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Coming Up in Cincinnati Theatre: May 7-13

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…BLINK AND THEY’RE GONE

THE CIVIL WAR

UC College-Conservatory of Music

The Story: THE CIVIL WAR is a moving musical meditation on the Civil War as seen through the eyes of Union and Confederate soldiers, slaves and landowners, along with American “everymen” from all levels of society. Featuring an eclectic score that includes gospel, folk, rhythm and blues, country and rock, the musical was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical. By turns humorous and emotionally gripping, THE CIVIL WAR is a sweeping portrait of a country torn by unrest and a moving tribute to the 620,000 men and women who made the greatest sacrifice for their principles.
The Dates: May 10-12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO ENLIGHTENMENT

The Story: A workshop production. An aging stand-up comedian unburdens himself in the middle of his night club act, spinning a tale that is at once a memoir of his late lamented stepfather and an account of the odd events that occurred at the funeral.
The Dates: May 10-11, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

Disney’s CAMP ROCK THE MUSICAL

The Children’s Theatre of Mason

The Story: Based on the Disney Channel original movies CAMP ROCK and CAMP ROCK 2: THE FINAL JAM this production will fire up the stage with over a dozen songs, including “This Is Me,” “Can’t Back Down,” “It’s On,” and “We Rock.” Camp Rock is the ultimate camp for aspiring musicians! This summer at camp was supposed to be all about the music and having the time of their lives. But the new, flashy Camp Star across the lake now threatens Camp Rock’s very existence. To keep the doors open, Mitchie steps up, rallies her fellow Camp Rockers, and gets them into top shape for the ultimate showdown!
The Dates: May 11-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Children’s Theatre of Mason | BTC listing

ELEPHANT SIGHS

Mad Anthony Theatre Company

The Story: Not long after moving to a small town, an uptight lawyer named Joel is invited to join a group of townsmen who meet in a ramshackle room at the edge of town. Joel has been chosen to replace a recently deceased and much beloved member. Joel accepts the invitation without ever asking just what exactly it is the group actually does. As an anxious Joel is swept up in the strange lives of the guys, the more apparent it becomes that each of them is just as lost as Joel. As the evening progresses the regulars finally reveal the mysterious reason for their gathering.
The Dates: May 1-6, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Mad Anthony Theatre Company | BTC listing

LES MISERABLES

Broadway in Cincinnati

The Story: Cameron Mackintosh presents a brand new 25th anniversary production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical, Les Misérables, with glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo. This new production has been acclaimed by critics, fans and new audiences and is breaking box office records wherever it goes. The New York Times calls this Les Misérables “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five-star hit, astonishingly powerful.”
The Dates: May 8-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Broadway in Cincinnati | BTC listing

…NEW THIS WEEK

ANGEL STREET

Lebanon Theatre Company

The Story: As the curtain rises, all appears the essence of Victorian tranquility. It is soon apparent however, that Mr. Manningham, a suavely handsome man, is not what he appears to be. When a caller from Scotland Yard visits Mrs. Manningham during one of Mr. Manningham’s many unexplained absences, pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. Author Patrick Hamilton has built and sustained some of the most brilliant, suspenseful sequences in modern theatre.
The Dates: May 11-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Lebanon Theatre Company | BTC listing

THE FANTASTICKS

Loveland Stage Company

The Story: Two fathers decide that they want their children to fall in love. The girl, Luisa, is a daydreamer with an active imagination. The boy, Matt, is a romantic. The two fathers decide to instigate a mock feud amongst themselves in order to help the boy and girl fall in love. They figure that this feud will give them the excuse to say no to the relationship, which of course will simply encourage the children’s love even more. The fathers go as far as to hire El Gallo to stage a mock abduction of Luisa, in which Matt can become a hero and save her. 
The Dates: May 11-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Loveland Stage Company | BTC listing

FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS

Wyoming Players

The Story: During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below. They are Frances, a painfully sweet but sheltered fundamentalist; Mindy, the cheerful, wise-cracking lesbian sister of the groom; Georgeanne, whose heartbreak over her own failed marriage triggers outrageous behavior; Meredith, the bride’s younger sister whose precocious rebelliousness masks a dark secret; and Trisha, a jaded beauty whose die-hard cynicism about men is called into question when she meets Tripp, a charming bad-boy usher to whom there is more than meets the eye.
The Dates: May 11-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Wyoming Players | BTC listing

Brian Isaac Phillips as Shylock, Kelly Mengelkoch as Portia & Jared Joplin as Antonio. Photo by Jeanna Vella.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

The Story: Passion, betrayal, and a bargain with a terrible price. In one of the Bard’s most controversial and thrilling plays, Antonio covers a debt for his friend Bassanio, from the complicated and persecuted Shylock—who has much reason to resent Antonio. Across lines of race and wrongdoing, Antonio must face a terrible fate, while Bassanio finds true love in the arms of the delightful Portia. Watch what happens as events culminate in a cross-dressing courtroom battle in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE.
The Dates: May 11-June 3, 2012

Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | BTC listing

Tom Highley as Bruce Ismay, Shawn Toadvine as Thomas Andrews, and Rick Kramer as Captain EJ Smith.

TITANIC THE MUSICAL

Cincinnati Music Theatre

The Story: TITANIC is based on the true story of the great ship’s maiden voyage from departure in Southampton, England to the sinking in the Atlantic by an iceberg. The show touches on issues such as class, immigration and mankind’s vulnerability in the face of nature. The story follows passengers and crew members who actually existed and were aboard the Titanic back in 1912.
The Dates: May 11-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Music Theatre | BTC listing

…CONTINUING

James Oblak as Skip, Will Slenick as Wally, Nick Laughlin as Denny & Lee Slobotkin as Eugene. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

LIFE COULD BE A DREAM

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

The Story: SH-BOOM! From the creator of THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, comes the Crooning Crabcakes, the boy group banned from the Springfield High School prom that made it possible for The Marvelous Wonderettes to perform. The guys get one more chance at fame and fortune as Denny, Eugene, Skip and Wally form a singing group to enter and win the local radio contest and realize their dreams of making it to the big time! Featuring such classic songs as “Stay” (Just a Little Bit Longer),” “Runaround Sue,” “Tears On My Pillow,” “Unchained Melody,” “Earth Angel,” and of course the title song, Life Could Be A Dream is another musical trip down memory lane that will leave you laughing, singing and cheering!
The Dates: May 2-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati | BTC listing

Catherine Ross as Margaret Johnson & Abby Paljieg as Clara Johnson in Footlighters' THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Footlighters Inc.

The Story: The show takes place in Italy in the summer of 1953. Margaret Johnson, the wife of an American, is touring the Tuscan countryside with her daughter, Clara. While sightseeing, Clara-a beautiful, childish young woman-loses her hat in a sudden gust. As if guided by an unseen hand, the hat lands at the feet of Fabrizio Naccarelli, a handsome Florentine, who returns it to Clara. This brief episode sparks an immediate romance between Clara and Fabrizio. Extremely protective, Margaret attempts to keep them apart. As the story unfolds, a secret is revealed about Clara: she is not all that she appears. Unable to suppress the truth, Margaret is forced to reconsider not only Clara’s future, but her own hopes as well.
The Dates: May 3-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Footlighters Inc. | BTC listing

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS

Mariemont Players

The Story: Nick, an Italian-American boy from New Jersey, wants to follow his dream and move to Seattle – far away from his beloved, but annoying, grandparents and their routine Sunday dinners. But both sets of grandparents scheme to keep him from moving, using the lovely, and single, Caitlin O’Hare as bait.
The Dates: May 4-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Mariemont Players | BTC listing

The cast of THE SECOND CITY 2: LESS PRIDE...MORE PORK. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

THE SECOND CITY: LESS PRIDE MORE PORK

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: The world’s premier comedy company will again set its razor-sharp sights on Cincinnati. What’s left to skewer? The Second City was in town long enough to know they haven’t come close to exhausting the material. Not to mention, between now and opening night, entire sports seasons will come and go, politicians will star on reality shows and streetcars may (or may not) be on track. The future holds nothing but promise for comedy at our expense. 
The Dates: April 29-July 1, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

David St. Louis as Marvell Thunder, Terry Burrell as Good Sister Dupree, Jennie Harney as Glory Dupree & Trent Armand Kendall as Jaguar Dupree, Sr. Photo by Sandy Underwood.

