The holiday film classic starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney is the inspiration for this blockbuster musical. Two veterans have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, they follow a duo of beautiful singing “Sisters” en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge. It’s La Comedia’s most popular show of all time…cue the snow!
La Comedia
Saluting Dayton’s 2015-16 Theater Season
America’s independence, murderesses at odds, family dysfunction upended by a gentleman caller, brave children thriving on creativity to survive the horrors of a concentration camp, and disheartened young adults navigating a post-9/11 world are some of the stories that bolstered Dayton’s 2015-16 theater season.
Looking back, let’s start with the bold, risk-taking Playground Theatre, a millennial-focused troupe changing the landscape of Dayton theater with an edgy off-Broadway vibe. Case in point: An exceptionally acted, up close and personal local premiere of Reasons to Be Pretty, Neil LaBute’s scathing account of image, regret, deception, and disillusionment directed with razor sharp tension and riveting intimacy by David Brush. Fine premieres thrived elsewhere at community theaters thanks to the Dayton Theatre Guild’s lovely Outside Mullingar and Last Gas as well as Young and Heart Players’ kooky, introspective Circle Mirror Transformation. As for musicals, Dayton Playhouse scored with challenging classics 1776 and Carousel while Beavercreek Community Theatre offered highly engaging accounts of The Addams Family and Spring Awakening
Collegiate theaters also hit the mark with a solid slate of musicals. Wright State University’s Chicago, The Music Man and Miss Mayor showcased the superior quality audiences have come to expect while Sinclair Community College notably produced an infectious, playful and soul-stirring Wiz. Drama standouts included University of Dayton’s captivatingly poignant staging of the Holocaust drama And A Child Shall Lead (co-produced by Zoot Theatre Company), Sinclair’s terrifically ensemble-driven One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Clark State Community College’s commendable Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.
On professional stages, the fantastic return engagement of The Lion King gave the Victoria Theatre Association late-season momentum, but the production was actually one of an assortment of outstanding national tours this season including A Night with Janis Joplin, Once, Pippin, The Book of Mormon, and The Bridges of Madison County. Human Race Theatre Company specifically excelled with a wonderfully haunting and heartfelt Glass Menagerie. Feminine-centric Magnolia Theatre Company produced a splendid local premiere of the engrossing one-woman show K of D, but also greatly entertained with the delightful cabaret Broadway Beveled. Dare to Defy Productions pulled out the stops with American Idiot, but also impressed with the hilarious Great American Trailer Park Musical and snazzy, dance-heavy Wild Party.
Assessing the 65 shows I saw this season, I congratulate the following winners (in bold) and nominees.
Jennifer Joplin, Claire Kennedy and Scott Hunt in the Human Race Theatre Company’s production of “The Glass Menagerie” (Photo by Scott J. Kimmins)
(l to r) Brett Hill, Jenna Burnette, Christopher Hahn, and Kaleigh-Brooke Dillingham in “Reasons to Be Pretty” (Photo by Rachel Katz)
BEST TOURING PRODUCTION
The Book of Mormon, Victoria Theatre Association
The Bridges of Madison County, Victoria Theatre Association
Disney’s The Lion King, Victoria Theatre Association
Once, Victoria Theatre Association
Pippin,Victoria Theatre Association
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Victoria Theatre Association
BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
The Glass Menagerie,Human Race Theatre Company
The K of D, An Urban Legend, Magnolia Theatre Company
Master Class, Human Race Theatre Company
Steel Magnolias, Human Race Theatre Company
BEST LOCALLY-PRODUCED PROFESSIONAL MUSICAL
A Christmas Story: The Musical, La Comedia Dinner Theatre
American Idiot, Dare to Defy Productions
The Full Monty, Human Race Theatre Company
The Great American Trailer Park Musical,Dare to Defy Productions
The Wild Party,Dare to Defy Productions
BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Circle Mirror Transformation, Young at Heart Players
Fools,Undercroft Players
Last Gas,Dayton Theatre Guild
Outside Mullingar, Dayton Theatre Guild
Reasons to Be Pretty, Playground Theatre
BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
1776, Dayton Playhouse
The Addams Family,Beavercreek Community Theatre
Carousel, Dayton Playhouse
Spring Awakening, Beavercreek Community Theatre
BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
A Streetcar Named Desire, Wright State University
And A Child Shall Lead, University of Dayton with Zoot Theatre Company
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Clark State Community College
The Great Gatsby, Wright State University
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sinclair Community College
BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Chicago, Wright State University
Miss Mayor, Wright State University
The Music Man, Wright State University
Once Upon a Mattress, University of Dayton
The Wiz, Sinclair Community College
Dayton native and Wright State University grad Annie Pesch Contributed photo
BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
A Night with Janis Joplin, Victoria Theatre Association
American Mosaic, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Opera, Dayton Ballet, Human Race Theatre Company, Muse Machine, DCDC, and Bach Society of Dayton
