Monthly Archives: November 2022

November 21, 2022 · 5:43 am

Two-Time ‘Best of Cincinnati’ Winners Bring Celebrated Annual Holiday Concert to Local Venues

NP_Fall 2022

David Baum, Jeff Grooms, Nat Comisar, Corey Tucker, Kaeden Kass & Joshua Steele. Photo by Leslie Goddard

CINCINNATI, OH – Greater Cincinnati music lovers will kindle their holiday spirits with NO PROMISES Vocal Band as the group embarks on their beloved annual CHRISTMAS WITH NO PROMISES tour this December.

NO PROMISES debuts selections by Pentatonix, Gordon Lightfoot and Andy Williams, joining sacred and
secular seasonal favorites from Joni Mitchell, Three Dog Night, the Drifters and much, much more. Guest
artists Kaeden Kass and Corey Tucker add exquisite vocals to a family-friendly program.

CHRISTMAS WITH NO PROMISES will be include four performances at venues across Greater Cincinnati:

The Carnegie
Wednesday, December 14, 7:30pm
1028 Scott Boulevard | Covington
Full-Length Program with Two Sets
Tickets $25
Tickets Required: www.thecarnegie.com, or 859.957.1940

Community of the Good Shepherd
Thursday, December 15, 7:30pm
8815 East Kemper Road | Montgomery
60m Family-Length Program
A freewill offering will be accepted; no reservations required

St. Columban Parish
Tuesday, December 20, 7:30pm
894 Oakland Road | Loveland
60m Family-Length Program
A freewill offering will be accepted; no reservations required

Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre
Wednesday, December 21, 7:30pm
801 Matson Place | Price Hill
Full-Length Program with Two Sets
Tickets $25
Reservations Required: http://www.cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com/Incline/, or 513.241.6550

What’s New In 2022?
Now in its eighth season (including a pandemic-era digital concert in 2020), Christmas with No Promises
has become a holiday tradition for vocal music lovers across Cincinnati, drawing thousands of listeners to
the annual series of concerts at Greater Cincinnati’s popular venues and sacred spaces. This year’s
offerings will bring the same yuletide joy that the group’s fans have come to expect, while mixing in
exciting new voices and selections, according to group leader Joshua Steele.

“Like many groups, it’s felt like a constant scramble since the pandemic began,” says Steele. “While we’ve
introduced a number of new tunes over that time, we’re excited to roll out some new holiday music for
the first time since 2019, including selections by Pentatonix, Gordon Lightfoot and Andy Williams.”

“And new music is made even better when singing it with new friends. We’re thrilled to welcome
Cincinnati Men’s Chorus favorite Kaeden Kass to his first NO PROMISES holiday program. We’re also joined
by singer songwriter Corey Tucker, whom folks will recognize from the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra,
wedding bands and Cincinnati’s top bars and restaurants. We’re thrilled to debut this fantastic lineup.”

About NO PROMISES
NO PROMISES is a Cincinnati-based professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and
breathtaking harmonizations to jazz and popular music favorites from 1940s classics to today’s jams.
Citybeat “Best of Cincinnati” winners in 2017 and 2022, the group has entertained at festivals, concert
series, conventions and performing arts centers throughout the state. Its members have graced the stages
of Broadway, fronted major symphony orchestras, and backed the likes of Jim Messina, Steve Winwood,
Kenny Loggins and POCO. In their day-to-day lives, the men of NO PROMISES are clinical psychologists,
theatrical talent buyers, real estate moguls and hairdressers with a passion for fine a cappella singing.

In 2023, NO PROMISES will premiere a newly commissioned work by composer Cecelia Olszewski as part
of Cincinnati May Festival’s program 25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music. 2021 saw the ensemble’s
debut of “The Boy Band Diaries,” a collaboration with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra featuring male
vocal hits spanning the past century. The group has released three recording projects: A No Promises
Christmas (2016), All Wet (2018) and The Nines (2019).

The members of NO PROMISES are Joshua Steele (resident of Kennedy Heights), David Baum
(Montgomery), Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring, KY), and Nat Comisar (Indian Hill). Current guest artists include
Kaeden Kass (Mt. Airy) and Corey Tucker (West Chester). Individual bios available at
www.nopromisesvocalband.com/lineup.

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2023 Troupe Auditions Announced at Queen City Vaudevillians

QCV_2023 Audtions

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November 21, 2022 · 5:41 am
November 21, 2022 · 5:40 am

Cincinnati Opera Announces 2023 Summer Festival

co_logoThe four-opera season features a fizzy comedy, a romantic tragedy, the world stage premiere of THE KNOCK, and a groundbreaking new production of MADAME BUTTERFLY

Cincinnati, Ohio—Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, tonight announced details for the company’s 2023 Summer Festival. The season takes place June–July 2023 and features four productions: a romantic thriller, a touching and timely premiere, an effervescent comedy, and an innovative new vision of an operatic classic.

