CINCINNATI –Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will stage the world premiere of RUTKA, a powerful indie rock musical on its journey to Broadway as part of its 2024-2025 season announced today. Other season highlights include regional premieres of recent Broadway and off-Broadway hits, comedy favorites and a fresh adaptation of DIAL M FOR MURDER.
“We’re thrilled to produce every one of the plays in the new season for Cincinnati audiences,” stated Blake Robison, Osborn Family Producing Artistic Director. “In particular, I want to highlight RUTKA, which uniquely fulfills a promise to our community. The production will take maximum advantage of the new capabilities in Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre, enabling the work we create to gain national attention on the industry’s largest stages.”
The 2024-2025 Season includes:
- The world premiere of RUTKA, a powerful indie-rock musical that will start its journey to Broadway in Cincinnati as it tells a story about hope, resilience and resistance based on a real diary that a 14-year-old girl hid in the war-torn Jewish Ghetto in 1943 Poland.
- Regional premieres of recent Broadway and off-Broadway hits, including the achingly beautiful PRIMARY TRUST, the Pulitzer Prize-winning ENGLISH and the charming BIRTHDAY CANDLES
- A fresh adaptation of the plot-twisting, iconic thriller DIAL M FOR MURDER, which features a clever, fast-paced new treatment that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final moments
- A humorous and heartfelt solo performance about a struggling actor-turned-urban public school teacher, MR. PARENT
- The return of two comedy favorites: THE SECOND CITY returns to celebrate its 65th Anniversary with a lineup of the troupe’s most hilarious sketches and THE BOOK CLUB PLAY, a comedy by Karen Zacarías that’s become a sold-out hit at theatres across the country since its much-loved Playhouse run in 2013
2024-25 ROUSE THEATRE SEASON
Presented by Schueler Group
DIAL M for MURDER
By Frederick Knott
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed by Tatiana Pandiani
Co-Production with Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas
Aug. 17 – Sept. 15, 2024
Sponsored by U.S. Bank
Short description:
Murder and malice take center stage! It’s midcentury London, and Margot has ended her affair with Maxine and returned to life with her husband, Tony — or so she thinks. Tony, in fact, knows everything, and he spins a web of deception that sets into motion a series of deadly twists. This iconic thriller receives a clever and fast-paced new treatment for the stage.
One-liner:
The iconic, plot-twisting thriller about suspicion, deception and murder receives a clever new treatment for the stage.
MC and Tom Brennan and The Lemmerman Family present
RUTKA: A NEW MUSICAL
Based on the diary of Rutka Laskier, as published in Rutka’s Notebook: A Voice from the Holocaust
Music and Lyrics by Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Lloyd-Styles
Book by Neena Beber
Directed by Wendy C. Goldberg
Season Sponsor of New Work: Mark and Nancy Dawes
Oct. 13 – Nov. 10, 2024
Full description:
You’ll never forget her name. A powerful indie-rock musical makes its world premiere in Cincinnati to launch its path to Broadway. Rutka’s world is consumed by the usual teen concerns, like friendships, gossip, a new haircut and the flickers of first love — all of which she documents in her diary. But the world at large is far from usual. It’s 1943 in war-torn Poland, as Rutka and her friends are trying to live life as normally as possible while confined in the Jewish Ghetto. With their futures and fates uncertain, they reach for hope, resilience and resistance. This all-new musical is a compelling drama based on Rutka’s Notebook — a publication of the real diary left behind by 14-year-old Rutka Laskier, and a shining example of how even one small voice can make a difference in the world. Rutka is brought to life by an extraordinary ensemble of young performers and with a raw and emotional sound, promising an unforgettable musical experience.
Brief description:
A powerful new indie-rock musical about teens finding hope, resilience and resistance, while grappling with life in war-torn Poland, 1943. Rutka makes its world premiere in Cincinnati, launching this unforgettable true story on its path to Broadway.
First Financial Bank presents
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
By Charles Dickens
Directed by Bridget Leak
Adapted and Originally Directed by Blake Robison
Nov. 22 – Dec. 29, 2024
Short Description:
The holiday story you love unfolds in spectacular fashion in Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre! Charles Dickens’ classic tale of the curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge combines with dazzling set, costume and lighting designs for a magical holiday experience!
One Liner:
The holiday story you love unfolds in spectacular fashion with dazzling set, costume and lighting designs for a magical holiday experience!
