Things to Do

Blackbird

April 20, 2011 By Shane Anderson Leave a Comment

Blackbird

Dayton Theatre Guild

The Dayton Theatre Guild is set to present Blackbird by Scottish playwright David Harrower as a season extra offering, opening Friday evening. The only opportunity to catch this intense psychological drama will be this weekend, April 22 – 24 at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape, 430 Wayne Avenue, in Dayton’s historic Oregon Arts District.

David Harrower

The bold award-winning play promises to be a thought-provoking, though potentially uncomfortable, evening for theatregoers. The play was commissioned by the Edinburgh International Festival, where it received its world premiere in 2005. In the years to follow, Blackbird was honored with a “Best New Play” award from both The Critics’ Award for Theatre in Scotland and The Lawrence Olivier Award.

Dramatists Play Service synopsizes the play as follows:

Two people who once had a passionate affair meet again fifteen years later. Ray is confronted with his past when Una arrives unannounced at his office. Guilt, rage and raw emotions run high as they recollect their relationship when she was twelve and he was forty. Without any moral judgments, the play never shies away from the brutal shattering truth of the abandoned and unconventional love. Ray, fifty-six, after years in prison and subsequent hardships, has a new identity and has made a new life for himself, thinking that he could no longer be found. Una, twenty-seven, has thought of nothing else, and on finding a photo of him, sets out to find Ray. She is looking for answers not vengeance. Nevertheless, the consequences are shattering.

While the sexual themes of the show, particularly the ages of the two involved, may be difficult for many to handle for a holiday weekend’s entertainment, the play’s history, reviews and the fervor with which the cast worked to bring it to a Dayton stage indicate that the provocative 70-minute drama is well worth an evening of your time.

“The gifted David Harrower’s intense BLACKBIRD promises to be the most powerful drama of the season…masterly, mesmerizing…extraordinary…a miracle.” ~NY Times

“…an intense psychodrama that won’t let your mind wander even though there are times this story makes you wish you could switch channels.” ~Curtain Up

The play, which unfolds in real-time, ruthlessly examines the complicated history and bond between a man and a woman as they struggle through a deep exploration into what happened and why it happened, and what it all means now.

Heather Atkinson (L) and K.L. Storer (R) in Blackbird

The cast includes Heather Atkinson, last seen at the Guild in The Cashier and K.L. Storer, who appeared in last season’s A Case of Libel. The play is directed by Natasha Randall.

This play contains harshly explicit sexual language, mature themes and subject matter.

-SA/DTG Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

David Harrower’s BLACKBIRD – April 22-24 – (8pm on Friday & Saturday / 3pm on Sunday)

Tickets Prices: $10 student / $15 senior / $17 adult

Location: Dayton Theatre Guild at The Caryl D. Philip’s TheatreScape – 430 Wayne Ave. Dayton, Ohio 45410 (MAP)

Contains adult situations and language.

Tickets are on sale now through DTG’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 278-5993 (due to a volunteer staff, phones are not monitored continually).

For more information about Dayton Theatre Guild’s entire 2010-2011 season, visit www.DaytonTheatreGuild.org

Dayton Theatre Guild at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape

Imagination and Collaboration

April 14, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The Phantom Tollbooth

THE ZOOT THEATRE COMPANY
AND
TOWN HALL THEATRE COMPANY

Theatre at its very essence is collaboration: designers and directors; directors, production team, and actors; artistic and front of house staff; and numerous other people all work together to create art. However, we don’t have to limit collaboration to simply what can be done within a single theatre. Rather, collaborating between theatre groups, working together to put on a show or teach classes or read plays, can greatly expand both audiences and participants.

This weekend, the Zoot Theatre Company and Town Hall Theatre are doing just that in their production of The Phantom Tollbooth. In the story based on Norton Juster’s 1961 classic, young Milo is bored with everything from his toy collection to his life, so extremely that the Demons of Ignorance eagerly wait for him to succumb and urge him not to do anything at all (for that would be dangerous). However, with the arrival of an anonymous package and his entry into the fantastical Phantom Tollbooth, he discovers a new world and embarks on a remarkable journey to save the Kingdom of Wisdom. A funny and entertaining show for all ages, The Phantom Tollbooth is filled with puns and plot elements, such as Milo’s sudden Jump to (the Island of) Conclusions, that are the consequences of interpreting idioms literally.

Because of the combination of familial and fantastical elements, this show perfectly showcases the expertise of both the Dayton-based Zoot Theatre Company, which focuses on puppet work, and Centerville’s Town Hall Theatre, a professional and quality-driven children’s theatre. ZTC and THT have collaborated equally on a production annually for the past four years; they usually share artistic responsibilities, and selected this show together. This piece is different in that due to the nature and schedule of this piece, ZTC directed and artistically formed The Phantom Tollbooth, while THT handled all the front of house, publicity, and related areas. However, several students and Town Hall regular actors play the childrens’ roles, including the lead of Milo, making this production a successful model of collaboration between two groups, and providing both patron bases with opportunities beyond what either theatre could do alone.

Working together benefits both theatres. Mark Metzger, Artistic Director at Town Hall Theatre, remarked,

“I look for opportunities for our young people to be challenged, and to operate a puppet and receive feedback from professional puppeteers is an opportunity they won’t get anywhere else.”

Working on a production where the puppets take center stage, and other production elements (set, lighting, costumes) support the puppetry, is a great learning experience for student participants and audience members. This is especially beneficial given the prevalence of shows on Broadway – such as The Lion King, Avenue Q, Shrek, and WarHorse – that incorporate similar techniques.

Even if puppet-based shows were not experiencing such popularity, though, because plays are meant to be seen, not just heard, the addition of such a predominant visual element teaches skills applicable to all theatre, and collaborations such as this benefit both organizations. Metzger commented on Zoot’s talent and ability to produce quality theatre, so he had no reservations whatsoever about doing a project where THT’s own artistic involvement was minimized, knowing that the show would be excellent for both theatres.

As a traveling-based rather than single-venue theatre, Zoot finds collaboration extremely important. Working with Town Hall allows them the chance to perform in another space and with a different patron base; they also do a lot of work within schools and help area theaters with puppet-based work when needed, and even within specific shows, place a high emphasis on collaboration. For example, in describing the process through which the theatre designs and creates puppets, Zoot’s Artistic Director Tristan Cupp explained that various artistic staff design, sometimes originating with group discussions and sometimes with a focal designer’s vision, all the while working with the director to make puppets that align with the characters’ and show’s needs. These different processes, and Zoot’s production skills, are very collaborative. Cupp said,

“What’s wonderful is each one of these artists has strengths in different mediums and different styles, which really lends to the variety of puppets and looks and different ideas… You can expand your creative horizons that way, by learning from each other and learning to use different materials and different styles; that’s what’s needed, and it’s really appealing to a lot of artists who want to help us out and be a part of it.”

Part of that collaboration involves the input of visual artists not involved in theatre, which adds diversity and a variety of skills to the art.

Fittingly, then, Zoot has just announced a residency with the Victoria Theatre Association, and their Mathile Theatre at the Schuster Center. In the previous couple of years, Zoot has presented two shows independently at the Mathile, but this residency will provide both groups an opportunity for growth and collaboration. Zoot’s productions fit into two categories, Mainstage and Zoot Tales (child or family oriented), and the residency will introduce more people within those areas to a type of theatre relatively new to Dayton. Now, Zoot will choose a season of three shows to present, and the VTA will provide venue and/or assistance with touring; the Victoria will be able to offer educational initiatives in puppetry through ZTC, which fits nicely with programs such as their Physicians for Kids Discovery Series.

“Puppetry itself is storytelling through a universal language.”

As such a collaborative organization, Zoot is looking ahead to continuing their work with schools and various theatres, and both Town Hall Theatre and the Zoot Theatre Company hope to continue their collaborations together. Cupp noted, “Puppetry itself is storytelling through a universal language,” and the idea of working together on something so universally applicable is beautiful. Collaboration, too, is universal, for we all have a certain connection as imaginative human beings capable of working together because of that humanity. Reflecting this, The Phantom Tollbooth provides an experience and combination unlike anything else in Dayton right now, where audience members truly can experience imagination come to life.

~KN

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Dates: April 15 – 17, 2011, at Town Hall Theatre; April 21 – 30, 2011, at the Schuster Center’s Mathile Theatre

Tickets: Town Hall Theatre or Ticket Center Stage (choose appropriate site for venue)

More Information: Victoria Theatre Association: Phantom Tollbooth, Town Hall Theatre, Zoot Theatre Company

Permanent Collection

April 11, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Alan Bomar Jones and Scott McGowan

Permanent Collection

The Human Race Theatre Co.

An art museum may not be the first place you’d think of when it comes to workplaces with intense conflict, but in Thomas Gibbons’ Permanent Collection the Morris Foundation has as much head-butting as an NFL game. And unlike in an NFL game, the production by The Human Race Theatre, Dayton’s own professional theatre company, doesn’t provide the players with helmets and pads.

