Theater
Production of ‘The Vagina Monologues’ Continues to Benefit Rape Crisis Center, Teach Important Lessons
By Elizabeth Heckler, Social Media Editor
February 3, 2020
The University of Akron’s Women’s Studies program hosted a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” at E.J. Thomas Hall on Jan. 31. The production was organized and directed by Dr. Mary Triece, director of the Women’s Studies program and professor within the School of Communication, with a cast of U...
Women’s Studies Program Presents ‘The Vagina Monologues’ at E.J. Thomas Hall
By Elizabeth Heckler, Social Media Editor
January 29, 2020
The University of Akron’s Women’s Studies program will be hosting a production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” on Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. in the E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. This is the fourth year that UA’s production of the show will be directed by Dr. Mary Triece, the direc...
“Out of Silence” Coming to UA
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
April 29, 2019
The University of Akron School of Dance, Theatre and Arts Administration and the New World Performance Lab are partnering to present Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign on May 2-4 at 7:30 p.m. each night at Guzzetta Hall. According to a University webpage, Out of Silenc...
‘One Funny Mother’ Coming to E.J. Thomas Hall March 23
By José Suárez, Reporter
March 21, 2019
Set on a tour ending in London, Dena Blizzard will be performing her one-woman comedy act at E.J. Thomas Hall at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2019. Blizzard is a mother who shows her talent of comedy about motherhood after her time as Miss New Jersey and a host for Miss America alongside Anders...
‘Finding Neverland’ Makes Way To Broadway in Akron
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
February 19, 2019
‘Finding Neverland’ is coming to EJ Thomas Hall on March 5-6, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Broadway in Akron Series, which has brought shows like ‘Rent’, ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Rock of Ages’ to EJ Thomas Hall over the years. According to the Broadway in Akron webpage, this show has been the recipient ...
Scared Scriptless Coming to Akron
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
February 19, 2019
EJ Thomas Hall is hosting the Scared Scriptless show put on by Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, most known for their comedy and improv work on Whose Line is it Anyway? on April 4, at 7:30 p.m. Many famous comedians graced the stage onWhose Line is it Anyway? including Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Ke...
“The Vagina Monologues” Showcases Empowerment, Benefits Rape Crisis Center
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
February 4, 2019
E.J. Thomas Performance Arts Hall hosted a production of “The Vagina Monologues” on Jan. 26 to raise money and awareness toward fighting sexual violence against all those who identify as women worldwide. The stage was set with six microphones, five music stands and one stool. Sixteen women in tota...
E.J. Thomas Hall Presents: Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
January 27, 2019
The University of Akron is again hosting Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues at E.J. Thomas Hall on Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets for this event are on sale now on Ticketmaster. According to their website, V-Day is a global activist movement aimed at ending violence against all individuals who identify as women worldwide. V-Day activists...
Champions of Magic Set to Perform at E.J. Thomas Hall
By Megan Parker, Copy Editor
December 3, 2018
The Champions of Magic, a magic show featuring five world-class illusionists, will be performing at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. as part of their 2018 international tour. Tickets for the performance must be reserved in advance and can be purchased on Ticketmaster. Prices range fro...
‘Rocky Horror Show’ Playing at Akron Civic Theatre
By Amanda Piekarz, Arts & Entertainment Editor
October 30, 2018
Presented by the LGBT Akron Arts Festival in association with the Millennial Theatre Project, "The Rocky Horror Show" is showing at the Akron Civic Theatre every night at 8 p.m. from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 for the 25th-anniversary revival. The Akron Civic Theatre’s Millennial Theatre Project aims to “bridge the ...
“The Vagina Monologues” Returns to The University of Akron, Feb. 3, 2018
By Megan Parker, News Contributor
January 31, 2018
“The Vagina Monologues” is returning to the E.J. Thomas Performance Arts Hall Saturday, Feb. 3, to raise awareness towards violence against women and girls. Mary Triece, director of the Women’s Studies program, said this is her second year sponsoring “The Vagina Monologues” with the Wom...
