozenel (Erin Driscoll), whose association with a conservative evangelical congregation makes Ricky wary. To protect himself, Ricky keeps his sexuality hidden from her.
While supervising detention, Ricky meets Sam Bucknam (Deema Turkomani), a bullied student with a passion for theater. Sam seeks Ricky’s help with a monologue for a scholarship competition. They decide to swap their original choice—Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116—for a piece from Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, introducing the show’s engagement with lgbtq themes and igniting pushback from the church community. Meanwhile, Ricky must balance his burgeoning relationship with bookseller Michael Hallett (Callum Francis) and his duties as a teacher.
Music and Performances
Gwon’s score is described as lilting and memorable, with evocative lyrics that invite the audience to linger in the show’s emotions. Songs such as “Saturday Night in a Small Auditorium,” “Pieces, Together,” and “Other Lives” integrate the characters’ interior lives with the everyday challenges of high school and adulthood. Sherman’s performance as Ricky is marked by sensitivity, capturing the tension between personal authenticity and public responsibility. Turkomani as Sam effectively embodies a teenager’s yearning for validation, while Francis and Driscoll provide strong support in their respective roles.
Staging, Design, and Atmosphere
The production is intimate: four actors, five musicians, and a single one-act setup in Signature’s ARK Theatre. Director Matthew Gardiner and scenic designer Paige Hathaway give life to the 1990s setting with meticulous details such as Beanie Babies, boomboxes, and D.A.R.E. posters. Costume designer Shahrzad Mazaheri outfits Ricky in character-appropriate pleats, while lighting designer Max Doolittle infuses the stage with energy, particularly during “The Show Must Go On.”
Nostalgia, Conflict, and Themes
While All the World’s a Stage touches on political and social issues—referencing book bans, homophobia, and historical policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”—it avoids direct confrontation. Much of the community opposition stays offstage, with Dede serving as the closest representation of neighbors with conflicting values. The story’s nostalgic tone nods toward the progress made since the 1990s, even as the context of receding public support for LGBTQIA rights remains present in the background.
A Tribute to Drama Teachers
Ultimately, the musical’s focus is the everyday heroism of drama teachers, like Ricky, who invest time and care in students, often amid limited resources and shifting social tides. Gwon’s work highlights the quiet influence these educators have—influences that shape lives both on and off the stage. All the World’s a Stage stands as a tribute to those who create safe spaces and lasting memories, a sentiment resonant for audiences who appreciate the impact of such teachers in their own lives.
Show Details
All the World’s a Stage, a musical by Adam Gwon and directed by Matthew Gardiner, runs at Signature Theatre through December 20. Tickets range from $47 to $117.
Source: washingtoncitypaper.com.
