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s-y-n-e-r-g-y and spelling

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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Dayton Playhouse: Spelling Bee

"Spelling Bee" cast. Photo credit: John Gebhardt

DAYTON PLAYHOUSE

Win Tickets to this show…Read on!

“Trespass. T – R – E – S…” Nine years old and fourth speller left, I paused. Were there one or two s’s in the middle? I guessed two, and with the disheartening ding of the buzzer, my chance at spelling stardom disappeared. Since then, I’ve never forgotten how to spell ‘trespass,’ or been in another bee. However, in Dayton Playhouse’s upcoming production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, we can all relive those childhood competitions… some of us, even onstage with the actors.

s-y-n-o-p-s-i-s

According to the show’s official website, this “hilarious tale of overachievers’ angst chronicles the experiences of six adolescent outsiders vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime.” Each student is eclectic and unique, from the youngest but politically aware Logainne SchwartzandGrubenniere (overseen by her overbearing, gay fathers), to the linguistic, obsessively confident, not-allowed-to-cry Marcy Park (Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, anyone?) to the pubescent (inopportunely so…) Chip Tolentino.

Dayton Playhouse: Spelling Bee

Bobby Mitchum as Chip Tolentino; photo credit John Gebhardt

p-r-e-c-o-c-i-o-u-s

The adults in charge are equally diverse and have barely managed to escape childhood themselves. The result is a quirky and hilarious story “filled with jubilant music, humor, and heart.”

Cast member Corinne Derusha, who plays host Rona Lisa Peretti, observed,

“Spelling Bee isn’t meant to be performed by kids [it’s aimed to be performed by adults portraying children] but with the range of ages and experiences [of our cast], it takes the audience away from that one aspect and focuses more on the characters we have created.”

d-i-d-a-c-t-i-c

This unique portrayal of children by adults is, according to director Natalie Houliston, “very revealing, [bringing] a new life and light to the struggle of the human condition.”

Dayton Playhouse: Spelling Bee

"Spelling Bee" cast; photo credit John Gebhardt

The characters are not the only spellers in this fictitious bee. Prior to the show, audience members can sign up with Vice Principle Panch and Rona to be considered for one of four audience speller roles. Don’t let this b-e-l-e-a-g-u-e-r you, though – these spellers don’t have to be amazing, merely willing to sit onstage and try their best!

p-a-r-t-i-c-i-p-a-n-t

The cast members have enjoyed working on this production. Derusha in particular loves the music:  “[it] is brilliant. And singing it every day has been a treat. I’m going to be sad when it’s over.” Each of the cast members with which I spoke also praised the show’s direction as both professional and familial.

Charity Farrell, who plays Marcy, said,

“Natalie has been incredible to work with… she is completely open to any ideas we might have – in fact, every single suggestion that anyone has thrown out from the beginning has been answered with, ‘I’d be willing to see that!’”

Especially for a show about a student experience, that spirit of collaboration is perfect. But, this attitude has not come at the expense of quality and a clear vision, but rather alongside and promoting them.

Dayton Playhouse: Spelling Bee

Charity Farrell as Marcy Park; photo credit John Gebhardt

r-a-p-p-o-r-t

The cast shares this perspective : Errik Hood, vocal director and Vice-President Panch, said,  “The entire cast showed up to the first rehearsal with great voices, but the truly special thing about each of them was their willingness and ability to try new ideas, experiment with new vocal colors and approaches, and to dramatically motivate each musical choice– making the singing an organic manifestation of the character instead of a superimposed or conflicting idea.”

That combination of synergy, creativity, and leadership, along with a s-t-e-l-l-a-r cast of s-p-e-l-l-e-r-s, makes Dayton Playhouse’s production of The 25th Annual Spelling Bee a show Dayton audiences shouldn’t miss.

Performance Information

p-a-i-d-e-i-a (a compendium of general education)

Who: Complete cast – Corinne Derusha, Errik M. Hood, Lindsay Sherman, Charity Farrell, Bobby Mitchum, Matthew Smith, David Thomas, David Stone, and Hannah Berry. Directed by Natalie Houliston, with musical and vocal direction from Joe Whatley and Errik Hood, choreography by Erica Hamilton, lights by John Findley, sound by Tony Fende, costumes by Eric Winslow, and stage management by Cami Brewer.

When: January 28 through February 13; Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm.

Where: 1301 Siebenthaler Avenue, Dayton.

Warning: Parents strongly cautioned: “…Spelling Bee” contains strong language, adult jokes, and mature themes. Not recommended for children under 13.

To purchase tickets, visit http://www.daytonplayhouse.org or call the box office at (937) 424-8477.

Win Free Tickets!

The Dayton Playhouse & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to Spelling Bee!  We will be giving away up to FOUR pairs of tickets for the show! All you need to do is:

  • Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page (We’ll give away one pair of tickets for every TEN FB/Twitter Shares).
  • Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this post.
  • Leave a comment, answering the following question…WHAT COMMONLY USED WORD ALWAYS TRIPS YOU UP WHEN YOU TYPE IT?  You know…”D-E-S-S-E-R-T or D-E-S-E-R-T?”
  • The deadline to enter is NOON on FRIDAY, January 28th.
  • Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.

Contest Closed 1/28/2011 at Noon

Seth Rudetsky Brings ‘Big Fat Broadway’ To Springfield

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If you adore Broadway and love to laugh, be sure to catch comedian Seth Rudetsky deliver his “Big Fat Broadway Show” Saturday, January 22 at the Turner Studio Theatre of the Clark State Performing Arts Center in Springfield.

The hilarious, one-of-a-kind Rudetsky, a Sirius/XM Radio host who has music directed numerous Broadway shows such as “42nd Street,” “Les Miserables,” “Mamma Mia!” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” will deconstruct a slew of personal musical theater-related recordings/videos (such as Cher singing all the roles in “West Side Story”!) in a style all his own. In fact, his energetic, funny and knowledgeable musings on Broadway past and present have become a staple in Manhattan in recent years thanks to Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox, his weekly talk show at New York’s Don’t Tell Mama.

In addition, the Emmy and Grammy nominee, born in Jamaica, Queens and raised on Long Island, appeared in the Broadway revival of “The Ritz,” was a member of “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” writing team, and wrote “The Q Guide to Broadway.” He also majored in classical piano performance at Oberlin College and will accompany Tony winner Betty Buckley (“Cats”) at the Performing Arts Center the evening prior.

OnStageDayton recently caught up with Rudetsky in advance of his Springfield appearance.

onStageDayton: Have you been amazed by any particular Broadway show recently?

Seth Rudetsky: I am/was obsessed with “In the Heights.” I (saw) it 11 times. Lin-Manuel Miranda brought ‘hip-hop’ to Broadway, which I am certainly not a fan of, but the show – it’s amazing! It’s literally like one of the old fashioned Golden Age musicals, but with a more modern score. It’s so tuneful and full of joy! Can’t wait to see the film version!

OSD: Is there a particular musical you would like to see revived on Broadway?

SR: I think ‘Shenandoah’ would be a great vehicle for Hugh Jackman. Probably my favorite musical of all that has nothad a good revival is ‘The Most Happy Fella,’ which is a brilliant show by Frank Loesser.

OSD: If you could go back in time as musical director of one show what would it be?

SR: Probably ‘Funny Girl’ just to have chance to work with Barbra Streisand and see how she worked. She changed the melody a lot. On the ‘Funny Girl’ cast recording, the melodies are not sung as written. It would be fascinating to know why she decided to change the melody. I once spoke with Marvin Hamlisch, the original rehearsal accompanist for ‘Funny Girl,’ who said (composer) Jule Styne just let Barbra do what she wanted to because she made it better.

OSD: Is there anyone in the New York theater community you particularly feel might be the most underrated?

