Monthly Archives: November 2019

November 19, 2019 · 3:57 pm

Disney’s FREAKY FRIDAY Quick Review

Disney’s FREAKY FRIDAY presented by Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts  through Nov. 24. I attended the opening Saturday performance. 

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Blair Lamb as Ellie and Company. Photo by Jesse Byerly.

This was my first opportunity to see a production of Disney’s FREAKY FRIDAY and I have a sneaking suspicion that it won’t be my last. The stage adaption tells its own story about a magical mother/daughter body swap with a solid book and enjoyable musical numbers.

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Jake Hunter as Adam & Charlie Lindeman as Fletcher Blake.

Director Jamey Strawn does a great job of emphasizing the emotional beats of the show and keeping the characters as well as their relationships grounded and believable. Tracy Bonner’s choreography was enjoyable to watch and really showcased the abilities of the ensemble. The orchestra, under the direction of Damon Stevens, had a great sound, and the balance between the vocals and the orchestra was spot on.

Anna C. Catton’s set design, comprised mostly trucks and flies smartly set the various locations while allowing the show to maintain its strong pacing. The look of the characters (costumes designed by Ronnie Chamberlain; hair/makeup by Halee Paige Hood) worked well across the cast.

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Sarah Hack as Katherine & Blair Lamb as Ellie. Photo by Jesse Byerly.

Speaking of the cast, the ensemble as a whole did excellent work. Everyone on stage, at any given moment, was completely engaged from start to finish. The two leads (Sarah Hack as mother Katherine and Blair Lamb as daughter Ellie) convincingly portrayed the body swap in the performances and impressed vocally, especially with their second act solo numbers. Jake Hunter’s characterization of Adam (or should I say, ADAM!!) shows his good heart despite his social media-obsessed exterior.

Congratulations on a wonderful production.

My rating: 4.75 out of 5.

Click here for more information on the production.

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November 19, 2019 · 12:46 pm

BOGO Available for Nov. 20 Performance of THE SPITFIRE GRILL at Footlighters

FLI_Spitfire Grill logoFootlighters is thankful for you!

In honor of Thanksgiving we are offering a BOGO deal on any new ticket orders for this Wednesday’s (Nov. 20th) performance of THE SPITFIRE GRILL.

Grab someone you’re thankful for, enter GRILL at checkout and then come visit us down at The Spitfire!

Offer only applicable on new ticket orders, not on preexisting orders. Only valid for online sales: Click here for online tickets to THE SPITFIRE GRILL.

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November 19, 2019 · 12:39 pm

CCM Commemorates 50th Anniversary Year of Stonewall Uprising in Concert Nov. 26

CCM_Mr. Tamborine Man promoThe CCM Wind Symphony performs powerful works by LGBTQ+ composers to
commemorate the 50th anniversary year of the Stonewall Uprising on Nov. 26, 2019
Tickets are on sale now

CINCINNATI, OH — The UC College Conservatory of Music Wind Symphony marks the 50th anniversary year of the Stonewall Uprising with a special performance at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019 in Corbett Auditorium. Exclusively featuring works by LGBTQ+ composers, the concert includes John Corigliano’s Grammy Award-winning song cycle Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan.

The Mr. Tambourine Man concert also features the world premiere of Un-Masqued by featured guest composer David Clay Mettens, Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, Jennifer Higdon’s Mysterium and Omar Thomas’ A Mother of a Revolution!. Thomas’ piece is dedicated to Martha P. Johnson, a pioneering leader of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and Stonewall Uprising.

“I strongly believe in the power of music to challenge prejudice and hate,” says CCM Interim Division Head of Ensembles and Conducting Kevin Michael Holzman, music director and conductor of the concert. “The inspiration for this concert is to both recognize the importance of the LGBTQ+ rights movement (especially to the arts) and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of one of the most pivotal moments in this movement’s history.”

The Stonewall Uprising began in the early hours of June 28, 1969, when New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, an LGBTQ+ bar and, today, a National Historic Landmark. This raid sparked a series of riots and protests that served as a significant catalyst for the modern gay rights movement in the U.S.

