Waning summer days ... many youth plays

Looking to lose yourself in a darkened theatre while you pretend the school year is just around the corner? No problem! This week, you have your choice. Read on: Rabbit Run Theater Opening last weekend to big houses, Rabbit Run Theater in Madison has had a very successful opening of “Evita.” Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, “Evita” features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics and book by Tim Rice. “Evita” continues this weekend and runs through Saturday, Aug. 18. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. at the Ohio Historic Landmark barn theatre at 5648 West Chapel Road in Madison. “Evita” is rated 13+ for content and language.

Tickets for all performances are available by calling the box office at (440) 428-7092, Wednesday through Sunday, from 3 to 7 p.m. or on line at www.rabbitrunonline.org. Tickets are $24 for adults, $22 for seniors and students, and $11 for youth 12 and under. For group packages and rates call 440- 428-5913.

Guests are welcome to bring a picnic meal to enjoy on the grounds of the theater prior to a show in the new picnic pavilion or courtyards. Rabbit Run receives partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council, Hearn Plumbing and Heating, Huffman-Mayer Wealth Management Group and Lighthouse Advisers. The 2018 season at Rabbit Run Theater is also funded in part by a grant from The Lake County Visitor Bureau Arts & Culture Grant. The Remarkable Lake County, OH Arts & Culture Grant Program promotes the county’s tourism constituency – entertainment, regional and heritage events, hospitality venues and hotels, and destinations and attractions involved in Lake County’s tourism industry.

“Evita” is told through the eyes of storyteller, Che, as he recounts young Eva Duarte’s journey from a poor illegitimate child in mid-20th century Argentina to her meteoric rise to sainthood as Eva Peron, the most powerful woman in Latin America. “Evita” is directed by Brint Learned, executive director of Rabbit Run Community Arts Association in Madison. For the past 20 years, Learned has acted and directed at numerous theaters in Northeast Ohio, including The Fine Arts Association, The Beck Center for the Arts, Lakeland Civic Theatre, Lake Erie College and Ashtabula Arts Center.

Musical direction is provided by Dave Coxe with choreography by Jill Tschetter.

Several young thespians are in the cast, and I will share some of them with you before closing weekend.

Geauga Lyric Theater Guild

Also opening last weekend was Geauga Lyric Theater Guild’s 2018-19 theater season with the annual Skip Kelley Production. This year’s musical, “Legally Blonde,” opened successfully last week and will continue running weekends through Aug. 19 at the historic Geauga Lyric Theater on Chardon Square at 101 Water St. For tickets or season passes, call 440-286-2255 or visit us at www.geaugatheater. org.

The Skip Kelley Production always casts young adults. Skip Kelley was a former tech director and mentor of the youth at GLTG.

Based on the popular movie starring Reese Witherspoon, “Legally Blonde” follows the trials of Elle Woods, a beautiful blonde with a degree in fashion merchandising. Determined to keep and marry her boyfriend who has left her for serious pursuits at Harvard Law, she manages to get accepted at Harvard herself. Hijinks and hilarity ensue in this popular story of empowerment that has become the latest modern staple for many high school theatre groups.

Kat Magalski, a junior at West Geauga High School, came to the cast having already appeared in GLTG’s “Gypsy.”

“Trinidad Snider is an amazing woman to work with,” Kat says of her director, “and I was so excited at the opportunity to be involved in a performance again with her. ‘Legally Blonde’ is one of my favorite shows and Paulette has always been one of my dream characters to represent.

Kat has enjoyed this cast of young thespians and their work ethic. “My favorite aspect is how much talent and commitment is around me at all times,” Kat says. “Rehearsals start at 6:30 and many of the cast members show up at 5:30 to review, stretch, and warm up. It’s truly an inspiring cast to be around and never ceases to lighten up my day when I see how dedicated they all are. I believe the way everyone has built up their own individual character is very interesting and intriguing, but I definitely think that when audiences come in and watch us for the first time, they’ll be blown away by the choreography. Even though I’ve seen many of the dance moves over and over in rehearsal, I’m always in awe by how talented not only our choreographer Kristy is, but also the cast members that are moving onstage are!”

Olivia Sharp is a junior at Twinsburg High School who — despite having previous stage experience at Twinsburg Community Theatre, Mercury Theatre Company, and Spotlights Community Theatre — also has been surprised at the intensity of the choreography.

“I thought it would be toned down because we are a teen cast but nope!” Olivia says. “There are a few songs that have choreography nearly identical to the Broadway version if not as challenging! It’s hands down the hardest dances I’ve ever done! I’ve loved the movie for years and saw the musical a few times and loved the music so I was excited to be a part of it and get to play iconic characters with my own spin on it!”

Good luck to the cast — and any audience that tries to keep up with them! Wildwood Theatre Camp For the final time this summer, Wildwood Theatre Camp for the City of Mentor is ready to share its production of “Villains for Hire.”

Our third performance of the year will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 9 in the A-Lecture “Little Theatre” at Mentor High School. This performance is free and open to the public.

This year marks my 24th summer directing at least one session of Wildwood Theatre Camp for the city. This performance will close the curtain on this particular program’s 29th year.

Originally conceived by Len Zito, the former longtime director of cultural activities for the city of Mentor, kids from grades two and up get to learn the basics of performance and enjoy the grounds of the Tudor-style mansion that is Wildwood Cultural Center on Little Mountain Road in Mentor.

This year’s production is a revival of a show I wrote in 2010, and has already been performed twice this summer with two different casts of 35 kids each. Our show features music by University School faculty member and administrator and my longtime collaborating composer Joseph Hollings.

Wildwood Theatre Camp features both kids with no performance experience and those who have been on stage multiple times. Kids range from as young as 7 or 8 up to high school age.

The program is provided by the city of Mentor and supports itself through its registration fees and the Parks and Recreation Department. As a city program, it is not auditioned and takes all children who sign up, including those with special needs.

Hopefully we have one more good performance in store. Theater campers from all summer long are sure to appear in the audience. If you have a kid who may enjoy this program next year, hopefully you will bring them along and be there, too. If you do, be sure to say hello.