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Jennifer Feather Youngblood (The Jinn) and Jennifer Barlup (Jen) in MadLab's The Jinn by Kirk Lynn.

by Tahrea Maynard

Madlab Theatre and Gallery’s The Jinn by Kirk Lynn is surprising, delightful, and most of all strange. The plot is based around a married couple, Jen (Jennifer Barlup) and Jim (Andy Batt). At the beginning of the play, the audience is introduced to this couple’s mutual but almost hesitant desire for divorce. The one thing that holds back the process is a box of random items: a ceramic duck, a women’s volleyball trophy, a tape recorder, an umbrella, and a lamp. As Jen tells Jim, this box is all that’s left to sort and they must divide the items up between them- their final act as a couple. Each of the items in the box have added significance revealed throughout the play, pinpointing major events in the couple’s relationship. The first scene fades with the situation unresolved and the smashed duck on the floor, introducing the audience to the tension and frustration that has built up within the marriage.

Barlup and Batt admirably pull of this complex relationship of a husband and wife at the end of their respective ropes. Their onstage chemistry works for their roles, and both actors are believable as they progress through the show, expressing the complex dynamics of the relationship. The script takes a turn toward the supernatural when the lamp spews forth the Jinn ( Jennifer Feather Youngblood). Youngblood’s Jinn is nothing short of sassy, smart, and quick-witted. She delivers her lines with a great blend of sarcasm and intelligence and will be an audience favorite. The Jinn, a sort of genie, reveals to each character the good and the not so good of wishing, forcing both to obey her rules. For instance, the only wishes that can be granted are things that “someone else can give you,” cranking up the level of frustration for all involved. It also turns out that in this strange world everyone forgets their last encounter with the Jinn, so she must reiterate key information throughout. This last bizarre convention adds a sense of folding time and a wacky vibe to the play, as (for instance) the audience hears a joke about a married man snowed in with a woman’s volleyball team in Aspen again and again. The cast, under the keen team direction of Michelle Batt and Amanda Bauer, does well to present the trippy echoes in a way that manages to stay fresh with each scene.

The Jinn is joined in most of her scenes with her three Minions, Mary Sink, Pam Sanchez, Joyce Patrone. These three never speak but move during scenes, adding to the scene with subtle gestures and motions. These three also act as stage crew, moving tables and chair on and off. These three women add to the strange ambiance of the production, punctuating their mirrored movements with an African drum soundscape.

The Jinn also provides glimpses into the couple’s past and potential future. In the past, the audience sees Jennifer (Michelle Weiser) and James (Travis Horseman). Weiser is adorable as Jennifer, energetic and hopeful. She carries herself with a dose of growing desperation in her attempts to seduce Horseman’s James. Horseman also enhances the production with his adorable performance, working with Weiser to portray the younger couple. Tay Lane and Jim Azelvandre play Jenny and Jimmy, the older versions of Jen and Jim. Through their actions and words, Jenny and Jimmy take chance encounters with these counterparts to warn of what could be if the young folks aren’t careful. Lane and Azelvandre are endearing as an older couple. Azelvandre’s Jimmy is a typical older gentleman, grumpy yet likable.

Madlab’s technical team meets the unique challenges presented by the script. The set (another product of a team effort, this time by designers Andy Batt and Brendan Michna) is two separated, elevated platforms. On one sits a bed, signifying Jennifer’s bedroom where she attempts to seduce James. On the other is a makeshift love seat which turns out to be the sitting room of Jimmy and Jenny’s house. Each is complete with a blank screen that plays video clips throughout the production. Most of the time they represent windows, showing buildings across from Jennifer’s apartment and a bridge beyond Jimmy and Jenny’s yard. These two platforms are connected by a bridge. The entire set is adorned with colorful material giving it a Bollywood feel, adding to the lush and mysterious atmosphere of the production as it centers on the mysterious lamp and the mysterious Jinn. The lighting draws the eye to the appropriate place of action and enhances the feel of each scene along with the different shades of music played. The costumes are simple and modern day, and the design neatly ties together the Jennies with long skirts and their long hair pulled back in a clip. Though they do not resemble each other in mannerisms or face, Weiser, Barlup, and Lane are unmistakeably representing three different stages of one person’s life.

