The Ohio State University has announced that the
Scarlet & Gray Theatre is the name of the theatre being constructed in New York City to house performances of the UK’s Royal Shakespeare Company during its unprecedented six-week residency in summer 2011. The name was unveiled May 12 -- at an event at the university residence, welcoming visitors from the RSC to town -- by President
Gordon Gee; RSC Artistic Director
Michael Boyd and the Arts Initiative's
Karen Bell (above). Ohio State is joining with Lincoln Center Festival and Park Avenue Armory to bring the renowned theatre company to New York for the Lincoln Center Festival. As part of the collaboration, the university was given naming rights for the theatre – a thrust-stage auditorium that brings actors and audiences closer together. The theatre is a full-scale replica of the award-winning Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The sponsorship opportunity for the university was created when the
Wexner Family made a generous gift to the Royal Shakespeare Company America to support the RSC’s 2011 visit to the US. The family requested any credit or visibility resulting from their charitable contribution be assigned to the university.
Guests at the event enjoyed a short vignette performed by RSC actors, including
Howard Ward (above) and
Akiya Henry (middle photo).
Notable News
Six actors, two directors and leaders from the Royal Shakespeare Company were in town last week to celebrate the growing partnership between two world-renowned institutions -- OSU and RSC. While in the community, the actors presented a short "Shakespeare in a Suitcase" program at the downtown Columbus Metropolitan Club, at a luncheon attended by nearly 200 business, community and university leaders. The troupe presented a 20-minute vignette of
Henry V, in a program that drew in the audience, which included
Lady Susie Sainsbury, chairwoman of Royal Shakespeare Company America, and
Abigail Wexner.
Following lunch
Karen Bell, associate vice president for arts outreach, moderated a discussion that included
Jacqui O'Hanlon, RSC director of education, and
Michael Boyd, artistic director. They talked about the partnership and
Stand Up for Shakespeare America, an educational leadership program that involves local schoolteachers in the Columbus area.
Later that day, the RSC actors presented a vignette of
Much Ado About Nothing for about 200 OSU students, faculty, staff and local teachers at OSU's Drake Performance and Event Center. They presented the program on a stage that worked just fine -- though it was actually built for the premiere of
Three Sisters that same day.
Bell, O'Hanlon and Boyd had a discussion with the audience and fielded questions from the campus community about the partnership and educational leadership program.
All photos above by Kevin Fitzsimons, Photo Services.
Nineteen local schoolteachers (above) -- from Metro High School, Columbus City Schools and Reynoldsburg City Schools -- were also on campus last week to work with the RSC guests, particularly education practitioners
Ginny Grainger and
Rachel Gartside. The teachers have been involved with the program for one year, traveling last summer to Stratford-upon-Avon and working with OSU faculty throughout the academic year. Their efforts based on the program are making an impact with students in their classrooms. Last Thursday, the teachers had the chance to explore more Stand Up for Shakespeare activities. A few MFA acting students joined the session at the Arts Initiative office (below). Ten MFA actors from Ohio State will be involved in the RSC program starting this summer.
Upcoming Arts in the Alley EventsCouchfire Collective presents
ABX, a two-venue show May 28-29 in Arts in the Alley at South Campus Gateway. The show, which focuses on
Visual Rhythms, features artworks by 14 local independent artists in the
Ohio Art League Gallery (1552 N High St) and the
Arts Initiative gallery (1568 N High St). Opening reception is Fri, May 28, 6-9 pm, with music by special guest
DJ Moxy. The exhibition was organized by
Juan Cerrera and curated by
Stephanie Rond.
Save the Date! Thursday, June 3, marks the opening reception for
The Ladies of Ohio: Digital Divas, a photo exhibition of Ohio's female illusionists by
John Sherman Lathram III in the
Arts Initiative gallery, 1568 N High St in the South Campus Gateway complex. The show features large-scale photographs from the artist's upcoming book by the same name. Best of all, a DJ will provide music and some of the ladies from the book will perform at the 6-9 pm opening reception.
Notable News
The Emerging Artist Studio -- our short radio feature that airs weekly on WOSU's Capital City Radio station -- has posted two of our most recent interviews on the program's website. The show, which spotlights Karen Bell talking with local emerging artists, most recently features dancer and choreographer Coco Lupe and artist Laura Alexander (see her work above). You can listen to the interviews here.
Couchfire Collective presents ABX, a two-venue show May 28-29 in Arts in the Alley at South Campus Gateway. The show, which focuses on Visual Rhythms, features artworks by 14 local independent artists in the Ohio Art League Gallery (1552 N High St) and the Arts Initiative gallery (1568 N High St). Opening reception is Fri, May 28, 6-9 pm, with music by special guest DJ Moxy. The exhibition was organized by Juan Cerrera and curated by Stephanie Rond.
