Monthly Archives: February 2022

February 10, 2022 · 1:34 pm

Cincinnati Opera Announces Cast, Production, and Schedule Updates for 2022 Summer Festival

Cincinnati Opera opens its 2022 Summer Festival with a new-to-Cincinnati production of La Bohème

CO_La Boheme PreviewPhoto by Yves Renaud/Opéra de Montréal 

Cincinnati, Ohio—Cincinnati Opera today shared updated cast, production, and schedule details for its 2022 Summer Festival, which will take place June 18 through July 31, 2022. After two seasons away, the company returns this summer to its longtime performance venues, Cincinnati Music Hall and the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA).

As previously announced in September 2021, Cincinnati Opera will celebrate this special homecoming with a full, five-opera season—including two world premieres and new-to-Cincinnati productions—plus creative collaborations with renowned singers, conductors, directors, and designers, as well as the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, Cincinnati Ballet, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

The company is pleased to share updates to the performance schedule, as well as full cast and production details for each opera. The 2022 season includes Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème (June 18, 23, 25), Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance (July 7, 8*, 10m), and Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida (July 22*, 26*, 29, 31m) at Music Hall, and two world premiere operas at SCPA’s Corbett Theater: William Menefield and Sheila Williams’s Fierce (July 6, 9m*, 10**) and Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith’s Castor and Patience (July 21*, 23m*, 24m, 28, 30).

The 2022 season will also feature an array of community events and celebrations, including: Opera for All and Opera in the Park (June 12), a day of free, family-friendly experiences at Music Hall followed by a free evening concert in Washington Park; the Bal de Triomphe (June 25), a black-tie season-opening dinner; and Morris and Friends (July 27), a special concert hosted by world-renowned bass and Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor Morris Robinson.

New subscriptions to Cincinnati Opera’s 2022 Summer Festival go on sale on February 28, 2022, and tickets to individual productions will be available beginning April 25, 2022. Visit cincinnatiopera.org for more information.

*New performance date
**Added performance date

Cincinnati Opera
2022 Summer Festival

New-to-Cincinnati Production

La Bohème
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Saturday, June 18, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 23, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 25, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

The 2022 season sweeps in on a romantic high with one of the most famous love stories ever sung. Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème has captivated audiences for generations with its unforgettable music and sweetly sentimental tale of young bohemian lovers in Paris. It all begins in a cold apartment on Christmas Eve, where the penniless poet Rodolfo prepares to celebrate with friends on the city’s bustling streets. But with a quiet knock on the door, he meets Mimì, whose single candle has gone out. While searching for a match in the dark, hands touch, sparks fly, and lives change forever.

Soprano Talise Trevigne, who dazzled Cincinnati audiences in the title role of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (2019), portrays Mimì with tenor Ji-Min Park (Alfredo in Cincinnati Opera’s La Traviata, 2018) as Rodolfo. Soprano Raven McMillon, a 2021 winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, sings the role of Musetta, and baritone Rodion Pogossov (Marcello), bass-baritone André Courville (Colline), and baritone Ethan Vincent (Schaunard) appear as Rodolfo’s trio of artistic friends. Baritone Thomas Dreeze sings the roles of Alcindoro and Benoit, and tenor Houston Tyrrell is Parpignol.

Our new-to-Cincinnati production, originally created for Opéra de Montréal by designer Olivier Landreville, brings a colorful, whimsical vision of the City of Light to the Music Hall stage. Stage director is Alain Gauthier, and Mark Gibson, director of orchestral studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), will conduct. Lighting design is by Thomas C. Hase, and wig and makeup design is by James Geier. Chorus master is Henri Venanzi.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus

Sung in Italian with projected translations

World Premiere

Fierce
Music by William Menefield
Libretto by Sheila Williams

Wednesday, July 6, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 9, 2022* | 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 10, 2022** | 7:30 p.m.
Corbett Theater | School for Creative and Performing Arts

Cincinnati Opera proudly presents the world premiere of Fierce during summer 2022. With authenticity and sensitivity, Fierce tells the stories of four teenage girls struggling with school, family, and friendship, as each embarks on a transformative journey toward empowerment and self-assurance. A collaboration with WordPlay Cincy, the Music Resource Center−Cincinnati (MRC), and i.imagine—three arts organizations serving Greater Cincinnati youth—Fierce was originally slated to debut in summer 2020 and has been rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northern Kentucky-based novelist Sheila Williams interviewed WordPlay and MRC participants to inspire her libretto, while Cincinnati native William Menefield employed jazz, modern, and classical music styles in the opera’s high-energy score. Teenage girls participating in i.imagine’s photography program will partner with Cincinnati Opera to promote the production to their peers.

