Monthly Archives: May 2023

NKU SOTA Offers Summer Dance Institute for Young Artists

NKU_Summer Dance InstituteHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts (NKU SOTA) is proud to announce the return of the Summer Dance Institute (SDI), a holistic collegiate dance program for aspiring artists. The program will be held from August 4-6, 2023, on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. The program aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to the field of dance and campus life, allowing participants between the ages of 14 and 23 to learn from the university’s esteemed faculty.

  • What: NKU SOTA Summer Dance Institute
  • When: August 4-6, 2023
  • Where: Health Innovations Room 125, NKU
  • Register: nku.edu/sdi

Participants will experience immersive dance major courses, industry and pedagogical training, and network building over the course of the weekend. NKU SOTA’s state-of-the-art dance studio will provide an ideal environment for participants to hone their skills and gain insight into the various careers that a dance major can provide. The program will be led by faculty member Jacqui Haas, with guest faculty Lyndsay Barto, Anaya Ni’kole McNair, Shane Ohmer, Jeaunita Olówè, Cat Schmeal-Swope, and Teresa VanDenend Sorge. SDI offers courses in African dance, ballet, costume appreciation, hip-hop, jazz, modern dance, music theatre, nutrition, and yoga.

Registration is now open, and the deadline for registration is July 15, 2023. The registration fee is $35, and the program fee is $300. Early bird discounts are available for those who register before May 15, with a program fee of $250, and before June 1, with a program fee of $275. Interested students can visit nku.edu/sdi to register and find further details about the program.

About NKU: Founded in 1968, we are a growing metropolitan university of more than 15,000 students served by more than 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati. Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Kentucky—just seven miles southeast of Cincinnati—we have become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students’ names. For more information, visit nku.edu.

About SOTA: The Theatre and Dance, Art and Design, and Music programs make up the School of the Arts that sit in the College of Arts and Sciences at Northern Kentucky University. Theatre and Dance relies on intensive student involvement both inside and outside the classroom. Our staff, resources and facilities serve the developing artist. At the program’s center is a vital balance of process and production, giving each student opportunities to stretch boundaries and discover new possibilities. Graduates are working in professional theatres in every major city in the United States and on five continents, having successful careers on Broadway and in regional theatre, on cruise ships, in theme parks and film and television. For more information, visit theatre.nku.edu.

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MODERN MIX On June 2-3

MDT_Modern MixMODERN MIX
Mutual Dance Theatre
June 2-3
Aronoff Center Jarson-Kaplan Theatre [Downtown]

Mutual Dance Theatre continues its second year of MODERN MIX, a new annual tradition of showcasing daring collections of work by a mix of choreographers.

PETRICHOR BY STEVEN P. EVANS
“Petrichor” was inspired by border conflicts and the meaning of the term. Petrichor is the term for the phenomenon of the distinctive, earthy, usually pleasant smell after rainfall, particularly following a dry, arid period. In “Petrichor,” rain is coming for a group of travelers who thirst and clamor for rest.

CLIMB BY ELENA RODRIGUEZ MOORE
Climb is based on the choreographer’s experiences growing up as the bi-racial daughter of a Colombian immigrant. This captivating work features dare devil work with ladders, symbolizing the arduous work to rebuild oneself in a new culture. The creation of Climb was one of the only Modern Dance originals to be funded in Cincinnati by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2018.+

  • Fri-Sat, June 2-3 at 7:30pm

Official page | Facebook event |

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FOOTLOOSE Runs May 31-June 25

WFIT_FootlooseFOOTLOOSE
Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre
May 31-June 25
[East Price Hill]

Directed & choreographed by Eric Byrd
Music direction by Damon Stevens

Cast: Evan Blust as Ren, Savannah Slaby as Ariel, Jamie Cordes as Rev. Shaw Morre, Marya Cordes as Vi, Juno Brosas as Rusty, Zach Treinen as Jeter, Annalese Fusaro as Wendy Jo, Ryan Behan as Bickle, Kate Stark as Ethel, JT Langlas as Garvin, Chelsey Ross as Lulu, Stan Prezdlacki as Willard, Ethan Kuchta as Chuck, Makayla Shipe as Urleen, Joe Gongaware as Travis, Kyndra Jefferies as Eleanor Dunbar/Betty/Band, Evan Kupersmith as Lyle, Justine Reilmann as Coach Dunbar/Band, Aaron Marshall as Wes Warnicker/Cop/Band, and Elliot Handkins as Principal Clark/Cowboy Bob
Ensemble:  Henry Howland, Arianna Catalano, Caroline Rakestraw and Madison Osment.  Marlo D’Ascenso and Hunter Broyles are Swings.

