Starting the second week of that run, University Theatre begins its production of Our Lady of 121st Street. The play tells the story of twelve neighbors coping with the theft of the body of a recently deceased nun. The show runs the 24th, 25th, 27th, 29th, and 30th of September and the 1st, 2nd, and 4th of October. Sunday shows are at 2 30pm while the rest of the shows are at 8pm. Tickets are $12 for students and $15 otherwise.

That same weekend the Athens Creative Theatre presents Cookie Dough’s not Fattening until You Bake It. Running at the Morton Theatre, this lighthearted comedy looks at some of the world’s major religions, their customs, and the significance we attach to them. The show runs September 24th through 27th and October 1st through 4th; 3pm shows on Sunday, 7 30 pm otherwise. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students, children, and seniors.

For all those affected by this tragedy, we are thinking of you; you have our thoughts and prayers. Please let us know, via comment or email, if you have any thoughts you’d like to share or if you just need someone to talk to. We’re no grief counselors, but we are human, and so we are here for you if you need someone.

God Bless,

Dave

Sorry we’ve not yet got an April update, but we do have some good/exciting news to share. Tomorrow and Saturday (April 3rd and 4th) you can see a production of The Bourgeois Gentleman presented by Classic City Arts (a group new to me, but not to Athens!).

I’m really excited to hear about this show and see a new group in action, so I will (hopefully) be out there tomorrow night at 8pm (same time both nights). Cost is only $8, so it sounds like a pretty good deal.

I’m sorry I don’t have more time to elaborate upon the show, but if you feel you can contribute in any way it would be a great help. I really want AthensTheatre to become a real group effort before I graduate, so it doesn’t fail at the end of next year.

Hope to see you at the show!

~Dave H

Delightfully cast, for only $5 you can enjoy the wonderful voice of the angel Uriel, see a tall and powerful God weeping at the loss of his mother, study the faults of humanity and the theme of forgiveness. Being a second-stage production, the show takes advantage of the set from last week’s Cabaret effectively and incorporates a few basic additions–like the window to an Irish home or pits of those screaming in damnation–quite well.

While some of the stock costumes, particularly those of the angels, might seem a little simplistic, there is joy in their relative uniformity and the overall variety in costume. The condemned would fit in well in many a zombie flick, while Satan’s minions’ masks suit them wonderfully.

The actors managed to carry the rhythmic poetry of the dialogue quite well, the only slight objection to the acting being the simplicity of the choreographed fight scenes, but perhaps their simplicity plays well with the morality tale nature of this locally written piece.

All in all the show was most pleasurable, and I recommend it highly.

For my first review, I could not be happier doing Town & Gown’s production of Cabaret.

But I must first say, that this was an excellent production. The first Act is 90 minutes, and when I heard that I was a little anxious. With some plays, just an hour feels too long for one Act. This Act flew by. As soon as it started I knew it would, and I was begging for more when intermission came.

I did not know anything about Cabaret before I sat down to see the play except for the famous line “Life is a Cabaret, old Chum.” I didn’t expect it to be anything more than a comedy and a musical. But this play was deep, and the actors pulled it off well.

First off, I believe Nathan Altman, who played the lovely Master of Ceremonies, has ruined me forever on every future showing of Cabaret. I will compare each Emcee to him, and I don’t think any will stand up to him. He was funny, yet complete, almost deadly serious at the right times. I enjoyed watching him (and not just because he didn’t have a shirt on), but because his voice was thrilling and is acting superb.

A technical note: Whoever did his make-up on his abs did a great job. I think the only reason I noticed it was actually make-uped was because I was a director and worked with make-up myself. Actually, I’m still questioning myself. Maybe he did just have fantastic abs. But they were very well done.

The girls voices mixed very well together, and very few times did I notice that they were a bit off from each other or that choreography was a little off. They worked well together, and in ad-lib moments, played well off each other.

I thought this play was interesting, exploring sexuality so blatant, especially with Cliff. I guess I never just thought there would be bisexuals in the late 30s. Cliff, I feel, played his part well, though at times he was a little too quiet to hear. But I suppose the simplicity of his words/speech is a key part of his character, so it fit.

Ms. Rebekah Williams, who plays Sally, only had trouble with some of her low notes, which is partially not her fault. The orechestra sometimes covered her up when she was too far back on the stage, or hitting a low note. Yet, microphones on the actors would overwhelm the audience since the theatre is so small. Ms. Williams sang her parts well, held her accent, and worked well with all the other actors of the Cabaret.

There were a few problems with holding accents, which could probably use more practice. But for most of the characters, it wasn’t noticeable unless you were looking for it or wondering about it.

