Benefit Concert in Charleston on Friday

   A special benefit concert next week teams up three talented performers in a show titled Three Men and a Baby* (*grand)!

   The concert features Ryan Hardiman, Jonathan Tucker and Mark Scarpelli performing in the Regional Teen Institute Spring Fundraiser.

   The show will be presented Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m. at Christ Church United Methodist at 1221 Quarrier Street in Charleston. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12.

   For more information or to reserve tickets, call 304-340-3622, 304-553-1186 or
email mfriend@unitedwaycwv.org.

New Play Festival This Weekend in Ashland

   Ashland Community and Technical College Theatre will present the 3^rd annual New Play Festival Friday and Saturday, April 1 and 2 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 3, at 2:30 p.m. in the J. B. Sowards Theater at the College Drive Campus.  

   The 12 scenes, monologues, short plays and one-act productions were written by ACTC students in a playwriting class taught last fall by Jonathan Joy, ACTC Assistant Professor of English and New Play Festival Coordinator.  “This year’s group of playwriting students is as diverse and engaging as the plays they are composing, and they add considerably to an already accomplished group of dramatists from the previous two years,” he said. 

   The plays include powerful, dramatic stories of past relationships, love in the face of illness, funny tales of a deceased man whose soul may have moved on to a dog, and an absurdist look at motherhood.  

   Plays by students from Ashland are “A Monologue” from Devils Due by Dylan R. Mullins, A Monologue by Elizabeth J. Allen, How I Ended Up Here Is a Funny Story: The Ballad of Jake Neilson by Valerie S. Biggs, A Tale of Misfortune by Kyle M. Lowe and Admired by Megan R. Banks.

   Plays by students from other cities are Through His Eyes by Audrey B. Wallace from Catlettsburg, Don’t Ask Questions and Footnote by Ashley G. Hacker from Argillite, Goodbye Love by Tiffany N. Triplett from Louisa, Emma’s Monologue by Amanda R. Sargent from Olive Hill, Untitled Absurdist Play by Sammie M. Copley from Worthington and Streetwalker by Joey McCleese from Morehead.

   Over 50 ACTC students, faculty, staff, and members of the community from all over the Tri-State worked together this spring to bring this festival to life. “I was thrilled to see such a large turnout this year,” said Joy. 

   “When the festival began in 2014, roughly 30 people were involved as writers, actors, directors and stage hands.  In 2015, more than 40 men and women were involved in the theatre production, and we added the Art Showcase to involve more people in the arts.” 

   The plays are performed by a cast of nearly 30 students and adults  that includes ACTC students John Chapman from Catlettsburg, Julian Thigpen from Ashland, and Sammie Copley from Worthington as well as ACTC alumni Alana Dawn Mullins from Ashland and Jeffry Brian Duty now at Morehead State University. High school actors include Emily Hanners, Sera Boatman and Raegan Williams from Paul G. Blazer and Carly Newsome, Tessa Jacobs, Dawson Clark and Cristen Brockett from Fairview Independent.

   Play directors are Joy and other ACTC faculty, staff and students who are involved with the arts.

   Joy is a prolific writer with more than 25 plays to his credit. His plays have been published by Brooklyn Published, Smith and Kraus, One Act Play Depo and ProPlay and are included in three theatre books.  His work has been featured in the New York Times, Southern Theatre and Insight for Playwrights magazine. 

    Director Sarah Diamond Burroway is ACTC director of grants and contracts. She has been accepted into the Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University, where she will begin work this fall on a Master of Fine Art in Writing degree. Last year, her short plays and monologues were produced in five states.

   Director Mary Shortridge, ACTC Humanities Professor, has co-authored a collection of Christmas romance stories titled “I Believe: Christmas Anthology 2010” under the pen name Elizabeth Chalkey.

   ACTC students Ashley Hacker, one of this year’s playwrights, and Alicia “Trish” Maynard, one of last year’s playwrights, are getting their feet wet as directors.