The girls at the center of Fierce will be sung by mezzo-soprano Megan Graves (Rumer), soprano Victoria Ellington (Nyomi), soprano Alicia Russell (Morgan), and mezzo-soprano Lauren McAllister (Vesta). Appearing as the ensemble of Trolls are soprano Wendy Hill, tenor M. Andrew Jones, and baritone Antonio Cruz.

Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, makes her Cincinnati Opera debut asFierce’s dramaturg and stage director. Production design is bySamantha Reno, with lighting design by Thomas C. Hase and wig and makeup design by James Geier.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Sung in English with projected titles

*New performance date
**Added performance date

New-to-Cincinnati Production

The Pirates of Penzance
Music by Arthur Sullivan
Libretto by W.S. Gilbert

Thursday, July 7, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 8, 2022* | 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 10, 2022 | 3:00 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

Gilbert and Sullivan’s perfectly preposterous comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance sets sail at Music Hall in July 2022. Frederic, an orphan apprenticed to a lively band of pirates, is soon to celebrate his 21st birthday, when he’ll be free to pursue a life—and love—all his own. The charming Mabel catches his eye, and she’s supremely smitten in return. But the crafty Pirate King finds a loophole in Frederic’s contract, setting the young lovers’ future upon stormy seas. Will Frederic and Mabel steer their way to a happily-ever-after?

Bursting with memorable tunes and rapid-fire laughs, our production of The Pirates of Penzance is a modern, major spectacle, featuring vivid sets and costumes originally created for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis by designer James Schuette. David Agler conducts, with stage direction and choreography by Seán Curran. Lighting design is by Thomas C. Hase, with wig and makeup design by James Geier. Chorus master is Henri Venanzi.

A veteran in the role of Major-General Stanley, bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi “brings down the house” with his “impeccable” (Times of San Diego) patter singing and comic timing. Zachary James offers a “striking bass voice and a tremendously magnetic presence” (Opera News) as the swashbuckling Pirate King. Tenor Matthew White, who last appeared with Cincinnati Opera as Gounod’s Romeo, joins soprano Lauren Snouffer, who offers “beautifully clear, unaffected singing … informed with intelligence and wit” (Opera News), as the lovebirds Frederic and Mabel. Mezzo-soprano Catherine Keen is Frederic’s nursemaid Ruth. Completing the cast are bass Samuel Smith as the Sergeant of Police, baritone Mark Diamond as Samuel, soprano Marlen Nahhas as Edith, mezzo-soprano Jasmin White as Kate, and mezzo-soprano Christina Hazen as Isabel.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Sung in English with projected titles
Production originally created for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

*New performance date

World Premiere

Castor and Patience
Music by Gregory Spears
Libretto by Tracy K. Smith

Thursday, July 21, 2022* | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 23, 2022* | 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 24, 2022 | 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 28, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 30, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Corbett Theater | School for Creative and Performing Arts

Originally commissioned for Cincinnati Opera’s 100th anniversary in 2020 and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Castor and Patience receives its much-anticipated world premiere in July 2022. With music by Gregory Spears, composer of the company’s acclaimed 2016 commission Fellow Travelers, and an original libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winner and former U.S. poet laureate Tracy K. Smith, the opera centers on two cousins from an African American family who find themselves at odds over the fate of a historic parcel of land they have inherited in the American South. Deeply relevant to ongoing calls for racial justice, Castor and Patience probes historical and continuing obstacles to Black land ownership in the United States.

