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On Stage Dayton

The Nutcracker Returns to the Schuster For 8 Performancrs

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On Friday, December 10 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, December 11at 2:30 and 7:30 pm; Sunday, December 12 at 2:30 pm; Friday, December 17 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, December 18 at 2:30 and 7:30 pm; Sunday, December 19 at 2:30 pm in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, the Dayton Ballet, accompanied by the full Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, will present the holiday favorite The Nutcracker, the second ballet of the DPAA 2021-2022 season.

 

Dayton Ballet’s beloved The Nutcracker is Dayton’s biggest and best holiday performing arts tradition.With choreography by Artistic Director Karen Russo Burke, sets by designer Ray Zupp, and costumes by Lowell Mathwich, the story of little Clara, her prized Nutcracker, the Rat King, the handsome Cavalier, and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy comes alive on stage this December. The elegance, grace and sheer athleticism of the full company of Dayton Ballet dancers brings the magical story to immediate, colorful life.

The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Neal Gittleman, again takes up residence in the orchestra pit, giving Tchaikovsky‘s music the full, rich, gorgeous interpretation that it requires. There is no better way to enjoy this classic ballet and experience the full depth of this wonderful music than at the Schuster Performing Arts Center, a world-class venue that stands as a jewel in the Gem City.

In addition, Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker involves a cast of 29 children from the Dayton area, representing the following communities:  Arcanum, Beavercreek, Bellbrook, Centerville, Dayton, Englewood, Enon, Franklin, Kettering, Oakwood, Springboro, Tipp City, Troy, West Carrollton, and Xenia. The following young dancers, including dancers from Dayton Ballet II Senior and Junior Companies, will appear this year on stage at the Schuster Center, alongside the 19 professional dancers from Dayton Ballet:

 

Trudie Arling**

Ellie Arnold

Emma Barrentine*

Blakely Barton

Izabella Bell
Audrey Blackburn

Eva Borbonus

Chelsea Brecht**

Carissa Buehler*

Adele Davis**

 

 Molly Dunn**

AJ Gross**

Mollie Juniewicz**

Parker Karban

Sophia Krapf*

Annabelle May*

Jane Middleton

Jenna Mumford**

Alexia Nalls

Emma Rubin**

 Ellie Savage

Mckenna Steneman**

Ella Strehle*

Karson Stubbs**
Claire Takizawa**

Bailee Waltersheide

Matthew Warren**

Caitlyn Wehner**

Caroline Woessner**

 

** Denotes Dayton Ballet II Senior Company Dancer
* Denotes Dayton Ballet II Junior Company Dancer

 

Before the performances and during intermissions, the Schuster Center Wintergarden bustles with the excitement of the holiday season. Find the perfect holiday gift at the Dayton Ballet Boutique, peer into the famous whimsical Rike’s window boxes, or treat yourself with candy and ice cream at the Graeter’s Sweet Shoppe.

 

Several events are planned to highlight the Dayton Ballet’s presentation of The Nutcracker as follows:

 

  • Behind the Ballet – After each performance, ticket holders are invited free of charge to “Behind the Ballet,” a Q&A with Ms. Burke and professional dancers from Dayton Ballet in the orchestra area of the theatre, giving audiences the opportunity to learn more about the life of a dancer at Dayton Ballet.

 

  • Nutcracker Boutique – The Dayton Ballet Nutcracker Boutique opens before each performance and during intermissions and features hundreds of holiday nutcrackers of all sizes, painted pointe shoes, and ballet-themed items for sale. The Boutique is a wonderful display of unique pieces to purchase as a way to remember your lovely visit to The Nutcracker or to give as the perfect holiday gift to a loved one.

 

  • Graeter’s Sweet Shoppe – To complete everyone’s visit to the Land of Sweets, Graeter’s Ice Cream will offer holiday goodies available for purchase at each performance.

 

  • Rike’s Holiday Windows in the Wintergarden – For those seeking a walk down memory lane, the former Rike’s Department Store animated holiday windows are on display in the Schuster Center Wintergarden once again this year. The Rike’s Windows are a holiday tradition for countless Dayton families since the elves first appeared in the windows of Rike’s Department Store in the 1940s.

 

Safety Protocols
The DPAA is excited to welcome audiences back to the 2021–2022 Season. The health and safety of patrons, performers, staff, and volunteers is our top priority. Beginning November 22, 2021, in partnership with DPAA’s venue partner Dayton Live, the following new health and safety protocols will be in place at all performances and events until further notice:

  • Vaccination and Testing – Proof of vaccination or COVID-19 testing will no longer be required to attend performances at Dayton Live venues, including the Schuster Center and the Victoria Theatre.
  • Masks – Masks will be required for all patrons over the age of 6 during the entire visit while attending a DPAA performance or event. Mask must cover both nose and mouth.