SR: Kristine Zbnorik, who is playing Roz in the national tour of ‘9 to 5.’ She’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever worked with. And obviously Betty Buckley, who won a Tony Award, but hasn’t been on Broadway since ‘Triumph of Love’ in 1997. Betty is not underrated, but I’d say she’s underused. Where is her Broadway musical? I love Betty and it’s frustrating to me that these big Broadway stars have to wait years and years between Broadway shows. Look at Patti LuPone – she waited 20 years between musicals (in terms of) ‘Anything Goes’ and ‘Sweeney Todd.’ What is going on?

OSD: You recently performed in a New Jersey production of ‘[title of show]’ with Muse Machine alum Tyler Maynard of New Carlisle. How was that experience?

SR: Tyler got me the job. He really pushed for me and that’s why I did it. It was an abstract-driven show, which really didn’t matter to me, but when I realized he was going to be playing opposite me I had to do it. It was a great experience. Tyler’s parents are coming to see my show in Springfield as well.

“What I love about the show is that no matter the audience there is always non-stop laughter.”

OSD: You have worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, have been nominated for some of the most coveted awards in showbiz, have your own radio show, written a book, and continue to perform in various venues across the country. Is there anything in particular you hope to accomplish in the future?

SR: I’d love to host the Tony Awards – that indeed would be thrilling. Plus, being nominated for one! I’d also like to star in a play I write myself – like Lin-Manuel Miranda! But I don’t write music so it would have to be an actual play or a musical with a score by someone else. I also have a young adult book coming out on the Random House label. I would like to turn it into a book series and perhaps write a film version!

OSD: What do you hope audiences take away from the experience of seeing “Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Show”?

SR: What I love about the show is that no matter the audience there is always non-stop laughter. I’ve literally done my deconstructions in Amish Country and Waco, Texas, so believe me I’ve had all kinds of audiences. Thankfully, it always works. But what I truly enjoy is the fact that people can laugh, but they walk away loving Broadway even more than they have before, even if they never have. And they usually come up to me and say ‘Now I have to go out and buy the CD of ‘Hair’ or ‘The Pajama Game’’ or whatever song I’ve played that they are now obsessed with.

Seth’s Big Fat Broadway Show will be held Saturday, January 22 at 8 p.m. in the Turner Studio Theatre of the Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. Tickets are $35. Seating is limited. For tickets or more information, call (937) 328-3874 or visit online at www.springfieldartscouncil.org. For additional information about Seth, visit online at www.sethrudetsky.com

Betty Buckley Sings Broadway In Springfield

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Betty Buckle as Grizabella in "Cats"

Betty Buckle as Grizabella in "Cats"

Dynamic vocalist Betty Buckley, whose career in stage, film, music and television includes a Tony Award for her portrayal of the glamorously weathered Grizabella in “Cats,” will sing her signature tune “Memory” and a host of other Broadway favorites Friday, January 21 at the Clark State Performing Arts Center in Springfield.

Buckley, 63, has been an icon among musical theater devotees for decades. The Forth Worth, Texas native made her Broadway debut in 1969 as Martha Jefferson in “1776” (her powerful rendition of “He Plays The Violin” is a hallmark of the cast recording), appeared as Catherine in “Pippin” in the 1970s, and drew more acclaim in the 1980s with legendary turns in the aforementioned “Cats” as well as “Song and Dance,” “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” and “Carrie.” She also received a Tony nomination for “Triumph of Love,” appeared off-Broadway in “Elegies: A Song Cycle,” scored raves as Rose in “Gypsy” at New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse, and garnered an Olivier nomination (London’s equivalent of the Tony) as Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard” (which she marvelously reprised on Broadway to spine-tingling degrees).

“I really love Andrew Lloyd Webber,” admitted Buckley, speaking by phone last week from Dallas. “He’s a tremendous impresario and composer. He writes beautiful music, and working for him has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. Grizabella, while it was a role centered around one song, was still a powerful role. ‘Memory’ is really universal. Learning to sing that song and deliver it the way it’s meant to be was a transforming experience for me. I kind of came into my full potential as a singer-storyteller with that material. ‘Sunset Boulevard’ was great too. Norma Desmond was the kind of role I had been training for a long time to do. I finally had the opportunity to use everything I knew how to do and it required even more of me.”

Betty BuckleyBuckley’s repertoire includes some of Lloyd Webber’s finest songs, but she also holds a deep appreciation for more complex composers such as Jason Robert Brown (“Songs for a New World,” “Parade,” “The Last 5 Years,” “13”) and Stephen Sondheim.

“‘Memory’ is the jewel of my collection and one of the most beautiful musical theater songs, but I’m a huge Sondheim fan,” she said. “He is a great genius. His character songs are so rich, multi-layered and complicated. I love Sondheim’s music and his capacity to really tell great stories. It’s very profound. But I’m also a fan of young composers like Jason Robert Brown and Ricky Ian Gordon. I also love Adam Guettel’s ‘The Light in the Piazza,” which is beautiful and one of the best new shows by a young composer I have ever seen. I was absolutely enchanted by it.”

Although Buckley regards her involvement in “Cats” and “Sunset Boulevard” as her most challenging and rewarding experiences, she says the one role that took her by surprise was portraying fanatical mom Margaret White in the 1988 flop “Carrie,” based on the 1976 film of the same name in which she appeared as the gym teacher. The show, which ran for only 16 previews and five performances, divided critics and audiences, but is considered a cult classic with an underrated score.

“When my friends Dean Pitchford, Michael Gore and Larry Cohen called to tell me they made a musical version of ‘Carrie,’ I just didn’t think it would lend itself to musicality,” she said. “When I did the role, it was a blast. It was a great show. I was very surprised how much fun it was to play a complete psycho, a singing psycho.”

In a welcomed and highly anticipated turn of events, off-Broadway’s MCC Theater will stage the first New York revival of “Carrie” next season. Buckley couldn’t be more thrilled for she feels the underappreciated musical is long overdue for a second look.

“‘Carrie’ did not get a fair shake at the very beginning,” she said. “It has very powerful, dramatic, operatic material. I think it was originally misconceived directorially and stylistically. It was inconsistent. But I think everybody involved with the revival knows that, and with the right director, the right cast, and the right approach it could be a huge hit.”

Theater aside, Buckley memorably starred as Abby Bradford in the ABC dramedy “Eight is Enough.” In addition to “Carrie,” her film credits include “Tender Mercies,” “The Happening” and “Wyatt Earp.” Among her solo recordings are “Bootlegs: Boardmixes from the Road,” “Children Will Listen,” “Stars and the Moon,” “The Doorway” and “Quintessence.” She received a Grammy nomination in 2002 for “Betty Buckley Live At The Donmar,” recorded at London’s famed Donmar Warehouse, and is currently finalizing her latest CD “Ghostlight,” an eclectic mix of standards, show tunes and contemporary songs (produced by her longtime friend T-Bone Burnett) which will be available in the fall. The Academy and Grammy Award-winning Burnett (“O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “Crazy Heart”) also produced “Betty Buckley 1967,” which was released in 2007 and recorded when both were 19 years old.

“T-Bone is a great artiste,” she said. “He owned his own recording studio from the time he was 17 years old.”

Buckley’s schedule remains consumed with concert appearances, workshops and regional theater engagements. She will soon co-star opposite Tovah Feldshuh in “Arsenic and Old Lace” at the Dallas Theater Center, and is in negotiations to join the next stage of the new musical version of Armistad Maupin’s “Tales of the City,” which is co-written by Tony-winning librettist Jeff Whitty (“Avenue Q”) and will have its first full-scale production this spring at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. At present, she is excited to bring her “Broadway By Request” concert to Springfield alongside her frequently funny collaborator/accompanist Seth Rudetsky of Sirius/XM Radio.