Eccentric collector Alfred Morris pretty much guarantees the collisions when his will stipulates both that his museum go to an historically black college and that the displays be kept precisely as they are – leading to an inevitable battle over African artworks that have been kept in basement storage.

Permanent Collection by Thomas Gibbons - Human Race Theatre Co. - April 15-May 1 - Dayton, OH

Alan Bomar Jones

The Morris Foundation is loosely based on the Barnes Foundation of Philadelphia, a real-life private museum with a real-life eccentric owner, Barnes is the subject of the film documentary The Art of the Steal, though the film and Permanent Collection cover entirely different aspects of the aftermath of the collector’s death.

Permanent Collection is directed by Dayton native and current New Yorker Schele Williams, who did a masterful job at the helm of Ethel Waters: His Eye Is On The Sparrow two years ago. It is part of the 2010-2011 Eichelberger Loft Season of The Human Race, which will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its incorporation during the run.

An Evening at the Museum with More Drama Than Night at the Museum

The college which inherits the collection hires African-American businessman Sterling North as director. North is played by Human Race Resident Artist Alan Bomar Jones, most recently seen at The Loft in A Christmas Carol, who recently garnered rave reviews for the Columbus one-man-play as folk artist Ezra Pierce, Pierce to the Soul.

Melissa Joyner and Scott McGowan

North’s discoveries lead to the battles with the museum #2, Paul Barrow, played by New York-based Scott McGowan, who has won awards for performances in Miss Saigon and Evita, so he knows about culture clashes. The two men draw in the office staff, played by New Yorkers Sharon Hope (who has done numerous Law & Order episodes, so she knows verbal fracases) and Melissa Joyner (whose many credits include a turn as a student in Carrie II, so she know about the results of anger), into the fray.

A reporter who gets interested in the story is played by Christine Brunner of Middletown, who was in Human Race productions of A Christmas Carol and has appeared in many other shows in the region, and who has been a hand model in commercials for both Charmin and Bounty, so she knows when people have made a mess of things.

The imaginative set – you have to be imaginative when depicting a few billion dollars’ worth of art – is by Tamara L. Honesty. Costumes are by Janet Powell, lighting by HRTC Resident Artist John Rensel, sound by Matthew P. Benjamin, with Heather Jackson as Production Stage Manager.

Among the participants in the While We’re On The Subject talkback after the April 24 matinee, to which audience members are invited, will be Dayton Art Institute Chief Curator Will South.

Production sponsors are Rob and Leesa Comparin, Richard and Marni Flagel, Tyree L. Fields, Larry S. Glickler – Bradford-Connelly and Glickler Funeral Homes, Jon and Diana Sebaly, Maryann and Jack Bernstein, Alan and Marsha Pippenger, and John and Tamara Clough.

-Human Race Theatre Co. Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

PERMANENT COLLECTION by Thomas Gibbons

April 15 – May 1 – various performance times (note…there will be an additional “preview night” performance on April 14)

at the LOFT THEATRE – map

More information and tickets are available through www.humanracetheatre.org, by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Schuster Center box office, or at the box office at The Loft two hours before curtain.

“Off you go, and enjoy yourself!”

April 7, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

See How They Run: A Classic, Chaotic Comedy of Mixed Identity

Cedarville University

Actors rehearse in preparation for the show. Photo Credit Scott Huck

The pants-wearing wife of an English bishop who accidentally decorated the pulpit with turnips and leeks, a staunch parishioner who unknowingly gets into the cooking sherry, an American actor-turned-soldier ready for a night off, a maid who’s seen too many American movies (and a lot of other goings-on), and between one and four clergymen (most in varying stages of undress) combine to tell this story that will both actors and audience members as if they’d run a footrace. The result? Humor not easily forgettable! Eric Rasmussen, who plays the Reverend Humphreys, commented, “Even at the first read-through of the script, I was falling out of my chair laughing.”

Both originating and set in 1943, an early production of See How They Run toured as entertainment for the British troops fighting in WWII; part of the charm of this script is its humorous approach amidst difficult situations. During the war, although British television service could not continue during to financial and security reasons, the BBC prioritized the continuation of radio variety programs, emphasizing the importance of comedy and entertainment to maintain morale. See How They Run honestly portrayed the culture of the time without removing people from their struggles, but by setting up a related situation so hilarious audience members could not help but laugh. Similarly, farcical shows such as this, with characters who completely believe in themselves (even with a play of mistaken identities!) are the perfect way for us to appreciate the lighthearted potential within complicated situations and crazy lives.

With tax season, summer vacation and reunion planning, and the end of school or university years, we all, like those WWII soldiers, could use a few hours just to laugh. Director Rebecca Baker commented conceptually, “At the deeper level, this farce reveals the humorous effect of defining identity by roles… it seems, however, that the key word is humorous! In a spirit of fun, the playwright encourages us to laugh.” The actors in the nine-member cast have enjoyed perfecting comedic timing and playing with different approaches to humor in performance.

I’m serving as the Dramaturg (for those who haven’t worked with dramaturgs before, I do all the historical and thematic research for the production, and provide a link between the script on all levels and the actors/production/audience) for this production, and will be doing an open talkback on Saturday, April 9, following the matinee performance. I’ve enjoyed researching the context and themes, including how humor affected those during WWII and those living now; audience members are sure to enjoy the show even more.

An important facet of See How They Run is that characters do not shy away from the difficulties within their or others’ lives, but find ways (often humorous!) to get through. To fit the global context of the show and help those in need, we will be accepting donations to the campus relief fund to assist those affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Theatre guests choosing to contribute may do so during intermission.

From mistaken identities to runaway spies to one soldier’s instruction to “Arrest most of these bishops!” along with the opportunity to find humor amidst difficulty and help others, See How They Run will keep you laughing during the entire show. So, this or next weekend, take a break from your numerous stressors and responsibilities to see a show that thankfully reminds us how hilarious life can be.

~KN/CU synopsis

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Performance Information

Dates: April 7 – 9 and 14 – 15 & 17, with evening performances at 8:00 pm, a Saturday matinee at 2:00, and a Sunday matinee at 3:00.
Dramaturgy Talkback on Saturday, April 9, at approximately 4:30 pm.
More information: Cedarville University Production Season
Tickets: Available online or at the door. Cedarville University Box Office

Coming Up in Dayton Theatre – 04/07 – 04/20

April 7, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Human Race Theatre Co.: Permanent Collection

THURSDAY, APRIL 7 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

Famous playwright, critic, and essayist George Bernard Shaw (who wrote Arms and the Man, opening this weekend at Clark State) once said, “You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’” The capacity to imagine and “dream things that never were” is vital to appreciating the arts, for the moment you walk through theatre doors, you become part of a new world and story for the next few hours. From a monster made of smoke to a drag queen with just “an angry inch” to four men running around in various stages of undress and clergy suits, the shows in the greater Dayton area this week are sure to expand your imaginations, while inspiring laughter and thought at the same time. Between special performances and weekend schedules, eight shows and a special event over the next two weeks provides you the opportunity to see a show almost any night you choose. So, this week, see a show or two or eight and enhance your imagination – as Shaw said, “Why not?”

ANOTHER OPENIN’, ANOTHER SHOW

…SHOWS OPENING SOON

The Phantom Tollbooth

ZOOT THEATRE COMPANY with TOWN HALL THEATRE COMPANY

Photo Credit: ZOOT Theatre Company

The Story: In this adaptation of the youth classic, after the very bored Milo receives a make-believe tollbooth, he is transported to the Lands Beyond, a fantastic and imaginitive world. He meets Tock the watchdog, the floating Alex Bings (whose legs have not yet grown down to earth), Dynne (a monster made of smoke), and many others, ultimately learning the boundlessness of imagination.
Dates: April 15 – 30, 2011, at both Town Hall Theatre and the Schuster Center Mathile Theatre
Tickets and More Information: Town Hall Theatre, Victoria Theatre Association , Zoot Theatre Company, and watch for a DMM feature article next week!

See How They Run

CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY

Students rehearse in preparation for the show. Photo credit: Scott Huck

The Story: Galloping in and out of the four doors of an English vicarage are an American actor and actress, a cockney maid who has seen too many American movies, a staunch parishioner who unknowingly gets into the cooking sherry, and four men in clergyman suits. One is the bishop who really lives there, another is a disguised escaped prisoner, one just dropped in to visit, and the other — well, that’s left for those on stage and the audience to figure out in this WWII-era farce. (CU)
Dates: April 7 – 17, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Cedarville University Production Season, Cedarville University Box Office , and watch for a DMM feature article!