At the podium is conductor Kazem Abdullah, and Kevin Newbury (Fellow Travelers) directs. The new production will be created by Vita Tzykun (scenic design), Jessica Jahn (costume design), Rachel Eliza Griffiths (image design), S. Katy Tucker (projection design), Thomas C. Hase (lighting design), and James Geier (wig and makeup design).

A renowned interpreter of contemporary opera, soprano Talise Trevigne is Patience, and baritone Reginald Smith Jr., who represented the U.S. at the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition last year, is Castor. They’re joined by a stellar supporting cast: mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano (Celeste), soprano Victoria Okafor (Willie), baritone Benjamin Taylor (West), tenor Frederick Ballentine (Judah), and soprano Raven McMillon (Ruthie). Soprano Amber Monroe, mezzo-soprano Zoie Reams, tenor Victor Ryan Robertson, baritone Phillip Bullock, and bass Earl Hazell make up the opera’s ensemble.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Sung in English with projected titles

*New performance date

New-to-Cincinnati Production

Aida
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni

Friday, July 22, 2022* | 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 26, 2022* | 7:30 p.m.
Friday, July 29, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 31, 2022 | 3:00 p.m.
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

The 2022 season closes with the grandest of grand operas, Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida. As war rages between enemy nations, a forbidden love burns brightly between Radamès, an Egyptian warrior, and Aida, his captive. But Aida’s keeping a secret of her own—she’s the daughter of the Ethiopian king and deeply devoted to her people. Will she betray Radamès to save her nation or risk everything to follow her heart?

From its passionate romance to its thunderous “Triumphal March,” which features a 60-voice chorus, Aida is the definition of “epic.” Our production evokes the opulence of Ancient Egypt with its “lavish design” (Pittsburgh Theater) by Claude Girard and Bernard Uzan and will be helmed by stage director Crystal Manich with Christopher Allen conducting. Lighting design is by Thomas C. Hase and wig and makeup design is by James Geier. Chorus master is Henri Venanzi.

Making her company debut in the title role is soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams, who possesses a voice with “a gleaming top and luxuriant richness” (The Guardian, U.K.), and tenor Gregory Kunde brings a “robust voice” with “clear, strong, focused tone” (The New York Times) as Radamès. Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano and Metropolitan Opera regular Tichina Vaughn is the imperious Egyptian princess Amneris, while baritone Gordon Hawkins, who appeared as Amonasro in the company’s 2013 production, reprises the role. Bass Morris Robinson, Cincinnati Opera’s artistic advisor, is Ramfis. Soprano Jennifer Cherest sings the High Priestess with bass Peixin Chen as the King of Egypt and tenor Houston Tyrrell as A Messenger.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and Cincinnati Ballet
Sung in Italian with projected translations
Production by Opéra de Montréal, Pittsburgh Opera, and Utah Opera

*New performance date

Special Events 

Opera for All
Sunday, June 12, 2022
3:00 p.m. | Cincinnati Music Hall

Cincinnati Opera kicks off the 2022 season with Opera for All, a family-friendly, community open house at Music Hall. Guests will be invited to enjoy special demonstrations, performances, and hands-on activities. Admission is free. 

Opera in the Park
Sunday, June 12, 2022
7:30 p.m. | Washington Park

Following Opera for All, guests are invited to head outside for Opera in the Park, a free concert in Washington Park featuring a selection of opera and musical theater favorites performed by stars from the 2022 season, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Admission is free. 

Bal de Triomphe
Saturday, June 25, 2022
4:30 p.m. | Ballroom | Cincinnati Music Hall

Celebrating Cincinnati Opera’s return to Music Hall, the Bal de Triomphe will be a festive, Parisian-inspired evening featuring a black-tie dinner and glittering party surrounding the June 25 performance of La Bohème. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 513-768-5524. Event co-chairs are Melanie M. Chavez and Jeannine Winkelmann. 

Morris and Friends
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
7:30 p.m. | Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

Hosted by world-renowned bass and Cincinnati Opera Artistic Advisor Morris Robinson, Morris and Friends is a special concert featuring selections from opera, gospel, and musical theater with surprise guest soloists and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Tickets will go on sale this spring.

