Many, many thanks to the Ohio Arts Council and Rob Briggs & Alyssa Lenhoff-Briggs for the funding to bring this talented and insightful playwright and community theater enthusiast to Youngstown.
Mike began his residency at the Youngstown Playhouse attending a performance of People Along the Way, an original play by Terry Shears. Mike led a talkback with the cast and director.
Friday morning, Mike returned to the Youngstown Playhouse for the Playhouse showcase, with performances by children, and adult improv (hilarious). Later, Mike led over 30 theater stakeholders representing 16 theaters in the Mahoning Valley through a workshop on the state of theater in the Valley, and possible opportunities to increase communication, cooperation and collaboration.
In the evening, he performed The Body is the Best, a poignant, emotionally vulnerable, intellectually rich solo show laced with humor.
Sunday Mike worked closely with writers and administrators on writing and performing solo works, producing an original works festival, and playwriting.
We are so grateful to Regina Rees and the Hopewell Theatre and Emelia Sherin, Dani Dier, Matt Pagac of the Youngstown Playhouse for inviting us into these dynamic, essential spaces.
This project is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
