Sarah Caplan

You may have heard that a little show called Wicked  is going to be returning to Dayton, with tickets going on sale imminently. The return of this monster super show is great for Dayton for a lot of different reasons, and we at On Stage Dayton can’t wait to tell you more about it, but in the mean time, let’s not forget the other things we have going on here!

Currently Playing:

Dividing The Estate

Dayton Theatre Guild

The Skinny: This Texas-based comedy by Horton Foote opened last week at the guild and chronicals two generations of former gentility as they connive and grope to wrest control of the cherished and once-valuable family estate out of the hands of the matriarch, who wants the eponymous estate to remain a proud symbol of a vanished way of life. Family members square off against her, and each other, in a comedy that precisely captures a time, a place and a way of life of a very colorful set of kinfolk.

Dates: Continuing this weekend and next, closing May 13th.

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Dayton Theatre Guild website at www.daytontheatreguild.org

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The Hallelujah Girls

Brookville Community Theatre

The Skinny: The action southern-fried comedy takes place inside the beauty salon Spa-dee-dah!, where, every Friday night, a group of women friends gather to catch up. After a tragedy rocks the tight-knit group, the realize life is precious, and with the support they lend one another, they’re able to make needed and healthy changes in their lives.

Dates: Continuing and closing this weekend, May 6th, it’s worth noting that Brookville Community Theatre does offer a Thursday show, so there are 4 more performances available.

Opening This Weekend:

Ravenscroft

Troy Civic Theatre

The Skinny:  Inspector Ruffing is called to Ravenscroft Manor on a dark and snowy night. There’s been a murder — the soul male in a houseful of women has been killed, and Ruffing must piece together who did what, to whom, with what and when. Part psychological thriller, part dark comedy, the first impressions of these seemingly innocent women belie their deeper motivations.

Dates: Opening Friday 5/4 and running two weekends, closing Sunday 5/13.

Tickets: $12 per seat, first come, first served. This play is being produced in the Barn in the Park, across from Hobart Arena. For directions and ticket reservations, please call 937-339-7700.

Additionally, Troy Civic Theatre has annouced their 2012-2013 season:

Dearly Departed; Annie ; Boeing, Boeing and Edwina Black

Dates are not yet stated on the theatre’s website: www.troycivictheatre.com

Opening Next Weekend:

The Sound Of Music

The Dayton Playhouse

The Skinny: If you’re unfamiliar as to the general plot of The Sound of Music, I gotta wonder where you’ve been lo these 50-odd years! This perennial favorite combines nuns, children, nazis, love and — best of all — some of the most enduring music Rogers and Hammerstein ever added to the American songbook. It’s truly a classic, and absolutely deserving of that title. This one pleases all generations!

Dates: Opening Friday 5/11 and running 3 weekends, closing Sunday 5/27.

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Dayton Playhouse website at: www.thedaytonplayhouse.com

Future Fest 2012 Finalists!

The finalists are (mostly) decided! 5 of the 6 plays competing in Dayton’s own, nationally reknowned playwrighting festival are as follows:

A Political Woman; Curve; Excavation; Nureyev’s Eyes and Provenance.

One of the originally selected 6 finalists had to drop out, and a 6th play is currently TBD.

Also announced is this years line-up of adjudicators:

David Finkle
Rob Koon
Helen Sneed
Eleanor Speert
Faye Sholiton

Future Fest audiences may remember Faye Sholiton from having won Future Fest 1997 with her stirring piece The Interview.

Future Fest auditions will be held:
June 4th at 2 pm
June 5th (fully-staged shows)  at7 pm and June 6th (staged-readings) at 7 pm.
Tickets will go on sale on June 4th. Weekend pass (all 6 shows) price is $95.00

 

 

Back again!

Not a ton going on — but that’s not at all to say that the things going on aren’t awesome, so let’s get right to it! Embarrassingly enough, I have to begin with a couple …

Oversights

Yep, that’s right. A couple shows totally slipped through my radar and that’s not cool — mea maxima culpa!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Springfield Stage Works

The Skinny: One of William Shakespeare‘s best-known and -loved comedies, …Midsummer… involves love, fairies, sex and magic.  A, frankly, irresistible combination. And it doesn’t hurt that the show is hilarious.

