First Presbyterian Theater has announced its 2023-24 season, which will include a farce, two musicals, several Fort Wayne premieres, and another collaboration with the Fort Wayne Youtheatre.
Performing out of First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St., the theater company has two shows remaining this season before the 2023-24 campaign begins in August.
Remaining this season are Godspell (March 24-31) and Clybourne Park (May 12-21).
Looking toward next season, here’s what First Pres has in store.
Bedroom Farce (Aug. 18-27): Directed by Reuben Albaugh, the classic British Farce set in a trio of side-by-side bedrooms reveals the characters’ lives behind closed doors. The play’s clever uses of time and space makes this a very intricate and sophisticated comedy while also portraying the deteriorating and rebuilding of relationships among four couples.
Head Over Heels (Oct 13-22): Directed by Leslie Beauchamp and featuring music of ’80s favorites The Go-Go’s, this hilarious, exuberant celebration of love, follows the escapades of a royal family on a journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts.
Almost Maine (Jan. 26-Feb. 4): Directed by Todd Sandman Cruz, the story is set on one cold, clear winter night between Maine and Canada, where residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways.
The Prom (March 1-17, 2024): Directed by Christopher J. Murphy, this Fort Wayne premiere is a collaboration with Fort Wayne Youtheatre. Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So, when they hear that trouble is brewing around an Indiana small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue … and themselves.
The Father (May 10-19, 2024): Directed by Todd Espeland, The Father was considered “the most acclaimed new play of the last decade” and has won numerous awards and nominations. Now 80 years old, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can’t find his watch. He is starting to wonder, is he losing control?
PFW students’ art on display at Krull Gallery
Purdue Fort Wayne Visual and Performing Arts students will showcase their works created during their annual 2022 study abroad program along with drawings by professor Christopher Ganz during the same trip and his residency in Tusa, Sicily.
Student and faculty artists included in the Art of Florence exhibit in the Jeffrey R. Krull Gallery in the downtown Allen County Public Library are Bella Rose Ferrin, Christopher Ganz, Ezra Gonzalez-Vidal, Emily Hayden, Hannah Kirk, Kenzie Krebs, Victoria Lewandowski, Iris Miller, Coren Paige, Dylan Record, Ashley Savick, Ryan Swymeler, Shayla Thomas-Wieland, and Grace Webster.
The exhibition opens with a reception Saturday, March 4, from 3-5 p.m. Admission is free. The gallery is open during regular library hours.
ARTrageous Gala set at Museum of Art
Fort Wayne Museum of Art will hold its ARTrageous Gala and Auction on Friday, March 3, at 6 p.m.
Featuring auctions with unique and luxurious items, ARTrageous aims raise funding for museum programming.
For more information and to purchase tickets, go to fwmoa.org.
Volunteers sought to clean up trash
Little River Wetlands Project, 6801 Engle Road, will hold a Trashy Thursday trash pickup Thursday, March 2, from 10 a.m.-noon.
Volunteer to keep our wildlife safe and our preserves clean by picking up trash along Smith and Engle roads on the first Thursday of each month. Safety vests, gloves, trash bags, trash grabbers, and snacks will be provided. Union Street Market hosts beekeeping class
Bee Great Local will host a beginner’s beekeeping school Saturday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at the Union Street Market, 1620 Broadway. Cost is $199, which includes an assembled starter hive. There will be a drawing for free honeybees, and they will have a discount of 10 percent off beekeeping supplies.
Heels classes returns at Dance Collective
On Friday, March 3, from 6:15-7:30 p.m., Fort Wayne Dance Collective will hold another “heels” dance class led by AiJaye Crowder, combining elements of jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary dance genres while promoting body positivity through unique movement.
Dancers are encouraged, but not required, to wear high heels while working on dance steps to popular music.
Registration is $13 and can be reserved at fwdc.org.
Take part in free Fort Wayne Pride workshops
Fort Wayne Pride will hold a monthly educational workshop series at 527 W. Berry Street on Thursday, March 9.
The free workshops take place the second Thursday of each month with a community expert speaking on a topic of interest and allowing time for questions.
March’s topic is PrEP 101 presented by Timothy Price of Positive Resource Connection. It will focus on the benefits of PrEP and navigation services provided by PRC.
Three Rivers Music Theatre holds auditions
Three Rivers Music Theatre will hold vocal auditions for Ruthless! The Musical on Sunday, March 5, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Fort Wayne Dance Collective, 403 E. Berry St., Suite 203.
The lead role of Tina Denmark will be played by Tegan Dostal, but an understudy between the ages of 8 and 12 is being sought, along with all other roles. Parents should know there is strong language in this show, including for the lead role.
For details about the roles available, audition requirements, and to sign up for an audition slot, go online to threeriversmusictheatre.com/ruthless-auditions.
Rehearsals will be April 10-May 4, and the production runs May 12- 21.
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