“They’re coming to get you. Do you know what for?” Met on the street, we were led through an iron gate, down a steep set of stairs and through a crumbling basement. We ended up seated at the bottom of the pool, proof that that none among us was a witch; witches, as is well known, will summon the forces of evil to cause them to float. On this particular occasion, however, it remained inconclusive, given the absence of water in the pool. Also missing were empty seats, as the sell-out crowd assembled to see this already intriguing subterranean finale of KOLT Run Creations’ first season, Vinegar Tom. At first glance, Caryl Churchill’s Vinegar Tom is a play about Salem witches, but scratch

It goes through the mind of every woman who has ever wanted children: What if it doesn’t bond with me? Or…what if I don’t have that maternal instinct that everyone talks about, what if I don’t feel anything? I can only imagine the deluge of complicated feelings that wash over parents of a child who is born with mental or physical challenges. And if your child is of indeterminate…species? That could take post-partum depression to a whole new level. Such is the premise of Smudge, directed by KOLT Run Creations co-founder Lisa Thew. Colby and Nicholas Stillman are a happily married couple, eagerly anticipating the arrival of their first child, when an ambiguous ultrasound--one in which

Where we’re born is more than a location, it’s part of who we are. Where We’re Born, the stage play by Lucy Thurber, is a strikingly simple and honest look at a young woman’s struggle with life change, the desire to and difficulty of leaving the comfort of your home and history—however hurtful it may have been. It is not a story, but a more like a series of snapshots taken during the course of a few days when the relationships and potentially, lives of three people are forever altered. The catalyst for all of this is Lilly (Jessicah Neufeld), on a quasi-vacation from college. She arrives back in the small Western Massachusetts hill town she calls home just as a domestic crisis is unfoldi

Every beginning writer at one time or another has been admonished to “Show me, not tell me,” by a mentor or instructor. If last night’s Revelations 2012 is any indication, theater companies would be wise to follow the example of KOLT Run Creations and take the same advice to heart. Revelations 2012 was a party, a preview, and review, all in a tidy little two-hour time frame. It was a chance for patrons and potentials patrons to appreciate past productions and sneak a peek at what’s ahead in the season to come. Actors from past seasons and the upcoming shows were on hand to present a forty-five minute performance of short scenes that did a brilliant job of showing the flavor of the compa

Over the centuries ruling family families have sprung up in many countries. They rule by force and buying off a supportive populace. Often the death of the leader leaves a power vacuum and subterfuge and fighting breaks out between the relatives of the leader. Seldom is any thought given to those being ruled. Those close to the seat of power never want to give it up. As we have been seeing in the middle east it usually takes an outside force to end a rule of tyranny. In the middle east it has been the middle class, intellectuals, heavily the young and many women demanding the end of tyrannical rule. “Antigone” tells the story of one woman, a member of the royal family, that says enough i

I sat down at Temple coffee house with Lisa Thew, Kolt Run Creations’ director, and Kelley Ogden, who plays the title character in their next production, “Antigone.” We started out talking about Kolt Run Creations itself. “Antigone” is the fifth production since Ogden and Thew founded the company. Kolt Run Creations is considered community theater, since the company does not have an Equity contract. Like many of the community theater companies in Sacramento, they produce a very high quality product. Unlike much of community theater, they are willing to take big risks producing more serious productions. Even the comedies tend to be black comedies. They cited keeping down costs as one thing

The best of local theater talent was recognized last Sunday night at the Elly Awards. After presenting the young people’s awards, there was an intermission, and then the adult awards were presented. Selected musicians from the Runaway Stage Productions’ Resident Orchestra played the audience back into the Crest Theatre’s main auditorium. The orchestra had been provided transitional music, played the winners on to the stage and had accompanied the live musical performances all evening. “Dreigroschen Finale,” performed by the California Stage cast, started the Elly adult theater portion of the evening. The performance showcased the Elly Award-winning costuming by Angelina Reaux. All the m

Sunday evening’s show was nearly sold out at the new Arden Playhouse, a wonderful 150-seat venue that opened in March. All ages were represented in the audience. Were they waiting for the curtain opening on the latest play?   No – the Sacramento Area Regional Theatre Alliance (SARTA) was announcing the 2010 Elly nominees. The Elly Awards are named for the late Eleanor McClatchy, a devoted patron of the arts and former publisher of The Sacramento Bee. The Elly Awards celebrate excellence and the outstanding achievements of community theaters and artists in the greater Sacramento area. Elly Award nominations included Lead and Supporting Actor and Actress, Director, Costume Design, Lightin

KOLT Run Creations  hosted a full house at Ooley Theater during the opening weekend of “Crime and Punishment.”   The theatrical performance features local actors Brian Rife, Patrick Murphy and Kelley Ogden. Rife plays Raskolnikov, the protagonist guilty of murdering two women, while Murphy and Ogden play a variety of characters throughout the show.   Having three actors play seven characters is not as distracting as it seems. The actors do a good job transitioning into different roles. They also have great facial expressions along with changes in pitch that help differentiate characters.   Audience member Penny Kline Meagher said she felt that Ogden did a good job in her transitions.

"Crime and Punishment," a theatrical performance presented by KOLT Run Creations, will open Friday at Ooley Theater in Midtown.  The play, originally a novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, was brought to Sacramento by KOLT co-founders Kelley Ogden and Lisa Thew for a specific purpose.  "We usually do shows or pick scripts that have issues that are related to our community," Odgen said. "When we looked at doing our next show, we could not escape that there is a real economic poverty (in Sacramento)."  Odgen explained the with all the job-loss and furlough situations, they felt the play reflected current times around the community.  "Crime and Punishment" takes place during the mid-1800s in St. P