Batt and Bauer present in The Jinn a wonderful production everyone should make an effort to see. While attending the show, be sure to admire Madlab’s neat new space at 227 North 3rd St in downtown Columbus. The Jinn runs from August 5th to the 28th. All shows are at 8 pm, Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $15 and $10 for students and seniors, and $8 for Madlab Members. Check out http://madlab.net for more info and to purchase tickets.

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Tahrea Maynard has spent the majority of her life onstage, appearing on stages with such Central Ohio theatres as Roundtown Players and Rosebriar Shakespeare Co. She also teaches Musical Theatre classes with the Charmion Performing Arts Center in Circleville. Check out her blog here.

by Bob Weesner

Round Town Players has opened its newest production, All I Really Needed to Know I Learned from Being in a Bad Play. Now I ask you, if you are involved in theatre at all, how could you possibly resist a play with a title like that?

I couldn’t. So I trekked to Round Town Players Community Theatre in
Circleville to see their children’s theatre production of the play with that
title.

Children’s theatre?

Yup. I have a grudging respect for child performers. Talent is not at all determined by age. Younger performers have not yet fallen into really quirky habits yet, nor ego inclined toward divahood (although it’s developing quickly). Children are often observed as being cute and endearing. This is no accident and children are not stupid. They practice cute and endearing. It becomes a fine art.

Are we straight on that?

About twenty minutes before the play began, seemingly a thousand or so of the diminutive cast members started wandering through the audience, practicing those verbal tongue twisters used to improve the ability to speak clearly. After being acknowledged, they were largely ignored by those audience members intent on completing their own well-practiced monologues. The children - a well-trained army under the leadership of director Tahrea Maynard – regrouped and attacked from several directions at once. There was an interesting and not unpleasant cacophony of sound and movement. I mention this because it impressed me. What appeared to be random movement was not at all – this was precise organization and placement. General Eisenhower could have used Ms Maynard’s impressive talents during the invasion of Normandy.

The text of the play – when we got to it – surprised me just a bit. When someone says “children’s play” to me, in my mind I see urchins dressed like carrots and Indians, standing in straight lines, talking in monotones about things that are of absolutely no interest to anyone at all. This was not true of this presentation. Here was a playwright who knows all the possible failings that a theatrical production can face, and presents them from a jaded, funny, and very adult viewpoint.

There was one adult in the cast. (I define “adult” as someone taller, world-weary in appearance, and two or three people heavier than everyone else.) This poor soul is Robert Neal as the narrator, and from the very first he never stood a chance. He was out-charmed (and occasionally out-acted) by almost everyone who walked, skipped, crawled, or wiggled on stage.

The cast consisted of 20 performers. (It just seemed like thousands.) In addition to Robert Neal, I was quite comfortably pleased with the performances of Henry Laux, Allyson Withers, Connor Stonerock, Zoie Amey, Maryane Kimbler, Carley Derexon, Emily Allen, Rhiannon Hood, Mackenzie Beard, Cora Derexon, Tiffany Speakman, Jake Six, Cameron Aume, Kasey Derexson, and Abigail Blust.

And then there were those performers that professional actors truly hate. No amount of education, experience, or sheer number of years on stage can stand a prayer against the squeaky innocence and cuteness of performers like Katie Warner, Jessica Minney, Ally Roberts, and Hannah Mogan. In the end, I was pleased but not surprised with the production of All I Really Need to Know I Learned By Being In A Bad Play at Round Town Players Community Theatre. If I’ve learned anything here, it’s that the only significant difference between a play with children and a play with adults is the height of the performers and the supposed maturity of the audiences. The play runs runs August 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7:30 pm and August 8, 15 at 2:30 pm at 165 1/2 E. Main St in Circleville, OH. Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults. Check out the company’s Facebook event page and fan page for more information.

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For most of his career, Bob was employed as a television director, working for stations from Los Angeles to Columbus. During this same time period he wrote and directed plays for theatres all over the Midwest. For several years he was the drama critic for the Spectator newspaper chain and for channel 6 here in Columbus. Bob has won numerous awards, including two Emmy awards, A Freedom’s foundation award, and two recent awards from the National Writers Digest Playwriting Competition.

