The orchestra is silent. The stage lights have dimmed. But for Flipping the Script Productions (FTS), the show is only just beginning. On Sunday, March 29, 2026, Baltimore’s theater landscape will experience a seismic shift as FTS presents the Baltimore premiere of Musicals Without Music, a sharp and uproarious new work by the legendary New York critic and Broadway authority, Peter Filichia.
Transforming the La Familia Soundstage into an intimate, high-energy nightclub, this production promises more than just a play—it offers an immersive experience that redefines the boundary between the artist and the spectator.
The Script: A Love Letter to the Theater
Musicals Without Music is exactly what it sounds like: a series of fast-paced sketches that explore the hilarious, poignant, and often absurd moments that exist in the “spaces between the songs.”
Playwright Peter Filichia—a former President of the Drama Desk and a titan of New York theater criticism—has crafted a work that serves as both a parody of and a tribute to the Great White Way. By stripping away the soaring melodies, Filichia leaves us with the raw, comedic heart of the theater.
“Peter has a way of honoring musical theatre while also poking at it, questioning it, and celebrating the wonderful spaces it lives in,” says FTS Founder Stephen Rourke.
The Space: A Nightclub Transformation
Rejecting the constraints of traditional theater seating, Rourke and his team have opted for a “nightclub-style” atmosphere at La Familia Soundstage. Instead of rigid rows, audiences will find:
- Roomy tables and chairs for a social, interactive vibe.
- Couches serving as the “balcony,” providing a relaxed but elevated view.
- Proximity to the action, bringing the performance directly into the audience’s space.
The decision to prioritize “immersive nightlife” over standard theater was a conscious creative risk. “Peter wrote this with the idea that it would work perfectly in a cabaret setting,” Rourke explains. “My creative instinct is to embrace opportunities that challenge the limits of one’s experience.”
The Producer: Stephen Rourke’s Vision for Baltimore
A staple of the Baltimore theater scene and a member of the prestigious TheaterMakers Studio, Stephen Rourke founded Flipping the Script with a radical mission: to champion original works and elevate underrepresented voices, including women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community.
At first glance, a show about the mechanics of Broadway might seem a departure from social advocacy, but for Rourke, the connection is deeply human. He points to the Yiddish expression, “Man plans, G-d laughs,” as a central theme.
“In everyday life, every one of us makes plans, but those plans are often thwarted,” says Rourke. “My hope is that Peter’s work will allow audiences to hear G-d’s laughter as well as their own, and lead them to embrace the unexpected.”
By showcasing how life—much like theater—rarely goes according to the script, FTS prepares its audience for future productions that deal with the complexities of identity, humor, and pathos.
The Future of Flipping the Script
While Musicals Without Music utilizes an unconventional space and high interactivity, Rourke insists that FTS is not bound by a single format. Instead, the company is bound by a philosophy of inclusion. Whether it is a cabaret-style comedy or a heavy-hitting drama, the goal remains the same: ensuring everyone has a chance to be heard and respected.
For the Baltimore resident who has never stepped foot in a Broadway theater, Rourke has a simple message: “Anything can happen in the theater, and should.”
Event Details
- Production: Musicals Without Music by Peter Filichia
- Presented by: Flipping the Script Productions
- Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
- Venue: La Familia Soundstage, Baltimore
- Tickets: Click Here to Get Tickets
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