Taparoot return in 2008 with their first album in three years, the highly anticipated Our Long Road Home. We have yet to see a production in the new facility, but we are eager to experience more 'professional theatre in a neighborhood setting.' Highly recommended.Taproot - Our Long Road Home ]Īlbum.: Our Long Road Home Taproot has grown in it's over 40 years of theatre, adding a new stage, and a cafe. Taproot is so much a Greenwood neighborhood presence, that the community, the local restaurants, and parking facilities, all work to accommodate theatre-going patrons in a friendly neighborhood manner. They also fill the space, entering and exiting in all directions, so that the audience becomes part of the acting space. Not just in an accommodating sense, but so that when you leave the theatre you can't imagine the story being told in any other way. But we have been to many Taproot shows over the years and have never been disappointed. In the past we have had stage-level tickets at very edge of the stage, incredibly close and intimate, literally within arms reach of the actors.Ī 'thrust stage' production is no-doubt challenging.

We had a great balcony view of the entire stage. The theatre is small and friendly, as are all the on-site staff. Otherwise, go see whatever play or musical is on stage currently. See the play, directed by Taproot founder and producing artistic director Scott Nolte, if it is still running when you read this. Ford was played by David Pichette, and Harding was played by Frank Lawler. Edison HS in NYC, so I had a personal interest in the humorously portrayed Edison character played by Rob Burgess). So the premise was believable, and the acting brought the characters to life. We learned through the materials displayed and written by Taproot's own dramaturg (I have never seen this type of educational material so well done at any other theatre) that Ford and Edison actually 'camped' together, with an entire entourage of staff and equipment, and were joined on at least one occasion by Harding.

The show featured, a small cast, on a thrust stage (audience on three sides), with a simple set, well-directed, effective light, sound, set, and costume design. Yet, the choice of material produced by Taproot is indicative of the culture of this intimate, professional, neighborhood theatre. Because this review is more about the theatre and you may be reading this long after this production has run it's course, I will say little about the play and more about the theatre. The premise is a camping trip with industrialist Henry Ford, inventor Thomas Edison, and president Warren G Harding. Last night, we got to see Taproot Theatre's latest production, Camping with Henry and Tom.

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