Rosaline (Dale Towarnicky) in Columbus Civic Theater's Love's Labor's Lost

by Danielle Filas

Since its March launch, Columbus Civic Theater’s new space on Indianola Avenue has housed everything from percussive performance art to Sartre’s vision of hell. Add to Columbus Civic’s list of accomplishments the luscious Spanish gardens in the post-WWII rendition of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labor’s Lost, which opened this past weekend. One of his earliest plays and one of his most intellectual comedies, Love’s Labor’s Lost smacks more of Moliere than of the Bard, featuring a light-hearted battle of the sexes where the women clearly emerge with the upper hand. It opens with Ferdinand, the King of Navarre (Sean Arata) and his attending lords (Edwyn Williams, Michael Lea, Mark Sypek) swearing off women so as to be able to focus on three years of intense academic study. Predictably, no sooner have they signed the contract when the beautiful Princess of France (Megan Pierce) and her ladies-in-waiting (Dayle Towarnicky, Megan McSweeney, Sonia Bowen) arrive to test the men’s honor. Witty exchanges ensue, sprinkled liberally with subplots involving a Spanish swordsman (Mark Reeves), a snooty school mistress (Melinda Anderson), a saucy wench (Bowen), and the requisite country idiot (Rudy Frias). It’s also one of Shakespeare’s most interesting plays, dodging the usual pat solution of his comedies for a more thought-provoking ending tinged with death and ambiguity.

Ben Gorman directs his cast of fifteen through some of the most poetic and intense wordplay Shakespeare has to offer, guiding each performer to tackle the difficult dialogue with crisp diction and energized articulation. Gorman further compliments the script with dynamic blocking that helps the modern audience to catch the meaning behind the 400 year old jokes and uses every inch of Columbus Civic’s intimate space. Within the solid ensemble (which also includes Azure Stephens as Moth, Richard Neal in multiple roles, Chip Redden as Boyet, and Ken Scott as Sir Nathaniel), Gorman has polished a few standout gems in his production. As one of the France’s ladies, Rosaline, Towarnicky shifts easily from feigned wide-eyed innocence to smirking coolness reminiscent of Claire Trevor, the queen of film noir. Presenting feminine strength of a different sort, Pierce brings warmth and charm to the Princess of France, tempering her character with a surprising (and touching) complexity in the final scene of the play. Edwyn Williams as the King’s right hand man, Berowne, exhibits his formidable acting chops, turning in a high octane and acrobatic performance that sometimes verges on manic. The real scene stealer, however, is Mark Reeves as the lisping, lurching, melancholy Don Adriano de Armando. Part Inigo Montoya, part Jim Carey, Reeves’s lanky form, impossibly white face, and intense brand of comedy bring the biggest belly laughs of the evening- even with a simple, “O!” moaned from off-stage.

Adding to the overall performance, Gorman’s technical crew provides nearly professional production values, starting with the set. The set (designed by Gorman), simply outfitted with a couple of benches and a smartly appointed trellis allows the scenes to flow sensibly from one locale to another without confusing the audience. Jeremiah Caudill’s magnificent mural dominates the set without distracting, adding romance and depth. Anderson’s costumes, some of which could have used fresh pressing, creatively indicate the intended era and fit nicely with the overall vibe of Gorman’s vision.

Unfortunately, clocking in at three hours and fifteen minutes with intermission, the play feels uncomfortably long, even when witnessed from Columbus Civic’s comfy IMAX-style seating… And this is probably a great time for full disclosure: I serve as the artistic director of a Shakespeare company, so I admittedly have my own peculiar ideas about the do’s and do-not’s of navigating Willy’s works. I know firsthand that snipping Shakespeare feels… well… just plain wrong. His absolutely delicious words seem sacred and untouchable. And I also know that bowing to the famously short American attention span feels an awful lot like pandering… and just plain wrong. That being said, Gorman may still have done well to perform more surgery on the play’s 2758 lines so that when King Navarre says, “Come, sir, it wants a twelvemonth and a day,/And then ’twill end,” the audience won’t laugh for the wrong reason at Berowne’s reply, “That’s too long for a play.”

