Join Wandering Aesthetics at Akron Civic Theatre for our Bigger Than a Breadbox launch party and season announcement!

Building on the success of Wandering Aesthetics’ reoccurring Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret (#EPCooker), Bigger Than a Breadbox is a vaudeville-style variety show. Vaudeville, once known as “the heart of American show business”, hearkens back one of the earliest forms of entertainment available to Akronites. Bigger Than a Breadbox is a dynamic quarterly event that celebrates artistic excellence and unites audiences through affordable access to a revolving lineup of high quality performers. Breadbox tours Akron, creating performances that are comprised of acts selected from the #EPCooker and the neighborhood where each production is held. Acts reflect a diverse array of talent and all performers are paid. Shows include 8 – 12 acts that range from 10 – 20 minutes.

“Under Pressure”, a standalone #AkronBreadbox production, brings together some of the hottest acts from the Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret – Akron’s sensational sizzling open mic – for an evening of vaudeville-flavored fun. Featuring music, comedy, poetry, theatre, and a few surprises, this variety show has something for everyone – even if you’ve never heard of the Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret.

Come early to visit a selection of local art and craft vendors. “Wandering Aesthetics’ Electric Pressure Cooker Presents…Bigger Than a Breadbox” was made possible, in part, by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as part of its Knight Arts Challenge. DATE & TIME March 31, 2018

Doors/Vendors: 5:30 pm

Performance: 7:00 pm LOCATION Akron Civic Theatre

182 S. Main St.

Akron, OH 44308 PRICE $25.00 per ticket. Tickets are available at www.akronbreadbox.com or at the door. For more information, please call 330.612.3090 or email [email protected] THE LINE-UP

Emcee: Matthew Dolan

“Ohio Shakespeare Loves to Fight” (Theatre/Movement)

“The #CreativeSummit: State of the Arts” (Speech)

“The Poets: JaH and Craig presents ‘What is Love?’” (Performance Poetry)

“How Many More?” (Theatre with Poetry)

“Tearful Sails and False Rituals” (Speech)

“Desert-Swept Indie Folk” (Music – Solo)

“Voting Isn’t Cool” (Theatre)

“Ask Me (Almost) Anything” w/Local Celebrities (Q&A Panel)

“Imprisoned” (Theatre/Performance Art)

“Feats of Strength” (Circus Arts)

“Anchor the Moon meets Bad News Benny” (Music – Band)

ABOUT THE EMCEE

Matthew Dolan is a music director, pianist, improvisor and arts educator who lives in Akron, but whose work can be seen across Northeast Ohio.

He is a co-founder of the Akron-based Just Go With It Improv. Dolan has also performed with Point of No Return (Cuyahoga Falls), Title TBD! An Improvised Musical, Something Dada, and Torque: Full Throttle Improv.

In his spare time, Dolan enjoys sharing a meal, a drink, and a laugh with friends.

ABOUT THE ACTS

“Ohio Shakespeare Loves to Fight”

Presented by: Ohio Shakespeare Festival (Downtown Akron)

Performed by: Ryan Zarecki & Tess Burgler

Kapow! Kabam! Kaboom!

Ohio Shakespeare’s in the room!

Resident Fight Director Ryan Zarecki and Managing Director Tess Burgler will demonstrate three different styles of stage combat: rapier dueling, ax and shield vs. mace and shield and unarmed combat. This combative duo will give the audience a behind-the-scenes look at how a fight is created and what it looks like when it comes to full fruition on stage.

“The #CreativeSummit: State of the Arts”

Remarks from Nicole Mullet Executive Director of ArtsNow/SummitLive365.com

Nicole Mullet, Executive Director of ArtsNow, will share some of the latest and greatest arts-related news happening in our city and beyond!

ArtsNow is an innovative non-profit which connects arts, culture, and community in Summit County.

“The Poets: JaH and Craig presents ‘What is Love?’”

Written and performed by: Darnell Griffiths (Kent, OH), Jakim Harvey (Kent, OH)

This passionate pair of poets present a plethora of performance pieces put forward to provoke profound ponderings.

“Tearful Sails and False Rituals”

Written and performed by: McCartney Betz (Norton High School)

A speech about gun control and youth activism in today’s “Tide Pod-eating” generation.

Betz is a state quarter-finalist in the ‘Humorous Interpretation’ event representing the Norton speech and debate team.

“How Many More?”

Presented by: Wandering Aesthetics

Scenes from “Bang Bang You’re Dead” written by: William Mastrosimone

Performed by: Students primarly from the Theatre Arts Career Academy

Steven “Ksan” Cooper (Stow High School), Josie Reynolds (Cuyahoga Falls High School), Amelia McCauley (Tallmadge High School), Hannah Belknap (Tallmadge High School), Abigail Smith (Kent Roosevelt High School), Lexi Rushnok (Stow High School), Nicholas Bishop (Stow High School), Brandon Morgan (Stow High School), Carson Whaples (Cuyahoga Falls High School), Anastasija Saric (Tallmadge High School)

Poetry written and performed by: Bree Chambers (Firestone High School)

“Playgrounds become battlefields/The students soldiers/kindergarteners make play barricades with their folders.”

This group of tremendously talented high school students raise their voices to take a stand against gun violence.

“Bang Bang You’re Dead” was written in the wake of three school shootings: Thurston High School (Springfield, Oregon), Heath High School (Paducah, Kentucky) and Westside Middle School (Jonesboro, Arkansas). Even though this show was written before the 1999 Columbine massacre, it is just one of the tragedies foreshadowed in this play. Bree Chambers adds her own original words to this act with a poem that was originally written and performed as part of the student-led walkout at Firestone High School on March 14, 2018.

“Desert-Swept Indie Folk”

Music by: Iris Isadora

Iris Isadora, a singer/songwriter, “Queen of Heartache” and self-described desert-swept indie/folk gal, will serenade the crowd with her soulful acoustic covers and originals.

“Voting Isn’t Cool”

Written by: Chad Weaver, Comedian

Presented by: Wandering Aesthetics

Katie Beck (Akron – North Hill), Nici Romo (Stow, OH), Jennifer Betz (Norton, OH), Kyle Jozsa (Akron – West Hill)

Voting isn’t cool. Or is it? This satirical theatre scene is the only way to find out.

“Ask Me (Almost) Anything” panel w/Local Celebrities

Presented by: Wandering Aesthetics

Featuring: Yoly Miller (Akron – West Hill), Benjamin Isaiah Black (Akron) & a mystery guest

There are two rules to this “Ask Me Anything” panel:

1.) The audience can ask the panelists anything.

2.) The panelists can refuse to answer any question. However, if they choose to answer a question, they must answer honestly.

“Imprisoned”

Presented by: Gum-Dip Theatre

Devised by: Nim Tamang (Akron – North Hill) and Katie Beck (Akron – North Hill)

Performed by: Nim Tamang

A solo performance devised by Nim Tamang and Katie Beck. “Imprisoned” was devised around the journey of one man who breaks from his traditions to explore his inner child through free play and self-bondage. The piece features “Towards the Latter Half of My Life”, a poem written and red by Nabin Prachin who recorded from Katmandu, Nepal.