I don’t know about you, but I have had such a great couple weeks. I’ve seen some of the best pieces of community theatre I can remember having seen in a while, and it’s only looking up from here. The next couple weeks bring yet more opportunity for thrills, chills and spills!
Closing This Weekend!
And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little
The Dayton Theatre Guild
The Skinny: Three sisters are each misshapen in a different way by a childhood without order or stability. Anna is a science teacher convinced she’s contracted a life-threatening illness; Catherine, who has her own life issues, is the sister who cares for her, and Ceil, also in the business of education, has manipulated life often at the expense of the other two. From this twisted mix the playwright has created an unexpected, delightful and ultimately touching comedy.
Dates: Closing this weekend, on Sunday 10/21.
Reviews: Dayton Most Metro/On Stage Dayton
Tickets: Please purchase tickets online at the Dayton Theatre Guild website, here.
Dracula
The Dayton Playhouse
The Skinny: Professor Van Helsing and his brave comrades must hunt down and destroy the evil Count Dracula. However, the Count is exceedingly resourceful, employing superhuman strength and psychic powers to confound his antagonists.
Dates: Closing this weekend, on Sunday 10/21
Reviews: Dayton Most Metro/On Stage Dayton
Tickets: Please visit the Dayton Playhouse website, here.
Opening This Weekend
Under A Red Moon
The Human Race Theatre Company
The Skinny: Witness a chilling psychological thriller inspired by the true events of Britain’s notorious 1949 “Acid Bath Murderer.” Confessed serial killer John George Haigh awaits trial in prison as Dr. Ruth Covington arrives to determine his mental state for the court. While he welcomes their one-on-one encounter, Haigh won’t give up his secrets too easily, knowing full well that it’s the hangman’s noose if he is found sane. This World Premiere co-production with the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center is a tightly-wound cat-and-mouse game to define the meaning of good and evil.
Dates: Opening 10/18 and running through 10/27
Tickets: Please visit the Human Race website, here.
The Schoolmarm’s In Danger
Tipp City Players
The Skinny: Big things are happening in the little town of Fritter Gulch. Much-loved schoolmarm Molly Dewdrop is about to open her brand new school and marry her true love Biff Baxter. Before that can happen the school and Molly must make the grade with the stern school inspector Tilla DeHon. Lurking in the shadows is the dastardly Blacky LaRoach and his equally evil brother Lefty. Their vile plan … cruel vengeance! Gotta love “meller-dramer!”
The Dates: One Weekend Only! 10/19 – 10/21 at the Tipp City Roller Mill
Tickets: To reserve tickets, please call 937-667-SHOW (7469)
The Winter’s Tale
University of Dayton Theatre Department
The Skinny: This Shakespeare play begins with the darkest tragedy and ends in lighthearted romance, where blinding jealousy gives way to forgiveness in a magical conclusion. It’s also notable that this play includes a line of stage direction, instantly recognizable to all students of theatre or Shakespeare; “Exit, pursued by a Bear.”
Dates: Two weekends, opening 10/19 and closing 10/27
Tickets: For ticketing information, please visit the University of Dayton, Theatre Department website, here.
Opening Next Weekend!
Coming Back To Jersey
West Milton Players
The Skinny: Dayton theatre audiences may remember this script as a FutureFest finalist in 2008, when it was voted “Audience Favorite.” A comedy set in New Jersey in 1965.It is a story of Howard Karchmer, a middle-aged tailor who indulges in daydreams to escape his humdrum existence. Norma, his suspicious wife, believes he is fantasizing about Dorothy, a sexy widow friend. Norma schemes to have Dorothy flirt with Howard to test his fidelity, but Norma’s plan backfires when Howard connives with Dorothy to turn the trick around.
Dates: Weekends, October 26th – November 4th.
Tickets: For all production and ticketing information, please visit the Facebook Event page; here.
A Few Good Men
Xenia Area Community Theatre (X*ACT)
The Skinny: Fans of Aaron Sorkin’s TV and movie work will be delighted to take in his well-known military courtroom drama. Famously brought to the screen by, among others, Tom Cruise and Jack “You Can’t Handle The Truth” Nicholson, this is a gripping tale of whether or not something can be wrong, if your job is to do as you’re told.
Dates: Weekends, October 26th through November 4th
Tickets: Please visit the X*ACT website, here.
Funny Girl
Wright State University, Theatre Department
The Skinny: Funny Girl is the semi-biographical musical based on the life and career of Broadway and film star, the comedienne Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein. Audiences may be familiar with the movie starring Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif. It is from this musical that we get such musical theatre classics as “People” and “Don’t Rain On My Parade”.
Dates: 2 weekends, October 25th through November 4th at the Festival Playhouse.
Tickets: For tickets, please call 937-775-2500
Sugar Bean Sisters
Beavercreek Community Theatre
The Skinny: A Southern gothic comedy of romance, murder and alien abduction, Sugar Bean Sisters takes us back to the sticky, humid environs of Sugar Bean, Florida, where audiences last visited in its companion piece, The Sugar Witch, at Dayton Theatre Guild. Sugar Bean Sisters is a lighter, more comedic piece, dripping with the same spanish moss and thrum of supernaturalism.
Dates: 2 weekends, October 26th through November 4th.
Full Disclosure: I’m in this, and in my (naturally, entirely unbiased!) opinion, it’s gonna beawesome.
Tickets: Please visit the Beavercreek Community Theatre website, .
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