Open Casting Call for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
By Zaire Daniels, Correspondent
January 23, 2018
Everyone remembers the heartwarming tale of Quasimodo from the Disney classic, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." This semester, the Theatre Guild at The University of Akron will be putting on its own rendition performance and opening the stage to students interested in character roles, musical instrument...
Akron Symphony Orchestra to Perform Score from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
November 9, 2017
On Nov. 11, E.J. Thomas Hall will be hosting The Akron Symphony who will be performing award-winning composer and Oscar winner, John Williams’ score from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This performance will have two different showtimes, one at 1:00 p.m. and the other at 7:30 p.m. Warn...
Akron Symphony Performing “Video Games Live”
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
October 27, 2017
At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, music from the most popular video games will be performed by the Akron Symphony at “Video Games Live.” E.J. Thomas Hall will be hosting the event and their website describes the event as, “picture the energy and excitement of a rock concert mixed with the ...
“The Skin of Our Teeth” Opens Oct. 26
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
October 23, 2017
Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, “The Skin of Our Teeth” written by Thornton Wilder is celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary. Professor of Theatre at The University of Akron, James Slowiak, is directing UA Theatre’s production of the popular play. “The Skin of our Teeth” is cast with 18 st...
Kinky Boots Coming to E.J. Thomas Hall
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
October 9, 2017
On its fifth year on Broadway, “Kinky Boots” will be making its way to Akron after being seen by over 5 million people worldwide. “Kinky Boots” has won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score, and Best Choreography. Director and choreographer, Jerry Mitchell, is a two-time Tony Awa...
Akron Symphony’s Opening Night: The Slavic Soul
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
September 22, 2017
The Akron Symphony Orchestra will open their 2017-2018 season on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m. at EJ Thomas Hall with a special concert titled, The Slavic Soul. The Orchestra’s opening concert will feature Tchaikovsky’s “Marche slave”, which is a famous work with folk themes from Russian and Serbian c...
Tuesday Musical: Prelude! Opens September 16
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
September 15, 2017
Tuesday Musical is an Akron arts organization that presents concerts and performances created by some of the finest classical musicians and also provides meaningful education and engagement programs for the Akron community. “In addition to marking 130 years as a core arts organization in Northeast...
“Songs for a New World” Coming to Akron in September
By Brianna Cramer, Social Media Editor
August 28, 2017
Tony award winner, Jason Robert Brown who is known for “Parade” and “Bridges of Madison County” is bringing his first musical to Akron. Brown’s “Songs for a New World” is very diverse, not only with its casting, but also with the stories the musical tells. “Songs for a New World...
“The Spirit of Christmas” concert
By Paige Purtz, Writer
December 7, 2015
The Christmas story is one that the average person is very familiar with. Many people have grown up seeing it in nativity scenes, reading about it in books, or hearing about it in church. The Chapel in Akron is gathering for their 44th annual Christmas concert, “The Spirit of Christmas,” to...
‘Comedy of Errors’ shakes up UA
By Jaclyn Scarborough and Logan Lane
November 10, 2015
The University of Akron theatre department is currently performing Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” in the Sandefur Theatre at Guzzetta Hall. Opening night took place Nov. 5 and will continue until Nov. 14, with curtains rising at 7:30 p.m. each night. One of Shakespeare’s earliest plays, "The ...
Coming out in the Union: UA’s second annual drag show
By Jaclyn Scarborough, Writer
October 14, 2015
In honor of National Coming Out Day, the Zips Programming Network hosted a drag show in the student union theater Monday night for a very full and enthusiastic audience. There were more than 200 in attendance celebrating those in the LGBT community, specifically those who have recently come out t...
Blood Wedding
By Elizabeth Zumbach, Writer
March 2, 2015
“Blood Wedding’s” Spanish drama provides a theatrical experience for UA students to attend. The play premiered at the Sandefur Theater in Guzzetta Hall on Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Originally written by the Spanish playwright, Federico Garcia Lorca, and translated into English by Harlem Renaissance...
