Busy weekend features 'Miss Saigon,' Three Stooges

ADA, Ohio -- Audiences will live a moment in history this weekend when Ohio Northern University presents Miss Saigon at the Freed Center for the Performing Arts.

"You can get stuck in the world of musical theater doing show tune-type musicals where they mainly have an entertainment value. This is actually real American history and an American story," said Lloyd Butler, who is directing the musical with Kirsten Osbun-Manley.

University actors received their own history lesson when Vietnam War veteran Terry Maris visited. "He talked at a very personal level about his particular time there," Butler said. "Particularly for students playing soldiers, it gave them a human element for playing that role."

A 50-piece university symphony orchestra will be in the pit for this presentation based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly that tells of the tragedy of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier's romance during the Vietnam War. Miss Saigon opened on Broadway in 1991 and ran for nearly 10 years.

As part of the university's guest artist program, Gilda Bernal will portray the lead role of Kim, and Patrick Contreras will play the supporting role of Thuy. The professional actors are from San Luis Pitosi, Mexico. Student actors include Derek Brookens, Micah Hein, Kathleen Weston, and Scott Swallen.

Performances of "Miss Saigon" are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday in the Freed Center for the Performing Arts at Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, Ohio. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $9 for children. Information: 419-772-1900 or www.freedcenter.com.

Maumee Indoor Theater presents a Three Stooges Film Festival Sunday. Enlarge

Three Stooges

The Maumee Indoor Theater will present a Three Stooges Film Festival Sunday.

"These titles were hand-picked by a long-time Stooge fan for 50 years, that's me," said Evan Chase, chairman of the Lyric Photoplay Society Classic Film that is hosting the festival. "They represent the funniest and classics of their routine."

Chase will introduce the films and give a glimpse into the history of this comedic trio that has entertained Americans for more than 80 years. "The Three Stooges, it's one of those love-hate things. You either love to see them or you don't like that humor at all," Chase said. "To see them on a big-theater screen with a big audience is a real treat."

Six short films will be shown during the festival: Pop Goes the Easel, Three Little Beers, False Alarms, Ants in the Pantry, Hoi Polloi, and Movie Maniacs.

The Three Stooges Film Festival will be shown at 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 7 p.m. Sunday in the Maumee Indoor Theater, 601 Conant St., Maumee. Tickets are $5. Information: 419-897-8901. For more on the film festival see Kirk Baird's column in Friday's Blade.

Cake Wars

The Children's Theatre Workshop will be hosting cake wars on stage and off this weekend when its Teen Company presents The Red Velvet Cake War and area bakeries compete in the Cupcake Showdown fund-raiser.

This modern farce by Jones Hope Wooten is set in a small Texas town where three cousins decide to hold a family reunion against the wishes of their conservative Aunt LaMerle who recently learned of a family member's indiscretion. To make matters worse, one cousin challenges Aunt LaMerle to a bake-off. Throw in a tornado warning and a hungry dog and there's lots of laughter, said director Irina Zaurov.

Off stage, area bakeries will compete for the title of best cupcake from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday during the Cupcake Showdown at the Collingwood Arts Center. Guests purchase tickets for the Showdown to raise funds for CTW. Admission includes appetizers, cupcakes, refreshments, a ticket to The Red Velvet Cake War, and a vote for the favorite cupcake.

"The Red Velvet Cake War" will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday with 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinees at the Lois Nelson Theatre at Collingwood Arts Center, 2417 Collingwood Blvd. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. Cupcake Showdown is from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday in the Gerber House of the Collingwood Arts Center. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Information: 419-244-5061 or www.ctwtoledo.org.

Contact Julie Njaim at: jnjaim@theblade.com.