PEACH WEEKENDER
Diverse productions will brighten January
1/2/2014
The Village Players’ production of ‘Queen of Bingo’ stars, from left, Pam Kelso as Sis, Eric Simpson as Father Mac, and Nancy Janney as Babe.
CHRIS JAGODZINSKI
The Village Players’ production of ‘Queen of Bingo’ stars, from left, Pam Kelso as Sis, Eric Simpson as Father Mac, and Nancy Janney as Babe.
Temperatures may be frigid, but Toledo stages will be anything but cold this month; they’re offering drama and comedy, dance and music to spark the imagination. Here’s a preview of some of January’s winning tickets:
The Village Players kick things off Jan. 10 with opening night for The Queen of Bingo, a comedy about two sisters, Babe and Sis, who wouldn't miss Bingo Night at St. Joseph’s with Father Mac and a cast of colorful regulars. Toledo audience members might leave with more than happy memories because they will have a chance to play bingo during the show and win prizes.
The cast features Nancy Janney as Babe and Pam Kelso as Sis; both women have served on the Village Players’ board of directors. Eric Simpson portrays Father Mac. Board president Jake Gordy, who will make his directorial debut with the show, has appeared in several of the organization’s productions, including Private Wars, for which he won state and regional awards for acting from the Ohio Community Theater Association.
“The Queen of Bingo” runs Jan. 10-25, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; tickets are $14-$16 at thevillageplayers.org or 419-472-6817. There will be a food drive for the Feed Your Neighbor Food Bank, with goals of raising $2,000 and collecting 2,000 items. Patrons who donate items or money will be entered to win prizes, including a pair of season tickets for the 2014-2015 season.
The Rep
Noises Off, a play-within-a-play comedy about the antics of the cast of an uninspired sex farce called “Nothing On,” opens Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. at the Toledo Repertoire Theatre’s 10th Street Stage. It will be co-directed by Carol Ann Erford and Wes Skinner.
Noises Off came in second only to Arsenic and Old Lace in the Toledo Rep’s audience survey of requested shows. It runs Jan. 17-19 and Jan. 23-26. Information: toledorep.org or 419-243-9277.
The Valentine Theatre presents ‘Godspell’ at 8 p.m. Jan. 24.
The Valentine
Toledo’s downtown gem presents Godspell Jan. 24 at 8 p.m., part of its Broadway Series. The enduring hit musical from Stephen Schwartz, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer of Wicked and Pippin, debuted Off-Broadway in 1971 and comes to Toledo in a new, intimately staged production.
The show is inspired by a series of parables, generally based on the Gospel of Matthew, interspersed with modern-day songs such as “Day By Day,” “Learn Your Lessons Well,” and “Turn Back, O Man.” Information: valentinetheatre.com or 419-242-2787.
Actors Collaborative
A staged reading of 'night Mother will be presented by Actors Collaborative Toledo with the Artist Series Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, Adams and St. Clair streets.
’night, Mother, by Marsha Norman, won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for the edgy drama that deals with suicide and family issues.
The reading is directed by Jeffrey J. Albright and features Barbara Barkan and Cindy Bilby. Tickets are $10-$15 at the door. Information: 243-1231.
Send theater items at least two weeks in advance of the event to Sue Brickey at: sbrickey@theblade.com.