A fast-paced coming-of-age play that blends comedy, drama and magical realism, exploring themes of poverty, friendship and the power of stories to heal and connect.
Battle of the Books is running at Columbus Children's Theatre through Sunday, October 18, with the production having opened on September 25. It's a coming-of-age play written by New York playwright SMJ, who based it on the ultra-competitive final round of a real Battle of the Books competition. If you've ever been in a trivia league or a high-stakes academic contest, you know the kind of energy it's tapping into.
The story follows Harper and Amelia, two literary trivia team captains whose rivalry for the Mount Vernon trophy spirals out of control. As the competition heats up, stress, grief, and imagination start to blur the line between fiction and reality: their reading list comes to life, and a secret society moves to cancel the competition entirely. It's a fast-paced mix of comedy, drama, and magical realism, and it touches on poverty, friendship, and the idea of stories as a way to heal and connect.
Before it landed here, the play picked up some recognition: it won Excellence in Playwriting from the New Hampshire Theatre Alliance and was named a Semifinalist for the alliance's New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best Youth Production. It's rated PG and recommended for ages 12 and over, so it's a good fit for a family outing or a night out with friends who don't mind a bit of a younger cast.
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catches are running at Studio Two Theatre inside the Riffe Center Theatres, 77 S High Street, Columbus, OH 43215. The production runs through October 18, so you've got a few more weekends to catch it.
