Jerri Shafer News

Fairfield’s a place where nothing ever happens, at least not since Billy Myers got that nasty papercut a decade ago. And with the exception of a pair of vain newscasters, a few fringe skywatchers, and a kooky grandfather living in a galactically fantastic past, most townsfolk are okay with their humdrum ways. Like it or not, though, the winds of change are about to descend on Fairfield faster than a delivery from the town’s famous Flying Saucer Pizza. A couple of love-struck teens report an alien sighting, and Fairfield finds itself in a frenzy. Luckily, the members of SAWPE (that’s the Society of Alien Watchers to Protect Earth) are selling tinfoil hats to help protect everyone. Even the president comes to this sleepy burg, but not everyone in town agrees with his plan to attack the space-traveling Zordonians. It’ll be up to a brave little girl and her unwavering grandpa to stop a war of the worlds in this ridiculously silly one-act comedy that’s out of this world! Performances are Sept.15 at 7pm, Sept.16 at 2pm & 7pm, & Sept.17 at 4pm, 2023, at Lancaster Parks & Recreation, 701 Union Street, Lancaster, OH 43130. Purchase tickets: https://www.riseupartsalliance.org/tickets

ebellion is nigh in Matilda JR., a gleefully witty ode to the the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination! This story of a girl who dreams of a better life and the children she inspires will have audiences rooting for the 'revolting children' who are out to teach the grown-ups a lesson. Matilda has astonishing wit, intelligence... and special powers! She's unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Matilda's school life isn't completely smooth sailing, however – the school's mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don't abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils' saving grace! Packed with high-energy dance numbers and catchy songs, Matilda JR.is a joyous girl power romp. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination. Performances are Sept 15 - 17, 2023, at Knox Memorial Theater, 112 East High St., Mount Vernon, OH 43050. For tickets or more information, visit: https://www.mtvarts.com/index.php/upcoming-events/198-matilda-jr

The Inheritance, written by Matthew Lopez, inspired by E.M. Forster’s masterpiece Howards End, “The Inheritance” is an epic examination of survival, healing, class divide and what it means to call a place home.

Grease is the word! Meet the senior class of 1959 at Rydell High and watch Head “greaser” Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their “Summer Nights” as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as “Greased Lightnin’,” “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” “Alone at the Drive-In Movie”.

A Behanding in Spokane is a hilariously funny, dark comedy about Carmichael, a lone-fisted oddball, searching for his missing hand, and two bickering love birds trying to sell him a stolen knockoff. But when Mervyn, the hotel clerk, interrupts the deal, the transaction rapidly goes South and descends into laugh-out-loud chaos. Performances run Aug 10 - 26, 2023, at MadLab, 227 N 3rd Street, Columbus, Ohio. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.redherringtheater.org/

With an infectiously unforgettable score from four-time Grammy winner, three-time Oscar winner and musical theatre giant, Stephen Schwartz, Pippin is the story of one young man's journey to be extraordinary. Winner of four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, this updated circus-inspired version of Pippin continues to captivate and appeal to the young at heart throughout the world. Performances run July 21, 22, 28, 29, @ 7pm and July 23, 30, @ 2pm at District West, 145 N 5th St., Columbus, Ohio 43125.. For tickets or more information, visit: https://www.imaginecolumbus.org/

Spice up your summer with the world’s most forbidden topics - Politics and Religion as Evolution Theatre Company presents One Show Two Plays.

'Into the Woods' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from “Little Red Riding Hood“, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, “Rapunzel”, and “Cinderella”, as well as several others. The musical is tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, their interaction with a witch who has cursed them, and their journey into the woods. Performances are July 23 & August 3 - 6, 2023 at the Wagner Theatre | Brasee Hall, Ohio University Lancaster, 1570 Granville Pike Lancaster, OH 43130. For tickets or more information, visit: https://www.ohio.edu/lancaster/current-students/theatre/upcoming-shows

Worthington Community Theatre wants to know - what would you do if you had all eternity? Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure beyond her white picket fence, but not until she becomes unexpectedly entwined with the Tuck Family does she get more than she could have imagined. When Winnie learns of the magic behind the Tuck’s unending youth, she must fight to protect their secret from those who would do anything for a chance at eternal life. As her adventure unfolds, Winnie faces an extraordinary choice: return to her life, or continue with the Tucks on their infinite journey. Performances are July 21, 22, & 28 29 @ 7:30PM and July 23 & 30 @ 2:30PM McConnell Arts Center, 777 Evening St. Worthington, OH 43085. For Tickets https://www.mcconnellarts.org/worthington-community-theatre-presents-tuck-everlasting/

One of the most popular Disney movies of all time is capturing hearts as a practically perfect musical! Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins delighted Broadway audiences for over 2,500 performances and received nominations for nine Olivier and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.Check out photos of the cast in action!

Sister Act will run July 8 - 16, 2023, at The Woodward Opera House. Check out photos here!

Beauty is in the eye of the ogre in Shrek The Musical JR., based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and fantastic Broadway musical. It's a 'big bright beautiful world' as everyone's favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, Shrek JR. is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family. Featuring 43 youth artists between the ages of 9-16 years old. New Albany Youth Theatre will present Shrek The Musical, Jr. to be performed 7/7/23 – 7PM, 7/8/23 – 1PM & 7PM, 7/9/23 – 1PM at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts. 100 E Dublin Granville Rd, New Albany, OH 43054 Purchase tickets: https://newalbanyyouththeatre.org/

A World Premiere! 40 Acres is a romantic drama that tells the tale of two people facing the dangers of interracial marriage in Tuskegee, Alabama, 1899. Armed with nothing but an unshakable conviction that their happiness is just beyond the impenetrable horizon, perhaps the answer lies in the outcome of their fate.

