Monthly Archives: March 2024

March 24, 2024 · 6:59 pm

Auditions Announced for THE HELLO GIRLS at Beavercreek Community Theatre

bctDirector: Matt Owens
Choreographer: Gretchen Obergefell
Music Director: Jenn Clark

Monday, April 22, or Tuesday, April 23, at 7pm each night
Callbacks on Wednesday, April 24, at 7pm

Performance dates are June 21-30

Prepare one minute of a Broadway-style song that demonstrates your vocal abilities and character.  An accompanist and Bluetooth speaker will be provided.

Auditioners should also be prepared to learn a brief dance combination to demonstrate movement ability.

Please arrive early to fill out audition form, which will include a listing of any conflicts between April 29 and the opening of the show on June 21.

We are looking for diverse performers to build a vocally strong ensemble of five women and at least five men who can each independently hold a harmony line.

Character Breakdown (general “stage age” listed in parentheses):
Grace Banker (mid 20s-30s): From Passaic, New Jersey; the leader of the squadron that went to the front, she received the Distinguished Service Medal for her bravery under fire; graduated from Barnard in 1915 and worked at AT&T as a telephone operator and supervisor before joining the army; articulate and poised, with a core of steely strength that makes itself apparent as she grows into her role as leader.

Suzanne Prevot (mid 20s-30s): From New York City; feisty, sardonic, tough talking; a close friend of Grace’s from AT&T; she was among the few who lived to be officially recognized by the Army; very invested in the fight for women’s suffrage and leads the women’s fight for recognition after the war.

Louise LeBreton (late teens-early 20s): From San Francisco; fearless, flirty, headstrong and often insubordinate; she lies about her age to join the army; born in France, she has family fighting with the French army.

Helen Hill (early 20s-30s): From outside Boise, Idaho; a typical small town farm girl. From a family of 17 children with a mother who speaks French; sweet, over-enthusiastic, wholesomely kooky and prone to nervous panic.

Bertha Hunt (30s-40s): From San Francisco; married to a Navy doctor who is also serving; older, wiser, reliable; The Den Mother; extremely knowledgeable about military matters.

Cpt. Joseph Riser (30s to 40s): The Signal Corps commanding officer who recruits and trains the women, and journeys with them to the front; a career army man, a stickler for rules and order, he is skeptical of the women’s presence in the army, even as his own success relies on theirs; he develops a close working relationship with Grace, who challenges his world view and converts him to an advocate.

Gen. John Pershing (40s to 50s): Commander of the American Expeditionary Forces; Hard, relentless, inflexible, with a deep sense of honor and American individualism and identity.

Pvt. Eugene Matterson* (20s to 30s): An enlisted man who works closely with Lt. Riser.

Lt. Ernest Wessen* (20s to 30s): Head of the recruiting center for the Signal Corps

Pvt. Robert Dempsey* (20s to 30s): A Signal Corps operator at the Paris Telephone Exchange

Official page |

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March 24, 2024 · 6:58 pm

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents World Premiere Dramedy THE MATCH GAME, April 13 – May 5

ETC_Match Game(Cincinnati, OH) Families, are we right? Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is thrilled to present the world premiere dramedy The Match Game by Steven Strafford. The 2022 winner of the Jackie Demaline playwriting competition, this hilarious story sees a family upside-down as they do everything but tell the truth to get what they need. Playing April 13 – May 5, 2024. Directed by Jared D. Doren. Premiere Sponsor is John Goering.

Steph has typical mid-life woes on her plate: a precocious daughter about to graduate high school and an absentee father who just moved in, who may or may not be faking dementia. Oh, and did we mention she has a little bit of cancer? Steph has ulterior motives for letting in her dad and a grand scheme to pull it off. When the family gathers for a birthday party with a hidden agenda, they’re forced to confront the truths they’ve been too afraid to acknowledge. This world premiere dramedy hilariously reflects on how families aren’t always well matched.

“To be able to nurture, foster, and see to fruition someone’s creation is what theatre is about,” explains ETC Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “We’re thrilled to bring to life the world premiere of The Match Game. It’s exactly the outcome that Jackie Demaline wanted, which was not only to encourage, but to actually produce a play that came across our desk from the competition named in her honor. The fact that we’re going to create something that came out of her spirit and generosity is exciting.”

About the Cast

Jennifer Joplin (Steph) is a graduate of Wright State University and is the director of development at Ensemble Theatre. Originally from St. Louis, she has called this region her artistic home for almost thirty years. Jen is a member of Actor’s Equity with regional credits that include Aimee in The Humans and Rosemary in Outside Mullingar, Ensemble Theatre; Mrs. Hubbard in Murder on the Orient Express, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Jaques in As You Like It and Cleopatra in Cleopatra, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Virginie in The Man-Beast, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; and two of her one-person shows premiering at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. 