Tickets to the CCM Wind Symphony’s Mr. Tambourine Man concert can be purchased online though our e-box office, over the phone at 513-556-4183
or in person at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts.

The performance is sponsored by the CCM Harmony Fund: Challenging Hate and Prejudice through Performing Arts.

About the CCM Harmony Fund
CCM’s Harmony Fund supports artistic works that fight hate and prejudice through the performing arts. John Harrison and Ginger Warner were two of the visionary founders and inspiring leaders of the CCM Harmony Fund based on the belief that the arts inspire imaginative thinking, encourage conversations, present contrasting attitudes and help us examine our own viewpoints. The Harmony Fund supports the students and faculty at CCM to explore issues and encourage them to find a voice that often would not be able to happen without The Harmony Fund.

Repertoire
MR. TAMBOURINE MAN
CCM Wind Symphony
Kevin Michael Holzman, music director and conductor
Featuring student artist Shannon Cochran, soprano
Featuring guest composer David Clay Mettens

COPLAND: Fanfare for the Common Man
HIGDON: Mysterium
CLAY METTENS: Un-Masqued
THOMAS: A Mother of a Revolution!
CORIGLIANO: Mr. Tambourine Man

Performance Time
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26

Location
Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets
Ticket prices start at $19.50; student and group discounts available. Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

Tickets can be purchased online though our e-box office, over the phone at 513-556-4183 or in person at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts.

Learn about additional ticket options for current CCM students.

Directions and Parking
CCM is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Please visit
ccm.uc.edu/about/directions for detailed driving directions to CCM Village.

Parking is available in UC’s CCM Garage (located at the end of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit the UC Parking Services website for information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors.

A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio. All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at https://ccm.uc.edu/.

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November 19, 2019 · 12:26 pm

BABY SHARK LIVE!| Sat., March 7, 2020 | Aronoff Center

BABY SHARK LIVE! WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A SPLASH
ACROSS NORTH AMERICA BEGINNING IN MARCH 2020 

CAA_Baby Shark Live logo

FOLLOWING THE FALL’S SOLD OUT INAGUARAL US TOUR,
BABY SHARK LIVE!
WILL PLAY OVER 70 NEW MARKETS IN THE US AND CANADA

March 7, 2020 – Aronoff Center
Tickets On sale Friday, November 22 at 10:00 AM

CINCINNATI, OH – Pinkfong and Round Room Live are proud to announce that Baby Shark Live!, the brand-new, fully-immersive concert experience, will continue to make a splash across North America and play over 70 cities this Spring, making a stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 2:00 PM.

Tickets go on sale Friday, November 22 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. A limited number of one-of-a-kind Post-Show Meet-and-Greet packages are available at $50 per person (in addition to the show ticket price).

The live show is based on Pinkfong’s viral earworm and global dance phenomenon, Baby Shark. Fans of all ages will delight as Baby Shark joins up with his friend Pinkfong to take an adventure into the sea, singing and dancing through new and classic songs including Five Little Monkeys, Wheels on the Bus, Jungle Boogie, Monkey Banana Dance and, of course, Baby Shark! 

Baby Shark, Pinkfong’s global hit song about a family of sharks, has climbed the charts and connected with fans around the globe. After entering the Billboard Hot 100 at #32, the song has had a 17-week streak in the Top 50 while topping the Kids Digital Song Sales Chart. The Baby Shark Dance video has over 3.8 billion views, making it the 5th most viewed video in the history of YouTube.

The live tour of the viral sensation will continue its run starting March 1, 2020 in Independence, MO.  The hit show will swim to new markets including Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Toronto.

“We’re thrilled to bring Baby Shark Live! to so many new markets across North America,” says Stephen Shaw (the tour’s producer and co-president of Round Room Live). “This is a cultural phenomenon and we are very pleased how families have responded to Baby Shark live on stage.”