   “Directing has definitely been an amazing experience, and I loved the playwriting class,” said Hacker, a 2012 Greenup County High School graduate who wrote two of the plays being produced.  “I plan to minor in theater education, so this has all been a wonderful experience for me.”

   General admission tickets are $5, and tickets may be reserved through the ACTC Bookstore, 606-326-2014.  Tickets at the door will be available for cash or check (with photo ID) payment only. On Sunday, April 3, admission will be free to those who bring two cans of food for Safe Harbor.

On Stage This Weekend - "The Velveteen Rabbit"

   There's just one show taking the stage this weekend - it's a classic play being presented in eastern Kentucky:

- The Velveteen Rabbit - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the classic play on March 24, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. on the Pikeville Main Stage. 

   And that's it! Get out there and enjoy the show!

"A Little Night Music" - A Review

   Stephen Sondheim has created an impressive array of musicals, and his work has earned him rabid followers - and many will cite as their favorite of his shows the romantic comedy A Little Night Music.

   The show is brought to life - brilliantly - in the production being staged this weekend by the ARTS Resident Company at the Renaissance Theatre Ballroom in Huntington.

   Set in Sweden in the 1900s, the story centers around an older man, Frederik Egerman (played with authority and humor by James Holley), who has married a young woman, Anne (the luminous Ashby-Lee Foutch) - but when that marriage runs into problems, he looks to his former wife, the actress Desiree Armfeldt (the amazingly talented Lara Donahoe), for comfort (wink, wink). 

   Complicating that relationship is the fact that she’s already having an affair with the mercurial Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (played with power and bluster by Mike Naglee), who gets insanely jealous - even though he’s also cheating on his wife, the Countess Charlotte (the icy and vivacious Nora Ankrom).

   Throw in a lusty maid (the high-spirited Cyndi Mac Fuller), a frustrated son (a powerful performance by Andrew Surber), a wise-beyond-her-years daughter (the lovely Fiona Reynolds), a conniving grandmother (the always-wonderful Mary Olson) and five members of a Greek chorus - plus assorted butlers and servants - and you have a fun collision of personalities and romantic entanglements.

   The musical is, of course, loaded with classic songs, including “Send in the Clowns” (as I said elsewhere, it’s worth the price of admission just to hear Lara Donahoe sing this one), “Weekend in the Country” (an amazing number by the entire cast), “You Must Meet My Wife” (sweet and funny) and “The Glamorous Life,” among many others.

   The set is minimal, but the setting is intimate - the beauty of the Renaissance Ballroom is that the audience is very close to the performers - perfect for this show. There’s not a bad seat (or bad sound) anywhere in the house.

   The costumes are wonderful and often dazzling, reflecting the time period (though how the ladies can sing those wonderful songs while wearing corsets is beyond me). 

   It’s a terrific show, and kudos to director Bil Neal, choreographer Coni Anthony and the rest of the production crew on a terrific job.

   If you like musicals, you’re going to love this one - the cast is amazingly talented, the band is terrific, the songs are a pure delight, and it’s all built around a story that is very satisfying. 

   Highly recommended! 

Interview with "A Little Night Music's" Mike Naglee

   You have two more chances to catch the excellent Sondheim musical, A Little Night Music, with shows Friday and Saturday night in Huntington - and I have one last interview with the cast to share.

   Let’s hear from the incredibly talented Mike Naglee, who (like his on-stage-in-this-show-wife Nora Ankrom, interviewed here) plays a character completely different from his real persona. Here’s he’s an evil, conniving cheater - where in real life he’s a heck of a great guy.

   Here’s Mike: 

Q: Tell us about the musical A Little Night Music.

Mike: At the turn of the 20th century, beautiful actress Desiree Armfeldt has two lovers.  Hijinks ensue when both of those lovers simultaneously turn up at her family's estate for the weekend, with their wives and son in tow.  

Q: What part do you play?

Mike: I play the boorish and insanely jealous Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, one of Desiree's lovers. I've packed "everything I own that shoots" for my weekend in the country, and plan to dispose of my competition - by any means necessary.

Q: What's your background in theatre?