“I will tell stories from some of the songs I’ve sung on Broadway and pianist/comedian Seth Rudetsky will offer some great deconstructions and comedy,” she said. “It’s a fun, light show and includes some of the great, beautiful songs I’ve been so privileged to sing like ‘Stars and the Moon’ and ‘Meadowlark.’ I like songs with a beginning, middle and end, songs that have a character coming to a new awareness and (ultimately) transformed in that awareness to a new place.”

Betty Buckley will perform Broadway By Request, accompanied by Seth Rudetsky, Friday, January 21 at 8 p.m. in the Kuss Auditorium of the Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. Tickets are $20-$50. For tickets or more information, call (937) 328-3874 or visit online at www.springfieldartscouncil.org

Coming Up in Dayton Theatre – 01/13 – 01/26

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Muse Machine: Into the Woods

Muse Machine: Into the Woods / Photo Credit: Muse Machine

Thursday, January 13, 2011 – Wednesday, January 26, 2011

At tonight’s rehearsal for the show I’m stage managing, we ran Act I in its entirety for the first time. Sitting with my prompt book and taking notes, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful at the way this collection of scenes and songs we’ve been working on since November, in some small way at least, is becoming a show. It’s exciting, but also intimidating. Somehow it’s 2011 already, time to start meeting those resolutions and accomplishing things. The holidays are over and things we began last year, when 2011 seemed some part of the future, are now part of the present. Some days I feel like life is moving too quickly, and it’s all I can do just to keep up.

But, the shows in Dayton these next few weeks seem perfect for how I’ve been feeling already. From the comedy to the mystery, I think the theatres have hit the vast spread of emotions that come with the new year, and that’s true for other people and situations. So, you should join me in catching one of these shows over the next two weeks – or, if you’re in the mood for a little something more, audition for one of them yourself.

ANOTHER OPENIN’, ANOTHER SHOW

…Shows Opening Soon

I Hate Hamlet

PLAYHOUSE SOUTHPHS: I Hate Hamlet

The Story: In this dramatic comedy, television actor Andrew Rally is struggling in his professional and private lives, attempting to play the role of Hamlet (which he hates) and deal with his girlfriend’s unrelenting chasteness. The dilemma deepens when the ghost of John Barrymore appears to try to convince Andrew to persevere in the role… while an old deal-making friend suddenly offers Andrew the chance at a new television deal.

Dates: January 21 – 23, 28 – 29, 2011

Tickets: 888-262-3792

More Information: Playhouse South

…Shows Closing Soon

Into the Woods

Muse: Into the Woods

Students rehearse for Into the Woods (photo credit Muse Machine).

MUSE MACHINE

The Story: After a Witch curses a Baker and his wife with childlessness, the couple embarks on a quest for special objects from classic fairy tales to break the spell, stealing from and lying to Cinderella, Little Red, Rapunzel, and Jack (of beanstalk fame). But the characters didn’t count on the consequences of their actions or the disasters that would ensue…

Dates: January 13 – 16, 2011

Tickets:(937) 228-3630 or Ticket Center Stage: Muse Machine

More Information: Muse Machine: Into the Woods, DMM Feature, DMM Event

Ravenscroft

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD

The Story: In this comedy about deception and the nature of truth, DTG: Ravenscroftwhen Inspector Ruffing is called to a remote English county manor house to investigate the death of Patrick Roarke, he becomes involved in the lives of five alluring and dangerous women who lead him through an evening of contradictory versions of Patrick’s demise, including ghosts, skeletons, and much more than he bargained for. (DTG)

Dates: January 7 – 23, 2011

Tickets: 937-278-5993 or DTG Box Office

More Information: Dayton Theatre Guild: Ravenscroft, DMM Review, DMM Event

PART OF IT ALL

…Auditions and Casting Calls

Titus Andronicus

SPRINGFIELD STAGEWORKS

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

Auditions: January 17 & 18, 2011, 7:00 pm

Performances: April 14 – 23, 2011

The Story: In this intense Shakespearean classic, Roman war general Titus Andronicus has just returned from battle to find all but four of his twenty sons dead; his ritual sacrifice of the sons of Tamora, Queen of the Goths, earns him her despise and promise of revenge. What follows is an insane struggle of power and betrayal in this gritty tragedy.

Directed by Larry Coressel

More Information: Springfield StageWorks: Auditions

Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

Auditions: January 24 & 25, 2011; callbacks January 26

Performances: March 25 – April 9, 2011

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

Directed by Jennifer Skudlarek

More Information: Playhouse South

ONE SHORT DAY

…Special Events for the Theatrically Minded

3 Mo’ Divas

3 Mo' Divas

3 Mo' Divas (Photo Credit Douglas Brown, 2008)

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION – SCHUSTER CENTER

The Basics: According to VTA, “Delivering ten musical styles spanning 200 years in one evening, these three ladies–all classically trained vocalists–will raise the roof with their class, sass and style! 3 Mo’ Divas is a one-night-only concert that delivers some stupendous genre-jumping feats, from opera to R&B, from Broadway to blues, from soul to gospel and more.”

Date: January 16, 2011

Tickets: Ticket Center Stage

More information: Victoria Theatre Association: 3 Mo’ Divas , 3 Mo’ Divas official website, DMM Event

I Wish. More Than Anything…

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The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011Into The Woods

THE MUSE MACHINE

Win tickets to this show!  Read on…

Once upon a time…

Suzy Bassani had a dream.  That dream became a reality in the Muse Machine, a truly unique Dayton area arts organization for kids.  A culminating yearly activity is a highly regarded theatrical production featuring nearly 100 talented students on stage, back stage and in the orchestra.

The 2011 selection is the popular Sondheim show Into The Woods. The Tony Award winning show, by Stephen Sondheim (music & lyrics) and James Lapine (book), premiered on Broadway in 1987.  That original cast included Broadway legend Bernadette Peters and Joanna Gleason, as well as Dayton native Tom Aldredge.

The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011Just like with the fairytale favorites whose stories intertwine as they venture Into The Woods, new directions are afoot for the Muse Machine as more than 100 area students prepare to present Sondheim’s smash-hit family musical next weekend.

Muse Machine mounts it’s first Sondheim production in a year that celebrates the composer and lyricist’s 80th birthday.  The lavish musical, which thrusts characters into situations where their “happily ever after” may not come so easily.  Finding familiar characters like Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf, Cinderella and her prince, Jack of beanstalk fame and others faced with new challenges makes the show both unexpectedly funny and surprisingly poignant.

The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011The production will also experience the Muse touch through movement.  “Early versions of Into The Woods used very little dance, but we’re going to change that,” said New Orleans choreographer Lula Elzy, who promised surprises in store with each of the show’s tolls of midnight.  “It will feel like movement has always been a part of this show!”

The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011Into The Woods also marks the addition of a new face to the Muse Machine creative team:  Rufus Bonds, Jr., familiar to audiences as Collins from the Broadway cast of Rent and Mufasa from the national tour of The Lion King. Bonds comes from the west coast, joining returning NYC music director David Dusing to complete the directing team.

The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011“What’s so beautiful about this experience is the opportunity to work with young adults who bring the perfect marriage of acting and voice to their roles,” said Bonds, who hopes audiences will be surprised by the depth of talent coming from the young performers on stage.  “There’s nothing I’ve seen anywhere like this, on any level – students are far ahead of the game with the training they receive here at Muse.”

This is a theatrical opportunity that you don’t get in other cities.  The Muse Machine has touched countless lives, including actors, dancers, writers and designers currently earning their living in the arts all over the country, including New York City.  The organization’s track record indicates that within a few years, one of these young performers in Into The Woods will very likely be treading the boards of Broadway.

Happily ever after.