Arms and the Man

CLARK STATE UNIVERSITY THEATRE

The Story: “The Petkoff women inadvertently save an enemy soldier’s life during wartime. After the war, the soldier returns to the Petkoff home only to be reunited with his warring enemies. With classic George Bernard Shaw witticism,”Arm & the Man” shows the foolishness of war against a lush and romantic backdrop.” (CSU press release)
Dates: April 8 – 17, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Clark State box office

Permanent Collection

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY

The Story: Loosely based on a true story, in this play, eccentric collector Alfred Morris pretty much guarantees the collisions when his will stipulates both that his museum go to an historically black college and that the displays be kept precisely as they are – leading to an inevitable battle over African artworks that have been kept in basement storage.(HRTC)
Dates: April 14 – May 1, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Human Race Theatre Company

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

The Story: This musical, the first collaboration between Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, explores the Biblical saga of Joseph through an exciting variety of musical styles. The prophetic Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, where he “endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged” as he struggles to survive in a new land and move past his brothers’ betrayal.
Dates: March 25 – April 9, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Playhouse South, DMM Review

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY YOUTH THEATRE

The Story: Alice falls down a rabbit-hole into “a world of talking animals, comic royalty, and races where the contestants run in circles!” (BCT) This children’s adaptation provides a contemporary view of the Carroll classic, where “nonsense makes quite good sense” and we can believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
Dates: April 8 – 17, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Beavercreek Community Theatre , 937-429-4737

The Boys Next Door

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

The Story: Four emotionally and/or mentally challenged men live together as part of an independent living program; social worker Jack attempts to guide them in their distinct trials and pursuit of a happier life.
Dates: April 1 – 17, 2011
Tickets and More Information: 937-278-5993 or Dayton Theatre Guild

…ONE WEEKEND ONLY

JJ Parkey as Hedwig

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

ENCORE THEATER COMPANY

The Story: After the sex change operation that will allow her to marry US soldier Luther is botched, East German

rock ‘n’ roll goddess and “internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Schmidt is left with just “an angry inch.” This award-winning, outrageous, and unexpectedly hilarious show tells her story in rock music and stand-up comedy, and is a show for all those who felt life gave them an inch when they deserved a mile, and all those who yearn to be complete. JJ Parkey (Rent) and Abigail Nessen Bengson (award-winning Mimi in last season’s Rent) co-star.
Dates: April 7 – 9, 2011
Tickets and More Information: Encore Theater Company

PART OF IT ALL

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Annie, Get Your Gun

SPRINGFIELD ARTS COUNCIL & SPRINGFIELD CIVIC THEATRE

Auditions: Saturday, April 9, 2011 – 9 am
Performances: June 16 – 19, 2011
The Story: A fictionalized version of the lives of historical figures, in this musical, we explore the life of sharpshooter Annie Oakley, from her falling in love to handling rival sharpshooters.
Directed by: Becky Brunsman
More Information: Springfield Arts Council: Auditions

ONE SHORT DAY

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

The Legend of Marshmallow Island

SPRINGFIELD ARTS COUNCIL

The Basics: In this exploration of world music, Lorne Lampert, founder of Mystic Drumz, searches for Marshmallow Island through multicultural music themes and interactive audience participation with projection, sound effects, and instruments from around the world.
Date: April 13, 2011 – 7:30 pm
More Information: http://www.springfieldartscouncil.org

~KN

Las Americas Extends Hours, Hosts Live Music

March 25, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine has extended its hours, and the restaurant now is offering entertainment and a special menu during First Fridays.

The historic Oregon Arts District restaurant, 524H E. Fifth St., now is open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. Las Americas specializes in authentic cuisine that features the aromatic spices and flavors of Puerto Rico, home country of owner Dolores Quinones, as well as Cuban and Spanish dishes.

On First Friday, Las Americas has started offering special menu items, as well as live music. During the next First Friday on April 1, Armando Garcia will perform.

“Featured is a very special troubadour performer, Armando Garcia, a most talented singer, guitarist and performer ― what a combination,” Quinones said. “Armando delights in bringing guests a serenade right to their table that will be one of the highlights of their visit to Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine.”

April First Friday special menu items will include off-the-grill pork chops with pineapple mojo, tilapia tacos topped with Las Americas’ own un poco picosita white sauce, colossal shrimp with green peas over white rice, and a beef empanada platter with arroz con gandules and yucca salad, along with special appetizers and desserts.

Regular menu items, which range from $4 to $10, also will be available. Those include soups, salads, wraps, quesadillas, mofongos and nachos ― many of them vegetarian. Desserts include flan and tres leches, and the restaurant offers a variety of non-alcoholic drinks, such as nectar juices and Puerto Rican coffee, pocillo.

Las Americas is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 10 p, and Sunday it offers a special brunch menu from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 937-266-3086 and follow Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine on Facebook for more information.

Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine started as a popular vendor at the PNC Second Street Market. Quinones expanded and moved to the Oregon Arts District in 2010, adding new menu items to customer favorites from the Market.

Coming Up in Dayton Theatre – 03/24 – 04/06

March 24, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

THURSDAY, MARCH 24 – WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

Limestone Bricks: rainbow base painting (Photo Credit: Denise Yvette Serna)

When I wandered into the theatre today, a scenic artist was busily painting a stone wall – with nearly every color of the rainbow, rather than a traditional brick red or tan. The stones looked gorgeous, although not yet like the limestone bricks on the set model. “Real bricks aren’t flat – they’re unique,” she said, explaining her process of basing the bricks with rainbow scumbling, then applying multiple washes to mute the colors but bring out the pigments and bright undertones. However, when the set is complete, audience members will never know just how many layers were essential to make such a realistic stone wall.

So many layers and colors go into every one of these shows, as well. From the sound designer to the box office intern to the actors and directors, shows are necessarily collaborative and layered, to an extreme. Often, we are never aware of these affectations, but each one contributes to the show that we see.

Limestone bricks: completed! (Photo Credit: Denise Yvette Serna)

Likewise, we and the people around us bear the same intricacies and layers. We are products of years of existence and influence; each personal experience has added color to the scumbled wall that is a life. Part of the magic of theatre is its influential power to reflect people; part of that, and of shows in general, illustrates the deep and layered nature of those other human beings around us. It does this not only through the literal act of a show, but also through the subtle things, like the rainbow layers underneath the bricks.

This week, go see one of the following shows. Whether exploring cupcakes, alcoholism, or sex, each one deals in some way with real people, in all of their layers and depth; therefore, through them, we can better understand the people and world around us. You could even take a friend or two to one of the shows below, then discuss it over drinks or dinner afterward. Understand the layers, one at a time.

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS OPENING SOON

Bill W. and Dr. Bob

DAYTON PLAYHOUSE

The Story: Bill W. – famous New York stockbroker who loses everything in the 1929 crash, then turns to alcohol – and Dr. Bob Smith – Ohio surgeon who often operates hung over – meet and form a relationship, each helping to keep the other sober. This courageously blunt, uncompromisingly straight forward docu-drama explores the lives of these two men and the history of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Dates: April 1 – 3, 2011 (Season Extra)
Tickets and More Information: 937-424-8477, Dayton Playhouse

The Boys Next Door

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Pinkalicious!

TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Photo Credit: Mike Long

The Story: Young Pinkalicious can’t stop eating pink cupcakes, even though her parents and friends warn her to stop. But when she wakes up one morning to discover she has turned bright pink from head to toe, her doctor diagnoses her with Pinkitis. In this adaptation of the beloved children’s book, families see if there can ever be too much of a good thing.
Dates: March 11 – 27, 2011
Tickets: (937) 433-8957
More Information: Town Hall Theatre: Pinkalicious

Part of it All

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Encore Theater Company: Summer Mainstage Season

The Basics: Altar Boyz. In My Blood. Pump up the Volume. The Consequences. In its exciting 2011 season, ETC collaborates with Sinclair Community College and the Human Race Theatre Company to bring Dayton several developing and contemporary musicals throughout the summer.
Auditions: March 27 – 29, 2011 (schedule appointment)
More Information: Encore Theater Company

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

Avenue Q

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION

The Story: Princeton moves to NYC with bright eyes, big dreams, and a tiny bank account, and ends up on Avenue Q, where everyone is looking for the same things: a decent job, a stable relationship, and a “purpose.” Sponsored by Logos@Work, Square One Salon & Spa, and with DaytonMostMetro.com as media sponsor, this national touring production of the sassy, irreverently hilarious puppet show that took Broadway by storm explores the ups and downs of life and “the real world.”
Date: March 30, 2011 – One Night Only!
Tickets: Ticket Center Stage , but they’re almost sold out!
More Information: DMM Feature

~KN

It’s No Joke: April 1 First Friday Packed with Art, Entertainment

March 24, 2011 By Dayton937 2 Comments

Comedic juggling duo The Dropbacks will return to First Friday in April to wow crowds with their feats of daring-do.

