America's Biggest Drama Queens

Charleston Stage

 There's no denying that places like New York City and Chicago are internationally recognized for their flamboyant theater districts. Not only are the plays and musicals of the finest quality, but to be part of the scene--all dressed up, stepping out of a cab under a flashing theater marquee, and penned for a late night reservation at a cozy gastropub--is also a key and colorful part of the experience. But the U.S. is peppered with fine theater cities, cities that can be just as big a drama queen as their more well-known, melodramatic counterparts.  Below are the cities (some might surprise you) Sashay Magazine has crowned as America's Biggest Drama Queens.

Kansas City, Missouri

Why?
Because of the Unicorn Theatre

Style
The Unicorn Theatre is a traditional-style theater featuring contemporary plays, performances, and musical productions. In fact, the Unicorn Theatre is best known for featuring premier, contemporary shows that audiences might otherwise never see produced.
 
Mission Statement
“The Unicorn Theatre exists to enhance the cultural life of Kansas City by producing professional contemporary, thought-provoking theater, which inspires emotional response and stimulates discussion.”

History
For more than 35 years, the Unicorn Theatre has been known for their “daring to be different” approach to contemporary theater productions. The underlying philosophy that audiences want new, exciting, and thought-provoking theatrical entertainment has helped propel this once collegiate-level troupe into one of the premiere small theater groups in the country.

Back in 1974, three graduates of the University of Missouri, Kansas City created Theatre Workshop in an old rented warehouse in the River Market district of Kansas City. Later, as Theatre Workshop grew in popularity and scale, they made a new home in the auditorium of an old elementary school. In 1981, Theatre Workshop, with the help of funding from the Missouri Arts Council, became the Unicorn Theatre. That same year also saw the theater’s first production of an original script.

In 1986, the theater moved to its present day location on Main Street, in the mid-town business district. Productions grew in both scale and attendance, winning awards and accolades from nationally recognized professional acting guilds, playwright organizations, and publications. The theater’s reputation and prestige has resulted in record-breaking box office sales, sold-out performances, world premiers, and regionally exclusive production rights from many of today’s top playwrights.


Awards & Bragging Rights
1987 Best Play, Kansas City Theatre Awards
1992 Best Musical, Kansas City Theatre Awards
1994 National Playwrights Award
1995 Best Play, Drama Desk Awards
1996 Best Theatre for Plays, the News Times
1997 Best Local Theatre Group and Best Place to See a Play, PitchWeekly

For the 2010-2011 season schedule: http://www.unicorntheatre.org 
 

Photo by Cynthia Levin and courtesy of Unicorn Theatre.

New Orleans, Louisiana
 
Why? Because of Le Chat Noir
 

Style
Le Chat Noir offers both dinner theater-style entertainment as well as cabaret shows in a small, intimate setting.

History
Le Chat Noir first opened its doors in 1999. The husband and wife team of Barbara and Biff Motley originated the theater as a way to bring original works of theater and live entertainment to the French Quarter in New Orleans. The Chat Noir established in Paris, France, in 1881 inspired today’s Le Chat Noir. The original Chat Noir was the very first cabaret, and was home to actors, bohemians, and philosophers. Here, these thespians and performers broadened the mind and spirits of patrons with new ways of thinking. That same intellectual stimulation inspired Le Chat Noir’s creators.

As such, many of the performances are original works and unique performers and entertainers are welcome. 
 

Awards & Bragging Rights
Best Place to See Comedy, Gambit Weekly
Best Performing Arts Venue, CitySearch
Best Theatre, Storer Boone Awards
Editor’s Choice for Bars and Clubs, Best of New Orleans
Top Nightlife Venue, Zagats
1999 People to Watch, New Orleans Magazine
2000 Women of the Year, City Business Magazine
2004 Business Recognition Award, Gambit Weekly
2007 Community Arts Award, Arts Council of New Orleans
2008 Women of the Year Achievement, New Orleans Magazine

Check out their schedule at: www.cabaretlechatnoir.com

 

Charleston, South Carolina

Why? Because of Charleston Stage

History
Charleston Stage is South Carolina’s largest professional theater company located at Charleston’s Historic Dock Street Theatre, which has recently undergone a $19 million renovation. The mission of Charleston Stage is to produce quality, live theater, focusing on plays that pique the imagination, and original works that celebrate the rich heritage and history of the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Charleston Stage has premiered more than 30 new plays and musicals.Recent world premieres include Gershwin at Folly, which told the story of the genesis of Porgy and Bess, and The Seat of Justice, which explored South Carolina's pivotal role in the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision.

