theatrevault.com

by Danielle Filas

This Saturday, July 11, Dublin’s community theatre, Emerald City Players (ECP) will host the 2009 Central Ohio Regional OCTAFest theatre festival. The Ohio Community Theatre Association (OCTA), formed in 1953, organizes this annual competition consisting of five regional events (including some theatres in Kentucky and West Virginia) that culminate in a state conference held in Cincinnati on Labor Day weekend.  Seven central Ohio theatres will present 40 minute excerpts of shows from the past season at the Dublin event. Three trained theatrical adjudicators from other regions will offer critiques for all performances, commenting on acting, technical and design quality, cohesion, and overall integrity before selecting two winning performances.  Open to the public for the ticket prices of $15, attendees will not only enjoy a full day of theatre ranging from drama to comedy and everything in between, but will also be able to sit in on the critique sessions.  The two theatres chosen as winners at Saturday’s competition will attend the state conference representing the Central Ohio region.

Emerald City Players has been participating in OCTAFest since opening its doors in October 1998, but has never hosted the event prior to this year.  ECP’s large space and centralized location make it a logical choice for the competition, which features companies from as far away as Marengo (Orange Barrel Production Company), Mt. Vernon (Alcove Dinner Theatre and Vernon Players), and Newark (Licking County Players).  Also featured will be theatres from Westerville (Curtain Players), Grove City (Little Theatre Off Broadway), and Dublin (Emerald City Players).  In preparation for the event, ECP has rearranged its space and assembled a staff of 20 volunteers; no small feat for this community theatre company.

This kind of hard work reflects the passion at the basis of all community theatre.  Brian Cheslik, member of the ECP board of directors, explains the spirit of community theatre, saying it “depends upon volunteers who work … for the love of art and theatre… Community theatre helps to bring culture to the community. It is made up of people and actors who do this for the love of theatre, not for fame or money.”  OCTA seeks to promote and support community theatre through the regional events and to celebrate the best through the state conference.

Should community theatre, however, be judged in a competitive or critical environment such as this event?  Should community theatre productions even be reviewed?  In a recent comment, a Theatre Vault reader articulates this argument.  Lisa Foster, responding to negative comments in a posted review, states that the choice to “post negative criticism on a website aspiring to be a destination for local theater lovers seems counter-intuitive…Should [your] published opinion possibly deter someone from attending that show? I think the answer should be no, at least for community theater.”

Cheslik argues that critiques and reviews, positive or negative, can only help community theatres.   Critiques offered by adjudicators at OCTAFest help provide feedback and suggestions to assist participating theatres to improve the quality of future productions.  Cheslik and ECP regularly invite reviewers to attend their productions, stating, “Honestly, we believe that no press is bad press. Or all press is good press. I do not think that reviewers can convince the public NOT to go see a show. In fact, in my experience, I have seen where the worst reviews … have generated more audience attendance. Look at Richard Ades; he NEVER gives a good review. But that does not stop people from going to see it, nor does it stop him from coming back for more.”

OCTAFest and the upcoming state conference offer more than heavy criticism, of course.  Cheslik elaborates, saying, “It’s a very fun experience. You get to see other theatres, meet new people. If you go to States, it’s a weekend long thing with parties, games, dances, dinners.”  Of this Saturday’s event, he promises a top notch performance from ECP’s entry, Ladies of Alamo and says of the other entries, “You can expect, some cute Peanuts characters, a scorned lovers triangle, interesting debates over cows … and much much more.”

Ticket price is $15 for the entire day which includes seven excerpts from the listed theatres as well as listening to the adjudication of each excerpt. Tickets can only be purchased at the door.  For more information, including a full schedule and a map, check out the Columbus Theatre Calendar on Theatre Vault.  Just click the OCTAFest on July 11.

Emerald City Players is located in Dublin, Ohio at 6799 Dublin Center Road in the Dublin Village Shopping, just off Sawmill Road near the AMC movie theater complex, close to Applebees.  Visit www.emeraldcityplayers.com to learn moreabout Emerald City Players.

Visit www.octaweb.org to learn more about the Ohio Community Theatre Association.

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Danielle Filas serves as a contributing editor to Theatre Vault. She recently moved from Chicago and holds Theatre degrees from Northwestern University and Knox College. You can visit her personal blog by clicking here.