The lights were simple, often using a spotlight, but effective. I think there were times when the lights came to early for the stagehands to finish moving things, but it may have only have been once and I’m being nitpicky.

There were few times in the play when I was worried about blocking, or could not see the actors face, but it was mostly corrected a few seconds after I noticed it.

Now, can you still go see it! YES! You have two more days to catch Cabaret: Today, Saturday the 21st at 8:00pm, and Sunday the 22nd at 8:00pm. For students, this production is $15, but well worth it. Everyone else is $18.

If you go (which you should), I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did. I tried not to give away too much as to plot, but I feel like the play is a good discussion piece for people to talk about.

Also note, The boys have some high parts, and to hear them sing was incredible. Especially for the “Tommorrow Belongs to Me.”

Thank for reading,
Ashley B.

Shows

Most immediately, there’s a visiting show at the Classic Center tomorrow night: Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy. Cost is $10 to $75, depending on your choice of seat. Tickets can be purchased online or over the phone from the Classic Center.

While it’s too late to catch Athens Creative Theatre’s production of Letters of South Apple Valley (which ran this past weekend), there is dessert theatre this weekend (the weekend of Valentine’s Day) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The site doesn’t list starting times, but the cost is $15. For more information, see the ACT page on Love Letters, the show running this weekend.

(In the vein of dessert theatre, Two Story Coffee is having a murder mystery event this Saturday evening at 8:30. Cost is $15 individually and $25 for a couple.)

The Town and Gown Players‘ production of Caberet opens this Friday the 13th and runs two weekends, per their usual (Fri-Sun, Thurs-Sun) schedule. Shows Thursday through Saturday begin at 8pm, with the Sunday shows starting at 2pm. Standard tickets are $18, but $9 for the Thursday shows, with prices for Students, Seniors, and T&G Players’ members at $15 normally, $7.50 on Thursday.

Then there’s the University Theatre production of The Changeling, which opens the Thursday the 19th of February and runs until March 1st (Thurs 19 - Sat 21, Tues 24 - Sun 1) starting at 8pm everyday but the final day, Sunday March 1st. Tickets are $12 for students, $15 for everyone else.

As usual, Town and Gown has a second-stage production the week after their usual production, this one running Friday the 27th of February through Sunday March 1st (showtimes as above). The show? The Mother of God Visits Hell, which is a drama and a comedy about Virgin Mary’s visit to Hell and the ensuing conflict between Heaven and Hell as she seeks forgiveness for those suffering in Hell. Ticket prices are only $5 for all.

Auditions

Town and Gown is holding auditions for their production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure (to run mid- to late-April) this coming Monday and Tuesday (the 16th and 17th of February) at 7pm.

NB: All Town and Gown shows and auditions are held at the Athens Community Theatre off Prince (not to be confused with the Athens Creative Theatre).

Thanks

That’s all I found in a quick run through of the theatre scene this month. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything, and I’ll get it up here ASAP. Hopefully you’ll get some reviews of shows this month, though this semester is proving much busier than I’d ever anticipated. As usual, you can offer to help with our calendar, updates, or reviews by shooting me a message at help@athenstheatre.com .

Peace,

Dave H

Sometime this month you should see a new layout that I designed over Winter Break, and we should get a post about February productions sometime this week.
My sincere apologies for not serving you well enough.

Dave H

Also, University Theatre’s production of The Underpants begins tonight!

A fuller post later today.

Upcoming Shows

Very first day of the month, we’ve already got an interesting offering before us: a double–triple feature in the Arena Theatre of the UGA Fine Arts Building. Starting at 7pm with Campfire Kids: A Folklore Halloween and continuing with Hugo: a 1920s silent movie come to life, finally wrapping up with Improv Athens invading the scene upstairs (in the Balcony Theatre) at 9pm. All this is free, so even the frugal can have a little fun!

Starting the 5th and running through the 14th, you can check out Town and Gown’s production of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia. The show is high comedy from the wonderful author of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and only costs $15 for students and seniors ($18 for everyone else). Showtime is 8pm Thursdays through Saturdays, 2pm on Sundays.

Auditions

In addition to a few good shows, we’ve got a few good opportunities to get on stage ourselves. University Theatre is holding its auditions for the Spring season on the 4th and the 5th (callbacks on Saturday, the 6th). The slate for which you’re auditioning includes: The Changeling, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Dangerous Liaisons. For more info on the season, check out the University Theatre page about this year’s productions.

Following these auditions, you can go for Town and Gown’s production of Cabaret on Monday, the 8th, or Tuesday, the 9th. Note that the show will go on in February and I’m not sure whether or not the rehearsal schedule starts in December. For more info from them, check out the T&G listing about Cabaret.

Peace,

Dave H