Never Bored on the Boards

Spectacular Flip-Flop
Based on its production of Stained Glass Ugly in the spring, it seemed that the fledgling Fourth Wall Productions was going to bite the large one. That awkwardly written script about a disfigured man was given a dolorous performance by two hardworking but out-of-their-depth actors. But happily, FWP gained its footing just a couple of months later with the well-acted dark comedy Malicious Bunny, featuring a sprightly script by Matthew A. Sprosty and an engaging performance by Nate Bigger. Thus, there is much hope for their four-play season coming in 2008.

The "Golden Ticonderoga No. 2" Award
The nod for the best play by a local scribbler goes to Mike Geither for Stars Fell All Night. As performed at Cleveland Public Theatre, this mash-up of word games, dream sequences, and cadaver puppets had some bright and witty dialogue, along with some heavy messages about loss. And although their plays were flawed, hats off to Clevelanders Christopher Johnston (Spawn of the Petrosexuals), Tom Fulton (Reflections), and Eric Coble (The Dead Guy) for putting their blood, sweat, and tears into script form.

Memorable Shows We Forgot to Remember
Eyes Wide Shut, Osama the Hero, and Our Town at Cleveland Public Theatre; Thom Pain (Based on Nothing) and Shorn at Dobama; The Price and The Rose Tattoo at Ensemble; Hay Fever and The Tempest at Great Lakes Theater Festival; Passion at Beck Center; The Unexpected Man at Cesear's Forum; References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot and Act a Lady at Convergence-Continuum; King Hedley II at Karamu; Peter Pan at Porthouse; The Comedy of Errors and Othello by the Ohio Shakespeare Festival; Nine at Cain Park; The Taming of the Shrew by the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival; Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure and The Chosen at the Cleveland Play House; A Shayna Maidel by the Jewish Community Center and Tri-C East; White Christmas at Carousel; and all the traditional holiday shows.

Happy New Year! And let's hope 2008 on the boards is just as interesting.