Welcome to the home of the Rainbow Repertory Company
...Advancing the Arts in Our Community
Writing Community Plays since 1994 and now MUSICAL DINNER THEATRE - the Canton Cabaret!
A Repertory Company of Playwrights Composers, Actors, Singers, Dancers, and Musicians creating theater for entertainment and education, and working with community arts organizations, schools and social service agencies.
For information about Rainbow Repertory/Canton Cabaret, or to book a Cabaret Production for your party, event, or fundraiser.
Come Taste the Wine - and come hear the band! Join the Canton Cabaret for a wine tasting with live jazz by musicians from the Canton Cabaret Orchestra.
Watch this website for more details soon!
Arcadia Grill
" Christmas in July" Fundraiser
at the Arcadia Grill
July 24th 7:00 PM
Rainbow Repertory's June Newsletter is now available for download. Read about the upcoming events for Rainbow Repertory and Canton Cabaret.
Check back every month for the latest edition.
Newsletter
Canton Cabaret 2009 Season. Click on the banner on the right to download a hardcopy of the 2009 Season, or watch the scroll on the marquee just below this text.
Click here!
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Check out some of our favorite plays and books on these links:
Kent LeMar
Johnny Mathis Tribute Performer Receives a 'Thank You' from Johnny Mathis
Kent Le Mar, a seasoned performer in northeast Ohio, was surprised with the gift of an orchid plant after his performance of LIFE IS A SONG WORTH SINGING - A Tribute to Johnny Mathis. The plant was delivered Friday, March 27th to the Canton Cabaret Dinner Theatre at the McKinley Grand Hotel in downtown Canton. When he opened the card, he read, " Wow, what an honor! Kent, sing pretty. Love, John (Johnny Mathis)."
The Rainbow Repertory Company serves pre-school through college levels with original social issue plays, residencies and programs. Through our collaborations with artists of all genres, we have the opportunity to include music, dance and visual arts as well as drama to serve our clients.
Each Rainbow production is tailored to meet client needs; therefore, every school performance is preceded by a representative of Rainbow meeting with school personnel to determine their specific needs. Scheduling usually requires a six week lead time.
History
The Rainbow Repertory Company began in 1994 after our premiere of The Fences Between, a biographical play about the life of Dr. Norma Marcere. This play was written by founder, Lois DiGiacomo and starred artistic director, Kathy Mitchell. Ultimately, The Fences Between, played to over 12,000 in northeast Ohio.
The success of this initial play gathered an energetic, talented, diverse group of artists and volunteers. We became a traveling theatre troupe bringing theatre to people where they were, and not vice versa. Our mission, to serve our community through the arts, led our dedication to bring the performing arts to all ages and cultures. Along with this dedication is our focus on collaborations and partnerships with individuals, schools and organizations in every community sector—arts, education, social service, civic and business.
The Rainbow Repertory Company welcomes new playwrights and directors who have an arts vision of their own. We help them bring their visions to life.
The Rainbow repertoire includes several Ohio premieres and our own original plays for both entertainment and education. Company playwrights work with persons from all community sectors to write client-specific plays and programs.
Programs include residencies, workshops and seminars.
Sample Repertoire of Rainbow Repertory
"AS I WAS SAYING" Charita Goshay (columnist -The Repository Canton, Ohio) brings her favorite columns to life.
"A WORK IN PROGRESS" Five women recovering from mental illness make plans to get on the Oprah Winfrey show with their success stories.
"WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?" This play looks at how society sees and reacts to persons with disabilities.
"A SWEETER WAY" This play tells the story of a three generation family, all with different actions and reactions to the problem of diabetes.
See our Canton Cabaret page for our repetoire of classic cabaret entertainment!
Become a member! Help support Rainbow Repertory and serve our community at the same time. Go the the Events/Tickets page to learn more.
Board of Directors
Tamara Johnson - President
Tammy is President and Owner of Tamarack and Associates, Inc., an accounting and tax practice, and Tamarack Properties, handling residential rental properties. She received her AA fromStark State College in Retail Marketing and Management in 1976, and her BA from Ohio University in Fashion Merchandising in 1978, and completed her Accounting Certification from Mount Union College in 1988.
Tammy is President of the Board of Directors of The Rainbow Repertory Company, a local theatrical group that supports minority productions. She is a member of the National Association of Tax Practioners, the National Notary Association, and the Alliance Rotary Club. Tammy lives in Lake Township with her husband, Chuck, and daughter, Amanda, and is a member of St. Paul's Church in North Canton.
Lois DiGiacomo - Founder
In 1994, Lois wrote a biographical play, THE FENCES BETWEEN, about the life of Norma Marcere and engaged Kathy Mitchell to portray Norma. The power of that play to touch and change people's lives inspired the creation of Rainbow with the mission to better people's lives through the arts.
Over 30,000 have seen or participated in Rainbow productions since then with a repetoire that includes social issue plays for all community sectors, entertainment for all ages and opportunities for performing artists, writers and directors to bring their own These life experiences have inspired my life in the arts, not only with Rainbow, but as a board member of Arts in Stark, Coming Together, Stark County, and Stark Arts Coming Together. As the host of STATE OF THE ARTS, Canton City Schools Television since 2000, Lois has interviewed over a thousand artists of all genres.
