Monthly Archives: July 2023

July 10, 2023 · 8:07 pm

MJ Individual Tickets on Sale July 14

BIC_MJ 1287

Myles Frost and Cast. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

THE FOUR-TIME TONY AWARD®-WINNING NEW MUSICAL
IS STARTIN’ SOMETHIN’ IN CINCINNATI 

SEPTEMBER 5-17 AT ARONOFF CENTER 

“MJ IS A RUNAWAY HIT!”
Peter Marks, The Washington Post

“A GORGEOUSLY EXECUTED, BRILLIANTLY CHOREOGRAPHED CELEBRATION.”
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune 

CINCINNATI – Producers Lia Vollack, John Branca, John McClain and Broadway in Cincinnati are thrilled to announce that individual tickets for the smash-hit musical, MJ, will go on sale starting July 14 at 10 am. As part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati 23/24 series presented by TriHealth, MJ makes its Ohio premiere at the Aronoff Center September 5 – 17. Tickets will be available online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office, downtown.

He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to Cincinnati as MJ, the multi Tony Award®-winning new musical centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, begins a tour of its own. Created by Tony Award®-winning Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, MJ goes beyond the singular moves and signature sound of the star, offering a rare look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status.

Roman Banks (Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”) will play the title role of ‘MJ’. Joining him in the First National Tour cast will be Jamaal Fields-Green (MJ – Alternate), Brandon Lee Harris (Michael), Josiah Benson (Little Michael), Ethan Joseph (Little Michael), Devin Bowles (Joseph Jackson/Rob), Mary Kate Moore (Rachel), J. Daughtry (Berry Gordy/Nick), Josh A. Dawson (Tito Jackson/Quincy Jones), Jaylen Lyndon Hunter (Little Marlon), Matt Loehr (Dave), Da’Von Moody (Alejandro) and Anastasia Talley (Katherine Jackson/Kate).

The ensemble includes JoJo Carmichael (Swing/ Assistant Dance Captain), Croix DiIenno (Ensemble), Kellie Drobnick (Ensemble), Kyle Dupree (Swing/Dance Captain), Zuri Noelle Ford (Swing), Jahir L. Hipps (Swing), Bryson Jacobi Jackson (Jermaine Jackson/Ensemble), Rajané Katurah (Swing), Jordan Markus (MJ/Michael understudy),  Matteo Marretta (Ensemble), Janayé McAlpine (Ensemble), Jay McKenzie (Jackie Jackson/Ensemble), Kendrick Mitchell (Swing), Chelsea Mitchell-Bonsu (Ensemble),  Zion Pradier (Swing), Ayla Stackhouse (Swing), Brion Marquis Watson (Marlon Jackson/Ensemble), Charles P. Way (Swing) and Malcolm Miles Young (Randy Jackson/Ensemble).

The MJ creative team features Scenic Design by two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner Derek McLane, Lighting Design by seven-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz, Costume Design by Tony and Emmy Award winner Paul Tazewell, Sound Design by Tony Award winner Gareth Owen, Projection Design by two-time Tony Award nominee Peter Nigrini, Hair & Wig Design by two-time Emmy Award nominee Charles LaPointe and Makeup Design by Emmy nominee Joe Dulude II. The creative team also features Musical Supervision by Tony Award nominee David Holcenberg, Orchestrations and Arrangements by David Holcenberg and Tony Award winner Jason Michael Webb, and Music Direction by Victor Simonson.  Casting by The Telsey Office / Rachel Hoffman, CSA, Lindsay Levine, CSA.

The MJ First National Tour is general managed by Bespoke Theatricals.  The stage management team is led by Production Stage Manager Shawn Pennington, Stage Manager Geoff Maus and Assistant Stage Managers Maya Bhatnagar and Nia J. Blizzard. The company management team is led by Company Manager Justin T. Scholl and Assistant Company Manager Tameka Sadler.

MJ is produced on Broadway and tour by Lia Vollack, John Branca and John McClain.

MJ  will play the Aronoff Center from September 5 – 17, 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 $43 and can be found 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.

For more information worldwide, visit:  www.mjthemusical.com  ● Facebook ● Twitter ● Instagram.

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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 23/24 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 20-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 20-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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July 10, 2023 · 7:58 pm

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Announces Winner of Fifth Annual PLAY/WRITE: The Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition

ETC_logo(Cincinnati, OH) Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is pleased to announce the winner of the fifth annual PLAY/write: The Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition. The annual collegiate competition nurtures local aspiring dramatists who are helping to shape the future of American theatre and provides a $2,500 juried cash award to support the early work and career of each winner along with staged professional readings of their scripts.

The winner of this year’s prize is Joyce Evelyn Deaton (Northern Kentucky University) for her play Both Hands, which will receive a full-length staged professional reading on August 6, 2023, at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati.

An earlier draft of Both Hands was submitted and received honorable mention in the 2022 competition. The panel of judges were very impressed that the playwright took the time to revisit, rework, and refine her play and submit an updated, more streamlined draft of the piece.