Tickets and Information

New subscriptions to Cincinnati Opera’s 2022 Summer Festival go on sale on February 28, 2022, and tickets to individual productions will be available beginning on April 25, 2022.

The company continues to monitor conditions around the COVID-19 pandemic and will share health and safety policy updates in advance of each performance. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call the Cincinnati Opera Box Office at 513-241-2742.

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists. 

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from the Ohio Arts Council, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. 

To learn more, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

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February 10, 2022 · 1:25 pm

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Announces 2022-23 Season

PIP_2022-23 Season logosINCLUDING FIRST PERFORMANCES IN THE NEW ROUSE THEATRE

CINCINNATI (Feb. 10, 2022) – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park has announced the lineup of shows for its 2022-23 season, including the first in its new state-of-the-art Rouse Theatre. The 2022-23 mainstage season will feature eight shows, several of which the Playhouse will stage at venues around Greater Cincinnati in the fall of 2022 as construction of the Rouse Theatre is completed.

The Rouse Theatre will open in March 2023 with a new production of the musical A Chorus Line. The season also includes an Agatha Christie mystery, another chapter in August Wilson’s American Century Cycle and two world premieres, including a fresh take on the classic Western Shane from acclaimed playwright Karen Zacarías.

“From our grand opening production of A Chorus Line to exciting world premieres and new work, the 2022-23 season embodies the very best of American theatre and celebrates the rich diversity of our world,” said Blake Robison, producing artistic director. “Our new facility will serve the entire Cincinnati arts and culture community. We are eager to open our doors, share resources and highlight the work of so many outstanding artists.”

The 2022-23 season lineup features:

OFF-SITE PERFORMANCES – FALL 2022

  • Agatha Christie’s masterpiece mystery, Murder on the Orient Express takes audiences on a thrilling ride with Ken Ludwig’s adaptation at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theatre.
  • The iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo comes to life with incredible vibrancy in Frida…A Self Portrait, written and performed by Vanessa Severo, at The Carnegie Theatre in Covington, Kentucky.
  • In an exclusive engagement of a new production, The Lion tells an intimate musical tale about one man’s courage and the redemptive power of music at the Warsaw Federal Incline Theater in Price Hill.
  • In addition, the Playhouse’s Off the Grid Series will present two immersive theatrical experiences in the fall:
    • Haunted Corn Maze is an all-new, immersive experience that promises chilling stories and festive frights aplenty in the corn maze at Berger Farm and Gardens on weekends in October.
    • Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig’s Holiday Party will ring in the holiday season in December with an immersive Victorian-era party experience at The Phoenix event space downtown.

ROUSE THEATRE GRAND OPENING SEASON

  • A Chorus Line, bursts with artistic passion as it opens the Rouse Theatre in March 2023.
  • Another chapter of the American Century Cycle unfolds in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars.
  • One of the greatest Westerns of all time is given new life by Karen Zacarías in Shane — a co-commission with the Guthrie Theater.

ROSENTHAL SHELTERHOUSE THEATRE SEASON

  • Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady paints a darkly poetic yet whimsical portrait of the first Chinese woman to step foot on U.S. soil.
  • Origin Story is a world premiere comedy from playwright Nathan Alan Davis that answers life’s biggest questions in surprising ways.

“With our robust schedule of fall events, we’re deepening our roots in the community like never before,” Robison said. “The stages may be different, but the quality of artistry and the innovative spirit of our community events remain the same.”

PIP_Derek Snow

Derek Snow.

Robison also announced two new community-based initiatives that will begin after the opening of the new mainstage theatre complex in 2023:

  • The Resident Artists program will enable local artists to utilize Playhouse resources to enhance their own creative endeavors. Cincinnati-based theatre artists Curtis D. Shepard and Derek J. Snow will make up the inaugural cohort for the new program. Both Shepard and Snow have worked extensively in the Greater Cincinnati area as actors, directors and playwrights and have recently received national attention for their work with The Breath Project.
  • PIP_Curtis Shepard

    Curtis D. Shepard

    Meetup Mondays will host small arts and cultural organizations in need of a venue, hold discussions and events, offer enrichment opportunities and more. Further details on Meetup Mondays will be announced later.