 

Tickets for Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker start at $19 and are available at the box office by calling (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org.  Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.

“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC Coming to Schuster

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“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC: THE UNFORTUNATE RETURN OF THE RIDICULOUSLY SELF-INDULGENT, ILL-ADVISED VANITY TOUR is coming to the Schuster Center in Dayton on Aug. 23, 2022.

 

Tickets go on sale at 10 am on Dec. 10, 2021 and can be purchased at daytonlive.org/weird-al or from our Ticket Office Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at 937-228-3630.

Almost four years after his first foray into unfamiliar concert territory with his highly-acclaimed Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, “Weird Al” Yankovic will be pressing his luck again, this time with THE UNFORTUNATE RETURN OF THE RIDICULOUSLY SELF-INDULGENT, ILL-ADVISED VANITY TOUR.

The tour marks Weird Al’s long-anticipated return to the concert stage after his hugely successful Strings Attached Tour in 2019 where he performed each night alongside a full symphony orchestra.

Once again drawing from his back catalogue of 14 studio albums, Weird Al promises to deliver a different set list every night, with no two shows the same. As before, rather than focusing on the hits from his career, the show will feature Yankovic’s non-parody material – the somewhat more obscure pastiches and original songs that have largely escaped the pop culture radar but are adored by his long-time fans. 

And like the last Vanity Tour, he is leaving behind the high-octane theatrics that he’s known for and going bare-bones – no costumes, no props, no video screens… just Al and his band of almost four decades hanging out on stage, playing music.

Opening the show each night will be returning fan favorite and Al’s long-time friend, the legendary comedian Emo Philips.

“Weird Al” Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time. A five-time Grammy winner, his 2014 release Mandatory Fun was the first comedy album in history to debut at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200. He is one of only five artists to have had Top 40 singles in each of the last four decades, the other four being Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2, and Kenny G.

Adults Only Who’s Holiday Opens At The Loft Theatre

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If playwright Matthew Lombardo’s searing look at actress Tallulah Bankhead in Looped was the main course, then his spicy confection about Cindy Lou Who inWho’s Holiday! – playing this December at The Human Race – is the decadent dessert we have been waiting for.   Called a “raunchy riff on Dr. Seuss,” Who’s Holiday! is a wildly funny and heartfelt adult-only comedy about grown-up Cindy Lou Who, as she recalls that Christmas Eve when she first met the Grinch and the twisted turn of events her life has since taken.  Who’s Holiday! will fill the Loft Theatre with laughter, starting tonight and run through December 19, 2021.

“We have a bit of history of finding those off-center, holiday shows that make us laugh” states Human Race Artistic Director and Founding Member, Kevin Moore. “I recall the naughty elf in Santaland Diaries, and the crazy residents from A Tuna Christmas.  Who’s Holiday! continues this tradition.  It is definitely an irreverant, “adults-night-out.”

Actress Alex Sunderhaus (Cincinnati native – Wright State graduate – and last appeared on the Loft stage as the loveable dog Sylvia) is taking on the bottle-blond role of Cindy Lou Who, as she prepares for a holiday party in her trailer just outside of Whoville, and reminisces about that fateful Christmas eve.

Who’s Holiday! is directed by Human Race Resident Artist and Wright State Artistic Director Joe Deer.  Our Production Stage Manager is Jacquelyn Duncan; Costume Design by Zoe Still;  Scenic Design by Scott J. Kimmins;  Lighting Design by John Rensel;  Sound Design by Alexander Koker.

Tickets are on sale through Dayton Live box office, 937-228-3630, or online at www.humanracetheatre.org  All audiences are required to wear masks.

The Wedding Singer at Springboro Performing Arts Center

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It’s  1985, and rock star wannabe, Robbie Hart, is New Jersey’s favorite wedding   singer. He’s the life of the party until his own fiancée leaves him at the   altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as   his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. As luck   would have it, Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and,   unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his   dreams will be gone forever.

 

 

Airness: A Play About The World of Competitive Air Guitar.

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According to the Urban Dictionary, “airness” is the extent to which an air guitar performance transcends the medium and becomes a higher form of artistic expression.  The Human Race Theatre Company continues its 35th year with Chelsea Marcantel’s award-winning play Airness, the story of a young guitar player’s introduction to the unique and intense world of competitive air guitar.  But even more, it’s about being true to yourself, letting go of your inhibitions, accepting people for who they are and finding the Rockstar locked deep inside yourself.  Airness will light up the Loft stage, October 21 – November 7, 2021.

