America's most uncoordinated childhood ballet and tap student before discovering that her talents were music and writing, Marakay Rogers finally traded in her violin for law school when she realized that she might make more money in law than she did performing with the Potomac Symphony and in orchestra pits around the mid-Atlantic. She has never recovered from being chewed out by Terrence Mann in public for hanging up her bow.
A graduate of Wilson College (PA), Marakay is also a writer, film reviewer and interviewer for the Wilkes-Barre (PA) Independent Gazette, science-fiction publications, and other news outlets. She's also taught college-level communications, writing, and English literature classes, has received multiple writing awards, and is listed in Marquis' "Who's Who in America". In her free time, Marakay practices law and often gets it right.
 BWW Reviews: EPAC Presents Warm, Funny BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
June 17, 2013
EPAC presents a delightful production of Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical childhood tale
 BWW Reviews: Gettysburg Community Theatre Presents Wildhorn's THE CIVIL WAR For Battle's 150th Anniversary
June 17, 2013
Director Chad-Alan Carr and a cast of talented performers tackle Frank Wildhorn's version of The War Between The States and come out far ahead of Wildhorn's book
 BWW Reviews: Allenberry Gives Audiences THE FULL MONTY
June 17, 2013
Terrence McNally's story of would-be steelworker studs brings laughs to the Allenberry stage
 BWW Reviews: Gettysburg Community Theatre Offers CHILDREN OF GETTYSBURG and AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL as Part of Gettysburg 150th Offerings
June 17, 2013
Director Chad-Alan Carr presents the GCT youth performers in an outstanding new play by Katie Pellegrino based on Gettysburg's Civil War children
 BWW Reviews: Go On A CLOSER WALK WITH PATSY CLINE At Totem Pole Playhouse
June 14, 2013
Kara Boyer goes 'Crazy' as Patsy Cline on the Totem Pole stage
 BWW Reviews: BENDING THREADS Presents LEGENDS
June 14, 2013
The modern African-American cabaret quartet presents a set of classic jazz standards
 BWW Interviews: Casey Weems, From Fear Factor To Allenberry Playhouse
June 14, 2013
The Orlando native has made her way from Montana's Bigfork Summer Playhouse to Allenberry... with a detour for eels and squid.
 BWW Reviews: POWDER HER FACE Stuns At Opera Philadelphia
June 12, 2013
Soprano Patricia Schuman leads Opera Philadelphia in a visually and vocally marvelous production of the modern chamber orchestra classic
 BWW Interviews: BENDING THREADS Cabaret Troupe Presents 'Legends'
June 9, 2013
On March 28, 2009, any number of other things may have happened, but for some cabaret fans, the date marks the first performance by the cabaret group BENDING THREADS. In an area where groups come and go, that they've stayed together performing for four years and are still going strong is a prime indication that something is working - as are their 2010 and 2011 nominations for Best Group and Best Musical Director from Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs.
 BWW Reviews: The Underground Lounge in Manhattan Is A Tourist-Friendly Club Experience
June 8, 2013
The Upper West Side club, with great food and entertainment, is affordable, welcoming, and fun -- and won't leave an out-of-towner feeling out of place.
 BWW Reviews: Marc Robin Turns JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT Into A Dancers' Musical At The Fulton
June 7, 2013
The short Webber classic becomes a montage of stage dance history as Marc Robin reinterprets JOSEPH as a celebration of great choreographers
 BWW Reviews: Kirstie Clements' THE VOGUE FACTOR
June 4, 2013
The former VOGUE AUSTRALIA editor lifts the lid on how to get to the top, though not always how to stay there, and discloses some startling truths about the fashion industry in the process.
 BWW Reviews: URINETOWN Concludes Theatre Harrisburg Main Season
June 4, 2013
Artistic Director Emeritus Thomas Hostetter brings the classic tale of corporate greed and the evils of pay toilets to the Theatre Harrisburg stage
 BWW Reviews: THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT Calls Out at Oyster Mill
June 3, 2013
Some shows are iconic, known by everyone - that would be LES MISERABLES. Others are iconic and not known, best identified by individual songs that everyone knows by heart, while many people know the songs and have no clue that they are show tunes. That would be THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD. Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley wanted to recreate their success in STOP THE WORLD - I WANT TO GET OFF, and the result was the show that gave us 'Who Can I Turn To?' Opening in England in 1964, the show was slight enough not to open in the West End, but David Merrick decided to give it a chance on Broadway.