An Evening with Jason Robert Brown, Wright State University Musical Theatre Initiative
Mary Poppins, Muse Machine
Tarzan,Epiphany Lutheran Church
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mike Beerbower as Anthony Reilly, Outside Mullingar
Saul Caplan as Roy Cohn, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Tommy DiMassimo as Stanley Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire
Christopher Hahn as Greg, Reasons to Be Pretty
Scott Hunt as Tom Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie
David Shough as Joseph Alsop, The Columnist (Dayton Theatre Guild)
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Christine Brunner as Truvy, Steel Magnolias
Jenna Burnette as Steph, Reasons to Be Pretty
Teresa Connair as Rosemary Muldoon, Outside Mullingar
Jenna Gomes as Becky, Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild)
Ellie Margolis as Blanche DuBois, A Streetcar Named Desire
Annie Pesch as The Girl, The K of D, An Urban Legend
BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Christian Johnson as Bert, Mary Poppins
Nathan Robert Pecchia as Harold Hill, The Music Man
Layne Roate as Johnny, American Idiot
Andrew Samonsky as Robert Kincaid, The Bridges of Madison County
Jeff Sams as Billy Bigelow, Carousel
Cody Jamison Strand as Elder Cunningham, The Book of Mormon
BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Pictured: Carolyn Popp, Christine Brunner, Caitlin Larsen, Patricia Linhart and Maretta Zilic
Kaitlyn Davidson as Ella, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as Girl, Once
Gabrielle McClinton as Leading Player, Pippin
Bailey Rose as Roxie Hart, Chicago
Brianna Russ as Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins
Elizabeth Stanley as Francesca Johnson, The Bridges of Madison County
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Eric Arntz as Martin Lowy, And A Child Shall Lead
Sean Frost as Louis Ironson, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Cody Lewis as Harold “Mitch” Mitchell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Dave Nickel as Tony Reilly, Outside Mullingar
John Spitler as Dr. Zubritsky, Fools
Drew Vidal as Jim O’Connor, The Glass Menagerie
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Megan Cooper as Theresa, Circle Mirror Transformation
The cast of Dayton Playhouse’s production of “1776” (Photo by Art Fabian)
Kaleigh-Brooke Dillingham as Carly, Reasons to Be Pretty
Claire Kennedy as Laura Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie
Caitlin Larsen as Ouiser, Steel Magnolias
Pam McGinnis as Freida, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Dayton Playhouse)
Rachel Wilson as Cherry-Tracy Pulcifer, Last Gas
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Tim Rezash as John Dickinson, 1776
John Rubenstein as Charles, Pippin
Tyler Simms as Amos Hart, Chicago
J. Gary Thompson as Jigger Craigin, Carousel
Malcolm Walker as The Wiz, The Wiz
Richard Young as Benjamin Franklin, 1776
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Cecily Dowd as Winifred Banks, Mary Poppins
Lisa Glover as Whatsername, American Idiot
Priscilla Lopez as Berthe, Pippin
Krissy McKim-Barker as Carrie Pipperidge, Carousel
Tia R. Seay as Betty, The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Megan Valle as Jacqueline “Jacq” Greer, Miss Mayor
(left to right) Rob Willoughby, Angie Thacker, Tori Kocher, Tia R. Seay, Eric Julian Walker, and Hayley Penchoff appear in Dare to Defy Productions’ presentation of “The Great American Trailer Park Musical.” (Contributed photo; not pictured Lisa Glover)
BREAKTHROUGH MALE PERFORMANCE
Evan Benjamin as Jack, Into the Woods (Dare to Defy Productions)
David E. Brandt as The Lion, The Wiz
Brett Hill as Kent, Reasons to Be Pretty
Dakota Mullins as Tommy Djilas, The Music Man
Thomas Cole Schreier as St. Jimmy, American Idiot
Eric Thompson as Enoch Snow, Carousel
BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Bryana Bentley as Rose, Fences (The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show/Sinclair Community College)
Caroline Chisholm as Velma Kelly, Chicago
Natalie Girard as Evelyn “Evie” Ensler (a.k.a. Helen Hensler), Miss Mayor
Adrienne (Adee) McFarland as Julie Jordan, Carousel
Vanae Pate as Dorothy, The Wiz
Madeline Sensenstein as Myrtle Wilson, The Great Gatsby
BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Kimberly Borst, The K of D, An Urban Legend
David Brush, Reasons to Be Pretty
Greg Hellems, The Glass Menagerie
David Shough, Outside Mullingar
Jerome Yorke, And A Child Shall Lead
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Marya Spring Cordes, The Music Man
Joe Deer, Chicago
Chris Harmon, The Wiz
Megan Wean Sears, Tarzan
Angie Thacker, American Idiot
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Lula Elzy, Mary Poppins
Lisa Glover, The Wild Party
Kimberly Isaacs, American Idiot
Teressa Wylie McWilliams, Chicago
Rodney Veal, The Wiz
Dionysia Williams, The Music Man
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Bruce Brown, Last Gas
Matthew J. Evans, And A Child Shall Lead
Chris Newman, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Dayton Playhouse)
Chris Newman and David Shough, Outside Mullingar
Terry Stump, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Dick Block, The Full Monty
Adam Koch, Chicago
Pam Knauert Lavarnway, The Music Man
Terry Stump, The Wiz
Ray Zupp, Tarzan
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Donna Beran, And A Child Shall Lead
Carol Finley, The Columnist (Dayton Theatre Guild)
Mary Beth McLaughlin, The Great Gatsby
Janet G. Powell, Steel Magnolias
Emily Sollinger, A Streetcar Named Desire
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kathleen Carroll, 1776
Kathleen Hotmer, The Wiz