“We have had our eyes on this play since it rocked the 2017 Humana Festival at Actors Theatre of Louisville” states Human Race Artistic Director and Founding Member, Kevin Moore.  “It went on to win the American Theatre Critics Association’s New Play Award in 2018.  This story of an underdog triumphing – with the help of a community of fellow underdogs – is a perfect way to spend an evening in the theatre.”

Set in a series of dive bars and performance venues (designed by Human Race regular and native Daytonian, Dick Block), our young heroine Nina is taken in by a group of misfits who guide her through the world of air guitar competitions.  She learns the “six pillars” on which she will be judged:  artistic merit, originality, feeling, technical ability, charisma and the elusive quality of airness.  Through classic rock guitar riffs and offstage dramedy, we follow Nina’s journey to achieve “airness.”

Human Race Resident Artist and Director Jamie Cordes, who previously directed the sensational musicalLizzie,  has assembled a powerful cast of familiar and new faces.  The cast includes:  Andrew Ian Adams (Avenue Q) as “Golden Thunder;”  Allison Kelly (Red-Blooded All-American Man) as “The Nina;”  James Roselli (Play It By Heart) as “The Announcer;”  Zack Steele (Mame, Sweeney Todd) as “Shreddy Eddy;”  and Drew Vidal (The Glass Menagerie) as “Facebender.” Making their Human Race debuts:  Reanne Acasio as “Cannibal Queen” and Rasell Holt as “D Vicious.”  Production Stage Manager is Jacquelyn Duncan;  Costume Design by Janet G. Powell;  Scenic Design by Dick Block;  Lighting Design by John Rensel;  Sound Design by Jay Brunner.

Airness will play in the Loft Theatre in downtown Dayton, October 21 – November 7, 2021.  Tickets are on sale through Dayton Live box office, 937-228-3630, or online at www.humanracetheatre.org  Following local mandates set by the City of Dayton and Dayton Live, all audiences must show proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid-19 test, and all are required to wear masks.  Details can be found on our website.

 

The Best of Abbey Road Live for One Night at Schuster

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Dayton Live presents RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES in The Best of Abbey Road Live! In celebration of Abbey Road, RAIN will bring the greatest hits to life in addition to all your early favorites for one night only, October 27, 2021 at the  Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton.

 

This mind-blowing performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!” (Associated Press). Experience the worlds’ most iconic band and come celebrate The Best of Abbey Road Live with RAIN – A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES with updated sets that include state of the art LED, high-definition screens and multimedia content for the new 2021 tour.

Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that’s as infectious as it is transporting. Like The Beatles, the onstage members of RAIN are not only supreme musicians, but electrifying performers in their own right!

 

Tickets are available only through DaytonLive.org and the Dayton Live Ticket Office, the official ticketing outlet for all performances at the Schuster Center, Victoria Theatre, Loft Theatre at the Metropolitan Arts Center, and the PNC Arts Annex.

 

Please note: In accordance with the city of Dayton mask mandate, masks will continue to be required inside all Dayton Live venues for patrons 6 and over. Starting October 1, 2021, patrons 12 and over attending performances at Dayton Live venues will also be required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for entry. Health and safety policies will continue to be regularly evaluated and adjusted based on community health data, and public health and government guidance. CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: https://www.daytonlive.org/about/health-safety/

Sinclair Theatre Presents: She Kills Monsters

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This high-octane comedy is directed by Chris Harmon and features fight choreography by Joshua Pikar. It’s the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge.

Theater Is Back….and CABARET Delivers the GOODS!

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Vanae Pate scores as LuLu!

The cast is gathered together, talking, giving ideas to their director, Dayton Native, Philip Drennen. He likes to hear from his actors and dancers, and he welcomes their ideas. ‘The strength of this cast,’ Drennen says ‘is they genuinely like each other and build each other up. That makes their on-stage performance cohesive and electric.’ Drennen chose CABARET, one of Broadways’ truly iconic shows, because ‘it is relevant even today. It’s balance of dark and light is historic and yet, contemporary!’

Charity Farrell brings Bowles to LIFE!

As the music begins in their 3rd practice venue, the Cannery, the cast takes a deep breath knowing once it starts, its full-on CABARET! Charity Farrell, who shines as Sally Bowles, the show’s broken, scarred female lead, puts every inch of her soul into the role. ‘I understand Sally. ADHD, the struggles, her demons….yet she controls the room!’ Farrell’s MAYBE THIS TIME is goosebump worthy. ‘I have been in many, many shows, but I can feel the support of this company. They are so generous and giving as a cast!’