The Fall tour leg of Baby Shark Live! began in Spartanburg, SC and played to excited families across the country. The smash hit show sold out many performances during its six-week run and was seen by nearly 100,000 fans.

Baby Shark Live! will visit the 2019 World Series Champions in Washington, DC in June 2020 and, following sold-out performances this Fall, the tour will play repeat engagements in Pittsburgh, PA and Chicago, IL.  A full list of markets going on sale this week can be found at Babysharklive.com. Additional dates and cities will be announced soon.

Follow Baby Shark Live! for pre-sale access and exclusive tour content.

About Pinkfong: 
Pinkfong is a global entertainment brand that creates award-winning kids’ content for families around the world. Pinkfong has over 4,000 songs and stories within its vast library of children’s content, which can be accessed on the App Store and Google Play, as well as on YouTube and Amazon Video. Pinkfong’s accolades include the Amazon Video Direct Star, YouTube’s Diamond Play Button, and Google Play’s Best Family App of 2014-2017.

For more information, please visit the Pinkfong website, subscribe to its YouTube channel, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.

About Round Room Live, an Entertainment One company:
Round Room is a live entertainment company that specializes in the production and promotion of live family entertainment, arena shows, concert tours, theatrical performances, and touring exhibitions. In 2018, Round Room was acquired by global independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), industry leaders across the family and brand space. Over the last ten years, and now under eOne, the senior management of Round Room have served as the Tour Producer for Bodies: The Exhibition; Lead Producer of Rock of Ages; Executive Producer of Fuerza Bruta; Tour Promoter for An Evening with Oprah Winfrey and An Evening with Al Pacino; Jurassic World: The Exhibition; and most recently, Executive Producer of The Rolling Stones Exhibitionism, all while producing and promoting some of the biggest kids tours to date, including Yo Gabba Gabba Live, PJ Masks Live, and Baby Shark Live! Current projects include PJ Masks Live! Save the Day Tour; Thank You Canada Tour; Rock the Rink Tour, which launched in October 2019; Mandela: The Official Exhibition, which launches in Berlin on October 18, 2019; and Baby Shark Live!, which launched its World Tour on October 3.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), CINCINNATI-NORTHERN KENTUCKY HONDA DEALERS, FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Courtyard Marriott & Residence Inn-Rookwood, Graphic Village, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Downtown, Kroger, Millennium Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili,
TriHealth, Ultimate Air Shuttle

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November 18, 2019 · 3:13 pm

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Presents Two Holiday Treats on the Showtime Stage

BAH HUMBUG: A ONE-MAN CHRISTMAS CAROL
and
MRS. CLAUS SAVES THE DAY

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is making the days merry and bright with two special productions presented by TCT On Tour (TCT’s touring division) on the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage on Red Bank Road this holiday season.

First, the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati invites audiences to see a Christmas classic with a fun twist. All characters in this 45-minute production are performed by ONE PERSON – from Scrooge to Tiny Tim!

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Chris Logan Carter as Scrooge. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

BAH HUMBUG! A ONE-MAN CHRISTMAS CAROL is back by popular demand! 

  • Saturday, November 30 at 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, December 1 at 2 PM

Charles Dickens’ famous holiday classic was adapted by Damian Gillen, directed by A. James Jones and features Chris Logan Carter playing every role. Audiences will be mesmerized by this imaginative and magical re-telling of the powerful holiday tale of hope and compassion.

This show is perfect for children in grades K-12 (and adults too!)  Visit https://thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/bah-humbug-a-one-man-christmas-carol/ for additional information. 

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Whitney Daniels, James Stringer Jr., LaShondra Hood and Lauren Everett. Photo by TCT.

Then, just a few days before Christmas, it’s your chance to stay off the naughty list as Mrs. Claus is making a list and checking it twice in MRS. CLAUS SAVES THE DAY.

  • Saturday, December 21 at 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, December 22 at 2 PM

When the holiday is threatened by a severe outbreak of the North Pole Pox two days before Christmas, and Santa himself is quarantined, it’s Mrs. Claus to the rescue! With traditional carols and a world-premiere script (commissioned by The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati), this holiday musical is about leadership, goodwill and teamwork. 

