Jeb! Punch! Kick(starter)!

What a couple of weeks it's been for NPT!

On Sunday, April 10, three (count 'em, THREE!) of NPT's founding members garnered recognition for their work in several of 2010's acclaimed local theatre productions.  The "Jebby" awards, presented by Columbus' own theatre-performer-and-aficionado Jeb Bigelow, went to:

• Emily Bach - Local Performer of the Year, Lead Female, Play, for her performance in the title role of Curtain Players' March production of Hedda Gabler.  Bonus: NPT founding member Matt Hermes directed Ms. Bach in the role.
• Dani Karshner Mann - Local Performer of the Year, Supporting Female, Musical, for her turn as Joanne in Company, Gallery Players' March production.
• Mark Mann - Local Performer of the Year, Lead Male, Musical, for his portrayal of Professor Henry Higgins in Weathervane Playhouse's June production of My Fair Lady.

We're off to a good start!

On Sunday, April 17, cast and crew members of NPT's summer Shakespeare festival "meeted-and-greeted" at a potluck held at the company's rehearsal headquarters - the lovely home of NPT friend Dr. Scott Hockenberry.  Capulets and Montagues chatted across the punch bowl, while 12thPMers wondered what an updated version of Malvolio's "cross-gartered yellow stockings" might be.  Performance dates for both Romeo + Juliet and Twelfth Night have been set:

• The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Mark Mann:
  June 16, 17, 18 ,19, 26, & 30 and July 2, 9, & 10
• Twelfth Night, or What You Will, directed by Tim Browning:
  June 23, 24, & 25 and July 3, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, & 17

All performances are at Dublin's Coffman Park Amphitheatre, and curtain times are 8:00 p.m.  This is a FREE event, but NPT welcomes any and all monetary support.  Our free events and progressive pricing (Pay What You Want for Underneath the Lintel) are made possible by donations, fundraisers (like NPT's February staged reading of Love Letters and the upcoming Cabaret on May 21 [details on that coming soon!]), and our Kickstarter campaign.

"What's a Kickstarter campaign?"  We're so glad you asked!  Watch this spiffy video presentation, and we're certain you'll be inspired to join us in taking the first steps of an exciting journey for NPT.  We have a tremendous team of artists who are devoting their considerable talents to this inaugural "Summer of Shakespeare" and to the vision of things-to-come.  Revenue raised by this effort will be used for sets, lighting, costumes, and promotional materials.  Donate generously, receive some outstanding incentives (wanna be onstage?  OK!) - and come see us play!