Midway through practice, they EMCEE, brought to ‘bigger-than-life status by 6’4″ newcomer, Alex Everett, belts out one of his many tunes with wonderfully eerie tones and strange physicality. Lights change, music fades and we are back in a 1930’s apartment building awaiting the ‘play within a play’ transition.

Although the show has songs we all know, many times people forget the backdrop….the beginning of the Rise of the Nazis. ‘You forget what complacency does,’ says Amy Askins, who brings her character, Fraulein Kost, a delicious, slutty energy. ‘The shows begs us to pay attention to what’s happening around us. For my character, it’s about survival.  She tries to make the best of things in a world about to turn upside-down. She gives us a glimpse into her heart, and we see how some people must sell their soul to get by.’

The cast, uniquely diverse, is well suited for the political drama. ‘The storyline is so important. Our cast is made up of so many minorities and it highlights the idea of hatred and ignorance in the script.’ says Naman Clark, a Dayton Theater staple. ‘You see why we have to stand up for what is right.’

The lights are on as rehearsals start at D2D!

CABARET has had many revivals, many versions of the same tale. Drennen looked to make his version pertinent to today, without losing sight of its roots. Take the cherished character of Fraulein Schneider. ‘I knew I wanted to use this moment to open peoples’ eyes to all kinds of ways of life. I called Josh Stucky and said, ‘What if you play Schneider?’ Stucky, a well-known drag queen in the Dayton Area,  jumped at the opportunity.

Winters, Stucky and Everett ready themselves for Cabaret!

‘First of all, I love Schneider. She’s the backbone in CABARET in many ways. And I feel playing her gives all of us a voice….men, women, trans, whatever! She doesn’t need to be any one thing, but rather every kind of thing. I hope to do her justice!’ Stucky’s turn at the tune ‘So What?’ is sweet and endearing, which can also be said for Schneider’s love interest, Dayton theater Patriarch Saul Caplan (Herr Schultz.)

For first-timer Scott Winters, who plays Bobby, his eyes were open to community theater. ‘It is so amazing to see how the pieces fall together and a really great show happens!’ Winters character, a homosexual longing to reunite with the male lead Cliff, dances, sings, and delights as one of the famous Kit Kat Club kids. Dancing is integral in CABARET, and it’s fun, phrenetic and forceful throughout the show…and yes, the Gorilla makes an appearance!

As rehearsal winds down, and Garrett Young’s Clifford Bradshaw leads the cast through the hauntingly unsettled ending, the ensemble sits in an awkward silence. ‘You can feel the broken world we live in in that moment.’ says Young. ‘Each of us trying to figure ourselves out. This leads to the understanding the story is still important today as it was in the 40’s, 60’s 80’s….There is a great cost in doing nothing.’

Theater is back. And so is this importance of story-telling.

Life Is a CABARET and thank GOD this one is open for business!

Show runs 10/13-10/16 at the PNC Art Annex, for 5 shows. There are tickets available at https://www.daytonlive.org/events/cabaret/

The show is sponsored by the RubiGirls and SquareOne Salons.

 

 

Comedy Improv is Back at Black Box Theater

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The Black Box Improv Theater is back! Starting tonight (which is sold out) the laughs return to the stage with a new ownership group. Originally founded in 2012 by Justin Howard, he has turned his focus to corporate consulting.  With the Covid-19 pandemic, the theater closed its doors in March of 2020 unsure what the future held. Thankfully, in the summer of 2021, ten veteran performers and instructors pulled together to take over the space and return the theater to a viable entertainment option for the southwest Ohio region.

Kevin Carter, Garrett Geilenfeldt, James Fritchman,  Othalia Larue,  Jason VonVille,  Teri Herbstreit,  PJ Lindsay, Jonathan Sauline and Bryan Lakatos now share the tasks required to operate the theater.  Some teach, some perform, others handle legal responsibilities, accounting and marketing.  They all pitched in for a big clean up and refresh day, handling some repairs, painting and other refreshes to the space.  They’ve even applied for a liquor license- but for now it’s BYOB.

Shows that are inspired by audience suggestions will be Wed – Sun nights, after this weekends grand re-opening. They feature long form improv featuring  locally grown improvisors and we have a variety of shows ranging from hour long shows based on your personal stories to a local favorite, our improvised musicals!  Our musicals feature the former music director of Second City, Trey Stone.

