Paul Batterson

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 Contemporary Theatre of Ohio is currently performing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play March 6-23 at Studio One at the Riffe Center. Check here for more details.

Ijames reinvented the Shakespearean tragedy into something far more accessible for modern-day audiences. Instead of a dark tale of murder and revenge set in a dreary Denmark castle, Ijames brilliantly updates it into a backyard barbeque, replete with a karaoke machine, a gas grill, and a game of charades.

When it is at its best, ROCK THIS WAY is not just a cruise ship karaoke offering of the two rock bands; it’s a history lesson.

Robert Cooperman may not remember her first name, but he is forever grateful to Mrs. Barlas, the Jamaica (N.Y.) High School English teacher who introduced  him to playwright Eugene O’Neill.

The road to success for Hannah Shankman has had plenty of roundabouts. Many a time she thought she was headed one way, and then she seemed to be veering in another, only to return to her original path.

Laura Overby had one of those “pinch me, I must be dreaming” moments when she found out she was going to be performing with Laura Bell Bundy at the Short North Stage’s gala 8 p.m. March 1 at the Garden Theatre (1187 N. High Street in downtown Columbus).

What did our critic think of & JULIET AND WEST SIDE STORY at At The Ohio Theatre?

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.

The composer doesn’t show clips of the movies from whence the songs originated, letting the music speak for itself.

“I truly believe there’s a reason why we tell ourselves the same stories over and over again. It’s because we haven’t learned the lesson of the story. It's a story of inclusion, of belonging, of acceptance. Allegra Libonati

“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

What did our critic think of NINE at Garden Theatre?

To understand Shadowbox Live’s latest offering, HOT STUFF, you need to go back to Thanksgiving or, more precisely, the day after Thanksgiving. On Nov. 24 this year, families offered up the traditional fare of turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, and Aunt Clara’s green bean casserole. The day after Thanksgiving, though, you get to pick through the best parts of the meal, feast on your favorites, and leave the green bean casserole in the fridge.

In her second go around in the musical NINE, Sarah Chelli has gone from being the one cheated on to the one being cheated with. Read our interview here!

Odom’s voice is a mixture of Nat King Cole and Sam Cooke, and he used it to serenade fans with a collection of holiday favorites. He shifted from the classic (such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”), the current (Wham!’s “Last Christmas,”) and the personal (“Snow” and “Heaven & Earth” from his two Christmas albums).

What did our critic think of DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL at Palace Theatre?

What did our critic think of JERSEY BOYS at Garden Theater?

As it is with the Dead, watching the interactions among the audience was almost as interesting as watching the show

This is the first time I’m able to perform music that is fully mine. I've written all the music and came up with the concept for it, and I'm really excited to share that with the Columbus community.