THUNDER KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: Once upon a time, a mysterious, blues-playing stranger named Marvell Thunder arrives at the door of the Dupree family with a unique challenge — a “cutting contest,” in which twin guitars are the weapons of choice. If he has his way, the epic musical showdown will change everyone’s life forever. A mystical, magical celebration of love, family and the exhilarating power of music to free your soul. 
The Dates: April 21-May 20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

…ENDING THIS WEEK

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON

Know Theatre of Cincinnati

The Story: BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON uses the story of America’s controversial seventh president, “the man who invented the Democratic Party, doubled the size of our nation, and signed the Indian Removal Acts that started the Trail of Tears,” to investigate the attraction and terrors of American populism, using a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and an infectious rock n’ roll soundtrack.
The Dates: March 31-May 12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Know Theatre of Cincinnati | BTC listing

Jonathan Zeng as Joseph, Michelle Koopman-Wells as The Narrator & Donnie McGovern as Pharoah in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT..

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

The Story: The Biblical, all-sung saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful parable. Joseph, his father’s favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged.
The Dates: April 19-May 13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Covedale Center | BTC listing

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

Stagecrafters

The Story: Allan Felix has this thing about Humphrey Bogart. If only he had some of Bogart’s technique…Bogey comes to the rescue of Allan (who is bookish and insecure with women) with a fantastic bevy of beauties played out in hilarious fantasy sequences. Fixed up with gorgeous women by friends, he’s so awkward that even Bogey’s patience is tried. Allan mostly resembles a disheveled, friendly dog and this is what ultimately charms his best friend’s wife into bed. It’s a tough life, making it in the world of beautiful people but if you can’t be a hero it helps to have one…
The Dates: May 5-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Stagecrafters | BTC listing

…COMING SOON

Matt Dentino, Danielle Muething, Jennifer J. Araya & Patrick Phillips.

BABES IN HOLLYWOOD

The Dates: May 16-June 3, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Showboat Majestic | BTC listing

BECKY’S NEW CAR

The Dates: May 17-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Middletown Lyric Theatre | BTC listing

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED)

The Dates: May 17-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre | BTC listing

SONGS FROM THE TALL GRASS

The Dates: May 18-27, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Fairfield Footlighters | BTC listing

The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents Resurrection Symphony

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Facing Life’s Challenges: A Musical Guide to Dealing with It All

I have a personal mantra: Nothing’s Ever Easy.

There aren’t web pages enough for me to catalog all of the instances in my own life where fate intervened, and I snapped defeat from the jaws of victory rather than the other way around.

I’ll share one with you.

After having caught nine innings of a baseball game, I came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth (I was much younger then, you understand) with two outs and our leftfielder standing on third, the result of two-strike curveball he’d slammed off of the centerfield wall.

I hit a line shot that caught the opposing team’s pitcher just above his sternum and bounced weakly off into the grass on the third base side of the diamond. Stunned by what was, in fact, the equivalent of a bunt, the other team’s third baseman started a late charge toward the ball. Our leftfielder ran towards the plate and the game-winning run, and I took off for first victory as good as in my grasp.

Here’s a rule of nature: catchers aren’t particularly fast runners, especially after having caught for nine innings. As first base loomed before me, almost as in a dream I saw something fluttering in the air above my head and slightly to my side. It was the baseball!

Here’s another rule: never slide headfirst into first base; scientific study has proven it to be actually a slower way of reaching the bag than simply running as fast as you can toward it. And I contributed to that body of scientific evidence, reaching the bag with my knurled fingertips scant seconds after the opposing first baseman had slammed his glove with the ball inside it right onto the top of my head. Hard!

Here’s a rule of baseball: Rule 4.09 – A run scores when a runner touches home plate before the third out is made, EXCEPT that no run can score when the third out is the result of a force play, or when the batter is put out before reaching first base.

Nothing’s Ever Easy. Life is a synonym for challenge. And that challenge is universal; we are all allergic to it. All.

I know of a man whose life was perhaps one of the most challenging ever lived. He grew up a Jew in a mostly Christian country, where all the old prejudices and hatreds toward Jews were rife.

He had to struggle to make ends meet. Some say that, when he eventually converted to Christianity, he did so to get a better paying position. No one bothered to determine if he really wasn’t only following through on a change in his beliefs.

Christopher Chaffee, Associate Professor of Music at Wright State University provides this insight into the man: As a conductor he ruled with an iron will and overturned many long-standing traditions. He banned the rowdy fan clubs of star singers, stopped performances when audience members talked, and closed and locked the doors to the hall once a performance began, leaving latecomers stranded in the lobby…was equally demanding on the musicians, and the quality of his opera productions and orchestral programs soared to new heights.

He was a composer whose own wife joined with the music critics in deriding his compositions as manufactured, out-of-date, and distraught.

And, as if that weren’t enough, his five-year-old daughter died.

His music reflects his emotional roller coaster ride, taking listeners to “heights of pleasure and happiness to the depths of despair, many times…” (Chaffee). And one of his symphonies, his second, in particular depicts musically the challenges we all face. Life-and-death challenges, religious and philosophical challenges, the challenges we face simply to stay alive and those we face when we ponder life and the sense, or insanity, of it all.

Here’s how the composer himself described his second symphony:

“It is the hero of my First Symphony whom I bear to his grave, and upon the clear recollection of whose life I gaze from a higher vantage point. At the same time, there is the great question: ‘Why hast thou lived? Why hast thou suffered? Is all this only a great and ghastly joke?’ We must solve these problems in one way or another, if we are to continue living – yes, even if we are to continue dying! He in whose life this call has once resounded must give an answer; and I give this answer in the last movement.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
“Resurrection Symphony”
Friday, May 11 & Sat­urday, May 12 ~ 2012
Schuster Center, 8 pm
Click for Tickets

“The second…movement is a recollection – a sunny scene, from the life of this hero. It must have happened to you once – you have borne a dear friend to his grave, and then, perhaps on your way homewards, there has suddenly appeared before you the image of a long-past happiness, which now enters into your soul like a sunbeam- marred by no shadow – you can almost forget what happened! That is the second movement.

“Then, when you awaken from this nostalgic dream and must return to life’s confusion, it may easily occur that this perpetually moving, never ending, ever incomprehensible hustle and bustle of life becomes eerie to you, like the movement of dancing figures in a brightly lighted ballroom into which you must gaze out of the dark night – from so far that you do not hear the dance music any more. Life becomes senseless to you then, a ghastly apparition from which you, perhaps, recoil with a cry of disgust. This is the third movement!

“What happened to me with the last movement of the Second Symphony is simply this: I …was forced…to express my feelings and thoughts in my own words. It was at this time that…I attended…memorial services. The mood was very much in the spirit of the work I carried inside of me. At this point the choir from the organ loft intoned…Rise Again! Like Lightning this hit me: everything became clear and distinct before my soul.”

The confusion had dissipated. Everything had become clear. Finally, Gustav Mahler had understood the reason for the challenges of life and the approach for dealing with them.

On Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 at 8 pm in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present Resurrection Symphony, the final concert in this season’s Classical series. DPO Music Director Neal Gittleman will host a Take Note Talk in the Mead Theatre at 7pm and provide you with in-depth background into this glorious musical work, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection.

Soprano Ilana Davidson and mezzo soprano Susan Platts will join Neal, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus directed by Hank Dahlman for Mahler’s groundbreaking Second Symphony and take you on a universal, spiritual odyssey of life, death, and resurrection.

And help us all perhaps face life’s challenges.

With hope.

 

Coming Up in Dayton Theatre 5/4 – 5/18

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

Currently Playing:

Dividing The Estate

Dayton Theatre Guild

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

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

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

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8kHN7r1omU’]

The Hallelujah Girls

Brookville Community Theatre

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

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

Opening This Weekend:

Ravenscroft

Troy Civic Theatre

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

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

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

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

Dearly Departed; Annie ; Boeing, Boeing and Edwina Black

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

Opening Next Weekend:

The Sound Of Music

The Dayton Playhouse

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

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

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

Future Fest 2012 Finalists!