In addition to shining at the helm of South Carolina’s theatrical entertainment scene, Charleston Stage also encourages the spirit of discovery in others by providing a learning environment in which theater professionals share their talents with the young people, teachers and schools in the community. Every year, Charleston Stage brings drama, literature and history to over 25,000 young people in the Lowcountry. Education programs include special low price performances, an after school theater school program, the TheatreWings Apprenticeship Program ( a pre-professional theater training program for outstanding high school students), and ArtReach Workshops, led by members of Charleston Stage's Professional Resident Acting Company.

Impressive Factoid
Julian Wiles, founder and producing artistic director, is a recipient of the 2010 Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award, the highest honor in the arts awarded by the South Carolina Arts Commission.
 

Nashville, Tennessee

Why? Because of Chaffin Barn Dinner Theatre
 

Style
The Chaffin Barn Dinner Theater produces live shows in traditional dinner theater form, but with a unique twist. The restaurant and theater are housed in what appears, at first glance, to be an ordinary red barn.

History
Howard D. Wolfe originally selected sites and organized Barn Dinner Theatre as a franchise in the mid 1960’s. A. W. Chaffin and his wife owned two of the three original locations selected by Wolfe. The current Chaffin Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville was one of those locations, with construction beginning in 1966 and including a unique stage that ascends or descends from the ceiling on cue from the stage manager. Mr. and Mrs. Chaffin eventually bought the franchise from Wolfe, operating several theaters.

In the early years of the Barn Dinner Theatre franchise, productions were staged first in New York, and then sent out to the rural theaters. In fact, Mr. Chaffin’s original office was located in the Ed Sullivan Building, in the heart of New York City. The franchise operated under the name Theatre Productions International, Inc. until 1971, when the Nashville theater location became fully independent. In 1974, son John Chaffin bought the Nashville location from his parents.

In 44 years of operation, the theater has been a large part of the Chaffin family. In the 60’s and 70’s, the Chaffin Barn Dinner Theatre was “the” place for Nashville’s elite. Over the years, the theater has hosted governors, U.S. congressmen, as well as big-name country stars such as Minnie Pearl, Barbara Mandrel, and Keith Anderson. Today it continues to be one of Nashville’s favorite entertainment venues.

Awards & Bragging Rights
Second oldest professional dinner theater in the United States.
Operates one of only two Magic Stage systems left in the United States.
2006-2008 Top 25 Tourist Attractions in Nashville, Nashville Business Journal
2008 Best Place to See a Play, The Tennessean’s Readers Choice Awards
2008 Best Buffet, The Tennessean’s Readers Choice Awards
2009 2nd Place for Best Place to See a Play, The Tennessean’s Readers Choice Awards
Featured in the “Spirit of Nashville” art posters

Check out their schedule at: www.dinnertheatre.com
 

 Boulder, Colorado

Why? Because of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, University of Boulder
 

Style
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival is an annual, non-professional, collegiate outdoor theater festival held each summer on the campus of the University of Boulder. During the winter months, theater enthusiasts can enjoy limited productions at one of the university’s indoor theaters.

Photo at left by Casey A. Cass. John Hutton is King Lear and
Jamie Ann Romero is Cordelia.

History
Outdoor plays have long been a traditional part of commencement activities at the University of Boulder. The first plays, performed over a century ago, were set in a cottonwood grove on the campus. In 1936, after World War I temporarily suspended theatrical productions, George F. Reynolds, theater program administrator at the time, began plans for the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre.

The Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre’s construction was completed in 1939, with the first performance staged in 1944. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival was born in 1958, after then-director Jack Crouch increased the summer repertoire for productions from a single play to three. Over the years, the Festival has grown in production scale and audience attendance. Today during the summer season, the festival employs as many as 180 directors, actors, set designers, production personnel, apprentices, interns, and administrative staff. The Festival draws nearly 40,000 audience members each summer.

Awards & Bragging Rights
1975 Became seventh theater in the world to complete the entire canon of 37 Shakespearian plays
1992 “One of the top Shakespearean festivals in the nation,” Time Magazine
1992 The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts
1992 Best Season for a Theatre Company, Denver Drama Critics’ Circle Award
 

For more information, visit: www.coloradoshakes.org