Deb G. Girdler (Deb) has appeared numerous times on Ensemble Theatre’s stage, often as the villain in the holiday shows. Some of her ETC credits include The Dancing Princesses, Cinderella, Hands on a Hardbody, Around the World in 80 Days, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and The Frog Princess. Deb has appeared at the Olney Theatre as the Fairy Godmother in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, as well as in La Cage Aux Folles at the Gateway Playhouse in New Jersey. She can be seen in the feature films Carol and First Kill. A CCM graduate, she began her career on the Showboat Majestic and has worked off-Broadway, in regional theatre, and in summer stock for over 30 years.

Bruce Cromer (Johnny) was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in St. Nicholas, as well as The Legend of Georgia McBride, An Iliad, Underneath the Lintel, Next Fall, Time Stands Still, Wayfarer’s Rest, Blue/Orange, Next to Normal, and Freud’s Last Session. Bruce is a Professor Emeritus of acting and movement at Wright State University and a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat Emeritus with the Society of American Fight Directors. He has acted with the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, and more. He played Kim Burke in the film Dark Waters with Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway in 2019. He is member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Jared Joplin (Brian) returns to the Ensemble Theatre stage after last appearing in Grand Horizons. He has also appeared locally, regionally, in New York, and in internationally. Some favorite roles include Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Player #2 in Shipwrecked, Insight Theatre Company; Mr. Gilmer in To Kill a Mockingbird, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; and Susan in Thieves, Baumhouse Theatre.

Allen R. Middleton (Alan) returns to the Ensemble Theatre stage after last appearing in Sweat. His theatre credits include Proof, Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, The Lion in Winter, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and Next Fall. His feature film credits include Lost & Found in Cleveland, Curvature, Alligator Alley, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Allen appeared on television for five seasons on the cult SyFy Network series FTL Newsfeed. He is a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.

Savannah Boyd (Nora) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. Some of her favorite credits include playing Sandy in Grease with Cincinnati Young People’s Theatre and Ellie in Disney’s Freaky Friday, Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate, and Woman 2 in My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra with Cincinnati Landmark Productions.

Henry Howland (Sean) makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. He is a New York City-based actor from Cincinnati and has worked across the United States in regional productions including You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Rent at Scranton Shakespeare Festival; Cinderella, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre; and Cornelia Street, The Actor’s Studio NYC.

Production team: Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer), Maria Fernanda Ortiz Lopez (Costume Designer), Matt Callahan (Sound Designer), Emily Egner (Choreographer), Hannah Dringenburg (Wig Designer), Mel Bennett (Fight Director), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Curator & Design Assistant), Jacob Dowell (Technical Director), and Chris Lipstreu (Associate Production Manager). Production Stage Manager is Regina Pugh. Assistant Stage Manager is Lexi Muller. 

Performance Information

Performances Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30 pm; Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 pm. Performances vary. A complete calendar of performances is available at www.ensemblecincinnati.org. 

Ticket Prices

Tickets for adults start at $35 with ETC’s 30 for $35 discount; student tickets are $28; and children are $24. Half-Price Rush Tickets: All remaining tickets for the current day’s performance(s) are available two hours prior to each show time for half-price (discount only applies to adult tickets) when purchasing by phone or in person. 30 for $35: For every mainstage performance, thirty tickets will be available for $35 each with the promo code 30F35. These are first come, first serve, and the promo code will not apply the discount if all tickets have already been claimed. $15 Student Rush Tickets: Students may purchase up to two $15 student rush tickets two hours prior to show time with valid student I.D. Available in person only.

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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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March 24, 2024 · 6:56 pm

Dennis Harrington to Retire From the Aronoff Center’s Weston Art Gallery

Dennis Harrington

Dennis Harrington

[Cincinnati, OH]  The Cincinnati Arts Association announced today the retirement of Weston Art Gallery Director Dennis Harrington after twenty-nine years of dedicated service. He will step down from this position at the end of the Weston’s current 2023-24 season on August 31, 2024.

The award-winning Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center) features the work of local and regional artists and is the only gallery in the Greater Cincinnati area able to commission and support site-specific works. Since opening in 1995, numerous national and international emerging and professional artists, curators, designers, filmmakers, and performers working in all media have found creative and professional support in achieving their artistic vision.

Originally hired as the Weston’s exhibition preparator, Harrington served closely with founding director Salli LoveLarkin, who laid the Gallery’s foundation and forged its early programming efforts from 1995-98. Early in her tenure, LoveLarkin was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Due to the progressive nature of the disease, she retired in May 1998, and Harrington was appointed director in June 1998.

During his long association with the Weston, Harrington was responsible for implementing 284 exhibitions and countless associated performances, workshops, and screenings involving more than 1,200 artists, performers, designers, and curators that reflected the robust visual arts tradition of the region.

