Check back here for reviews, information, and theater news. Interested in reviewing plays for The COMO Collective? Shoot us an email at thecomocollective@gmail.com with “local theater” in the subject line.
Columbia Area Theaters
Maplewood Barn Theater: This local theater lives up to the motto “the show must go on”. After a devestating fire in April of 2010, continued with their season and is currently working to raise funds to rebuild.
Columbia Entertainment Company: This group bills themselves as “your community theater” and draws upon local talent to stage several plays and musicals throughout the year.
Independent Actors Theater: Established in 2007, Independent Actors Theatre (IAT) is an actor-centered, fringe theatre company whose mission is to show audiences work they likely wouldn’t see elsewhere in Columbia, Missouri and to provide local actors with challenging, “edgy” performance opportunities. Nomadic by choice, IAT believes quality theatre can be created in non-traditional and site-specific theatre spaces. For more information about IAT, their production season, and ways to get involved, visit their website or email artistic director Emily Rollie (e.rollie@iatheatre.org).
- Como Theatre: De facto Festival April 18, 2012They may not have planned it, but with 5 different productions by local theatres, Columbia, Missouri is hosting a de facto theatre festival this weekend. “All the schedules just lined up,” stated no one but I figured putting a made-up quote would make it look personal. Leading the group is one of COMO’s well known community theatres, ...
- Como Theatre: Upcoming Auditions March 15, 2012With a couple of big productions coming up, now is a great time to get involved. It’s getting busier and busier in the Columbia, Missouri theatre world as it always does in the spring and summer. The Maplewood Barn is opening it’s 40th season with Fiddler on the Roof. This production will be playing at the ...
- Como Theatre: “Bent” March 12, 2012When Columbia Entertainment Company first discussed doing the play Bent by Martin Sherman I was a bit apprehensive. I wrote it off, thinking that a 1979 drama about gays in the holocaust was walking a thin line that I wasn’t sure CEC could walk. Many of our audiences members haven’t enjoy the darker shows that we’ve ...
- COMO Young Frankenstein: Crowd – pleasing Raunchy Humor January 19, 2012As part of the almost sold-out crowd at Jesse Hall Wednesday night I was hoping for raunchy, yet familiar entertainment – and I was not disappointed. You know there’s just something about “knocker” and ball jokes, overt sexual innuendos and Frau Blucher (nervous horse whinnies included) that make even the most sophisticated along us snicker ...
- Como Theatre Preview: “Dracula, The Musical” September 28, 2011A few weeks ago I got the chance to sit in on a vocal run through of Columbia Entertainment Company’s ”Dracula, The Musical” and let me tell you, it blew me away. Sitting through the vocal run through was a bit disjointed. I only got to hear the cast sing each song with a piano, far ...
- CoMo Theatre: Directors September 14, 2011One of the first real steps of any season is selecting a director for each show. At Columbia Entertainment Company (CEC) this is always a worrisome endeavor. We want a quality director who knows what she’s doing and can keep costs down. Additionally we strive for directors who understand the show and have an artistic ...
- CoMo Theatre: Shakespeare Preview July 7, 2011 No need to head out of town this summer to get your fix of Shakespeare (the bard, not the pizza) . Columbia, Missouri has three productions by two different theatre companies running this month. 5th Wall Productions starts it with a doubleheader of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged on ...
- CoMo Theatre: “Putnam County Spelling Bee” Actor Profile June 9, 2011 One of the things that makes Columbia, Missouri such a dynamic city is that many people here come and go; having three four five colleges will do that to a city. One such actor who was active in the community theatre scene years ago and has now returned is Kelley Rohlfing Marchbanks. Who are you? I’m ...
- COMO Theatre: “Odd Couple” Actor Profile June 8, 2011 One of the fun things about community theatre is the wide range of people that come and get involved in it. People are constantly coming in and out of the theatre world. Theatre presents an easy opportunity for people to develop a small amount of talent into a much larger one. One recent entrant into ...
- CoMo Theatre: Behind The Scenes May 26, 2011I’ve been a lover of the stage since I was young. When I graduated from college I was glad to see that there was a vibrant community theatre scene here in Columbia, Missouri. I think that this scene was a driving force in helping me to decide to stay in this community and not venture ...