Maria Klueber and Lori Watamaniuk, Tarzan
Christie Peitzmeier, The Music Man
Michelle Sampson, Chicago
UD’s production of AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD. Photo by: Tony Beran
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Jadon Bischoff, Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild)
Daniel Brunk, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Jessica Ann Drayton, A Streetcar Named Desire
Matthew J. Evans, And A Child Shall Lead
Jessy Henning, The K of D, An Urban Legend
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Matthew Benjamin, American Idiot
Jacob Brown, The Music Man
Sammy Jelinek, Into the Woods (Dare to Defy Productions)
Gina Neuerer, The Wiz
John Rensel, Mary Poppins
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
Megan Banfield, And A Child Shall Lead
Jay Brunner, The Glass Menagerie
Emily Hutton, The K of D, An Urban Legend
Alex Koker, A Streetcar Named Desire
K.L. Storer, Last Gas
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Daniel Brunk, The Wiz
James Dunlap, Chicago
Emily Hutton, The Music Man
Chris Pentecost, Tarzan
Ben Selke, A Night with Janis Joplin
BEST ORCHESTRA
A Night with Janis Joplin (Music Director: Mark Berman)
The Bridges of Madison County (Music Director: Keith Levenson)
Chicago (Music Director: Scott Woolley)
Mary Poppins (Music Director: Claude Lucien Thomas)
The Wiz (Music Director: David McKibben; Conductor: Dr. Kenneth Kohlenberg)
BEST PROPERTIES
Jason Hamen and Adrienne Ausdenmoore, Tarzan
Jennifer Kramer, The Wiz
Heather Powell, Steel Magnolias
Shannon Sellars, Mary Poppins
Mo Stinehart, And A Child Shall Lead
ADDITIONAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- David Alfano’s video and projection design for And A Child Shall Lead
- Lynn Baudendistel, Robin Brown, Toni Donato Shade, and Alisa Vukasinovich’s costume coordination for Mary Poppins
- Brad Bishop as Gomez Addams and Becky Barrett-Jones as Morticia Addams in The Addams Family
- Jay Brunner’s incidental music for The Glass Menagerie
- David Brush and Chris Harmon’s respective reconfigurations of the Mathile Theatre and Beavercreek Community Theatre for Reasons to Be Pretty and Spring Awakening
- Steven Burton and Tim Grewe’s wig design for 1776
- The Tony-winning creative team for The Lion King: Director/designer Julie Taymor, scenic designer Richard Hudson, lighting designer Donald Holder, and choreographer Garth Fagan
- The creative team for Miss Mayor: Christian Duhamel (music and lyrics), Ellie Margolis (book) and Greg Hellems (concept/additional book)
- Micah Koverman as Colin in The Secret Garden (Playhouse South)
- Bob Crowley’s Tony-winning scenic design, Natasha Katz’s Tony-winning lighting design, John Tiffany’s Tony-winning direction, and Steven Hoggett’s movement for Once
- Tristan Cupp’s puppet design for And A Child Shall Lead
- Cicily Daniels, Tawny Dolley, Q. Smith, and Jennifer Leigh Warren as the Joplinaries in A Night with Janis Joplin
- Mary Bridget Davies’ Tony-nominated portrayal of Janis Joplin in A Night with Janis Joplin
- Elis Davis, Jordan Adams, Connor Lysholm, and Kyle Krichbaum as The Quartet in The Music Man
- Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm’s Tony-nominated sound design, Paul Kieve’s illusions, Dominique Lemieux’s Tony-nominated costumes, Scott Pask’s Tony-nominated scenic design, Diane Paulus’ Tony-winning direction, Kenneth Posner’s Tony-nominated lighting design, Gypsy Snider’s circus creation, and Chet Walker’s Tony-nominated choreography for Pippin
- Jasmine Easler as Oprah Winfrey in Miss Mayor
- Carol Finley’s costumes for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Beavercreek Community Theatre)
- TJ “Tyler” Fortson, Katelyn Gross, Ashlee Ferrell, and Maximillian Santucci in Quid Pro Quo (Sinclair Community College)
- Mierka Girten as Maria Callas, musical director Sean Michael Flowers’ accompaniment and Cassi Mikat as Sharon Graham in Master Class
- Jose Gutierrez del Arroyo as Franklin Shepard in Merrily We Roll Along (Beavercreek Community Theatre)
- Chris Harmon’s scenic design for California Suite, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress and Spring Awakening (Beavercreek Community Theatre)
- William Ivey Long’s Tony-winning costumes and Josh Rhodes’ choreography for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
- Jeffrey Mack as Tarzan in Tarzan
- Gary Minyard’s fight choreography for She Kills Monsters (Sinclair)
- Wendi Michael’s scenic design for Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild)
- Jared Mola as Nat Paradis and Rick Flynn as Guy Gagnon in Last Gas
- The Murderesses of “Cell Block Tango” in Chicago (Caroline Chisholm, Alex Caldwell, Haylee Dobkins, Alyson Snyder, Megan Valle, and Meredith Zahn)
- Chris Newman’s scenic design for The Diary of Anne Frank (Dayton Playhouse)
- Casey Nicholaw’s Tony-winning choreography of The Book of Mormon
- Annie Pesch and Fran Pesch’s rendition of “No More” in Broadway Beveled: A Feminine Cabaret
- Micah Stock as Tom Wingfield (The Glass Menagerie) in American Mosaic
- Matthew Tabor’s Hungarian dialect coaching for Chicago
- Deborah Thomas’ dialect coaching for The Great Gatsby
- André Tomlinson, Bryana Bentley, Greyson Calvert, and Rebecca Henry as The Yellow Brick Road in The Wiz
- ZFX, Inc.’s flying effects for Tarzan
Coming Up In Dayton Theatre, 6/14 – 6/23
There are a lot of things closing, opening and running this weekend. Plenty of things to see and even some good fare to take the family, including Dad! Theatre tickets make an awesome Father’s Day gift. Does he like humor? Music? Laughing? Everything Dayton offers up this weekend features all three! Check it out!
Closing This Weekend!
