When Joe Bishara talked with Dublin Life in late October, he was celebrating his one year anniversary as the city of Dublin and Abbey Theater’s theater supervisor. He spent 10 years at CATCO as the associate producing director and oversaw all programming for kids and young audiences in CATCO is Kids before the city of Dublin offered him the chance to bring his talents to the community.
Bishara has a degree in local performance from Ohio Wesleyan University and was a performer before he decided to look into the administrative sides of theater. In 2008 he was a production coordinator for the Phoenix Theatre for Children, which eventually merged with CATCO.
“The city brought me in to replicate what I did at CATCO,” Bishara says. “I select and execute productions for families and young audiences.”
And that’s what Bishara has been in the process of doing, although the pandemic has obviously caused quite a scene – no pun intended.
The Abbey Theater has been producing shows since May through the Virtual Theatre Project.
“I’m proud to say we’ve put on more virtual productions than anyone else,” he says.
Bishara is certainly the right man for the challenge that COVID-19 brings. He’s always been fascinated with blending art forms and brought interactive backgrounds for scenic components at CATCO, combining technology with theater. So virtual shows were right up his alley.
To keep kids as safe as possible, he suggested having potential performers audition virtually and putting on one-man or small cast shows that are videotaped to share with the community.
“One of the things I was really drawn to with this position is that I’m meant to serve the needs of an entire community,” Bishara says. “We need art, a lot of people don’t realize that we’re surrounded by it. It’s my job to make sure the arts community has an outlet and subsequently offer the chance for people to interact with art that’s actually community conceived.”
The Abbey Theater’s holiday show, The Land of Forgotten Toys, streams Dec. 18-27 and tickets are $10 per household.
The show, never before produced in Ohio, features 25 young actors from central Ohio, 13 of whom are Dublin residents. The story itself is heartwarming and perfect for the holidays.
“It’s a story of hope,” Bishara says. “We tend to focus on the negative a lot of times, but let’s take stock of what we have and focus on the positives.”
And while everyone has experienced the perks of working at home, Bishara might have two of the best: his daughters Maddie (12) and Vivie (4) who are enthralled by his shows.
“She’s (Vivie) at home with us and hears us working on them, so she knows as much as we do,” he says. “I hear her humming the tunes but she makes up her own words.”
Bishara mentions that Vivie’s preschool teacher sometimes will have the kids tell stories to the class during story time. And when it’s Vivie’s turn, it’s clear where she gets her dramatics from.
“She’ll have all these descriptions and use voices and begin with, ‘It was a dark and stormy night,’” Bishara says, laughing, “and we’re like, yep, you definitely come from theater parents.”
Christmas Q&A with Joe
Favorite holiday dessert?
“Pumpkin pie!”
Fake or real Christmas tree?
“I go with fake because I’m allergic to everything. I love the smell, but in my house, it has to be fake.”
Peppermint or gingerbread?
“Let’s go with gingerbread – although, I’ve been gluten-free for three years – so I guess I should go with peppermint.”
During the holidays are you out ice skating and playing in the snow or are you inside with hot cocoa and Christmas movies?
“I think I’m more of an inside person because I have two daughters and when I think of ice skating I think of how many different ways they could break their legs.”
Mallory Arnold is an editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
