Photo: John Aylward
Wandering Aesthetics, Gum-Dip Theatre and Dunamis Theatre will celebrate the grand re-opening of The Center (Formerly ACAMP), Saturday, Sept. 1, starting at noon, for a celebration that includes an Open House and the 37th edition of the popular Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret – the an “anything goes” open mic–style cabaret.
From noon to 6 p.m., the three theatre companies will share their vision for the Akron Center For Art, Music & Performance, located at 118 W. Market St. Afterward, the stage will be set for the Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret, which begins at 8 p.m. and will feature emcees Nici Romo and Josephine Marie.
Featuring a Black Box Theatre, Community Conference Room and space for art, music and performance, this venue will activate the corridor between downtown Akron and West Hill. The Center also will be the location for monthly classes, performances, workshops and events, hosted by the theatre companies and additional collaborators, which Vibe Collective and local TV host and journalist Blue Green.
The Center’s Open House is free and open to the public. However, the Electric Pressure Cooker asks audience members for a $5 cover charge or pay-what-you-can at the door.
The Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret features an array of artistic talent, from music, comedy and improv, to poetry, dance and theatre. Through humble beginnings in the basement of a Highland Square flower shop, the #EPCooker is an artist driven event that sees over 80-plus audience members, 20-plus performances and five non-stop hours of art.
Doors open and registration for performers begins at 7:30 p.m. with performances beginning sometime between 8 and 8:30 p.m. Anyone may sign up for a 12-minute slot. Audience members may pay their covers ahead of time and artists may pre-register for a performance slot online at epcooker.com or via phone at (330) 612-3090.
An emcee, house drum kit, keyboard, stage, lighting and sound system (with operators) are provided.
There will be coffee, tea, water, wine and beer available. Outside food is permitted.
Also starting Saturday, Sept. 1st, the #EPCooker will now regularly occur on the first Saturday of every month at The Center.
Proceeds will go toward continued fundraising for the second half match of The Electric Pressure Cooker… presents Bigger than a Breadbox, (which will return to Akron in November 2018), as well as compensating #EPCooker artists and team members.
Nici Romo (left) and Josephine Marie will co-emcee the Electric Pressure Cooker Cabaret Saturday, Sept. 1 at the newly opened The Center.
Co-emcee Nici Romo is a local theatre and teaching artist from the Akron area who has performed in both the Akron and Cleveland areas with such companies as Cleveland Public Theatre, Wandering Aesthetics, Weathervane Playhouse, and her own company, Dunamis Theatre. She has been teaching workshops in theatre for over four years and has worked with various ages in areas of the art form.
Josephine Marie is a young artist here in Akron who, as a senior at Cuyahoga Falls high School, has already made a big impact.She writes her own music, releasing a small EP a few years ago. Her EP may be found on Reverbnation. She is also a finalist in music for the High Water Festival, and an actor who has has performed on stages all across Northeast Ohio.
For more information visit akronbreadbox.com or email [email protected].