Another major part of Black Box are the Improv classes.  They are a great way to improve public speaking skills, overcome shyness, meet new friends, and more! In Level 1, students learn to be comfortable and have fun on stage using the #bbimprov approach to improv comedy. They will focus on learning to actively listen and responding in a “YES AND” manner. The listening and awareness techniques you will learn can be invaluable in your personal life, or at your work.  In Level 2, students continue to learn how to be comfortable and have fun on stage using the #bbimprov approach to improv comedy. The  focus is on the rules of improv, including beats, escalation and scene edits.​ More information about classes will be posted to there website soon.

The Black Box Improv Theater

518 East 3rd Street,
Dayton, OH 45402
Shows:
Wed 8pm $5
Thurs 8pm $10
Fri & Sat 8pm $15

Doors open 30 minutes before showtime and seating is first come, first served. Theater and Stage are both handicap accessible and the showroom seats about 100.

 

 

DCDC is “Taking It to the Streets” on Sunday at Levitt Pavilion

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The world-renowned Dayton Contemporary Dance Company invites the community to their 2021-2022 season kickoff party! “Taking It to the Streets” is a free performance on Sunday, August 29, 2021, at 7 pm at Levitt Pavilion in downtown Dayton.

 

For the historic local dance company, being able to host an in-person performance has been a long wait. It’s been a year and a half since their last hometown concert, so they decided to make it a free community celebration. They want to reawaken the city with their dancing, special musical guests, food trucks, and more!

 

“Taking It to the Streets” celebrates the company’s collective energy like no other.  This event combines the summer energy of a street party and the innovation of site-specific performance in an open-air concert for the community. These dancers bring the city to life with new pieces celebrating black joy and global culture. “If joy was a protest, this would be our protest march!”

 

Debbie Blunden-Diggs, the Chief Artistic & Producing Director for DCDC, told us she’s super excited about returning to live performance. “This performance lets us celebrate DCDC’s 53rd season with the community we live in!”

 

DCDC’s 53rd season is entitled Evolve(d), and is self-described as a “shift to black joy, embodied global culture, inspiration towards real change, spiritual awakenings for the soul, and communal metamorphosis, all at once and through the humanity of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.” The line-up for Dayton performances includes the beloved holiday piece “The Littlest Angel,” along with 2022’s “Inside Out,” “Dancing in the Light” and “Soulstice: Mahogany Nights.” For more information about season subscriptions and single tickets, visit dcdc.org. Purchase your subscription before September 15th, 2021 and save 10%.

HOW TO GO?
Performance: “Taking It to the Streets”
Date: August 29, 2021
Time: 7 PM
Cost: Free
Location: Dayton Levitt Pavilion, 134 S. Main Street, Dayton, OH 45402  Directions

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Opens Tonight

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When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he’s eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D’Ysquith family, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight and sets off down a far more ghoulish path. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught and become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what of love? Because murder isn’t the only thing on Monty’s mind….

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is a murderous romp filled with unforgettable music, non-stop laughs and a scene-stealing role for one actor playing all eight of the doomed heirs who meet their ends in the most creative and side-splitting ways.

‘Bright Star’ Review – Epiphany Lutheran Church – A Story You Won’t Forget

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Margo Russ (Alice Murphy) in Epiphany Lutheran Church’s production of “Bright Star,” continuing through July 18. (Photo by Megan Wean Sears)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous hymns speak to perseverance and questioning life’s outcomes. The following lyric is from one of my favorites:

And we wonder why the test
When we try to do our best
But we’ll understand it better by and by

It’s in the understanding – no matter how many years it takes, no matter how confusing or worrisome it weighs on the mind– that we ultimately discover what our trials and tribulations were all about. And, sometimes, we are inspired beyond belief.

In composer/librettist Steve Martin and composer/lyricist Edie Brickell’s heartwarming and heartbreaking Tony Award-nominated 2016 musical Bright Star, currently receiving an outstanding local premiere courtesy of the Epiphany Players Drama Ministry of Epiphany Lutheran Church, an array of folksy North Carolinians come to terms with the choices, regrets and sorrows of the past. A few individuals are also unknowingly intertwined, raising the stakes which result in a payoff so neat and tidy it seems far-fetched. Nonetheless, this story of love, loss, faith, forgiveness, hope, miracles, and redemption is compelling.

