Robin Gottlieb News

Trustus kicks off their Playwright's Festival, Columbia Children's Theatre does Cole Porter, and shows at Town and Chapin take their final bows in a busy weekend for Columbia theatre!

Grab your britches and tell your kin because Trustus Theatre is announcing the upcoming holiday hit, The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical written by David Nehls and Betsy Kelso and directed by Robin Gottlieb with music direction by Randy Moore running from December 2 - December 17.

John Guare's dark comedy The House of Blue Leaves comes to Trustus Theatre this spring. Winner of the 1971 Obie Award and Critics Award for Best Play, this script remains relevant for modern audiences as it examines the American obsession with celebrity and our constant effort to realize dreams. The Trustus production will open tonight, May 9th at 8:00pm on the Thigpen Main Stage, and will run through May 24th, 2014.

John Guare's dark comedy The House of Blue Leaves comes to Trustus Theatre this spring. Winner of the 1971 Obie Award and Critics Award for Best Play, this script remains relevant for modern audiences as it examines the American obsession with celebrity and our constant effort to realize dreams. The Trustus production will open May 9th at 8:00pm on the Thigpen Main Stage, and will run through May 24th, 2014. Tickets may be purchased at www.trustus.org.

The newly named Richard and Debbie Cohn Trustus Side Door Theatre is opening its season with last season's smash hit 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche. This unique show that was born from sketch comedy in Chicago comes back to Columbia with the original all-star Trustus cast. The show opens Friday October 11th, at 8:00pm in the Richard and Debbie Cohn Trustus Side Door Theatre, and runs through Saturday October 26th, 2013. Since the show sold out very quickly in January, patrons are encouraged to make reservations early.

The Trustus Side Door Theatre is bringing some cheer to the New Year as 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche comes to intimate 50-seat theatre. This unique show that was born from sketch comedy in Chicago comes to Columbia with an all-star Trustus cast. The show opens tonight, January 17th, at 8:00pm in the Trustus Side Door Theatre, and runs through Saturday February 2nd.

The Trustus Side Door Theatre is bringing some cheer to the New Year as 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche comes to intimate 50-seat theatre. This unique show that was born from sketch comedy in Chicago comes to Columbia with an all-star Trustus cast. The show opens Thursday, January 17th, at 8:00pm in the Trustus Side Door Theatre, and runs through Saturday February 2nd.

Most entertainment outlets in Columbia are providing holiday-inspired fare in December. However, Trustus Theatre - always pursuing an opportunity to bring something fresh and different to the table - is offering a musical comedy about friends writing a musical about writing a musical. [TITLE OF SHOW] - taken from the space on a music theatre festival's application form which asks for the [title of show] - is a piece that hilariously and irreverently follows creative artists through the gauntlet of self-expression under a deadline. [TITLE OF SHOW] opens on the Thigpen Main Stage tonight, December 7th, 2012 at 8:00pm. The show runs through December 16th. After a break for the holidays, the show runs January 3rd through the 12th after Columbia rings in the New Year.

Most entertainment outlets in Columbia are providing holiday-inspired fare in December. However, Trustus Theatre - always pursuing an opportunity to bring something fresh and different to the table - is offering a musical comedy about friends writing a musical about writing a musical. [TITLE OF SHOW] - taken from the space on a music theatre festival's application form which asks for the [title of show] - is a piece that hilariously and irreverently follows creative artists through the gauntlet of self-expression under a deadline. [TITLE OF SHOW] opens on the Thigpen Main Stage December 7th, 2012 at 8:00pm. The show runs through December 16th. After a break for the holidays, the show runs January 3rd through the 12th after Columbia rings in the New Year.

This month, Trustus Theatre is bringing Almost an Evening to the Trustus Black Box. This hilarious show is a collection of three one-acts by famed Oscar-winning screenwriter Ethan Coen of The Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men, O Brother Where Art Thou, and The Big Lebowski). The Trustus production is a unique theatrical event for Columbia theatre-goers where three directors will work with one cast to tell these three distinctive stories. Almost an Evening is part of Trustus' Late Night Series and runs in tandem with Avenue Q. The show opens on Wednesday, June 20th at 7:30pm. The production continues through June 30th with Wednesday shows at 7:30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays at 11:15pm.