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

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

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

Also announced is this years line-up of adjudicators:

David Finkle
Rob Koon
Helen Sneed
Eleanor Speert
Faye Sholiton

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

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

 

 

Zoot Theatre 2012-2013 Season Announcement

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The Zoot Theatre Company, Dayton’s only professional puppetry and mask company has announced its 2012-13 inaugural season at the NCR Renaissance Auditorium at the Dayton Art Institute.

The Hobbit

The company will open with THE HOBBIT, presented by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing Company out of Woodstock, IL and co-directed by J. Gary Thompson and D. Tristan Cupp. THE HOBBIT is J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic story of Bilbo Baggins, who is asked to leave his large, roomy home underground to set out as chief robber to recover a very important treasure. Presented as a puppet and mask piece, Zoot’s stunning artwork will be on full display in this epic adventure. THE HOBBIT will open on Friday, September 28 and run three weekends, every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, October 14.

Zoot’s second show in its three-show MainStage Series is A CHRISTMAS CAROL, which is being specifically adapted for Zoot in order to fit its artistic vision of the classic Charles Dickens masterpiece. Presented as a puppet and mask piece, people of all ages will marvel at the ghosts of Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. A CHRISTMAS CAROL will be directed by Aaron Vega and will open on Friday, November 30 and run three weekends every Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, December 16.

Finally, Zoot will close the Season with the powerful and historic tale of children coming of age in Terezin, the Jewish city established by the Nazis. AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD is Michael Slade’s powerful play about children using their imaginations and creativity to make art to build lives of hope with their actual poems and stories woven in throughout the play.AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD will be directed by Mark Metzger and open Friday, April 5 and run two weekends on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Sunday, April 14.

Zoot will be holding general auditions at the company’s studios at 308 Washington St., Dayton on Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be both paid and unpaid acting positions, depending upon the role in which one is cast. Those interested should email auditions@zoottheatrecompany.org to schedule a timeslot. More information will be posted on the company’s website at www.zoottheatrecompany.org and Facebook Page.

Tickets will go on sale beginning July 1 online and over the phone. Both single performance tickets and subscriptions will be available. Tickets are $18.00 for adults; $15.00 for seniors; $15.00 for students with a valid ID; and $12.00 for children 12 and under.

Coming Up in Cincinnati Theatre: April 30-May 6

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…BLINK AND THEY’RE GONE

ALADDIN JR

Cincinnati Black Theatre Company

The Story: Welcomes Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences’ spirits will soar with excitement. With, Academy Award winning songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come!
The Dates: May 5-6, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Black Theatre Company | BTC listing

MAMMA MIA!

Broadway in Cincinnati

The Story: A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! Over 45 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make Mamma Mia! the ultimate feel-good show! Writer Catherine Johnson’s sunny, funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. The story-telling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone’s having the time of their lives!
The Dates: May 1-6, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Broadway in Cincinnati | BTC listing

 

…NEW THIS WEEK

LIFE COULD BE A DREAM

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

The Story: SH-BOOM! From the creator of THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, comes the Crooning Crabcakes, the boy group banned from the Springfield High School prom that made it possible for The Marvelous Wonderettes to perform. The guys get one more chance at fame and fortune as Denny, Eugene, Skip and Wally form a singing group to enter and win the local radio contest and realize their dreams of making it to the big time! Featuring such classic songs as “Stay” (Just a Little Bit Longer),” “Runaround Sue,” “Tears On My Pillow,” “Unchained Melody,” “Earth Angel,” and of course the title song, Life Could Be A Dream is another musical trip down memory lane that will leave you laughing, singing and cheering!
The Dates: May 2-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati | BTC listing

Catherine Ross as Margaret Johnson & Abby Paljieg as Clara Johnson in Footlighters' THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA.

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Footlighters Inc.

The Story: The show takes place in Italy in the summer of 1953. Margaret Johnson, the wife of an American, is touring the Tuscan countryside with her daughter, Clara. While sightseeing, Clara-a beautiful, childish young woman-loses her hat in a sudden gust. As if guided by an unseen hand, the hat lands at the feet of Fabrizio Naccarelli, a handsome Florentine, who returns it to Clara. This brief episode sparks an immediate romance between Clara and Fabrizio. Extremely protective, Margaret attempts to keep them apart. As the story unfolds, a secret is revealed about Clara: she is not all that she appears. Unable to suppress the truth, Margaret is forced to reconsider not only Clara’s future, but her own hopes as well.
The Dates: May 3-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Footlighters Inc. | BTC listing

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS

Mariemont Players

The Story: Nick, an Italian-American boy from New Jersey, wants to follow his dream and move to Seattle – far away from his beloved, but annoying, grandparents and their routine Sunday dinners. But both sets of grandparents scheme to keep him from moving, using the lovely, and single, Caitlin O’Hare as bait.
The Dates: May 4-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Mariemont Players | BTC listing

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

Stagecrafters

The Story: Allan Felix has this thing about Humphrey Bogart. If only he had some of Bogart’s technique…Bogey comes to the rescue of Allan (who is bookish and insecure with women) with a fantastic bevy of beauties played out in hilarious fantasy sequences. Fixed up with gorgeous women by friends, he’s so awkward that even Bogey’s patience is tried. Allan mostly resembles a disheveled, friendly dog and this is what ultimately charms his best friend’s wife into bed. It’s a tough life, making it in the world of beautiful people but if you can’t be a hero it helps to have one…
The Dates: May 5-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Stagecrafters | BTC listing

THE SECOND CITY: LESS PRIDE MORE PORK

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: The world’s premier comedy company will again set its razor-sharp sights on Cincinnati. What’s left to skewer? The Second City was in town long enough to know they haven’t come close to exhausting the material. Not to mention, between now and opening night, entire sports seasons will come and go, politicians will star on reality shows and streetcars may (or may not) be on track. The future holds nothing but promise for comedy at our expense. 
The Dates: April 29-July 1, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

…CONTINUING

Kellen York. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON

Know Theatre of Cincinnati

The Story: BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON uses the story of America’s controversial seventh president, “the man who invented the Democratic Party, doubled the size of our nation, and signed the Indian Removal Acts that started the Trail of Tears,” to investigate the attraction and terrors of American populism, using a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and an infectious rock n’ roll soundtrack.
The Dates: March 31-May 12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Know Theatre of Cincinnati | BTC listing

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

The Story: The Biblical, all-sung saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful parable. Joseph, his father’s favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged.
The Dates: April 19-May 13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Covedale Center | BTC listing

THUNDER KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: Once upon a time, a mysterious, blues-playing stranger named Marvell Thunder arrives at the door of the Dupree family with a unique challenge — a “cutting contest,” in which twin guitars are the weapons of choice. If he has his way, the epic musical showdown will change everyone’s life forever. A mystical, magical celebration of love, family and the exhilarating power of music to free your soul. 
The Dates: April 21-May 20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

 

…ENDING THIS WEEK

THE CRUCIBLE

The Drama Workshop

The Story: The story focuses upon a young farmer, his wife, and a young servant-girl who maliciously causes the wife’s arrest for witchcraft. The farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lies and it is here that the monstrous course of bigotry and deceit is terrifyingly depicted. The farmer, instead of saving his wife, finds himself also accused of witchcraft and ultimately condemned with a host of others.
The Dates: April 27-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Drama Workshop | BTC listing

THE DROWSEY CHAPERONE

Nativity Players

The Story: The show revolves around one musical theatre fan’s obsession with a fictional show from the 1920s – ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’. As he listens to the recording, the characters come to life in his apartment. This is the story of a Broadway actress, Janet Van De Graaaff, who wants to marry the debonair Robert Martin and give up her stage career. Janet’s producer, Mr. Feldzie, must stop the wedding because if she quits show business, he’ll lose his job! Further, gangsters threaten Mr. Feldzie since if Janet quits, they lose their investment.
The Dates: April 27-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Nativity Players | BTC listing

Tracy M. Schoster & Jeremy Fischer in Falcon Theatre's FROZEN. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

FROZEN

Falcon Theatre

The Story: This taut drama explores the world of three characters who’s lives intersect in the most violent way. A mother,a serial killer and a psychologist take us deep into the events of a terrible crime and its aftermath. The quiet power of this play is at once horrifying and mesmerizing.
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Falcon Theatre | BTC listing