“Our plan is to share our space with artists and community organizations,” said Robison. “Partnerships like these keep Cincinnati’s arts community rich with talent and collaboration.”

A full listing of the season with dates, directors, sponsors and descriptions is included below.

Subscriptions to the 2022-23 season go on sale in early March. The Rouse Theatre season subscription package will include Murder on the Orient Express. Seating in the new Rouse Theatre will begin in the spring after the renewal process for current subscribers is complete. The Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre package includes Frida…A Self Portrait and The Lion. Build Your Own Series packages allow a minimum of three shows from either theatre.

Individual tickets for fall productions, including Off the Grid, are expected to go on sale this summer, and individual tickets for the Rouse and Rosenthal Shelterhouse theatres will go on sale sometime in the winter. COVID-19 health and safety guidelines for next season are unknown and will be announced later.

For more information, visit cincyplay.com or call the Box Office at 513-421-3888 or 800-582-3208 toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Patrons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled dial 711 to connect to the Box Office via Ohio Relay Services. The Playhouse is fully accessible.

SEASON SPONSORS
Rouse Theatre Season presented by Schueler Group
Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre Season presented by Margaret and Albert Vontz III
Season Sponsor of New Work: The Rosenthal Family Foundation

OFF-SITE PERFORMANCES – FALL 2022

PIP_Murder on the Orient Express promo

Andrew May as Hercule Poirot in the Indiana Repertory Theatre 2020 production of Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. Photo by Zach Rosing.

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Risa Brainin
Sponsored by U.S. Bank

Sept. 25 – Oct. 23, 2022
Jarson-Kaplan Theater at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

SHORT DESCRIPTION
Whodunit? Detective Hercule Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Ten passengers board the luxurious Orient Express. But after the train unexpectedly stops in the isolated, snow-swept mountains, only nine of them are still alive. This masterpiece from the world’s most popular mystery writer promises a suspenseful evening of theatre that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

ONE-LINER
Whodunit? Detective Hercule Poirot is determined to find out in this masterpiece from the world’s most popular mystery writer.

PIP_Frieda promo

Vanessa Severo in the Portland Center Stage 2021 production of FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT. Photo by Owen Carey.

FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT
Written and performed by Vanessa Severo
Directed by Associate Artistic Director Joanie Schultz
Sponsored by Digi and Mike Schueler

Oct. 15 – Nov. 6, 2022
The Carnegie Theatre, 1028 Scott St, Covington, KY 41011

Short Description
Frida Kahlo, the iconic Mexican painter, captured the difficulties and wonders of her life with incredible vibrancy. Now, she comes to life onstage through playwright and performer Vanessa Severo. With music and movement, this searing new play cracks open a powerful portal between Vanessa and Frida bringing breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this stunningly creative production.

One-liner
Iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo comes to life onstage with breathtaking physicality and raw honesty in this stunningly creative production.

THE LION
By Benjamin Scheuer
Directed by Sean Daniels and Alex Stenhouse
Sponsored by Chemed

Nov. 12 – Dec. 4, 2022
Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, 801 Matson Pl, Cincinnati, OH 45204

Short Description
An exclusive Playhouse engagement, The Lion features a singer-songwriter who shares the turbulent story of his family and his own brush with mortality. Six guitars accompany him as he explores love, loss and the redemptive power of music through heartrending monologues and original songs. Hailed by critics as a “wondrous” and “spellbinding” experience, The Lion redefines the genre of musical theatre.

One-liner
An exclusive Playhouse engagement, a singer-songwriter shares the story of his family through heartrending monologues and original songs.

Off The Grid Events – Sponsored by First Financial Bank

HAUNTED CORN MAZE
Friday and Saturday evenings, October 7 – Oct. 30, 2022
Berger Farm and Garden Center, 7849 Main St. (RT 32), Cincinnati, OH 45244

The fields of Berger Farm and Garden Center still have many spooky tales to tell. This all-new, immersive experience promises chilling stories and festive frights aplenty! These haunted corn maze performances coincide with Berger Farm’s annual Fall Fun Festival and take place on Friday and Saturday nights across four weekends in October. In addition to the interactive experience in the corn maze, guests can enjoy a hot drink station, a bonfire pit and hay bales.

