Web Exclusives

Interview by Jackie Nash and Samantha Steiner

The Shadowbox full-length musical TABLOID premiering on Sunday, March 9th, is a comedic drama that parodies real-life celebrities. The show is comical, but it includes many touching moments that allow audience members to understand the private lives of celebrities, fused with the glamour of being a star. The actors who play Bethany Styles and Tanya Michelle Jones - the celebrities of TABLOID - take their acting to the public when they make appearances at several places around Columbus. Crowd reactions are amazing; people really think the “celebrities” are real! In an interview with Katy Psenicka, director of media relations at Shadowbox, we asked about TABLOID, its characters, and the ideas behind the show.

C-BUS Magazine: It has been 11 years since your last musical. Can you tell us why?
Katy: Our last musical was “Evo,” taken from Broadway. We have since moved to a larger space at the Easton Town Center. At our old location, we didn’t have a lot of opportunity to expand to new audiences. We also didn’t have financial security where we were, so we could never be confident that the cabaret would exist from week to week. We have now secured our finances and our longevity as a cabaret.
C-BUS: What non-musical shows do you usually produce?
Katy: Shows are put on year-round, Thursday through Saturday, such as CrazySexyCool. We put on many “themed” shows, also, such as “Good Vibrations” in the spring and “Holiday Hoopla” in the winter. There are also themed shows in the summer and during Halloween. All of the shows are classified as sketch comedy.
C-BUS: What kind of music do TABLOID actors sing and dance to?
Katy: Mainly, the musical consists of pop music, but there is some rock music too. All of the music in the show is extremely catchy!
C-BUS: Are Bethany Styles and Tanya Michelle Jones, the main characters of TABLOID, imitations of real celebrities?
Katy: Yes, the characters (and you can kind of guess from the similarity in names) are based on the real-life celebrities Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith.
C-BUS: What are some reactions you’ve had to these “celebrities” in the public?
Katy: We’ve had an amazing public reaction. The actors really do look like celebrities, and it’s funny because people out in the public really believe they are witnessing real celebrities. They even ask for autographs. The “celebs” are surrounded by fake paparazzi and a crowd of actors who pretend to be fans. We have created a social phenomenon!
C-BUS: What spots in Columbus have these “celebs” visited?
Katy: They have been to Bar Louie, Adobe Gila’s, Forever 21, Tim Horton’s, and Mynt Ultra Lounge. They always pull up in a limousine, everywhere they go, so it is believable that they are celebrities. Bethany Styles actually got up on stage at Mynt Ultra Lounge and sang a song.
C-BUS: Did the show receive any grants or funding for the production?
Katy: We do not receive any grants or funding, and we are also a non-profit organization. We do not have to do a lot of purchasing for our set because most of our pieces are bought from eBay or Craig’s List. For all of our set pieces, we have probably only spent $300! All income is made from the cabaret shows and sales from food and drinks. Our actors do not get paid until the shows start. Everyone volunteers their time during rehearsals. Once our profits come in, the money is divided between all of the actors. If a lot of people come to the shows, we all make more money, so we all try and get as many people to come as possible!
C-BUS: All of the TABLOID actors and employees must be very dedicated to their work. What is it like for employees here?
Katy: Everyone who works here is very dedicated to the work they do, and they all love what they’re doing. We put on eight different shows a year, and every show is auditioned. People have the opportunity to get cast and get up on stage right away. There aren’t strict regulations on what actors can and cannot do. It’s fun because our roles are interchanging; one day we might be working on one thing, and the next, we are working on something completely different.
C-BUS: How many people are in the cast?
Katy: We have 20 cast members, and the cast is made up of mostly veterans. We view all of our members as masters of their certain area, and we work together as a creative “Tour de Force.”
C-BUS: How excited are you about the premiere?
Katy: I am extremely excited — we all are. I feel especially great about all of our choreography for the dances. We expect about 170 people to come to the premiere. We are almost sold out.

TABLOID premieres at Shadowbox (164 Easton Town Center) at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 9th and will continue with shows on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. through April 27th. C-BUS readers can get $5 off their Tabloid tickets good for any show. Call (614) 416-7625 for reservations and mention the “C-BUS $5 discount.” And visit TABLOID online at www.tabloidthemusical.com.