“’Playing By Air’ presents a symphony of action, comedy, music, juggling and circus that audiences describe as ‘a gift of laughter and joy.’” Thus states the public relations release promoting the unique production that will open Darke County Center for the Arts’ 2018-19 Family Theatre Series season in Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18. “Playing By Air” sounds like a whole lot of fun to me.
Michael Karas, Ted Joblin and Jacob Weiss, who all share a love for juggling, bring diverse backgrounds to their collaboration in “Playing By Air.” Michael has a degree in acting, years of experience as a dancer and puppeteer, and is an award-winning juggler. Ted hails from Canada but now lives in Nashville, and is known for his mastery of the Chinese yo-yo. Jacob grew up playing basketball and wiggling his ears, but went on to earn his Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics (I have no idea what that means) at Vanderbilt University and leads efforts to bring people together by utilizing collaborative creativity. This unlikely trio has performed their high-energy choreographed juggling and more at The White House, as well as before 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden.
While DCCA’s Family Theatre presentations usually are theatrical productions based on classic children’s literature, DCCA officials were charmed and excited by what they saw in “Playing By Air,” believing that the versatile showmen who make up the ensemble offer exciting entertainment that would appeal to children, their parents, siblings, and grandparents, and pretty much everyone who enjoys a good time. In addition to Michael, Ted, and Jacob, the show features an electrifying display of lights, color, motion, and musical instruments that fly through the air, each component eliciting enthusiastic responses from audiences; audience participation is encouraged, creating a feeling of camaraderie that only enhances the fun. This imaginative theatrical experience evokes laughter, inspires imaginations, and spurs creativity with its breathtaking feats, original inventions, and non-stop spectacle, leaving indelible memories that linger long after the show has ended.
Tickets for “Playing By Air” are $5, and can be obtained by contacting DCCA at 937-547-0908 or [email protected] or online at www.darkecountyarts.org; tickets may also be purchased at Greenville Public Library, Readmore’s Hallmark and Darke County Welcome Center in downtown Greenville, and Worch Memorial Library in Versailles and will be available at the door if any remain by showtime. Other productions in DCCA’s Family Theatre Series season include Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s glowing production of “Rainbow Fish” based on the beloved children’s book, and “Underneath a Magical Moon” from Tutti Fruitti Productions, a re-imagining of the Peter Pan tale as if told by Wendy. Although general admission tickets for each of the Family Theatre presentations are offered at an extremely cost, tickets for the entire season are still available, offering an even better bargain at $12 for all three shows – an amazing price for a season full of fun.
