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odswift — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:20:22 -0400

Triangle theater has expanded exponentially in the last decade, with something for almost every taste, and new companies cropping up with each season.

MAJOR PLAYERS

The biggest draw is Broadway Series South, which hosts splashy touring Broadway shows such as “My Fair Lady” and Disney’s “The Lion King,” as well as some scaled-back productions making their umpteenth visit here (think "Rent," "Cats," etc.).

Most Broadway Series South shows are in Raleigh’s 2,277-seat Memorial Auditorium, where you can also see Broadway musicals staged locally by N.C. Theatre. Don’t expect locals in N.C. Theatre’s lead roles, however. More often, producers cast their leads in New York — or use household names from pop culture, such as film star Lou Diamond Phillips or rocker Sebastian Bach.

PlayMakers Repertory Company, the professional arm of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Department of Dramatic Art, performs during the school year in the 500-seat Paul Green Theatre at the Center for Dramatic Art. The shows have top-notch production values and feature a mix of staff and students along with guest actors. PlayMakers also recently launched a second-stage series for its 200-seat Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre, with locally produced and touring shows intended to generate interesting post-show discussions.

Theater Previews at Duke helps develop high-profile Broadway-bound productions such as "Little Women: The Musical" and "A Thousand Clowns." And it also stages workshops of new or little known plays that may or may not have legs.

SMALL WONDERS

But the bulk of the Triangle theater scene is composed of smaller semi-professional companies, which can vary dramatically in quality but frequently outshine their Goliath competitors. Among the most reliable are Chapel Hill’s Deep Dish Theater, Paperhand Puppet Intervention and StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance, Raleigh Ensemble Players, Burning Coal Theatre, and Durham’s Manbites Dog Theater and its many guest troupes (among them Durham’s inventive Both Hands Theatre Company and Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern). Stillwater Theatre, a professional company based at Meredith College, has also made its mark quickly.

The area’s community theaters — including the 71-year-old Raleigh Little Theatre — also have large followings. The college theater scene is active and ambitious, the schools’ educational missions making for interesting and daring play selections. And improv is booming in the area, from the veteran troupe Transactors to area newcomers like Carrboro’s DSI Comedy Theater.

Read N&O reviews of local theater productions.

THE COMPANIES

RALEIGH

Actors Comedy Lab

Bare Theatre

Burning Coal Theatre Co.

comedyworx

Free Association Theatre Ensemble (FATE)

Flying Machine Theatre

Justice Theatre Project

Meredith Performs Theatre

N.C.S.U. University Theatre

North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre

Off the Deep End Ensemble

Opera Company of North Carolina

Raleigh Ensemble Players

Raleigh Little Theatre

DURHAM

Alternative Perspective Ensemble Theatre

Both Hands Theatre Company

Duke Hoof ‘n’ Horn

Find the Light Repertory Company: 876-6866

Ghost & Spice

Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern

Long Leaf Opera

Manbites Dog Theater

New Traditions Theatre: Email: BGJ111@hotmail.com

N.C. Central University Theater

Theater Previews at Duke

CHAPEL HILL

Deep Dish Theater

Free Association Theatre Ensemble

PlayMakers Repertory Company

StreetSigns Center for Literature and Performance

Transactors Improv Co.

ELSEWHERE

Arising Light Productions

Cary Players

Three Blind Mice: EMAIL: threeblindmiceproductions@gmail.com

Towne Players of Garner

Triad Stage

VENUES AND PRODUCERS

RALEIGH

Artspace

Broadway Series South

Fletcher Opera Theater

Goodnight’s Comedy Club

N.C. State University Center Stage

Pittman Auditorium, St. Mary’s School, 900 Hillsborough St., Raleigh. 424-4045

Progress Energy Center For The Performing Arts Includes Memorial Auditorium, Meymandi Concert Hall, Fletcher Opera Theater and Kennedy Theatre.

RBC Center

Shaw University Department of Visual and Performing Arts

St. Augustine’s College

Stewart Theatre

Thompson Theatre (closed for renovations)

DURHAM

Branson Theater

Carolina Theatre

Common Ground Theatre

Duke Performances

Duke University Theater Studies

Durham Arts Council

Hayti Heritage Center

CHAPEL HILL

Carolina Performing Arts

Center for Dramatic Art at UNC: Includes the Paul Green Theatre, Elizabeth Price Kenan Theatre and outdoor Forest Theatre.

Memorial Hall

UNC-Chapel Hill Includes Memorial Hall, Center for Dramatic Art, Sonja Haynes Stone Center, Great Hall,
Hill Hall, PlayMakers Theatre, Person Recital Hall, Swain Hall.

Swain Hall, Studio 6, 101 E. Cameron Avenue, UNC-Chapel Hill.

CARY

Cary Academy Fine Arts Center

Koka Booth Amphitheatre

Sertoma Amphitheatre

ELSEWHERE

ArtsCenter, Carrboro

Clayton Center

Garner Historic Auditorium: 661-4602.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park, Cary.

Holly Springs Cultural Center

Paul A. Johnston Auditorium, Smithfield

Shakori Hills Farm And Festival Grounds, Silk Hope

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