Yearly Archives: 2013

KTC Presents BULL by Mike Bartlett

Know Theatre of Cincinnati presents Bull by Mike Bartlett
Running with the bulls, nice guys get gored.

KTC_BullKnow Theatre of Cincinnati is thrilled to announce its fall show, BULL by Mike Bartlett. Bull will open November 1, 2013 and run through November 30, 2013. BULL is the companion piece to COCK, also by Mike Bartlett, produced by Know Theatre in the spring of 2013. The cast is comprised of Kate Glasheen, Dylan Shelton, and Jay Stratton*, and George Alexander and is directed by Brian Robertson with lighting and scenic design by Andrew Hungerford, sound design by Doug Borntrager, and costume design by Noelle Wedig.

The hazards of corporate office life in a cut-throat economy are explored in this brutally funny play by Mike Bartlett. The show features a stripped down aesthetic allowing for an intense focus on the text, the characters, and the relationships, similarly to COCK. Three mid-level executives are pitted against each other while competing for just two positions in their department. Alliances are formed and the weak are rooted out. There is no room for mercy in a world driven by profit and success.

“We are thrilled to be the first theatre in the country to produce both COCK and  BULL,” says Eric Vosmeier, Producing Artistic Director. “We first heard about Bull while we were rehearsing our production of COCK. When I heard, I immediately starting inquiring about performance rights and we were able to lock them in. Bartlett’s writing is concise and the style of these shows leaves a great deal in the minds of the audiences to fill in. We love this kind of simple but challenging work. ”

Tickets for this performance are $15 in advance and $20 on the week of the show, beginning Mondays at noon. Purchase a flex-pass to Know Theatre of Cincinnati for $90 and enjoy tickets for this production and many others at your leisure guaranteed at the advance price! All tickets, flex-passes, and gift certificates can be purchased at knowtheatre.com or by calling 513.300.5669(KNOW).

Cast

  • George Alexander – Carter
  • Kate Glasheen – Isobel
  • Dylan Shelton – Thomas
  • Jay Stratton* – Tony 

Production Team

  • Director – Brian Robertson
  • Scenic & Lighting Design – Andrew Hungerford
  • Costume Design – Noelle Wedig
  • Sound Design – Doug Borntrager
  • Technical Director – Nick Koehlke
  • Dialect Coach – Rocco dal Vera
  • Stage Manager – Kristen Ruthemeyer 

Production Dates
8pm: November 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, & 30

3pm: Sunday November 17

Additional Information
George Alexander (Carter) is returning for his sixth production with The Know, his previous roles being F in COCK, Joe in When the Rain Stops Falling, Bob in Aliens with Extraordinary Skills, the Priest in Bare and Carnes in Oklahoma! (collaboration with Jersey Productions).

Mike Bartlett (Playwright) is currently Associate Playwright at Paines Plough. In 2011 he was writer-in-residence at The National Theatre, and in 2007 he was Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court Theatre. His play LOVE,LOVE,LOVE won Best New Play in the 2011 Theatre Awards UK, and his play COCK won an Olivier Award in 2010 for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre; he won the Writer’s Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes for NOT TALKING and the Old Vic New Voices Awards for ARTEFACTS. Theatre credits include: LOVE,LOVE,LOVE, 13 (National Theatre), DECADE (co-writer), EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON, COCK, CONTRACTIONS, ARTEFACTS, and MY CHILD. Radio credits include: “The Core,” “Heart,” “Liam,” “The Steps,” “Love Contract,” “Not Talking,” and “The Family Man,” all on BBC. Screen credits include “Earthquakes in London” and “Hometown.” Directing credits include HONEST by DC Moore. He is currently under commission from Headlong Theatre, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Hampstead Theatre, and The Royal Court Theatre.

Kate Glasheen (Isobel) is an actor, choreographer, and dialect coach. She is a graduate of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, England, and an Adjunct Professor at CCM Drama. She also serves as Associate Editor for the Voice and Speech Trainers Association’s scholarly journal The Voice and Speech Review. Selected Credits: Jeannie – Fat Pig, Vera Claythorne – And Then There Were None, Alice – You Can’t Take It With You, Jetta – Angry Housewives, Steph – One Good Marriage, The Girl – The Seven Year Itch, Gloria – Thoroughly Modern Millie, Lenny – Crimes of the Heart.

Brian Robertson (Director) currently teaches in the Theatre and Dance Department at Northern Kentucky University and is the co-founder of Cincinnati’s Performance Gallery. Brian most recently directed Mike Bartlett’s COCK at Know Theatre in the spring of 2013. Over the past 25 years, Brian has had an extensive career in film, television, theatre, and opera. From 1998-2002, he was the principal stage director for Cincinnati Opera’s education department, production credits include: La cenerentola, Operacadabra, an original production, which he co-created, and Hans Krasa’s Brundibar. He has been a guest director at Miami University (Oxford), University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, New Edgecliff Theatre, and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. He worked at the Des Moines Metro Opera, Bayview Music Festival, and Sarasota Opera. Most recently he directed Camelot at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center and Lucia di Lammermoor for Sarasota Opera. He was also the stage director for a new production of A Flowering Tree at Cincinnati Opera and wrote and directed new adaptations of la boheme and The Magic Flute for the Cincinnati Opera education department.

