Monthly Archives: January 2024

January 22, 2024 · 5:53 pm

2024-2025 Season Announced by Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre

GHCT_logoGHCT is Pleased to Announce the 2024-2025 Season

JEKYLL & HYDE
Directed by Matt Neal
October 3-6, 2024

The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life on stage in the musical phenomenon, “Jekyll & Hyde”. Based on the classic story by Robert Louis Stevenson and featuring a thrilling score of pop rock hits from multi-Grammy- and Tony-nominated Frank Wildhorn and double-Oscar- and Grammy-winning Leslie Bricusse, “Jekyll & Hyde” has mesmerized audiences the world over.

T.B.A.
December 5-8, 2024

Stay tuned for an announcement for our December show!

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE
Directed by Scott Christian
February 13-16, 2025

Drama critic Mortimer Brewster’s engagement announcement is upended when he discovers a corpse in his elderly aunts’ window seat. Mortimer rushes to tell Abby and Martha before they stumble upon the body themselves, only to learn that the two old women aren’t just aware of the dead man in their parlor, they killed him! Between his aunts’ penchant for poisoning wine, a brother who thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, and another brother using plastic surgery to hide from the police—not to mention Mortimer’s own hesitancy about marriage—it’ll be a miracle if Mortimer makes it to his wedding. Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic black comedy about the only thing more deadly than poison: family.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Directed by Rhonda Lucas
May 1-4, 2025

Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, “Fiddler on the Roof”‘s universal theme of tradition cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy and sadness.

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January 22, 2024 · 5:48 pm

Big Laughs and High Seas With SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT

HRTC_ShipwreckedTo shake off the winter doldrums, join The Human Race Theatre Company in a comedic adventure on the high seas with Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Donald Margulies’ frothy  2008 play Shipwrecked! An Entertainment – The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougement (As Told by Himself). 

Inspired by a true story, Shipwrecked! sets sail on a tongue-in-cheek, round-the-world adventure. Louis de Rougemont weaves an awe-inspiring, sometimes unbelievable tale, as he takes you through his mesmerizing journey of survival, bravery, and fame. It’s not just a story; it’s a theatrical spectacle that promises laughter, thrills, and a touch of magic.

“This family friendly tall tale explores the ideas of theatrical creativity and imagination and how we can be in a London lecture hall in one moment, and riding a sea turtle through the waves in the next,” says Artistic Director Emily N. Wells. “While on the surface, Margulies shares a whimsical comedy that is magical and delightful; but when you begin to dig deeper, Shipwrecked tests how far we are willing to go for fame and fortune.”

Greg Hellems directs resident artists Bruce Cromer (I Am My Own Wife, The 39 Steps) as Louis, Andrew Ian Adams (Deadline, Airness), and newcomer Shonita Joshi in her debut at The Human Race Theatre Company, most recently seen in Cincinnati as Belle in Cincinnati Playhouse in the Parks’ A Christmas Carol. Joshi and Adams play an entire company of roles as Player One and Two.

Rounding out the production team are: D. Tristan Cupp, Scenic Design; John Rensel, Lighting Design; Molly Walz, Costume Design; John Gromada, Sound Design; Sarah Gomes, Props; Carolyn Fast, Production Stage Manager.

Shipwrecked! An Entertainment will play in the Loft Theatre in downtown Dayton, February 22 – March 10, 2024.  Tickets are on sale at www.humanracetheatre.org or through the Dayton Live box office at 937-228-3630.  For press ticket requests, please contact Tiffany Countryman, Engagement and Learning Coordinator at tiffany@humanracetheatre.org

The Human Race Theatre Company continues its commitment to high quality theatre with access points for all through ticket initiatives sponsored by Morris Furniture Company: two sections of $20 seats available at any time through the box office, and ten $10 rush seats available 90 minutes before any performance.

Special Nights at The Loft:   

  • Pay What You Can – Wednesday, February 21, 8pm – Enter with donation for Dayton Rowing Club or non-perishable food item for Dayton Food Bank
  • Inside Track – Thursday February 22, 7:15pm – preshow conversation
  • Sawbuck Sunday – Sunday, February 25, 7:00 – $10 tickets 90 minutes before curtain
  • While We’re On the Subject – Sunday March 3, 2pm – Post Show discussion
  • Parent’s Day Out – Saturday, March 9, 2 pm – Kids Separate Activities (5-12yo)

The Human Race expresses gratitude for the public and private support which makes these productions possible:  Loft Season Sponsor: Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation;  Sustainability Sponsors:  Anne F. Johnson, Steve and Lou Mason, and Morris Furniture Company;  Additional Season support:  Emma R. Catterton Trust, Funds at The Dayton Foundation and The Toulmin Fund, Sam Levin Foundation, Virginia F. Kettering Foundation,  The Shubert Foundation;  Organizational support:  Culture Works, Montgomery County, Ohio Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Dayton Region Arts Renewal Grant. Media Sponsor: WDPR Discover Classical, WYSO, Key Ads. Pay What You Can Sponsor: Enterprise Holdings Foundation. Parent’s Day Out: Rabbit Hole Books/Dayton Book Fair