The 2023 Summer Festival includes Gaetano Donizetti’s soaring Scottish tragedy Lucia di Lammermoor, the world stage premiere of Aleksandra Vrebalov and Deborah Brevoort’s moving opera inspired by military families, The Knock, Gioachino Rossini’s hilarious and charming The Barber of Seville, and a bold new production of Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, conceived by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team. All will take place at Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall and feature the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera’s orchestral partner since its founding in 1920. Performance dates for each production will be announced in January 2023.

“As Cincinnati Opera steps into its vibrant second century, we’ve sharpened our focus on presenting operas that both reward the devoted fan and provide an inviting and engaging experience for the curious newcomer,” said Mirageas. “For the coming season, we’re proud to offer beautiful productions of favorite works, while also elevating new voices and fresh perspectives.”

Continued Mirageas, “Next summer, we’ll continue to build on our vision of expanding the operatic repertoire by presenting the world stage premiere of The Knock, which sensitively expresses the suffering and strength of military families.”

“Likewise, we’re honored to be the lead producer on a compelling new production of Madame Butterfly,” he said. “It’s a Butterfly for our time, exploring one of the most beloved works in all of opera through the lens of a modern-day fantasy. We’re thrilled to partner with our all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team to tell Cio-Cio-San’s story in a powerful new way.”

Subscriptions for Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 Summer Festival start at $106 and are available now. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 10, 2023. Visit cincinnatiopera.org for more information.

CINCINNATI OPERA
2023 Summer Festival

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LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR

Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano

June 2023
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

William Menefield
Raven McMillon
Lucia

Santiago Ballerini
Santiago Ballerini
Edgardo

Anthony Clark Evans
Anthony Clark Evans
Enrico

Griffen Hogan Tracy
Griffen Hogan Tracy
Raimondo

Terrence Chin-Loy
Terrence Chin-Loy
Normanno

Sahel Salam
Sahel Salam
Arturo

Based on Sir Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor, itself inspired by true events, this operatic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands shows how thwarted desire can lead to deadly extremes. At Lammermoor Castle, Lucia and Edgardo are engaged in a secret affair. Despite their families’ age-old feud, they vow to give everything up for love. But Lucia’s disapproving brother endeavors to undo the lovers’ promise and marry Lucia off in a more lucrative union. The deception becomes a curse, and once hope for love is lost, Lucia and Edgardo make terrible new vows, culminating in one of opera’s bloodiest finales.

Leading the cast as Lucia is soprano Raven McMillon, and tenor Santiago Ballerini is her love, Edgardo. Baritone Anthony Clark Evans sings the role of Enrico, with bass Griffen Hogan Tracy as Raimondo, tenor Terrence Chin-Loy as Normanno, and tenor Sahel Salam as Arturo. Conductor Renato Balsadonna will lead the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with Chorus Master Henri Venanzi leading the Cincinnati Opera Chorus. The production shifts the opera’s setting to the Victorian era and will feature staging by director Jose Maria Condemi, scenic and costume design by Philip Witcomb, lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, and wig and makeup design by James Geier.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Production from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Sung in Italian with projected translations

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World Stage Premiere

THE KNOCK
Music by Aleksandra Vrebalov
Libretto by Deborah Brevoort

June-July 2023
Harry T. Wilks Studio | Cincinnati Music Hall

Aleksandra Vrebalov
Aleksandra Vrebalov
Composer

Deborah Brevoort
Deborah Brevoort
Librettist

Armando Contreras
Armando Contreras
Lt. Roberto Gonzales

Briana Hunter
Briana Hunter
Aishah McNair

Lauren Snouffer
Mary-Hollis Hundley
Joella “Jo” Jenner

Stephanie Sanchez
Stephanie Sanchez
Alto/Commanding Officer’s Wife

“An evocative and beautifully woven piece” (Opera News), The Knock tells the story of a group of military wives awaiting news of their husbands who have been deployed to Iraq. As they wait, a young Army officer makes the long journey to their gathering place. Named for the expression used by military spouses for a death notification, The Knock is based on years of interviews with spouses of soldiers, resulting in a rare and sympathetic glimpse into the lives of America’s military families. According to Opera News, “… The Knock manages to be many things at once, reverential and damning, internal and operatic, all while concisely portraying the complicated existence of those left behind.”

A co-commission with The Glimmerglass Festival, The Knock was slated for its stage premiere at Glimmerglass but was sidelined due to the pandemic. The company instead created an hour-long film of the work, which was released in November 2021 and is currently available online. Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 production will mark The Knock’s world stage premiere.