This show is most enjoyed by those in grades K-5.  Visit https://thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/mrs-claus-saves-the-day/ for details.

The 4-person cast of MRS. CLAUS SAVES THE DAY includes members of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Resident Artist Company:  Whitney Daniels, Lauren Everett, LaShondra Hood, and James Stringer Jr. The production was written by Christopher Stewart and directed by TCT’s Associate Artistic Director, Eric Byrd. 

Both productions will be presented on the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage, 4015 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH  45227. Only 152 seats are available for each performance. A question-and-answer session follows every show.

Tickets to each production are $10 each (plus service fees) and are available exclusively through ticketmaster.com or by visiting TCT’s Red Bank Road Ticket Office: Monday-Wednesday-Friday 10AM to 4PM ; Tuesday & Thursday 10AM to 7PM. (The Ticket Office will be closed for lunch each weekday from 12 PM to 1 PM.)  Mainstage subscribers pay just $7 per ticket – a savings of $3. Tickets available now.

TCT On Tour is bringing both productions to schools and venues around the Tri-State and throughout the region.  If you’re interested in booking, please contact Violet Webster at 513-569-8080 x20 or by emailing violet.webster@tctcincinnati.com.

Don’t miss The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Podcast, Audio Footlights. Hosted by Producing Artistic Director, Roderick Justice, this podcast is designed to look at the shows TCT produces, and to ignite, impact and inspire young listeners to have a lifelong love of theatre. This free TCT Podcast runs about 8 minutes, and will be available on iTunes as well as Stitcher, SoundCloud, GooglePlay, TuneIn and Spotify soon!

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s TCT On Tour productions are made possible by PNC.  The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the Ohio Arts Council and the generosity of the tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. 

TCT On Tour Actor Bios:

CHRIS LOGAN CARTER:  Chris is a Cincinnati native and has been performing for 5 years now. His favorite regional credits include 42nd Street (Bert), The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow), Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), and Madagascar: A Musical Adventure (King Julien). He’s thrilled that Bah Humbug! is back for a second year!

WHITNEY DANIELS – Whitney is excited to be making her debut with TCT. Past credits include It Should’ve Been You (Annie), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Esmeralda), Dreamgirls (Michelle), as well as performing in the Holly Jolly Trolley Show at Carowinds Amusement Park. Whitney is a graduate from Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Music Performance and Minor in Dramatic Arts.

LAUREN EVERETT – Lauren is a proud graduate of Wright State University’s BFA Musical Theatre Program. She was last seen with TCT at the Taft Theatre as Cinderella/Trinhilda in Sleeping Beauty. Regional Credits: Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown), Twelfth Night (Olivia). WSU Credits: No, No, Nanette! (Nanette), The Music Man (Marian u/s), The Great Gatsby (Daisy u/s), Peter Pan (Wendy u/s). Website: www.laureneverett.net Instagram: @misslaureneileen.

LASHONDRA HOOD – LaShondra is honored to join The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati for their 100th season! She recently received her M.F.A. from the University of Louisville and is excited about this new chapter of her career. Some of LaShondra’s proudest theatrical credits include The Mountaintop, Fabulation, Eurydice, Our Country’s Good, Crowns, Fences, and Flyin’ West. Other opportunities include an apprenticeship with Williamstown Theatre Festival ‘16, a company member of U of L’s Repertory Theatre Company, and partner of the 2019 winner of the Kennedy Center Irene Ryan competition.

JAMES STRINGER JR. – James is ecstatic to be joining The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati this year as part of their touring company. James just finished the internship program at The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park as part of the 18-19 season where he was seen in mainstage shows such as Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley and A Christmas Carol. Touring shows included Cyrano and Five Little Monkeys. James graduated from The University of Louisville in 2017 with a Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts. He is looking forward to another great year in Cincinnati and working with the amazing team at TCT!

-end-

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