Dylan Shelton (Thomas) graduated from Wilmington College with a BA in Theatre and then earned an MFA in Acting from Ohio University. Dylan has performed at the La Mirada Theatre in Los Angeles, the Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod, and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Dylan began his career at Madcap as an actor in 2002 and spent a year as the interim Artistic Director in 2005. Since then, Dylan has been the Creative Director at Madcap Puppet Productions where he writes, directs, and designs puppet performances. Dylan is also a founding member of Know Theatre’s house improv troupe, OTRi. Dylan is delighted to return to Know’s stage where was in Sideways Stories from Wayside School and The Dragon.

Jay Stratton* (Tony) is delighted to be making his Know theatre debut! In Cincinnati, Jay has worked at the Playhouse in the Park in The Pavilion, Reckless, and A Christmas Carol. A New York based actor, Jay has worked in television and film, Off-Broadway, and at regional theatres around the country. In New York, Jay has worked with theatres like Peccadillo, 59E59, The Pearl, and Red Bull. Regionally, some of Jay’s favorite projects include Venus and Fur and Bug at Rep Theatre of St. Louis; Oedipus at the Pittsburgh Public; Pride and Prejudice with the Denver Center; Stones in His Pockets at Hudson Stage Company; Philadelphia Story and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead at Pioneer Theatre Company; and Caesar and Cleopatra at Playmakers Rep. Currently, Jay is a Visiting Professor of acting at Miami Ohio.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

Know Theatre of Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Know Theatre is supported by the National Theatre Company Grant from The American Theatre Wing, dedicated to supporting the most promising emerging theatre companies from around the country. Know Theatre of Cincinnati also receives support from The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation.

Our mission is to create evocative and explosive live entertainment.

We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow.

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HOUSE OF YES Runs Nov. 15-Dec. 7

MaryKate Moran as Jackie-O and Christine Dye as Mrs. Pascal.

MaryKate Moran as Jackie-O and Christine Dye as Mrs. Pascal.

HOUSE OF YES
Presented by Untethered Theater Company
Nov. 15-Dec. 7
Clifton

Reviews: Behind the Curtain | Enquirer |

Directed by Leah Strasser

Cast: MaryKate Moran as Jackie-O, Carter Bratton as Marty, Joshua Steele as Anthony, Christine Dye as Mrs. Pascal & Mindy Heithaus as Lesly

The HOUSE OF YES is a dark comedy that pries into the lives of the dysfunctional Pascal family. Time seems to have come to a screeching halt for this family with the Kennedy assassination. The story picks up as a Thanksgiving hurricane swirls outside. Jackie-O, beyond obsessed with her namesake, anticipates the homecoming of her brother Marty. But when arrives with his new fiancé, mayhem ensues.

  • Fri-Sat, Nov. 15-16 at 8pm
  • Sun, Nov. 17 at 3pm
  • Fri-Sat, Nov. 22-23 at 8pm
  • Fri-Sat, Nov. 29-30 at 8pm
  • Sun, Dec. 1 at 7pm
  • Mon, Dec. 2 at 8pm
  • Fri-Sat, Dec. 6-7 at 89pm

Official page |

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CP’s THE WHALE Earns 4.5 Stars LCT Rating

Carter Bratton, Reggie Willis, Cathy Springfield & Leah Strasser. Photo by Jim Springfield.

Carter Bratton, Reggie Willis, Cathy Springfield & Leah Strasser. Photo by Jim Springfield.

THE WHALE”, presented by Clifton Players now until October 26, has earned 4.5 stars from LCT.

A one panelist describes it, “Charlie is a very fat man stuck in his apartment, where all the action takes place. How he got to be 600 pounds and how he is living (and dying) because of it masks several layers of psychology, mental illness, religious terror, and, family dynamics. Oh yeah, it’s funny, too.”

“Just like with A Bright New Boise, this playwright tackles issues of faith with such insight, depth, and curiosity,” adds another panelist.

Panelists lauded lead actor Reggie Willis, “Reggie was superb! He WAS Charlie. His timing, delivery, tone, expressions were just right for every scene and situation. The strength of his acting was truly showcased in this piece because with the body suit on, sitting on the couch all he really had was his voice and his eyes — and he and the audience were all in!”