The next First Friday, downtown Dayton’s free monthly art hop, will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. April 1. As the weather warms, First Friday also heats up with the return of outdoor entertainment.

The popular street performers will return to First Friday (weather permitting) with roaming entertainers including breakdance crew Circle Nerdz, the comedic juggling troupe The Dropbacks and saxophonist Tyrone Martin. The street performance is supported by grant funding from the Ohio Arts Council.

Also returning to First Friday will be two historical walking tours by Gem City Circle Walks. Longtime local history buffs Leon Bey, Nancy Roach and Curt Dalton will lead an Oregon Arts District walk beginning at 5 p.m., and the “Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders Walk of Downtown Dayton” will begin at 7 p.m. Each walk is $10 and advance reservations are required by contacting Leon Bey at 937-274-4749 or [email protected].

Another outdoor event in April will be presented by The Broken Dayton Art Machine, a group of local artists who will present a single-piece digital exhibit titled “I Have No Rival.” The artists will create a three-story video projection in the floors above The Southern Belle, 134 N. Patterson, which can be viewed from Patterson Boulevard from 8 p.m. to midnight. Artists Nicholaus Arnold, Ian Breidenbach, Frank Travers, Phillip Evans and Ren Cummings will at The Southern Belle to discuss their work.

As always, there will be plenty of action in downtown’s galleries and other establishments during First Friday, including in some nontraditional spaces. As part of the 510 Project, visitors can watch two local artists set up art installations in two spaces located right off Courthouse Square. In the former Roly Poly space (33 N. Main), Landon Crowell will install a video piece that examines the workers’ rights issues facing Ohio and Wisconsin’s public employees. In the lobby of the KeyBank Tower (10 W. Second) from noon to 6 p.m., Leesa Haapapuro will create a sculptural installation created in conjunction with her “Canal Man” project, which will feature cast human figures installed in the granite pools along Patterson Avenue. The sculptures will represent the men who labored to dig the Miami Erie Canal.

The Cannery Art and Design Center will host live music during First Friday.

In its newest space, TEJAS, K12 Gallery for Young People, 510 E. Third St., will feature the exhibit “Dirt and Matter,” paintings by Rebecca Sargent, from 6 to 9 p.m. K12 also will display artwork by the HAALO (Helping Adolescents Achieve Learning Objectives) program of the Montgomery County Juvenile Courts and works from St. Luke School. The Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 E. Third St., will feature paintings by Clifford Darrett, whose jazz/salsa five-piece band will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Nearby Garden Station, 509 E. Fourth St., will host live music, including Shade of Red at 8 p.m.

Open from 5 to 8 p.m., the Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St., will host a preview party to launch the countdown to its 18th Annual Art Auction, which will be held April 29 at Sinclair Community College. At 7:30 p.m., DVAC will announce the live auction line up.

The Wine Gallery, 5 W. Monument St., will host the photography of local artist Josh Mayes in his exhibit “A Taste of Spring,” which emphasizes flowers and celebrates the change in seasons.

In the Oregon Arts District, Press, an espresso bar and arts space at 257 Wayne Ave. will feature the exhibit “April Fools,” a group art show and live performance by John Gassett, Eric Dunn and Wes Tirey from 7 to 11 p.m. Elaine Balsley Fine Art, 523 E. Fifth St., will host an open house featuring a variety of contemporary art from 3 to 10 p.m. ReCreate, 438 E. Fifth St., will feature original art, instruments and other music-related items.

At the Color of Energy, 16 Brown St., gallery owner Mike Elsass will show a preview of his work that will be featured in Laguna Beach, Calif., next fall. Elsass’ second gallery, Color 2, 519 E. Fifth St., will host an exhibit of new works by Jennifer Rosengarten, Bob Rhoades, Ann Kim, Ben Norton, Amanda Baker and Darren Haper.

Jazz saxophonist and music aficionado Tyrone Martin will perform at First Friday. This photo was taken by Josh Mayes, who will exhibit his work at The Wine Gallery during the event.

Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St., will show Christina Pereyma’s “Yellow Box,” an interactive artwork constructed of yellow satin. Visitors will be able to enter the enclosed space and be photographed as part of the exhibit. Gallery 510 also will introduce the wood turnings of Maryland artist Michael Batista. 5th street clayworx, 521 E. Fifth St., will highlight the “Tree of Life” sculptures by Paula Vasquez. Nancy Snyder also will offer functional pottery for the Easter holiday, as well as gifts for weddings and special occasions.

Omega Music, 318 E. Fifth St., will host live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Patrons who present a receipt from another Oregon Arts District business will receive 10 percent off new CDs and LPs, as well as 15 percent off used music.

Other entertainment options abound during First Friday. For example, the monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, on the corner of Patterson Boulevard and Monument Avenue, at 5:15 p.m. for a ride through the city. The Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Avenue, presents The Boys Next Door at 8 p.m. and the urban arts showcase “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” will take place at The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., from 9 to 11 p.m.

Jay’s Seafood Restaurant, 225 E. Sixth St., will host Puzzle of Light at 9 p.m. with no cover charge. Las Americas Caribbean Cuisine, 524H E. Fifth St., will offer a special menu and musical entertainment by Armando Garcia. Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St., will host the Lab Partners at 9:30 p.m.

Click here for a complete list of events taking place downtown.

In addition, all the restaurants, retail shops, bars and clubs, theaters, The Neon, Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub, Urban Krag Climbing Center, and other establishments throughout downtown will be open during First Friday. For regular updates about this event, follow First Friday on Facebook. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more.

Poetic Medley with Poetri at The Loft Theatre

March 11, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Tony Award winner Poetri will headline the April 1 production of The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show at the Loft Theatre.

Oral Funk Poetry Productions is launching its fourth season of “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” in a new venue, The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St.

“We’re so excited to be producing our fourth season at The Loft Theatre,” said Sierra Leone of Oral Funk Poetry Productions. “Our new home has more seating for our shows, which often sell out, and allows us to kicks up the performance a notch thanks to access to more professional production equipment and capabilities in the theater. It also allows us to learn from the professionals at The Human Race Theatre Company.”

The season opening performance will be held from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 1, at The Loft Theater. Tickets cost $15 in advance and are available at www.ticketcenterstage.com or by calling 937-228-3830. Tickets at the door cost $20. A cocktail reception will be held in the theater lobby from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

“We are pleased to co-present The Signature at The Loft Theatre,” said Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. “It’s a wonderful way to expand both of our audiences and to make good use of downtown’s most intimate and comfortable entertainment space ― The Loft Theatre.”

Poetri, Tony Award-winner and HBO Def Jam poet, will headline the show with a presentation of original material in which he infuses comedy and spoken word to discuss universal issues, such as relationships and money. Known as “the poet rock star,” Poetri has worked with such legends as Curtis Mayfield, Bootsy Collins and Nona Hendrix, as well as such contemporary stars as Tyler Perry , LL Cool J, Rosario Dawson, Jessie Dylan and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. He was one of the first poets to win a Tony Award for his own material on Broadway for Def Poetry Jam, and recently, President Barack Obama invited Poetri to attend the first spoken word event at the White House.

Poetri’s TV appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Tyler Perry’s House of Pain and Bones, and he also has appeared in popular movies, such as Blades of Glory and Yes Man. Poetri has written and appeared in more than 150 commercials for such clients as Subway, Gatorade, Nike, NFL Films, BET and Arby’s, and he worked with the Black Eyed Peas on a series of award-winning online digisodes for Snickers called “InstantDef.” In addition, Poetri is one of the founders of one of the largest weekly poetry venues in the nation, which attracts more than 350 people every Tuesday.

Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. also will be a featured performer during The Signature.

The evening’s other featured performer will be vocalist and spoken word artists Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D., who blends spoken word, hip-hop, blues and jazz into her work, which makes light of heartache and encourages people to grow from life’s pains and challenges. A Chicago native who now lives in Atlanta, her performance is a mix of Southern sass and Windy City wit.

Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has performed in cities throughout the United States, released several spoken word albums, and written and appeared in two independent films. She is a cast member of The Coochie Chronicles, a spoken-word AIDS awareness stage play based in Cincinnati, and currently is touring with Georgia Me Presents Adam’s Rib, sharing the stage with Tony- and Emmy award-winning poet Georgia Me, as well as nationally known poets Tasha Jones and M’Reld Green. In addition, Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has coached acting and public speaking to young people for the past seven years, and her students have won several awards and hold three Illinois state championships. She also volunteers with Ayudagente, which helps feed Atlanta’s homeless community, and she sponsors charitable showcases to benefit Aniz Inc., which works to combat AIDS/HIV in the African American community.

Also during the event, El Coats and the Funk Point will perform a melting pot of rhythm and blues with a neo-soul twist, and Columbus Slam poet Will Evans will be the guest emcee.

