A Gay Theater Company in Columbus, Ohio


 
 

I am honored to have been recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Evolution Theatre Company [ETC] here in Columbus, Ohio.  I suspect that my appointment has something to do with my theatrical adventures in acting and directing since I retired from teaching over ten years ago (16 shows in all) and my involvement in gay rights in this city.  The latter is particularly important because ETC has made the decision to change its mission to performing exclusively LGBT plays and musicals starting with the 2015 season.  This is an exciting endeavor, and I’m also pleased that I’ve been selected to direct one of the plays” “The Temeramentals.”  It’s the incredible story of Harry Hay and the Mattachine Society, the gay rights organization that was formed in 1950 (!), an era when gay men could be arrested for simply holding hands in a restaurant.  For more on Harry Hay and the terrors of that era see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattachine_Society.  I’m much looking forward to helping ETC explore this important part of gay history up on our stage.
 
Harry Hay (upper left) and the Mattachine Society's First Christmas

Evolution Theatre Company has also tasked its Board members with raising money for the company, and one way of doing this is through the sale of subscriptions for the coming season at rock bottom prices (two plays, two musicals—for a list of the 2015 shows see http://evolutiontheatre.org/Home_Page.html).  The four shows are also described below.  A subscription to the season made before January 1st can be had for the incredibly low sum of $50 per person (as opposed to paying a total of $90 at the box office for all four shows).  A subscription to the Preview performances is half that amount!  To subscribe go to http://evolutiontheatre.org/Box_Office.html.

If you are interested in helping support live LGBT theater in the Columbus area, please help us out.  A donation or a sponsorship would be fantastic, but at the very least please consider buying these subscriptions for yourself and your partner, loved ones, or friends.  Like all theatrical companies in town, ETC (which pays its actors and crew) needs funding to keep going, but also filling up the seats in the various performances is vital.  The contact information is below, and if you do decide to support us in any way, remember that Board members are being evaluated on whether they can raise money, so please also mention my name and help me keep my seat.

Many thanks, fellow theatergoers.

Douglas Whaley


EVOLUTION THEATRE COMPANY

PURCHASE A SEASON SUBSCRIPTION  AND SAVE NEARLY 45%!
Purchase a subscription by January 1, 2015 for only $50! (a $90 value)
or, and this is really an incredible value:

Purchase a PREVIEW subscription (first Wednesday) for only $25! (a $40 value) 

Our 2015 Season
[See Clearer Descriptions Below]


 
Yank! The Musical  Book and lyrics by David Zellnik, Music by Joseph Zellnik May 27 - June 6
Preview Wed. May 27, 8 PM; Performances Thurs. - Sat. May 28 - June 6, 8 PM Sun. May 31, 2 PM

YANK! explores what it means to be a man, and what it is to fall in love and struggle to survive in a time and place where the odds are stacked against you. Suffused with songs (swing, big band, boogie-woogie) it explores what stories get told in wartime, and how WWII became the great catalyst in bringing gay men and women together. While the characters in Yank! are fictional, all of the situations and viewpoints come directly from memoirs and oral histories of gay (and straight) service members who took part in WWII. 

 

The Temperamentals  by Jon Marans July 8 18
Preview Wed. July 8, 8 PM; Performances Thurs. - Sat. July 9 - 26, 8 PM Sun. July 12, 2 PM

Temperamentals was a code word for homosexuals in the early 1950s, part of a created language of secret words that gay men used to communicate. The Temperaments tells the story of two men - the communist Harry Hay and the Viennese refugee and designer Rudi Gernreich - as they fall in love while building the first gay rights organization, along with Chuck Rowland, Bob Hull, and Dale Jennings, in the pre-Stonewall United States. It is a true story. This production is lovingly dedicated to the memory Barbara Sokol.

 

Sordid Lives by Del Shores September 16 26
Preview Wed. Sept. 16, 8 PM; Performances Thurs - Sat. Sept 17 - 26, 8 PM Sun. Sept. 20, 2 PM

This comedy was nominated for over thirty awards during its long run in Los Angeles. Sordid Lives puts a comedic twist on a story of unconditional love, acceptance and "coming out" in a Texas family, as they all converge for the matriarch's funeral. Their lives intertwine, giving each a new perspective, honesty, and meaning.

 

Zanna Dont Book, music and lyrics by Tim Acito; additional lyrics by Alexander Dinelaris Nov. 11 - 21
Preview Wed. Nov 11, 8 PM; Performances Thurs - Sat. Nov  12 - 21, 8 PM Sun. Nov. 15, 2 PM

Welcome to Heartsville High, set in a world where everyone is gaywell, almost everyone. The big man on campus is both the chess champion and the captain of the football team, made cool by being cast as the lead in the school musical. The students write a controversial show called Dont ask, Dont tell about straight people in the military, which becomes the catalyst for a young man and woman to fall in love. Enter Zanna, a magical, musical fairy who, with a wave of his wand, brings true love to one and all.

 
Purchase your subscription at www.evolutiontheatre.org
or send your check to: Evolution Theatre Inc. P O Box 21072, Columbus, OH 43221 with the completed PERFORMANCE SELECTION FORM. (Dont worry if your plans change we have a no hassle exchange policy)  

Performances are in the Van Fleet Theatre  549 Franklin Ave., Columbus, OH. Questions: call or text Evolution Theatre Company, 614-233-1124 or email info@evolutiontheatre.org.

[Note:  The above posters were created by my very talented graphic artist husband, David Vargo]
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A Guide to the Best of My Blog, April 29, 2013 at http://douglaswhaley.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-guide-to-best-of-my-blog.html

 

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