Mike: I graduated from MU's theatre program in 2003 and have been very active in Huntington's community theatre scene. I've been a member of the ARTS Resident Company since its inception in 2013.

Q: What's your favorite song in the show?

Mike: “A Weekend in the Country” is glorious, and the dinner scene is awkward in all the best ways.

Q: What's been the most challenging thing about the show?

Mike: Learning a Sondheim show in four weeks has definitely been difficult but, personally, my biggest challenge has been my character.  His vocal range is a good bit lower than my usual fare, and it's been a nice tightrope walk to try to make him as thoroughly unpleasant as he needs to be without turning him into a parody.  

Q: What makes this show so much fun?

Mike: Maybe it's the Downton Abbey withdrawal talking, but I love the time period. The music is technically complex, but fun to listen to. The characters are delightfully flawed, gorgeously costumed, and up to their necks in intrigue. The situations are comically tragic, the relationships ridiculously complex, and the resolution satisfyingly simple. It's a grand display of high society reduced into a little night music.

   Thanks, Mike!

    ARTS presents A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

On Stage This Weekend

   There are three great shows taking the stage this weekend:

- A Little Night Music - ARTS presents the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

- Peter Pan - The Paramount Players present the classic musical based on the play by Sir J. M. Barrie on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and March 19 at 3 p.m. at the Paramount Arts Center at 1300 Winchester Avenue in Ashland. Tickets are $30 for adults (in advance) and $15 for students.

- The Velveteen Rabbit - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the classic play on March 17, 18, 19, 22, 24, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. on the Pikeville Main Stage. 

   So get out there and support your local theatre!

Interview with "A Little Night Music's" Michael Sidoti

   Before the ARTS musical A Little Night Music wraps up its run this weekend, we have a couple of interviews with the cast to share - including this one, with the handsome and talented Michael Sidoti - he’s part of the unique “Greek chorus” that brings the story to life.

    Here’s our interview with Michael: 

Q: Tell us about the musical A Little Night Music. 

Michael: A wonderful tale involving several couples enjoying each others' company - with various levels of intimacy - resplendent with Stephen Sondheim's wonderful music and very clever lyrics by Hugh Wheeler!

Q: What part do you play?

Michael: One of the Liebeslieder, Mr. Lindquist. The Liebeslieder travel through the show as quintet, providing commentary on the action of the play. It's a fun device!

Q: What's your favorite song in the show?

Michael: "You Must Meet My Wife" is such a sweet song! It's become my favorite since being in this show.

Q: What's been the most challenging thing about the show?

Michael: Lots of words! Having to really listen to each other to make sure all those wonderful words fit together correctly - as we're moving and dancing and using props - which is part of what makes the show so much fun to do!

   Thanks, Michael!

   ARTS presents A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

Interview With "A Little Night Music's" Ashby-Lee Foutch

  The ARTS musical A Little Night Music wraps up its run this weekend with three more shows in Huntington - and it includes a Thursday night performance.

   Let’s continue our interviews with the cast with the beautiful and talented Ashby-Lee Foutch - she plays an innocent young woman who has married impulsively.

    Here’s our interview with Ashby:

Q: Tell us about the musical A Little Night Music. 

Ashby: A Little Night Music is a musical full of twisted love stories. The couples all come together for a weekend at a famous actress's chateau, and the story takes some interesting turns while they are there. A unique quintet narrates/makes comments on the story as the show goes on. (They are delightful!) Each character and song were particularly created by Mr. Sondheim himself, and everyone has their own story to tell. The details in this musical are stunning. The set, lights, and costumes are gorgeous, the music is lovely, and the cast isn't half bad either!

Q: What part do you play?

Ashby: I play Anne Egerman. She is a naïve young woman who serves as a light of youthfulness to her older husband. She wants the world to be full of sunshine and sweetness, and she has a hard time dealing with events that open her up to negativity. She has not yet endured some of the harsh realities of life.

Q: What's your background in theatre?

Ashby: I have been singing and playing piano since I was a little girl, which led me to audition for a musical when I was 12. I instantly fell in love with all things theatre, and I have been involved with it ever since. I have been in numerous productions at the Paramount Arts Center and at ARTS. I have also attended the High School Musical Theatre Intensive at CCM and the Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts for Musical Theatre.