UPDATE 1/8/2011 (information from the Muse Machine Facebook Page):

The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011Emmy Award winning actress Allison Janney (The West Wing, Juno, Lost, Hairspray, Finding Nemo, American Beauty and many other film, television and stage credits) joins the cast of Muse Machine’s INTO THE WOODS in an original performance as the voice of the giant!

-SA/Muse Press Release
We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

Tickets & Performance Information:

The Muse Machine presents Into The Woods - January 13-16, 2011Into The Woods (January 13-16 – various times – at The Victoria Theatre)

Tickets: prices range from $31-$56

Call (937) 228-3630  or by visiting TicketCenterStage.com.

Visit www.MuseMachine.com for more information about The Muse Machine and their programs.

Win Free Tickets!

Muse Machine & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to Into The Woods!  We will be giving away up to TEN pairs of tickets for next weekend’s performances! All you need to do is:

  • Share this article on Facebook or Twitter…just click the appropriate button at the top of this page.
  • Leave a comment, answering the following question…In just a couple of sentences, change the ending of your favorite classic fairytale.
  • The deadline to enter is 9AM on MONDAY, January 10th.
  • Winners will be selected randomly from all of the entries.

Holiday Tradition On Pointe at the Schuster Center

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The NutcrackerThe Nutcracker

DAYTON BALLET

onStageDayton would like to welcome a guest contributor, Gretchen Hindson.  Gretchen has performed  The Nutcracker with Dayton Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Charleston Ballet, and Festival Ballet Atlanta.  She has also performed with the Young People’s Ballet Theatre, and most recently SMAG Dance Collective here in Dayton, along with multiple musical theater groups in the area.

‘Tis the season for warm holiday moments with your friends and family. Every family has their own special traditions. One of these may include a visit to the theater to watch the magical story of “The Nutcracker”. If you have never experienced the journey to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, I highly recommend you attend a performance! It is a classic story loved by all children and adults alike.

Bring the whole family to see a performance of this holiday classic and make it a new tradition of your own!

The story involves a little girl who receives a special gift from her mysterious uncle on Christmas Eve. As the story unfolds, you are lead through a battle with the Rat King, a beautiful Land of Snow, and a trip around the world through the Kingdom of Sweets! Bring the whole family to see a performance of this holiday classic and make it a new tradition of your own!

Dayton Ballet NutcrackerThere are multiple ballet companies in the Dayton area that bring this story to life. Some of these include Pontecorvo Ballet Studios, Miami Valley Dance Company, South Dayton Dance Theatre, and Dayton Ballet.  Unfortunately, many of these production dates have already passed.  Dayton Ballet however, runs through this weekend at the Schuster Center. Their particular cast of characters is uniquely designed around some of the most influential Dayton families of the early

The Nutcracker

1900’s. You will find familiar names, such as the Kettering’s and Schwarz sisters. The music of Tchaikovsky and artistic scenery also grace the stage.

“The Nutcracker” is a great way to introduce your children to the world of fine arts in dance and music. Hopefully this Christmas and, in years to come, you will be attending a local performance by any or all of our ballet companies in Dayton!

It’s not too late to start a great family tradition this holiday season!

Happy Holidays!

Tickets & Performance Information

Dayton Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER  – Friday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, Dec. 18 at 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm;  Sunday, Dec. 19 at 2:30p.  Performances  at The Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center at One West Second St. Dayton, Ohio 45402

Visit TicketCenterStage.com for ticket information.  Tickets also available by calling (937) 228-3630 or toll-free (888) 228-3630

Visit www.DaytonBallet.org for more information about the company and upcoming productions.

-GH

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

So This is Christmas…

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8-Track:8-TRACK: THE SOUNDS OF THE 70'S - The Human Race Theatre Co.

The Sounds of the 70’s

THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY

Grab Your Boogie Shoes!

The Human Race Presents

A Unique Holiday Offering

So this is Christmas and what have you done?

Another year older, a new one just begun.

A very merry Christmas and a happy new year,

Let’s hope it’s a good one without any fear.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon & Yoko Ono – December 6, 1971

Holiday fare at the theatres can often get stale and repetitive.  I love a good Dickens’ tale or Nutcracker ballet like anyone else but wouldn’t it be a great to start a NEW holiday tradition, Recently, we’ve seen local production of fresher holiday fare including classics like Miracle on 34th Street and White Christmas (currently playing at La Comedia) to edgier offerings like Eight Reindeer Monlogues. Nationally, TWO new holiday musicals are making the rounds – a new musical adaptation of the classic holiday film A Christmas Story and on Broadway – a musical staging of the more recent film, Elf.

8-TRACK: THE SOUNDS OF THE 70'S - The Human Race Theatre Co.

This holiday season, amid all of the standards, The Human Race Theatre Company is inviting you back to the age of bellbottoms, flower power, and draft dodging.  Fifty of the greatest hits of the 70’s wrapped into one rock ‘n’ roll evening doesn’t seem like typical holiday fare but The Human Race is betting on 8-Track: The Sounds of the 70’s.

From the creator of the 60’s musical revue Beehive comes this all new retrospective that the Minneapolis Star Tribune has called “an infectious, joyous celebration.”  The show is cleverly split into 8 “tracks” or themes like War and Peace and Disco that give the show a thematic tie to the decade it represents.   Be prepared to hear classic songs from Donna Summer, Helen Reddy, KC & The Sunshine Band, The Carpenters, The Bee Gees among others.

8-TRACK: THE SOUNDS OF THE 70'S - The Human Race Theatre Co.

The other thing you can be sure of is that these songs will be expertly executed. Under the direction of Human Race Resident Artist Scott Stoney, the cast of five include TWO locals-made-good including EBONY BLAKE and JJ TIEYMEYER – both Wright State graduates and both now New York based. Neither are strangers to the Loft. Blake was seen in Jitney and the workshop presentation of Nefertiti (Ms. Blake was last seen here in Dayton on the national tour of The Color Purple that played the Schuster Center).  Tiemeyer has been seen  in A Christmas Carol and Man of La Mancha with The Human Race.  The cast is rounded out by JENNIFER WREN (Brigadoon at the Schubert) and JONATHAN BURKE (National Tour of Cats).

So go ahead and indulge in your “ghost of Christmases past” and dancing mice but don’t miss the holiday Disco party at the Loft.

8-TRACK: THE SOUNDS OF THE 70'S - The Human Race Theatre Co.Photos by Scott  J. Kimmins

Tickets & Performance Information:

The Human Race Theatre Company - Dayton, Ohio8-Track:  The Sounds of the 70’s  – December 2 through 22 at The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St.

Various performances days and times, visit  www.humanracetheatre.org or Ticket Center Stage for ticket information.

Tickets also available by calling (937) 228-3630 or toll-free (888) 228-3630

Group tickets for holiday outings (or otherwise) at (937) 461-3823 x 3113

-DB

8-TRACK: THE SOUNDS OF THE 70'S - The Human Race Theatre Co.

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com - Shane Anderson, David Brush, Katherine Nelson & Russell Florence, Jr.Shane Anderson & David Brush work with locally based Encore Theater Company.Katherine Nelson, a senior theatre major at Cedarville University, serves as the Literary Intern for ETC.  The local theater company recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon Arts District, along with Zoot Theatre Co & Rhythm In Shoes. Encore Theater Company has a mission to help develop new works of musical theater, most recently Next Thing You Know and The Proof, two new musicals in development.

Coming Up in Dayton Theatre – 11/25 – 12/08

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2010 – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2010

Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells

Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (Town Hall Theatre; Photo Credit - Mike Long)

Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season for many Americans. We take it as an opportunity to spend time with family members, enjoy more food than we’ve eaten in the past week, and get a head start on holiday shopping. Unfortunately, it often becomes stressful as we attempt to ensure everything is ready and perfect and everyone is happy.

