Oscar Wilde once said, “I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” That human connection has been a source of inspiration and entertainment at the Capitol for thousands of audience members over the years and will continue to do so thanks to the work of many talented, dedicated theater performers, directors, and volunteers!
In its history, the Capitol stage has played host to an impressive number of plays and musicals, in live productions featuring a range of performers, from school children to community theater members to professional actors. Hardly a day goes by without someone dropping by to glance in the auditorium and reminisce about a show they performed in or attended. Every production tells a story, but every actor, director, stagehand, and audience member steps away with a story of their own, as well.
In January and February, the public library hosted a program to introduce teenagers to play production. The Teen Theatre Intensive taught participants theater concepts and techniques, applicable behind the scenes, on stage, and in real life situations. Under the direction of WCPL’s Sam Treece, the group of 14 creative young adults learned and worked together for eight weeks, then performed an adapted, abridged version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The next opportunity for teens will be a week-long summer theater camp presented in partnership with Fountain Square Players. Last summer, the library partnered with FSP, Bowling Green’s long-running community theater organization, to host the camp at the Capitol, which culminated in a public performance of Stone Soup. This summer’s group will perform at the end of its week, as well. Registration for the camp will open April 16.
Capitol Manager Magnolia Gramling worked closely with the Teen Theatre Intensive and reflected, “If there’s one thing I hope we all learned from the pandemic, it’s that there is something so crucial that happens when we’re in a room with other people. There is a different energy present when we watch people express themselves in real time on stage, sharing the same breath and space with the audience. I feel that part of my duty as the manager of the Capitol is to make space for this unique artform. We are so grateful for the Fountain Square Players and to be a part of their continuing legacy, and also to be able to invite in new voices, like Popelick Productions. It’s wonderful to see the spirit of collaboration that exists between theatre enthusiasts. Everyone who comes to see a play at the Capitol becomes a part of those legacies and is someone who will continue to see the value in art, community, the Capitol and their public library.”
This month, on April 26 and 27, Bowling Green’s new and emerging community theater group, Popelick Productions, will take the stage with its debut production of The Trestle at Popelick Creek. This play, written by Kentucky-born playwright Naomi Wallace and inspired by the real life Popelick Trestle Bridge located in Louisville (Kentucky), tells the story of two lonely, defiant teens trying to escape the bleak realities of their lives. Reviewer Sam Whitehead of New York’s Time Out Media Group describes it as “an often poignant, nonlinear-narrative coming-of-age story that’s set in 1936 in a town outside a city, somewhere in the United States… at once charming and haunting… you’ll view it with wonder along the way.” While it has younger main characters, the play is intended for audiences 18 and older. To purchase tickets, drop by the box office or go to capitolbg.org/get-tickets.
Fountain Square Players – now in its 55th season – will showcase a number of performances at the Capitol. Its first show of 2024, The Importance of Being Earnest, was performed in early March, and while the group has used various venues through the years, it has a long history of entertaining audiences at this location. Its season will continue off-site in May, with Shakespeare on the Green, taking place near the SoKY Marketplace Pavilion. Following that, these shows will be performed at the Capitol:
•Witness for the Prosecution: June 28, 29 & 30
•Haunting of Hill House: October 25, 26 & 27
•A Bowling Green Christmas Carol: December 13, 14 & 15
To keep up with theatrical events taking place at the Capitol (as well as scheduled movies, films, and musical performances), subscribe to our newsletter via the link on our web page (capitolbg.org) or follow us on social media (@capitolbg on Facebook, Instagram, X). We look forward to seeing you in the audience – or on stage – soon!
-by Ashley Fowlkes