The theme for the fourth season of The Signature is “What Does It Mean to Be a Poet?” Other performance dates include June 17 and Aug. 15. The season will culminate with the third annual Regional Academic and Cultural Collaborative (RACC), which spotlights urban arts and entertainment while giving Dayton-area students an opportunity to connect with some of the industry’s top names. The first two RACC events brought in hip-hop heavyweights Common and Lupe to discuss their work.

During its first three seasons, “The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show” featured local and national poets, musicians, actors, vocalists, dancers and visual artists presenting numerous forms of self-expression ― often to sold-out crowds. In late 2010, Oral Funk Poetry Productions took its show on the road as part of a planned expansion to produce The Signature in other Ohio cities. Its first venture outside of Dayton was a mid-November show and related events in Toledo. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/thesignatureofpp.

Music Video Monday: February 28, 2011

February 28, 2011 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

This week I decided to offer two music videos for the price of one (so, still free as usual). Both videos come from bands that are playing at Blind Bob’s on (First) Friday night. Check out the DaytonMostMetro events calendar for more information.

The first comes to us from The Story Changes. They filmed this music video in Dayton last summer so be on the lookout for familiar faces and places.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPngzpVOycY’]

Our second video comes from Me & Mountains. In addition to the Blind Bob’s show, they’ll be playing a free show at OMEGA Music for First Friday beginning at 6pm. Details are for this performance are also at our events calendar.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7hm_Xl5nF0′]

Coming Up in Dayton Theatre: 02/24 – 03/09

February 25, 2011 By Dayton937 1 Comment

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24 – WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2011

“it can be interesting to see if other people – like dead people who wrote books – agree or disagree with what you think… because it makes you – a larger part of the human community.” – Eurydice

I’m currently in the midst of rehearsing to play Eurydice in Sarah Ruhl’s beautiful play of the same title. When asked why she loves books, Eurydice says, “It can be interesting to see if other people – like dead people who wrote books – agree or disagree with what you think… because it makes you – a larger part of the human community.”

Theatre, I believe, does the same. We sit in performance spaces surrounded by other audience members, and all experience a show slightly differently; we perform on stages in front of any number of people, but only focus on the ones in the world of the play; we talk about plays and glance at reviews and comment on upcoming events.

I impulsively went to Chicago this past weekend to see two plays, and was reminded of these concepts as I spent some time in the audience. Seeing shows does bring us closer as human beings, whether with the two people we came with or the 212 in the audience, and that can be incredibly moving. So, these next two weeks, take someone you know to come see one of these shows, and enjoy being a part of that community.

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Fat Pig

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

The Story: From the moment they meet, Tom finds Helen witty and charming, and they quickly fall in love. She happens to be quite plus-sized; Tom claims not to mind, but the people around him do. In this daring and provocative play, one of famed and cruelly witty Neil LaBute’s best, we explore societal treatment of the unfit, our despisal in others of what we fear in ourselves, and the ever-relevant question of whether size really matters or not.
Dates: February 11 – 27, 2011
Tickets and More Information: DTG: Fat P ig, DMM preview

Play On

BROOKVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE

The Story: In this behind-the-scenes comedy about an amateur theatre group, novice director Gerry Dunbar deals with a diva actress (supported by her doting husband) and their play’s haughty author (with a plethora of rewrites), rounded out by a cranky stage manager and technician. This riotous comedy exemplifies only too well the old theatre adage – “If it can go wrong… it will.”
Dates: February 17 – 19 & 24 – 26 at 8pm and February 20 & 27 at 3pm
Tickets and More Information: Brookville Flower Shop, (937) 833-3531

The Foreigner

SINCLAIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Story: Charlie is pathologically shy; staying together at a bed and breakfast, his friend decides telling the other guests he is foreign and speaks no English will be the easiest thing to do… but once alone with the guests, he overhears more than he should – and much more than they want him to. “Based on what the NY Post describes as a “devilishly clever idea,” the play demonstrates what can happen when a group of devious characters must deal with a stranger who (they think) knows no English” (Dramatists).
Dates: Continues through Saturday, February 26
Tickets: (937) 512-2808 or http://www.sinclair.edu/arts
More Information: DMM event page, DMM preview

Picnic

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

The Story: In a small town in Kansas, everything is going calmly and according to plan for widow Flo Owens and her two daughters. Madge, the oldest, is on her way to being a trophy wife while the younger, more rambunctious daughter Millie is getting ready to go to college on a scholarship. However, Flo starts to worry about their safety when Hal, a handsome but troubled drifter, shows up… (WSU)
Dates: February 17th-19th & 24th-26th at 8:00 PM, February 20th, 26th, & 27th at 2:00 PM, and February 23rd at 7:00 PM.
Tickets and More Information: (937) 775-2500, onStageDayton Review

Part of it All

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Honk!

TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Auditions: February 23, beginning at 3:45 pm; February 26, beginning at 8:45 am. Register in advance.

THT: Berenstein Bears (2011) (Photo Credit Mike Long)

Performances: May 6 – 22, 2011
The Story: “Right from the start, Billy, Beaky, Downy and Fluff start flapping and squawking over their freshly-hatched brother duck. He just doesn’t seem right. His feet are way too big, he’s a lousy quacker and, well, he looks downright ugly! Even his parents are embarrassed to show him to the rest of the barnyard. Feeling miserable and alone, “Ugly” leaves home and begins a dangerous journey that will take him to a place where he, too, can be beautiful.” (THT)
Directed by Brittany Hayden-Hinkle
More Information: (937) 433-8957, Town Hall Theatre

La Cage Aux Folles

DAYTON PLAYHOUSE

Auditions: February 28 & March 1, 2011 (Callbacks March 3 & 4)
Performances: May 13 – 29, 2011
The Story: George (a glitzy nightclub owner) and his partner Albin (also the glamorous chanteuse Zaza)’s son is getting married… and in this musical, he brings his fiancée’s conservative parents home to meet the flashy pair. “The bonds of family are put to the test as the feather boas fly [in this] tuneful and touching tale of one family’s struggle to stay together… stay fabulous… and above all else, stay true to themselves!”
Directed by Doug Lloyd
More Information: Dayton Playhouse: Auditions

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

First Friday

DOWNTOWN DAYTON PARTNERSHIP

The Basics: In this monthly event, Dayton showcases a variety of artistic, creative, and fun events and locations downtown. Gallery exhibits and entertainment provide a great way to discover downtown and have a great time!
Date: Friday, March 4 (and the first Friday of every month!)
More Information and Events Listing: Downtown Dayton partnership: First Friday

~KN

An Emerging ‘Hot Mess’ Comes To Town

February 8, 2011 By Russell Florence, Jr. 1 Comment

Cait Doyle

Cait Doyle’s “Hot Mess in Manhattan”

presented by Encore Theater Co. & Sinclair Theatre

One Night Only! Win Tickets! Read on…

Cait Doyle will bring her award-winning cabaret act-turned-New York-bound musical comedy “Hot Mess in Manhattan” to Dayton courtesy of Encore Theater Company Saturday, February 12 at 8 p.m. in Building 8 of Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St.

Described as “an honest, hilarious, contemporary and touching look at one woman’s interaction with the city that never sleeps,” “Hot Mess” contains songs from 12 burgeoning musical theater composers such as Adam Gwon (“Ordinary Days”) and Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman (“I Love You Because,” “Next Thing You Know”). Doyle, her creative team and fellow cast members will also rehearse the show and partake in a developmental residency February 8-13 at Encore’s artistic home in the Oregon District. Under the direction of David Ruttura, “Hot Mess” will incorporate Jeremy Pasha (“Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Seussical”) and Tim Shelton (“Brigadoon,” “Twelfth Night”) in multiple roles along with music director Vince Peterson and cellist Dan Delaney.

Doyle, a Syracuse University graduate and fan of “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Crazy for You,” received the 2009 MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award for “Hot Mess,” which was performed at New York’s Duplex. The New Jersey native recently made her Lincoln Center debut in John Znidarsic’s Songbook Series. In addition to the San Francisco premiere of “The Last 5 Years” and the New Hampshire premiere of “John & Jen,” her eclectic credits include “The Wizard of Oz,” “Underwear: A Space Musical” and “All Men Are Asses, All Women Are Crazy.”

onStageDayton recently caught up with Doyle to discuss her show as she prepared to leave the Big Apple for the Gem City.

onStageDayton: What inspired the creation of “Hot Mess in Manhattan”?

Cait Doyle: The first thing that inspired “Hot Mess in Manhattan” was “Sex and the City.” “Sex and the City” the first movie, to be exact. I believe on opening weekend that movie made a billion dollars. I thought, “My life is more realistic, but just as interesting/funny as ‘Sex and the City.’ I should make a billion dollars!’

OSD: And the show is based on your experiences?

CD: Yes. I once sublet from a global pop star and accidentally almost killed her poodle. I managed Dylan’s Candy Bar and two guys came in (and) convinced me they were Dylan’s brothers so I gave them $80 from the register. I held a dog hostage from a guy I was dating so he would pay attention to me. I’d have these long narrative tales I’d tell at dive bars and everyone would tell me that it had to be a show – that it ‘sounded like a show.’