Dates: Midsummer…opened last weekend, and will continue through this weekend, closing on the 21st.

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Springfield Stageworks website at: www.springfieldstageworks.org

The Fantasticks!

Xenia Area Community Theatre (XACT)

The Skinny: This Off-Broadway classic (it ran for 42 years!) is a perennial favorite, for good reason. An allegorical story of two young lovers and the parents who love them, it features songs such as “Try To Remember,” and “Soon It’s Gonna Rain.”

Dates: The Fantasticks! opened in Xenia last week, and continues through the 22nd.

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the XACT website at: www.xeniaact.org

Blink and You’ll Miss It:

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Sinclair Community College.

The Skinny: 37 plays. 90 minutes. 3 guys.

Seriously, this hysterical and irreverent script takes all of Mr. S’s works and combines them into one complete evening. New to Shakespeare? Awesome, because this will suddenly help you make sense of everything your 9th grade English teacher tried to explain. Fancy yourself an expert on the Bard? Perfect, you’re going to get a serious kick out of the humor. Written by the appropriately-named Reduced Shakespeare Company, “Cmplt Wrks Abrgd”, as some call it, has a cultish following. And as an added bonus, Reed Martin, a member of the Reduced Shakespeare Company came aboard at Sinclair to serve as Artistic Director for this production.

A word of caution: I’m hearing that a couple of the performances might already be near or at capacity, so if you want in on this, act fast!

Dates: Complete Works … opens on Thursday, 4/19 and closes on Sunday 4/22.
Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Sinclair Community College Theatre Department page at: http://www.sinclair.edu/arts/theatre/season/

Closing This Weekend

Wishful Drinking Starring Carrie Fisher

The Victoria Theatre

The Skinny: Carrie Fisher’s autobiographical one-woman show (based on the memoir by the same name), will finish its Dayton run. Read all about it with J.T. Ryder’s preview and interview with Ms. Fisher: http://mostmetro.com/featured-articles/carrie-fisher-shocking-stories-from-beyond-the-stars.html

Dates: Carrie takes her final Dayton bow on 4/22

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Victoria Theatre Association website at: www.victoriatheatre.com

Opening This Weekend

Looking Glass Land

Beavercreek Community Theatre (Children’s Theatre)

The Skinny: A whimsical take on Lewis Carroll’s classic “Through The Looking Glass”, this romp includes all the characters with whom you’re familiar, and adds in dozens of new ones. This is sure to please the entire family!

The Dates: Looking Glass Land opens 4/20 and runs through 4/29

Tickets: For tickets and more information, please visit the Beavercreek Community Theatre website at: www.bctheatre.org

 

As always, let me know what theatres you want me to talk about, or what I may have forgotten — I don’t want to ruin anyone’s illusions, but I’m only human, and even I make a mistake every once in a while. Til the next time!

Hey, all! Hope everyone got the chance to go see some of the rad theatre that happened around the area during the last couple weeks, I know I did!
As promised in my last update, I want to bring you guys some of the 2012-2013 season line-ups that have come to me. If your favorite theatre is missing, let me know and I’ll be sure to include it next time.

Season Announcements!

Beavercreek Community Theatre

Musical Chairs, directed by Matt Owens
September 7th through 16th
Auditions: July 9th and 10th.

The Sugar Bean Sisters directed by Doug Lloyd
October 16th – November 4th
Auditions: August 20th and 21st

On Christmas Day In The Morning (BCT Youth Theatre), directed by Teresa Connair
November 30th – December 9th
Auditions: October 16th and 17th

Steppin’ Out, directed by John Falkenbach
January 25th – February 3rd 2013
Auditions: November 26th and 27th

A Chorus Line, Directed by Doug Lloyd
March 1 – 10
Auditions: January 7th and 8th

The Canterbury Tales, or Geoffrey Chaucer’s Flying Circus (Youth), Directed by Teresa Connair
April 19th – 28th
Auditions: March 5th and 6th

Legally Blonde, The Musical, Directed by Chris Harmon
June 21st – 30th
Auditions: April 8th and 9th

More information, including synopsis, can be found at the Beavercreek Community Theatre Facebook Page.

