August is here, which means it’s time to start looking through the schedules to figure out which 2014-15 performances in central Ohio are the right ones for you.
Here’s a look at a few of the highlights of the coming season.
Funny Bone presents Jim Norton
Sept. 18-20
Columbus Funny Bone
Stand-up comedian and frequent The Opie & Anthony Show guest Jim Norton returns to Columbus to take the stage at the Funny Bone for a show that promises his usual neurotic style – and a lot of humor that’s not for the easily offended. “He’s a funny guy, but not for the faint of heart; he gets into some dark areas,” says Funny Bone General Manager Dave Stroupe. For those in search of a less abrasive brand of comedy, Kevin Nealon – best known for his stints on Saturday Night Live and Weeds – is expected at the Funny Bone in November.
McCoy Center presents Mary Chapin Carpenter
Sept. 21
Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts
Singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter is best known for her work in country music in the 1990s, with hit songs including “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” “I Take My Chances” and “Down at the Twist and Shout.” When CAPA Director of Programming Rich Corsi – CAPA oversees operations for the McCoy Center – approached Carpenter’s management about coming to the center for a show, her management expressed interest in having her backed by a symphony, so Corsi worked out a deal with the New Albany Symphony Orchestra to support her. “(Carpenter) is out promoting a symphonic CD, and we’ve got her out here playing with a symphony,” says Corsi.
CAPA presents Under the Streetlamp
Oct. 4
Palace Theatre
Four-man doo-wop/Motown band Under the Streetlamp is composed of the four original leads from the Chicago production of Jersey Boys, so fans of that show – including those moved by the Jersey Boys movie, released in June – can expect a similar vibe. The band has played Columbus once before and sold out the Capitol Theatre in near record time, so CAPA was looking for an opportunity to bring it back in a larger venue. “The (audience) went nuts – two standing ovations at the end,” Corsi says.
Columbus Jazz Orchestra presents A Night at the Movies
Oct. 23-26
Southern Theatre
Good music is a hugely important part of a good movie, and with this show, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra will be performing some of the best and most recognizable tunes from such silver screen juggernauts as The Godfather, The Pink Panther and Anatomy of a Murder. Singer Carly Thomas Smith will join the orchestra for the vocal tracks, such as “A Spoonful of Sugar” from Mary Poppins and the title theme from Goldfinger. “If you separate the music from the movies, the music, if it’s good music, can stand on its own,” says orchestra Artistic Director Byron Stripling.
Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton
Nov. 15
Ohio Theatre
From Alice in Wonderland and The Nightmare Before Christmas to Batman and Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton’s films have almost always relied on Danny Elfman for their music. This show, which just premiered in London last year, blends those recognizable movie scores together, and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra is one of the first orchestras to get the show. “They’ve got a big video screen that they’ll be projecting the scenes from the movies on,” says CAPA’s Corsi; CAPA also oversees operations for the symphony.
Wexner Center presents New Society
Nov. 20
Wexner Center for the Arts
Filmmaker Miranda July has come to the Wexner Center twice before – once in her early years, once as an artist in residence – so when center Director of Performing Arts Chuck Helm heard about her new, activism-inflected, audience-centered show, he knew it would be a good fit. “New Society is an interactive performance, so she does draw upon the audience in the show. It’s still got the low-fi values of her early performance work, but at the same time … it’s hard to ignore that the social contract is a bit worn and tattered these days,” Helm says. Another big highlight of the center’s 25th anniversary fall season is Landfall, a words-and-music collaboration between Laurie Anderson and the Kronos Quartet, who met many years ago at a Wexner Center event but have never worked together until now.
CATCO presents A Christmas Carol
Dec. 3-21
Studio One Theatre
CATCO’s new adaptation of the holiday classic is designed to maintain the essence of Charles Dickens’ story without getting too long, utilizing a small cast with music and puppets to keep things moving. “(Adaptor Patrick Barlow) has found a way to adapt it to completely keep the heart,” says CATCO Producing Director Steven Anderson. Also on the company’s calendar is cabaret show Forever Plaid, about a band that dies in a bus crash and must put on its final performance in heaven, which will open Sept. 25 and run as long as it’s successful.
McConnell Center presents The Digs
Dec. 4
McConnell Arts Center
Its upcoming show is the first at the McConnell for rockabilly outfit the Digs, which also plays surf rock, R&B and a variety of other musical genres. “They span the spectrum of rock ‘n’ roll, so it’s a smattering of all different kinds of styles,” says McConnell Executive Director Jon Cook. The center will also be bringing back its popular Chamber Orchestra, which made its debut last year, for another set of performances on Nov. 16, Feb. 8, March 22 and May 3.
Broadway Across America presents Newsies
Jan. 13-18
Ohio Theatre
The 2011 stage musical based on the 1992 film musical about homeless boys who support themselves with newspaper sales has proven a huge hit, so it was only a matter of time before Columbus’ local Broadway affiliate brought in the Disney-produced show. “It’s basically a song and dance extravaganza,” says Rolanda Copley, publicist for CAPA and Broadway in Columbus. And speaking of Disney, it’s also bringing its biggest current hit to Columbus: The Lion King, which runs Oct. 14-Nov. 9.
ProMusica presents Miró & Mendelssohn
Jan. 24-25
Southern Theatre/Pontifical College Josephinum
The three pieces in ProMusica’s January show could hardly be more diverse: Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, a Vaughn Williams piece based on a work by Thomas Tallis and the premiere of a commissioned work by in-demand composer Kevin Puts. “All of the major orchestras are working with (Puts),” says ProMusica Executive Director Janet Chen. The chamber orchestra will be joined for the show by Miró Quartet, an internationally known, Texas-based ensemble.
BalletMet presents The Great Gatsby
Feb. 6-14
Capitol Theatre
The chance to rework aspects of a ballet is something every choreographer desires, so BalletMet’s reprise of The Great Gatsby – with greater scope, more dancers onstage and some changes to dances and music – is a golden opportunity for the company and for choreographer Jimmy Orrante. “The Great Gatsby is such a fantastic story – it really is able to span a lot of different generations and a lot of different audience bases,” says BalletMet Artistic Director Edwaard Liang. Following Gatsby from March 20-29 will be a world premiere of BalletMet’s new version of Cinderella, which is not as elaborate as some productions but will catch patrons’ eyes with impressive new sets and costumes, Liang says.
New Albany Symphony Orchestra presents Shall We Dance: An American Salute
Feb. 22
Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts
The New Albany Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural Shall We Dance show, in 2013, was such a hit that the orchestra is bringing it back for 2014 – but with a twist. “(The show) will have an entirely different vibe – replacing the Latin theme of 2013 with an all-American program featuring popular tunes like ‘Sing, Sing, Sing,’ ‘Moonlight Serenade’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo,’” says orchestra Executive Director Heather Garner. The show’s format calls for community members to be paired with professional dancers for a live performance with the music of the orchestra.
Opera Columbus presents The Marriage of Figaro
March 2-6
Southern Theatre
This Mozart opera is a classic, but Opera Columbus is interested less in tradition than presentation, and its production will make several twists to freshen up The Marriage of Figaro. The time period is moved to the 1950s Mad Men era, the run time is cut from four hours to two and a half, and the lyrics will be in English rather than the original Italian so the audience can more readily get the jokes. “I’m not trying to repeat what everybody does. … I’m interested in taking opera into the future,” says Opera Columbus General Manager Peggy Kriha Dye.
Garth Bishop is editor of CityScene Magazine. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
