FALL (AND BEYOND!) ARTS PREVIEW
by Mackenzie Worrall
Recently, someone politely informed me that Columbus is the indie art capital of the world. Maybe, like most indie things, he liked Columbus before we were cool. I won’t pretend that we have a nurturing audience that supports the arts, but what we do have is a population of burgeoning artists who bring interesting things to our (sometimes lackluster) arts scene. And even though companies like ETC are suffering, they are still dedicated to producing only plays that have never been performed in Columbus. The Wexner Center continues to bring innovative artists and programs to Columbus, and without your patronage, this won’t continue to happen. Even though times are tough, see at least one show or presentation. Venues like The Wex have free gallery admission days, and Available Light continues their pay-what-you-can policy for every performance. There are so many exciting things coming this year, that, I guess what I’m saying is, you have no excuse.
The buzzword this year is ‘multi-medium,’ as in pieces that use multiple forms of artistic expression, usually to combine in some geeky and badass way. I mean BalletMet and Shadowbox are performing the joint show 7 Deadly Sins… Hello? Who won’t be clamoring for tickets to that? But there’s some intellectual cross-pollination for everybody.
You can start with some good old-fashioned mixed mediums: comics. Art Spiegelman (Maus: A Survivor’s Tale) and Matt Groening (if you don’t know him by now, I can’t help you) are both giving talks at The Wex in October during the 2010 Festival of Cartoon Art. Let that simmer for a few months, and then go see Available Light’s production, Skyscrapers of the Midwest (adapted from the graphic novel). If you’re not a visual learner, check out the audio heavy ‘film’ Utopia in Four Movements at The Wex (it’s classified as a film, but the experience also involves live music and storytelling), CATCO’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (anything with a Foley artist is fun live), or the audio play Susurrus as you wander the botanical gardens at Franklin Park. To really cause your brain to short circuit, see former OSU running back Eddie George in the modern classic Topdog/Underdog at the King Arts Complex.
Fall brings a wide selection of gay interest pieces (Sondheim’s music, etc.), but fewer things deal specifically with LGBT themes. The Wex is screening a documentary, Stonewall Uprising (2010), followed afterward by a talk with gay rights scholars. Also, CATCO tackles Doug Wright’s documentary-esque I Am My Own Wife (winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Drama, Drama Desk’s Best New Play, Tony Award for Best New Play and Pulitzer Prize). The author shows his conversations with real life German antiquarian and transvestite, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, and how she survived both the Nazi and Communist regimes.
On top of being excited for all of those, I’ve picked just seven more to blab about (it was a struggle). Coming in January to the King Arts Complex is Homage to Bearden: Piecing it Together. Check out this exhibition on collage art by accompanying artists and rare works of the insightful Romare Bearden, brought out from private collections. His art, of course, is one of the major influences on the late literary legend August Wilson and the civil rights movement. Faye Driscoll’s breakthrough 837 Venice Boulevard comes to The Wex in November. This dance piece explores and helps her put to rest events from her own childhood, while keeping it light with absurdist tendencies. The Wex also brings us experimental troupe, The Rude Mechanicals performing The Method Gun and Anna Deveare Smith’s Let Me Down Easy. Speaking of visiting artists, Alison Bomber of the Royal Shakespeare Company (!!) will direct Othello in OSU’s Winter Season. Maybe she’ll see what Columbus can do when Available Light edits and rearranges a Shakespearean classic for The Life and Death of Richard the Third. And (just in case I was getting too artsy), The Wex has a retrospective on horror master Joe Dante for which he’ll also be introducing his films in person. My personal pick? 1993’s Matinee, satirizing small town America’s fear during the age of cold war and sci-fi B-movies.
Mackenzie Worrall is an editorial intern and part of the great ginger outlook takeover of 2010. For an extensive listing of upcoming Creative Class events, visit us online at www.outlookcolumbus.com. Just pull up this article and scroll to the end.
