Shadowbox Live is a musical theater cabaret in Columbus that is best known for its seasonal shows combining original sketch comedy with live performances of well-known music, chiefly in the rock genre.

A longtime institution of the community, and one of the few local, for-profit artistic organizations to be completely self-supporting, Shadowbox has begun to take more artistic risks in recent years. A few years ago my wife (artist April Sunami) and I greatly enjoyed seeing “Back to The Garden,” their original, full-length “jukebox” musical based on the Woodstock experience of 1969.

All the same, it came as a complete surprise when my wife was asked to be one of twenty participants in an all-new show called “Gallery of Echoes,” by submitting a work of art to serve as the inspiration for a segment of a new musical/theatrical production. We had never heard of such a concept, and had no idea what to expect.

Having seen the debut performance last night, I am amazed. Shadowbox –and Columbus –are really pushing artistic boundaries, and creating an entirely new form of collaborative art. I’d like to strongly urge any readers in the local area to see this unique show during it’s extremely limited run at Shadowbox.

Also, if you want to view the original artworks that inspired the show, please visit the amazing “Vanderelli Room Gallery” between now and the closing reception on Thursday June 23 (6 – 9pm).