If you have the time, though, Columbus Civic Theater’s Love’s Labor’s Lost is worth the commitment with top-notch acting in a beautiful, pastoral setting. Love’s Labor’s Lost runs through July 24, Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm at Columbus Civic Theater, 3837 Indianola Dr., Columbus. Tickets are $17.50-$20.00 and can be purchased online or by calling (614) 447-7529.

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.

“The Producers” (Brice Corder and Dennis Kohler) attempt to make big bucks off of a flop. Photograph courtesy of Eric George.

By Krista B. Threadgill

“If we haven’t offended you by intermission, we’re not doing our job,” warns interim Co-Artistic Director Erika Twining during her house speech before raising the curtain on Weathervane Playhouse’s production of The Producers by Mel Books and Thomas Meehan. The musical adaptation of Brooks’ 1969 film won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards and has garnered praise all over the world—all while being unabashedly and unapologetically outrageous.

We meet Max Bialystock (Dennis Kohler), a formerly successful Broadway producer who’s had a run of bad luck with some really bad plays—they often close the same night they open. His timid accountant, Leo Bloom (Brice Corder), suggests the possibility that Max could make more money with a flop than a hit. Max jumps on the opportunity and sets out to produce the worst play—Springtime for Hitler by Franz Liebkind (Jay Rittberger)—with the worst director—Roger DeBris (Greg Kennedy)—and the worst actors—including their lovely Swedish secretary, Ulla (Kara Dombrowski). Things get complicated when opening night doesn’t go exactly as they planned…

Twining directs an incredibly talented cast through this antic script. Kohler and Corder have great on-stage chemistry and each can hold his own vocally. Corder’s stamina is impressive, particularly during the song “I Wanna Be a Producer” which includes a big dance number. Dombrowski’s Ulla is sweetly seductive and pitch-perfect funny. Kennedy’s performance as the cross-dressing director Roger is side-splitting and completely over-the-top, as is Roger’s “common-law assistant”, Carmen Ghia, played brilliantly by Ross Lemmon. Rittberger’s Nazi playwright, Liebkind, is uproariously hysterical. A rock-solid ensemble supports this incredibly talented cast. Their assorted characters add a little something extra that makes this show completely unforgettable.

Technically, the show is a winner. Mark DeLancey’s scenic design makes creative use of moveable flats, desks, and an ingenious pigeon coop. Lindey Quay Sikes designed a beautiful and varied array of costumes. Amanda Fannon’s choreography is a marvel, and Cheridy Keller’s music direction keeps the actors and musicians on their toes. The lighting design, courtesy of Jennifer Sansfacon and Brian Bartlett Moore, rounds out the various settings and scenes quite nicely.

Weathervane Players warns its patrons that this is an adults-only show, and they’re right—caricatures of Nazis and homosexuals abound, as well as a generous pinch of sexual innuendo and a handful of scantily clad showgirls. It’s a roller-coaster ride of mammoth proportions, and you’ll love every moments of it. Check your political correctness at the door, and prepare to be offended. You won’t regret a single second of it.

Weathervane Playhouse is presenting The Producers at the Mary A. Alford Memorial Pavilion located at 100 Price Road, Newark, Ohio. Shows start at 8:00 p.m., July 7-10, and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 10. Tickets range in price from $14 to $25 and are available at the box office before the show or you can purchase them online through their website here. For more information about this show or the upcoming shows this season, please visit their website or call the box office at (740) 366-4616.

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Krista Threadgill spent her childhood following her parents around the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. After that, she wiled away her summers at Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, and she has performed in two Neil Simon plays. She has an English degree from the Ohio State University.

Emily Cipriani, Adam Crawford, Lake Wilburn, Artie Isaac (photos)

by Tahrea Maynard

Available Light Theatre opens Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird this weekend. Many will remember Harper Lee’s classic tale of Atticus Finch from high school required reading lists, and maybe several of us found ourselves guilty of shrugging the book off as a boring novel we were forced to read for credit. Whatever memories one may have of To Kill a Mockingbird, AVLT’s rendition will be an immediate favorite for all audience members. This production is well-cast, well-performed, and has been well received, opening Thursday night to a sold out house.