I’m grateful for the thriving arts base we have in the greater Miami Valley region, and for the power of theatre. Not only is theatre cathartic, it can be a wonderful experience for family and friends, to bring all of us closer together and remind us of the important things in life. Whether you need a break from slaving over a stove and want to step back in time to the ‘70s, are trying to teach your children important lessons about generosity and the “reason for the season,” or are just in the mood to laugh and enjoy a good show, there’s a great one for you over the next couple of weeks. Put down the TV remote and take a break from the thousands of things you’re trying to get done, gather some friends or family, and spend some time enjoying a show and growing closer together.

And, to all our onStageDayton readers, Happy Thanksgiving!

Another Openin’, Another Show

…SHOWS OPENING SOON

8-Track: the Sounds of the 70s

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY

The Story: This new musical revue celebrates “the songs of the ‘70s in all their glory, or lack thereof! Expect plenty offlashy outfits and hairdos as four talented performers rediscover the heart and soul of the forgotten decade, with music made famous by artists from Donna Summer to the Eagles to Debby Boone” (HRTC).

Dates: December 2 – 22, 2010

Tickets: Ticket Center Stage

More Information: Human Race Theatre Company: 8-Track, DMM Event

A Christmas Carol

BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY THEATRE – CHILDREN’S THEATRE

The Story: When a young boy struggles to understand why his grandfather would give money to the poor, the grandfather tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge as he recalls it, and the story of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, where ghosts of past, present, and future persuade the stingy Scrooge to change his life, comes to life as a play-within-a-play in this heartwarming story.

Dates: December 3 – 12, 2010

Tickets: 927-439-4737

More Information: Look for my children’s theatre feature next week, and go to Beavercreek Community Theatre and the DMM Event.

Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells

TOWN HALL THEATRE: LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRE

Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells

(Photo Credit: Mike Long)

The Story: The holidays are supposed to be a time of peace and goodwill… that is, until first grader Junie B. Jones draws her sworn enemy’s name for the secret Santa gift exchange at school. And if that’s not enough, their music teacher announces the two will perform together in the school’s holiday pageant!

Dates: December 3 – 19, 2010

Tickets and More Information: Town Hall Theatre, DMM Event, and watch for an OSD feature article next week!

One Short Day

…SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION

The Basics: Featuring an international cast of acrobats, aerialists, singers, dancers, and musicians, in this show, ornaments come to life as costumed characters perform astonishing feats that celebrate the holiday season.

Dates: November 26 – 28, 2010

Tickets: Ticket Center Stage

More Information: Victoria Theatre Association: Cirque Dreams Holidaze, DMM Event

SUBMIT PRESS RELEASES

Would you like to submit theater news for DaytonMostMetro.com’s onStageDayton features?  Email Shane, Dave & Katherine at onStageDayton@gmail.com

~KN

Katherine Nelson is a senior theatre major at Cedarville University who focuses on performance, playwriting, and stage management. She’s the Literary Intern with locally basedEncore Theater Company, where contributors Shane Anderson and David Brush also work. The local theater company recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon Arts District, along with Zoot Theatre Co & Rhythm In Shoes. Encore Theater Company has a mission to help develop new works of musical theater, most recently Next Thing You Know and The Proof, two new musicals in development.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze at Schuster Center

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Dayton’s Victoria Theatre Association is bringing Cirque Dreams Holidaze to the Schuster Center this holiday weekend (11/26-11/28)!  Created and directed by Neil Goldberg, Cirque Dreams – Holidaze is an original new musical extravaganza filled with spectacle, imagination and whimsy. Ornaments come to life as costumed characters perform astonishing feats that celebrate the holiday season. An international cast of acrobats, aerialists, singers, dancers and musicians fill the stage, the air and dangle from a gigantic and magical tree. Gingerbread men flip through the air, toy soldiers march along thin wires, snowmen balance, penguins spin, and reindeer soar high above a landscape of holiday wonderment.  A great show to bring the whole family to!

“Cirque Dreams Holidaze has truly earned its name: the vibrant colors and cheerful voices will delight audiences from three to ninety three.” – Third Coast Digest

“I must say that was one of the most awesome shows I have ever seen!  I sat in awe and on the edge of my seat through the whole show.  I was nervous about how my children would react to the makeup and the acts, but they LOVEd  it!  My daughter even asked if it was going to be long because she didn’t want to stop watching.  My four year old loved it, too, and said it all was his favorite when I asked him what his favorite part was!” – My Milwaukee Mommy

Location:
Schuster Center

Showtimes:
November 26 – 8 p.m.
November 27 – 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
November 28 – 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Tickets:
On Sale Now!
Adult: $70, $56, $46, $36
Children 12 & Under: 50% Off A & B Section Seats
(Plus Service Fees. Prices Subject to Change.)
BUY TICKETS

High Drama in the Court of A-Squeals

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The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs - Town Hall Theatre @ The Schuster Center - Nov. 19-21, 2010The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Town Hall Theatre

Last month I received a notice in the mail.  OH, NO!  I had been assigned jury duty!  I have never been required to serve before.  Initially I thought that I did not want this responsibility, but then I kind of got excited about seeing our judicial system in action.  Unfortunately my pool of jurors was dismissed without ever stepping into the courtroom, I was crestfallen…that is until this week!  Starting on Friday, we all get a chance to participate in our great civic duty, but this time the courtroom is the Mathile Theatre at the Schuster Center.

Washington Township's Town Hall Theatre 2010-2011 SeasonWashington Township’s Town Hall Theatre will present their hilarious courtroom spoof The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs this weekend on Friday at 7pm and Saturday & Sunday at 3pm.  The family show is recommended for audiences age 4 and up.

Town Hall Theatre presents THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS at the Schuster CenterThe show, a zany musical adaptation of the classic story, takes place in “Piggsylvania’s” highest court during the trial of Alexander T. Wolf.  The proceedings, under the insightful guidance of Judge Prudence Pig, will determine whether Mr. Wolf is truly a “big, bad wolf,” or really just a misunderstood carnivore with a cold!  In this drama, YOU get to be the jury and decide the fate of Alexander!  With songs like It’s a Piggy World and Cheeseburgers Ain’t Cute, audiences won’t stop giggling until the verdict is in!

Town Hall Theatre presents THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS at the Schuster CenterThe show is adapted from the 1989 children’s book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith.  It features book and lyrics by Robert Kauzlaric and music by Paul Gilvary and William Rush.

The production is presented by the Landmark Children’s Theatre Company, the THT’s premiere series featuring professional and volunteer adult actors performing with young people.  The 20+ member cast includes C.J. Suchyta as Alexander T. Wolf, Tara Murphy as Judge Prudence Pig, and Centerville students Carley Marten & Grace James who will alternate in the role of Magill (the court reporter with a “snout for the truth”).  The production is directed by Colin Thornton who previously staged another Scieszka adaptation (The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Sutpid Tales).

Mr. Thornton states that he especially enjoys working with these titles because he likes the way the author takes classic fairy tales and twists them in unpredictable ways.

Town Hall Theatre presents THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS at the Schuster Center“Scieszka is a master at turning our expectations upside down and scrambling familiar children’s stories into something unique and strange,” Thornton explains.  “The random humor and insightful lessons that can be learned from the quirkiness of his literature are what inspires me as a director.”

The show, which was previously presented at Town Hall Theatre’s own theatre is being taken “on the road” to the Schuster Center’s Mathile Theatre as part of a special projects grant the theatre received from the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District.  As part of this project, the theatre will present a free Friday morning performance of the show for Dayton Public Schools students, through a partnership with the Victoria Theatre Association.

Tickets & Performance Information:

The IMPACT Series at The Schuster Center's Mathile TheatreThe True Story of the 3 Little Pigs (Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 20 & 21 – 3 p.m. in the Mathile Theatre at The Schuster Center) Show runs 60 minutes, without intermission.

