As a theater major at Goucher College, Stephanie Williams dreamed of having her own theatrical company. She realized that goal in December 2006, when she became the owner of the Drama Learning Center, which already had a resident troupe in Shadow Block Productions.

But with her new troupe, the Drama Learning Center's Summer Stage, Williams not only has a theatrical company she inherited, but one she initiated. The troupe makes its debut this Thursday, July 31, with a production of the Jason Robert Brown musical "Songs for a New World."

For the inaugural production, Williams was looking for a show that would give both community actors and Drama Learning Center students a chance to participate. "Songs for a New World" was the ideal choice -- an off-Broadway song cycle that focuses on the travails of a relative handful of characters.

"What I wanted," says Williams, "was to give students more opportunities to have a quality theater experience and to work with adults."

Brown may not be well known outside theater circles, but he's a Tony Award-nominated composer-lyricist whose musicals, "The Last Five Years" and "Parade," have earned countless positive reviews.

"It's a really great show," Williams says. "It has beautiful music. It's a great ensemble piece. We have 12 people in the show. Though I'm producing it, I'm not necessarily directing it; we're all kind of collaborating on it together."

Williams says she first heard about the show from actor A.J. Whittenberger, who is starring in the current production.

"He told me how much he loved the show," Williams explains. "He thought it would be really great in this space.

Williams, who was part of the first graduating class at River Hill High School, became involved with community theater when she acted in a production of the musical "Johnny Guitar," staged by Shadow Block in early 2006. Her background in theater along with her duties as a theater owner and teacher allowed her to put together a cast that runs the gamut from students to local theater professionals.

Two students from her theatrical program, Paris McGrann and Sean Hipp, will be featured, alongside Toby's Dinner Theatre regular Alan Wiggins and Shadow Block veterans Dean Davis and Adeline K. Sutter.

Also featured will be Kevin Cleaver, Kelly Sutter, Nan Kaestner, Emily Sutter, Lauren Williams and Williams herself.

"We're going to do a community theater show every summer," promises Williams, who let slip that the popular "Footloose" is already on the schedule for next year. "We also plan to a big season (this fall) with Shadow Block, with more shows than we've ever done, and some new directors."

"Songs for a New World" can be seen Thu.-Sat., July 31-Aug. 2 and Thu., and Sat., Aug. 7 and 9 at 8 p.m., at the Drama Learning Center (9130-I Red Branch Road, Columbia). A special late performance will be staged Aug. 8 starting at 10 p.m. This performance will feature a pre-show "summer party" at 8:30 p.m., with a disc jockey, snowballs, popcorn and ice cream. Admission is $15 general, $12 for groups of 10 or more. Call 410-997-9352.

'Foibles' gets set for Scots festival

The Glenelg Country School's department of performing arts will be taking its act on the road this summer when it performs in the famed Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, Aug. 16-19. Considered the world's largest and most prestigious theater arts festival, this year's event will include over 18,000 different performances of music, theater, dance and comedy.

Some 35 upper-school students from Glenelg Country School will be featured in the original musical, "Aesop's Foibles," co-written by Glenelg drama teacher (and area theatrical director) Carole Graham Lehan.

Local theater-goers can attend a preview of the show this week, Thursday, July 31 through Saturday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m.; and Aug. 2 and Sunday, Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. in Glenelg Country School's Mulitz Theatre. Admission is $10. Tickets will be sold at the door and can be reserved by e-mailing: show@glenelg.org.

Lehan, who wrote the story, enlisted composer and fellow teacher Tom French to do the music. The play was presented this past spring at the school as Glenelg's official entry in the Cappies competition.

The play's story focuses on a muse, Thalia, who looks to help a slave, Aesop, win his freedom with his tales. Playing the role of Thalia, muse of undetermined gifts, will be Maeve Ricaurte. Collin Lyons portrays Aesop.

Other students featured in the cast are Emma Murphy, Shelby Smith, Ethan Franz, Andrew Lumby, Erica Murphy, Kelson McAuliffe, Chris Carey, Adam Donovan, Kristin Meegan, Ben Koffel, Nick Zients, Raja Jani, Madelyn McClung, Wes McClung, Shreyo Banerjee, Dan Droppa, Sarah Goldstein, Sarah Councill, Suzie DeVoe, Ore Badaki, Sam Kelly, Nakeyta Moore, Lyndsay Arnold, Claire Buch, Erin Hand, Caroline Hyde, Nora Hyde, Maddy LaFuse and Katrina Trisko.

"We're very excited," says Lehan, who is once again directing. "There are great expectations because of all the changes we've been making."

Those changes came about, Lehan says, when she learned her and her charges have "a two hour block to set-up, do the show, and strike completely out of the building.

"We're trying to hold onto being in charge of as many variables as we can," she adds. "We're determined to be ready for anything."

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