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
The Dayton Playhouse
The Skinny: Something familiar, something peculiar. Something for everyone! A comedy tonight! Come see the Dayton Playhouse take on one of Stephen Sondheim’s funniest and best loved pieces. A farcical love story taking place in a fictionalized idea of Ancient Rome. A father-son dynamic is at the heart of this piece! Perfect for Father’s Day! So take your dad to see the matinee and then buy him Chinese Buffet for dinner afterwards! Or maybe that’s just my family tradition?
Dates: Closing Sunday, 6/16
Tickets: Please visit the Dayton Playhouse website at www.daytonplayhouse.com
Currently In Production!
Avenue Q
The Human Race Theatre Company
The Skinny: Don’t let the puppets and the “Sesame Street” skin tones confuse you; THIS IS NOT FOR KIDS. Avenue Q is a riotously funny, politically incorrect and downright raunchy Tony Award-winning musical about recent college grad Princeton and his funny, sometimes furry, friends who live at the very end of New York’s (in)famous Alphabet City. Featuring songs like, “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist,” “It Sucks To Be Me,” and of course that battle cry of the internet age: “The Internet Is For Porn!” seriously this show is NOT FOR KIDS. But it is for adults who like to laugh really hard.
Dates: Through June 29th.
Tickets: Please visit the Human Race Theatre Company website at www.humanracetheatre.org. Have we mentioned that this production is NOT FOR KIDS?
The Sound Of Music
La Comedia Dinner Theatre
The Skinny: Ok, this one is safe for all the family…unless they’re offended by cherubic singing siblings and Nazi-fighting nuns! This is the well-loved classic, and a perennial crowd pleaser. Join The Captain, Maria and all 7 children as they sing, dance and, eventually, cross the Alps.
Dates: Through 6/30
Tickets: Please visit the La Comedia website at www.lacomedia.org
Opening this Weekend!
Legally Blonde The Musical
Beavercreek Community Theatre
The Skinny: To quote its opening number: “Oh my god, oh my god you guys!”, it’s another production of Legally Blonde! This charming and enjoyable musical (based on the movie) takes the stage now at Beavercreek Community Theatre. Come join the plucky Elle Woods as she follows her “true love” to Harvard Law. There she gets a taste of hard work, the real world, and maybe learns to rely on her smarts more than her, well, blondeness.
Date: Opening 6/21 and running through 6/30
Tickets: Please visit the Beavercreek Community Theatre website at www.bctheatre.com
FutureFest Update:
Just a heads up, all the shows for FutureFest weekend have been cast and have begun, or will be soon be beginning, rehearsal! Exciting! For more information about the shows and about Dayton’s own FutureFest, a nationally known festival of new works, go to www.daytonplayhouse.com and click the “FutureFest” tab.
Coming up in Dayton Theatre 3/15 – 3/24
In Julius Caesar, the Shakespeare classic, a soothesayer memorably tells the eponymous ruler to “Beware the Ides of March.” Luckily for you and I and everyone else, this Ides brings nothing about which to be wary, but plenty about which you should be aware! For instance:
Opening This Weekend!
Grand Hotel
Wright State University Theatre
The Skinny: Based on the 1929 Vicki Baum novel and play, Menschen im Hotel (People in a Hotel), and the subsequent 1932 MGM feature film, the musical focuses on events taking place over the course of a weekend in an elegant hotel in 1928 Berlin and the intersecting stories of the eccentric guests of the hotel, including a fading prima ballerina; a fatally ill Jewish bookkeeper, who wants to spend his final days living in luxury; a young, handsome, but destitute Baron; a cynical doctor; and a typist dreaming of Hollywood success.
Dates: Opening this weekend and running through March 31st.
Tickets: Please visit the Wright State Theatre Department website for all ticketing details.
Alice In Wonderland
Kettering Children’s Theatre
The Skinny: Alice In Wonderland is a retelling of the classic tale of…Alice In Wonderland! The girl, the rabbit hole, the queen, the (Cheshire) cat and all the other delightfully daffy classic characters are present in this production, which features original sets inspired by a local artist! This is a great event for families with young ones, who will enjoy that KCT is theatre for children and by children, with its cast comprised of students grades 5-9.
Dates: Alice opens 3/15 and runs two weekends, closing on 3/24.
Tickets: Tickets are available at the door, by purchase with cash or a check, and are able to be reserved by calling the Rosewood Arts Center office at (937) 296-0294.
Currently In Production!
9 to 5 – The Musical
La Comedia Dinner Theatre
The Skinny: The classic 1980 black comedy about 3 working women who are just a step on their boss’s ladder was transformed in 2009 into a hit Broadway musical. Dolly Parton, who starred in the original movie alongside Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, wrote new original music to compliment her smash hit title single. After the ladies plan for revenge goes wildly awry, hijiks, as they so often due in musical theatre, ensue!
Dates: Running through April 14th!
Tickets: Tickets and reservations are available at the La Comedia website, www.lacomedia.com.
Closing This Weekend!
Thoroughly Modern Millie
The Dayton Playhouse
The Skinny: Taking us back to 1922 with the sensation of flappers, the thrill of a budding mystery and the bliss of falling in love, this musical will get your toes tapping as spring peeks ’round the corner. Based on the on 1967 film musical of the same name starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore, this one will have you humming as you leave the theatre.
Dates: Millie takes her final bow this weekend, closing on 3/17
Tickets: Please visit the Dayton Playhouse website at www.daytonplayhouse.com
Broadway in the ‘Burg
Children’s Performing Arts of Miamisburg
The Skinny: The talented cast will be telling you to Consider Yourself at Home from Oliver, be transported back in time to magical Camelot and ride a train in Iowa to Rock Island from Music Man. Cinderella dances with the Prince in the romantic Ten Minutes Ago and the whole cast will bring you to your feet with the blockbuster title number from Oklahoma!