The cast features artists who were part of The Knock film, including baritone Armando Contreras as Lt. Roberto Gonzales, soprano Mary-Hollis Hundley as Joella “Jo” Jenner, and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Sanchez as Alto/Commanding Officer’s Wife. Mezzo-soprano Briana Hunter will sing the role of Aishah McNair. Alison Moritz directs Cincinnati Opera’s new production, with scenic design by Jimmy Rotondo, costume design by Trevor Bowen, lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, and wig and makeup design by James Geier. At the podium is conductor Stephanie Rhodes Russell leading the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

A co-commission with The Glimmerglass Festival
Sung in English with projected titles

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THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

Music by Gioachino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini

July 2023
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

Rodion Pogossov
Rodion Pogossov
Figaro

Emily Fons
Emily Fons
Rosina

Alasdair Kent
Alasdair Kent
Count Almaviva

Nicholas Newton
Nicholas Newton
Don Basilio

Supreme silliness ensues when Figaro, Seville’s most beloved barber, plays matchmaker for his former employer, Count Almaviva. The Count loves Rosina, but she’s the ward of the devious Doctor Bartolo, who has designs on wedding her himself. To win Rosina’s heart, the Count enlists Figaro to cook up disguises, double dealings, and deceits to fool old Bartolo and set Rosina free. Rossini’s sparkling comedy reminds us that sometimes, on the path to true love, the last thing you should be is yourself.

Cincinnati Opera favorite baritone Rodion Pogossov returns as Figaro. Making company debuts are mezzo-soprano Emily Fons as Rosina, tenor Alasdair Kent as Count Almaviva, and bass-baritone Nicholas Newton as Don Basilio. Christopher Mattaliano directs, with scenic design by Allen Moyer, costume design by James Scott, lighting design by Thomas C. Hase, and wig and makeup design by James Geier. Christopher Allen conducts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with Chorus Master Henri Venanzi leading the Cincinnati Opera Chorus.

Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Scenery from Minnesota Opera; Costumes from Washington National Opera
Sung in Italian with projected translations

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MADAME BUTTERFLY
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

July 2023
Springer Auditorium | Cincinnati Music Hall

Matthew Ozawa
Matthew Ozawa
Stage Director

Karah Son
Karah Son
Cio-Cio-San

Adam Smith
Adam Smith
B.F. Pinkerton

Nozomi Kato
Nozomi Kato
Suzuki

Nmon Ford
Nmon Ford
Sharpless

To close the 2023 season, Cincinnati Opera presents Puccini’s heartrending tragedy Madame Butterfly from a groundbreaking new point of view. As envisioned by the all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team of Matthew Ozawa (stage director), Kimie Nishikawa of Design by dots (scenic design), Maiko Matsushima (costume design), and Yuki Nakase-Link (lighting design), our new production reframes Puccini’s opera from a wholly inventive perspective, transporting Butterfly’s story to a modern-day realm where fantasy and reality intersect.

Enter the world of naval officer B.F. Pinkerton, who treats Japan as his playground. He’s taken a nearly thousand-year lease on a house there and will marry a young girl named Cio-Cio-San, known as Madame Butterfly. But is it merely a fantasy? For Butterfly, vows are not to be taken lightly, and as Pinkerton’s intentions are revealed, her dreams become a tragedy of limitless depths with no going back.

Making their company debuts are soprano Karah Son as Cio-Cio-San and tenor Adam Smith as Pinkerton. Mezzo-soprano Nozomi Kato also debuts with Cincinnati Opera as Suzuki, and baritone Nmon Ford returns to sing the role of Sharpless. Conductor Keitaro Harada leads the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, with Henri Venanzi leading the Cincinnati Opera Chorus.

A co-production of Cincinnati Opera, Detroit Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, San Diego Opera, and Utah Opera
Featuring the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Opera Chorus
Sung in Italian with projected translations

Tickets and Information

Subscriptions for Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 Summer Festival start at $106 and are available now. Tickets to individual performances go on sale April 10, 2023. 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. Support for The Knock is provided by the Mellon Foundation. The Knock is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts; to find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America.

To learn more, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

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November 21, 2022 · 5:37 am

Auditions Announced for TWO ON THE AISLE, THREE IN A VAN at Oxford Area Community Theatre

OXACT_logoNov. 22 at 5pm
Nov. 28 at 5pm

Oxford Community Arts Center
10 South College Ave.
Oxford, OH 45056

Roles available for 3 men 20+ and 1 woman 30+

Performance dates: Feb. 17-26

Directed by Kayleigh Swatzell

For more information contact the director at kaswatzell@outlook.com.