THEATER
CAPA
Legally Blonde the Musical – 9/28-10/3 @ Palace Theatre
Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show – 11/5 @ Palace Theatre
Cats – 11/19-11/21 @ Palace Theatre
A Christmas Carol – 11/26-11/28 @ Ohio Theatre
Rock of Ages – 12/7-12/12 @ Palace Theatre
Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding – 1/20-1/30 @ Lincoln Theatre Ballroom
The Second City’s Fair and Unbalanced – 3/5 @ Southern Theatre
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 3/6 @ Lincoln Theatre
Les Miserablés – 3/15-3/20 @ Ohio Theatre
My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy! – 4/1-4/2 @ Lincoln Theatre
Mary Poppins – 4/20-5/8 @ Ohio Theatre
Jersey Boys – Summer 2011
CATCO-PHOENIX
The Last Smoker in America – 9/29-10/24 @ Studio One, Riffe Center
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – 10/22-10/31 @ Studio Two, Riffe Center
It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play – 11/23-12/12 @ Studio One, Riffe Center
The Santaland Diaries – 12/2-12/26 @ Studio Three, Riffe Center
Encyclopedia Brown – 1/7-1/21 @ Studio One, Riffe Center
I Am My Own Wife – 2/2-2/20 @ Studio Two, Riffe Center
Charlotte’s Web – 2/25-3/11 @ Studio One, Riffe Center
2011 CATCO Gala – 2/26 @ Capitol Theatre
What the Butler Saw – 3/30-4/17 @ Studio One, Riffe Center
Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins – 6/1-6/19 @ Studio Two, Riffe Center
SHADOWBOX
Nightmare at Shadowbox – 9/2-11/13 @ Shadowbox Cabaret
Back to the Garden – 9/25-11/28 @ Shadowbox Cabaret
Holiday Hoopla IXX – 11/18-12/30 @ Shadowbox Cabaret
AVAILABLE LIGHT
Merrily We Roll Along – closes 9/4 @ Studio One, Riffe Center
Stop Sign [Language] – 9/23-10/2 @ Studio Two, Riffe Center
The Life and Death of Richard the Third – 11/11-11/20 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
Conam’s Annual Xmas Spectacular Ft Artie Isaac – 12/8-12/12 @ Studio Two, Riffe Center
Crazy – 1/13-1/22 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
Hum – 2/10-2/19 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
Skyscrapers of the Midwest – 4/7-4/23 @ Studio Two, Riffe Center
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Susurrus – 10/14-10/24 @ Franklin Park Conservatory
The Method Gun – 10/21-10/24 @ Wexner Center
Vivarium Studio – 2/3-2/6 @ Wexner Center
Let Me Down Easy – 2/22-2/27 @ Lincoln Theatre
Terminus – 3/9 @ Thurber Theatre
ETC (EVOLUTION THEATER COMPANY)
RAPPture: A Festival of Plays by Adam Rapp – 11/18-11/27 @ TBA
A Behanding in Spokane – 3/9-3/19 @ TBA
Grey Gardens – 5/14-5/24 @ TBA
The Temperamentals – 7/13-7/23 @ TBA
OPERA: COLUMBUS
Berlin to Broadway – 10/7-10/8 @ Lincoln Theatre
The Marriage of Figaro – 2/11 and 2/13 @ Ohio Theatre
The Pirates of Penzance – 6/10-6/12 @ Southern Theatre
KING ARTS COMPLEX
Topdog/Underdog – 9/23 @ The Pythian Theatre, King Arts Complex
EMERALD CITY PLAYERS
A Streetcar Named Desire – 9/24-10/9 @ 6799 Dublin Center Drive
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – 11/19-12/4 @ 6799 Dublin Center Drive
OSU THEATER DEPARTMENT
On the Shore of the Wide World - 11/4-11/14 @ Roy Bowen Theatre
Aida – 11/18-11/21 @ Southern Theatre
9 Parts of Desire – 1/27 @ Thurber Theatre
Othello – 2/10-2/26 @ Roy Bowen Theatre
Spring’s Awakening - 2/24-3/5 @ Thurber Theatre
Eurydice – 5/5-5/21 @ Roy Bowen Theatre
The Camouflage Project – 5/12-5/27 @ Thurber Theatre