Terrifically directed and choreographed by Megan Wean Sears, Bright Star is set in the mid-1940s with flashbacks to the early 1920s. The focal point is Alice Murphy (Margo Russ, excellently authoritative and narratively inviting), the no-nonsense editor of The Asheville Southern Journal who sees potential in aspiring writer Billy Cane (charming Tommy Cole in great voice). As Alice mentors Billy, who recently served in World War II, the action shifts to her rebellious upbringing in Zebulon as a spunky 16-year-old (fiery, feisty knockout Charlotte Kunesh, fittingly dressed in red, white and blue symbolizing the firework she is) smitten with handsome Young Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Nick Abouzeid in a breakthrough portrayal), son of Mayor Josiah Dobbs (gritty Christian Schaefer). The flashbacks are central to the tale’s impactful resonance. However, unlike the Broadway production in which I doubted the realism of older characters portraying their younger selves, it is a thrill to see Sears approach her staging by mirroring the conceptual allure of Stephen Sondheim’s 1971 gem Follies, a musical in which past and present walk side by side.

Martin, the Hollywood icon who began playing the banjo as a teenager, and Brickell, who leapt onto the music scene in the 1980s with her folk/rock band New Bohemians, create a tuneful, toe-tapping and often lovely score perfectly suited to the Appalachian landscape. Highlights include engaging opener If You Knew My Story, lively hoedown Woah, Mama, cheery Sun’s Gonna Shine, uplifting At Long Last (given a stirring, full-throttle treatment by Russ), and bouncy title number (brilliantly staged with road trip whimsy as Billy travels from Hayes Creek to Asheville).

In another agreeable departure from the Broadway production, Sears places the entire cast on stage throughout to attentively observe the action. In fact, I don’t believe anyone is positioned in the same spot twice, a subtle feat. Her decision not only guarantees seamless fluidity, especially for scene changes, but effectively fuels the story’s intimate emphasis on family and community. Due to the significance of the flashbacks, it is imperative to spotlight Kunesh and Abouzeid’s impressively expressive work in their Epiphany debuts. Without delving into plot specifics, Kunesh’s passionate and riveting contributions to Please Don’t Take Him, a total departure from Young Alice’s free-spirited sass, exemplifies her mastery of character and purpose (which she also exhibited in Muse Machine’s Mamma Mia! and In the Heights). Abouzeid, humorously reflecting on Those Canaan Days four months ago as Dan in Alter High School’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, has suddenly transitioned into a genuine leading man. The dynamic heartache he displays in Heartbreaker, interpreting lyrics about parenthood to gripping effect, is an incredible sign of his maturity as a young actor.

Elsewhere, praiseworthy performances extend to the delightful Riley Francis as Billy’s childhood friend Margo (providing a sweetly yearnful rendition of inner monologue Asheville), John Benjamin as Daddy Cane, Brett Greenwood as Daddy Murphy, Jessica Pettit as Mama Murphy, Kath Meyer and Desmond Kingston as Journal employees Lucy Grant and Daryl Ames (Meyer’s feminine flair electrifies boozy ensemble number Another Round), Nicholas Bradley as Jimmy Ray Dobbs (joining Russ for a tenderly poignant I Had a Vision), Sara LiBrandi as Florence, Katie Kress as Edna, Bobby Morgan as Mayor Dobbs’ slick sidekick Stanford Adams, Caleb Campbell as Max, Brady Kress as Dr. Norquist, Larry Klueber as Stationmaster, Sandy Schwartzwalder as Government Clerk, Martha Armstrong-Benjamin as Well-Dressed Woman, and John Morgan as Young Daddy Cane.

The appealing cast includes Quinn Bennett, Andrew Gochenaur, Reese Hornick, Laura Morgan, Eric Pettit, Megan Rehberg, Liza Russ, and Meredith Russ.

Sears’ expert artistic team includes set designer Seth Wade, costumer Kim Harvey, lighting designers Matthew Benjamin and Gabe Reichert (supplying beautifully evocative hues), sound designer Ryan Burgdorf, and properties designers Jason Hamen and Adrienne Ausdenmoore.

Music director David Brush leads a fantastic bluegrass band consisting of fiddler Bebe Blumenthal, guitarist Jay Brunner, cellist Bryce Kessler, bassist Joshua Neiman, drummer Joshua Riedy, pianist Damien Stout, violinist/violist Alice Wagoner, and banjoist David Wells. Perhaps Epiphany should consider Oklahoma! next summer if only to reunite these dandy, down-home musicians.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Epiphany Players Drama Ministry, an outreach artistically spearheaded for many years by the late Kay Frances Wean. Bright Star is another luminous, vocally strong, must-see testament to the caliber of artistry I have come to expect from the troupe. Always have, always will.

