After so many days of blogging about the places I've seen along my road trip, I am finally back to blogging about theatre. Gasp! Professional theatre in Southern Ohio? That can't be! I didn't even have to go to Cincinnati to see it. In fact, I only had to go up to Nelsonville, the town just fifteen minutes up the Highway from Athens. How is this possible? After several years of wanting their own professional company where equity and professional artists can come create, the theatre faculty of Ohio University found themselves with not only many very talented professors, but a few very talented spouses of professors, and after doing some staged readings and workshops, they were finally ready to open their company, the Brick Monkey Theatre Ensemble, with their premiere production of Rounding Third by Richard Dresser. That opening was last night, and you'd better believe I was there.
New beginnings are always so exciting to me. If theatre is dialogue then new beginnings, be it new artist, new concepts, or new companies, are adding voices to conversation. They enrich our understanding and view of the world.
Before I discuss the show, let me just quickly say that I really loved their space. Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio is one of those old pre-ninteen hundreds places where you can still feel the residue of the burlesque girls and the traveling Vaudeville acts. It was magical. Of course, those who know me know that I think any theatre is magical, but trust me, it's a lovely space.
The show they chose, Rounding Third, was the perfect end of summer show. It's the story of two little league coaches with opposing views of guiding children spending their first season together on the field. I found it funny, touching, and above all, cute. Ledger Free and Brian D. Evans who made up the small cast did a great job handling the juxtaposition of the two characters. I really enjoyed watching them.
Congratulations to all involved, especially director, Dennis Lee Delaney. I was a wonderful premiere performance!
New beginnings are always so exciting to me. If theatre is dialogue then new beginnings, be it new artist, new concepts, or new companies, are adding voices to conversation. They enrich our understanding and view of the world.
Before I discuss the show, let me just quickly say that I really loved their space. Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio is one of those old pre-ninteen hundreds places where you can still feel the residue of the burlesque girls and the traveling Vaudeville acts. It was magical. Of course, those who know me know that I think any theatre is magical, but trust me, it's a lovely space.
The show they chose, Rounding Third, was the perfect end of summer show. It's the story of two little league coaches with opposing views of guiding children spending their first season together on the field. I found it funny, touching, and above all, cute. Ledger Free and Brian D. Evans who made up the small cast did a great job handling the juxtaposition of the two characters. I really enjoyed watching them.
Congratulations to all involved, especially director, Dennis Lee Delaney. I was a wonderful premiere performance!
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