Dates: March 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17. Show times are Fridays at 7:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: Tickets are on sale now at http://www.cpamburg.com
Coming up in Dayton Theater: 1/25 – 2/3
Welcome back, theatre lovers and seers and makers and doers! Time to once-again check in on our little corner of the theatre world here in Dayton, and see what the next fortnight shall bring!
Closing This Weekend!
Shrek! The Musical!
The Victoria Theatre
The Skinny: Based on the hilarious original movie, this family-friendly and crowd-pleasing musical includes music featured in the movie as well as wonderful original songs.
Dates: Closing on Sunday, 1/27
Tickets: Please visit Tickets Center Stage for all ticketing information; www.ticketcenterstage.com
Ghosts
The Dayton Theatre Guild
The Skinny: The ‘‘ghosts’’ in this play are taboo topics that cannot be openly discussed. This drama is one of Ibsen’s most powerful works, but also one of his most controversial. Family sins are revisited when a son returns home to dedicate an orphanage in his father’s name and becomes involved in a tryst that ends in the painful knowledge of long suppressed family truths.
Dates: Closing this weekend, on 1/27.
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased online at the DTG website, here.
Opening This Weekend!
The Importance of Being Earnest
The Dayton Playhouse
The Skinny: Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of manners is both a romance, if tongue-in-cheek, and a sly personal commentary on the British class system. Also, it’s hilarious.
Dates: Opening Friday, 1/25 and running two weekends to close on Sunday, 2/3. On Saturday, 2/2, there will be a special “Afternoon Tea” performance including a high tea featuring treats from one of Dayton’s most-charming confectionery shoppes, Sweet Nothings (www.getsweetnothings.com).
Tickets: Tickets for all performances, including the special Afternoon Tea, are available online, here.
1913: The Great Dayton Flood
Wright State University
The Skinny: By W. Stuart McDowell and Timothy Nevits, inspired by the book A Time of Terror: The Great Dayton Flood by Allan W. Eckert, with recorded narration by Martin Sheen, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.
Dates: Opening Thursday, 1/24 and running three weekends to close Sunday, 2/10.
Tickets: Ticketing information is available at the WSU Theatre Dept website, here.
Steppin’ Out
Beavercreek Community Theatre
The Skinny: Steppin’ Out is the story of Mavis, a former professional chorus girl who tries her hardest to teach a group of bumbling amateurs some terpsichorean skills for an upcoming recital. But before the dancing begins Mavis must mediate the minor dramas that erupt among this motley but loveable crew on their way to triumph at their recital.
Dates: Opening Friday, 1/25 and running 2 weekends to close on Sunday, 2/3.
Tickets: For all ticketing information, please visit the BCT website, here.
Currently Running!
The Dixie Swim Club
La Comedia Dinner Theatre
The Skinny: An hilarious and touching comedy about five unforgettable Southern women, and the bond of friendships that last a lifetime.
Dates: Running through March 3rd. This production has no Wednesday performances.
Ticketing: Tickets are available at the La Comedia website, and include their well-loved dinner buffet. Visit lacomedia.com for further details.
On Stage Dayton Theatre Guide: 2011-12
Every new theater season in Dayton seems to be ripe with variety. It’s one of the great joys of the Dayton theatre scene that the ‘something for everyone’ cliche actually rings true. 2011-2012 is already proving to be among the most eclectic yet. This season promises……
- parents behaving badly (God Of Carnage) AND children behaving badly (Spring Awakening)
- romance of the sweet and fun kind (Hairspray) and of the creepy kind (The Phantom of the Opera)
- true stories of tragedy (The Laramie Project) and of triumph (Jersey Boys)
- journeys down familar roads (The Wizard of Oz) and unexpected ones (Caroline, Or Change)
- wistful nostalgia (Lost in Yonkers) and celebratory joy (In The Heights)
- even swashbuckling adventure (How I Became A Pirate) and cartwheels on Austrian mountainsides (The Sound of Music)
Below you’ll find On Stage Dayton’s picks for the most anticipated offerings for the 2011-2012 Dayton Theatre Season. It’s just a small sampling of a very full year of stage work. And with this official launch, you can count on OSD to be there all season long.
Russell’s Picks
If you like ‘The Help’ you’ll like…
Caroline, or Change
The Human Race Theatre Company offers the overdue local premiere of this dynamic 2004 Tony Award-nominated musical from librettist/Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner (“Angels in America”) and composer Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”). A potent study of race relations set in 1963 Louisiana, “Caroline, or Change” chronicles the testy yet engaging relationship between a headstrong African-American maid and her Jewish employers. Tesori’s sublime music encompasses klezmer, opera and Motown.
If you like ‘Mamma Mia!’ or ‘The Sopranos’ you’ll like…
Jersey Boys
The local premiere of “Jersey Boys,” the sleek, sharp and surprisingly tender story of pop legends Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is the hallmark of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Good Samaritan and Miami Valley Hospitals Broadway Series. One of the most popular jukebox musicals of the last decade and the recipient of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, “Jersey Boys” features such timeless numbers as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”
If you like ‘Dallas’ you’ll like…
Dividing the Estate
Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Horton Foote’s authentic, relevant 2009 Tony Award-nominated portrait of a Texas clan at odds will receive its local premiere courtesy of the Dayton Theatre Guild. Centered on a tough traditionalist matriarch and her squabbling children, “Dividing the Estate” uncovers the harsh realities that arise when economics and legacy threaten to tear a family apart.