Dayton Playhouse

Dracula, (director TBA)

October 12th – 21st

Scrooge, directed by Craig Smith
November 30th – December 16th

The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Jennifer Lockwood
January 25th – February 3rd

Thoroughly Modern Millie, directed by Richard Croskey
March 1st – 17th

The Retreat from Moscow, directed by Bill Brewer
April 12 – 21st

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, directed by Jim Lockwood
May 31st – June 16th

Synopses are available at the Dayton Playhouse website, but audition dates are not yet published:

The Dayton Theatre Guild

Opus, directed by Greg Smith
August 24th – September 9th

And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, directed by Debra Kent
October 5th – 21st

A Tuna Christmas, directed by Kathy Mola
November 23rd – December 9th

Ghosts, directed by Matthew W. Smith
January 17th – 27th

100 Saints You Should Know, directed by Ellen Finch
February 22nd – March 10th

Leaving Iowa, directed by Robb Willoughby
April 5th – 21st

Pillow Man, directed by Natasha Randall
May 17th – June 2nd

Synopses are available at the Dayton Theatre Guild website, no audition information published.

 

Playhouse South

A Little Princess, directed by Becki Norgaard
August 10th – 19th

Legally Blonde, The Musical (director TBA)
November 2nd – 17th

Little Shop Of Horrors, directed by Jenni Cypher
February 22nd – March 9th

Jekyll & Hyde, directed by Jen Skudlarek
May 10th – 25th

Synopses are available at the Playhouse South website, where audition information will be made available at a later date:

The Victoria Theatre Association/Premier Health Partners Broadway Series

White Christmas, November 27th – December 2nd
Shrek The Musical, January 15th – 27th
The Addams Family, March 5th – 10th
Mary Poppins, April 16th – 21st
Next To Normal, May 7th – 19th
Dreamgirls, June 4th – 9th.

More on VTA’s 2012-2013 season can be seen here.

I’m sure more theatres will be announcing their seasons in the coming weeks, but it’s already shaping up to be a dynamite year. And you have TWO opportunities to see Legally Blonde, The Musical. Well, 3 if you include the production in rehearsal currently by Vandalia Youth Theatre under the direction of Michael Wadham.
But let us not get so lost in future musings that we forget the present!

 Now Playing

Gem Of The Ocean, by August Wilson

The Human Race Theatre Company
The Skinny: Each of the ten plays in the late August Wilson’s famed “Pittsburgh Cycle” covers a different decade of the 1900s in an urban African-American neighborhood, and Gem, while the next-to-last written, is the first chronologically. It’s set in 1904, an age when slavery no longer exists but oppression remains all too real, and where the problems of the residents seem overwhelming. At the core of the story is Aunt Ester, whose 285 years of life include a journey to America on a slave ship, and who uses her experiences to bring moral guidance to new generations.
Dates: Running through April 15th.
For tickets and more information, visit the Human Race Theatre Company website: www.humanracetheatre.org

 Coming Soon!

Wishful Drinking, Starring Carrie Fisher

The Victoria Theatre Association
The Skinny: Fisher is the life of the party in this uproarious and sobering look at her Hollywood hangover. A colorful evening of what Fisher calls “talking about myself behind my back…”
Dates: April 10th – 22nd
Tickets: For more information visit the Victoria Theatre Association website.
(look for a DMM Feature interview with Carrie Fisher AND ticket contest later this week)

The Pearl

Zoot Theatre Company
The Skinny: Steinbeck’s epic tale of characters is perfectly caught in this sensitive one-act play
Dates: April 12th – 14th
Tickets: For more information, please visit the Zoot Theatre Company website.

Alright, that about wraps it up for me for this installment, but fear not! I’ll be back with more news in another fortnight! If anything happens between now and then that you need me to talk about, just let me know!

Ok, I think we’ve got this whole “schedule” figured out, and thanks for your patience, as well as to Russell and Shane for stepping in! Now, without further unnecessary ado, I bring you … What’s Going On:

One Night Only!

