Monthly Archives: February 2012

February 24, 2012 · 2:31 pm

ST. NICHOLAS Review

Links to all reviews can be found on the BTC REVIEWS page. Blog postings, links and more are available on my FaceBook fan page. You can receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Michael Shooner as Man. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

ST. NICHOLAS presented by New Edgecliff Theatre through March 10. You can read the show description here.

Michael Shooner is dynamic and real as the Man in this one- person show. Equal parts acting and storytelling, Shooner lays out the life of a faulted and, in many ways, not very likeable man, but at the same time we are able to empathize with elements of his life. Shooner does a great job with his Irish accent throughout the performance. Personally, from a character standpoint, I wouldn’t mind hearing a slightly stronger one.

In striving to create an intimate piece of theater, NET has added seating to the right and left of the stage and blocked off the last few rows of their “regular” seating. The lighting design of Glen Goodwin, however, seems to work against this goal. For the most part I found the lighting to be too harsh and bright for a story about vampires. It also clearly illuminates most of the audience members on both sides of the stage (I sat center), allowing normal audience movement to be distracting. Beyond that, I felt there were missed opportunities to add to the mood of the show. A lighting shift could have been used to complement the well-done sound design of Erin Waters. It might also have been interesting to see a shift whenever a vampire entered the “room.”

Michael Shooner. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

I was confused as to director Brian Robertson’s intent for this conversation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an engaging story, but who are we, the audience? Why is this story being told to us? Where is this story being told to us? The context was unclear to me.

Overall ST. NICHOLAS features strong, entertaining work by Michael Shooner that could have benefited from more cohesion on the part of the production team.

Click here for a complete list of show times, articles and other reviews for ST. NICHOLAS.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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February 24, 2012 · 10:59 am

THE AFGHAN WOMEN’S WRITING PROJECT runs March 8-11

THE AFGHAN WOMEN’S WRITING PROJECT
Presented by Know Theatre of Cincinnati
March 8-11
Over-the-Rhine

Reviews: Enquirer |

THE AFGHAN WOMEN’S WRITING PROJECT began as an idea during novelist Masha Hamilton’s last trip to Afghanistan in November 2008. Masha first visited the country in 2004, and was awed and inspired by the resolute courage of the women she met. When she returned, she saw doors were closing and life was again becoming more difficult, especially for women. She began to fear we could lose access to the voices of Afghan women if we didn’t act soon. THE AFGHAN WOMEN’S WRITING PROJECT is aimed at allowing Afghan women to have a direct voice in the world, not filtered through male relatives or members of the media. Many of these Afghan women have to make extreme efforts to gain computer access in order to secretly submit their writings, in English, to the project.

The project reaches out to talented and generous women author/teachers here in the United States and engages them, on a volunteer, rotating basis, to teach Afghan women online from Afghanistan. The goal of the project is to encourage the women to develop their voices and share their stories, something that was not permitted during the years when Afghanistan was Taliban-held.

Adapted and directed by Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek

Cast: Dale Hodges*, Annie Fitzpatrick*, Maliyah Gramata-Jones, Hope Shangle, Lissa Urriquia Gapultos & Torie Wiggins. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association.

  • Thu-Sat. March 8-10 at 8pm
  • Sun, March 11 at 3pm

Official page | Online ticketing | FaceBook event |

Local media coverage: Enquirer article |

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February 24, 2012 · 10:50 am

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE runs March 15-17

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Presented by Rivertown Players Inc
March 15-17
Lawrenceburg

Set in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the restless years following World War Two A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is the story of Blanche DuBois, a weak and disturbed woman on a desperate prowl for someplace in the world to call her own. After losing their ancestral home, Belle Reve, Blanche shows up at the doorstep of her sister, Stella. However, Blanche’s snobbery wins her the instant dislike of Stella’s husband, Stanley. Stanley becomes enraged when Blanche hits it off with Stanley’s friend, Mitch. Eventually, Stanley ends up raping Blanche. However, no one believes Blanche and she is forced to go to an insane asylum. –StageAgent.com 

Cast: Amanda Borchers as Blance, Brittany Sandlin as Stella, Kyle Reese as Stanley, Ethan Brunner as Mitch, Lynn Minges as Eunice, John Beckelhymer as Steve, Shaun Vilardo as Young Collector, Thomas Daily as Pablo, Erika Holt as Woman/Hooker, Bruce Kingery as Doctor, Jamie Haney as Vendor/Woman & Abby Rinck as Nurse

  • Fri, March 15 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, March 16 at 7:30pm. Includes 30th Anniversary Wine and Cheese Party
  • Sun, March 17 at 7:30pm

Official page |

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February 23, 2012 · 12:26 pm

TDW Fundraiser at City Barbecue on March 10

Do you love good barbeque? Do you love community theater? Have you often wondered how to merge those two loves together? Well folks, look no further! Now you can enjoy amazing BBQ and raise money for The Drama Workshop at the same time!

On Saturday, March 10th, dine in or carry out your meal from the City Barbeque at 6475 Glenway Avenue, and The Drama Workshop will get 25 percent of your total purchase amount. All you have to do is hand over our special TDW flyer to the cashier when you pay—it’s that easy! The more pulled pork and corn pudding you eat, the more money we get: it’s a win-win! Flyers will be available at all Tally & Son shows at Westwood Town Hall, at The Glenmore Playhouse, emailed to our membership, and posted on our website at www.thedramaworkshop.org/tdw_news/TDW_City_BBQ_Flyer.pdf.

This is an easy way to raise money and support The Drama Workshop as we continue to renovate our new home.

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February 23, 2012 · 12:20 pm

Actor Needed for MLT’s DEADLY MURDER

Middletown Lyric Theatre has extended its auditions for its April production of the spine tingling thriller, DEADLY MURDER. If you are interested in auditioning for this play please contact Charley Shafor immediately at cshafor@middletowlyric.org or 513-425-7140. Synopsis and character descriptions follow.

DEADLY MURDER
By: David Foley
Directed By: Charley Shafor

Performance Dates: April 12th – 14th

Cast Needed: 1 Adult Male

Audition Requirements: cold readings from the script

About the Show:
Camille Dargus has fought her way up from humble beginnings to a glittering Manhattan lifestyle. She has beauty, brains, wealth, and a successful career as a jewelry designer for the leading lights of New York society. She also has a penchant for attractive young men enter Billy, a handsome young waiter, and brings him back to her Soho apartment. But there’s more to Billy than meets the eye. Camille must use all her wits and cunning to save her life–and to prevent the dark secrets of her past from destroying everything she’s worked for.

Character Descriptions: Billy – twenty to early thirty something male who is, good looking, confident, sexy, athletic, etc. He is incredibly charming, knows what he wants and can manipulate anyone to achieve his goals. Confident in his own skin and comfortable with showing a little.

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