If you like ‘The Full Monty’ you’ll like…
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Clark State Community College provides the local collegiate premiere of librettist Jeffrey Lane and composer David Yazbek’s 2005 Tony Award-nominated musical based on the 1988 film of the same name. Yazbek, an outstanding songwriter, had great success with his critically acclaimed adaptation of “The Full Monty,” co-created by Terrence McNally, and the con artist-driven “Scoundrels” shares an appealingly naughty kinship. The “Scoundrels” national tour failed to connect four years ago at the Schuster Center, but perhaps Clark State will give the hilarious material the solid treatment it deserves.
If you like the Muse Machine you’ll like…
The Wizard of Oz
Dorothy’s ruby slippers will sparkle once more thanks to the Muse Machine, Dayton’s premier arts education organization celebrating its 30th year. The memories of Muse’s 1996 “Oz” production remain indelibly etched in my mind (the Broadway caliber performances of Tyler Maynard as the Scarecrow and Tory Ross as the Wicked Witch of the West were particularly extraordinary), but it will be refreshing to see a new generation tackle the iconic musical. Expect another Muse hit you will not want to miss.
Jane’s Best Bets (6/15 – 6/19)
Photo Credit: Alli Shillito
After two weeks free of Jane’s Best Bets, you may have thought that you had successfully gotten rid of me (and my dumb jokes). Sorry to burst your bubble, but that is not the case. Here is a listing of some events going on this week, including the opening of The Lion King. Speaking of lions, let’s go ahead and get to the “mane” events!
On Wednesday, bring out your creative side with Creative Card Making at the Dayton Art Institute. For those of you thinking of starting your own business, make your way to The Entrepreneurs Center for their New Business Information Session. At the Fraze, enjoy the Austrian Festival Spass Nacht…which is absolutely free! Listen to Jazz on the Green at Yankee Trace Golf Club. And finally, I’m not “lion” to you when I tell you that you don’t want to miss Disney’s The Lion King, which is being performed at the Schuster Center. (It is being performed through July 10th, so even if you don’t get to see it this week, you’ll still have an opportunity!)
On Thursday, all you gardening gurus can put your talents to good use at Riverscape as part of RiverScape Gardeners. I’m definitely not in that crop. Instead of planting my own garden, I’d prefer to get vegetables at the grocery or at a place like Centerville Farmers Market, located at Centerville Shopping Center. If you are all about networking and live up north (or don’t mind making your way up there), attend ‘Be An Exceptional Presenter’, which is a free networking event featuring Gary Mull as the guest speaker at Club 55. At the Dayton Art Institute, attend the Twilight Concert (not to be confused with that Twilight vampire series, which I am still clueless about). Let your hair down (or put your hair back) and head to La Comedia to see the popular musical Hair Spray. Or go to Veteran’s Park Amphitheater for Annie Get Your Gun. And if you feel like singing yourself, make your way to Champps for Karaoke Thursdays.
The Fabulous Menus!
On Friday, all live music lovers will want to attend the Ole’ Tyme Music Festival at Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village. If you’re not there, then I order you to catch one of my favorite bands, The Menus, as they play at Sharkey’s. Beer lovers should make plans to attend the 6th International Beer Fest at Jungle Jim’s. At Fifth Third Field, watch as the Dragons take on the Lansing Lugnuts. And if you want to experience theater, be sure to get your tickets to see Hair Spray at La Comedia, Annie Get Your Gun at Veterans Memorial Park, Disney’s The Lion King at the Schuster Center, or The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show at The Loft Theatre
On Saturday, visit Practice Yoga on Fifth for their Birthday Party/Open House, which will include FREE classes, live music, mini-massages, and much more! Don’t know how to bake but love to decorate? Consider heading to Ele Cake Company and decorate a cake for your dad for their Father’s Day DYO Cake. It’s picnicking season, so find out about Healthy Picnic Foods at PNC 2nd Street Market. While downtown, you’ll also be able to participate in the Kayak Float/Ride the River Rentals at RiverScape and then later listen to the sounds of Bonneville as part of the Free Summer Concert Series. All 
you 80s music lovers should go go to the Fraze to catch the GoGo’s and the B-52’s as part of Mix 107.7 Summerfest. I just couldn’t keep my lips sealed about that one. If you would prefer to stay inside, then catch one of these shows: Disney’s The Lion King (Schuster Center), Hair Spray (La Comedia), or Annie Get Your Gun (Veterans Memorial Park). And if you want to get groovin’, head to Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village for the Ole’ Tyme Music Festival.
On Sunday, be sure to wish the fathers you know a Happy Father’s Day. Several places will be offering brunch, including the Dayton Woman’s Club (I find that kind of ironic), Boulevard Haus, Blind Bob’s, or the Dublin Pub. Afterwards, take your dad to watch the Dragons play the Lansing Lugnuts at Fifth-Third Field. And if he likes doing outdoor activities, take him to RiverScape where there will be Ride the River Rentals.
And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…
What do you call a show full of lions?
The mane event.
These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!
Have a great week Dayton!
Coming Up in Dayton Theatre – 12/23 – 01/05
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2010 – WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2011
La Comedia: White Christmas / Photo Credit: La Comedia Dinner Theatre
Somehow, Christmas is only two days from today. Wow. It’s hard to decide what my favorite parts of the holidays would be, but if I had to choose, I think I might say:
1. Christmas Cookies – and, especially, buckeyes! We have an amazing buckeye recipe that is neither too peanut buttery and sticky nor too dry, and whenever we make any, they disappear almost instantly.
2. Family and Friends – yes, I have the same family and friends the other 364 days of the year, too. But, I love that the holidays provide a great opportunity to have people over and spend time with those I love. It’s easy to miss people not there more than usual on the holidays, especially the people I wish could be there to celebrate with us. but that only seems to make the time I can spend with people even more precious.
