ACT's one-woman shows lean into heavy themes

Jun. 17—Coming out of the pandemic, many theater groups of late have presented lighthearted productions that offer audiences an escape of sorts from all the dark times of the past year. Actors Collaborative Toledo's shows, on the other hand, have been taking a deep dive into that misery.

That's not to say that recent ACT shows have been all doom and gloom, but whereas bright musicals and comedies often appear in the show calendar below, ACT's shows, such as Natural Shocks and Lonely Planet, have delved into issues of fear, loneliness, and other human struggles that many of us can relate to, especially after the past year of, well, you know.

And now, the company is putting on two one-woman shows this weekend at the Ohio Theatre that will again delve into the darker aspects of our personalities and how we can overcome tragedy.

The first, Elective Affinities, stars Fran Martone as a well-to-do socialite who treats the audience as if they're attending a soiree at her townhouse. But soon the so-called attendees will learn that their host harbors many troubling opinions and thoughts about our society that will leave them wondering if they should truly like or loathe Martone's character.

The second one-act to follow is Accidentally Brave, starring Aimee Reid, executive artistic director for the Children's Theatre Workshop, who plays a wife whose life is upended after her husband is arrested for downloading child pornography. The show then explores how this mother of three children endures having everything she thought she knew tested when it comes to her marriage, family and values.

ACT co-founder and director Jeffrey Albright said despite the serious subject matter that's presented, there is a lot of humor used as these characters take audiences on a journey of self-reflection.

"Even though they deal with trauma and some serious matters, they're also quite amusing," Albright said, "because they're about people and how people get through life.

"I've said a lot of times there's plenty of theaters that do musicals and comedies and we tend to sort of go a little darker, challenge our audiences a little bit, and both of these plays are challenging but very approachable," he added.

Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Ohio Theatre, 3114 Lagrange St., Toledo. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and college students, and $10 for high school students. They can be purchased by going to act419.org.

Because of their subject matter, Albright said he doesn't recommend these shows for young children. That said, he recommends people take this opportunity to see two brilliant actors skillfully navigate the complexity of these characters.

"Don't let the subject matter turn you off from these plays because these women are brilliant," Albright said. "We use a lot of hyperbole in the world but these women ... people need to see their performances because they are some of the best."

Upcoming shows:

—The Croswell Opera House is hosting open auditions for its October production of Something Rotten from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, and 4 to 6 p.m. June 27 at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian.

—Black Comedy: 8 p.m. June 24-26 and 2:30 p.m. June 27 at the Maumee Indoor Theatre, 601 Conant St., Maumee. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door or by going to watervilleplayshop.org.

—HELLO, DOLLY!: June 24-27 at Perrysburg High School, 13385 Roachton Rd. in Perrysburg. The show is being put on by the Perrysburg Musical Theatre Company.

—Auditions for the Toledo Repertoire Theatre's September shows of Something Rotten are June 28 and 29. These will be in-person at the theater, located at 16 Tenth St., Toledo. Participants must schedule an appointment and fill out and audition request form at toledorep.org.

—Disenchanted: 7:30 p.m. July 9-10 and July 15-17, 2:30 p.m. July 11 and 18 at the Croswell Opera House, 129 E. Maumee St., Adrian, Mich.

—All Shook Up School Edition: A Young Rep production at 7 p.m. Aug. 5 and 6 at the Ottawa Park Amphitheater, 2205 Kenwood Blvd., in Toledo.

—Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13-14 and Aug. 19-21, and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 15, 20 and 21 at the Croswell Opera House.

—Something Rotten!: Sept. 10-11, Sept. 17-19, and Sept. 24-26 at the Rep.

—Something Rotten!: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8-9 and Oct. 14-16, and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 10 and Oct. 17 at the Croswell Opera House.

—Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé: Oct. 29-31, and Nov. 4-7 at the Rep.

—Anastasia: (times vary) Nov. 4 — Nov. 7 at the Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo.

—A Christmas Story: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 26-27, Dec. 3-4, and Dec. 10-11; and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 28, Dec. 4-5, and Dec. 11-12 at the Croswell Opera House.

—An Officer and a Gentleman: (times vary) Dec. 2-5 at the at the Stranahan Theater.

—A Christmas Carol: Dec. 2-5 and Dec. 9-12 at the Rep.

Jeff Schmucker writes about theater for The Blade. Send news of theater and comedy events at least two weeks in advance to theater@theblade.com.