Beiser’s truly cohesive cast hits all the right marks. Meghan Slowik’s breakthrough portrayal of the Witch commands attention at the outset (“Witch’s Rap” is impressively performed at breakneck speed) and her fiery, authoritative essence remains impactful throughout, even when the Witch is frustratingly at her wit’s end for being blamed in “Last Midnight.”
The personable Luka Ashley Carter (Baker) and endearing Mary Ann Sprague (Baker’s Wife) are perfectly paired as a loving yet bickering couple longing to become parents in spite of emotional twists and turns (Sprague’s flavorfully introspective “Moments in the Woods” is an Act 2 highlight).
Catie Cumings is a lovely, down to earth Cinderella as well.
Credit: Justin Walton
Credit: Justin Walton
In featured roles: Allison Gabert is a perky, precocious Little Red Riding Hood expertly detailing “I Know Things Now”; Elliot Chilcote’s dopey disposition delightfully suits the gullible Jack and his outstanding “Giants in the Sky” is a joyous epiphany; Max Bartel (Cinderella’s Prince) and Montana Iverson (Rapunzel’s Prince) are a handsome, charming and comically competitive duo bringing matinee idol bravado to “Agony.” In particular, Iverson, leaning outside the box, offers a unique spin on the prince’s feelings toward Rapunzel’s mood swings and ultimate fate; the fan-happy trio of Karie-Lee Sutherland (Stepmother), Trinity Cravens (Lucinda) and Aubrie-Lee Dentino (Florinda) are an absolute hoot; and Linda Dew (Jack’s Mother/Granny), Jonathan Pendergrass (an expressive Milky White), Charmien Byrd (Rapunzel), Robert Tully (Narrator/Mysterious Man), Jerrod Gruber (Cinderella’s Father), Justin Reilmann (Steward) and Carly J. Shepherd (Cinderella’s Mother/Giantess) are equally notable and skillful.
How to go: Thursdays-Sundays at La Comedia Dinner Theatre, 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. $39-$79. 937-746-4554 or lacomedia.com.
Wright State University Dance Ensemble performs Spring Dance Concert
Seven works ranging from contemporary ballet to jazz funk will be presented at Wright State University Dance Ensemble’s Spring Dance Concert April 24-27.
A variety of choreographers, including WSU faculty members Gina Gardner-Walther, Ashley Pabst and renowned guest choreographers Stephanie Martinez and Michelle McElveen, will be showcased. The Dance Ensemble is also collaborating with its partner training companies, Dayton Ballet School Ensemble and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Martinez is the founder and artistic director of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre and has received numerous grants and acclaim, with the Chicago Tribune hailing her as a “chameleon” of choreography. Her piece, “World of Another,” unveils the hidden narratives and inner thoughts of those around us, exploring the concept of “othering” — the act of treating someone as an outsider.
“This work examines the invisible divides we create between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ urging us to recognize the shared humanity in those we might otherwise dismiss,” organizers said in a press release.
McElveen, a regional choreographer, has notably performed professionally with Walt Disney Productions, the Dayton Opera, the Sorg and Whitewater Opera Companies, and La Comedia Dinner Theatre. She has taught at Wright State University since 1994 and is a senior lecturer. Her work, “Divenire” (meaning “to become”) is a piece about “our personal journeys to find joy in the face of life’s biggest struggles.”
How to go: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Dayton. Tickets are priced at $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $5 for students. WSU students can receive free admission with a student ID at the Thursday performance. For tickets or more information, call 937-775-2500 or visit wrightliberalarts.universitytickets.com.
Works by Dayton-based artists on display in Cincinnati
The Weston Art Gallery in Cincinnati presents the works of Dayton-based artists Willis “Bing” Davis and James Pate through June 8.
“On the Shoulders of Ancestors: The Art of Willis ‘Bing’ Davis” continues the legendary artist’s accomplished exploration of African influences meshing with distinctly American art forms such as jazz. His work is also infused by his own personal journey as a Black man who has experienced the seismic societal shifts from segregation to the Civil Rights movement.
“(His) work continues to meld these personal experiences and cultural influences into transformative works of art that honor the past, celebrate the present, and look to create a more positive outcome for the future,” organizers said in a press release.
Pate, raised in Cincinnati, is a 2015 Individual Artist recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Governor’s Award for the Arts and co-created the “Seed of Life” Memorial in the Oregon District. He is showcased in “Redacted,” highlighting his idiosyncratic Techno-Cubism style fusing realism with spatial abstraction. The exhibit also addresses difficult societal issues, specifically the effects of racism on communities.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
“Pate’s work depicts aspects of the lived Black experience speaking to contradictions of the human condition, and the beauty found in human potential that too often collides with the harsh realities of urban life,” organizers said.
A Gallery Talk about both exhibitions will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3 at the Weston Art Gallery inside the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati. For more information, call 513-977-4165.
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