MR. AND MRS. FEZZIWIG’S HOLIDAY PARTY
December 14 – 18, 2022
The Phoenix, 812 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

You’re invited to ring in the holiday season with Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig! Everyone’s favorite hosts from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol invite you to this Victorian-era party featuring beverages, a buffet and festive activities like parlor games, Victorian dances, a puppet show and more. Take it all in at your leisure as actors perform throughout the stately event spaces at The Phoenix, creating a truly immersive theatrical celebration for the holidays.

2022-23 ROUSE THEATRE GRAND OPENING SEASON

The Singular Sensations present
A CHORUS LINE
Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett
Book by James Kirkwood and Nicolas Dante
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Edward Kleban
Directed by Blake Robison

March 11 – April 14, 2023

Short Description
Celebrate the grand opening of the Rouse Theatre with one singular sensation! Winner of 10 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, A Chorus Line finds 17 dancers competing for a role in a new Broadway musical. Heartfelt monologues and beloved musical numbers like “At the Ballet,” “The Music and the Mirror” and “What I Did for Love” underscore this timeless experience that’s bursting with artistic passion.

One-liner
Celebrate the grand opening of the Rouse Theatre with the sensational, Tony Award-winning musical that bursts with artistic passion.

The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation presents
AUGUST WILSON’S
SEVEN GUITARS
Directed by Ron “OJ” Parson

April 22 – May 14, 2023

Short Description
It’s 1948 in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, and a group of old friends gathers to mourn and reminisce about Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton — a gifted guitarist whose untimely death has irrevocably changed each of them. With live blues and lyrical dialogue, August Wilson’s Tony Award-winning play — a part of his American Century Cycle — promises a soulful exploration of the ties that bind and the chords that hold us together.

One-liner
With live blues and lyrical dialogue, August Wilson’s Tony Award-winning play promises a soulful exploration of the ties that bind and the chords that hold us together.

SHANE
By Karen Zacarías, Playhouse Associate Artist
Directed by Blake Robison
Co-Commissioned by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and the Guthrie Theater
Sponsored by Johnson Investment Counsel and Clark Schaefer Hackett

June 3 – 25, 2023
WORLD PREMIERE

Short Description
One of the greatest Westerns of all time finds new life on the stage! Shane, a mysterious ex-gunfighter, is a man with a dangerous past. Yet, the Starrett family finds kinship with him, and Shane helps protect their Wyoming farm in 1889. Based on the classic novel by Jack Schaefer, this world premiere by acclaimed playwright Karen Zacarías brings an exciting, fresh perspective to an extraordinary American genre.

One-liner
One of the greatest Westerns of all time finds new life on the stage with a fresh perspective from acclaimed playwright Karen Zacarías.

2022-23 ROSENTHAL SHELTERHOUSE THEATRE SEASON

THE CHINESE LADY
By Lloyd Suh
Sponsored by Ohio National Financial Services

March 25 – April 30, 2023

Short Description
Afong Moy is 14 years old when she’s brought to the United States in 1834 and placed on public display as “The Chinese Lady” — supposedly the first to step foot on U.S. soil. Decade after decade, she performs as a living exhibit. Inspired by the true story of Afong Moy’s life, The Chinese Lady is a darkly poetic yet whimsical portrait of our collective past through the eyes of a young Chinese woman.

One-liner
The Chinese Lady is a darkly poetic yet whimsical story about Afong Moy — supposedly the first Chinese woman to step foot on U.S. soil in 1834.

ORIGIN STORY
By Nathan Alan Davis
Directed by Associate Artistic Director Joanie Schultz

May 20 – June 25, 2023
WORLD PREMIERE

Short Description
In this heartfelt, world premiere comedy, Margaret finds herself in a quarter-life crisis, wading through banal office triviality by day and the slow-moving graveyard shift at a drive-thru by night. She yearns to belong somewhere, and so do the coworkers and customers who she interacts with every day. With delightfully unexpected turns and an ensemble of endearing characters, Origin Story is a touching tale about life’s biggest questions and the surprising ways we find the answers.