…COMING SOON

ANGEL STREET

Lebanon Theatre Company

The Dates: May 11-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Lebanon Theatre Company | BTC listing

THE CIVIL WAR

UC College-Conservatory of Music

The Dates: May 10-12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO ENLIGHTENMENT

The Dates: May 10-11, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

Disney’s CAMP ROCK THE MUSICAL

The Children’s Theatre of Mason

The Dates: May 11-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Children’s Theatre of Mason | BTC listing

ELEPHANT SIGHS

Mad Anthony Theatre Company

The Dates: May 1-6, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Mad Anthony Theatre Company | BTC listing

THE FANTASTICKS

Loveland Stage Company

The Dates: May 11-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Loveland Stage Company | BTC listing

FIVE WOMEN WEARING THE SAME DRESS

Wyoming Players

The Dates: May 11-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Wyoming Players | BTC listing

LES MISERABLES

Broadway in Cincinnati

The Dates: May 8-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Broadway in Cincinnati | BTC listing

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

The Dates: May 11-June 3, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | BTC listing

TITANIC THE MUSICAL

Cincinnati Music Theatre

The Dates: May 11-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Music Theatre | BTC listing

Sinclair Theatre Presents The Laramie Project

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Laramie Cast (l to r): Matt Turner, Matthew Smith, Angela Dermer, Robb Willoughby, Rachel Wilson, John Ray and Chris Hammond. (kneeling) Cydnie Hampton and John Dunn

Sinclair Theatre will present the deeply moving drama, The Laramie Project, May 18-26 in Blair Hall Theatre, building 2, Sinclair’s downtown Dayton campus.

The play, by Moisés Kaufman and Members of The Tectonic Theater Project and directed by Scott Stoney, is a powerful portrait of one town’s healing in the face of terrible tragedy. Five weeks after Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, beaten and left to die on the outskirts of Laramie, WY, members of the Tectonic Theater Project traveled to the small town to begin a series of more than 200 interviews with its residents. The result was The Laramie Project, a poignant and deeply moving play that showcases man’s capacity for both brutal intolerance and breathtaking compassion.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., one Sunday May 20th matinee at 2 p.m., a Wednesday, May 23rd 10 a.m. school matinee and a Downtown Dayton Thursday Nights performance at 7 p.m. on May 24th.  (Click Here to view entire schedule on the DMM Event Calendar)

All seats are reserved and cost $15 adults and $10 for students/seniors.  For more information or to purchase tickets online now go to: Sinclair.edu/tickets. Box office opens May 11th 11-3 Monday through Friday and one hour prior to performances. 937-512-2808. ALL Thursday tickets cost an additional $5 each and include pre-show appetizers and cash bar for Sinclair’s popular Downtown Dayton Thursday Nights.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgkwl6Zi4VQ’]

Coming Up in Cincinnati Theatre: April 23-29

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…BLINK AND THEY’RE GONE

Shaun Sutton as Leopold Bloom, Mary Malloy as Molly Bloom and Ian Weber as Stephen Dedalus.

ULYSSES

UC COLLEGE-CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

The Story: A masterwork of modern literature comes to life. Using the structure of the Homeric Odyssey, the work takes place during Dublin’s “dailiest day possible,” June 16, 1904, as the protagonist, Stephen Dedalus, makes his way through the streets and haunts of the city. At its most basic level, Ulysses is about Stephen’s search for a symbolic father and Leopold Bloom’s search for a son. But the story, so rich with striking characters and wondrous scenes, becomes an unforgettable quest for self. 
The Dates: April 26-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

…NEW THIS WEEK

THE CRUCIBLE

The Drama Workshop

The Story: The story focuses upon a young farmer, his wife, and a young servant-girl who maliciously causes the wife’s arrest for witchcraft. The farmer brings the girl to court to admit the lies and it is here that the monstrous course of bigotry and deceit is terrifyingly depicted. The farmer, instead of saving his wife, finds himself also accused of witchcraft and ultimately condemned with a host of others.
The Dates: April 27-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Drama Workshop | BTC listing

THE DROWSEY CHAPERONE

Nativity Players

The Story: The show revolves around one musical theatre fan’s obsession with a fictional show from the 1920s – ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’. As he listens to the recording, the characters come to life in his apartment. This is the story of a Broadway actress, Janet Van De Graaaff, who wants to marry the debonair Robert Martin and give up her stage career. Janet’s producer, Mr. Feldzie, must stop the wedding because if she quits show business, he’ll lose his job! Further, gangsters threaten Mr. Feldzie since if Janet quits, they lose their investment.
The Dates: April 27-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Nativity Players | BTC listing

THE SECOND CITY: LESS PRIDE MORE PORK

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: The world’s premier comedy company will again set its razor-sharp sights on Cincinnati. What’s left to skewer? The Second City was in town long enough to know they haven’t come close to exhausting the material. Not to mention, between now and opening night, entire sports seasons will come and go, politicians will star on reality shows and streetcars may (or may not) be on track. The future holds nothing but promise for comedy at our expense. 
The Dates: April 29-July 1, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

THUNDER KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: Once upon a time, a mysterious, blues-playing stranger named Marvell Thunder arrives at the door of the Dupree family with a unique challenge — a “cutting contest,” in which twin guitars are the weapons of choice. If he has his way, the epic musical showdown will change everyone’s life forever. A mystical, magical celebration of love, family and the exhilarating power of music to free your soul. 
The Dates: April 21-May 20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

…CONTINUING

Kellen York. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON

Know Theatre of Cincinnati

The Story: BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON uses the story of America’s controversial seventh president, “the man who invented the Democratic Party, doubled the size of our nation, and signed the Indian Removal Acts that started the Trail of Tears,” to investigate the attraction and terrors of American populism, using a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and an infectious rock n’ roll soundtrack.
The Dates: March 31-May 12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Know Theatre of Cincinnati | BTC listing

FROZEN

Falcon Theatre

The Story: This taut drama explores the world of three characters who’s lives intersect in the most violent way. A mother,a serial killer and a psychologist take us deep into the events of a terrible crime and its aftermath. The quiet power of this play is at once horrifying and mesmerizing.
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Falcon Theatre | BTC listing

Jonathan Zeng as Joseph, Michelle Koopman-Wells as The Narrator & Donnie McGovern as Pharoah in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT..

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

The Story: The Biblical, all-sung saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful parable. Joseph, his father’s favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged.
The Dates: April 19-May 13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Covedale Center | BTC listing

 

…ENDING THIS WEEK

Justin McCombs as Tom & Sherman Fracher as Ma Joad.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

The Story: Frank Galati’s Tony Award-winning adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath tells a timeless tale of endurance and hope in a time of hardship. Having survived the drought of the 1930s only to see their home repossessed, the Joad family embarks on a harrowing journey from the Dust Bowl fields of Oklahoma to the fertile orchards of California. But the “promised land” isn’t exactly what they imagined. Can the Joads overcome the injustices that plague a nation in crisis?
The Dates: March 28-April 29, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | BTC listing | BTC review

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

Village Players

The Story: The action of the play occurs in an English industrial city, where a young girl commits suicide and an eminently respectable British family is subject to a routine inquiry in connection with the death. An inspector calls to interrogate the family, and during the course of his questioning, all members of the group are implicated lightly or deeply in the girl’s undoing. The family, closely knit and friendly at the beginning of the evening, is shown up as selfish, self-centered or cowardly, its good humor turning to acid, and good fellowship to dislike, before the evening is over.
The Dates: April 20-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Village Players | BTC listing

Jon Kovach as Jackson, Lisa DeRoberts as Prudie Cupp, Steve Goers as LM, Sara Mackie as Rhetta Cupp & Brad Myers as Jim. Photo by Matt Steffen.

PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES

The Carnegie

The Story: A piece down Highway 57 from Frog Level is a shabby gas station (with a hot tub out back), the Double Cupp Diner, and the best foot-stompin’ good time you’ve ever had at the theatre. Five rowdy filling station boys and sassy diner waitresses sing and play their own instruments in this hilarious and heartwarming country western music revue.
The Dates: April 13-29, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Carnegie | BTC listing

Mindy Heithaus & Justin Baldwin in REASONS TO BE PRETTY. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

REASONS TO BE PRETTY

New Edgecliff Theatre

The Story: When Greg confesses to his girlfriend of four years that she’s not physically perfect, it not only affects their lives, but the lives of their close friends Carly and Kent, whose relationship is anything but perfect. Playwright Neil LaBute takes a long hard look at both physical and emotional beauty and the obsessions we have with both. 
The Dates: April 12-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: New Edgecliff Theatre | BTC listing

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!

