theatrevault.com

Yes, it’s that time.

While the masses start to herd toward the Horseshoe to cheer on the Buckeyes this weekend, the masses filter out of Schiller Park as the Actors’ Theatre closes its season with the final weekend of As You Like It.  A few theatre companies, however, launch their productions this weekend.  Check out Columbus Civic Theatre as it opens Ibsen’s most famous work, A Doll’s House, often lauded as the first truly feminist play.  If that’s a little too heady, Shadowbox Cabaret kicks off another long run, this time of Bad to the Bone, a collection of original sketch comedy and rock and roll, presented with the company’s usual high energy sass.  Of course, if you’d rather see what happens when you bring a six and a half foot tall invisible rabbit to a high society party, head on over to Dublin and check out Emerald City Player’s Harvey.

For information on these shows and more, check out our Columbus Theatre Calendar.

Classes will meet every Sunday, 1p - 3:30p, starting Sept 6th, 2009

Do you want to learn more improvisation or just brush up on your existing skills? Here’s a great opportunity to do both, with an actor/ teacher who has over 20 years experience!

This eight week workshop will include techniques for improving:

* “Awareness” in a scene

* BEING in the moment

* Communication skills to help connect with both the audience and fellow actors

* Most important: LEARN TO PLAY.

Graduation performance for your family and friends at the Funnybone comedy club at Easton.

Class size is limited, call now to reserve your spot! For more information Call JEFF GAGE: 614-638-8711 or 614-946-6802 Email: MCTDSHOW@hotmail.com

Bread and Circus and Buckeye Youth Theatre are having a fundraising Yard Sale

The sale is this Saturday at the Harmony Artistic Center, 3979 Parkway Lane in Hilliard (behind Tim Hortons off Cemetery Road)! The sale is between 8 and 1.

Selling items including set pieces, furniture, costumes, and various bric-a-brac that we don’t really need, but maybe you do! Stop by and see what you might find!

This weekend showcases only two opening productions, so get over the Columbus State Community College and check out its production of Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive.  Ongoing productions include Cirque de Soleil’s Saltimbanco in its final weekend in Columbus and the critically acclaimed Church performed by Available Light Theatre, also in its final weekend.  Actors’ Theatre continues its run of As You Like It, and MadLab continues its showcase of Quintissential Roulette, with MadLab also adding its late night 3 in 30, featuring three short pieces exploring the theme “Rush.”  For more information about these performances, see Columbus Theatre Calendar.

The coming weekend promises to be a hot and sweaty one, so why not hunker down in a nice cool building and watch some theatre?  Otterbein College even offers Christmas in August in the form of its final summer production, The Last Night of Ballyhoo.  You’d think the hottest ticket in town would be the visiting tour of Cirque du Soleil-Saltimbanco at Nationwide Arena,  as the international spectacle-based performance group featuring over 50 artists from 22 countries makes its final U.S. stop right here in Columbus.  As of this posting, however, tickets at several pricing levels are available throughout the 11 day run.  The toughest ticket to grab happens to be a Columbus-based children’s show written by one of the city’s own.  Columbus Children’s Theatre’s Cinderella- Hip Hop Fairytale by Matthew Johnson sold out its short run at its funky Short North venue even before Theatre Vault could post the review.  And finally, for those who like a little more risk and challenge in their theatrical adventures, check out the ever-ambitious Available Light Theatre as it takes on controversial playwright Young Jean Lee’s inspiring religious appraisal, Church… check back here later in the weekend for our review.

Free Actor Workshop

Danielle Mari, director of Rosebriar Shakespeare’s upcoming production of Taming of the Shrew, will offer a free actor workshop at the  Northside Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library at 1423 N High St. on Saturday, August 15 from 1pm-4pm.  The workshop is open to all experience levels.  Experienced actors should bring a memorized short, comedic, classic monologue to the workshop.  Other actors may bring a monologue, or just show up and we’ll find one for you!  The workshop will also focus on deciphering Shakespearean text and how to handle cold readings.  This workshop is a great way to prepare for Shrew auditions coming soon.  Further details available here.  Audition details here.

Please email educationdirector@rosebriarshakespeare.org for more information, or if you plan to attend.

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Danielle Mari earned her Masters degree in Theatre from Northwestern University and her BA in Theatre and Writing from Knox College. She spent 15 years directing, acting, and stage managing with various Chicago theatres including the Second City, Vitalist Theatre, Infamous Commonwealth, and BackStage Theater Company.  Danielle also taught theatre and writing at the Chicago Academy for the Arts for seven years.  She now has settled in Ohio where she teaches language arts at the Village Academy School and serves as Education Director for Rosebriar.

The coming weekend features continued runs of several shows in addition to the opening of even more productions.  Actors’ Theatre, hot on the heels of The Tempest, opens As You Like It, performed in Schiller Park with a combination of actors and life-size puppets. Columbus Children’s Theatre opens Cinderella: Hip Hop Fairytale for the kids, while Southern Theatre opens Church Basement Ladies to entertain the adults.  Finally, don’t miss MadLab’s “best of” series, Quintessential Roulette, featuring the company’s best plays from each of the previous 10 festivals of short pieces.  Check out the Columbus Theatre Calendar for more information about any of the plays listed.

This weekend offers a variety of theatre performances, so there’s no reason to be bored.  If the weather stays mild, bring your picnic and a blanket to check out The Tempest in Schiller Park or the family-friendly A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Groveport.  Should the weather turn, take a trip to Otterbein College’s and fight the blues with the energetic and hilarious take on religion Altar Boyz in Westerville.  For a more serious look at the same subject, venture to Dublin for ECP’s Doubt (read the full review here).  The hard-working folks at the Weathervane Playhouse, fresh off the successes of Into the Woods (review) and Cheaper By the Dozen (review) aim to create the perfect summer theatre trifecta with their newest production, Secret Garden.  (Keep an eye out for our upcoming review.)  Rounding out the weekend are two popular musicals: Sweet Charity at Centerstage Players and Little Shop of Horrors at Little Theatre Off Broadway.

For more information about any of the shows listed, visit our Columbus Theatre Calendar.

Rosebriar Shakespeare Company offers a series of free actor workshops, open to all experience levels.  Danielle Mari, director of The Taming of the Shrew, Rosebriar’s next production, will host the next workshop on Satuday, August 15 at the Northside Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 1423 N. High St,  from 1pm-4pm.  The workshop is open to all experience levels.  Experienced actors should bring a classic, short, comedic audition monologue to workshop.  Actors new to the experience may bring a monologue, or just show up and receive one.  The workshop will also include tips on working with Shakespearean language and strategies for cold readings.  This workshop is a great way to prepare for Shrew auditions (click here for more information), but does not require an audition.  Please email educationdirector@rosebriarshakespeare.org if you would like more information or plan to attend.

Danielle Mari earned her Masters degree in Theatre from Northwestern University and her BA in Theatre and Writing from Knox College.  She spent 15 years directing, acting, and stage managing with various Chicago theatres including the Second City, Vitalist Theatre, Infamous Commonwealth, and BackStage Theater Company.  Danielle also taught theatre and writing at the Chicago Academy for the Arts for seven years.  She now has settled in Ohio where shet eaches language arts at the Village Academy School  has acted with Raconteur Theatre Company, Bread & Circus Theatre Company, and has acted with and serves as Education Director for Rosebriar.