Akron residents now have a fresh theatrical option beneath Main Street: Wild Thread Theatre, a 50‑seat company housed in the underground Wild Oscars space. Co‑founders Elynmarie Kazle and Mark Zimmerman, who are also married, opened the venue in June after Zimmerman retired from a 30‑year tenure as theater director at Firestone Community Learning Center.
The company’s debut production, Marjorie Prime, runs through Sunday. The 2014 Jordan Harrison play examines the creeping advance of artificial intelligence and the impact of memory loss on a family. In a dimly lit setting, an aging Marjorie converses with a younger version of her late husband, Walter, prompting questions about quality of life, retirement, and who will catch you when health falters.
Kazle describes the show as a short (75‑ to 80‑minute) but “really deep” experience that asks audiences to consider what support looks like for seniors facing physical or mental decline. “What’s the net that catches you?” she asks, highlighting the play’s focus on family and community responsibility.
Zimmerman and Kazle deliberately chose a non‑musical path, noting that most local theaters lean heavily on musical productions. “We want to do interesting and exciting well‑acted plays—comedies and dramas—that we love and think other people will love too,” Zimmerman said.
Following Marjorie Prime, Wild Thread Theatre will present three more works in its inaugural season. A new play by local writer Eric Mansfield titled Shelter will run from November 5‑15, offering a contemporary look at personal and societal refuge. The holiday‑themed Seasonal Shorts will appear from December 10‑20, and the season will close with a production of Elie Wiesel’s The Trial of God in late January, exploring the profound theological questions raised by the Holocaust.
Kazle explains that Wiesel’s piece is based on an incident where rabbis put God on trial for the atrocities of the Holocaust, a narrative that challenges audiences to grapple with faith and suffering. “It’s about confronting the hardest questions,” she said.
Both founders bring extensive experience to the venture. Zimmerman, after retiring, was encouraged by former student Francine Parr—artistic director of the Millennial Theater Project at the Akron Civic Theatre—to consider an in‑house company for Wild Oscars. Parr’s suggestion proved “too good to pass up,” according to Zimmerman.
Wild Thread Theatre aims to provide Akron’s cultural landscape with high‑level acting and storytelling, emphasizing substance over spectacle. As Kazle puts it, “We have the same concept: high‑level acting and storytelling, low‑level razzmatazz.” The company’s focus on thought‑provoking drama offers a welcome alternative for theatergoers seeking depth and reflection in their local arts scene.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