Bright Star continues through Sunday, July 18 at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 6430 Far Hills Avenue, Centerville. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The production runs 2 hours and 30 minutes including one 15-minute intermission. Reserved seating is $15. For tickets, visit epiphanydayton.org/summer-musical. For additional information, visit call (937) 433-1449 ext. 103 or email [email protected].

 

 

Dayton Playhouse- The Shows Will Go On!

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Dayton Playhouse has announced the  reopening of the Dayton Playhouse facility and their 2021-22 season – Roaring Into A New Decade.

“Our board and volunteers are thrilled to be back doing what we do best. We can’t wait to welcome our loyal audience members back as we, once again, bring intriguing plays and delightful musicals to life on our beautiful stage.” Matt Lindsay, Dayton Playhouse board chair. 

 

The Dayton Playhouse 2021-22 Season includes:

American Son

Written by Christopher Demos-Brown

September 17–26, 2021

Auditions: July 19 & 20

Directed by Tim Rezash

On the night a teenage boy goes missing, his parents end up at the police precinct trying to figure out what happened to their son.  Old wounds are reopened concerning race, fear, and their rocky marriage.  “American Son is not a subtle play; it barely feels like a play at all. With its unrelentingly high tension on every level — maternal, marital, societal — it’s more like a slice of a nightmare, with few contours despite its surprises.” – New York Times

The Great Gatsby

Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald adapted for stage by Simon Levy

November 5-14, 2021

Auditions: September 20 & 21 (tentative)

Directed by Annie Pesch

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s haunting story of the elusive millionaire is a favorite of so many. Watch as this beautiful story is brought to life on stage. The dialogue, costumes and set will capture the audience as Fitzgerald’s story is brought life.

Into The Woods

Book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

January 14 – 30, 2022

Auditions: November 8 & 9 (tentative)

Directed by Tina McPhearson

This intriguing Sondheim musical blends some of the best-known fairytales with gorgeous, sometimes haunting music to create a story that won several Tony awards and captured the audience’s imagination. Watch as Sleeping Beauty, Jack in the Beanstalk, Cinderella and others weave together a musical story you’ll never forget.  “Into the Woods is a journey worth taking.” – Chicago Critic

August: Osage County

Written by Tracy Letts

March 4-13, 2022

Auditions: January 17 & 18 (tentative)

Directed by Jamison Meyer

This drama by Tracy Letts, was the recipient of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It  delves into a family tragedy that causes tensions to run high and secrets to leak. The Weston women are forced to examine themselves and their lives whether they want to or not. Welcome to Osage County, Oklahoma in the smothering heat of August. “Fresh and adroitly updated and conditioned to our time and socio-political climate.” – NY Post

Hello, Dolly!

Book by Michael Stewart, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman 

April 29-May 15, 2022

Auditions: March 7 & 8 (tentative)

Directed by Brian Sharp

We roar out our first season of the decade with Jerry Herman’s classic show about Dolly Levi who puts her hand in there and arranges things! This timeless classic features such tunes as “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” and of course, “Hello, Dolly!” Don’t miss this fabulous show…the perfect way to end a perfect season.

Season tickets for 2021-22 may be purchased at www.daytonplayhouse.com, or by calling 937-424-8477.   Messages may be left at any time and calls will be returned.   Season tickets are $80 for adults and $72 for seniors, students and military. Individual show tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for seniors, students and military.

The Board and volunteers of the Dayton Playhouse look forward to safely welcoming our audiences back into the thoroughly-cleaned theater, following state guidelines.

The Dayton Playhouse is located at 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414.  The Dayton Playhouse is a community theatre providing outstanding theatrical productions to Miami Valley audiences of all ages for more than sixty years.  The Playhouse is nationally recognized for FutureFest, an annual festival of new plays, which takes place each July.

Human Race Theatre Company Debuts New Streaming Production

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The Human Race Theatre Company is excited to announce that you can experience the magic of local professional theatre from the comfort of your home. Love, time, and starting over is at the heart of Now and Then by Sean Grennan, filmed on location at Dayton’s own Mudlick Tap House, kicking off our 35th season by continuing our tradition of celebrating the best our community has to offer. It will be available exclusively on the streaming platform Broadway On-Demand starting April 28, 2021 – the 35th birthday of The Human Race.

 

In the face of an unprecedented year, we’ve needed to be more creative than ever before.  “Our timing of this first production marks both our commitment to keeping our artists safe while also celebrating our 35 years as Dayton’s professional theatre company,” states Human Race Artistic Director and Founding Member, Kevin Moore.  “Unlike previous ‘pandemic projects,’ this production is fully staged on location and filmed by another first for us.  This allows us to share our work with our audience while keeping everyone safe until we can return to in-person performances at the Loft Theatre.”   Local production company WorldStage Media did the filming.