“Dennis’ impact on the local and regional visual arts landscape has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Steve Loftin, President, Cincinnati Arts Association. “His authentic commitment to artists, inclusivity, contemporary issues, and high-quality exhibitions have set him and the Weston Art Gallery apart from other institutions. Dennis will leave his eternal legacy on the Weston Art Gallery and the larger Cincinnati arts scene. We wish him much happiness in his retirement.”

Throughout his tenure, Harrington took full advantage of the Weston’s unique glass enclosed street-level atrium space, which served as an incubator for new work and afforded artists opportunities for site-specific installations not available elsewhere in this prominent and highly visible space. The two lower gallery spaces, situated directly beneath the atrium space, were envisioned by Harrington as “flex space” to manipulate and transform to suit the needs of the artists working in those spaces. Providing exceptional service and support to artists became a mainstay for the Weston and its dedicated staff.

“It has been a rich and rewarding experience to be a part of the Weston since its inception in 1995,” said Harrington, reflecting on his many years with the Weston. “I am grateful for the vision of Alice and Harris Weston, who advocated for a visual arts component in the Aronoff Center dedicated to showcasing local and regional artists. The seeds they planted have flourished.  It has been my pleasure and great privilege to work with many outstanding artists and be part of the collective effort and support from CAA President Steve Loftin, the CAA Board, CAA staff, Weston Art Gallery Support Committee, many generous Weston sponsors, and a committed and hard-working Gallery staff to make the Weston such an outstanding success. I look forward to welcoming a new director to the Weston, assisting them in transitioning the Gallery to new leadership,  and continuing to build a strong and exciting future for the Weston.”

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than two million students and adults.

The Cincinnati Arts Association and the Weston Art Gallery are supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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March 21, 2024 · 9:49 pm

Overture Awards 2024 Scholarship Competition Announces Winners 

CAA_Overture AwardsCAA ANNOUNCES
2024 OVERTURE AWARD WINNERS
$38,000 Awarded for Excellence in the Arts
Arts Educator Award Winners Also Announced

[CINCINNATI, OH] – The Cincinnati Arts Association is pleased to announce the winners of its Overture Awards Competition, held on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, and the winners of its Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction. The competition awarded $3,000 to six area students for education and training, $1,000 each to the 18 runners-up, and $1,000 each to two Arts Educator Award winners.

The Overture Awards recognizes, encourages, and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12 and is the area’s largest solo arts competition. Students are nominated by their schools and/or private studios to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Arts Educator Award promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout Greater Cincinnati. An educator who teaches any of the following arts disciplines may be nominated: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. A nominee may be a high school arts specialist, teaching artist working with high school students, or an arts professional or educator providing private lessons or instruction. Students between the ages of 14-19 who are currently enrolled in high school submit nominations for their favorite educators. A panel of arts professionals select the Arts Educator Award finalists and winners from the nominations.

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held virtually in January 2024. The top twenty-five percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center from February 1-3.

Now in its twenty-eighth year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association and relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate, manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

2024 Overture Award Winners

CREATIVE WRITING: Hailey Hartman, grade 12, William Mason High School
HOMETOWN: Mason, OH – Hailey has been scribbling stories and poems for as long as she could hold a pencil. Her writing has won her six awards from the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. Outside of poetry, she channels her love of words into public speaking and is the President of her school’s Model UN team.

DANCE: Isabella Shearer, grade 12, School for Creative and Performing Arts / Just Off Broadway
HOMETOWN: Mt. Washington, OH – Isabella started her artistic journey at age nine, under the direction of Daryl Bjoza and Sara Swinehart at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. She has performed numerous lead roles at SCPA. Her dream is to pursue a BFA degree in college and share her talents with the world.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Christy Kim, grade 12, William Mason High School
HOMETOWN: Mason, OH – Christy has been playing the violin since the age of six and now plans to pursue music professionally. She has won top prizes in numerous competitions, most recently the 2023 Sejong Music Competition, the 2023 Matinee Musicale Scholarship Competition, and the 2023-24 Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition. Christy has been featured on National Public Radio’s From The Top radio show with host Peter Dugan.

THEATER: Natalie Hudepohl, grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy / The Musical Arts Center / Cincinnati Music Academy
HOMETOWN: Montgomery, OH – Natalie’s favorite roles include Portia in Something Rotten, Evie in Disney’s Descendants, Annie in Annie, and Molly Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher. For four years, Natalie was in the Young Artist Preparatory Program for young opera singers. She was an Overture Awards Semi-Finalist in Vocal Music in 2021. Natalie plans to attend the Honors College at Clemson University and major in Nursing.

