How to go
What: “Doktor Kaboom!”
Where: Victoria Theatre, First and Main streets
When: 1 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23 and 24
Cost: $15-$17
More info: (937) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com
Artist info: www.doktorkaboom.com.
DAYTON — Explosions aren’t common in Yellow Springs, a village with a peaceful air.
But it’s the launching pad of adopted resident David Epley, who goes by the moniker “Doktor Kaboom!” when he leaves town.
The partially homegrown performer is the next attraction in the Victoria Theatre Association’s family-friendly Young at Heart Series.
Despite his name, “I’m not going to be blowing stuff up,” Epley said. “One reason why is fire codes and the cost of theater insurance. Another is the fact that younger kids don’t like to hear really loud noises.”
“Doktor Kaboom!” will provoke plenty of fizzing, popping and crackling, however.
“The show includes a lot of experiments, physical demonstrations and chemical reactions. We explore chemistry, physics and the scientific method,” said Epley, who studied at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics before falling in love with performing.
Please don’t call him a “mad scientist” or refer to his science variety show as “a magic show.”
“I get that a lot, but this show is actually character driven,” he said.
In other words, it’s theater.
If you’ve been to the Ohio Renaissance Festival in the past 10 years, you may have seen some of Epley’s knack for improvisational comic theater. He has done the Mud Theatre there and at other renaissance festivals around the country.
He started developing “Doktor Kaboom!” two years ago after deciding to settle down a bit and take his act indoors. One catalyst was the arts education organization the Muse Machine, which booked him as one of its touring school performers.
His first year of touring the country “is going very well.” He has just learned that he may have a prestigious week-long booking next year, but can’t announce it yet.
His career seems to be taking off. Audiences at the Victoria Theatre this weekend will be among the first to sample where he’s heading.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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