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January 17, 2024 · 8:24 pm

Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Presents CHICAGO

WHHS_Chicago

Izzy Lachey as Velma Kelly, Wolf Singer as Billy Flynn & Lizzy Rebber as Roxie Hart. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Presents Celebrity, Scandal, and A Commentary on the American Criminal Justice System, Through Satirical Comedy in CHICAGO

Cincinnati, OH- The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is elated to be welcoming back audiences to its auditorium with the senior high musical, Chicago (Teen Edition). 

In roaring twenties Chicago, chorine Roxie Hart murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband, Amos, to take the rap… until he finds out he’s been duped and turns on Roxie. Convicted and sent to death row, Roxie and another “Merry Murderess,” Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the “American Dream”: fame, fortune, and acquittal.

Regarding the musical, director Mike Sherman says, “Chicago is a classic of the American Musical Theatre, and a show our audiences have long requested. It is a masterpiece of satire that is still sadly relevant today, but it makes its points with songs, dances, and lots of laughs.”

The show runs February 15-17, 2024 in the Walnut Hills High School Auditorium. 

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students. They are now available, and can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by: 

  • The Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund
  • Wings Walnut Hills Theatre Boosters
  • Solution Roofing
  • Riverview Heating and Cooling
  • Betsy and Brian Peerless

Featuring: Lizzy Rebber as Roxie Hart, Izzy Lachey as Velma Kelly, Wolf Singer as Billy Flynn, Maya Busche as Mama Morton, Christian Jordan as Amos Hart, Tre Hall as Master of Ceremonies, Adelaide Linser as Mary Sunshine, Caroline Lovelace as Liz/Dancer, Sophie Catanalotto as Annie/Dancer, Emma Dalton as June/Dancer, Mya Verticchio as Hunyak/Dancer, Lael Ingram as Mona/Dancer, Tamara Munoz as Go To Hell Kitty/Dancer, Winter Cruser as Male Tap Dancer/Doctor/Reporter, Kyra Doty as Female Tap Dancer/Clerk/Dancer, Maya Lipscomb as Bailiff/Dancer, Naima Jones as Judge/Dancer, Nate Caudill as Fred Casley/Reporter, Andrew Canter as Harry/Reporter, Clark Sayre as Sgt. Fogarty/Reporter, Jonathan Rubin as Aaron/Reporter, James Overton as Harrison/Reporter, and Elijah Cook, AJ Frecker, Violet Kimnach, Annie Larsen, Adah Mosher, Tamara Munoz, Andrew Prevost, Jana Smith, Kendra Sullivan, Jonas Warner, and Anna Wright as Reporters. 

Directed by Mike Sherman

Assistant Directed by Oran Wilkins

Choreographer- Kate Stark

Student Choreographer- Izzy Lachey

Assistant Student Choreographer- Lael Ingram

Music Director- Steve Goers

Technical Direction by Helen A. Raymond-Goers

Production Stage Manager- Jameira Jones

Assistant Stage Managers- Richie Bell and Max Rush

Hair and Makeup Designer- Laylah Torain

Props Designer- Oran Wilkins

Costume Designer- Paloma Lanzador

Lighting Designer- Ryan Peerless

Marketing and Publicity Head- Lizzy Rebber

Master Electrician- Maya Busche

Scenic Designer- Max Rush

Sound Designers- Nyla Shahanzvaz and Heather Strom

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January 17, 2024 · 8:00 pm

MAN ARE FROM MARS – WOMAN ARE FROM VENUS Live! | April 5-7 | Aronoff Center

CAA_Men are From Mars10TH ANNIVERSARY EVOLUTION TOUR 2024
RETURNS TO THE ARONOFF CENTER

APRIL 5 – 7, 2024

Tickets On sale Friday, January 19 at 10:00 AM 

(Cincinnati, OH) – Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Off-Broadway sensation, Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus LIVE! This uproarious one-man show, a seamless blend of theater and stand-up, has been revamped for 2024. Expect a delightful, light-hearted comedy inspired by John Gray’s New York Times #1 best-selling book. Eric Coble, the original writer, and director Mindy Cooper are back to inject new life into the script, ensuring its relevance and resonance with today’s audiences. This popular show returns to the Aronoff Center’s intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater for four performances only, April 7-9, 2024 (see full schedule below).

Prices: $63.00 | 10%-off groups of ten or more.

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 19 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4157. Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change. 

Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus LIVE! is more than just the book. Beginning in Paris in 2007, the show has been seen by more than one million people around Europe. It debuted in the United States in February 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina and has played to hundreds of audiences around the United States and Canada.

This hysterical show will have couples elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Sexy and fast paced, this show is definitely for adults, but will leave audiences laughing and giggling like little kids!

When Mars and Venus collide, the adventures are earth-shatteringly funny. It’s a great recipe for a night out: a little storytelling blended with some comedy and a dash of sage wisdom from the book… a delicious evening of entertainment!

CAA_Amadeo FuscaAMADEO FUSCA (Bio)
Starring in this one-man theatrical comedy is AMADEO FUSCA. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Amadeo has performed Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus LIVE! in over 60 cities, across 30+ states, and for 75,000 people and counting.

In 2013, he won the legendary Friars Club “So You Think You Can Roast?” competition, beating out 55 other comedians roasting ‘80s child star Ricky Schroeder and NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. As the winner, Amadeo joined the dais to roast Jack Black, along with comic legends such as “Roastmaster” General Jeff Ross, Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer, Bob Saget, Jerry Lewis, and more!

In addition to his theatrical comedy, Amadeo can also be seen in various television and film productions including Princess Cut on HBO MAX, NCIS on CBS, That Damn Michael Che on HBO MAX, Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix, Boardwalk Empire on HBO, The Holiday Dating Guide on Lifetime, Almost Family on FOX, and As the World Turns on CBS. Upcoming in 2024, you can catch him as Lucky Luciano in the new Robert De Niro film Alto Knights directed by Barry Levinson.

He’s currently been performing his infamous character World Renowned Conductor Salvatore Giovanni across the globe to roaring reactions in the world’s greatest variety show run by Zach Zucker called Stamptown.

For more information, please visit his website at www.amadeofusca.com.

Since being published in 1992, John Gray’s Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, exploring the differences between the sexes, has sold in excess of fifty-million copies, been translated into forty different languages and is one of the most recognizable titles in the world. Gray has written seventeen books and become one of the most trusted relationship authors today, appearing on the national lecture circuit and on such TV shows as Good Morning America, Oprah, and Larry King Live.

The show’s producer, St. Louis based Emery Entertainment, has produced and promoted thousands of events around the globe, including superstar attractions Blue Man Group, David Copperfield, and James Taylor.

The talented team assembled for this production continues with the award-winning playwright Eric Coble, direction by Broadway veteran Mindy Cooper, and animation & video production by the talented animators at Bazillion Productions.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

  • Friday, April 5 @ 7:30 PM
  • Saturday, April 6 @ 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
  • Sunday, April 7 @ 2:00 PM

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS 

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRI-STATE CHEVY DEALERS 

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, TriHealth

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January 17, 2024 · 5:29 pm

THE MAGIC OPRY on Feb. 20

CPI_logoTHE MAGIC OPRY
Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative
Feb. 20
Aronoff Center Fifth-Third Bank Theatre [Downtown]

Written by Leo Bradley

Rock Fork Records has fallen on hard times, and producer Nelson Easten is desperate to save both the recording company and his job. In the golden era of classis country music, Easton was on top of the country music world with hit songs, many emanating from the writing and singing of Rankin Winters, Nashville’s most successful male singer and song writer.

Together they were the Elvis and Colonel Parker of country music. However, time and the changing genre made them both passé in the country music industry. Although Easton has hung on to his role at Rock Fork Records, Rankin Winters has fallen into hard times and is now playing second venues and attempting to cope with forgotten fame, lost family, booze, and pills.

Easton, responding to pressure from his corporate bosses, comes up with a scheme to resurrect the fortunes of Rock Fork Records and the career of Rankin Winters. It all depends on whether Rankin still has hit songs in his soul, and how Nelson can parley the past glory into a new future for Rock Fork Records.

  • Tue, Feb. 20 at 7:30pm

Official page |

About the Author
Leo Bradley, Ed. D, is a prolific writer of both fiction and non-fiction. The Magic Opry is as realistic musical play that traces the evolution of country music from the hills of Appalachia to its current more universal popularity through the eyes of characters with different interests. Bradley’s play, Bleachers, presents, through music and dialogue, the parallels between the history of baseball and the story of America. His third play, Here’s to Living, is about the joys, conflicts, and challenges of aging. Dr. Bradley has also authored three novels published by Losantiville Press, one with an historic Civil War setting, a family saga of the 20th century, and a contemporary music tale set in Nashville, Tennessee.

Leo is also a songwriter, musician, and singer, having written and recorded three albums and having over forty of his songs recorded by Fraternity Records.

In his career as an educator in public schools and universities, Dr. Bradley authored eleven professional books on baseball history, school law, curriculum and instruction, and educational leadership theory.

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