Tickets: Adults $15 / Students & Seniors $13 / Children 12 & Under $12
(Plus Service Fees. Prices Subject to Change.)

Call (937) 228-3630  or by visiting TicketCenterStage.com.

Visit http://www.townhalltheatre.org/ for more information about Town Hall Theatre and their programs.

-SA/THT Press Release

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com - Shane Anderson, David Brush, Katherine Nelson & Russell Florence, Jr.Shane Anderson & David Brush work with locally based Encore Theater Company.Katherine Nelson, a senior theatre major at Cedarville University, serves as the Literary Intern for ETC.  The local theater company recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon Arts District, along with Zoot Theatre Co & Rhythm In Shoes. Encore Theater Company has a mission to help develop new works of musical theater, most recently Next Thing You Know and The Proof, two new musicals in development.

W;t – DEATH BE NOT PROUD…a chance to win free tickets

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W;t - showing at the Dayton Playhouse

W;t

DAYTON PLAYHOUSE

DEATH BE NOT PROUD: Margeret Edson’s Pulitzer-Prize winning play opens this weekend at Dayton Playhouse

Pulitzer-Prize Winning plays seem to be the fall trend in Dayton Theatre. Leading the way was the joint premiere of Tracy Lett’s August: Osage County from Wright State University and The Human Race Theatre Company. This week, Dayton Playhouse will present one of Pulitzer’s more powerful selections in recent years – Margaret Edson’s W;t.

The play is structured as the last hours of Dr Vivian Bearing, a university professor of English, who is dying of ovarian cancer.  She recalls the initial diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic ovarian cancer from her oncologist, Dr. Harvey Kelekian.  Dr Kelekian then proposes an experimental chemotherapeutic treatment.  Although Vivian agrees to the treatment,  the heart of the piece is Vivian’s searing intellect and introspective journey with disease.

What’s striking about the play is that it serves as both an homage to those we have all lost to cancer – ovarian or otherwise – and a heartfelt “hell-yeah!” to those currently in a fight for their lives.  This is  an extraordinary achievement for a typically intermission-free evening of theatre.  Even more striking is that W;t is not a play about cancer, but rather a play about the value of the heart in times of vulnerability.  Theatrically, it has often served as a tour-de-force for the actress embodying Vivian. She is well-educated, logical, an expert on the work of John Donne, and an accomplished academic, yet through the play we see even her arguably above-average intellect is no match for the illogical complexities of this crippling scourge.

Premiering in 1995, one might think advances in cancer research since would render Edson’s play obsolete or, at the very least dated.  Refreshingly, Edson’s carefully selected prose still has a visceral resonance and perhaps even a fresh one in 2010.

Dayton Playhouse is in the middle of an ambitious season that began with a widely well-received regional premiere of Mel Brooks’ Tony-Winning musical The Producers directed by Chris Harmon.  The remainder of the year includes William Finn’s contemporary hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Jerry Herman’s iconic and progressive La Cage Aux Folles, and Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy.  W;t – although not a light evening of theatre – could prove to be a fine addition to this line-up AND a rarely produced play in the region, and with local actors Barbara Coriell and Chuck Larkowski leading the cast (as Vivian Bearing and Dr. Kelekian, respectively), the prospects are high indeed.

W;t is directed by Matthew Smith with assistance from Anita Bachmann (lights), Duante Beddingfield (sound), Michael Stockstill (costumes) and Jamie McQuinn (stage management).  The cast includes Barbara Coriell, Jonathan Berry, Chuck Larkowski, Jeri Williams, Chris Hammond, Gloria Doty, Ellen Ballerene, Macus Simmons II and Carol Narigon.

Win tickets to W;t

Dayton Playhouse & onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com have teamed up to give you a chance to win tickets to W;t.  We will be giving away up to four pairs of tickets for the second weekend of this terrific show! All you need to do is:

  • Share this post on Facebook or Twitter…we’ll give away a set of tickets for every 10 ’shares’ on FB/Twitter, up to 4 pairs of tickets.  Just click on the appropriate button below, it’s that easy!
  • Leave a comment, answering the following question…The character of “Vivian” is a college professor…tell DMM about an educator in your past who made an impact on your life.
  • The deadline to enter is MIDNIGHT on TUESDAY, November 16th; tickets will be made available for the second weekend of the show.

    • For more Information & Tickets, visit:

    Margeret Edson’s W;t (November 12-21, 8pm Fridays & Saturdays and 2pm Sundays at Dayton Playhouse, 1301 East Siebenthaler Ave
    Dayton, OH  45414) Tickets: $10/$14/$15  Call (937) 424-8477 (M-F 2:00-5:00 pm) or by visiting their ONLINE BOX OFFICE.

    Visit http://www.daytonplayhouse.org/ for more information about the organization.

    -DB

    We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to onStageDayton@gmail.com.

    onStageDayton on DaytonMostMetro.com - Shane Anderson, David Brush, Katherine Nelson & Russell Florence, Jr.Shane Anderson & David Brush work with locally based Encore Theater Company. Katherine Nelson, a senior theatre major at Cedarville University, serves as the Literary Intern for ETC.  The local theater company recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon Arts District, along with Zoot Theatre Co & Rhythm In Shoes. Encore Theater Company has a mission to help develop new works of musical theater, most recently Next Thing You Know and The Proof, two new musicals in development.

    Coming Up in Dayton Theatre 11/11-11/24

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    THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2010 – WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2010

    Dayton Playhouse: W;t

    Dayton Playhouse: W;t (Photo Credit Art Fabian)

    The last few weeks, I’ve been recovering from surgery, a process that has been unfortunately long, stressful, and exhausting. But in the midst of that, I had the opportunity to see the national tour of Spring Awakening at the Victoria Theatre last week, and for those two and a half hours, I forgot my pain and exhaustion as I watched and enjoyed an amazing piece of art. The experience reminded me of the incredible power of theatre, and how moving and cathartic seeing a show can be.

    We all have plenty of stresses in our lives, and theatre can be a great way to cast those aside for a few hours as we lose ourselves in a show, many of which will still teach us something about life and ourselves in the process. Whether you want to do that by laughing (Anything Goes) or crying (Wit), there’s a show for you in Dayton these next two weeks. And, performing in a show can be just as cathartic, so be sure to check out the auditions below, too.

    Another Openin’, Another Show

    …SHOWS OPENING SOON

    W;t

    DAYTON PLAYHOUSE

    The Story: English professor Dr. Vivian Bearing has just been diagnosed with Stage IV ovarian cancer; words and her wit are her only defense, since the hospital gown and Boston Red Sox cap cannot protect her from a body that has turned into an enemy and a cure that may be worse than the disease. Ultimately, “we uncover a new appreciation for the simple, the maudlin, and the kind, and see the triumph of the human spirit.”

    Dates: November 12 – 21, 2010

    Tickets: (937) 424-8477

    More Information: Dayton Playhouse: W;t


    The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

    TOWN HALL THEATRE – LANDMARK CHILDREN’S THEATRETown Hall: Three Little Pigs

    The Story: When Piggsylvania’s highest court puts him on trial, things don’t look so good for Alexander T. Wolf —  everyone from judge Prudence Pig to the court reporter is rooting into the truth about his so-called terrible deeds! In this fresh musical adaptation of the familiar story, audience members (ages 4+) decide the way the story ends.

    Dates: November 19 (7 pm), 20 – 21 (3 pm), in special performances at the Schuster Center’s Mathile Theatre

    Tickets: Ticket Center Stage or call 937-228-3630

    More Information: Town Hall Theatre, Victoria Theatre Association: Three Little Pigs

    …SHOWS CLOSING SOON

    Anything Goes

    WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY

    WSU: Anything Goes

    Anything Goes (Photo Credit WSU)

    The Story: In this musical set aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London, Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, who is unfortunately engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh; former Evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney falls in love with Lord Evelyn; gangster Moonface Martin attempts to escape the law, and Hope’s mother only desires to maintain her social standing.