This wickedly inspired re-imagining of the legend of Frankenstein by Mel Brooks is the story of the bright young doctor Frankenstein (that's Fronkensteen) who travels to Transylvania to complete the masterwork of his grandfather by bringing a corpse to life. Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks, Directed by Corey Ragan Cast: Will Macke, Youssef Nagaty Caleb Baker, Sarina Hyland, Grace Larger, Krista Morelli, Dallas Ray, BJ Craft, Seth Mcgee, Deryn Kraner, Jessica Dupee, Cindy Tran Nguyen Performances run June 16 - July 2, 2023 at Little Theatre Off Broadway, 3981 Broadway, Grove City, Ohio 43123. Order Reserved Seating Tickets at the link: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/70964

'The Bodyguard,' a musical. Synopsis: Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A breathtakingly romantic thriller, 'The Bodyguard' features a host of irresistible classics including 'Queen of the Night', 'So Emotional', 'One Moment in Time', 'Saving All My Love', 'Run to You', 'I Have Nothing', 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' and one of the biggest selling songs of all time – 'I Will Always Love You.' Book by Alexander Dinelaris, Based on the Warner Bros. film, Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan Performances run June 15 - 17 @ 7pm, June 18 @ 2PM, 2023, at East High School, 1500 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/mu8mcxf.

This is our first production since October. We are no longer dark! To celebrate our return we’ve decided to make The Vagina Monologues a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. New Herring is donating the net proceeds from the production to support women’s reproductive rights and freedoms. So make plans to see these talented women share this profound and provocative play.  Written by Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues explores a wide range of issues that have a direct impact on women, their bodies, and their health. The play is a beautiful piece of theatre that celebrates women of various ages, races, sexualities, transgender and other differences. It is a provocative play, with profound resonance in a post-Roe vs Wade era. Performances run June 8 - 25, 2023, at MadLab, 227 N 3rd Street, Columbus, Ohio.  For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.redherringtheater.org/

A girl has watched Alexander McQueen’s Mayfair house. Tonight, she climbs down from her watching tree and breaks into his house to steal a dress, to become someone special. He catches her, but instead of calling the police, they embark together on a journey through London and into his heart. A journey into the visionary imagination and dream world of Alexander McQueen, fashion’s greatest contemporary artist. Written by James Phillips, Directed by Joe Bishara, Cast includes Ben Tracy, Grace Emmenegger-Conrad, Emma Winder, Sydney Campbell, Mark Phillips Schwamberger, Nicolas Brunet, Emma Schachter, Nat Harper. Performances run May 25 - June 3, 2023 at Abbey Theatre of Dublin, 5600 Post Rd. Dublin, Ohio 43017. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.evolutiontheatre.org/

JOIN US! for 4 live performances of a newly devised digital media work by Alex Oliszweski, Associate Professor of Theatre, Film and Media Arts and ACCAD. Alex and his performance and production team will present The Survivors Way Thursday, May 25th; 3:00 pm, Friday, May 26th, 6:00 pm, Saturday, May 27th; 3:00 pm, and Saturday, May 27th; 7:00 pm. The event is Free and Open to the public. Seating is limited. Please sign up by ordering tickets via Event Brite. The Survivor's Way is a poetic and visually stunning media and animation heavy play that chronicles the transformative journey of a young man. Armed with knowledge from his father and mother, he embarks on a mystical adventure that begins in a maze of boxes and ascends into the cosmic void, guided by a kite, a rainbow, the stories of his family.

Dewey Finn is an out-of-work rock star and a fish out of water, posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. After discovering his students’ musical abilities, Dewey forms a rock band out of his 5th grade students and attempts to conquer the Battle of the Bands. With its energetic rock score, this high-octane, fun-filled show will be a blast for the whole family! Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock - The Musical is based on the hit movie of the same name. School of Rock - The Musical, with its sensational live kids’ rock band, is a loving testimony to the transforming power of music. Director - David J Glover, Music Director/Conductor - Zac Delmonte, Cast - J’Von Jones, Kathryn McCarty, Tom Murdock, Lara Brooks, Avery Andruzis, Colin Dacierno, Gabrielle Curtis, Zeke Moses, Sophia Adair, William Collins, Paxton Longoria, Keegan Hardin, Ella Kinsinger, Owen Suarez, Isaac Rittberger, Claire Christie, Faith Smith-Austin, Ani Olsheski, Sam Stiutz, Amy Lang, Lorenzo McKeever, Reese Anthony, Patrick Doss, Lyndsey Adams, Chad Baker, Chris Bullwinkle, Erin McQuay, Dallas Ray, Amy Rittberger, Nancy Skaggs, Kennedy Spitzer Performances are May 12 - 21, 2023 at the Lincoln Theatre 769 E. Long St., Columbus, OH 43204. For tickets or more information, visit: https://columbuschildrenstheatre.org/

Based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, Disney's Descendants: The Musical is a brand-new musical jam-packed with comedy, adventure, Disney characters, and hit songs from the films! Imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost – home of the most infamous villains who ever lived – the teenaged children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella De Vil have never ventured off the island… until now. When the four troublemakers are sent to attend prep school alongside the children of beloved Disney heroes, they have a difficult choice to make: should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good. Performances are May 5 - 13, 2023, at Lancaster Parks & Recreation, 701 Union Street, Lancaster, OH 43130. Purchase tickets: https://www.riseupartsalliance.org/tickets