CAPA-Columbus Association for the Performing Arts

Our lines are now open! Submit your film here: https://lnkd.in/ekQP3ENY Take advantage of Earlybird prices!!

The annual CAPA Marquee Awards is one of the most exciting events held each year here in the Ohio Theatre. The program, which recognizes the best in high school musical theatre talent in central Ohio – I think of it as the Tony Awards for local high school theatre – brings around 200 high school musical theatre students to the Ohio Theatre for three weeks of rehearsal before our awards showcase (held this year on June 6). And the energy in the building is unmistakable. From the entrance on the red carpet through the announcement of the Best Musical, the audience is loud in their support for our talented students. The Marquee Awards are the culmination of a year-long program that connects students to performers and other theatre professionals that are coming through Columbus all season long. The program offers talkbacks and workshops for kids to spend some time in one of our rehearsal rooms with the touring artists that can be seen on stage. These are tangible experiences that inspire and educate local students all throughout the school year. All the credit goes to our Education & Engagement team – Amy Handra and Crystal Satterfield – for creating such a memorable and valuable experience for the Marquee participants. And it culminates with CAPA getting to showcase the kids and the incredible talent that exists here in central Ohio. While we’re proud of all the young people who participated in our showcase, we are especially excited for the Best Actress and Actor in a Leading Role winners – Allie Gomez from Upper Arlington High School and Christian Strong from Pickerington High School North – who are in New York this week participating in the 2024 Jimmy Awards (presented by The Broadway League Foundation).?The Jimmys is a 10-day theatre intensive led by Broadway professionals and industry experts, culminating in a competition with talented students from around the country to name the Jimmy Awards Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor winners.?The 15th?annual Jimmy Awards will take place this coming Monday, June 24, at the Minskoff Theatre on Times Square. The Jimmy Awards are streamed for free beginning at 7:30pm ET on Monday, June 24, via Facebook and YouTube.?Please join us in watching the performance as we cheer on Allie and Christian!

I had the privilege to again attend The Broadway League’s Spring Road Conference that took place in New York City last week. One of the true benefits of the conference is the opportunity to spend time with friends and colleagues that deliver touring Broadway productions to all corners of the country. It was a clear reminder of the tremendous impact, socially and economically, that Broadway productions bring to our communities. (And Broadway is just one sliver of the thriving arts and entertainment community that exists here in Columbus.) Another benefit during conference week is the opportunity to see what’s new on Broadway - and there is a lot this year. The Fall ‘23/Spring ‘24 season has seen 18 new musicals open in New York, a combined 12 of those in March and April. It’s exciting to have so many new productions, in part because we know that the shows that open now in New York are the tours that we will see in Columbus and other cities around the country over the next few years. For example, CAPA’s 2023-24 Broadway in Columbus season includes shows that have enjoyed recent success during their runs in NYC – we’re excited to bring shows including "MJ The Musical" and "Kimberly Akimbo" to Columbus, among others. After seeing eight shows in six days, I’m happy to share that there are a lot of fantastic new shows! For those headed to New York and wondering what to see, look up “Tony nominations” and you’ll have a great starting point to find the right show for you. If you can’t catch a show on Broadway, no worries – we’re already working to bring the best of these shows to Columbus in future seasons. Stay tuned!

We’re often asked, regarding the Cinema Columbus Film Festival, “What is CAPA’s interest in hosting a film festival? How does that relate to everything else CAPA does?” I think these are really interesting questions. ? Let's start back in 1928. The Ohio Theatre was built as a movie house. Flash forward to 1969, when CAPA was created in order to save the Ohio Theatre from the wrecking ball.?In CAPA’s formative years, it was the Summer Movie Series that financially sustained us even as we began the transition to live performances and served as the home for the Columbus Symphony. From Harry Potter films with the CSO to stunning video backdrops for touring Broadway shows, film/animation remains woven into the programming that we provide to our community today. And I have no doubt that the technologies being created now will ensure this partnership lasts well into the future. We think of Cinema Columbus, which marks its third year in 2024, as not only a festival “in” our city but also “about” our city and “for” our city. We bring in films from all over the country and internationally, but we're just as focused on promoting the film industry and the creatives that we've got right here in Columbus.? ? Creating awareness for the film/animation industry. Creating pride in our city. Showing the talent we've got in terms of filmmaking here in Columbus. The festival is an opportunity to shine in all of these areas. I think what we're going to see over the long term is more films that are being shot and produced here in Columbus. This growth will happen as a result of the tremendous talent in our local film community and the hard work of many to make this a great city for film. But we believe Cinema Columbus can serve as a catalyst in giving this important industry the recognition it deserves.