This reviewer sat in the front row, completely captivated throughout the entire production as each cast member excelled with every line of dialogue. The young actors are very effective as Jem (Lake Wilburn), Dill (Adam Crawford), and the unforgettable Scout (Emily Cipriani). All of these up and coming thespians seem to connect with their characters and find moments within the show to illustrate the children discovering the horrible truths of their time, no matter how incomprehensible they may be. Cipriani in particular glows in her role; she carries herself with a sweetness that will make you swear she is made of chocolate. Artie Isaac commands the scene as the formidable Atticus Finch. Isaac allows the audience to see his character as not just a highly-respected attorney, but also as a busy father and public figure. In contrast to Atticus’ strong and moral standing is the despicable and sickening character of the racist white trash Bob Ewell, performed by Bernard Wilburn. For a seemingly friendly fellow, Wilburn turns on the twisted and deplorable persona for his character, leaving the audience with a character they’ll love to hate. Another performer of note is Gregory Kimbro as the falsely accused Tom Robinson. Though his stage time is limited to one lengthy scene, Kimbro carries Tom Robinson with humility and dignity, a performance that is both touching and stirring. Other members of this wonderful cast include Emily Bach, Shanelle Marie, Judy Parker, Danielle Mari, Margaret Riggle Collins, Tony Auseon, Tim Doughtery, Ron Weber, LaRon Lee Hudson, Molly Auseon, Carl Novak, Fred Norris, and Anita Davis.

The set is simple. For the neighborhood scenes, a somewhat cartoon-like background of houses and doors represents neighboring homes; for the courtroom scenes, the curtain is dropped and tables, chairs, and the Judge’s stand are brought to the stage. The caricatured, unrealistic background and simplicity add to the story as the grown up Scout- Jean Louise Finch (played elegantly by Emily Bach)- narrates, looking back on the life-altering events of that summer through the eyes of her adolescent self. The lighting fades and highlights different sections of the stage at various moments, signifying time and location changes. The lighting scheme helps to draw the eye to the important action onstage, such as the moments when Bach narrates while several other cast members shift set pieces. Bravo to Scenic Designer Edith Dinger Wadkins and Lighting Designer Matt Slaybaugh for their clever applications of scenic sleight of hand to distract the audience from the nuts and bolts of live theatre. Michelle Whited’s costumes are smart and perfect for the 1930s setting. This reviewer especially appreciates the blue polka dots that link Bach’s dress to Cipriani’s shirt. The costumes compliment the personalities of their characters.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a spectacle no one should miss. Connoisseurs of local theatre and arts programs should be happy to know that the proceeds from this production go to support AVLT’s Pay What You Can program, and may find themselves compelled to donate whatever amount they can to this worthy cause. Unfortunately, To Kill a Mockingbird only runs from June 24th to the 27th, so please make an effort to come out. There are talkbacks after the 8:00 shows on the 24th, 25th, and 26th. Performances are held in the Shedd Theatre of the Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Ave in Columbus. For more info visit Available Light’s website here. For tickets go to AVLTtix.

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Tahrea Maynard has spent the majority of her life onstage, appearing on stages with such Central Ohio theatres as Roundtown Players and Rosebriar Shakespeare Co. She also teaches Musical Theatre classes with the Charmion Performing Arts Center in Circleville. Check out her blog here.

Helen Keller (Cherish Myers) and Annie Sullivan (Darien Crago) work to overcome tragic obstacles in “The Miracle Worker” playing at Weathervane Playhouse June 17 - 26. Photograph courtesy of Eric George.

I have to admit that I groaned a tiny bit inside when I heard that Weathervane was planning to add The Miracle Worker to their 2010 summer season. It’s one of those plays that when done well can be very, very good, but when done badly… Well, you get it. I had high hopes for Weathervane, though, after watching their highly successful 2009 season. I have never been happier to be wrong about a first assumption than I am about this one.

