Review: The Tony Award winning musical “Kinky Boots” is an energetic production with a truly huge-hearted message. Although the play sometimes stalls, it zips back into high gear with its dazzling choreography, powerful acting, incredible costuming and lively, infectious music.
Review: Set in the Arizona Territory of the 1880s, “Desperate Measures,” with dialogue in rhyming couplets, played successfully in New York in 2017. This current production deserves to be equally well-received — the audience at the performance I saw certainly loved it.
Hold on to your breeches and hightail it over to the Camelot Theatre now through July 16 for the musical comedy “Something Rotten!” Camelot has put together a talented ensemble and produced a revival of one of Broadway’s more delightful musicals and Shakespearean spoofs.
Meet Tyler Hokama. The 52-year-old Silicon Valley retiree recently emerged from retirement to lead business operations as interim executive director of Oregon Shakespeare Festival, effective June 1. He had already been playing a supportive role on the Ashland theater scene for several years when he got the call to fill his next big role.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival Board Chair Diane Yu, who lives in New York and has a second residence in Ashland, has much to say about the future of OSF, its leadership, and fundraising goals leading up to its 90th anniversary in 2025. Yu, a volunteer board member, spoke with Ashland.news via phone on Friday about the the hiring of Tyler Hokama as interim executive director, in addition to the need for $7.3 million to keep the current season going strong.
A former top Silicon Valley executive who retired to Ashland in 2016 will take up the reins at Oregon Shakespeare Festival on an interim basis effective immediately, the company announced today, June 1. Tyler Hokama takes over from an OSF board committee, which itself succeeded interim Executive Director Nataki Garrett, who added those responsibilities on top of her artistic director role with the departure of prior Executive Director David Schmitz on Jan. 11.
“Kinky Boots,” a Tony Award winning play featuring music and lyrics by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, will open at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre on Friday, June 16, and run through Sept. 3. Featuring the largest cast in Cabaret history, the musical, which was first performed in 2012 in Chicago and a year later on Broadway, was mostly inspired by true events.
This summer Anthony Heald will star with fellow OSF alum Amy Lizardo in Rogue Theater Company’s production of “Heisenberg” at Grizzly Peak Winery.
Review: “This thought-provoking yet humorous existential offering by Director Monroe is a constantly in-flux, well-acted stage production. It pulls you in and gives you the opportunity to explore familiar and unfamiliar terrain with its characters in a timely and timeless allegory.”
“Everybody,” written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins in 2017, is adapted from the 15th century Catholic morality play “Everyman.” There will be eight performances of the SOU theater season finale, including matinee and evening shows.
Obituary: Margaret McCartney died Dec. 4 at 83. Memorial services are planned for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 44 N. 2nd St., Ashland.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has announced plans to offer free opioid overdose reversal kits to middle and high schools throughout the state. Ashland Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove shared his support for the increase in availability of Narcan, the brand name for a device that delivers naloxone, to Oregon schools, including in Ashland.
With local rescue groups still overflowing with cats and kittens, those wishing to bring home a new family member for the holidays will have opportunities to do so on two upcoming December weekends. On Saturday, Dec. 9, Ashland-based Friends of the Animals (formerly Friends of the Animal Shelter) will partner with Feral Cat Advocacy (FCA), Melly Cat Rescue, and Hero Tails Animal Sanctuary for a Feline Fair at the Rogue Valley Mall.
Dozens of area residents ushered in a spirited first night of Hanukkah on Thursday, gathering on the Ashland Plaza late Thursday afternoon to light the first flames on the menorah.
Charles “Al” Huth: We can expand our potential to build true knowledge by altering what we spend time focusing on in our daily lives. In short, search for the Truth.
Herbert Rothschild: Apparently, Kissinger insisted on recording practically every word he said. His aides later commented that he needed to keep track of which lie he told to whom.
(It’s free)
