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Taking the Stage:
Downtown welcomes opens new theatre venues

By: Susan Zedella

The great Irish playwright and poet Oscar Wilde once said, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”

I have no doubt that Mr. Wilde himself would have loved to visit downtown Wilmington today. With live theater taking place nearly every single weekend, there is no lack of the greatest of all art forms in our very own seaside community. Now is a particularly exciting time in the world of live theater in Wilmington, as several new developments are making professional-quality productions more accessible than ever.

Since June of 1993, Shakespeare on the Green has celebrated successful seasons both at the De Rossett House and the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Greenfield Lake Park. For 16 seasons Shakespeare on the Green has stayed true to its mission to make artistic excellence available to all by offering free admission. This season marks a landmark event for Shakespeare on the Green with the opening of the newly constructed Greenfield Lake Amphitheater.

Artistic director and managing producer Cherri McCay stated, “We are so excited to share the newly renovated amphitheater with our audiences. Audiences will enjoy improved seating, a new concession stand, more public restrooms, and a new covered stage that will enhance their viewing pleasure.” With 900 seats the amphitheater is the only one of its kind in Southeastern North Carolina and is among Wilmington’s largest entertainment venues.

Shakespeare on the Green will continue its 2008 season with performances of the romantic comedy “Taming of the Shrew” from June 26th through 29th at 8pm. Actor Daniel Marks explained, “The community is so lucky to have this opportunity to take advantage of seeing Shakespeare for free! In both the Shakespeare on the Green and the youth companies, it affords everyone the opportunity to get involved and learn about the greatest playwright who ever lived: William Shakespeare.”

As Shakespeare would most certainly agree, theatre has the ability to inspire and move people from all walks of life. With a truly inspiring story of their own are Steve Bakunas and his wife, Linda Lavin, owners of the Red Barn Studio Theatre, now celebrating its just-over-one-year anniversary. The Red Barn, located on 3rd Street, has consistently brought outstanding performances to Wilmington audiences, including their latest production in May of “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Next they will present “Rabbit Hole” in October.

The cast and crew members of the Red Barn have touched Wilmington with their stellar performances, as well as their impact on the community. Located on the corner of South Third and Marstellar streets, a previously dilapidated area, Bukunas and Lavin have renovated a total of six homes, torn down two others, and renovated the old mechanic’s garage that is now home to the Red Barn. In January the couple celebrated the opening of MarStella Park, a neighborhood playground that the city built on land the couple donated. An area that was once laden with break-ins and people fleeing on foot from the police now features children swinging on monkey bars and playing tag. With the generosity of Bakunas and Lavin, the Wilmington community is reminded of the power that we all have to make a positive and dynamic change within the community. For more information on the Red Barn Studio Theatre and upcoming productions, visit www.redbarnstudiotheatre.com.

Also celebrating a successful and highly acclaimed 2008 season are the members of Guerilla Theatre. Once housed in the basement of The Soapbox, Guerilla Theatre celebrated the grand opening of its new space in February. The Brown Coat Pub and Theatre is located in the heart of downtown in the former Pandora’s Box location at 111 Grace Street. With the opening of Brown Coat, downtown Wilmington has received not only a comfortable and intimate setting for audiences to relax with a drink and enjoy a show, but also a place for local artists and performers to produce their works. In July, the Brown Coat will host Playwright Producing Company’s “Lessons Learned,” 10 short plays by young UNCW playwrights.

Daniel Marks explained that The Brown Coat has brought something unique to the world of theatre in Wilmington because “it embraces, with open arms, new ideas and gives all of us, not just entertainers, an opportunity to explore and experiment with our creativity.”
Angela Kennedy, director of Guerilla Theatre’s current production “St. Nicholas” continued: “Brown Coat has affected the downtown theatre dynamic because it is limitless in the forms of entertainment that it allows its patrons to experience . . . it provides patrons a variety of entertainment unlike any other. For example, a patron can enjoy a show. Then, after the production, the stage evolves into a comedy club or sci-fi trivia experience. The magic of the Brown Coat is that it wears many hats . . . or should I say coats?”

For more information about the Brown Coat Pub and Theatre, and its many entertaining events, visit www.guerillatheatre.com.
Continuing the grand tradition of producing “not-so typical” theatrical productions is Wilmington’s own Big Dawg Productions Inc. After 13 years of producing shows in Thalian Hall’s Studio Theatre, Big Dawg will soon be celebrating the grand opening of their very own space. The Cape Fear Playhouse at Newcastle will be located at 615 Castle Street in the heart of the antiques district. The space will feature a patron lobby, a studio theater with approximately 80 seats, dressing rooms, plenty of free off-street parking, storage and construction space. The theater will also be made available for other local groups to use for performances, rehearsals and classes.

With this new home, Big Dawg will be able to expand their educational programs, such as the annual New Play Festival, which features original works by local students, giving them the opportunity to see their work performed live onstage. Each year they also produce a classic work that ties into the local school curriculum. As a nonprofit community theatre, Big Dawg plans to use its new space to continue its positive impact on the Wilmington community. Renovations began this month, and The Cape Fear Playhouse has a set opening in October with a production of “The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail.” The current production of “To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday” (see review, page 8) will continue at the Thalian Hall Studio Theatre June 26th-29th, and July 3rd-6th. For more information, visit bigdawgproductions.org.