The Ohio Light Opera 2019 Season, part 2

We’re back with the remaining four productions on the Ohio Light Opera 2019 playbill, starting with a classic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, possibly the first theatrical piece I memorized as a small child. Because… pirates.

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Everyone knows Rodgers and Hammerstein, but Hammerstein did a lot of work with Kern before he really figured out how to effectively integrate these things called “plots” into a musical (Show Boat notwithstanding). Here’s one of their earlier efforts:

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A season at OLO wouldn’t be complete without some csardas-fueled Emmerich Kalman (a personal favorite of mine).

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And finally, for those fans of hopelessly melodramtic, multi-generational tales of foiled romance, we have this incredibly florid offering from Ivor Novello (aka Jeremy Northam in Gosford Park).

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I’m looking forward to seeing all of these next month!

The Ohio Light Opera 2019 Season, part 1

Short break from Shakespeare this week! The Ohio Light Opera, my favorite obscure operetta and early musical theatre festival, is about to open their season this weekend! To celebrate, I’m taking a look at their playbill, starting with some (relatively) heavy hitters.

First up, a Rodgers & Hammerstein classic.

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Fun fact: I, a mixed race child of Asian and Caucasian parents, was well into my twenties before I realized Nellie’s problem with Emile was miscegenation. Apparently, I am totally clueless.

Next, some fluffy Gershwin!

I love me some Gershwin, so I am looking forward to this. I’ve seen Crazy For You, the updated, “new and improved” version of Girl Crazy, but I’ve never seen the original.

And now, the opposite of fluffy Gershwin: serious Sondheim.

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Tune in Thursday for the rest of the OLO 2019 season, featuring a Gilbert & Sullivan classic and a bunch of REALLY OBSCURE stuff.

The Massacre at Paris

It’s the 426th anniversary of Christopher Marlowe getting stabbed rather fatally in the face in a tavern in Deptford, aged 29. He wrote seven plays, possibly collaborated on more, and heavily influenced Shakespeare. Let’s pour one out for Kit as we take a look at The Massacre at Paris. (Good title…)

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That’s it for Marlowe May! Hope you’ve had fun with all the hideous death and drama. Now, go out there and bombast out a blank verse in Kit’s memory!

Upcoming Appearance

Next month I’m returning to my first and favorite comics event, the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival! I’m super-excited to be joining A2CAF for their 10th year anniversary. Stop by, say hi, and maybe pick up the free A2CAF 10th anniversary anthology, featuring an exclusive comic by yours truly!

  • WHO: Me! In person!

  • WHAT: Exhibiting in Artist’s Alley!

  • WHERE: Ann Arbor District Library, Downtown

  • WHEN: Saturday, June 15, 12:00pm-6:00pm, and Sunday, June 16, 12:30pm-5:30pm

  • WHY: Because it’ll be fun, and I’d love to see you there!

Edward II (in 3 Panels)

It’s still MARLOWE MAY and here today we have the ONLY Marlowe play I’ve actually seen so far! I’m a sucker for history plays, and Marlowe’s Edward II is basically the prequel to Edward III, and, by extension, all the rest of Shakespeare’s histories. Let’s get (haha) stuck in!

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Poor Eddie 2. Objectively he was a TERRIBLE king but still… seems harsh.

Upcoming Appearance

Next month I’m returning to my first and favorite comics event, the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival! I’m super-excited to be joining A2CAF for their 10th year anniversary. Stop by, say hi, and maybe pick up the free A2CAF 10th anniversary anthology, featuring an exclusive comic by yours truly!

  • WHO: Me! In person!

  • WHAT: Exhibiting in Artist’s Alley!

  • WHERE: Ann Arbor District Library, Downtown

  • WHEN: Saturday, June 15, 12:00pm-6:00pm, and Sunday, June 16, 12:30pm-5:30pm

  • WHY: Because it’ll be fun, and I’d love to see you there!

Dr. Faustus (in 3 Panels)

Marlowe May rolls on, with what is probably the most famous line ever penned by Christopher Marlowe. All together now…

WAS THIS THE FACE THAT LAUNCHED A THOUSAND SHIPS, AND BURNT THE TOPLESS TOWERS OF ILIUM?

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As ever, thanks to my pocket dramaturg Kate Pitt for making sure I, a Marlowe neophyte, did justice to the play. Or at least as much justice as can be done in three panels.

Tune in next week for a look at the final two Marlowe masterpieces!

Upcoming Appearance

Next month I’m returning to my first and favorite comics event, the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival! I’m super-excited to be joining A2CAF for their 10th year anniversary. Stop by, say hi, and maybe pick up the free A2CAF 10th anniversary anthology, featuring an exclusive comic by yours truly!

  • WHO: Me! In person!

  • WHAT: Exhibiting in Artist’s Alley!

  • WHERE: Ann Arbor District Library, Downtown

  • WHEN: Saturday, June 15, 12:00pm-6:00pm, and Sunday, June 16, 12:30pm-5:30pm

  • WHY: Because it’ll be fun, and I’d love to see you there!

The Jew of Malta (in 3 Panels)

It’s Marlowe May! Everyone is familiar with Shakespeare’s Problematic Potentially Anti-Semitic Jewish Play, right? But did you know it’s a comparatively warm and fuzzy affair compared to Christopher Marlowe’s The Jew of Malta, written around six years earlier?

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There’s… there’s just so much to unpack here…

Upcoming Appearance

Next month I’m returning to my first and favorite comics event, the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival! I’m super-excited to be joining A2CAF for their 10th year anniversary. Stop by, say hi, and maybe pick up the free A2CAF 10th anniversary anthology, featuring an exclusive comic by yours truly!

  • WHO: Me! In person!

  • WHAT: Exhibiting in Artist’s Alley!

  • WHERE: Ann Arbor District Library, Downtown

  • WHEN: Saturday, June 15, 12:00pm-6:00pm, and Sunday, June 16, 12:30pm-5:30pm

  • WHY: Because it’ll be fun, and I’d love to see you there!

Tamburlaine the Great, parts 1 & 2 (in 3 Panels)

Marlowe May continues with the most bombastic of bombasts, TAMBURLAINE! A single play couldn’t confine him, so here are parts 1 and 2:

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Shout-out again to my pocket dramaturg, Kate Pitt, for consulting with me on this comic. She also told me about a fantastic production of Tamburlaine that she saw (the Michael Boyd one) and now I desperately want to see these plays.

Upcoming Appearance

Next month I’m returning to my first and favorite comics event, the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival! I’m super-excited to be joining A2CAF for their 10th year anniversary. Stop by, say hi, and maybe pick up the free A2CAF 10th anniversary anthology, featuring an exclusive comic by yours truly!

  • WHO: Me! In person!

  • WHAT: Exhibiting in Artist’s Alley!

  • WHERE: Ann Arbor District Library, Downtown

  • WHEN: Saturday, June 15, 12:00pm-6:00pm, and Sunday, June 16, 12:30pm-5:30pm

  • WHY: Because it’ll be fun, and I’d love to see you there!

Dido, Queen of Carthage (in 3 Panels)

It’s MARLOWE MAY! Every Tuesday and Thursday of this month we’ll be taking an extremely quick look at one of Christopher Marlowe’s plays, starting with Dido, Queen of Carthage!

Some more people die at the end too, but I didn’t have enough space to include them after drawing that pyre.

Shout-out to my pocket dramaturg, Kate Pitt, for consulting with me on this comic!