OSD: Was it difficult choosing the right songs? Did you purposefully select up-and-coming composers?

CD: I was really lucky with how organically the right songs and composers evolved. From the beginning, however, I was committed to (specifically) using only the emerging composers of New York City with the exception of Mike Mahler, but he wrote his contribution ‘Starbucks’ when he was living in the city. I also thought shoving 12 different composers/styles into one show would help musically reflect what is the story of the ‘Mess.’

OSD: What is it about New York City that sparks creativity?

CD: I think it’s true that there are some wildly ridiculous, cinematic moments that happen only in New York. Where else can block by block appear to be a whole different world? As someone who grew up in and around NYC, I didn’t understand the allure of ‘New York’ tales until I started working on ‘Hot Mess in Manhattan.’ People seem to be really fascinated by it.

OSD: Can you describe the challenges inherent to turning what was essentially a cabaret act into a full scale book musical?

CD: I think getting the first draft out and on its feet will be the hardest part. After doing this trial (with) Encore Theater, I think the revisions and future incarnations will be easier. If it’s not I’m going back to managing the candy store.

OSD: You have appeared in such shows as ‘John and Jen’ and ‘The Last 5 Years.’ What is it about musical theater that speaks to you?

CD: I enjoy seeing and performing musical theater because it brings emotion out of me; something about a situation being so important and full that it needs to transcend from speaking to singing. I started doing musical theater in high school because I wasn’t good at anything else. (I) was obsessed with being in clubs for my college applications, and I saw a sign in the hallway that said ‘Spring Musical meeting. No auditions, and free pizza.’

OSD: When did you become familiar with Encore Theater Company?

CD: I learned about Encore Theater when they reached out and had me do a podcast on MusicalWorld. ‘Hot Mess in Manhattan’ involves several composers they are interested in so it was a natural progression.

OSD: What are the future plans for ‘Hot Mess in Manhattan’? More readings and workshops? Perhaps a fully staged presentation in New York?

CD: We absolutely plan on both! This is truly the first incarnation of what the show will be. We’re hoping to see what works in Dayton, what the audience responds to, and then cement in the things that work. Post Dayton there are plans to do a couple other drafts/workshops with the ultimate goal of an off-Broadway run and having it licensed for productions elsewhere. Once the songs are set we are moving on to a cast recording distributed by Sh-K Boom Records.

Tickets & Performance Information:

Cait Doyle’s HOT MESS IN MANHATTAN (One Night Only)

Hot Mess in Manhattan will be performed Saturday, February 12 at 8 p.m. in Building 8 at Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St. Advance tickets are $15 each or $55 to purchase a cabaret table of four. All tickets are $18 on day of show.

Tickets are available at the Sinclair Theatre Box Office by calling (937) 512-2808 or by visiting www.EncoreTheaterCompany.com

For more information about Cait, visit www.hotmessinmanhattan.com

Win Free Tickets!

The Encore Theater Company, Sinclair Theatre & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to HOT MESS IN MANHATTAN!

We will be giving away a pair of tickets to the show…BUT…if we get 25 Facebook shares, we’ll make it a TABLE OF FOUR! If we get to 50 FB shares, we’ll throw in a $25 gift certificate for an Oregon District Restaurant for food/drinks after the show! All you need to do is:

Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page (The more shares, the better the prize).
Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post.
Leave a comment below, answering the following question…Cait Doyle’s show is about all the crazy things that happen to her while living in the Big Apple…Tell us the craziest thing you’ve ever experienced in the Gem City (No Names please…to protect the innocent/guilty).
The deadline to enter is NOON on THURSDAY, February 10th.
Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.

Error: Contact form not found.

Stage & Screen: WSU Grad to Present Concert at The Neon

February 6, 2011 By Shane Anderson Leave a Comment

HERE WITH ME:

CHRISTIAN DUHAMEL LIVE IN CONCERT

The Neon Movies & The Human Race Theatre Company

Regional Premiere!

I had a meeting down at the DMM clubhouse (office) yesterday. The conversation kept coming back to how frustrating it is to hear people say things like “there’s nothing to do in Dayton,” and “nothing happens here, I can’t wait to move to_______________.” PEOPLE! – THE MOST AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN RIGHT HERE! IN DAYTON! You’ve just got to pay attention!

Of course, if you are reading this article on DaytonMostMetro.com, I’m probably just preaching to choir. So, please, share it.

Our downtown gems of theater, THE NEON (movies) and THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE CO. (live) are teaming up to present a concert. ? A concert at a movie theater? You gotta hand it to both organizations, both are willing to take chances on something new, both embrace innovation. Tuesday night they will try something new, together….present a concert of music by an up & coming new musical theatre composer!

The setting is a terrific idea! I’m actually a little bit miffed that I didn’t think of it first for the organization I work with. The Neon has a terrific set-up for an event that will feature live song and stories. Grab a beer, glass of wine or even a cup of coffee to go along with those junior mints and settle in for an evening of new musical theatre songs by Christian Duhamel.

Duhamel is in town working on Shakespeare’s TWELFTH NIGHT at “the Race.” He portrays Feste, the clown (and musician) in the unique production which has been reset in Jazz-Age America. Besides acting, Christian is also a composer. He has composed for theater, including several original musicals and a songbook. Tuesday evening’s concert will feature Christian, and a few guests, singing songs (& telling stories) from his repertoire.

CHRISTIAN DUHAMEL was named one of Seattle BroadwayWorld.com’s Top 10 People to Watch in 2011. He is a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Award-winning composer, lyricist, playwright, director and musical director and was the inaugural recipient of the Young Creator’s Award from Music Theatre Ventures. His musicals and songs have been performed on stages and at cabarets across the nation. In 2009 he published his first songbook, “Here With Me: A Collection of Songs by Christian Duhamel.” Mr. Duhamel earned his BFA in Acting-Musical Theatre from Ohio’s Wright State University. www.christianduhamel.org.

onStageDayton had a few questions for Christian about his career, his music & returning to Dayton:

onStageDayton: For our readers who don’t know you, how did you first end up in Dayton? Where are you based currently? How has it felt to return to Dayton as an actor & musician in The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of Shakespeare’s TWELFTH NIGHT?

WSU Theatre

Christian Duhamel: I first came to Dayton as a transfer into the acting-musical theatre program at Wright State. I grew up in a suburb of Seattle, Washington, and after graduating from WSU and working around the country for a bit, I moved back to Seattle and have lived there the last 4 and a half years, working as an actor, writer, composer, musical director, director, coach and educator.

The Loft Theatre

Returning to the Race has been a huge honor and joy. From previous involvement in Race productions and also from being an audience member, I know the Race puts on high-quality productions. When I received the offer to play this amazing role (Feste) at this amazing theatre and additionally, to compose music for two of Shakespeare’s lyrics, I knew could not pass up the opportunity.

OSD: Besides being an actor and musician, it seems that you are also a musical theatre composer. At what point did you decide to put pen to paper to write a musical? What was that first musical and have you written any since?

Christian Duhamel

CD: In high school I was highly involved in choir and drama, and here I got my first taste of creating new works: writing plays, arranging vocal jazz charts and writing choral and jazz music. When I began college, writing was placed on a back burner as I focused on my acting training. After I transferred to Wright State, I rediscovered my passion for writing, and wrote my first musical, REINVENTING ROMANCE, which was produced at Wright State, went to the regional level of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and I went on to the national level with awards for playwriting, music, lyrics and direction. Since then I’ve written several new musical theatre pieces: THE WAR CYCLE, which looks at American involvement in the many wars of the 20th Century; ICARUS ASCENDING uses the mythological characters Icarus and Daedalus to examine the relationship between fathers and sons; RED, a contemporary retelling of Little Red Riding Hood; and A BEAUTIFUL END, which is the story of two real women who worked the western burlesque circuit in the late 1800’s. I have also self-published my own songbook called HERE WITH ME: A Collection of Songs by Christian Duhamel.

OSD: Do you collaborate with other writers in your musical theatre writing?

CD: I write cabaret material on my own and with another Wright State graduate, Kristina Wilson. I am currently working with several new collaborators on the development of several new musicals. Hopefully you’ll hear more about those pieces soon!

OSD: It seems that there is a bit of a resurgence of of musical theatre writing happening in America…a whole new generation of new musical theatre writers are creating very personal, emotional works (instead of the song & dance spectacles of the past). What do you think is the impetus of this new movement? What do you think the next few years holds for new musicals in the American theatre landscape?

CD: I think musical theatre, like all art forms, is following a natural ebb and flow: Mozart wanted to write operas about real, contemporary situations, and in Chekhov’s The Seagull, Trigorin craves “new forms.”