3. Holiday music and movies – I mean, it wouldn’t be a holiday without something artistic, right? My sister and I watch a musical version of “A Christmas Carol” every year, and a few days ago, I curled up with coffee and a blanket to watch “White Christmas.” I’m rarely in the mood for Christmas until I’ve watched at least one great holiday movie.
It seems like those highlights are at the top lists of many others, too. Speaking of all of those things (food, fellowship, and… films!), it’s not too late to catch this production that’s closing soon…
White Christmas
LA COMEDIA DINNER THEATRE
The Story: In the stage adaptation of the classic 1954 film, two WWII veterans, now successful song-and-dance performers, follow a duo of singing sisters en route to their Christmas show in Vermont, hoping for romance. But the 80 degree weather has everyone dreaming of a white Christmas! Enjoy great dinner and the show.
Dates: through December 31, 2010
Tickets and More Information: La Comedia: White Christmas , DMM event
Instead of just watching a holiday movie this year, go with your family to see a show – you could even consider starting a new tradition of doing so. I hope you all enjoy the next couple of weeks, and take the opportunity to let those around you know you love them. The 2011 year already promises to be a busy one in Dayton area theatre, so make sure to keep following onStageDayton at DaytonMostMetro.com for all your theatre news and reviews.
Happy holidays!
~KN
SUBMITTED PRESS RELEASES
We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected]
Jane’s Best Bets (12/22 – 12/26)
Photo Credit: Alli Shillito
It’s so hard to believe that Christmas is this week! I bet many of you are continuing to do your Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, and decorating, so I’m going to keep it brief. Here are a few entertainment options if you can make some time during this busy week!
On Wednesday, to get in the true spirit of Christmas, attend At the Manger or the Narrative Enchantment: Nativity Stories in Gold and Blue, both at the University of Dayton. If you need to unwind after all that Christmas shopping, attend the Wine Tasting at Dorothy Lane Market, the Weekly Wine Tasting at The Wine Gallery, or the Naughty & Nice Beer Tasting at Heather’s Coffee & Café. I know some geese can get on your nerves, but if you don’t mind them, attend the Annual Goose Dinner at C’est Tout. And if you’d like to add a little mystery to your dinner, attend the Mayhem & Mystery Dinner Theatre ‘Hollywood Holiday’ at the Spaghetti Warehouse.
On Thursday, do some holiday “sightseeing” by checking out Virginia Kettering’s Holiday Train Display at the Kettering Tower, the Washington Township Woodland Lights, or Wonderland Windows at the Schuster Center. My almost 7-month old niece went last week to see the windows and she told me she had a good time. In order to complete your holiday shopping, visit The Tike’s Shop at the Schuster Center, the Beer & Peanuts Shopping Party at the Dayton Visual Arts Center, or Live Art, Give Art! at the Cannery Art and Design Center. If you would like to make the holidays better for those less fortunate, bring a non-perishable item as part of Food for Friends at PNC 2nd Street Market or as part of the Holiday Food Drive at the Cannery Art and Design Center. And if you’re a music lover, attending Holidayton at Blind Bob’s is a must, as several bands/musicians will be performing!
On Christmas Eve (Friday) and Christmas Day (Saturday), hopefully you’ll be celebrating with your family/friends! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Please be sure to celebrate responsibly! If you plan to celebrate the holidays with alcohol, have a DD or take advantage of the “Arrive Safe” program. From December 24th-26th, Montgomery County residents can get a free cab ride (up to $50). Just program 449-9999 in your cell phone!
On Sunday, I’m guessing you’ll probably want to relax or get up early to get some good shopping deals, return/exchange that ugly Christmas sweater, and/or use any gift cards you may have gotten! If you are sick and tired of all things Christmas and feel like doing something totally unrelated, you can head over to the Dayton Art Institute for one of their exhibits, including 100 Years of African-American Art: The Arthur Primas Collection, Marking the Past/Shaping the Present: The Art of Willis ‘Bing’ Davis, or the Max May Memorial Holocaust Art Exhibition. And if you would like to remain in the spirit of Christmas, check out the Washington Township Woodland Lights, Virginia Kettering’s Holiday Train Display at the Kettering Tower, or Irving Berlin’s White Christmas at La Comedia.
And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…
Why is it so cold at Christmas?
Because it’s in Decembrrrr!
These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!
Have a great week Dayton!
Jane’s Best Bets (12/15 – 12/19)
Photo Credit: Alli Shillito
If you had one, I hope you enjoyed your 2-hour delay or day off due to the snow this week! If not, I’m sorry! There are again lots of things to do this week, so even if jackfrost is nipping at your nose, don’t make it a big deal…bundle up and get out of that house!
On Wednesday, start the day at Taco Bell for Free Breakfast Wednesday. At lunchtime, there are several events going on downtown. You will be able to hear yuletide carols being sung by a choir if you attend the Dayton Holiday Festival’s Noontime Entertainment or the Noonday Carol Singat Westminster Presbyterian Church. If you work or volunteer for a non-profit, you’ll want to attend Results Now for Nonprofits at the main branch of the Dayton Metro Library. The colors of Christmas are red and green, so get in half of that spirit by attending the ‘Green’ Social Networking event at Franco’s. For you winos, attend the Wine Tasting at Dorothy Lane Market or the Weekly Wine Tastingat The Wine Gallery. If you’re a beero, attend the Mt Camel Beer Tastingat A Taste of Wine in Miamisburg. At the Spaghetti Warehouse, attend their Mayhem & Mystery Dinner Theatre ‘Hollywood Holiday’…if it’s too scary, you will find it hard to sleep tonight. For you corny folk like me, attend the Customer Appreciation Christmas Partyat Barleycorn’s, where it will be happy hour all day and there will be visits and gifts from Santa. And finally on Wednesday, at The Loft Theatre, attend 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s or catch The Wonder Bread Years at Victoria Theatre.
