Columbus Interviews

'(It’s) less of a character acting position and more of a ‘How can I make sure I’m conveying her story as authentically as possible while also keeping her ‘Disney personality’ in the mix?'' Olivia Noel...

“I wish A WALK IN THE WOODS did not feel as timely now as it did when it was originally produced. … This play illuminates the importance for each of us as citizens of the world to understand that there are many layers to foreign politics/relations.” Joe Bishara...

“People know me as this light, fun person. They have a hard time seeing me play a character like that because it’s so different from (who I am).” Deon Releford-Lee ...

“I wish A WALK IN THE WOODS did not feel as timely now as it did when it was originally produced. … This play illuminates the importance for each of us as citizens of the world to understand that there are many layers to foreign politics/relations.” Joe Bishara...

When she was living in Chicago eight years ago, Leda Hoffmann remembers getting a postcard from the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, encouraging patrons to see RIDE THE CYCLONE....

When Elisabeth Yancey grew up playing the Hasbro game Clue, she didn’t realize she was preparing for her career. Yancey plays the role of Yvette the Maid in the national tour of CLUE, which will have an extended stay from April 9-14 at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus)....

“Most all of my plays happened in and around things in my life. People would say ‘Oh my God, Sean, what happened here?’ and I would be in the middle of it for some reason.” Sean Cooney...

“The idea of sharing music, especially my personal, original music and music from the icons of soul is especially gratifying. I love that feeling because this is from the heart; it was born from the heart of the soul.”...

“I never really imagined (doing) anything other than doing what I’m doing. It has all felt like one continuous thing for me. I just want to understand music to the best of my ability.”...

“The first time I read SKELETON CREW, I was enamored with it. It’s one of the first times that I got to see a play specifically about the Black working class. I think (SKELETON CREW) examines what happens to the people when industries collapse. I'm really excited to tell this story.”...

For most of her life, Judy McLane has tried to break out of the metaphorical boxes Broadway tries to put people into. In her most recent show, COMPANY, McLane has learned to act in a physical box....

I really love this idea of this young girl who is curious of the world and is open to new experiences. That is a beautiful message.”...

When she was studying vocal performance with an emphasis on operatic singing at Kentucky State University, Arielle Crosby discovered opera was not the only thing she could do well....

In THE DREAM AND BEYOND, Shadowbox Live examines how the words in King’s speech affect the lives of 11 people through acting, dancing and singing. The show opens on Jan. 25 and runs through April 14 at the troupe’s theater (503 S. Front Street in downtown Columbus)...

After being cast as Winston Churchill for the upcoming play THE DRUMS OF WAR, Matthew Michael Moore has been at war with the letter R....

“(Zidler's) a man with big appetites and that drives him to make bad choices. He’s dancing on the razor's edge, but thinks he can pull it off one more time. Robert Petkoff on his character...

Crooner Andy Williams is known for his Yuletide classic, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” For Kurtis Blow, the first rapper to sign with a major record label, the song is more of a mission statement than it is a Christmas song....

A tradition in Columbus since 1978, BalletMet will present the Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky classic Dec. 7-23 at the Ohio Theatre....

Jessica Vosk is a celebrated singer and actress and she has just kicked off her “MY GOLDEN AGE” US tour and will be visiting your area shortly! You may recognize her from Broadway roles like Elphaba in WICKED, or as the Narrator in JOSEPH... at Lincoln Center. I had the opportunity to catch up with ...

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Tommy Betz when the buses for the 20th anniversary tour of HAIRSPRAY pull into Columbus....

After stunning her St. Mark's High School classmates with a blistering re-creation of the violin solo in the Who's 'Baba O'Reilly,' Katie Jacoby was ready for bigger things. Jacoby, then 15, emailed the Who to let them know she was available to perform in their upcoming show at the Wachovia Center i...

When Tyler Belo looks at his final transcripts from Five Towns College in Dix Hills, New York, it is always the D+ in general economics that makes him smile. Belo barely passed the class because he opted out on the final to crash an equity-only tryout for HAMILTON....

Willem Butler, winner of BroadwayWorld's first ever season of Next on Stage, is currently shining bright on stages across the country as Dmitry in the National Tour of Anastasia. A recent graduate from Elon University, Anastasia is Butler's touring debut! Read BroadwayWorld's interview with Willem B...

...

CATCO's upcoming production of "Hansel and Gretel" is using puppetry to tell the story of the Grimm brothers' classic tale of teamwork....

For Chester Gregory, the opportunity to portray the founder of the Motown record label, Berry Gordy, was the logical next step in his personal musical journey. "A lot of work has led me to this role. So, it is like a full circle moment for me," said Gregory, who plays Gordy in "Motown the Musical," ...

Summer days are rapidly drifting away, but the Columbus Children's Theatre pre-professional company is striving to make the remaining summer nights a blast from the past with its production of "Grease."...

In its production of Neil LaBute's “Reasons To Be Pretty,” Columbus' Shots in the Dark Independent Theatre Company is set to delve into the aspects of close relationships that are often less than beautiful....

A new musical is coming to town--one that explores the themes of love, passion and the suburban American Dream, wittily played out under the golden glow of neighborhood streetlights....

Few artists would relish the position Colin Hay will find himself in this Friday. Hay, the former front man for Men At Work, will be the opening act in a triple bill that also features the Violent Femmes and headliner the Barenaked Ladies on 'Last Summer on Earth' tour....

Every time he takes on a show, director Edward Carignan insists on putting his own spin on the choreography....

In "On the Edge," a collection of short plays exploring the depth and breadth of the theatrical experience, Short North Stage aims to introduce audiences to the works of Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett and their complex, thought-provoking themes....

Opera fanatics and newcomers alike will discover the mysterious world behind the stage curtain in CATCO's production of "Master Class." Transported to an intimate voice master class at the Juliard School, audiences will come face-to-face with the larger-than-life persona of Maria Callas, one of the ...

Students' artistic visions are set to come to life on the big screen in the Ohio State Department of Theatre's fourth Digi-EYE: Film and Video Showcase....

The more he plays Luke, the Chinese convert and reformed gambler in the musical ANYTHING GOES, the more Roy Flores discovers how much he and his character have in common....

With lazily leaning palm trees, fluffy beach towels and sunbathing teenagers in 1960s-era bikinis, the frigid stage of Columbus' Garden Theater is transformed into the sun-kissed surf and sand of a Malibu beach town in Charles Busch's "Psycho Beach Party."...

A couple of years after the first phase of his acting career ended, Zachary Sayle feels like he's starting over with the national tour of NEWSIES....

After several projects fell through, lyricist Nathan Tysen and composer Chris Miller were left with a handful of songs they just couldn't give up on....

Featuring three barrier-breaking, never-before-seen contemporary dance pieces, BalletMet's "Innovations" encourages choreographers, dancers and audience members alike to think outside the box--the black box theater, that is....

Tis good to be the queen. Few people know that more than Tryphena Wade, a 1999 Pickerington High School graduate who plays Sarabi in a touring production of Disney's THE LION KING. The production opens in Columbus on Oct. 14 and will stay in the city until Nov. 9 at Ohio Theatre....

...

After two and a half years of construction, The Ohio State University's Sullivant Hall is ready to open its doors to the public once again this weekend....