Exit Left Theatre Company hosting ‘A Broadway Holiday’ in Holland this weekend

Mitchell Boatman, The Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

HOLLAND — A local theater company is holding a special holiday event this weekend as it builds back from disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Exit Left Theatre will host “A Broadway Holiday” on Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 10-11, at Brew Merchant in Holland.

Exit Left Theatre will host “A Broadway Holiday” on Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 10-11, at Brew Merchant in Holland.
Exit Left Theatre will host “A Broadway Holiday” on Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 10-11, at Brew Merchant in Holland.

Exit Left Theatre was founded in 2017 by Holland High School alum Jamie Colburn.

“The main basis of the company is to create theater that sparks a conversation,” Colburn said. “Additionally, it was about bringing a year-round professional theater company to Holland that was also deeply rooted in the community.

“We have such a rich and diverse community in Holland. It’s important that people feel seen, that stories that are often overlooked are put in the spotlight.”

Colburn, a graduate of University of Michigan currently based in New York, said Exit Left frequently holds post-show discussions where the performers open a conversation, sometimes an uncomfortable one, with the audience.

“We’ve seen such incredible conversations happen after these shows,” he said. “We want you to feel like you're growing, whether that's looking in the window of someone else’s life or having a conversation that isn’t easy to have. That’s what we hope to foster with our shows and productions.”

"A Broadway Holiday" will feature professional artists and a concert of holiday and Broadway songs.

Mia Pinero — who performed in the Broadway revival of “West Side Story" — and Davon Williams, actor in the world premiere of “For Colored Boyz," will travel from New York for the show.

Audrey Morton, Akia Nyrie Smith and Allie Re rehearse for a production of "Burden of Proof" through Exit Left Theatre Company.
Audrey Morton, Akia Nyrie Smith and Allie Re rehearse for a production of "Burden of Proof" through Exit Left Theatre Company.

Several local high school students will also participate, plus Audrey Morton, one of Colburn’s fellow Holland High alumni.

“That will be a lovely reunion,” Colburn said. “We played Belle and the Beast together in high school. This will be our first time performing together since.”

Shows will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available through exitlefttheatre.com.

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Colburn said the group is ramping up again after disruptions caused by the pandemic. Prior to that, Exit Left would hold six productions a year, a model the organization is “working to get back to,” Colburn said.

The model included four professional productions and two productions featuring community members, called Exit Left Local. The group plans to hold an Exit Left Local production toward the end of February.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Exit Left Theatre Company hosting ‘A Broadway Holiday’ in Holland this weekend