Concert Guest Aaron Vega with wife Claire Kennedy

If I had to take a stab, I’d attribute the current shift to a generation of minds who experienced 9-11, can learn from a seasoned Sondheim, and who are growing up dealing with the “relationship disconnection” caused by that wonderful invention: the internet.

In the next few years, as we see 65 million dollar spectacles taking stage, I imagine more writers will strive to bring the focus of the musical back to the emotional spectacle of a character’s internal life, and then we’ll shift the other way again.

OSD: What should audience members expect when they come to The Neon on Tuesday night? What should they NOT expect as well?

Darian Taschner

CD: Tuesday night will be a relaxed evening filled with music I’ve written, including a couple of songs with collaborator Kristina Wilson. The Neon has the perfect atmosphere (and open bar) for an evening of something a little different. I’ll be telling stories about the origins of the music and the impact particular pieces or being a writer has had on myself and my family.

Alexandra Sunderhaus

I’ll be joined by guest artists Aaron Vega (WSU grad, actor and director of Twelfth Night), and Alexandra Sunderhaus and Darian Taschner (the female leads from WSU’s Jekyll and Hyde). There won’t be any production numbers, just me behind a piano with some outstanding voices singing new music for the people who join us.

Tickets & Performance Information:

HERE WITH ME: The Music of Christian Duhamel

One Night Only. Tuesday, February 8th, 9:30 pm

THE NEON, 130 E. Fifth Street, Dayton, OH

(937) 222-8452

Tickets ($5) are available presale at The Neon.

Concessions will be available at the event, including beer, wine & coffee beverages.

-SA/Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

VIDEOS:

Invisible Woman by Christian Duhamel

Performed by Ashley Fitzsimmons
Produced by CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS
Presented by ACT’s Central Heating Lab

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m69lGIoykA
Couldn’t You Stay By Michael Mahler
Performed by Christian Duhamel & Jenny Shotwell
Produced by Contemporary Classics

In the Company of Helen

February 6, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

FAT PIG

Dayton Theatre Guild

Neil LaBute’s dark comedy premieres at downtown theatre.

For his entire career, playwright/film director Neil LaBute has explored a wide variety of genres. Consider his film work like In The Company of Men, dark comedies Nurse Betty and Death at a Funeral, and even bona fide horror films The Wicker Man and Lakeview Terrace. LaBute has mastered the art of the dark comedy – exploring the darker side of the human psyche in ways that make us oddly uncomfortable and questioning our own darkness.

Neil LaBute, playwright

What I think strikes most people as fascinating is that LaBute’s language always feels ‘real’, colloquial and in turn, honest. One really feels as if they are listening to REAL people having REAL dialogue (sometimes TOO real). One of the best examples of LaBute’s influence on American theater and cinema opens February 11 at Dayton Theatre Guild.

Fat Pig tells the story of Tom – a well built attractive man who meets and falls in love with the quite plus-sized but ever-charming Helen. When people in Tom’s life begin to discuss why he is dating such a large woman, Tom must decide where HE stands. It is a fascinating exploration into society’s treatment of those we deem unfit, in this case, plus-sized. Neil’s language is smart and engaging and provides a great “what would you do?” discussion starter. If you want to see what the contemporary American theatre sounds and looks like, LaBute’s Fat Pig is great choice. Dayton Theatre Guild is to be applauded for producing this daring and important play and I, for one, was thrilled to see it on their season. It is also quite timely as a Broadway production of Fat Pig (directed by LaBute himself) is headed to Broadway this spring starring Dane Cook and Julia Stiles.

Here in Dayton, the Guild production features Amy Askins (Jeannie), Nicolas Bauer (Carter), Steve Strawser (Tom), and Wendi Williams (Helen). The production is under the direction of Dayton Theatre Hall Of Fame inductee Fran Pesch. There is honestly no better place for LaBute’s work than the Guild (with the exception of the Human Race). DTG has a track record of choosing daring titles by contemporary exciting playwrights and Fat Pig, to me, is a harbinger of good things to come. Later this year, the Guild will present the local premiere of the one-woman tour-de-force Golda’s Balcony (about Israeli Prime Minster Golda Meir) as well as Theresa Rebeck’s acclaimed Mauritius.

Neil LaBute's FAT PIG at Dayton Theatre Guild - February 11-17, 2011

The cast of Dayton Theatre Guild's FAT PIG. L to R: Nicolas Bauer, Steve Strawser, Wendi Williams, Amy Askins

-DB

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

Neil LaBute’s FAT PIG – February 11-17 – Performance Times Vary (click for details)

Tickets Prices: $11 student / $16 senior / $18 adult

Location: Dayton Theatre Guild at The Caryl D. Philip’s TheatreScape – 430 Wayne Ave. Dayton, Ohio 45410 (MAP)

Contains adult situations and language.

Tickets are on sale now through DTG’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 278-5993 (due to a volunteer staff, phones are not monitored continually).

For more information about Dayton Theatre Guild’s entire 2010-2011 season, visit www.DaytonTheatreGuild.org

Dayton Theatre Guild at the Caryl D. Philips TheatreScape

‘9 to 5’ Thrives On Nostalgia

February 5, 2011 By Russell Florence, Jr. Leave a Comment

9 to 5: The Musical

presented by the Victoria Theatre Association

“9 to 5: The Musical,” Dolly Parton and Patricia Resnick’s shaky adaptation of the 1980 workplace revenge film of the same name, struggles to overcome its dated discrimination premise and an assortment of hit and miss tunes, but there are commendable elements nonetheless in its reconceived, well cast national tour, which began its regional premiere Tuesday, February 1 at the Schuster Center courtesy of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals Broadway Series.

A greater sense of nostalgia in the form of a terrific pop culture-inspired show curtain as well as Parton’s warm, folksy introduction and closing commentary (including a sing-a-long) effectively distinguishes the tour from its unnecessarily flashy, vocally erratic and unsurprisingly short-lived 2009 Broadway counterpart. There is also a sharper character-driven focus and tighter pace that director/choreographer Jeff Calhoun establishes that keeps the show entertaining and engaging even when three labored fantasy sequences and a swarm of bad jokes and crude lyrics become cringe-inducing.

The core trio of Mamie Parris as ditzy divorcee Judy Bernly, “American Idol” runner-up Diana DeGarmo as voluptuous Doralee Rhodes, and three-time Tony Award nominee Dee Hoty as no-nonsense Violet Newstead form a compatible bond. Each character exudes a genuine, down to earth sensibility so it’s easy to empathize with the torment they endure at the hand of their bigoted boss Franklin Hart, Jr. (Joseph Mahowald in a terribly one-dimensional role). The endearing Parris actually finds depth in what could easily be perceived as a thankless part. Her belting soprano absolutely sparkles in “Get Out and Stay Out,” which powerfully culminates in a “Wicked” style reminiscent of “Defying Gravity” or “No Good Deed.” The naturally perky DeGarmo remains a vocal knockout and couldn’t be more charming. Her poignant rendition of “Backwoods Barbie” is a meaningful highlight, but she’s also great leading the rousing ensemble number “Change It.” Hoty, a wonderful authoritarian, particularly makes the most of Act 2 opener “One of the Boys,” Parton’s meager attempt at writing a razzle-dazzle show tune.

Enjoyable featured turns are given by the very funny, spontaneous Kristine Zbornick as Hart’s infatuated secretary Roz Keith, Gregg Goodbrod as Joe, Wayne Schroeder as the Colonel Sanders-esque Tinsworthy, and scene-stealer Jane Blass as the boozy Margaret.

Although there’s no escaping the fact that the best number in the show was written over 30 years ago, “9 to 5” is better here than in New York with an intent to please Parton admirers as well as fans of the film and its era.

9 to 5: The Musical presented by The Victoria Theatre Association at the Schuster Center

(L to R) Diana DeGarmo, Dee Hoty and Mamie Parris in '9 to 5'

9 to 5: The Musical continues through Sunday, February 6 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets. Remaining performances will be held today at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Act One: 70 minutes. Act Two: 45 minutes. Tickets are $36-$90. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com.

In addition, the show notably contains two Wright State University alums: swing K.J. Hippensteel and stage manager E. Cameron Holsinger.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Calling “Dolly”: behind the scenes as a stage manager

February 2, 2011 By Dayton937 7 Comments

Jessica Hickling as Dolly Levi (Photo Credit Beth Porter)

HELLO, DOLLY

CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY

Win tickets to this show! Read on…

5:17 pm

Balancing my prompt book and score, yellow legal pad, and Chai tea, I dart between two ladders (bearing paint-splattered shop workers, detailing the archway) to stand on the stage. Our first dress rehearsal begins soon, and the DeVries Theatre is busy. Properties supervisors cross the stage with a tray of tiered glasses and a stack of suitcases; our technical director oversees crew members counterweighting the chandelier at the flyrail; show director, Bob Clements, is deep in conversation with a designer.