Milford Theatre Guilde

The Story: Tom, a nerve-wracked school teacher nervous about his first day of teaching, tries to relax by watching TV when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, through such beloved SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK! songs as “Just A Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly” and “Conjunction Junction.”
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Milford Theatre Guilde | BTC listing

…COMING SOON

ALADDIN JR

Cincinnati Black Theatre Company

The Dates: May 5-6, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Black Theatre Company | BTC listing

LIFE COULD BE A DREAM

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

The Dates: May 2-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati | BTC listing

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA

Footlighters Inc.

The Dates: May 3-19, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Footlighters Inc. | BTC listing

MAMMA MIA!

Broadway in Cincinnati

The Dates: May 1-6, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Broadway in Cincinnati | BTC listing

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS

Mariemont Players

The Dates: May 4-20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Mariemont Players | BTC listing

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

Stagecrafters

The Dates: May 5-13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Stagecrafters | BTC listing

Dayton Theatre Guild Announces ‘Til Death Do Us Part 2012-2013 Season

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Dayton Theatre Guild‘Til Death Do Us Part…

Come see our palette of plays that will take you right to the edge, whether in a theater filled with laughter or the lean-forward-in-your-seat intensity of great drama. And some will be a little bit of both. You’ll love the intimate confines of our new Oregon District home which now backs our award-winning casts with the very latest in technology, yet still maintains the Guild tradition of family where no one in our audience is ever a stranger. Come join us.

 

Opus
by Michael Hollinger
Aug 24-Sep 9, 2012
Directed by Greg Smith
Auditions: July 16-17

A world-class male string quartet struggles with the loss of a member, the recasting of a woman to replace him and the day-to-day tensions of exacting, temperamental artists struggling to make perfect music onstage, as well as to make sense of their lives offstage. This one-of-a-kind contemporary script is filled with quiet drama and surprising humor.

 

And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little
by Paul Zindel
Oct 5-21, 2012
Directed by Debra Kent
Auditions: August 27-28, 2012

Three sisters are each misshapen in a different way by a childhood without order or stability. Anna is a science teacher convinced she’s contracted a life-threatening illness; Catherine, who has her own life issues, is the sister who cares for her, and Ceil, also in the business of education, has manipulated life often at the expense of the other two. From this twisted mix playwright Zindel has created an unexpected, delightful comedy.

 

Ghosts
by Henrik Ibsen, translated by Christopher Hampton
Jan 11-27, 2013
Directed by Matthew W. Smith
Auditions: November 26-27

A brilliant new translation by Christopher Hampton breathes new life into this classic drama. The “ghosts” in this play are taboo topics that cannot be openly discussed. This drama is one of Ibsen’s most powerful works, but also one of his most controversial. Family sins are revisited when a son returns home to dedicate an orphanage in his father’s name and becomes involved in a tryst that ends in the painful knowledge of long suppressed family truths.

 

100 Saints You Should Know
by Kate Fodor
Feb 22-Mar 10, 2013
Directed by Ellen Finch
Auditions: January 14-15

Father Matthew McNally has served his congregation well but now finds he needs some time to reflect on his own faith and suddenly leaves his parish. Theresa, a cleaning woman at his rectory, searches him out for spiritual advice. She needs help with her 16-year-old daughter, Abby. And Garrett, a grocery delivery boy, desperately seeks Father McNally’s guidance in search of his own identity. An unexpected crisis brings these characters into confrontation. Faith is tried and shaken as Father McNally faces his own spiritual demons and his greatest fear — living without a connection to God.

 

Leaving Iowa
by Tim Clue & Spike Manton
Apr 5-21, 2013
Directed by Robb Willoughby
Auditions: February 25-26

The annual family vacations of one family are remembered as the son tries to take his father’s ashes to a former home. His attempts to reach the final resting place are interspersed with memories of family vacations the kids often hated. The actors play themselves as teenagers, as parents and as their older selves, on the road-trip of life. A sentimental play of good humor that is sweet and often contagiously funny.

 

The Pillow Man by Martin McDonagh
May 17-June 2, 2013
Directed by Natasha
Randall
Auditions: April 8-9

“With echoes of Stoppard, Kafka, and the Brothers Grimm, THE PILLOWMAN centers on a writer in an unnamed totalitarian state who is being interrogated about the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a series of child murders. The result is an urgent work of theatrical bravura and an unflinching examination of the very nature and purpose of art.” – Dramatists Play Service. For mature audiences only.

 

A Tuna Christmas
by Ed Howard, Joe Sears & Jaston Williams
Nov 23-Dec 9, 2012
Directed by Kathy Mola
Auditions: Oct 8-9

It’s Christmas time and local radio personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie tell us all about the annual Christmas lawn display contest that Viola Carp keeps winning (14 times), the troubled local production of A Christmas Carol and along the way introduce us to a host of colorful characters, each one funnier than the last, in this little mythical Texas town. Two actors portray more than twenty roles in this hilarious production.

 

 

Season tickets membership is $75…add the Holiday Show for an additional $10 for a total of $85! Individual ticket prices:*

Adult: $19

Seniors (60+): $17

Students: $12

Buy your tickets at daytontheatreguild.thundertix.com.

* all individual tickets are $1 less when paid for in cash on site at the Box Office.

Zoot Theatre Company Partners with The Dayton Art Institute

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(from Zoot Theatre Company)

The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) and Dayton’s Zoot Theatre Company have announced a partnership that will make The Zoot Theatre Company a resident company in the museum’s NCR Renaissance Auditorium.

“The Zoot Theatre Company is a visual art medium whose mission fits beautifully with our vision of making our campus a destination for guests to come for a variety of enriching visual arts experiences,” says The Dayton Art Institute’s Executive Director Michael Roediger.

The new partnership will offer Zoot the ability to host a full, main-stage production season in a central, recognizable location. It will also allow the theatre company to expand its programming, especially in the area of education and workshops. Currently, Zoot must travel to a participant’s location in order to conduct mask or puppetry workshops, which have become increasingly popular. With the new partnership, they will be able to host workshops at DAI.

“For Zoot and DAI, this is an obvious partnership, as both organizations specialize in visual arts, with the only difference being that Zoot’s gallery is the stage,” says The Zoot Theatre Company’s Executive Director Michael Sticka. “By becoming the resident company in the NCR Renaissance Auditorium, Zoot is now able to scale up our productions, including producing shows that are able to run two or three consecutive weeks, thus giving more theatre goers a chance to see our stunning work.”

Through this partnership, DAI and Zoot see opportunities to collaborate on productions, education workshops, exhibits specifically tied to performances, performances specially tied to exhibits, and festivals.

“The benefits for both organizations include expanded audiences, joint marketing and membership opportunities, and greater educational opportunities for children,” says Roediger. “We really see this as a new model for cooperation between two arts organizations.”

This past year, we were fortunate enough to be the resident company in the Schuster Center’s Mathile Theatre, as a part of Victoria Theatre Association’s ImPACt program, thanks to Nuefeld and the Victoria Theatre Association’s support and generosity,” says Sticka. “With the mission of the ImPACt Program being to assist developing arts organizations until they ‘outgrow’ the program, I would consider this a huge testament to the success of the ImPACt Program.”

Polyester Pants, Platform Shoes (and Chest Hair) Are Back!

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DPO presents Disco Ball featuring Jeans ‘N Classics

It was the last mass popular music movement driven by the post-World-War-Two baby boom generation. It was Disco, a genre of dance music influenced by Latin, funk, and soul music with a steady four-on-the-floor beat and a heavy, syncopated bass line.

Those of you who lived through it need no history lesson; you lived (and danced it). For those of you who didn’t, here’s a quick primer.