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November 18, 2022 · 10:09 am

HADESTOWN Individual Tickets On Sale Now

BIC_Hadestown logoWINNER OF EIGHT 2019 TONY AWARDS® INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL
AND THE 2020 GRAMMY® AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR HADESTOWN
COMING TO CINCINNATI APRIL 2023

MUSIC, LYRICS & BOOK BY ANAÏS MITCHELL
DEVELOPED WITH & DIRECTED BY RACHEL CHAVKIN

“Astounding! Hadestown will make you fall in love with musical theater again.”
Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle

Cincinnati, OH – Broadway in Cincinnati announced that the individual tickets for HADESTOWN are on sale now. The winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album will come to Cincinnati in 2023. As part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati series presented by TriHealth, the show will play the Aronoff Center from April 18 – 30. Tickets will be available online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office, downtown.

HADESTOWN is the most honored show of the 2018-2019 Broadway season. In addition to the show’s eight Tony Awards®, it has been honored with four Drama Desk Awards, six Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical, and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.

The North American touring production of HADESTOWN stars Nathan Lee Graham as Hermes, Chibueze Ihuoma as Orpheus, Maria-Christina Oliveras as Persephone, Matthew Patrick Quinn as Hades, and Hannah Whitley as Eurydice.

The Fates are played by Dominique Kempf, Belén Moyano, Nyla Watson. The Workers Chorus features Jordan Bollwerk, Lindsey Hailes, Courtney Lauster, Eddie Noel Rodríguez, and Jamari Johnson Williams. Swings for the tour include Tyla Collier, Ian Coulter-Buford, Alex Lugo, J. Antonio Rodriguez, and Cecilia Trippiedi.

Producers Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, and Tom Kirdahy said jointly, “Throughout its development, HADESTOWN has been deeply influenced by audiences around the world. We are thrilled and humbled to now share this beautiful story of hope, faith, and rebirth – written and directed by two amazingly talented women and brought to life by a diverse company of performers – with audiences across North America.”

The acclaimed new musical is by celebrated singer-songwriter and Tony Award® winner Anaïs Mitchell and developed with innovative director and Tony Award® winner Rachel Chavkin. HADESTOWN marks the first time in over a decade that a woman has been the solo author of a musical: writing the music, lyrics, and book, and is the fourth time in Broadway history a woman has accomplished this creative feat.

The show opened at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway (219 West 48th Street, New York) on April 17, 2019, where it played sold out houses nightly before performances were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  HADESTOWN resumed performances September 2, 2021 as one of the first musicals to reopen on Broadway where it continues to play today. The North American Tour opened at The Kennedy Center in Washington DC on October 15, 2021.

The show originated as Mitchell’s indie theater project that toured Vermont which she then turned into an acclaimed album. With Chavkin, her artistic collaborator, HADESTOWN has been transformed into a genre-defying new musical that blends modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz to reimagine a sweeping ancient tale.

Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — HADESTOWN invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and singers, HADESTOWN delivers a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience.

The creative team features Tony Award® winner Rachel Hauck (set design); four-time Tony Award® nominee Michael Krass (costume design); two-time Tony Award® winner Bradley King (lighting design); Tony Award® winners Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz (sound design); Chita Rivera Award® winner and three-time Bessie Award® winner David Neumann (choreography); Liam Robinson (music supervision and vocal arrangements); Tony Award® winners Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose (arrangements and orchestrations); Ken Cerniglia (dramaturgy); and Stewart/Whitley (casting).

HADESTOWN electrified audiences with its 2016 world premiere at New York Theatre Workshop, which is the longest-running show in that celebrated theater’s 40-year history. The production then received its Canadian premiere at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre in 2017 and then a 2018 sold-out engagement at the London’s National Theatre. HADESTOWN was developed with funding from the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center and was further developed by The Ground Floor at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. HADESTOWN was co-conceived by Ben t. Matchstick.

The Grammy® winning HADESTOWN Original Broadway Cast Recording is now available at Hadestown.com/music. The album is produced by David Lai, Sickafoose, and Mitchell on Sing It Again Records.

HADESTOWN will play the Aronoff Center from April  18 – 30, 2023: Tuesday – Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, Sundays at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets start at $39.00 and will be online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

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Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Tri-State, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals in Cincinnati since 1987. For over twenty years, Broadway in Cincinnati has presented all shows at the Aronoff Center. The Broadway in Cincinnati series brings more than 185,000 people downtown to the Aronoff Center each year and contributes an average of $30 million to the local economy each season. Broadway in Cincinnati is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and The Broadway League. Fifth Third Bank is the sponsor of the Cincinnati 22/23 Season, and the season is presented by TriHealth. 

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com and Group Sales Box Office.  Led by 14-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton. Current and past productions include Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge! and To Kill A Mockingbird. 

The John Gore Organization is the leading developer, producer, distributor and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide. Under the leadership of 14-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, and Group Sales Box Office. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier awards.

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