The Miracle Worker by William Gibson is the story of a young Helen Keller (Cherish Myers) and her teacher Annie Sullivan (Darien Crago) as Sullivan helps to transform a bind, deaf, and practically feral child into a polite, communicative human being. Captain and Mrs. Keller (Mark Mann and Nichole Hamilton) have coddled Helen her entire life, allowing the child to terrorize her older brother James (Patrick Mullen, Jr.) and the housekeeping staff (Haley Denemark, Chasdan Mike, and Justine Appiah-Danquah). With Annie’s firm hand and loving guidance, Helen Keller grew up to become a famous author, political activist, and lecturer.

The late Matthew Trombetta, who tragically lost his life mere days before the show opened, directed this amazing cast through a beautifully moving play. Crago positively sparkles every moment she is onstage. Her presence is riveting and her performance is flawless. Myers remains true to her character every moment she is onstage, and her tantrum scenes in particular are realistic. These two young ladies are already forces to be reckoned with on the theatrical scene, and I have every confidence their talents will continue to wow audiences for many years to come. Their supporting cast continually hit their marks and deliver solid performances all around.

Technically, the production is beautiful. Multi-level sets designed by Mark DeLancey give interesting contrasts and make full use of Weathervane’s huge stage. Brian Bartlett Moore’s lighting is at turns subtle, striking, and spooky depending on the scene, and sets the mood perfectly. Lindsey Quay Sikes designed lovely costumes that not only are in keeping with 1882 Alabama but are also flattering to the actors. Casey Wilczak’s props are very well done, too—particularly the scrambled eggs that get flung all over the dining room at the end of the first act. His crew were incredibly good sports about cleaning up the mess during intermission.

I can say with all honesty that this is most likely the best production I have seen anywhere this season. The standing ovation the cast received during their curtain call was richly deserved. As I stood with the other members of the audience, my first thought was, “You did Matthew proud.” Bravissimo to you all.

Weathervane Playhouse is presenting The Miracle Worker at the Mary A. Alford Memorial Pavilion located at 100 Price Road, Newark, Ohio. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. on June 26 and 2:00 p.m. on June 27. Tickets range in price from $14 to $25 and are available at the box office before the show or you can purchase them online through their website here. For more information about this show or the upcoming shows this season, please visit their website or call the box office at (740) 366-4616.

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Krista Threadgill spent her childhood following her parents around the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. After that, she wiled away her summers at Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, and she has performed in two Neil Simon plays. She has an English degree from the Ohio State University.

by Krista B. Threadgill

The famous investigator Sherlock Holmes is pounding the boards at Emerald City Theater for the next few weeks. Captive audiences will be left wondering—will Holmes triumph over his arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty? Or will he plummet to his death, never to be seen or heard from again? Prepare to be transported back to Victorian England in ECP’s production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, adapted by Steven Dietz, based on the original play by William Gillette and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Sherlock Holmes (David Hammond) is uneasy: His best friend, Dr. Watson (Christopher Johnson) has recently gotten married and left behind the exciting world of mystery and intrigue for domestic bliss; the panicky King of Bohemia (Richard Wilson) has shown up on his doorstep begging for Holmes’ help in obtaining a compromising photograph of the King with former opera star Irene Adler (Sarah Senff); and Holmes had good reason to believe that the conniving Professor Moriarty (Dale DeWood) is plotting with some of his loyal henchmen—James Larrabee (Jason Hugh Smith), his sister, Madge Larrabee (Kristin Yarger), and lackey Sid Prince (Jeffrey Kostko)—to blackmail the King of Bohemia and discredit Holmes himself. Only the master detective can unravel this knot of conspiracy and catch the villain—but will Holmes survive the encounter?

Under the direction of Tony Love, the Holmes cast comes together to recreate late 19^th century England. Hammond’s Holmes is solid, though his delivery and pacing are much slower than one would expect for the world-renowned sleuth, and his English accent comes and goes. Johnson’s Watson is probably the best example of characterization in the cast. His performance is nuanced and believable; the one small complaint has to do with his projection. Midway back in the house, he is difficult to hear and understand when he is blocked upstage center, which is where Holmes’ study is located and where most of the action in the first act takes place. Senff plays Irene with a nice balance of intelligence, ingenuity, and vulnerability. Smith’s Larrabee is a bit one-dimensional, though that is more a shortcoming of the script than the actor. Kostko plays Sid Prince and a variety of other characters in an over-the-top, lampoonish way; unfortunately, his overacting fails to bring the laughs he’s trying for most of the time. Wilson plays the King of Bohemia with booming passion. Probably the most consistent performance is from Yarger as Madge Larrabee; though her French accent isn’t the best, she falls into a passable British accent well and gives her character just the right amount of evil to make you love hating her. The one slight disappointment was DeWood’s Moriarty—with the exception of one scene, he never feels particularly villainous or threatening.