 BWW Reviews: NOISES OFF Ushers In The Totem Pole 2013 Season With Laughs
May 30, 2013
Director Michael Keegan brings Totem Pole's opener some welcome comic relief in a new production of Michael Frayn's beloved farce
 BWW Reviews: Boykan and BMOP Present Boykan's ORCHESTRAL WORKS
May 26, 2013
The Boston Modern Orchestra Project provides a fine recording of Martin Boykan's works for full orchestra, with soloists Macomber and Sylvan
 BWW Reviews: BMOP Presents Reza Vali's TOWARD THAT ENDLESS PLAIN
May 25, 2013
Iranian composer Vali's concerto for Persian ney and orchestra debuts on CD with two of his Persian folk song cycles. Soloists Khosrow Soltani and Janna Baty, with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project directed by Gil Rose, highlight the compositions.
 BWW Reviews: Ruhl's EURYDICE Brings Back Theatre of the Seventh Sister
May 23, 2013
Director Gary Smith puts Theatre of the Seventh Sister back on stage with a production of Sarah Ruhl's charming absurdist take on the Orpheus myth.
 BWW Reviews: CATS Take Over The Stage at Dutch Apple
May 20, 2013
Director/choreographer Amy McCleary puts on a lavish production of one of the world's most popular musicals
 BWW Reviews: GREASE is Slick Work at Gettysburg Community Theatre
May 17, 2013
Director Chad-Alan Carr and co-choreographer Bridgid Wills bring GCT a striking production of the ever-popular show
 BWW Reviews: Energetic HAPPY DAYS at Allenberry Playhouse
May 17, 2013
HAPPY DAYS, about to go into repertory with THE FULL MONTY, is a perfectly decent excuse to spend a day or an evening at Allenberry.
 BWW Reviews: A FEW GOOD MEN Brings Two Great Hours at York Little Theatre
May 15, 2013
Director Stephen Hoke offers a production of Sorkin's 2012 revised version of the play that hits a number of high notes. And the audience can handle that truth
 BWW Reviews: Tempesta di Mare's GREAT BOOKS Program is One for the Books
May 13, 2013
Gwyn Roberts and Richard Stone save their audience some reading time by letting them enjoy the musical versions of several literary classics.
 BWW Interviews: Jessica Humphrey of Dutch Apple's CATS
May 11, 2013
She's a singer, a ballet dancer, and though only recently out of college she's been everything from a spirit in the Temple of Wisdom to a dame at sea. Jessica Humphrey talks about opera, CATS, and the current state of arts education.
 BWW Reviews: 2013 FULTON FOLLIES Brings Back the Variety Show for a Cause
May 6, 2013
The fourth annual auction and show grossed over $100,000 while entertaining the audience with local talents
 BWW Reviews: Piffaro Goes BACK BEFORE BACH at 2013 Philadelphia Bach Festival
May 6, 2013
The fourth concert of the 3013 Bach Festival presented the forerunners of J.S. Bach -- Praetorius, Lassus, Melchior Franck and Bach's own family.
 BWW Reviews: EPAC Presents a Rollicking, Raunchy AVENUE Q
May 3, 2013
Director Edward Fernandez and a well-trained cast of puppets and puppeteers bring the hit musical to hysterical life on the EPAC stage
 BWW Reviews: NOAH Entertains in a Very Big Way at Sight and Sound
May 1, 2013
If your taste runs to musical extravaganzas of giant proportions, nothing is bigger than Noah's Ark at Sight And Sound Theatre. It's wholesome, it's huge in all ways, and there's even an adorable dog.
 BWW Reviews: Peter Nero and the Philly Pops Time Travel at PIFA to Swinging Sixties Spy Movie Music
April 30, 2013
The PIFA time travel theme took the Philly Pops to the birth of the James Bond film franchise... and beyond
 BWW Reviews: DREAMGIRLS at the Fulton Theatre - A Dream of a Show
April 27, 2013
Director Marc Robin dazzles audiences at the Fulton with the story of Deena Jones and the Dreams
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Neil Patrick Harris to Star in HEDWIG on Bway in Spring 2014!
INTO THE WOODS Film to Hit Theaters Christmas Day 2014!
NBC Reveals SMASH For Your Consideration Emmy Bids
MISS SAIGON Revival to Open in London in 2014
Breaking: James Gandolfini of THE SOPRANOS Dies in Italy
Netflix Orders Second Season of Gothic Thriller HEMLOCK GROVE
Shailene Woodley Cut from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2; Marc Webb to Recast Mary Jane?
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Tax Evasion
BWW CD Reviews: Andrea McArdle's 70'S AND SUNNY - LIVE AT 54 BELOW is a Fabulous Throwback to the 70s
That's a Lot of iPads - Apple Awarded $30 Million iPad Deal From LA Unified School District
STAGE TUBE: First Look at Highlights of BECOMING TRAVIATA Starring Natalie Dessay
BWW Blog: Claire van Bever - The Auditions Tips You HAVEN'T Heard
A DANCER'S DREAM: TWO WORKS BY STRAVINSKY to be Distributed to Worldwide Cinemas, Sept 2013