    Dates: October 28 – November 14

    Tickets: 937 775-2500

    More Information: Wright State University: Theatre season

    Part of it All

    …AUDITIONS AND CASTING CALLS

    I Hate Hamlet

    PLAYHOUSE SOUTH

    Auditions: Nov 15 & 16, 2010, 7:00 pm

    Performances: January 21-23 & 28-29, 2011.

    Directed by Ray Gambrel

    The Story: In this dramatic comedy, television actor Andrew Rally is struggling in his professional and private lives, attempting to play the role of Hamlet (which he hates) and deal with his girlfriend’s unrelenting chasteness. The dilemma deepens when the ghost of John Barrymore appears to try to convince Andrew to persevere in the role… while an old deal-making friend suddenly offers Andrew the chance at a new television deal.

    More Information: Playhouse South: I Hate Hamlet, DMM Event

    The Octette Bridge Club

    The Spitfire Grill at BCT

    The Spitfire Grill at BCT (Sept 2010)

    BEAVERCREEK COMMUNITY THEATRE

    Auditions: November 15 & 16, 2010, 7:00 pm

    Performances: January 28 – February 6, 2011

    Directed by Jim Lockwood

    The Story: Eight sisters in a small Rhode Island town meet twice a month to play bridge and gossip; the ten year span of the show, exploring the eras of WWI and WWII, shows the changes in the sisters, their relationships, and the world.

    More Information: Beavercreek Community Theatre: Auditions

    One Short Day

    …SPECIAL EVENTS FOR THE THEATRICALLY MINDED

    An Evening with Sutton Foster

    SPRINGFIELD ARTS COUNCIL

    Sutton FosterThe Basics: Broadway sensation Sutton Foster, known for originating roles in four shows, performs selections from her debut solo album, “Wish,” in a night of laughter and music. Music Director Michael Rafter accompanies Sutton on the piano in this evening filled with some of Broadway’s best.

    Date: November 13, 8:00 pm

    Tickets: 937-328-3874

    More Information: Springfield Arts Council, DMM Feature

    Broadway Rocks

    DAYTON PHILHARMONIC

    The Basics: In this dynamic review, four top-notch Broadway vocalists join the DPO: Broadway RocksDayton Philharmonic in an evening of musical theatre classics from shows such as Wicked, Rent, Tommy, Phantom of the Opera, The Wiz, Mamma Mia, and more, backed by a full orchestra and chorus.

    Date: November 12 & 13, 8:00 pm

    Tickets and More Information: 888-228-3630, Dayton Philharmonic, DMM Feature

    SUBMITTED PRESS RELEASE

    Would you like to submit theater news for DaytonMostMetro.com’s onStageDayton features?  Email Shane, Dave & Katherine at onStageDayton@gmail.com

    ~KN

    onStageDaytonKatherine Nelson is a senior theatre major at Cedarville University who focuses on performance, playwriting, and stage management. She’s the Literary Intern with locally based Encore Theater Company, where contributors Shane Anderson and David Brush also work. The local theater company recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon Arts District, along with Zoot Theatre Co & Rhythm In Shoes. Encore Theater Company has a mission to help develop new works of musical theater, most recently Next Thing You Know and The Proof, two new musicals in development.

    Expressing Herself with Song – Tony Award winner Sutton Foster bound for Springfield

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    Sutton FosterIn the hearts of many musical theater enthusiasts, Sutton Foster is in a class all her own.  A genuine triple threat with a radiant personality and a terrific belting voice, Foster, 35, continues to be one of the most sought after and admired actresses working on the Great White Way. Her star-making, Tony Award-winning performance in 2002’s Thoroughly Modern Millie cemented her leading lady status within the New York theater scene, and she further displayed her charm and versatility in Little Women (2005, Tony nomination), The Drowsy Chaperone (2006, Tony nomination), Young Frankenstein (2007) and Shrek the Musical (2008, Tony nomination). Last spring, she particularly wowed theatergoers with her strikingly nuanced portrayal of Fay Apple in the excellently conceived concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim’s Anyone Can Whistle at New York’s City Center, which, in my book, is in the running as one of the best NYC productions of 2010.

    Having ended her first foray off-Broadway in Paul Weitz’s dark comedy Trust opposite Zach Braff (Scrubs), the Statesboro, Georgia native and sister of Tony nominee Hunter Foster (Urinetown) is on tour in support of her beguiling 2008 debut CD optimistically entitled Wish (Ghostlight Records). The CD is an infectiously intimate collection ranging from Duke Ellington tributes (“I’m Beginning to See The Light,” “I Like the Sunrise”) and bygone chestnuts (“Warm All Over,” “My Romance,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Come the Wild, Wild Weather”) to pop numbers (“Up on the Roof,” “Sunshine on My Shoulders”) and little known gems (“Danglin’,” “My Heart Was Set on You,” “Flight”).

    On Saturday, November 13 at Springfield’s Kuss Auditorium, Foster will sing selections from Wish in addition to songs she introduced on Broadway. She will be accompanied by her musical director Michael Rafter (Swing!, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Everyday Rapture), and expect a few surprises along the way.

    In advance of her concert, presented by the Springfield Arts Council, Foster discussed her craft and career.

    onStageDayton: What does musical theater mean to you?

    Sutton Foster: It’s everything to me. It’s my true passion…and honestly has changed my life. I’ve had moments in the theater, both as an audience member and on stage, where I have been transported. It’s powerful. To express yourself with song is very powerful.

    OSD: What are some of your favorite musicals?

    SF: Sweeney Todd is my all-time favorite. I also love Spring Awakening, The Light in the Piazza, West Side Story.

    OSD: Do you have any musical theater influences?

    SF: Patti LuPone has been a huge influence in my life. I used to listen to her sing over and over again in my room and try and sing like her.

    OSD: How did it feel to win the Tony for Thoroughly Modern Millie? What did that win signify?

    SF: It was a dream come true. I still to this day can’t believe that happened and that I now have a Tony in my apartment. I used to practice my Tony Award speech in my bedroom when I was a kid…I guess (winning) signified that I had made it in some way, but I think, more importantly, it signified to my family, especially my extended family, that maybe I could make a career out of doing this.

    OSD: What are some of the most eye-opening experiences you’ve had thus far in your career?

    SF: I think, how hard it is…the sacrifices you have to make to do eight shows a week. How ‘unglamorous’ it can be at times…how it can be difficult to deal with being criticized publicly. But it’s also a beautifully small, supportive community, and I have made friends and relationships that I’ll have for a lifetime.

    OSD: Are you excited to play the iconic Reno Sweeney in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes this spring? Do you have an idea as to how you plan to portray the role?

    SF: We don’t start rehearsals until January so I’m still very much in the early stages. But I’m thrilled and honored to take on this challenge.

    OSD: Are there any dream roles you’d like to perform in the future?

    SF: One of my favorite shows is Me and My Girl. I’d love to play Sally in that…or The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods.

    OSD: Can you share a little about the genesis of your Wish CD? What do the songs represent as a whole? Did you always intend to create an eclectic song list rather than a CD devoted to show tunes?

    SF: I think when my music director Michael Rafter and I started looking at songs we chose material that spoke to us personally, and that is why the list is a bit eclectic. We really wanted our ‘first album’ to be true to us and where we were when we recorded it. We started working together on Millie back in 2001, and started working toward an album back in 2004, so this has been years in the making. And I think it’s my proudest achievement thus far.

    OSD: Are there any tunes from Wish that hold a special meaning or are personal favorites?

