Available Light Theatre has wowed me once again.

This time, they’ve done it with Killadelphia: mixtape of a city . I attended a preview of the production on Saturday, which will open to audiences this week.

I now find myself still thinking about the show, which I’ll undoubtedly do for some time. In the days ahead, I’ll continue to contemplate the stories it tells and the realizations it stirs in its audience.

It’s just that kind of performance.

Killadelphia examines crime and murder in Philadelphia, and does so in a unique way - by bringing to the stage the voices of inmates who are serving life sentences in Graterford Prison. Their accounts and thoughts are interwoven with those of the city’s residents, political talk show hosts, prison employees and others.

Amazingly, all these characters are brought to life by a single individual on stage. A single individual with a great deal of talent. Sean Christopher Lewis, Killadelphia playwright and actor, shifts from role to role remarkably.

Lewis also plays himself in a role that guides the audience through his real-life experience of creating the play. As he reenacts his interviews with inmates and shares his own reflections, he forces you to take an unvarnished look at what is happening in America’s cities.

You might also find yourself confronting what you really believe, or don’t believe, about the human condition.

Sean Christopher Lewis, together with director Matt Slaybaugh, deftly tell gripping stories that also manage to explore complex societal issues. In true Available Light fashion, Killadelphia masterfully entertains and artfully educates.

What will you think? What will you feel? What will you learn?

Find out. The show opens Thursday and runs through Sunday. For a full list of showtimes and other details, click here .

The post below was written by Leigh Householder, a local blogger who writes at Advergirl.com , IndieColumbus.com and DowntownSnob.com .

Available Light Theatre - Leigh’s very favorite arts group in Columbus - is opening a new play this weekend. Leigh’s here to share the details and, of course, convince you to go.

I exist among the 75% of Available Light attendees Leigh mentions here. My first show hooked me, and I won’t be missing this one. How about you?

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So, GI Joe, the Tooth Fairy and Eleni Papaleonardos walk into a theater…
by Leigh Householder

I want to invite you to see some local theater.

I know what you’re thinking - sounds like school. You think you’ll squirm, not get the references and generally be busier doodling on the program than being entertained.

But this isn’t just any play. This play has G.I. Joe, an erratic tooth fairy and a barrel full of family drama. Better yet, it’s produced by Available Light Theatre - a wicked talented group of artists dedicated to building a more conscious and compassionate world through joyful and profound theater.

Yeah, joyful and profound. Those are the things that make their productions so addictive. You laugh (or cry) and have a great time watching the show, but then find yourself thinking about - and talking about it - for days afterward. IF it’s like school, it’s like that one class that totally inspired you to want to change the world.

Ok, about the play. Here’s the rundown:

In this story, a family is both torn apart and drawn together by the accidental death of a child. They are aided in their search for connection and solace by flights of fantasy involving a singing Tooth Fairy and a life-size G.I. Joe. In the space between what is said and what is unspeakable they find a heartrending collage of truth and cliché.

As the New York Times declared, “words gush forth in torrents, spewing up like geysers on a ghostly plain” in this “arrestingly odd … ode to love, loss and the routines of life.”

Even in the most emotional moments, Director Eleni Papaleonardos manages to bring hilarity, tension and even sensuality to the stage. It is something of wild ride.

So come. And bring friends. Over 75% of first-time attendees at Available Light’s two most recent shows reported that they “loved it” (much to the satisfaction of the AVLT veterans who had told them over and over again that they would). If you’re bringing a group of eight or more, call ahead and they’ll save a whole row for you.

Tickets are pay what you want. Really. There’s no expectation. The average people give is $10 - $20. But your fiver or your C-note will be equally well received.  (Tickets at this particular show are cash only)

Details:

Show times:
Thursday, June 11 @ 8pm
Friday, June 12 @ 12pm (with boxed lunch from Tip-Top)
Friday, June 12 @ 8pm
Saturday, June 13 @ 8pm
Sunday, June 14 @ 2pm
Friday, June 19 @ 8pm
Saturday, June 20 @ 8pm

Location:
Columbus Dance Theatre
592 East Main Street

Website:
http://avltheatre.com/index.php/godsear/index/

Experience Columbus staff was lucky to get a sneak preview of the much-anticipated restoration of the Lincoln Theatre . It’s located on Long Street in the King-Lincoln District, close to The King Arts Complex .

Lincoln Theatre rendering, courtesy of CAPA

CAPA has done an incredible job on the restoration of this intimate 600-seat 1928 Egyptian-style theatre. In its heyday, the Lincoln was the spot to see jazz legends such as Count Basie, James Brown, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Columbus’ own Nancy Wilson.