The set design—also by Love—is nicely done, though I question the decision to put Holmes’ study so far upstage. Most of the actors had a difficult time projecting from so far back and much of the dialogue in the first act is lost because of the distance from the audience. Rosemary Cullison’s period costumes are lovely and flattering to all. Jacob Ramey’s light design is effective and interesting, helping to set the mood for several scenes in ways that the words alone were not capable of doing.

Though not exactly a family show, Sherlock Holmes is appropriate for teenagers and above. With a run-time of an hour and forty minutes with a 15-minute intermission, Emerald City has brought yet another quality piece of entertainment to the city of Dublin.

Emerald City Players presents Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure at 6799 Dublin Center Drive, Dublin, Ohio, on June 18-19, and 24-26 at 8:00 p.m., and June 20 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and seniors and $12 for adults; Columbus State students may purchase discounted tickets with their student ID. Please visit their website here or call the box office at 614-210-1111 for more information about this show or the rest of their 2010 season.

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Krista Threadgill spent her childhood following her parents around the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. After that, she wiled away her summers at Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, and she has performed in two Neil Simon plays. She has an English degree from the Ohio State University.

by Krista B. Threadgill

I must admit that every time I read the title for Evolution Theatre Company’s new show Beware the Man Eating Chicken, the little warning bell in my head that’s tuned in to grammatical faux pas went off. “Which is it?” I thought. “Is it ‘beware a man who is eating chicken’, or is it ‘beware the chicken that eats people’?” Either way, I had every confidence that ETC would serve a well-appointed dish to its audience, and I’m happy to say that I was correct.

All parents want to see their children succeed. Some push their kids in sports or the arts; some encourage their progeny in academic pursuits, hoping for a doctor or a lawyer. In Henry Meyerson’s Beware the Man Eating Chicken, Betty Smith (Leslie Robinson) has discovered a whole new path for her son, William (Mark Hale, Jr.): She’s feeding him incessantly so he can win the “Fattest Man in the Universe” contest. He’s up to 20 chickens a day—plus all the side dishes—and his beleaguered aunt, Carol (Kathy Sturm), can barely keep up with the demands of Betty’s ambitions and William’s stomach. Carol’s frequent trips to the butcher shop arouse the suspicions of the Board of Health, and Captain Leonard (David Johnson) comes to investigate the possibility that the two women are harboring a carnivorous animal. Meanwhile, the owner of the nation’s largest chicken farm, Albert (Joe Dallacqua) hopes to make William the new poster boy for his chickens, but his sister Dorothy (Erin Fisher) may undermine the whole deal.

C. Austin (Chris) Hill directs an able cast through this uproarious script. Dallacqua makes seamless transitions from used car salesman to spoiled child to savvy con man; his performance is solid, realistic and a joy to watch. Fisher, too, makes her role her own—even the way she walks is in character. Sturm’s Carol steals every scene she appears in. Even when she isn’t speaking, she is still completely present in the moment, believable, and completely charming. Although not actually seen until the curtain call, the feral noises created by Hale depicting William are disturbingly hilarious. Robinson’s performance, however, seems to be lacking. Her pacing seems to be unnaturally slow, and there is definitely an impression that she’s holding back, especially in scenes when she’s supposed to be angry. Perhaps it was opening weekend nerves, but there is definitely room for “bigger” in her presentation of a truly interesting and well-written character. Johnson’s character spends most of his time onstage tied to a chair and gagged; to be honest I preferred him that way. In stark contrast to Robinson’s hesitancy and restraint, his gestures are too big and theatrical to be believable and are more distracting than enhancing to his performance. Johnson also makes a brief appearance as another character, Dr. Martin, at the end of the second act, and he makes no attempt to differentiate between the two.