This month, Trustus Theatre is bringing Almost an Evening to the Trustus Black Box. This hilarious show is a collection of three one-acts by famed Oscar-winning screenwriter Ethan Coen of The Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men, O Brother Where Art Thou, and The Big Lebowski). The Trustus production is a unique theatrical event for Columbia theatre-goers where three directors will work with one cast to tell these three distinctive stories. Almost an Evening is part of Trustus' Late Night Series and runs in tandem with Avenue Q. The show opens tonight, Wednesday, June 20th at 7:30pm. The production continues through June 30th with Wednesday shows at 7:30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays at 11:15pm.

This month, Trustus Theatre is bringing Almost an Evening to the Trustus Black Box. This hilarious show is a collection of three one-acts by famed Oscar-winning screenwriter Ethan Coen of The Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men, O Brother Where Art Thou, and The Big Lebowski). The Trustus production is a unique theatrical event for Columbia theatre-goers where three directors will work with one cast to tell these three distinctive stories. Almost an Evening is part of Trustus' Late Night Series and runs in tandem with Avenue Q. The show opens on Wednesday, June 20th at 7:30pm. The production continues through June 30th with Wednesday shows at 7:30pm, and Fridays and Saturdays at 11:15pm.

When Trustus Co-Founder Jim Thigpen directed the first Trustus show Luv in 1985, he did not know what to expect for the future of the company. Twenty-seven years later, Trustus Theatre is not only still in existence, but has grown into an institution of professional and provocative entertainment in the Midlands. In his last season as Artistic Director, Thigpen wanted his 'Swan Song' to be the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning August: Osage County - a show that many theatre fans call one of the most breathtaking evenings they have experienced in the last 5 years. August: Osage County opens on the Trustus Main Stage at 8:00pm on Friday, October 21st.

When Trustus Co-Founder Jim Thigpen directed the first Trustus show Luv in 1985, he did not know what to expect for the future of the company. Twenty-seven years later, Trustus Theatre is not only still in existence, but has grown into an institution of professional and provocative entertainment in the Midlands. In his last season as Artistic Director, Thigpen wanted his 'Swan Song' to be the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning August: Osage County - a show that many theatre fans call one of the most breathtaking evenings they have experienced in the last 5 years. August: Osage County opens on the Trustus Main Stage at 8:00pm on Friday, October 21st.

Jewtopia, an uproarious comedy by Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson, is the longest running comedy in Off-Broadway history.

Jewtopia, an uproarious comedy by Bryan Fogel and Sam Wolfson, is the longest running comedy in Off-Broadway history.

Trustus Theatre is presenting The Tunes of Trustus; an intimate fundraiser featuring Trustus performers from the past 25 years.

Trustus Theatre is presenting The Tunes of Trustus; an intimate fundraiser featuring Trustus performers from the past 25 years.

While other groups are putting up Christmas lights, filling the air with fake snow, and producing classic holiday entertainment fare for December; the cast of Trustus Theatre's 'The Great American Trailer Park Musical' will be basting in self- tanner, donning mullets, and discussing the nutritional value of SPAM. This hilarious musical, which just finished a successful run Off-Broadway, comes to Columbia leaving audiences exhausted from laughing; a refreshing change in entertainment options this holiday season. The Great American Trailer Park Musical barrels onto the Trustus Main Stage Friday December 3rd at 8:00pm, leaving road-kill in its wake

Trustus Theatre first produced Christopher Durang's Obie winning comedy Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You in 1990, and followed that highly successful production with two more in their tenth and sixteenth seasons. Now in 2010, while celebrating their 25th Anniversary, Trustus is bringing the hilarious antics of Sister Mary Ignatius to the intimate Trustus Black Box on Thursday June 3rd, at 7:30pm.