Dueling Shreks. Dueling Les Miserables. Dueling Clybourne Parks, dueling Hamlets ...well, I guess technically any production of Hamlet is a dueling Hamlet. Neil Simon and Anthony Shaffer. Tom Stoppard and John Guare. Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline. Dracula and Frankenstein, Ash and Elvis. Revivals of classics, and brand-new shows direct from Broadway. Looks like there is something for everyone in the next year! I'm not sure that Jasper has ever broken any news before, but to my knowledge, this is the first report from last week's "One Last Hurrah" celebration at the Art Bar, the culmination of One Month, One Columbia. Representatives from many of the area's theatres announced their seasons for 2013-2014. A few were not able to make it, and I've lifted some titles and dates from their websites. Others do a calendar year format rather than a "school year," so in those cases I've listed what info is available.
First Disclaimer: I have not included commercial venues (like the Township, the Koger Center, etc.) that book productions, but they have some great shows coming up too. Nor have I included one-time shows, high school shows (however excellent they may be), church and religion-based events, dance and music productions, etc. I'm all in favor of those too, but this is about local community and professional theatres.
Second Disclaimer: theatre seasons often change, so this is in no way a definitive or comprehensive listing. Look for something in a future print issue of Jasper - The Word on Columbia Arts for details and more specific dates and information.
Third Disclaimer: the event was held at the Art Bar, so my memory may not be perfect. If there's anything significant that I have listed incorrectly, drop me a note at akrickel@jaspercolumbia.com .
That said, in no particular order, we have the following shows to look forward to!
Town Theatre
Les Miserables - September
The Foreigner - late fall
Elvis Has Left the Building - January
Stand By Your Man: The Tammy Wynette Story - March
Shrek: The Musical - May
..........
High Voltage Theatre
Dracula (a new stage version by Chris Cook, developed in collaboration with Dacre Stoker, great-grand-nephew of Bram Stoker) at the West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater - October 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 30-31
classic thriller at Tapp's Art Center (details tba) - February
classic thriller at West Columbia Riverwalk Amphitheater (details tba) - Spring
..........
USC's Theatre South Carolina
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard - Sept. 27 - Oct. 5 at Drayton Hall
The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov - Nov. 15-23 at Longstreet Theatre
The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow - Feb. 21 - March 1 - Longstreet Theatre
Hamlet by William Shakespeare (OK, like you didn't know that) - April 18-26 - venue tba
plus a full season of black box shows (details tba)
Stage 5 Theatre
Hamlet - September
Lombardi - November
Special Holiday Event - December
Clybourne Park – April
..........
Lexington Arts Association (at the Village Square Theatre)
Shrek: The Musical - September 20 - October 6
Steel Magnolias - November 1 - November 10
Always…Patsy Cline - December 6 - December 15 (non-season show)
9 to 5: The Musical - January 17 – January 26
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka JR. - March 7 - March 23
a musical revue (details tba) - May 9 - May 18
..........
Workshop Theatre
Beehive - September
Sleuth - late fall
Crimes of the Heart - January
Biloxi Blues - March
Young Frankenstein - May (including Frau ....BLUCHER!)
..........
Theatre Rowe
Murder Ahoy! - June 27 - July 28
Over the River and Through the Woods - August 16-17, 23-25
The Altos (tentative) - September 20-22, 27-29
Little Shop of Horrors - October 18-19, 25-26, 31
Chapin Theatre Company
How to Eat Like A Child (based on the book by Delia Ephron) - Aug. 2-4 at the Old Chapin Firehouse / American Legion Building
Unnecessary Farce, by Paul Slade Smith - Sept. 19-22, 26-28 at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College
..........
South Carolina Shakespeare Company
Hamlet - Oct. 16 - 26
Les Miserables - Apr. 16 - May 3
..........
On Stage Productions
An Evening of One-Acts - September
Yes, Virginia - The Musical - December
Second Samuel - February
Hey G - April
..........An Evening of One Acts - September -
Columbia Children's Theatre
The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley - September
Ho Ho Ho! - November/December
Puss In Boots (a new comic version by CCT's Jerry Stevenson) - February
The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fair(l)y (Stoopid) Tales - April
The Commedia Snow White - June
..........
Trustus Theatre
Thigpen Main Stage:
Ragtime - September
Venus in Fur - November
A Christmas Carol - December
Clybourne Park - January-February
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, by Tom Stoppard, with music by Andre Previn; featuring the SC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Morohiko Nakahara - Feb.-March
See Rock City and Other Destinations - spring
The House of Blue Leaves - May
Evil Dead: The Musical - summer - groovy.
Winner of the Playwrights' Festival - August
Side Door Theatre
Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche (returning from its sold-out run in January) - Fall
El Diario De un Psiquiatra (A Psychiatrist's Diary) - a world premiere by Julia Vargas, presented in Spanish by La Tropa - November
Love, Lost and What I Wore, by Delia Ephron - January
a NiA Company show - Spring
Off-Off-Lady Series
The Adding Machine (pending rights) April 24-May 4 - venue tba
In the Red and Brown Water - June - at the Harbison Theatre
..........
WOW (Walking on Water) Productions
Confessions of a Good Man - a new play by local authors Tangie Beaty, Donna Johnson, and Kevin A. Rasberry - July 25-28 at the Harbison Theatre
other original works in 2013-14 - TBA
..........
If you didn't notice, including the groups collaborating in the Side Door, that's 15 different theatre groups! In little bitty Columbia, SC - who knew? Well, you probably did, since as I'm saying more and more these days... Columbia has always been a theatre town. Look for details on all of the above in coming months here, and in print issues of Jasper - The Word on Columbia Arts. And many thanks to Larry Hembree and Debora Lloyd, the co-chairs for Theatre for OneColumbia, for organizing and facilitating One Last Hurrah!
~ August Krickel