Songs – Rock The Boat, Kung Fu Fighting, Walking in Rhythm, Rock Your Baby, Love’s Theme, TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia), Get Down Tonight, That’s the Way (I Like It), (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, I’m Your Boogie Man, Keep It Comin’ Love, Love Is the Message, Bla Bla Diddly, Shaft, Never Can Say Goodbye, Billie Jean, You’re Gonna Miss My Lovin, Hot Stuff, Grease, Disco Inferno, You Sexy Thing, Dancing Queen,You Keep Me Hangin’ On, Only the Strong Survive, Message to Love, Soul Makossa, Keep on Truckin’, The Love I Lost, Dance Dance Dance, You Should Be Dancing, Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, More Than A Woman, I Just Want to Be Your Everything,(Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Shadow Dancing, The Hustle, Love to Love You Baby, Could It Be Magic, Dancing Machine, You’re the First the Last My Everything, Fly Robin Fly, Le Freak, Good Times, Everybody Dance, Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough, and A Fifth of Beethoven.

Artists – Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Trammps, Van McCoy, Gloria Gaynor, The Village People, Chic, The Jacksons, the Chambers Brothers. Sly and The Family Stone, Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch and the Philadelphia Sound, M.F.S.B, Giorgio Moroder, The Supremes, Jerry Butler, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Manu Dibango, Eddie Kendricks, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Hues Corporation, Carl Douglas, The Blackbyrds, George McCrae, Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra, The Three Degrees, Van McCoy, LaBelle, Silver Convention, Chic, and Michael Jackson.

Films – Saturday Night Fever, Thank God It’s Friday

TV shows – Soul Train, Disco Step-by-Step Television Show, Disco Magic/Disco 77, Soap Factory, Dance Fever

Disco clubs (“Discotheques”) – Studio One (L.A.), Leviticus (New York), and The Library (Atlanta).

Dances – the Bump, Penguin, Boogaloo, Watergate, Robot, and The Hustle (in three flavors: Brooklyn, New York, and Latin).

Fashion – Expensive and extravagant: for the girls sheer, flowing Halston dresses; for the guys shiny polyester pointy-collared Qiana shirts (open at the chest), double-knit polyester shirt jackets with matching trousers (leisure suits); and necklaces and medallions (guys and gals).

Disco TV Theme Songs – S.W.A.T. , Charlie’s Angels, NBC Saturday Night At The Movies , The Love Boat, The Donahue Show, CHiPs, The Professionals, Dallas, Kojak, 20/20, and The A-Team.

Whether you missed – or made – the original 70s Disco scene, you can experience it anew on Saturday, April 28 at 8 pm in the Schuster Center, when Assistant Conductor Patrick Reynolds and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra present Disco Ball Featuring Jeans ‘N Classics, the final concert in this season’s Rockin’ Orchestra Series. They will recapture the mood and feel of the Disco “Daze” with twenty huge chartbusters and lots more.

Peter Brennan’s Jeans ‘n Classics is a winner. Since its inception, it has been a star performer in the arts and entertainment scene. Its concept of combining rock musicians and headlining stars with world-class symphony orchestras has drawn record-setting capacity crowds.

I asked Peter Brennan, founder of the rock ensemble Jeans ‘N Classics, why disco – a remnant of our musical past – is more influential than we might think. Here’s his reply:

“What a terrific question this is. When Disco came out, I was a guitarist in a rock band, immersed in the likes of Queen, Yes, Pink Floyd and, of course, was appalled at this unsophisticated drivel (just like all the other self respecting ‘rockers’)! This threatened everything we’d come to know and love…our world so to speak. Also – the very notion of dancing – well that simply wasn’t something one did.

“We weathered the storm, so to speak, and in came the ’80s, and a glorious era of ‘pop’ erupted the likes of which we haven’t seen since.

“All these years later, after having written a Disco show for orchestra, I am almost bemused at the naiveté of my opinion of that era and its music; it has totally changed over the years, because I’ve changed.

“Hindsight is always 20/20, and I think Disco had such strong Euro Beat and Latin influences, especially initially (before the Bee Gees had their mega moment) that such current house music, club music trends owe their roots to it.

“The last ten years of pop divas and dance acts – Kylie Minogue, Brittany Spears, even Katie Perry – have certainly come out of that genre’s influence. And I suspect, while not as sophisticated, a lot of hip-hop rhythms being Afro – Cuban have done their homework on the Disco days. But enough of the armchair musicologist.

“What really hits me on a pure gut level is the great rhythm section work – drummers (real ones) and fabulous bass players laying it down so brilliantly.

“Some fantastic big sounds – sort of Motown and R&B, but more electric and eclectic. And some of the acts that initially I didn’t want to hear, but now am so impressed by. Earth Wind and Fire; The Trammps; Giorgio Moroder; The O Jays, and yes The Jacksons. Michael was a part of the style and carried it with him.

“There was also a mood, a vibe, and the music made people happy – not a bad thing at all really.

“We all feel great, when we play the Disco show with Jeans ‘n Classics. It is, I guess, our ultimate ‘Guilty Pleasure’.”

Mine, too, Peter.

Now where did I put my old white-with-chocolate-striped open-collared shirt, dark brown polyester bell-bottom pants, 2-inch high white plastic belt, coffee-with-cream-colored sports jacket, and gold chains….

 

Coming up in Dayton Theatre, April 19th – May 4th

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Back again!

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

Oversights

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

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Springfield Stage Works

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

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

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

The Fantasticks!

Xenia Area Community Theatre (XACT)

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

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

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

Blink and You’ll Miss It:

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Sinclair Community College.

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

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

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

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

Closing This Weekend

Wishful Drinking Starring Carrie Fisher

The Victoria Theatre

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

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

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

Opening This Weekend

Looking Glass Land

Beavercreek Community Theatre (Children’s Theatre)

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

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

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

 

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

Coming Up in Cincinnati Theatre: April 16-22

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…BLINK AND THEY’RE GONE

Zach Crowley as Septimus Hodge, Sarah Vargo as Thomasina Coverly and Ellie Jameson as Lady Croom

ARCADIA

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

The Story: Tom Stoppard’s comedic masterpiece Arcadia takes a witty, intellectual look between past and present ideals and between contradiction and coexistence. Set in an English country house both in 1809 and modern day, Arcadia follows two interconnected stories more than 200 years apart. In the early 19th century a teenage girl and her tutor question the world around them in their quest for knowledge while the present-day scholars and residents search for clues from the residents who lived before them, revealing common thoughts of love and life that transcend the centuries.
The Dates: April 18-22, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

IMAGINATION MOVERS

Cincinnati Arts Association

The Story: Add some rock n’ roll excitement and entertainment to your family’s life with the Imagination Movers’ 2012 Rock-O-Matic Tour! Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty — of the Emmy® Award-winning Disney Channel TV series ‘Imagination Movers’ — are bringing their high-octane rock concert to Cincinnati, and it’s an event the whole family can enjoy. The Imagination Movers combine danceable power pop songs with extremely catchy choruses and a knack for inspiring audience participation. Throw in a heaping helping of onstage silliness and you’ve got a recipe for a live musical event that will truly engage the littlest of kids along with their older siblings, parents and grandparents.
The Date: April 19, 2002
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Arts Association |  BTC listing

…NEW THIS WEEK

FROZEN

Falcon Theatre

The Story: This taut drama explores the world of three characters who’s lives intersect in the most violent way. A mother,a serial killer and a psychologist take us deep into the events of a terrible crime and its aftermath. The quiet power of this play is at once horrifying and mesmerizing.
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Falcon Theatre | BTC listing

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

Village Players

The Story: The action of the play occurs in an English industrial city, where a young girl commits suicide and an eminently respectable British family is subject to a routine inquiry in connection with the death. An inspector calls to interrogate the family, and during the course of his questioning, all members of the group are implicated lightly or deeply in the girl’s undoing. The family, closely knit and friendly at the beginning of the evening, is shown up as selfish, self-centered or cowardly, its good humor turning to acid, and good fellowship to dislike, before the evening is over.
The Dates: April 20-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Village Players | BTC listing

Jonathan Zeng as Joseph, Michelle Koopman-Wells as The Narrator & Donnie McGovern as Pharoah in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

The Story: The Biblical, all-sung saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful parable. Joseph, his father’s favorite son, is a boy blessed with prophetic dreams. When he is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt, Joseph endures a series of adventures in which his spirit and humanity are continually challenged.
The Dates: April 19-May 13, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Covedale Center | BTC listing

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK LIVE!