Moe and Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth present
PRIMARY TRUST
By Eboni Booth
Directed by Timothy Douglas
Feb. 1 – 23, 2025
Short description:
Written with profound affection, this off-Broadway hit is an achingly beautiful tale that will restore your faith in others. Meet Kenneth, a shy, Black 38-year-old man who sells books by day and drinks mai tais with his best friend Bert by night. But when Kenneth is suddenly laid off, the walls of his life start to crumble until he finds kindness and friendship in unlikely places.
One-liner:
Written with profound affection, this recent off-Broadway hit is an achingly beautiful tale that will restore your faith in others.
Photo of the cast from the 2013 production at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park by Sandy Underwood.
Leading Ladies presents
THE BOOK CLUB PLAY
By Karen Zacarías
Directed by Blake Robison
March 22 – April 20, 2025
Sponsored by Johnson Investment Counsel and Clark Schaefer Hackett
Short Description:
A comedy about books and the people who love them. When the members of a devoted book club become the subjects of a documentary filmmaker and accept a provocative new member, their long-standing group dynamics take a hilarious turn. A sold-out hit at theatres across the country! Sprinkled with joy and novels galore.
One-liner:
A comedy about books and the people who love them. When a book club accepts a provocative new member, long-standing relationships take a hilarious turn.
2023-24 ROSENTHAL SHELTERHOUSE THEATRE SEASON
Presented by The Vontz Family
Maurice Emmanuel Parent in the Boston Playwright’s Theatre production of MR. PARENT. Photo by Scornavacca Photography
MR. PARENT
By Melinda Lopez with Maurice Emmanuel Parent
Conceived with and directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian
Sept. 7 – Oct. 6, 2024
Sponsored by Digi and Mike Schueler
Short description:
You’re never too old to learn a thing or two. A struggling actor turns to teaching in an urban public school, thinking “how hard could it be?” Based on personal stories, writer-performer Maurice Emmanuel Parent takes the stage in a deeply felt, hilarious solo performance about crushingly inequitable systems, the brilliance of every kid and how we might all find the space to be ourselves.
One-liner:
A writer-performer tells real-life, personal stories about being a struggling actor-turned-urban public school teacher in a deeply felt, hilarious solo performance.
THE BEST OF THE SECOND CITY
Oct. 24 – Dec. 22, 2024
Short description:
Having sold out with every outing at the Playhouse, The Second City returns! The 65th Anniversary Tour features some of the best sketch comedy and songs from the comedy vaults, updated for the modern era. Experience some of The Second City’s newest classics, along with their trademark improvisation, performed by the next generation of comedy superstars.
One-liner:
The Second City returns to celebrate its 65th Anniversary with more laughs, more sketches and more improv performed by the next generation of comedy superstars.
ENGLISH
By Sanaz Toossi
Directed by Kimberly Senior
March 1 – 30, 2025
Short description:
The 2023 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama takes the Playhouse stage! Four Iranian adults gather to learn English. As they navigate the mechanics of the language through humor, word games and cultural touchstones like Shakira and Coca-Cola, questions about identity seep into their minds and hearts. Both touching and funny, ENGLISH offers a revelatory glimpse into the human desire to belong.
One-liner:
The 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the human desire to belong as four Iranian adults navigate the mechanics of language with humor and vulnerability.
BIRTHDAY CANDLES
By Noah Haidle
Directed by Joanie Schultz
April 19 – May 18, 2025
Short description:
The ingredients are simple — but look closer and you’ll see the essence of life itself. Every year, Ernestine bakes a cake and celebrates with her family on her birthday — a delicious ritual that unfolds onstage through glimpses of her life across 90 birthdays. BIRTHDAY CANDLES will warm the soul as it tenderly explores motherhood, family, love, loss and finding your place in the universe.
One-liner:
BIRTHDAY CANDLES will warm the soul as it tenderly explores motherhood, family, love, loss and finding your place in the universe.
2024-2025 SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
Current subscribers must renew by April 12 to save their seats or to make a request to change them. Season ticket holders enjoy exclusive benefits like the best prices, payment installments, discounted parking, and first access to A CHRISTMAS CAROL, specially designed to make the most of our enhanced theatrical capabilities in the Rouse Theatre! Purchase A CHRISTMAS CAROL with your season tickets to add the cost to your payment plan. Season ticket packages range from $105 to $625.50, depending on the seat location and the productions included. A student season ticket package is available for $15 per production.
Purchase by visiting the Playhouse website at http://www.cincyplay.com or by calling the Box Office at 513-421-3888 or 800-582-3208 toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. For TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) access, call 513-345-2248. The Playhouse is fully accessible.
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Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 