Braden Allison

a?oeWater is life, and there can be no life without water.a?? This is the main concept of Clay High School's award-winning production of H2O: A Play About Water. The show consists of separate vignettes about the place of water naturally on the planet and what role it plays in man-made society. The messages speak on the spirituality, danger, and political climate that surrounds water. Needless to say, not everyone will leave this show happy due to these topics. Regardless, Clay High School's magnificent ensemble still brings out a memorable production despite varying views on any of the show's themes.

In reference to the traditionally male-majority casting of Peter and the Starcatcher, Director Grace Lazarz states 'To me, greater artistic opportunity for women is one small way to move in a different direction-to tell the same story but do it in a more radical way. And thus, the all-female cast of Peter and the Starcatcher and a fierce, strange, bold sisterhood were born!' The notion was intriguing enough, but how well would it work? I pondered the show's chance of success continuously as I saw promotions for the South Bend Civic's production. Not knowing the show well, I assumed it was only centered around the theme of growing up, and that gender would have no real driving force in the narrative. However I was very wrong, and the idea of a full-female cast proved a sharp and dynamic choice that helped form a heartfelt and enjoyable production.

To add to their stellar season of plays, South Bend Civic presented The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. This play about a fifteen year-old English boy going on an investigation to discover who committed the murder of his neighbor's dog, is an extremely well-crafted and witty script that has not been tackled in South Bend until this year. Christopher, the main-character, also happens to be on the autism spectrum, leading to other causalities and dilemmas between the adults in his life. The whole show helps the audience experience the perspective of Christopher in his endeavors.

Through the past few years, experimental theatre has crept its way into South Bend's Fine Arts scene. Original works, heavy audience participation, deaf theatre projects, non-traditional all-female casts: these are just a handful of the ideas South Bend's theatre companies have introduced to the region and continue to play with. Art4's intimate production of Ghost Quartet is no exception.

To complete their summer 2019 season the 574 theatre presented Hello Dolly. This classic Golden Age musical follows Dolly Levi, a multi-talented widow who helps pair off eligible bachelors and bachelorettes in New York. The show's central plot involves her journey to getting herself engaged as well as several other side characters, creating a charming story that has been told in countless theatres across the nation.

To continue their tradition of producing a classic musical during the summer, the South Bend Civic Theatre presented Oliver! with a cast of more than 40 people to filled audiences. The tone of the show was instantly set with a wonderfully charming London bridge designed by Jeff Barrick. Unfortunately the tone was then smashed by a horribly electric sounding music track of the overture with trumpets that were more reminiscent of synthesizers than anything else. This confusing clash continued throughout the production leading to a mixed bag of a show. More clarification on that thought later.

Controversial topics in theatrical productions have an odd effect on audiences. Some people come to the theatre to escape the problems of the real world, and some come expecting to see the stereotypically bright and shiny golden age musicals. So when either of these people walk into a show like the South Bend Civic Theatre's production of Between Riverside and Crazy, they are in for an unexpected surprise.

The South Bend Civic Theatre's production of On Golden Pond opened this past weekend with a surprising amount of seats sold for a show that I assumed wasn't well known. The house in the theatre's Wilson Auditorium was almost completely filled with eagerly awaiting audience members admiring yet another beautiful set by Jeff Barrick that emphasized a nostalgic and charming tone even before the show began.

I find it a shame that plays aren't attended as much as musicals are. While I understand the mindset behind people who would rather gamble their money on tickets to shows that they've heard of before as opposed to ones they haven't, it leaves a great number of people to miss out on amazing storytelling and performances. I was reminded of this after seeing a Saturday night performance of Grand Concourse at the South Bend Civic Theatre.