The play takes us to a neighborhood bar in 1981 where Jamie is closing up when a last-minute customer enters and offers Jamie and his girlfriend Abby $2,000 to sit and have a drink with him.  Who wouldn’t take it?  But the unusual conversation, and the appearance of a second customer, make the unbelievable begin to look like it just might be true.

Director Marya Spring Cordes has assembled an amazing quartet of actors.  Playing the couple Jamie and Abby are a real-life married couple, Justin McCombs and Maggie Lou Rader. And as the unexpected customers are Human Race Resident Actor and Founding Member Scott Stoney, and local actress Libby Holley Scancarello.

The fifth character in the play is the bar, and we are grateful to Mudlick Tap House for providing the location for our production.  Our Director of Photography, Editor and head of film production is Shaunn Baker of WorldStage Media. Our production Stage Manager is Jacquelyn Duncan. Costume by Janet G. Powell;  Scenic Elements and Props by Alexander Capeneka; Lighting by John Rensel;  Sound by Jay Brunner.

Now and Then will be available on the Broadway on Demand platform from April 28 – May 9, 2021.  Current subscribers will receive an email with their personal link to watch the show.  Single tickets now available at Broadway on Demand by using this link:  https://livestream.broadwayondemand.com/human-race/

 

Dayton Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ Lures Long Island Danseur!

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The Dayton Ballet has proven resilient through the COVID crisis, keeping dancers on their toes, and landing guests from bigger cities! ‘”I need to perform LIVE, I need an audience. I was dancing with the Metropolitan in New York and kept hearing ‘The Met will never close, never close!’ And then they closed.”  Time to make some decisions for Long Island native, Christopher Brian Nachtrab. The 13 year ballet veteran thought ‘Is this it? Is this how it ends?’ “I immediately started looking around for companies trying to do some kind of live performing. There were a few. Of course, safety was the first thing you had to think about.” Nachtrab has worked with Sacramento and Richmond Ballet companies. He is a graduate of Indiana University.

Nachtrab falls hard for Dayton!

“I heard one of the first to really move ahead with at least some kind of safe performing was here in Dayton. Then, I heard about Cinderella, a ballet I love and have performed multiple times. I put word out that I was hoping to join the company as a guest!” Sometime later, word came from Dayton Ballet Director, Karen Russo Burke. “She’s amazing. Dayton has such a great team and she is an incredible leader.” Nachtrab landed a part….as the Ugly Stepsister! “I was thrilled.” His sister -in-crime is Dayton Ballet’s own Isaac Jones. “We have a great time together!”

Dayton Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ runs 4/23-4/25 with virtual options as well. “The show, obviously has limited seating, but knowing the audience is live just makes such a difference. We need their reactions to help us perform!”

Some UGLY Stepsisters.

For Nachtrab, dance is in his blood, His mother was his instructor on Long Island. “She still teaches dance today, and she’s stellar at it!” Nachtrab knew being a boy in ballet was not the norm…”But my parents told me if it is what you want, we will stop at nothing to see that you are successful.”  And he has been. As a child he dreamt of performing with the Met, and then it happened. “I remember getting on that stage and just thinking, it’s come full circle!” A city just outside of that circle is new favorite for Nachtrab….DAYTON! “I was so impressed with how this city embraces the arts. It’s a stronger bond than many big cities. Dayton is rallying around the arts community, and with COVID, many of us were feeling depressed and isolated!” His love for Dayton was a quick one, visiting many restaurants, bars, the Oregon District and even a trip to the Drive-In. “There’s a lot to enjoy here.”

As for the Ballet’s ‘Cinderella,’ the production is serious, hilarious, true-to-tale and magical! The costuming, which folks have been floored by, is simply fantastic with design by DB alum Lowell Mathwich. Pristine sets and impressive design add to the flair of the Ballet.

‘Cinderella’ Gets Her Chance!

With all of that, and the chance to do a live performance, Nachtrab has found a home away from home…at least for now. “I am getting to do what I love, with a group of dancers who are exceptional! All of them!” For the Dayton Ballet, Nachtrab and our community, seeing the dancers live is not only a dream come true, it is, in a sense, a Cinderella story! And we all know how well that ends!

For more information visit:

CINDERELLA
Dayton Ballet
Friday, April 23, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
Victoria Theatre
Live Stream premieres Saturday, April 24 at 3:00 p.m.

70 minutes (no intermission)