 |
Art Imitates Life
 |
Michael Monks and Stephen Martin portray a gay couple hoping to marry in Ovation's Avow
|
One final regional premiere is coming our way this summer, thanks to OVATION THEATRE COMPANY -- AVOW, a thought-provoking comedy written in 2000 by Bill C. Davis, best known for his 1981 play, Mass Appeal. In Avow, Brian and Tom, a gay couple, ask their liberal, forward-thinking parish priest to witness and bless their vows to each other. Although he understands their feelings, the priest holds that they must live a celibate life if they wish to be part of the Church. (How timely in Cincinnati, where the pastor of the Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church was expelled for conducting a gay marriage ceremony earlier this year.) Director JOE STOLLENWERK says, "I do think Davis wanted to challenge people, but he never gets in your face with any propaganda." In fact, Stollenwerk thinks audiences will respond most to the show's comic elements: "I definitely think this play is a comedy, but it's not mindless slapstick. Rose, the mother (of Brian), is one of the funniest characters I've ever read." The play will provoke conversation, he believes. "You can really talk about it at dinner or over drinks after the show. I don't necessarily want to change anyone's mind about gay marriage or married priests, but I want them to think about those things and why they may think what they think." Avow opens Friday and continues through Aug. 9 at the Fifth Third Bank Theater. Ovation's entire 2002-03 season has offered plays new to Cincinnati audiences, including their well-received April production of The Diary of Anne Frank, which sold out seven of its nine performances. Tickets: 513-241-7469 ...
Speaking of new plays, it's tough to predict schedules and deliveries when a theater is dedicated to producing new works. That's why it's not particularly unusual for ENSEMBLE THEATRE OF CINCINNATI (ETC) to need to revise its season. "We embrace change when it benefits our audience and gives Cincinnati the best season possible," says D. LYNN MEYERS, ETC's producing artistic director, as she announces several changes for the coming year. Instead of The Prince and the Pauper, ETC will bring back David Kisor and Joseph McDonough's 1998 holiday musical, ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Dec. 3-28). The previously announced world premiere of Prairie Spring: The Legend of the Orphan Train will continue its development in two workshops; Meyers now plans to open her 2004-2005 season with the musical. For March 17-April 4, 2004, ETC has added THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE by Debra Brevoort, which won the 2001 Kennedy Center Fund for American Plays Award. Based on the aftermath of the 1998 plane crash caused by a terrorist's bomb, it's a modern play written in the tradition of Greek tragedy. Meyers has assembled an all-star cast for Lockerbie including AMY WARNER (recently seen in ETC's The Guys), PEGGY COSGRAVE and ANNIE FITZPATRICK (who brought Women Who Steal to life) and SHERMAN FRACHER (from ETC's CEA winner, Three Days of Rain). The previously announced Stones in His Pocket moves to April 28-May 16. Meyers also announced the Off-Center/On-Stage Series which includes Thomas M. Atkinson's Cuttings (Oct. 30-Nov. 1), Kia Corthron's Breath, Boom (Feb. 19-28), Janet Vogt and Mark Friedman's musical about Harriet Beecher Stowe, River of Freedom (April 15-17) and ETC's intern showcase (May 20-22). ETC kicks off Cincinnati's 2003-2004 theater season on Sept. 3 with its production of NITE CLUB CONFIDENTIAL, starring Tony nominee PAM MYERS (who also happens to be a multiple winner of Cincinnati Entertainment Awards). For ETC ticket and subscription information: 513-421-3555 ...
Speaking of the CEAs, last week I described how we come up with our theater nominees. This week I'd like to invite readers to e-mail me suggestions for performances or productions they found memorable during the 2002-2003 theater season. We try to be comprehensive in our overview, but it always helps to have additional opinions. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
E-mail Rick Pender
 Printer-friendly version
Previously in Curtain Call
Curtain Call: Theaters, Actors, Etc. CEA's Lucky Number
By Rick Pender
(July 23, 2003)
Curtain Call: Theaters, Actors, Etc. Newports New Lunch
By Rick Pender
(July 16, 2003)
Curtain Call: Theaters, Actors, Etc. New Voice in town, New Voice Theater
By Rick Pender
(July 9, 2003)
more...
Other articles by Rick Pender
Burning Passions Bad decisions about love mean good theater (July 23, 2003)
Fine Tuning Calling All Tenors (July 23, 2003)
Tough Choices Literate, passionate In Flame gets its U.S. premiere by Women's Theatre Initiative (July 16, 2003)
more...
personals |
cover |
news |
columns |
music |
movies |
arts |
dining |
listings |
classifieds |
mediakit |
promotions |
home
|
|
To Do: Feed an Artist
Monthly sale gets to the art of the matter
Know-How
FAF seeks business volunteers to assist arts organizations
No Illusions
Cincinnati show can't quite grab an audience in Chicago
A Work of Art
Kathy Wade and Dionne Warwick invite everyone to the 'hood
Look Here!: Art, Artists, Etc.
Lighten Up with Inflatable Art
Groove Tube: On Your TV
Calendar Listings
|
