Joe Bishara News

What did our critic think of 1776 at Abbey Theater Of Dublin?

CreativeOhio has announced the second cohort of arts and cultural leaders for the CreativeOhio Advocacy Leadership Institute (ALI), a first-of-its-kind initiative which has become a nationally recognized model for statewide arts advocacy. 

As he enters his sixth season with the Abbey Theater of Dublin, director Joe Bishara is overseeing a lineup of shows that brings elementary school students, high school and college-aged performers, and senior citizens to the stage.

While it is a visual stroke of genius, THE WITCH OF NOVEMBER would have been lost at sea without standout performances of the six person cast.

Vidas Barzdukas has a sign bearing a one-word message that hangs over his writing desk: Courage. Its message is simple. Finding it and following it, according to Barzdukas, is the hard part.

Although it is mainly known for its mass production of the Bible, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press was also responsible for the mass distribution of Greek myths and texts to spark the age of enlightenment.

The Abbey Theater of Dublin will present You're My Boy by retired Ohio Supreme Court Judge, playwright, and novelist Herb Brown. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.

According to British playwright James Phillips, inspiration can be found anywhere: a photograph, a fragment of a story, a sentence, or in the case of BOBBY AND THE CHIMPS, a winetasting. Phillips’ play makes its world premiere April 3-6 and 10-13 at the Abbey Theater of Dublin (5600 Post Road in Dublin).

The Abbey Theater of Dublin and Original Productions Theatre will co-present the world premiere of 'Bobby and the Chimps' by West End-produced English playwright James Phillips. Learn more!

You may not know the 1930s icon, but you definitely have seen the effects of her life. Nearly every siren, diva, and pop tart owes a little bit of their persona to Mae West.

“Her influence is like the threads in the tapestries of many different artists today. The idea of a woman taking things into her own hands, using her voice unabashedly, and being funny and sexy at the same time really resonates with me.” --Francesca DiFrancesco

Abbey Theater of Dublin, in collaboration with Dublin Coffman High School, will present Shakespeare's 'Macbeth.' Performances will run in January. Learn how to purchase tickets.

The Abbey Theater of Dublin will present encore performances of the regional premiere production of 'A Walk in the Woods,' written by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing.

What is refreshing about AMERICAN IDIOT is since it’s a pre-professional project, the entire cast is in the 14-19 age range. That is about the same age as the characters in the show. This cast doesn’t come across as amateurish. Lavery nails his role as Tunny, who comes home from the Gulf War broken, both physically and mentally. Hund’s wrestling with his inner demons and St. Jimmy feels real as did Williams’ portrayal of a teenager struggling with apathy and responsibility.

In her book, BURNT OFFERING, author Laurell K. Hamilton writes, “Never trust people who smile constantly. They're either selling something or not very bright.”

The Abbey Theater of Dublin will present pre-professional productions of AMERICAN IDIOT and ALICE BY HEART this August.

The Abbey Theater of Dublin will present the world premiere production of 'An Umbrella on a Rainy, Rainy Day,' written by local Playwright Robert Cooperman.

What did our critic think of A WALK IN THE WOODS at The Abbey Theater? Bishara’s non-nonsense Honeywell verbally spars with Holliday’s frivolous Botvinnik. The Soviet diplomat believes the only way the treaty can work is if the two develop an attitude of friendship and trust. Honeywell believes the two must maintain a sense of formality.

“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

Cooney’s script is much like a van Gogh painting. Some characters, like Erin, are created with intricate paintbrush strokes; others are fingerpainted in concentric circles.