Q: What's your favorite song in the show?

Ashby: I love "A Weekend in the Country." It is the finale of Act One, and it's delicious. Every love story is involved, and everyone has their own viewpoint on the impending weekend. I particularly love Part 4 with Charlotte and Carl-Magnus. They are hilarious.

Q: What's been the most challenging thing about the show?

Ashby: Time. When snow pushed back (the ARTS production of) As You Like It earlier this season, the rehearsal period for this show was also pushed back. Doing a Sondheim musical in a time crunch was a daunting task, but we were in great hands. It has come together beautifully.

Q: What makes this show so much fun?

Ashby: The cast and crew. They are my people. I love them.

   Thanks, Ashby!

    ARTS presents A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

Interview With "A Little Night Music's" James Holley

   The ARTS musical A Little Night Music wraps up its run this weekend with three more shows in Huntington (I saw it last week, by the way - it’s a terrific show)!

   Let’s continue our interviews with the cast by talking with leading man James Holley- he plays an older man who has married a much younger woman, but may not be over the love of his life yet.

    Here’s our interview with James: 

Q: Tell us about the musical A Little Night Music.

James: It's a story focusing on one man's midlife crisis. Because the show takes place in 1903, social suitabilities are quite different than what they are today.

Q: What part do you play?

James: I play Frederik, the man who is actually experiencing the midlife crisis. He is 46 years old, however, following the death of his wife he remarries to an 18-year-old girl.

Q: What's your background in theatre? 

James: I have been doing plays and musicals theater since 2011. I have been in 14 productions but this is only my third musical.

Q: What's your favorite song in the show?

James: My favorite song and the show is called "You Must Meet My Wife." I like the scene because it is layered. It is funny yet very sincere. 

Q: What's been the most challenging thing about the show?

James: The cast is so incredibly talented as well as seasoned it has been hard keeping up with them. It's both motivating and intimidating.

Q: What makes this show so much fun?

James: Everything about this experience has been fun. Working with this cast, working with Bil Neal as our director, the challenge of such complicated music… there's been no part of this that was not fun.

   Thanks, James!

    ARTS presents A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

A Busy Weekend of Great Shows!

   It's been a hectic week (and weekend), but one loaded with great shows, including:

   - Without Strings, a new take on the story of Pinocchio. It's a very funny and somewhat offbeat version of the classic story about a marionette who is brought to life and must learn valuable lessons the hard way. I saw the show tonight, and the young cast does a terrific job, scoring some solid laughs, visual gags and pratfalls. The script has humor for kids and for grownups - highly recommended! Sunday's show is at 2:30 p.m. at Huntington Middle School, and that's the last performance for that show - don't miss it!

   - A Little Night Music is a terrific Sondheim musical being presented by ARTS at the Renaissance Theatre Ballroom, and it's a pure delight! The story is brisk and funny (with some heartbreak thrown into the mix), and the songs are wonderful - all presented by an amazingly talented troupe (it's worth the price of admission to hear Lara Donahoe sing "Send in the Clowns"). The show is done for this weekend, but it'll return with three more shows next weekend, and over the week ahead I'll serve up some more interviews with the cast - and a full review of the musical!

   - Shrek the Musical also wraps up its run on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theatre - it's a fast and lively musical based on the beloved animated film, presented by the Children's Theatre of Charleston.

   So go see a show already!

Interview with "A Little Night Music's" Nora Ankrom

   It’s always amazing to see an actor portraying a character who’s the opposite of their real personality. 

   You can see a great example of this in the ARTS musical A Little Night Music (which runs this weekend and next in Huntington), as the beautiful and talented Nora Ankrom - who is wonderfully kind in real life - plays a wicked, spiteful woman!

    Here’s our interview with Nora: 

Q: Tell us about the musical A Little Night Music.

Nora: A Little Night Music is about various messy and interwoven love triangles. It's a little confusing on paper, but there's a very helpful diagram in my script. 