On Thursday, visit Santa at the PNC Second Street Market. Again at your lunch hour, attend the Dayton Holiday Festival’s Noontime Entertainment going on downtown. If you are a young professional who lives/works north of town, join HYPE (Helping Young Professionals Emerge) at The Caroline as part of their Third Thursday. In order to try a new beer or two, attend the Sierra Nevada Celebration at Spinoza’s or the Christmas Beer Dinner at Thai 9. I’m talking to you about beer, so I’m offering this simple phrase: Don’t drink and drive. Over at the Dayton Art Institute, watch as the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Presents African Americans in American Life. While there, take advantage of their Free Third Thursdays. Or crank out some tunes by attending Karaoke with DJ Carlat Therapy Café.
On Friday, there are many options for your lunch hour. If you would like to have lunch with an awesome group of young professionals, RSVP to the wonderful Andy Hickey and attend Generation Dayton’s 4th Friday lunchat Rue Dumaine (it’s actually the third Thursday this month because of Christmas!). Or, attend Bach’s Lunch feat. Carillon Brass, a band of brass instrument musicians, whose members are all part of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Plus, the concert is absolutely FREE! According to my schedule, fish fry season doesn’t officially start until the Holy Angels fish fry in January, but you don’t have to wait that long for a little fish as you’ll be able to have an All You Can Eat Fish 
Dinnerat Romer’s Bar and Grill. For those of us who still need to finish our Christmas shopping, we’re in luck as there is a Holiday Bazaar at Valeria’s Beauty Center and Day Spa. Don’t feel like cooking? Attend the Christmas Candlelight Dinner at the Dayton Woman’s Club. Or attend the December Wine and Food Extravaganzaat Kroger Fresh Fare. I looked at the menu and it sounds absolutely amazing, as there are many foods whose names I don’t know how to pronounce! To burn off all those calories, grab your ice skates and head over to RiversScape for their DJ Skate: Holiday and Top 40. Or if you feel like just kicking back, consider purchasing tickets to one of the many shows going on in the area, including Junie B. Jones; Jingle Bells, Batman Smells at Town Hall Theatre, The Nutcrackerat the Schuster Center, 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre, Christmas Belles at the Dayton Playhouse, the The Wonder Bread Years at Victoria Theatre, or Irving Berlin’s White Christmasat La Comedia.
Plan to make Saturday a day with your kids…or at least part of it. And if you’re like me and don’t have any kids, you can just act like one, or perhaps give somebody’s parents a break and borrow one. (My mom said she wished somebody would borrow me. Yep, she actually said that…luckily followed by a just kidding!) So with kid/s in tow, attend Breakfast with Santa at Carillon Park or stop by the PNC 2nd Street Market as Santa Visits the Market, where he has probably loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh! While there, drop off your non-perishable items for 
Food for Friends. In addition to helping those who are less fortunate, you’ll also be setting a great example for the little ones! You can then visit the Wonderland Windows and do a little shopping at The Tike’s Shop, which are both at the Schuster Center. At Kettering Tower, check out Virginia Kettering’s Holiday Train Display. A little later, take those kiddos to The Neon to watch ‘The Grinch’ as part of their Family Movie Series. Looking for a pet? Consider attending the Iams Home 4 the Holiday Pet Adopt-a-thon Event.
There are many other options for Saturday as well! If you’d like to see a show, consider seeing Christmas Belles at the Dayton Playhouse, The Wonder Bread Years at Victoria Theatre, The Nutcrackerat the Schuster Center, Junie B. Jones; Jingle Bells, Batman Smells at Town Hall Theatre, or 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at the Loft Theatre. Help to make the season bright by attending the Musica! Christmas Seasonal Concertat Fairhaven Church. I have heard that Musica! has been working hard to put on a great performance! All you “Flyer Faithful” will want to be at the UD Arena as the Flyers take on Western Carolina. And although I have never been to one, you can also attend The Mu Crew Christmas Drag Showto benefit the AIDS Resource Center…there might not be folks dressed up like eskimos, but I am sure they will be wearing some interesting clothes! I didn’t mean for it to, but that sort of rhymed…I guess I’m a poet and didn’t even know it.
On Sunday, have a Victorian Christmas Brunch at the Dayton Woman’s Club. You will also have the opportunity to take your child to the Schuster Center to have Some-Fun, see the Wonderland Windows display, and shop at The Tike’s Shop…I’m sure there will be lots of tiny tots with their eyes all aglow! If you love architecture, then you will definitely want to attend the Architectural Church Tour which will take you through four different churches built in the late 
19th/early 20th century. This shuttled tour is 100% free! If you didn’t get a chance to see Musica! perform on Saturday night, consider checking them out at the Lutheran Church of our Savior for their Christmas Seasonal Concert. And for some theater options, go to the Dayton Playhouse to see Christmas Belles, the Victoria Theatre for The Wonder Bread Years, the Schuster Center for The Nutcracker, Town Hall Theatre for Junie B. Jones; Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, La Comedia for Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, or The loft Theatre for 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s. And if you would like somebody to hit your funny bone, see Latin Kings of Comedy- Alex Reymundo at Dayton Funny Bone. I have two funny bones, but I think Dayton only has one.
And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…
Why does Santa have three gardens?
So he can hoe hoe hoe.
These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!
Although it’s been said many times, many ways, have a GREAT week Dayton!