About the Competition
The competition commemorates the life and work of writer, critic, and theatre enthusiast Jackie Demaline. A passionate arts advocate, Ms. Demaline served as an important catalyst for change in the theater community and was an entertainment writer and editor for numerous publications. Her legacy lives on through this competition, providing professional development for emerging writers, amplifying new voices and perspectives, and kick-starting arts careers. 

About the Play

Both Hands by Joyce Evelyn Deaton
Jackie and Niamh, childhood best friends turned strangers, reconnect after ending up at the same university, in the same math class, hours away from home and desperately in search of a carpool. Through road trip conversation over the course of the 1993­–1994 school year, the girls explore the meaning of home, religion, sexuality, love, friendship, and survival. 

About the Playwright
Joyce Evelyn Deaton graduated from Northern Kentucky University with her BA in theatre with an interest in directing, playwriting, and dramaturgy. She is the president and lead producer of the student theatre organization The Henry Konstantinow Studio Theatre, which produces a season of entirely student-run, directed, designed, and produced black box theatre. In her time as president, the organization has doubled in size, funds, and allocated amounts for student productions. She also spearheaded the creation of The Henry Konstantinow Arts Accessibility grant, which assists student directors who may not otherwise have the means to produce and fund their own shows. Other credits include Mr. Burns, a post-electric play (director), NKU’s Twelfth Night (assistant director), NKU/The Carnegie’s Keeper of the Realm (assistant director), and NKU’s Peter and the Starcatcher (dramaturg).

Performance Information
The reading will take place at 2:00 pm on Sunday, August 6, 2023, at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Registration is required for this free event and can be reserved online at www.ensemblecincinnati.org or by calling (513) 421-3555.

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2023-2024 Season Presenting Sponsor is the LKC Foundation.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences.

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July 10, 2023 · 7:46 pm

POWERS OF IMAGINATION: A Family Friendly Create Your Own Adventure on July 15-16

ALT_Power of ImaginationJoin us for an interactive theater experience for the entire family!

A.L.T.’s Young Professionals Create Change built an original production to engage kids and adults in a choose your own adventure style performance.

River of Life Church – 200 Central Parkway from Noon to 2pm.

Complementary pizza and sodas will be provided. Please register for food count.

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July 10, 2023 · 7:26 pm

Call for Submissions for TDW’s HOME BREW THEATRE 7

TDW_Home Brew 7The Drama Workshop is now accepting submissions for Home Brew Theatre 7.

Home Brew Theatre is TDW’s festival featuring short plays by local authors, including a Meet the Artists reception where local beer is featured. Since Home Brew Theatre’s inception in 2016, it has quickly become Cincinnati’s premiere short play festival.

Home Brew Theatre 7 will be staged at TDW’s Glenmore Playhouse one weekend only, January 19-21, 2024.

Submission Rules:

  • Plays on any topic will be considered.There is no theme. Dramas, comedies and musicals will be considered.

  • Plays should be 10 minutes long.

  • Plays must be unpublished.

  • Plays must not have been performed for a paying audience in the greater Cincinnati area in the two years prior to the January 2023 performance. (Public readings and workshops are permitted.)

  • Plays should require very little in terms of props and sets. We have to transition quickly between plays. We will use tables, chairs, rehearsal cubes, and not much else.

  • Playwrights must live within 100 miles of Cincinnati, and are encouraged to attend at least one performance.

  • Limit 2 submissions per playwright.(Maximum 1 per playwright will be produced.)

  • Plays must be submitted anonymously. No identifying information can appear on the document itself. All contact information should be in the body of the submission email.

  • Playwrights of selected plays will receive a small honorarium.

  • Playwrights may be consulted regarding production aspects of their plays, but final decision making resides with the production creative team and The Drama Workshop.

  • All performance and publishing rights will remain the ownership of the authors.

Email your submission(s) to tdw.homebrew@gmail.com, with the subject “HBT7 Submission: [Play Title(s)]”.

Submissions will be accepted through 9/17/2023.

Thank you! Looking forward to reading your submissions!

The Home Brew Theatre Production Team.

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July 10, 2023 · 7:20 pm

ORDINARY DAYS Runs July 14-23

TR_Ordinary DaysORDINARY DAYS
The Refuge
July 14-23
Know Theatre of Cincinnati [Over-the-Rhine]

Cast: Roman Harris-Richardson, Bryn Studer, Kate Sexton, and Jacob Gildenblatt.

Embark on a heartfelt journey through the bustling streets of New York City with the enchanting musical “Ordinary Days.” This captivating story weaves together the lives of four ordinary individuals, each searching for connection and meaning in the chaos of everyday life. Paths unexpectedly intertwine between stories of love, loss, and self-discovery. Set against a backdrop of soul-stirring melodies and lyrical poetry, “Ordinary Days” invites you to witness the extraordinary beauty found in the simplest moments. With its enchanting blend of wit, vulnerability, and a profound exploration of the human experience, this musical promises to leave audiences captivated, inspired, and reminded of the extraordinary within the ordinary.

  • Fri-Sat, July 14-15 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, July 16 at 2:30pm
  • Fri-Sat, July 21-22 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, July 23 at 2:30pm

Official page |

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