Q: What part do you play?

Nora: I play Countess Charlotte Malcolm, wife of Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, whose mistress is Desiree Armfeldt (not a secret and probably not the first). Charlotte is jaded, sarcastic, and devastatingly blunt. She rightly blames Carl-Magnus for her drinking problem and would likely be treated for manic depression today*.

Q: What's your background in theatre?

Nora: I've been performing at ARTS since May 2013. This is my third year in the ARTS Resident Acting Company. Throughout the year, I work on vocal performance with Bruce Rous and acting lessons with Leah Turley. Most importantly, I sing and play pretend with Joey and Darcy Ankrom most of the day, everyday 

Q: What's your favorite song in the show?

Nora: The closing number for the first act, “A Weekend in the Country.” It begins with vignettes of all the characters, which leads them to an unlikely weekend together in the country, where they're twice as upset as in town (and “some” of them are uninvited). 

Q: What's been the most challenging thing about the show?

Nora: The Liebeslieders, the singing storytellers for the whole show, have the hardest part by far. They constantly weave in and out of the scenes, observing, commenting, and totally judging the rest of us. All of this to Sondheim songs. 

Q: What makes this show so much fun?

Nora: It's oozing with talent. It's got beautiful costumes from the early 1900s. It's in the ARTS ballroom. It's accompanied by a lovely combo. It's Sondheim. And, I get to play a bitter, scorned woman who sings about death. What's not to love (besides the corset)? 

*(The views and opinions expressed in this interview of Charlotte's "drinking problem" and "manic depression" are not scripted and do not necessarily reflect the views of the playwright, the composer, the director, the choreographer, the costumer, the lighting and sound designers, or anyone else of any importance.)

   Thanks, Nora!

    ARTS presents A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on March 12, 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

On Stage This Weekend - Pinocchio, Shrek, the Velveteen Rabbit - and Sondheim!

   Lots of great shows taking the stage this weekend - here's the list:

- Without Strings - First Stage Theatre Company presents the play based on Carlo Collodi's “The Adventures of Pinocchio” written by Patrick Rainville Dorn. It will be staged on March 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and March 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Huntington Middle School at 925 3rd Street in Huntington. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children (12 and under) and senior citizens. 

- A Little Night Music - ARTS presents the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on March 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

- Shrek: The Musical Jr. - Children's Theatre of Charleston presents the musical at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theatre on March 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. and March 12 and 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $10 for students and seniors. 

- The Velveteen Rabbit - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the classic play on March 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19 22, 24, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. on the Pikeville Main Stage. 

   Lots of fun shows - so get out there and support your community theatre!

Interview with "A Little Night Music's" Cyndi Mac Fuller

   The beloved Stephen Sondheim musical A Little Night Music takes the stage this weekend as ARTS presents the classic show at the Renaissance Theatre Ballroom.

   So let's talk to some of the performers, starting with the beautiful and talented Cyndi Mac Fuller, who plays a naughty maid.

Q: Tell us about the musical A Little Night Music.

Cyndi: A Little Night Music is about a bunch of indecisive people causing a ruckus in each other’s lives. Everyone is unhappily married so they decide to have a sort of dysfunctional couple’s retreat (with the help of an invitation from a famous actress). There’s lovely singing, BEAUTIFUL costumes, a little waltzing, and an odd version of a quintet. 

Q: What part do you play?

Cyndi: I play Petra, the Egerman’s maid.

Q: What's your favorite song in the show?

Cyndi: I love all the portions in "A Weekend in the Country." It’s a spectacular end to Act 1. My favorite quarrel in the song is between Count Carl-Magnus Malcom and his wife. They are a very stubborn pair.

Q: What's been the most challenging thing about the show?

Cyndi: The most challenging thing about this show has been the time crunch. We came right out of a show ending at the beginning of February into a show opening at the beginning of March. Some people might call that insane…

Q: What makes this show so much fun?

Cyndi: I LOVE LOVE LOVE everyone in the cast. We have all bonded as a little, kooky family. 