RACONTEUR THEATRE COMPANY
BitterSweet – 11/4-11/20 @ Club Diversity
4th Annual Flex Series – 6/9-6/25 @ Club Diversity
CENTER STAGE PLAYERS
Rocky Horror – 10/28-11/7 @ Axis
Nuncrackers – 11/26-12/5 @ Axis
DRAWING ROOM THEATER
Zombie Prom – 10/21-11/1 @ Club Diversity
A Broadway Christmas Carol – 12/2-12/13 @ Club Diversity
GALLERY PLAYERS
From Door to Door – 10/16-10/24 @ Roth-Resler Theatre
Captain Noah – 12/4-12/12 @ Roth-Resler Theatre
Curtains – 3/12-3/20 @ Roth-Resler Theatre
The Action Against Sol Schuman – 5/14-5/22 Roth-Resler Theatre
FILM
FESTIVALS
Columbus Jewish Film Festival – 11/7-11/9 and 11/14-11/16 @ various locations
Columbus International Film and Video Festival – 11/16-11/21 @ CCAD
Ottawa International Animation Festival 2010 – 11/18 @ Wexner Center
Zoom, Family Film Festival – 12/2-12/5 @ Wexner Center
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Matinee (1993), introduced by Joe Dante – 10/6 @ Wexner Center
Stonewall Uprising (2010), with gay rights scholars and Ira Sachs – 10/7-10/8 @ Wexner Center
Breathless (1960) – 10/15-10/21 @ Gateway Film Center
Miami Blues (1990), introduced by Scott Tobias – 10/22 @ Wexner Center
Jerry Beck: the 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons – 10/28 @ Wexner Center
A Film Unfinished – 10/22-11/4 @ Gateway Film Center
Utopia in Four Movements (2010) – 11/19 @ Wexner Center
DANCE
CAPA
Ailey II – 10/30 @ Capitol Theatre
Stomp – 1/14-1/16 @ Palace Theatre
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – 1/28 @ Palace Theatre
Riverdance – 2/18-2/20 @ Palace Theatre
Shen Yun – 3/2-3/3 @ Ohio Theatre
Complexions Contemporary Ballet – 4/7-4/8 @ Capitol Theatre
BALLETMET
Requiem – 10/1-10/9 @ Capitol Theatre
Dangerous Liasons – 11/5-11/13 @ Capitol Theatre
The Nutcracker – 12/10-12/26 @ Ohio Theatre
Cinderella – 2/4-2/13 @ Capitol Theatre
BalletMet Up Close – 3/11-3/26 @ BalletMet Performance Space
7 Deadly Sins – 4/29-5/7 @ Capitol Theatre
COLUMBUS DANCE THEATRE
The String Machine – 9/17-9/18 @ Fisher Theatre
Matchgirl – 12/3-12/4 @ Otterbein’s Fritsche Theatre
Ten Cents a Dance – 2/12 @ Fisher Theatre
Courage – 2/25, 2/26, and 3/5 @ Fisher Theatre
New Dance Project – 5/20-5/21 @ Fisher Theatre
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Out of Context – for Pina – 10/8
837 Venice Boulevard – 11/18-11/20
KING ARTS COMPLEX
DanceAfrica – 3/14-3/19 @ The Pythian Theatre
MUSIC
COLUMBUS GAY MEN’S CHORUS
Joy! Our Holiday Tradition – 12/3, 12/4, and 12/11 @ TBA
Vox: One Hit Wonders – 2/25-2/26 @ TBA
Musicians in Harmony – 3/18-3/19 @ Lincoln Theatre
Broadway Bound – 6/24-6/25 @ TBA
CAPA
Dave Koz & Friends – 12/5 @ Palace Theatre
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile – 1/24 @ Lincoln Theatre
Tiempo Libre – 2/18 @ Lincoln Theatre
KING ARTS COMPLEX
An Evening with Oleta Adams – 11/20 @ The Pythian Theatre
JAZZ ARTS GROUP
Guitar Summit – 9/24-9/25 @ Southern Theatre
New Orleans on Parade – 10/27-10/31 @ Southern Theatre
Home for the Holidays – 12/1-12/5 @ Southern Theatre
A Night at the Movies: Featuring the Music of Henry Mancini – 1/14-1/15 @ Southern Theatre
Broadway: From Oklahoma! To West Side Story – 2/16-2/20 @ Southern Theatre
Basie, Buddy, & Benny – 3/16-3/20 @ Southern Theatre
A Night at the Apollo – 4/13-4/17 @ Southern Theatre
CJO By Request – 5/20-5/21 @ Southern Theatre
COLUMBUS SYMPHONY