“You feel the sweaty desperation of Charlie, trying to move his bulk to get at his laptop, food, drink. (Director Buz) Davis allows the script (by Samuel D. Hunter) to breathe life into this whale of a man, as Charlie’s is losing his capacity to breathe. Prosthetic Designer Kelly Yurko and Suit designer Amy Hutto combine to transform actor Reggie Willis into a very believable fat man.” Again, “Kudos to Buz for obviously taking time with each character so that they “knew” who they were. His blocking allowing the actors to find space in the space was extremely close especially when they were all in the room.”

Contact www.cliftonperformancetheatre.com for tickets and additional information.

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RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN 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.

Corinne Mohlenhoff as Catherine Croll & Patricia Linhart as Alice Croll. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Corinne Mohlenhoff as Catherine Croll & Patricia Linhart as Alice Croll. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati through Oct. 27. Read the show description.

It is easy to understand why the script for Gina Gionfriddo’s RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN was nominated as a 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist. Director D. Lynn Meyers successfully leads her five-person ensemble through this laugh-out-loud production.

At the center of the show is Catherine Croll. Her mother’s health scare sends successful academic Catherine back to her hometown and causes her to re-examine her life decisions. A drunk-dialing incident leads to a re-connection with her now-married college-mates, (ex-roommate Gwen and ex-love Don), causing all three to question the road not taken. Added to the mix are Catherine’s mother, Alice, and college student Avery who offer the perspective of different generations.

Jen Joplin as Gwen Harper & Hannah Sawicki as Avery Willard. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Jen Joplin as Gwen Harper & Hannah Sawicki as Avery Willard. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

A college course on the history of feminism, led by Catherine, brings the four ladies together in several scenes. These class discussions offer some great character insights amid the laughs, and lead Catherine, Gwen and Avery to some life-changing decisions and their consequences.

The script is smart, funny and easily relate-able with a side of good-natured guy bashing. Many times I found myself laughing in commiseration with the characters onstage. And don’t be too worried about the feminism class in the show. The topics discussed (including social media and woman’s roles in slasher movies) are interesting, balanced and entertaining.

Corinne Mohlenhoff as Catherine Croll & Charlie Clark as Don Harper. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Corinne Mohlenhoff as Catherine Croll & Charlie Clark as Don Harper. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Jan Joplin is spot on as over-reactive, stay-at-home mom Gwen. I enjoyed the differences in the character when Don wasn’t around to nag over.

Corrine Mohlenhoff’s embodies academic Catherine, the model of professionalism in her career, but un-trusting of herself in matters of the heart. 

Charlie Clark is fun as beaten-down, bread-winner Don Harper.

Hannah Sawicki is a treat as Avery Willard. Her comic timing is impeccable and she gives Avery a quirkiness that is fun and endearing. When a gem or three of wisdom does pops out of her mouth, it’s totally believable for the character.

Jen Joplin & Charlie Clark as Gwen and Don Harper. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Jen Joplin & Charlie Clark as Gwen and Don Harper. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

I also enjoyed Patricia Linhart’s portrayal of Catherine’s mother. Alice’s calm demeanor and balanced perspective on life worked well as a counterpoint to the other ladies.

I found the relationships and interactions among the characters to be real and believable. I would have like to seen more of a change in the dynamic between Catherine and Don when Gwen wasn’t around. Maybe see  a bit more of that “college Don” charm during their early scenes.

As usual, another solid set and lighting design by Brian c. Mehring. I especially liked the incorporation of that generic slated fencing, so common in suburbia, into the set. “The grass is always greener on the other side…” indeed.

Overall ETC succeeds with this smart and funny regional premiere. A great show for a girls night out or a date night, as long as your guy doesn’t take himself too seriously.

Complete list of show times for RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN.

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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A Bloody Good Time SLASHER OPENS Oct. 18

A Bloody Good Time
SLASHER opens October 18th!

Dee Ann Bryll & Tara Williams in Falcon Theatre's SLASHER. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Dee Ann Bryll & Tara Williams in Falcon Theatre’s SLASHER. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

It’s almost here! Slasher is the first show of our season. Set in a small Texas town, Slasher follows the making of an extremely low-budget horror film. Between losing much of their funding, the conservative religious group trying to shut down production and the strange “accidents” that start befalling the cast and crew, Slasher is a frighteningly funny send up of the horror movie genre. It’s the perfect way to celebrate Halloween!

The cast includes:

  • Lauren Bailey
  • Dee Anne Bryll
  • Kaleigh Howland
  • Dan Doerger
  • Tara Williams
  • Jeff Surber
  • Norma Rashid

SLASHER runs October 18, 19, 25, 26, November 1, 2, 2013 at Falcon Theatre, 636 Monmouth Street, Newport KY 41071. All shows are at 8 PM.

Tickets: Adults $18, Students & Seniors $15 with valid ID. Click here to order online up until 4 hours before the show’s start.

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