    SF: “Sunshine on My Shoulders.” I’m a huge John Denver fan, and I knew I wanted to include one of his songs on the album. And Michael wrote the arrangement for the song and it was just perfect. I also love the duet “Flight” that I sing with Megan McGinnis.

    OSD: What are your thoughts on the current state of musical theater? Are new voices being heard?

    SF: Well, I think they have been. Tom Kitt – Next to Normal – Lin Manuel Miranda – In the Heights…new shows like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. I think the envelope is being pushed now more than ever.

    OSD: Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring musical theater performers?

    SF: Don’t be an asshole. Respect your teachers, your peers…and take opportunities…you always have more to learn.

    See event details on the DMM Event Calendar

    Sutton Foster sings ‘Someone Else’s Story’

    Playbill Video Cue & A: Sutton Foster

    What: An Evening with Sutton Foster

    When: Saturday, November 13 at 8 p.m.

    Where: Kuss Auditorium, Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield

    Cost: Adults $30-$50; Students (age 22 and under) $20-$40. Tickets can be purchased by calling (937) 328-3874 or visiting online at www.SpringfieldArtsCouncil.org. Group discounts available by calling (937) 324-2712.

    Dayton Philharmonic Rocks – Broadway Style

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    The Dayton Philharmonic’s 2010-2011 Kettering Health Network SuperPops Series will continue with a fast-paced revue of the best of contemporary musical theatre titled “Broadway Rocks!” on Friday and Saturday, November 12 & 13, at 8 p.m. both nights at the Schuster Center.

    Four top-notch Broadway vocalists – Rob Evan, Capathia Jenkins, Doug LaBrecque, and Anne Runolfsson – will join the DPO for inspired performances of the best in up-tempo hits from smash shows such as Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, The Wiz, Mamma Mia and more. Each guest artist brings an impressive list of leading-role performances in popular Broadway musicals. Together, they will light up the stage in a dynamic revue that will leave audiences breathless!

    Robert Evan starred in the original Broadway cast of Jekyll & Hyde, playing the title roles for three years and over 600 performances. His rendition of This Is the Moment has been heard at numerous prestigious events including the 2001 Inaugural Gala for President George W. Bush, the Millennium Independence Day US Naval Revue aboard the USS JFK for President Clinton, the Millennium World Forum Conference with guest speaker Mikhail Gorbachev, the 1998 Goodwill Games, the New York City Mayor’s Inaugural Gala, the 1998 and 1999 NY Yankees World Series Celebration at City Hall, The Georgia Music Hall of Fame Awards Telecast, the Today Show, and Monday Night Football. Robert has starred around the world in the all-new Jekyll & Hyde: The Concert, having enjoyed a 16-show run in Seoul, South Korea’s Olympic Hall.

    Capathia Jenkins was born and raised in Brooklyn who made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson. She then starred in the Off-Broadway revival of Godspell, where she wowed audiences with her stirring rendition of ‘Turn Back, O Man’ which can still be heard on the original cast recording. She returned to Broadway in The Look of Love and was critically acclaimed for her performances of the Bacharach/David hits. Ms. Jenkins then created the roles of ‘The Washing Machine’ in Caroline, Or Change and ‘Frieda May’ in Martin Short-Fame becomes me where she sang ‘Stop the Show’ and brought the house down every night.

    In 2007 she went back to Off-Broadway and starred in (mis) Understanding Mammy-The Hattie McDaniel Story for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Most recently she was seen in Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore.  She has appeared with the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony, Utah Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Edmonton Symphony, San Diego Symphony and the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

    Doug LaBrecque thrilled theater audiences as The Phantom and Raoul in the Harold Prince production of The Phantom of the Opera. In addition, Mr. LaBrecque has starred on Broadway as Ravenal in the Hal Prince revival of Showboat, a role he also performed in Canada and Chicago. He was featured in Oscar Hammerstein’s 100th Birthday Celebration on Broadway at The Gershwin Theatre, and toured nationally with Les Miserables. Regionally, Mr. LaBrecque has performed leading roles in Candide, A Chorus Line, and Man of LaMancha among others. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he was featured in the world premiere of A Wonderful Life, written by Sheldon Harnick and Joe Raposo, and starred in the premiere revival of Kurt Weill and Alan Jay Lerner’s Love Life.

    An active concert performer, Mr. LaBrecque has been a soloist with some of the world’s finest symphony orchestras, including The San Francisco Symphony, The Israel Philharmonic (Tel Aviv), The Chicago Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony, The National Symphony, among many others. In the last few years, Mr. LaBrecque’s U.S appearances have included Seattle Symphony, Detroit Symphony, , Houston Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Utah Symphony, and with Marvin Hamlisch both at the Ravinia Festival with The Chicago Symphony, and at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops.

    Anne Runolfsson is one of those rare artists whose unique versatility has allowed her a distinguished career not only in the theater but also in recording studios, intimate cabaret spaces, and concert halls throughout the world. The New York Times proclaimed, “Ms. Runolfsson has a flexible virtuosity, between ethereal melodiousness and piercing big-moment resonance,” while the LA Times has called her “A savvy and thoughtful performer.”

    She recently completed a two-year run on Broadway as the tempestuous diva, Carlotta Giudacelli in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, the longest running show in Broadway history. Hal Prince referred to her performance as a “revelation.” Prior to that she made a splash in Victor/Victoria where she had the honor of standing by for Dame Julie Andrews and Liza Minelli. She performed the title role over 120 times to great acclaim and went on to recreate the role in the National Tour which began in Seattle and Houston. Other Broadway and National Tour credits include: the role of Gretta Conroy in James Joyce’s The Dead, Fantine in Les Miserable, Roxane in Cyrano-The Musical, Lili in The Secret Garden, and Aspects of Love. Off-Broadway and Regional credits include: Listen to My Heart (Studio 54), Rags, Jack’s Holiday, Cather County, A Little Night Music, Showboat, and Funny Girl.

    She has appeared as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall (with Tenor Jose Carreras), The Kennedy Center, Town Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, The National Theater in Iceland, Rainbow and Stars, The Russian Tea Room, Bay Street Theater, The Pump Room, The Cinegrill, The 92nd st. Y, and with The National Symphony, The Boston Pops, The Jerusalem Symphony, The Orchestra of St. Lukes, The National Symphony of Canada, The Hong Kong Philharmonic, The Cincinnati Pops, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, The Buffalo Philharmonic, and the Symphony orchestras of San Francisco, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Indianapolis, Toronto, Milwaukee, Utah, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Columbus, San Diego, Colorado, Minnesota, and St. Louis, among many others.

    Patrick Reynolds, Assistant Conductor of the DPO, will conduct. The concerts will also feature the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus, under the direction of Hank Dahlman.

    Tickets for the concerts range from $22 – $76 and are available by calling (888) 228-3630 or by ordering on the web at www.daytonphilharmonic.com.

    Spring Awakening Comes To Dayton

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    'Spring Awakening' - Nov. 2-3 at the Victoria Theatre

    The Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening is coming to Dayton next week on November 2nd and 3rd at the Victoria Theatre in Downtown Dayton!  Spring Awakening explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with poignancy and passion you will never forget and has been called “the best musical of a generation” (NY Observer). Adapted from Frank Wedekind’s play of the same name, with an acclaimed score by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, book by Steven Sater and direction by Tony-winner Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening boldly depicts how a dozen young people make their way through the thrilling, complicated, confusing and mysterious time of their sexual awakening.

    According to the Victoria Theatre Association, this show is intended for mature audiences only.  Check out the videos below to see a number from the original cast at the 2007 Tony Awards and interviews with the cast and creative team behind Spring Awakening.

    Tickets are still available at TicketCenterStage.com, and if you’re a student with a valid student ID then you can get HALF OFF when you buy your tickets at the box office two hours before showtime.