   Thanks, Cyndi!

    ARTS presents A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on March 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

Bringing Pinocchio to the Stage in "Without Strings"

   Huntington’s long-time children’s theatre - First Stage Theatre Company - has a new show taking the stage this weekend, and it's being directed by one of its (former) kids!

   Zach Davis acted in First Stage plays while growing up and he continues to appear on stage regularly for other companies. He has also directed shows for several different community theatre companies.

   Now he’s sitting in the director’s chair with First Stage’s next show, Without Strings, being presented this weekend at Huntington Middle School’s auditorium.

   The show tells the story of Pinocchio, the marionette who is magically brought to life - but must prove he’s worthy before he can become a real boy. So he’ll have to endure a series of adventures, make new friends and survive an encounter with a monster of the deep.

    The story has been one of Zach’s favorites for a long time. He said, “Who doesn't love a story about Pinocchio? I grew up on variations of his story. My mother always told me my nose would grow like Pinocchio’s if I told lies and for some time I was terrified - I had to be the most honest kid in the world. This particular version is different than one expects but has similarities - with a twist.”

    When First Stage was planning its 26th season last year, Zach proposed making room on the schedule for Without Strings, a non-musical that features a cast of more than 30 young actors from the Tri-state area.

   “Directing for First Stage is a huge honor for me. I grew up on stage with the company, although it was late in my school days. I learned so much from the directors, staff,  and made such amazing friends. When the opportunity arose for a chance to take the helm, I couldn't pass it up. I get to finally give back and mentor young actors like I received from my time with First Stage. We are a family - it is just an endless circle that I am proud to be part of.”

    This is the second time First Stage has presented the story of Pinocchio - the last time was 16 years ago, before most of the cast of the new version were even born.

   It’s a fun, fast-paced show that offers a new take on the classic tale - and it’s one audiences will love. Zach said, “This version of Pinocchio is unlike anything you have seen before. We start in the ‘Real World’ where a boy finds himself auditioning to travel with Professor Pinecone’s traveling puppet theatre. We watch him change into Pinocchio and watch him enter a storybook world. It has unique characters and twists in every scene. I have had so much fun with this show and I’m so proud of my young cast. You don’t want to miss out on this quirky adventure!”

   First Stage Theatre Company presents Without Strings, which is based on Carlo Collodi's “The Adventures of Pinocchio” as written by Patrick Rainville Dorn. It will be staged on Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Huntington Middle School at 925 3rd Street in Huntington. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children (12 and under) and senior citizens. 

ACT and Paramount Players Win Awards at SETC

   Congratulations to two Kentucky theatre groups - Actors for Children Theatre (ACT) and the Paramount Players - received several awards at the Sountheastern Theatre Conference (SETC) in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

   They won:

ACTORS FOR CHILDREN THEATRE:
Outstanding Achievement in Acting
Alicia Tish Maynard
"Chu Chu" in The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi

Outstanding Achievement in Costuming
The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi

Spirit of the Road
The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi

PARAMOUNT PLAYERS:
Outstanding Achievement in Musical Performance
Joshua Michael Jannotta
"Roger" in Rent

Outstanding Ensemble
Rent

Outstanding Achievement in Musical Performance
Rick Payne
"Collins" in Rent

Outstanding Achievement in Sound
Rent

   Congratulations!

Remembering Danny Ray

   The theatre community in the Tri-State was shocked this morning by news of the sudden passing of teacher / director / actor Danny Ray.

   Danny was a force of nature, a terrific craftsman who was an amazing actor, a terrific director and a wonderful guy. The outpouring of love on social media has been wonderful to see, and an obvious sign of how many lives he touched. 

   He graduated from Marshall University, starring in numerous shows with the Theatre Department. After graduating, he worked as a professional actor, eventually returning home to Huntington where he shared his talents both on stage and behind the scenes.

   He worked with young actors as an instructor and as a director, creating amazing shows like Into the Woods (somehow staging a terrific version of the show on the tiny stage at the Museum of Art), the hugely successful Rocky Horror Live, The King and I, Nunsense, Big Fish, Noises Off, The Sound of Music, and one of the best community shows I've ever seen, Avenue Q. There are just a few of the many shows he directed.