 

Disney’s Beauty And The Beast

Kuss Auditorium, Springfield Arts Council

The Skinny: The Broadway musical based on the classic Disney movie based on the classic fairytale, Beauty and The Beast can only be described as a crowd-pleased. Featuring the familiar (and Academy Award-winning!) Alan Menken/Howard Ashman music, as well as songs that will be less-familiar to those new to the stage rendition, this love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers and has been seen by an estimated 35 million people world wide.

Tickets: Ticket prices are $61, $51 and $41

Date: Beauty And The Beast comes and goes on Wednesday, March 28th.

For more information, visit the Springfield Arts Council site here: http://www.springfieldartscouncil.org/

 

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Closing This Weekend!

Bus Stop

Dayton Playhouse

The Skinny: There’s great buzz about the drama onstage in Matt Smith’s production of William Inge’s classic, taking place in a diner outside Kansas City. Be sure to check out this offering to see what happens when a group of strangers have nowhere else to go, and nothing else to talk about but themselves.

Tickets: Prices are $15, $14 and $10

Dates: Bus Stop closes on 3/25.

For more information visit the Dayton Playhouse website at www.thedaytonplayhouse.com

 

Now Playing!

Going To St. Ives

The Dayton Theatre Guild

The Skinny: After an eventful final dress performance, St. Ives had a smashing opening weekend. This Lee Blessing script is a series of conversations between the austere mother of an African dictator, and the renowned ophthalmologist who is her only hope. Under the direction of Greg Smith, this is not one you’ll want to miss.

Tickets: Tickets are are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $11 for students.

Dates: St. Ives continues its run this weekend and next, closing 4/1. It’s worth noting that this Saturday and next, the curtain is at 5:00 pm.

For tickets or more information, visit the Dayton Theatre Guild website at www.daytontheatreguild.org

 Auditions

The Merchant Of Venice

Free Shakespeare!

What You Need To Know: Director, and Free Shakespeare! founder, Chris Shea is holding auditions for their summer production, The Merchant Of Venice. Auditioners will be asked to prepare a 1-minute classical monologue, as well as be ready to cold-read from the script. Gender-blind casting will be considered, and rehearsals will begin the week onf June 18^th, with the first performance being July 20^th. All roles are open and all actors will receive a cash stipend.

Where: Auditions will be held from 1 pm until 4 pm on Sunday, 3/25 at Atta Girl Arts & Gardens, 905 E. Third Street.

For more information Free Shakespeare! can be found on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/spreadthewords, or for further info, you may email Chris Shea at [email protected]

That about wraps it up for me for this fortnight. We’re reaching the end of the standard theatrical season, but that doesn’t mean anyone is slowing down just yet — most theatres have at least one more offering up their sleeve, and we’ve reached the most exciting part of every year: Season Announcement Time! Everyone has, or will soon be, announcing their 2012-2013 seasons, and we theatre-lovers, theatre-goers and theatre-makers wait with bated breath to see what THE SHOW(s) of the upcoming season will be. Never a dull moment ’round here! Stay tuned!

 

Hey, Dayton Most Metro readers. My name is Sarah and I’m new here, but I’m totally jazzed to be joining Russell Florence, Jr., Shane Anderson and Rob Bucher in reporting all about the theatre happenings in our fair burg! I’ll be leaving reviews and all that good stuff up to the wonderful Mr. F, and I’ll concentrate mostly on bringing you news and updates on what’s coming up and what’s going down. I’ve been around theatre in Dayton for a good while, so hopefully what I’ve got to say will be useful and entertaining. With that out of the way, I bring you my first update:

…NEW THIS WEEK

Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical

The Victoria Theatre Association / Human Race Theatre Company

The Story:   The Victoria Theatre Association’s Premier Health Partners Broadway Series presents the world premier of Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical. Produced by the Human Race Theatre Company, this engaging new musical features beloved and classic songs as it follows the highs and lows of the career and personal life of this legendary singer.
Tenderly.

Dates:  February 21st and runs through March 4th, with performances at 8 pm Tuesday to Friday, Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm and 7:30.