Our group was surprised and intrigued by the colorful, detailed Egyptian-looking paintings on the ceiling and all around the stage. This will be an awesome place to see almost any performance, as you’ll be so close to the stage, even in the balcony.

Pretty soon, the Lincoln Theatre will come alive with a packed schedule of diverse performances from groups like the Alfred Dove Dance Studio, Columbus Children’s Theatre , the Thiossane West African Dance Institute and OSU’s Theatre Department . It’ll also be home to an amazingly innovative Jazz Academy, operated by the Jazz Arts Group (JAG) .

A public grand opening is planned for the end of May with all kinds of activities and, likely, a big-name act. They promised the schedule will be announced soon, so watch the calendar .

Thanks, Todd Bemis of CAPA and Carol Agiro of JAG, for sharing your passion and ideas with us. Columbus residents and visitors are in for a real treat!

Spring Awakening has arrived .

Thanks to Broadway Across America-Columbus , I had the chance to catch the show at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday night.

In a word, wow.

The Broadway musical bills itself as "the groundbreaking fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll." It lives up to the hype (and its eight Tony Awards).

It’s a fascinating production that manages to tell a tale set in 1890s Germany through modern and emotional rock tunes composed by Duncan Sheik. The poignant story explores adolescent struggles with sexuality, abuse, death, oppression…not exactly pick-me-up topics, but there’s comic relief, too.

You will likely feel moved at least once. You might feel uncomfortable. Or enlightened. Or empathetic. Or sympathetic. Or any other range of things.

I was captivated. I loved it. So did my 19-year-old cousin, an Ohio State student who joined me for her first trip to the beautiful Palace . Older teens are some of the show’s greatest fans, and she was no exception.

On that note, due to mature content, Spring Awakening isn’t for everyone. Parents in particular should consider carefully if this is something to share with your children. A Parents’ Guide is provided here .

If you’re hoping to see Spring Awakening, move fast - tickets are still available , but the show ends Sunday.

I’m not the first to mention that it’s the season for gift giving . I set out to find a Christmas gift for my mom a few weeks back and decided to turn to Columbus’ arts and entertainment scene for unique ideas.

The task was easier than expected. I searched the Columbus Events Calendar and found plenty of gift options, ranging from tickets to a Duran Duran concert to a Radio City Rockettes performance. I landed on an obvious winner - tickets to the musical Grease . What could be more perfect? After all, "Grease is the word" for my mom’s generation.

Broadway Across America-Columbus is bringing this popular musical to the Palace Theatre , Dec. 16-21. Named Time Magazine’s 2007 pick for “#1 musical of the year,” this is a show worth seeing. Tickets range from $22.50-$64.50 and are available online or at the Experience Columbus Visitor Center .

Wildlights

I’m typically a person who staunchly waits until after Thanksgiving to do any type of holiday of activity. I avoid gift buying, just say no to caroling and partake in no general merrymaking. All of this grinchiness changed last Thursday as I sat in the beautiful and ornate Ohio Theatre and watched Harry Connick Jr. perform his Christmas concert . The show was fantastic and a lot of fun. The regal setting in the Ohio Theatre couldn’t be beat for a night of jazz and the snow falling outside was an added bonus.

Smiling as Harry made his way through familiar tunes, I couldn’t help but to think of the other not-to-be missed activities around Columbus this season.

• I’ll definitely be making it to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for Wildlights (photo shown is by Rod Berry Photography ). Bundling up and sipping hot chocolate as you stroll through the light display is half the fun, so no fair picking a warm day to visit (besides it’s more crowded on the warmer days and way more crowded as you get closer to December 25).

• Although I usually avoid the malls this time of the year, I am really excited to visit Easton Town Center . They’ve gone out of their way to make shopping an experience. Beautiful decorations, carriage rides, pedicabs and photos with Santa are all featured. Also take note of 24 Days of Giving - if you’re caught feeding a meter, you might be rewarded with a gift card.

• The Holiday Hop in the Short North Arts District is always on my holiday must-do list. Not only is the Short North a great destination for one-of-a-kind gifts, it’s also a wonderful urban holiday experience complete with fantastic window displays and unbeatable people watching.

• For me the holiday season wouldn’t be complete without letting some of that inner snarkiness escape. For this purpose there is nothing better than a trip to CATCO’s Santaland Diaries . You can’t beat the works of David Sedaris for bringing out the levity in any situation and this one-man show leaves me in tears of laughter.

So I’ll be joining in the holiday spirit a little earlier than normal this year and I can’t wait to get started! What are your not-to-be-missed holiday outings or traditions?