Milford Theatre Guilde

The Story: Tom, a nerve-wracked school teacher nervous about his first day of teaching, tries to relax by watching TV when various characters representing facets of his personality emerge from the set and show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, through such beloved SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK! songs as “Just A Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly” and “Conjunction Junction.”
The Dates: April 20-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Milford Theatre Guilde | BTC listing

THUNDER KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Story: Once upon a time, a mysterious, blues-playing stranger named Marvell Thunder arrives at the door of the Dupree family with a unique challenge — a “cutting contest,” in which twin guitars are the weapons of choice. If he has his way, the epic musical showdown will change everyone’s life forever. A mystical, magical celebration of love, family and the exhilarating power of music to free your soul. 
The Dates: April 21-May 20, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

…CONTINUING

Kellen York. Photo by Deogracias Lerma.

BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON

Know Theatre of Cincinnati

The Story: BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON uses the story of America’s controversial seventh president, “the man who invented the Democratic Party, doubled the size of our nation, and signed the Indian Removal Acts that started the Trail of Tears,” to investigate the attraction and terrors of American populism, using a raucous blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and an infectious rock n’ roll soundtrack.
The Dates: March 31-May 12, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Know Theatre of Cincinnati | BTC listing

THE GRAPES OF WRATH

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

The Story: Frank Galati’s Tony Award-winning adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath tells a timeless tale of endurance and hope in a time of hardship. Having survived the drought of the 1930s only to see their home repossessed, the Joad family embarks on a harrowing journey from the Dust Bowl fields of Oklahoma to the fertile orchards of California. But the “promised land” isn’t exactly what they imagined. Can the Joads overcome the injustices that plague a nation in crisis?
The Dates: March 28-April 29, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | BTC listing | BTC review

Jon Kovach as Jackson, Lisa DeRoberts as Prudie Cupp, Steve Goers as LM, Sara Mackie as Rhetta Cupp & Brad Myers as Jim. Photo by Matt Steffen.

PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES

The Carnegie

The Story: A piece down Highway 57 from Frog Level is a shabby gas station (with a hot tub out back), the Double Cupp Diner, and the best foot-stompin’ good time you’ve ever had at the theatre. Five rowdy filling station boys and sassy diner waitresses sing and play their own instruments in this hilarious and heartwarming country western music revue.
The Dates: April 13-29, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Carnegie | BTC listing

REASONS TO BE PRETTY

New Edgecliff Theatre

The Story: When Greg confesses to his girlfriend of four years that she’s not physically perfect, it not only affects their lives, but the lives of their close friends Carly and Kent, whose relationship is anything but perfect. Playwright Neil LaBute takes a long hard look at both physical and emotional beauty and the obsessions we have with both. 
The Dates: April 12-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: New Edgecliff Theatre | BTC listing

…ENDING THIS WEEK

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR

Tri-County Players

The Story: A lively, poignant telling of a “ family” of four mentally handicapped men sharing a home, and how they affect each other, the lives of those around them, and their supervisor Jack.
The Dates: April 13-21, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Tri-County Players | BTC listing

THE FANTASTICKS

Xenia Area Community Theatre

The Story: Two fathers decide that they want their children to fall in love. The girl, Luisa, is a daydreamer with an active imagination. The boy, Matt, is a romantic. The two fathers decide to instigate a mock feud amongst themselves in order to help the boy and girl fall in love.
The Dates: April 12-15, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Xenia Area | BTC listing

MY FAVORITE YEAR

Northern Kentucky University

The Story: In this crazy musical comedy, Alan Swann, a washed up ex-movie idol, is finally getting his chance for a comeback! This time it won’t be in movies, but instead it will be on the King Kaiser Comedy Hour, a television variety show! Unfortunately, his penchant for past bad habits of drinking and wooing women remain. To avoid any mishaps, comedy sketch writer, Benjy Stone, has been put to the task of keeping Swann out of trouble.
The Dates: April 12-22, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Northern Kentucky University | BTC listing

NOISES OFF

Beechmont Players

The Story: Called the funniest farce ever written, NOISES OFF presents a manic menagerie as a cast of itinerant actors rehearse a flop called NOTHING ON. Doors slamming, on- and backstage intrigue, and an errant herring all figure into the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play.
The Dates: April 12-15, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Beechmont Players | BTC listing

PRELUDE TO A KISS

Oxford Area Community Theatre

The Story: A couple, Peter and Rita, who fall in love despite Rita’s pessimistic outlook on life. Shortly after their wedding, a supernatural event tests the strength of their love and commitment to each other, when a mysterious old man insists on kissing the bride. While honeymooning, Peter gradually realizes that the woman by his side is not his wife. The wedding kiss caused Rita’s soul and the old man’s to change places. Peter must track down the old man and free his young love’s spirit, trapped in an aging and diseased body, before it’s too late.
The Dates: April 14-21, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Oxford Area Community Theatre | BTC listing

…COMING SOON

AL DURA: TRUTH OR DECEPTION

Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative

The Dates: April 24, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative | BTC listing

ULYSSES

UC COLLEGE-CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

The Dates: April 26-28, 2012
Tickets and More Information: BTC listing

THE CRUCIBLE

The Drama Workshop

The Dates: April 27-May 5, 2012
Tickets and More Information: The Drama Workshop | BTC listing

THE SECOND CITY: LESS PRIDE MORE PORK

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

The Dates: April 29-July 1, 2012
Tickets and More Information: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | BTC listing

Looking Glass Land (Ticket Contest)

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Looking Glass Land takes Lewis Carroll’s original story ‘Through the Looking Glass’, and adds to it a huge helping of unabashed silliness. This delightful romp through Alice’s looking glass retains all of the familiar characters, then introduces dozens of new ones: a baseball team, a gospel group called The Responsibilities, a train conductor, a peanut salesman, detectives, a Miss America, star struck tourist, plastic light saber knights and much more. This show is delightfully amusing and believable in a land that’s not, and is sure to please the entire family.

Produced through special arrangement with Pioneer Drama

Coal Dust in Her DNA – DPO presents Grammy-Award-winning singer in Kathy Mattea: From the Heart

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Kathy Mattea

She has never had a movie made about her. No Sissy Spacek to portray her. But, like Loretta Lynn who has, Kathy Mattea has a familial heritage that stretches back to America’s coal-mining regions. And a musical heritage and style that, like Lynn, includes country and gospel, but woven in with folk and bluegrass.

Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss, Jackson Browne and Crosby, Stills and Nash are just a few of the artists with whom Kathy has collaborated. In her 28 years on the music scene, she has recorded 30 hit singles and 17 albums, including Goin’ Gone, Come From the Heart, 18 Wheels and A Dozen Roses, Burnin’ Old Memories, and Where’ve You Been.

And winning two Grammys for her efforts, the first in 1990 for Best Female Country Vocal (Where’ve You Been), the second in 1993 for the gospel-oriented Christmas album Good News.

On the way to becoming a star, Kathy joined a West Virginia University bluegrass band, dropped out of WVU, moved to Nashville, worked as a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame, backed-up Bobby Goldsboro on vocals, and sang demos for songwriters and publishers.

She is no stranger to hard work; it’s in her genes.

Raised near Charleston, West Virginia, Kathy’s mining heritage is thick: both her grandfathers were miners, both her parents grew up in coal camps, and her mother worked for the local miner’s union. Her father was saved from the mines by an uncle who paid his way through college.

Oddly, she wasn’t exposed to much traditional mountain music. But when she was 19 years old she heard Dark as a Dungeon and began quietly cataloging mining and mountain songs she would someday record.

When Kathy was about nine, 78 miners were killed in The Farmington Disaster, near Fairmont, West Virginia. In 2006 the Sago Mine Disaster killed 12 West Virginia miners. “I thought, ‘Now is the time to do these songs’,” Kathy remembers.” The Sago disaster propelled Kathy back in her memory to what she had felt at that moment in her life, and she thought, “‘I need to do something with this emotion, and maybe this album is the place to channel it’. And so I knew the time was right.”

The album was COAL.