I’m the Stage Manager for this production of Hello, Dolly! at Cedarville University, where I’m a senior theatre performance major. I applied and was selected as SM last spring, and have been thinking about or working with the show in some capacity since; the time has both passed slowly and flown by.

The rehearsal sign-in I posted earlier tells me that so far, cast members have arrived on time. Failure to do so results in fines – ordinarily $1/minute, but twice that during tech week. Although the program here is small, the professors work hard and creatively to instill professionalism in us.

I visit dressing and makeup rooms, greeting people and checking progress, before heading back upstairs. The couple of hours before rehearsal begins have a strange pacing, a mixture of urgent and quiet. The theatre is busy as people hurry to finish tasks, yet the pace is controlled, and these few moments are calm. In a little while, I’ll start calling the time until costume checks, go over the lighting effects with the designer, and ensure everything is ready; but for now, I drink my tea and review the opening sequence of cues.

7:24 pm

CU: Hello, Dolly (photo credit Beth Porter)

Ensemble (photo credit Beth Porter)

We’re a little late starting costume checks, but that is understandable for first dress, and I work to keep everyone moving. The costumers have done an amazing job with each of the thirty-eight cast members: the women are gorgeous in long, jewel-toned dresses and ornate hats; the men dashingly sport white tailed suits.

Student wardrobe manager, Amanda, a measuring tape draped over her shoulder, takes notes; I catch a glimpse of her spreadsheet, orderly and extremely detailed. Don, our eclectic and beloved design supervisor, surveys the actors individually, commenting on details many wouldn’t even know to notice. Pushing up his round glasses, he crosses his arms. “Where are his spats? He’ll need spats,” he says, and immediately a crew member rushes downstairs to pull some.

8:35 pm

“Are the actors in place?” I inquire over our intercom headsets. After receiving confirmation, I prepare everyone for our initial cues. After delaying start time to accommodate for costumes and tech, we’re finally ready to begin. “Standby follow-spot… Mrs. Porter and F1, go.”

The musical director appears from the archway, a spotlight illuminating her walk into the pit; she bows before our imaginary audience, raises her hands, and at her cue the overture begins. I breathe and mentally run through the cues: Take follow spot out and narrow lights on ramp. Transitional lights. Curtain up…

9:59 pm

The makeup room is busy, though not overwhelming, during intermission. Ben greys his hair, Charlee attaches facial hair, and Jessica adjusts her hatpins. “Ten minutes,” I announce, receiving a chorusing, “Thank you, ten!” from those in earshot. After refilling my water bottle, I return to the light board, put on my headset, and open my score to the entr’acte. Five minutes to end of intermission…

“Kate?” The light board operator gets my attention. “We’re using the chandelier here for the first time tonight, and I need to check the programming.”

Hello, Dolly! cast (Photo Credit Scott Huck)

“I’ll get the designer,” I offer, and call into com, “Carolyn, we have a lighting question. Could you run up please?” A moment later, she appears in her ornate costume and hat; Carolyn is also an ensemble member. Multiple interests and skills are common to the dedicated majors of our department. Jessica plays Dolly and designed the hair/makeup; Denise is an ensemble member, scene shop employee, and dramaturg; beside stage managing, I’m an electrician and student box office manager. Our program is conducive to educating those with multifaceted aspirations; many of us take both upper-level design and performance classes. Professor (and Dolly director) Mr. Clements stresses that we never know where we’ll have the opportunity for employment, so should be versatile and marketable, and always “do the ordinary extraordinarily,” no matter what that “ordinary” may be.

10:39 pm

Listening both to the show’s dialogue and com headset’s hum, I call the lighting cue an instant before the waiters dance onto stage bearing silver trays. I say, “Standby for L53…” Stanley enters. “L53, go.”

“Standby for Follow Spot 26…” Dolly is going to arrive at the Harmonia Gardens restaurant; the waiters and cooks scramble into place. Stanley breathes his line and I see the tip of the feather from Jessica’s headdress behind the backdrop. “F26, go.” Jessica, in a sparkling sapphire gown and with a gaze that intermingles flirty and reminiscent, enters as Dolly into the light. She is beautiful, and the waiters see it, their eyes on her every movement.

“Hello, Harry, well, hello, Louie, it’s so nice to be back home where I belong…”

The men unite for their verse of the song. “Standby for L54.” Dolly crosses back to the stairs, t urns her head slightly, and looks out wistfully just as I call, “go,” and the lights shift with her thought…

Rehearsing for the Harmonia Gardens

11:52 pm

“Let’s go ahead and get started with the production meeting,” I say, and begin to ask each team member for their feedback and discussion items. “From my perspective, I felt the show went well. We have a few things we need to adjust, but otherwise, cues and scene changes went well, and the show ran smoothly…”

A few remaining actors, just out of hair and makeup, shuffle through the theatre on their way home. During the next forty-five minutes, we discuss aspects of the show from costume design to dramaturgy, handling issues that arose and coordinating our work; when I dismiss the meeting, only a few are able to head home, but the majority of technicians stand and go to continue working.

1:05 am

As I go to the design lab to email our rehearsal log, I pass Amanda laying out snacks on a chair by the props table. “This is for the props crew,” she explains, “although you can have some, too.” She continues explaining that several of the students are each setting food out for a crew, to show their and the cast’s appreciation. Our department, in many ways, is like a family, and we look out for each other. The properties supervisors, exhausted but surprised, come over to take a moment’s break as I again towards turn the lab to get ready for tomorrow’s rehearsal.

Before the Parade Passes By…

Performance Information

The Story: Dolly Levi, adored by all (especially the waiters at the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant) is a self-termed meddler, but this time, she’s scheming to arrange her own marriage, to the well-known and rich Horace Vandergelder. In this optimistic and fun musical, Dolly charms (and meddles) her way into his heart, setting up a few other matches along the way.
Dates: February 3 – 5, 10 – 12; curtains at 8:00 pm, with additional Saturday performances at 2:00 pm.
Tickets: Cedarville University: Tickets
More Information: Cedarville University: Theatre Season

Win Free Tickets!

The Cedarville University Theatre & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to HELLO, DOLLY! We will be giving away up to TWO pairs of tickets for the second weekend of the show! (February 10-12) All you need to do is:

Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page.
Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post.
Leave a comment, answering the following question…Dolly Levi is a matchmaker…Have you ever had someone set you up on a blind date? What’s your worst/funniest blind date story? (no names, please…to protect the innocent/guilt)
The deadline to enter is 9AM on FRIDAY, February 4th.
Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.

Contest Closed

Things to Do

Blackbird

Dayton Theatre Guild

This play contains harshly explicit sexual language, mature themes and subject matter.

Tickets & Performance Information:

The Phantom Tollbooth

THE ZOOT THEATRE COMPANY AND TOWN HALL THEATRE COMPANY

“Puppetry itself is storytelling through a universal language.”

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Alan Bomar Jones and Scott McGowan Permanent Collection

The Human Race Theatre Co.

An Evening at the Museum with More Drama Than Night at the Museum

Tickets & Performance Information:

See How They Run: A Classic, Chaotic Comedy of Mixed Identity

Cedarville University

Performance Information

ANOTHER OPENIN’, ANOTHER SHOW

…SHOWS OPENING SOON

The Phantom Tollbooth

ZOOT THEATRE COMPANY with TOWN HALL THEATRE COMPANY

See How They Run

CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY

Students rehearse in preparation for the show. Photo credit: Scott Huck

Arms and the Man

CLARK STATE UNIVERSITY THEATRE

Permanent Collection

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY YOUTH THEATRE

The Boys Next Door

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

…ONE WEEKEND ONLY

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

ENCORE THEATER COMPANY

PART OF IT ALL

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Annie, Get Your Gun

SPRINGFIELD ARTS COUNCIL & SPRINGFIELD CIVIC THEATRE

ONE SHORT DAY

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

The Legend of Marshmallow Island

SPRINGFIELD ARTS COUNCIL

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS OPENING SOON

Bill W. and Dr. Bob

DAYTON PLAYHOUSE

The Boys Next Door

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Pinkalicious!

TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Photo Credit: Mike Long

Part of it All

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Encore Theater Company: Summer Mainstage Season

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

Avenue Q

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION

“it can be interesting to see if other people – like dead people who wrote books – agree or disagree with what you think… because it makes you – a larger part of the human community.” – Eurydice

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS CLOSING SOON

Fat Pig

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

Play On

BROOKVILLE COMMUNITY THEATRE

The Foreigner

SINCLAIR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Picnic

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

Part of it All

…AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

Honk!

TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

La Cage Aux Folles

THE ZOOT THEATRE COMPANY
AND
TOWN HALL THEATRE COMPANY

Alan Bomar Jones and Scott McGowan

Permanent Collection

Cait Doyle

Cait Doyle’s “Hot Mess in Manhattan”