Click on the picture for more information.
Chrysanthe Vassiles - Secretary
Chrysanthe E. Vassiles joined Black McCuskey Souers & Arbaugh as an associate concentrating in bankruptcy law and commercial transactions.
A graduate of The Ohio State University College of Law, she was an Associate Editor of The Ohio State Law Journal. Chrysanthe was named a Rising Star by Cincinnati Magazine and Ohio Super Lawyers Magazine for the last three years in a row.
Chrysanthe is an Advisory Board Member for the Rainbow Repertory Company, a graduate of the 14
th Class of Leadership Stark County, for which she previously served as a member of the Justice Day Committee for subsequent classes, and a member of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (I.W.I.R.C.). She is a Stark County Bar Association designee for the Attorney Constituent Group for the Northern District of Ohio Bankruptcy Bar.
Chrysanthe is currently a member of the Tuscarawas County Bar Association and is on the Supervisory Committee of the Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union. She has been active in the Stark County Bar Association, serving on the Bankruptcy Committee and as Chairperson of the Liberty Bell Award Committee for the Law Week Committee. Additionally, Chrysanthe holds the position of Secretary on the WIN Board. She previously served as an Advisory Board Member and Treasurer of P.A.L. Mission and as a Director and Treasurer of the A.B.C.D., Inc. Board.
Chrysanthe is a longtime resident of Dover and enjoys traveling, wine tasting, and golfing.
Ronald S. Young - Treasurer
A Washington, D.C. native, Ronald served in the United States Air Force before obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from HowardUniversity and a Masters degree in Industrial Management from the University of Akron. Ronald is a certified public accountant and is retired from the Timken Company where he spent twenty-five years of service in its Finance Division.
In retirement he spends his time volunteering for a number of not-for-profit organizations in StarkCounty and teaches part-time at the University of Akron and Stark State College of Technology.
His current community service includes the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton where he has served in various leadership positions including chairperson of its Board of Directors, is a member of Stark County Children Services Advisory and Advocacy Council, serves on the finance committee for Greater United Way of Stark County, is treasurer for Rainbow Repertory Company, Inc.; is a board member and past president for the Association for Better Community Development, Inc.; and is a member of Stark County Minority Health Coalition.
Prior community service includes past president of Stark County Mental Health Board and served in several capacities for the United Way of CentralStarkCounty.
Ronald is married to his wife, Wanda, and they have two adult daughters and one grandson.
Fred Johnson - Board Member
Fred Johnson has been a board member since Rainbow begin in 1994. He is a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church, 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, Vice President of Catholic Interracial Council of Stark County, Ohio Commission African American Catholics for the Diocese of Youngstown and is very proud of an award given to him from Pope John Paul in April, 2000.
Fred is the happy husband of Robin Johnson, father of six, grandfather of eleven, and great grandfather of fifteen. He is a chartered member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
David Kolinski-Schultz - Board Member/Canton Cabaret Musical Director
David Kolinski-Schultz holds a degree in Engineering Technology and is pursuing a degree in Computer Science. He is a Product Support Engineer for Diebold, where he also currently holds 16 patents. David is a graduate of the 19th Class of Leadership Stark County, and has subsequently served on the Diversity Day Committee, and as a presenter on Arts Day.
Before beginning work in Engineering, David attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an Arranging & Composition Major. David made a living as a professional musician and arranger in the Boston area and touring with various dance bands for 14 years. He has continued to work as a professional musician in Canton. In the 1990's he was a staff musician at the Carousel Dinner Theater. In addition to his current duties with the Canton Cabaret Orchestra, he also performs with area bands including Jimmy & the Soulblazers.
As a member of the Soulblazers David has opened for, or performed backup with, The Four Tops, The Four Seasons, and Martha Reeves & the Vandellas. The Soulblazers also had the rare honor to open for the legendary Ray Charles at the Canton Palace Theater. David is an instructor in Chinese Martial Arts, and holds the rank of Disciple of Master David Schenk.
David is married to Ceramics Artist Laura Kolinski-Schultz.
Playwright/Director: "Broadway - Now and Then" - a tribute to Tony Award-winning songs from Camelot to Spamalot!
Joseph French - Board Member
In addition to Rainbow Repertory, Jospeh serves on the board for SPARK Ohio, Canton Calvary Mission, the Early Childhood Resource Center, Stark County Help Me Grow Advisory Board, Ohio's Children Trust Fund for Stark County, the United Way of Greater Stark County (Executive Committee, Leadership Committee and Impact Chair), and the Early Childhood Educators Consortium.
His accomplishments include the 2003 Director of the Year and the 2002 Program Administrator of the Year awards for the Canton Area Association for the Education of Young Children.
Joseph is a graduate of Kent State University, has a Master's Degree from Ashland University, and is a graduate of Leadership Stark County.
Susanne Clark - Board Member
Tracie Marty-Friel - Board Member
Tracie works as the Costume Shop Manager at Mount Union College and as a bridal seamstress at Doreen Leaf Designs. She graduated from Kent State with a Bachelors of Science in Fashion Merchandising, with a minor in Marketing, and a background in Fashion Design.