On the technical side, the artistic design is very good. The set, designed by Jason Banks, forgoes a lot of false walls and leaves interesting open gaps between windows and doors including a suspended window with no obvious means of support. Banks’ lighting design is also understated but effective. The uncredited costume design doesn’t blaze any new paths, but is flattering and appropriate for the actors.

Without mincing words, I’ll say this: It’s a weird play. But it’s also a fun play. At 75 minutes with no intermission, it moves quickly. Due to some disturbing subject matter and language, it’s definitely a show just for the grown-ups. Come with an appetite for entertainment—and don’t forget to leave room for the chickens in the back rows of the auditorium.

Evolution Theatre Company presents the Ohio premiere of Beware the Man Eating Chicken at the Riffe Center Studio One at 77 S. High Street, Columbus, on June 13 at 2:00 p.m. and June 16-19 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 for all seats and are available through Ticketmaster, by telephoning the CAPA ticket office at 614-469-0939, or at the door.  For more information about this or other shows in ETC’s 2010 season, please visit their website here.

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Krista Threadgill spent her childhood following her parents around the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. After that, she wiled away her summers at Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, and she has performed in two Neil Simon plays. She has an English degree from the Ohio State University.

L to R: Joe Bishara (Ben), Lenore Kaler (Phyllis). Photo credit: Barb Young

by Krista B. Threadgill

I discovered one thing during Senior Repertory of Ohio’s production of Follies, The Concert Version (book by James Goldman, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim): although Sondheim wrote great musical arrangements, his story lines tend to be convoluted and contrived. Such is the case with Follies. There’s a reunion of old friends in a theatre about to be torn down, unrequited love, the ghosts of younger selves flitting in the background, aging “Broadway Babies” shooting for the stars one last time…

I didn’t buy it. I wanted to, but I didn’t.

To call the show uneven would be a good starting point. Although Steve Black directs a proven troupe of local actors, the storyline runs over all of them and left this reviewer feeling flat. And don’t let the “concert” in the title fool you—the first act of the show is staged pretty much in its entirety, while the second act relies entirely on the songs to resolve the storyline. After witnessing some of the acting in the first half, I wish they had stuck to a musical opening as well.

We’ll start with the good: Petie Dodrill’s costume designs are lovely—sparkly, flowing evening gowns for the ladies and well-fitting tuxedoes for the men. There are a few memorable musical numbers. For the ladies, the best performances included Toni Tinsley’s “Broadway Baby”, Bev Pettit’s “I’m Still Here”, and Danielle Mann’s “Losing My Mind”. The men brought it home with Dameon Jones’ “Beautiful Girls”, Joe Bishara’s “The Road You Didn’t Take”, and Stephen Black’s “Buddy’sBlues”. The orchestra, under the musical direction of Nancy S. Nocks, is competent.

And now for the rest: The uncredited set is unimaginative and distracting. A fabric-draped platform for entrances and exits feels unnecessary. In fact, the ladies’ entrances during “Beautiful Girls” would be much more interesting if the sides of the platform weren’t visible to the audience. Joyce Patrone’s attempt at a French accent is distracting and difficult to understand. In fact, most of the ladies are difficult to hear in the large space. Lenore Kaler in particular had trouble with volume, and her performance offers very little by way of dynamics for a lead role. There were several missed cues—both musical and technical—which broke up the flow of the play. The song “Loveland” was completely out of sync and out of tune.

I wish I had more good things to say about this production. SRO typically puts on an excellent show, in my experience. Unfortunately, this is not their best work. Let’s hope their next season dawns brighter than the way their current one ended.

Senior Repertory of Ohio presents Stephen Sondheim’s Follies Friday, June 11 at 10:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, June 12 at 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. All performances are at the Columbus Performing Arts Center, 549 Franklin Avenue, Columbus. Ticket prices range from $10 to $20. For reservations, please call 614-258-9495.

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Krista Threadgill spent her childhood following her parents around the Actors Guild of Parkersburg. After that, she wiled away her summers at Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, and she has performed in two Neil Simon plays. She has an English degree from the Ohio State University.