When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small Texas town, he is not prepared for the local edict instituted by the local preacher that bans dancing! When the reverend’s rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her roughneck boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren’s reputation, with the locals eager to believe the worst about the new kid. The heartfelt story pits a father longing for a lost son against a young man aching for the father who walked out on him.  To the rockin’ rhythm of its Oscar and Tony-nominated score, plus dynamic new songs, Footloose celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people while guiding them with a warm heart and open mind.+

  • Wed-Thu, May 31-June 1 at 7:30pm
  • Fri-Sat, June 2-3 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 4 at 2pm
  • Wed-Thu, June 7-8 at 7:30pm
  • Fri-Sat, June 9-10 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 11 at 2pm
  • Wed-Thu, June 14-15 at 7:30pm
  • Fri-Sat, June 16-17 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 18 at 2pm
  • Wed-Thu, June 21-22 at 7:30pm
  • Fri-Sat, June 23-24 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 25 at 2pm

Official page | Facebook event |

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MAYTAG VIRGIN Runs May 27-June 18

ETC_Maytag VirginMAYTAG VIRGIN
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
May 27-June 18
[Over-the-Rhine]

Directed by Bridget Leak

Cast: Rayn Wesley Gilreath as Jack Key & Maggie Lou Rader as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Nash

Good fences make good neighbors, right? But what about clotheslines? When the unflappable Jack Key moves in next door to the endearingly neurotic Lizzy Nash, sparks fly. Over time, neighborly nagging softens, and a deeper connection emerges between the two high school teachers. As the leaves turn yellow and the months march on, kept secrets shake loose, and the pair finds themselves facing the same question: How do you know when you’re ready to live, and love, again? This poignant regional premiere dramedy tells a witty, romantic, and honest story of connection. This production contains mature language and content, including descriptions of sexual situations, loss, and alcohol use.

  • In preview Sat, May 27 at 7pm
  • In preview Tue, May 30 at 7pm
  • Wed-Thu, May 31-June 1 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, June 2 at 8pm
  • Sat, June 3 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, June 4 at 2pm
  • Tue-Thu, June 6-8 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, June 9 at 8pm
  • Sat, June 10 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, June 11 at 2pm
  • Tue-Thu, June 13-15 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, June 16 at 8pm
  • Sat, June 17 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, June 18 at 2pm

Official page |

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A Cinderella-Romance DADDY LONG LEGS Opens Friday at Sunset Players

SSP_Daddy Long LegsCINCINNATI, OH – May 1, 2023 — Daddy Long Legs opens this Friday at Sunset Players with performances at the Art Center at Dunham (1945 Dunham Way, Cincinnati, OH 45238).

Based on a classic novel by Jean Webster that inspired the 1955 movie starring Fred Astaire, Daddy Long Legs is a heartwarming Cinderella story in the spirit of Jane Austen, the Bronte Sisters, and “Downton Abbey.” Set in turn-of-the-century New England, the musical tells the story of orphan Jerusha Abbott and her mysterious benefactor who agrees to send her to college in exchange for a monthly letter. Through these correspondence to her benefactor that she dubs “Daddy Long Legs”, Jerusha provides insights into a budding relationship with Jervis Pendleton, an uncle of one of her roommates, who introduces her to a world of literature, travel, and adventure. Yet there is a startling fact that Jerusha has not uncovered, which will change her life forever. The stage musical, presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI), features music and lyrics by Tony-nominated composer/lyricist Paul Gordon and Tony-winning librettist/director John Caird.

Directed by Allen Lindsey and featuring Rachel Scardina and Gregory Shaffer, performances are May 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, and 20 (Friday and Saturday nights at 8pm, Thursday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday matinee at 3 pm). Tickets for Daddy Long Legs are on sale now online at www.sunsetplayers.org, or at the door. Tickets are $20 general admission and $18 for seniors, students, or groups of 10 or more. To reserve a seat, call 514-588-4988.

Sunset Players, Inc. is a community theater group located on the west side of Cincinnati. Founded in 1979, the group performs at the Arts Center at Dunham and has produced more than 145 plays. Its mission is to bring a smile, and its plays include comedies, farces, dramatic comedies, and musical comedies.

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