Issues highlighted in Black History Month play
By Sofia Syed, Arts & Life Editor
February 18, 2015
In honor of Black History month, “...Or Does it Explode?” premiered at UA’s Daum Theater on Thursday, Feb. 12 for the Rethinking Race series. This play is based off of the Langston Hughes poem called “What happens to a dream deferred?” Told in segments, each part represents an important...
Classic Broadway musical revamped
By Sofia Syed, Arts & Life Editor
February 12, 2015
The four-time Tony award winning musical, “Camelot,” was held at EJ Thomas Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Feb. 11. This famous Broadway musical first premiered in the 1960s and the production continues to perform all over the country. “Camelot” centers around a mythical town called Camelot...
Theater department hosting auditions for “Blood Wedding”
By Dianna Lu, Arts & Life Writer
December 3, 2014
The University of Akron is searching for cast members for their upcoming play, “Blood Wedding.” “Blood Wedding” is a tragedy by Federico Garcia Lorca, a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. Fate, deception and nature are key elements in the play. The director is using the translation...
MEN hosts poetry slam
By Grant Morgan, News Writer
November 11, 2014
Poetry resonated throughout the Student Union on Nov. 5, 2014 as the Male Excellence Network hosted their annual “Battle for the Soul: The Redemption.” MEN’s poetry jams have been gaining popularity. They are different from poetry slams in that the poets are not competing—they are sharing...
The Midtown Men bring back 60s rock
By Aubrey Barto, Video Editor
November 3, 2014
The Midtown Men, made of 4 original cast members from Jersey Boys: Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and Tony Award nominee J. Robert Spencer visit Akron for the first time to put on an energized, nostalgic performance bringing 1960s rock and roll back to life....
Grabowski gives students a laugh
By Nicholas Summers, Arts & Life Editor
October 23, 2014
Over 400 students filled the Student Union Ballrooms to see comedian Adam Grabowski. Grabowski has been highest-rated comedian and the youngest to win 2013 Comedian of the Year by Campus Activities Magazine. His set lasted well over an hour and was a mix of improvised and written material. The performance...
Michael C. Anthony Amazes Students at E.J. Thomas
By Ashlee Fields, Page Editor
September 8, 2014
“Focus on the center of my hand” was the command that placed 30 UA students into a hypnotic trance from Michael C. Anthony. This event every year has students at the edge of their seats ready for one word: volunteer. Students rushed onto the stage to be a part of the act. From jumping the stairs...
Shakespeare Company performs at UA campus
By Elizabeth Fleagle, Writer
August 4, 2014
The University of Akron’s Shrank Hall was put to great use this summer, as it has become home to Akron’s own Rubber City Shakespeare Company. In its second season, Rubber City Shakespeare Company performed two classic Shakespeare plays. Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet were performed by...
Play continues despite recent drama
By Alicia Finch
December 5, 2013
Despite the recent drama in the UA Theatre Program, an entirely student-run program will be taking the stage for one last production of the semester on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. at Sandefur Theatre in Guzzetta Hall. The production “PlayTime” was produced by the university’s Theatre Guild organization...
Local theater group brings Shakespeare to UA campus
By Alicia Finch
October 22, 2013
Rubber City Shakespeare Company is bringing classical theater alive around the UA campus this fall, led by UA alumnus and Producing Artistic Director Dane Leasure. Shakespeare’s classic shipwrecked comedy, “Twelfth Night,” took the stage in Leigh Hall from Oct. 17 to Oct. 20, being the second...
None Too Fragile’s ‘Nerve’ departs
By Paula Ramsey
October 1, 2013
The feelings of a first date are unmistakable — nerves are at an all-time high and the butterflies in a person’s stomach are hard at work, searching for a way to escape. Getting to spend time with someone of importance is all too exciting. However, what if the two have technically never met before? Adam...