Tickets and More Information: Victoria Theatre Association | On Stage Dayton Preview | On Stage Dayton Review

 

Children of Eden

Playhouse South

The Story: Don’t want to wait til May for your Stephen Schwartz fix? Don’t worry! Playhouse South will be producing the stirring and entertaining musical Children Of Eden starting February 24th and running through March 10th. Act I of this Old-Testament treat introduces us to Father, Adam, Eve and a chorus of Story-Tellers, while Act II spins the tale of Noah, his family and their ark. Familiar themes made fresh again.

Dates: February 24th – March 10th

Tickets and More Information:  Playhouse South Website

 

…CONTINUING

Almost, Maine

Sinclair Community College

The Story: Like finding a leftover piece of Valentine’s Day candy a week later, Sinclair keeps the love alive by bringing Almost, Maine to the Blair Hall stage. This series of vignettes about love and life are set in the fictional town of Almost, Maine, where the aurora borealis sheds its ethereal light over hearts that are broken and, maybe, mended.

Dates: February 24th – March 3rd

Tickets and More Information: Sinclair Website

 

…COMING SOON

Wicked

Victoria Theatre Association

The Story:  Having finished the hugely successful run of Jersey Boys, The Schuster Center stage will be dark (for theatre performances at any rate) for a little while as they await the triumphant return of Stephen Schwartz’s mega-blockbuster musical Wicked which storms back into Dayton on May 30th. If you’re interested, mark your calendars that tickets will go on sale May 19th, and are bound to sell quickly once again.

Dates: May 30 – June 24 (Tickets will go on sale May 19th)

Tickets and More Information: Victoria Theatre Association Website

Gem Of The Ocean

The Human Race Theatre Company

The Story: Next up on the Loft Theatre stage is August Wilson’s Gem Of The Ocean. Each of the 10 plays in Wilson’s renowned “Pittsburgh Cycle” takes place in a different decade in an urban, African American neighborhood. Gem Of The Ocean, set in 1904, is first chronologically despite having been one of the last pieces Wilson wrote. Gem opens March 29th and runs through April 15th and features several well-known Dayton-based actors including Human Race Theatre Company Resident Artists Alan Bomar Jones and Scott Stoney.

Dates: March 29th – April 15th

Tickets and More Information: Human Race Theatre Company Website

 

Bus Stop

The Dayton Playhouse

The Story: A small, Midwestern town in the grips of a snowstorm is the unassuming setting for Dayton Playhouse’s next offering, the gripping Bus Stop by William Inge. A group of strangers stranded by the storm prove that a lot can happen in just one night. Bus Stop opens Friday, March 16th and runs two weekends, closing Sunday, March 25th.

Dates: March 16 – March 25

Tickets and More Information: Dayton Playhouse Website

Incidentally, The Dayton Playhouse just closed the crowd-pleasing musical comedy Nunsense, but isn’t quite done with singing Sisters yet this season. Auditions for the (rightly) classic musical The Sound of Music will be held on Monday and Tuesday, February at 27th and 28th at 7 pm. Those auditioning should prepare a song (an accompanist will be provided) and will be asked to read from the script.

 

The Big Picture

Beavercreek Community Theatre

The Story: BCT is hard at work preparing another world premier, this one of an original musical from Dayton-area writers David Brush and Jim Farley. The Big Picture takes us back to the summer of 1962 in Pine Springs, Illinois, where a college freshman learns that coming home is never as simple as you think it will be.

Dates: March 2 – March 11

Tickets and More Information:  Beavercreek Community Theatre Website

 

Urinetown

University Of Dayton

A city in the grips of a devastating, decades-long water crises that forces the government to impose bans on that most private of experiences, our bathroom time? Sounds dramatic, no? No! As you’ll learn when UD brings us Urinetown, a truly delightful piece of musical theatre about what happens to this city and its citizens. When water is at a premium, a lot of dirty laundry can get aired.

Dates: March 21 – March 30

Tickets and More Information: UD Theatre Program Website

 

 

That about wraps it up for now – mark your calendars for all this great stuff and feel free to comment here if I forgot something or shafted your favorite theatre!