Best of Baroque – 10/22-10/23 @ Ohio Theatre
Wetherbee Plays Mendelssohn – 11/6-11/7 @ Ohio Theatre
Neil Sedaka – 11/13 @ Ohio Theatre
Handel’s Messiah – 11/20-11/21 @ Ohio Theatre
Holiday Pops – 12/3-12/5 @ Ohio Theatre
Russian Masters #1 – 1/7-1/8 @ Ohio Theatre
Russian Masters #2 – 1/21-1/22 @ Ohio Theatre
Lang Lang – 1/27 @ Ohio Theatre
Soldiers’ Chorus of the United States Army Field Band – 1/29 @ Ohio Theatre
Russian Masters #3 – 2/4-2/5 @ Ohio Theatre
Sondheim & Loesser Songbook with Liz Calloway – 2/19 @ Ohio Theatre
Schubert’s Unfinished – 2/26-2/27 @ Ohio Theatre
Verdi Requiem – 3/11-3/13 @ Ohio Theatre
Bolero – 3/26-3/27 @ Ohio Theatre
Cirque De La Symphonie – 4/2 @ Ohio Theatre
Beethoven’s “Eroica” – 4/9-4/10 @ Ohio Theatre
CHAMBER MUSIC COUMBUS
Arnaldo Cohen – 10/23 @ Southern Theatre
Carpe Diem String Quartet with Jerry Kirkbride – 11/27 @ Southern Theatre
Burning River Brass – 1/22 @ Southern Theatre
Brentano String Quartet – 3/12 @ Southern Theatre
Fry Street Quartet – 4/30 @ Southern Theatre
Cavani String Quartet – 5/13 @ Ohio Wesleyan University
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Steve Lehman Octet – 10/31 @ Wexner Center
POPULAR MUSIC
Hot Hot Heat – 9/12 @ The Basement
Muse – 10/12 @ Schottenstein Center
Roger Waters: The Wall Live – 10/22 @ Schottenstein Center
The Monster Ball Tour starring Lady Gaga – 3/10 @ Schottenstein Center
CAPA
Styx – 10/17 @ Palace Theatre
The Temptations – 11/14 @ Ohio Theatre
Over the Rhine – 12/7 @ Lincoln Theatre
Mannheim Steamroller: Christmas – 12/19 @ Palace Theatre
DRUMLINE LIVE – 2/1 @ Palace Theatre
Imagination Movers – 4/1 @ Palace Theatre
Benise: The Spanish Guitar – 5/17 @ Palace Theatre
THE LC
Pavement – 9/16
Jason Mraz – 9/29
Band of Horses – 10/5
Thirty Seconds to Mars, with Neon Trees and New Politics – 10/7
NEWPORT MUSIC HALL
Deftones – 9/10
Matt and Kim – 9/17
Guster – 10/8
Jimmy Eat World – 10/9
LITERARY
OHIOANA
Uncorrected Proofs: An Evening with the 2010 Ohioana Award Winners – 10/15 @ Ohioana Library Association
Ohioana Book Festival – 5/7 @ Ohioana Library Association
THURBER HOUSE
Thrity Umrigar – 9/10 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
David Rakoff – 9/27 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
James L. Swanson – 10/12 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
Lisa Scottoline – 11/10 @ Columbus Performing Arts Center
Thurber Birthday Gala – 12/8 @ The Westin Columbus
WEXNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Annie Cohen-Solal – 10/3
An Evening with Matt Groening – 10/16
Art Spiegelman – 10/17
ART
WEXNER CENTER
Mark Bradford – closes 10/8
Free Gallery Admission Day – 10/3
COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART
The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis – 10/8-1/16
Currents: Complaints Choir – 10/8-1/16
Street Talk: Aminah’s Mt. Vernon Avenue – Winter
Grand Opening – 1/1
Shared Intelligence: American Painting and the Photograph – 2/4-4/24
RIFFE GALLERY
Deep Space: Ohio Photographers – closes 10/17
Against the Grain: Modernism in the Midwest – 11/4-1/9
Here’s Looking at You: New Portraits by Ohio Artists – 1/27-4/17
KING ARTS COMPLEX
Homage to Bearden: Piecing it Together – 1/29-4/9
COLUMBUS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN
Last Year at Marienbad Redux – 10/27-12/8
Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven – 1/27-3/12