It was a life-altering decision, one that would forever change the way Kathy thought about music and singing. “This record reached out and took me. It called to me to be made,” Kathy states. “If you go through your life and you try to be open, you try to think how can you be of service, how can your gifts best be used in the world…if you ask that question everyday, you find yourself at the answer. And it’s not always what you thought it would be when you asked.”

She found herself discovering a part of herself she had never known before. “I had to unlearn a lot about singing. These songs are about getting out of the way; it’s about being with the song, opening a space and letting the song come through you.”

“I wanted some labor songs, some songs that articulated the lifestyle, the bigger struggles, and I wanted a wide variety musically,” Kathy notes. “Most of all, I wanted it to speak to the sense of place and the sense of attachment people have to each other and to the land.” She chose songs by such celebrated songwriters as Jean Ritchie, Billy Edd Wheeler, Hazel Dickens, Si Kahn, Utah Phillips, Merle Travis, and Darrell Scott.

Kathy says she’s had good luck picking songs because she goes with her gut. “I’ve found so much of my voice through interpreting other people’s songs, it’s like a marriage,” Kathy remarks. “I’m breathing something into the song, collaborating with the writers on bringing something forth.”

Kathy has played with guitarist Bill Cooley for 20 years and calls him “my silent partner, my unspoken collaborator on everything I do… I have been orbiting around him, musically, for a long time.”

Kirk Albrecht at minor7th.com describes Cooley as “… a guitarists guitarist, like Vince Gill, who seems to be at home in most any style.”

Versatility, the hallmark of any busy sideman, has been the stock in trade of a career that has seen Bill touring and recording with the likes of country icon Merle Haggard, country-pop diva Reba McEntire, traditionalist Alan Jackson and rockin’ singer-songwriter Hal Ketchum, as well as the eclectic, genre-crossing Mattea.

A native of Santa Barbara, CA, Bill moved to Nashville in 1985. A dozen years later he was called “one of Nashville’s most respected sidemen” by Guitar Player Magazine.

A native of Nashville, David Spicher is the son of session fiddle king Buddy Spicher. He has performed with Crystal Gayle, Pam Tillis, the Jerry Douglas Band, Carolina Rain, Jim Lauderdale, Nickel Creek, polka queen Lynn Marie, the Nashville Symphony, John England & the Western Swingers, and his family’s own Nashville Swing Band.

Eamonn O’Rourke (fiddle, mandolin, vocals) was born in County Donegal, Ireland. In 1993, Eamonn moved to New York. Working with a wide variety of artists throughout the United States and Canada, he was blessed with the chance to study with the great Mark O’Connor and cultivated a successful career as a session musician.

On Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5 at 8pm in the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present Kathy Mattea: From the Heart, the final concert in this season’s SuperPops series, featuring Kathy, Bill, David, and Eamonn.

And quite a few other musicians on vocals.

“I think there’s a mystery there,“ Kathy says, “that somewhere in me, in my DNA, there’s my great grandmother singing, and my grandmother, and my people, singing through me, with me.”

 

The Con is On with “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”

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Clark State Community College delivers a commendable production of librettist Jeffrey Lane (“Mad About You”) and composer David Yazbek’s (“The Full Monty”) funny, naughty 2005 Tony Award-nominated musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” a faithful adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name.

Smoothly directed by Geoffrey D. Moss and set on the French Riviera, admirably envisioned by scenic designer Dan Hunt, “Scoundrels” predominately succeeds on the entertaining teamwork of Troy M. Berry and Jimmy Straley as competitive con men Lawrence Jameson and Freddy Benson, respectively. As Lawrence and Freddy wage a bet to swindle $50,000 from American soap heiress Christine Colgate (the radiantly perky Haley Justice), Berry’s sophisticated flair and veteran aptitude fittingly complements Straley’s hilariously immature raunchiness. The tall, comically conceited Berry is also the stronger singer (“Love Sneaks In” is a tender Act 2 highpoint), but Straley, a genuine goofball, excels at physical comedy and sight gags which is essential. They particularly join forces for delightful renditions of “All About Ruprecht” and “Dirty Rotten Number,” terrific standouts within Yazbek’s wonderfully suave, lilting and peppy score, firmly handled by music director Thomas Kushmaul, Jr.’s first-rate orchestra, that reiterate his status as one of the most flavorful composers of contemporary musical theater.

In featured roles, David M. Schopmeyer brings an understated charm to Andre Thibault, Lawrence’s unassuming accomplice who sparks a middling romance with vacationing divorcee Muriel Eubanks, sharply portrayed by Kate Blackburn. As boisterous oil heiress Jolene, who precedes Christine on Lawrence and Freddy’s devious radar, the energetic Leah Schultz leads the infectious country and western toe-tapper “Oklahoma?,” spiritedly choreographed by Katie Kerry.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” concludes today at 3 p.m. in Kuss Auditorium of the Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. Act One: 65 minutes; Act Two: 65 minutes. Tickets are $8-$10. The show contains adult language. For tickets or more information, call (937) 328-3874 or visit pac.clarkstate.edu

From the Edge and Back with Carrie Fisher

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WISHFUL DRINKING starring Carrie Fisher April 10 – 22, 2012 – Victoria TheatreCarrie Fisher, daughter of crooner Eddie Fisher and screen legend Debbie Reynolds, humorously bears her wacky, wounded soul in her breezy 2009 one-woman play “Wishful Drinking,” a revealing look at her fractured childhood, rocky relationships and bouts with mental illness and drug addiction.

Presented at the Victoria Theatre by the Victoria’s Premier Health Partners Broadway Series, “Wishful Drinking,” smartly structured to entertain with a wink and a smile instead of morphing into a celebrity pity party of endless diatribes, immediately charms as if reconnecting with an old friend. Best known for portraying Princess Leia of “Star Wars” lore, Fisher, 55, proves her worth as an engaging comedienne with naughty instincts who thrives on the playful interaction she generates with the audience in addition to her innate ability to simply poke fun at herself. Briefly schooled in London, the likable author/actress, who openly shares her disdain for Republicans and grew up in a house described as a cross between a government embassy and an air conditioner, bluntly addresses a wide array of dishy talking points ranging from her infamous tabloid history and forgettable stepfathers to her on again/off again romance with Paul Simon and deep affection for a gay talent agent who fathered her daughter.

Fisher, nicely framed within David Korins’ kooky hodgepodge set complete with R2-D2, could have carved her journey as a one-act, but her appealing personality and snappy one-liners (“distinguished-looking is ugly with money”) carry the momentum as topics change. There are no momentary lulls or an agitated feeling of rehashing, a sizable feat for any one-person play grounded in overtly familiar nostalgia. The most hilarious portion, arriving at the end of Act 1, predictably stems from memories of her breakthrough in a galaxy far, far away (her jabs at George Lucas and the oddity of having been merchandised are priceless), but I found her witty family tree dissection (a juicy rundown of divorces and remarriages dubbed Hollywood Inbreeding 101) to be an intriguing portal into her irreparably scarred past. Sure, Fisher has a field day joking about Eddie ditching Debbie for Elizabeth Taylor in addition to Eddie eventually marrying Connie Stevens (Debbie lite), but underneath is the harsh reality that the seeds of her commitment/relationship issues, emotional and psychological, derive from the undesirable examples she witnessed and endured first-hand.  She actually fought with Simon on their honeymoon, which sounds alarming but was not entirely damaging. After all, she easily, if grudgingly, became Simon’s muse, inspiring some of his most introspective lyrics regarding love gone wrong.

In the mildly deeper Act 2, Fisher effectively shifts her puns toward rehab (Ozzy Osbourne was beside her at one point) and the acknowledgement of her personal demons. Although she drolly admits “there’s no need for demons when you’re self-possessed,” a glimmer of poignancy arises when she reveals the potential cost of losing one’s mind followed by a silent, heart-stopping mention of suicide.

“Wishful Drinking” is prime fodder for “Star Wars” devotees, but Fisher’s story of survival is intended for everyone. I’m actually surprised she hasn’t used this play as a launching pad to a talk show deal. Nonetheless, having been married, divorced and in rehab before the age of 30, Fisher certainly deserves to bask in the contentment she currently feels. It’s obvious her happy days are here.

“Wishful Drinking” continues through Sunday, April 22 at the Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St. Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Act One: 50 minutes; Act Two: 45 minutes. Tickets are $40-$83. The show contains adult language and themes. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com