Kelly Thompson - Page 2

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company teamed up with Xavier University to put on a great production of The Crucible. Overall, the cast worked seamlessly together with the professional actors from the Shakespeare Company and the XU students. Obviously, there is going to be a difference in ability but the students held their own against the strong cast provided by the Shakespeare Company.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck tells a great story of hope for something more while also knowing that one's lot in life is difficult to overcome. Reviewing Steinbeck's script and/or story is a ridiculous idea so I will not even touch it other than to say that obviously it was great. And this cast and crew did a great job interpreting the script and leaving all their emotions on the stage.

Rapture, Blister, Burn tells an interesting story of 4 women from multiple generations all engrossed in feminist theory. Most of the dialogue in this play involves theories and is very intellectual but not so much that it's hard to follow.

I had the privilege of seeing Seven Spots on the Sun and I need to get this out of the way immediately: it was fantastic. The show was truly one of the best productions I have ever seen. Seven Spots on the Sun is a World Premiere play written by Martin Zimmerman and directed by KJ Sanchez

I recently had the opportunity to talk with the Assistant Stage Manager of the National touring cast of Ghost, Andrew D. Bacigalupo. We talked a lot about his experience in theater and with Ghost but also discussed what it is like to be part of a touring cast.

Ghost was one of the most advanced productions I have ever seen because of the lighting design, magic tricks and the use of digital images. This production showed what I believe is going to be Broadway within the next 10 years. Technology is in every aspect of our lives now so it's no surprise that a musical production is fully embracing what it can do.

The adaptation of Oliver Twist performed by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company was lacking in many ways. What needs to be said first is that the acting, lead by Sara Clark and Kelly Mengelkoch, was great but the overall production had some issues that hindered my ability to fully enjoy the show.

I recently had the pleasure of talking to Leslie Jo Bissett-Hood, who is the director and choreographer of Ring of Fire. Ring of Fire is running at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts (part of the Cincinnati Landmark Productions) until September 29, 2013.

Other Desert Cities is about a stereotypical upper-class, "waspy" family and what turns out to be their very tragic past. The entire production team embodies the same unraveling imagery that the set design lays out. This can be seen in hair, costume and acting. When the family starts to unravel so does their hair, clothing and ultimately their identity.