   He wasn't perfect, of course - he could be flinty and fierce in fighting for his actors and his concepts - but he was a big ol' lovable bear of a guy and a real treasure, with a big laugh and a bigger heart. 

   He was so wonderful on stage, I selfishly wanted him to do more and more shows - but his career as an instructor at Marshall took up a lot of his time. 

   My heart goes out to his family and his wide-ranging army of friends on this sad and difficult day.

-------------------

   Marshall University sent out this statement today: 

   Marshall University President Jerome A. Gilbert issued the following statement today upon learning of the sudden passing of faculty member Danny Ray.

   “The entire Marshall community was deeply saddened today to learn one of our valued faculty members has passed away.

   “I got a chance to meet Danny a few weeks ago at the John Marshall Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament. He welcomed me into the competition and we even took a ‘selfie’ photo together with some of the students. He was a dedicated mentor who rebuilt Marshall’s speech and debate team and helped make it one of the leading teams in the entire country.

   “We will all remember his spirit and contributions to the Marshall family. He was a true son of Marshall.

   “Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.”

   A graduate of Marshall, Ray was an instructor in the Department of Communication Studies and coached the university’s award-winning “Thundering Word” Speech and Debate Team.

   Just this weekend, the team competed in the 2016 West Virginia Intercollegiate Forensics Association (WVIFA) tournament—winning the state title for the sixth consecutive time. The “Thundering Word” brought home first-place awards in Combined Sweepstakes and Individual Events Sweepstakes, as well as second place in Debate Sweepstakes.

   Ray joined the Marshall faculty in August 2010 and taught classes including Intercollegiate Debate, Fundamentals of  Speech Communication and Special Topics in Forensic Competition. He currently served as the president of WVIFA.

On Stage in March

   Lots of great shows coming up in March, including classic plays and beloved musicals. 

   Here's the rundown: 

   

- Without Strings - First Stage Theatre Company presents the play based on Carlo Collodi's “The Adventures of Pinocchio” written by Patrick Rainville Dorn. It will be staged on March 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and March 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Huntington Middle School at 925 3rd Street in Huntington. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children (12 and under) and senior citizens. 

- A Little Night Music - ARTS presents the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street on March 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the show only, and $30 for dinner and the show. Call for reservation 304-733-2787.

- Peter Pan - The Paramount Players present the classic musical based on the play by Sir J. M. Barrie on March 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and March 19 at 3 p.m. at the Paramount Arts Center at 1300 Winchester Avenue in Ashland. Tickets are $30 for adults (in advance) and $15 for students.

- Shrek: The Musical Jr. - Children's Theatre of Charleston presents the musical at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theatre on March 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. and March 12 and 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $10 for students and seniors. 

- Carousel: In Concert - Portsmouth Little Theatre presents a concert version of the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein on March 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and March 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. at 1117 Lawson Street in Portsmouth. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.

- The Velveteen Rabbit - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the classic play on March 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19 22, 24, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. on the Pikeville Main Stage. 

- Ring of Fire - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the musical about Johnny Cash on March 31, April 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and April 3 at 3 p.m. and April 9 and 16 at 2 p.m. on the Pikeville Main Stage.

- Murder Mysteries - Murder and Merriment present Interactive Dinner Murder Mysteries, including: "Murder at the Museum!" on March 4 at 6 p.m. - a Benefit Fundraiser for Ashland Lion's Club at the Ashland Transportation Center, tickets $60 per guest by reservation only - call 606-571-9168 or 606-833-3957; "Marriage, Mob, & Murder!" on March 5 at 7 p.m. at Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted, WV at the Hawk's Nest Restaurant - tickets $59 by reservation only - call 304-658-5212; "A Murderous Wake!" on March 6 at 4:30 p.m. at the Copper Pint Pub at 808 Kanawha Blvd East in Charleston - tickets are $10 per guest.

   Lots of great shows to see - so get out there and support your community theatre!