One-liner
With delightfully unexpected turns and an ensemble of endearing characters, Origin Story is a world premiere comedy about life’s biggest questions and the surprising ways we find the answers.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

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February 9, 2022 · 10:49 am

DEAR EVAN HANSEN Runs March 8-13

DL_Dear Evan Hansen promoDEAR EVAN HANSEN
Dayton Live
March 8-13
Schuster Center [Dayton]

Winner of six 2017 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2018 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.

  • Tue-Thu, March 8-10 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, March 11 at 8pm
  • Sat, March 12 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, March 13 at 1pm & 6:30pm

Official page |

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February 9, 2022 · 10:36 am

DOROTHY IN WONDERLAND Runs March 4-20

THT_logoDOROTHY IN WONDERLAND
Town Hall Theatre
March 4-20
[Centerville]

The worlds of Oz and Wonderland collide in this fantastical adventure of two entertaining tales. Dorothy, The Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion and Toto are swept away to Wonderland. Can Alice, The Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and other characters stop the Queen of croquet and get Dorothy back to Kansas?

Official cast list |

  • Fri, March 4 at 7pm
  • Sat-Sun, March 5-6 at 3pm
  • Fri, March 11 at 7pm
  • Sat, March 12 at 11am* & 3pm
  • Sun, March 13 at 3pm
  • Fri, March 18 at 7pm
  • Sat-Sun, March 19-20 at 3pm
    *Sensory Friendly Performance

Official page |

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February 9, 2022 · 9:30 am

Regional Premiere of AMOUR Hits the Stage in Hamilton

GHCT_Amour logoHamilton, OH January 28, 2022—As the third production of its 2021-2022 season, Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre proudly presents the regional premiere of the Broadway musical, Amour, with music by Michel Legrand and libretto by Didier van Cauwelaert, adapted from Le Passe-Muraille by Marcel Aymé, English adaptation by Jeremy Sams. Amour is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.  

Set in Paris shortly after World War II, Amour focuses on the mild-mannered Dusoleil, a lowly clerk who longs for the beautiful, unhappily married Isabelle. When life changes inexplicably and unexpectedly for Dusoleil, he becomes a bit of a Parisian Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. As word spreads of his noble pursuits, intriguing Isabelle, shy Dusoleil faces a dilemma–does he continue his campaign, or own up to his escapades and rescue Isabelle from her lonely life? 

Performances will be held at Parrish Auditorium on the Miami University Hamilton campus (1601 University Blvd Hamilton, OH) February 10, 11, and 12 at 7:30pm and February 13 at 2pm. Tickets are available online at www.ghctplay.com, by phone at 513-737-PLAY(7529), and at the door prior to performances and are $17 for individual tickets. Special group pricing ($15/ticket) is available for groups of 20 or more. All patrons are required to wear masks while attending performances. 

Amour is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Max Iltzsch, produced by Erin Heinrich, and directed and vocal directed by Ryan Heinrich–with conductor Betsy Horton, stage manager Brooke Baird, scenic design by Mary Slocum, lighting and sound design by Eric Cimini, properties by Marijo Farley, and costumes by Rhonda Lucas. 

This is Ryan Heinrich’s fourth production as director at GHCT–following Blood Brothers in 2014, Little Women in 2011 and Baker’s Wife in 2010.  

This production has brought together actors from throughout the region. Returning to the GHCT stage is Wright State musical theatre graduate Sean Miller-Jones (Dusoleil). He is joined by Talia Noelle Zoll (Isabelle), who has frequented stages across Cincinnati, in her first role with GHCT. 

Rounding out the incredible ensemble cast are Clancey Butts (Charles/Policeman/Communist), Scott Christian (Bertrand/Policeman/Lawyer), Maria Helbig (Madeleine/Nun), Adam Hesselbrock (News Vendor), Dylan McGill (Prosecutor General/Boss), Katelyn Quinn (Whore/Claire), and Sami Shaaban (Painter/Doctor/President).

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