VISUAL ART: Ellen Zhang, grade 12, William Mason High School
HOMETOWN: Mason, OH – Ellen has enjoyed creating art for over six years in many different media, including painting and sculpture. As an artist, she received a perfect score on the AP 2-D Art and Design Portfolio and a Gold Key on the Scholastics Art Portfolio. Ellen’s dream is to be an installation artist. Outside of art, Ellen enjoys Chinese traditional dance, calligraphy, and reading.

VOCAL MUSIC: Ella Clark, grade 12, Dixie Heights High School / Talia Zoll Studio of Music
HOMETOWN: Independence, KY – Ella recently placed first in the regional Schmidt Vocal Competition and third in the 2023 Matinee Musicale competition and is a two-time Overture Awards finalist. She loves participating in her school’s musicals, the May Festival Youth Chorus, and Dixie’s chamber choir. Ella hopes to double major in music education and vocal performance. She would like to thank her voice teacher, Talia, for the support and guidance throughout the years.

2024 ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD WINNERS

Lincoln Chapman, Musical Arts Center (posthumous winner)
Discipline: Vocal Music
Nominated by Sabine Huhn and Alice Pooley

John Ingram, Private Instructor
Discipline: Instrumental Music
Nominated by John Paul Shannon

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council,
which receives support from the State of Ohio, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Overture Awards are endowed by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.

Overture Scholarship Sponsors:  Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Punky’s Pixels; Summerfair Cincinnati; TriHealth

Printing Sponsor:  Harlan Graphics

THANK YOU to the following generous supporters of Dancing for the Stars and The Overture Awards:
A Catered Affair, Accent on Cincinnati, Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Amanda Barraza, Douglas Beal, Bonita Brockert, Chris O’Brien & Janeen Coyle, Lane Glick, Heidelberg Distributing Company, JD Hughes, David Kapor, Jon Lawhead, Jeremy Mainous, Frank Marzullo, Metropolitan Club, Diana Nguyen, Amanda Orlando, Morgan Angelique Owens, Tom Parker, Party Source, Pepsi, Prime Cincinnati, Primo Italian Steakhouse, Punky’s Pixel’s, Erin Rolfes, Skyline, Litsa Spanos, Britton Spitler (as Brock Leah Spears), Andrea Stefano, Street City Pub, That’s So Sweet, Josh Tilford, Rostislav Toporski, Melissa Vaughn, Vonderhaar’s Catering.

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than two million students and adults. 

CAA is proud to be a member of Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Cincinnati USA Regional

Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education, Visit Cincinnati (formerly Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau), Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce. 

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March 21, 2024 · 9:48 pm

THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR at Loveland Stage Company

LSC_The Red Velvet Cake WarIn this riotously funny Southern-fried comedy, the three Verdeen cousins—Gaynelle, Peaches, and Jimmie Wyvette—could not have picked a worse time to throw their family reunion. Their outrageous antics have delighted local gossips in the small town of Sweetgum (just down the road from Fayro) and the eyes of Texas are upon them, as their self-righteous Aunt LaMerle is quick to point out.

Having “accidentally” crashed her minivan through the bedroom wall of her husband’s girlfriend’s doublewide, Gaynelle is one frazzled nerve away from a spectacular meltdown.

Peaches, a saucy firebrand and the number one mortuarial cosmetologist in the tri-county area, is struggling to decide if it’s time to have her long-absent trucker husband declared dead.

And Jimmie Wyvette, the rough-around-the-edges store manager of Whatley’s Western Wear, is resorting to extreme measures to outmaneuver a priss-pot neighbor for the affections of Sweetgum’s newest widower.

But the cousins can’t back out of the reunion now. It’s on, Gaynelle’s hosting it, and Peaches and Jimmie Wyvette have decided that its success is the perfect way to prove Gaynelle’s sanity to a skeptical court-appointed psychologist. Unfortunately, they face an uphill battle as a parade of wildly eccentric Verdeens gathers on the hottest day of July, smack-dab in the middle of Texas tornado season.

Things spin hilariously out of control when a neighbor’s pet devours everything edible, a one-eyed suitor shows up to declare his love, and a jaw-dropping high-stakes wager is made on who bakes the best red velvet cake. As this fast-paced romp barrels toward its uproarious climax, you’ll wish your own family reunions were this much fun!

Director: Mark Culp
Co-Producers: Tom Cavano & Jill Gornet

THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR runs:
May 3 at 7:30 pm
May 4 at 7:30 pm
May 5 at 3:00 pm (ASL interpreters featured)
May 10 at 7:30 pm
May 11 at 7:30 pm
May 12 at 3:00 pm
May17 at 7:30 pm
May 18 at 7:30 pm
May 19 at 3:00 pm

THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC. servicing with Dramatists Play Service collection. www.dramatists.com

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