Berko: THE ARTS--HERE AND THERE—U OF AKRON RIFFS THEATRE STAFF, APPOLLO'S FIRE PERFORMS, RADIO OF LAKE

UNIVERSITY OF AKRON HAS FIRED ALL OF ITS FACULTY

According to Cleveland Critics Circle and Akron AKRON [Ohio]BEACON JOURNAL entertainment writer, Kerry Clawson, "At the end of last school year, the University of Akron theater program had two full-time faculty members and three staff members. Now it has none."

James Slowiak and Robin Prichard, the two professors cut this week by the board of trustees, are now left wondering and worried about the future of those programs.

"My question is, who is taking responsibility for the curriculum and for making sure the classes get taught, and taught in the way they should be taught, and students are receiving what they need in terms of a theater major or minor?" Slowiak asked. "Who's supervising the students?"

Also cut from the program are staff members Irene Mack-Shafer, manager of costume design; Chris Hariasz, technical director; and Danny Durst, master carpenter and technical assistant.

That leaves UA with no theater faculty or staff and no part-time faculty hired yet for the fall, Slowiak said.

Slowiak said he was expecting 25 theater majors this fall, including 10 incoming freshmen. Those numbers come three years after a revamped theater program began that created new degree tracks in applied theater and social entrepreneurship, applied theater and business entrepreneurship, physical theater, and theater and film studies.

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APOLLO'S FIRE PRESENTS PARKING LOT CONCERTS

What? New 1 hour Outdoor Summer Concerts--TUSCAN SUN--Rustic Music from Baroque Italy

"DRIVE-IN" PARKING LOT CONCERTS
Bring a lawn chair and sit next to your car, if you wish! Please wear a mask.
$20/adult, $5 for youth under 18.

(Cars will be parked with 1 empty space between each car. If you sit in your lawn chair, please sit within the parking space next to your car.)

Where? First Baptist Church, SHAKER HEIGHTS, Saturday, August 22, 3:30pm, 5:30pm, 7:15pm and St. Noel Church, WILLOUGHBY HILLS, Sunday, August 23, 5:30pm and 7:15pm



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RADIO ON THE LAKE THEATRE

Radio on the Lake Theatre, the only theater company in Northeast Ohio illuminating the art of the radio play, has announced a refreshed website, and two exciting upcoming performances with community partners.

Radio on the Lake's new website focuses on the company's dedication to the unique radio play art form, and features numerous audio performances of classic scripts from the golden age of radio, as well as seldom-heard suspense and science fiction gems, and new plays written by elementary and middle school students from the Shaker Heights school system in partnership with Story Forum.

The City is Our Stage - August 15 - ROTL will perform the "alien invasion" scene from the infamous Mercury Theatre classic War of the Worlds (for information and tickets, visit https://www.thecityisourstage.com/

Maltz Performing Arts Center - September 9 - ROTL will perform Double Indemnity as part of Live! Streamed @Silver Hall (for information, visit https://case.edu/maltzcenter/livestreamedatsilverhall

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