Raconteur Theatre Company

Well, the hits just keep on coming. Check out the latest trailer for After the Afterglow, this time featuring scenes from Roulette!

To watch the trailer click here.

We open in less than a week!

No, not the kind you attach to the back of a truck. Or the kind that bigger stars get to retreat to when they’re pissed. More like the ones you sit and watch while waiting for your movie to start.

Well, we’ve got ‘em.

Check out the first trailer for Aster, Holger Gunn!

Check back next week for the trailer for Roulette!

-Aaron

Raconteur’s After the Afterglow Makes it Easy to See a Show!

Columbus’s new Raconteur Theatre Company theorizes that one reason people don’t go out to see local theatre is because of its total inflexibility! That’s why they are premiering with After the Afterglow, a show in a flexible format.

After the Afterglow allows patrons to choose from viewing one of two one-acts or enjoying both for a discounted price. Board member Jill C. Hartley explains, “In an increasingly hectic world, this gives our patrons options. If they’re booked until 8 o’clock, no biggie- they can catch the second piece. We want people to see theatre as a real option for their weekend.”

After the Afterglow consists of Roulette by Douglas Hill and Aster, Holger Gunn by Columbus’s own Justin Toomey. Roulette follows Janine (Jill Ceneskie) and Matt (JT Walker) as they decide to divorce after four years of a painful marriage. But when the couple embarks on a final road trip to drop off Matt in Las Vegas, they start to question their decision as strange, inexplicable things start happening. In Aster, Holger Gunn, Holger (Andrew Cronacher) is unable to let go of his love for Aster (Molly St. Cyr), and turns to writing a dialogue between the two of them in the hopes of working through his attachment to an obviously dead relationship. Despite having complete control over every move Aster makes and every word she says, Holger cannot change the ultimate destiny of their relationship.

After the Afterglow runs May 29-June 14 at Kafe Karouac (2250 N. High St., Columbus). Shows are Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 & 9:15pm and Sundays at 2 & 3:15pm. Roulette will start at 8pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 pm Sundays. Aster, Holger Gunn is at 9:15pm Thursdays through Saturdays and 3:15pm Sundays. Tickets are $5 for a single one-act or $8 for both. Local singer songwriter Andy Ceneskie will provide music before each one act and Kafe Kerouac will sell beverages and snacks from their menu.

For additional information visit www.raconteurtheatre.com/currentshow.html.

So, today I got an update from another one of the board members about the state of our donation drive. Our little fledgling theatre company has managed to, so far, raise over a thousand dollars in personal donations. That’s not businesses who throw around tons of money for the tax write-off, that’s just people we know who support what we’re doing.

And we haven’t even opened our first show yet!

I hear a lot about “Columbus doesn’t support theatre”, and I’ve been guilty of saying it myself. But I now think that I was mistaken. Maybe people are willing to give, and maybe people are willing to come and see shows, but maybe we haven’t been asking the right way?

I’ve been involved in theatre companies who think that if they get their listings into the papers, and throw a few posters up around town, and pass out a few flyers/postcards, that they’re doing everything right. And maybe they aren’t doing anything wrong, but it sure seems like there’s more we can be doing.

I was talking to a friend over the weekend who is the Artistic Director for another local company and she was talking about how exciting it is to see what Raconteur is doing to get our name out there, and get the show information out, and how we’re talking to other businesses about how we can cross-promote, or if they’re willing to donate or purchase an ad, and it occurred to me - why isn’t every theatre in town doing this?

We firmly believe that a rising tide raises all ships when it comes to theatre, so let me now publicly invite the other theatres in Columbus to step up their own advertising and promotional efforts. Talk to local businesses, ask them to support you, call mom and dad and gramma and the kids and say “Hey, can you support our theatre? Not just in coming to see the shows, but would you be willing to make a donation?” (Bonus if you can make it tax-deductible. And if your theatre is not yet a tax-exempt not-for profit, look into aligning with Fractured Atlas).

The support is out there if you’re willing to look. With support comes more money to advertise and put on better shows. With better shows and larger audiences, we grow the theatre-going community of Columbus. And that benefits us all.

No, not a command. A statement. Raconteur Theatre seems to be having an odd relationship with ducks lately. What do I mean? Well, we have a character named Duck in Aster, Holger Gunn. And he’s an odd little guy. (Well, not that little, really. He’s well over six feet) Central to the plot, and fascinating, but odd.

But then this past weekend, members of the board and affiliated folks all went out to Gallery Hop in the Short North to pass out ducks. Ducks with our website on them. While wearing inflatable ducks.

It was a tremendous amount of fun, and it helped us to spread the word about the theatre. The main things we learned?

1) If you’re a part of a group of people wearing inflatable duck floatation devices, people will talk to you.
2) If you’re passing out ducks to people on High Street, 100 ducks won’t last very long.
3) It gets cold really quickly in the evenings in May.

The duck experiment was enough of a success that we’ll be out passing ducks once again in the near future. Stay tuned!

-Aaron