Monthly Archives: May 2024

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL Runs June 6-15

ESP_Spongebob MusicalTHE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL
East Side Players
June 6-15
Blue Ash Recreation Center Amphitheater

Directed by Amanda Osburn

Official cast list 

Plunge into this stunning all-singing, all-dancing, dynamic stage show! When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. With lives hanging in the balance and all hope lost, a most unexpected hero rises up. The power of optimism really can save the world! An exciting new musical featuring irresistible characters and magical music, this deep-sea pearl of a show is set to make a splash with audiences young and old. The future is bright, the future is bold, the future is The SpongeBob Musical.

  • Thu-Sun, June 6-9 at 7:30pm
  • Wed-Sat, June 12-15 at 7:30pm

Official page

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HORIZONS OF GOLD Runs June 6-9

BB_Horizons of GoldHORIZONS OF GOLD
Bart’s Bards
June 6-9
St. Bartholomew Church Krumpe Activity Center [Springfield Township]

Directed by Fred Hunt
Music directed by Shawn Charton
Choreographed by MAddy Weinkam & Hunter Gee
Produced by Elle Rothan, Andy Schwartz & Ursula Biron

Cast: Jasmyn Jewell as Rose, Rachel Mabry as Margaret Thomas, John Boyd as Bo, Garry Hohnecker as Lawrence Thomas, Roman Jerger as Edward Thomas/Ensemble, Hunter Gee as William Thomas/Ensemble, Carter Schulte as Charlie Thomas/Ensemble, Amarna Hawks as Opal/Ensemble, Caroline Lawson as Nettie, Bailey Margrave as Pearl, Elle Rothan as Alice, Ron Mason as Hank, Gary Bracknell as Otis, Travis Bauer as Clarence, Barry Reynolds as CCC Foreman/Ensemble, Bernadette Calvino as Woman 1/Ensemble, Julianne Burch as Woman 2/Ensemble, Mike Williams as Store Manager/Ensemble, Nick Biron​ as Man/Ensemble, Emily Pine​ as Edith/Ensemble, Maria Williams​ as Ethen/Ensemble & Lizzy Travnik​ as Wilfe/Ensemble
Ensemble: Alyssa Bauer, Chloe Bollmer, Kelsey Dalton, Molly Davenport, Annabelle Dunahugh, Eloise Elliott, Adrianna Fedele,​ Christian Hawwash, Holly Horner, Roxy Jones, Sophia Lankford, Molly Majestic, Christian Masheka, Yolanda Masheka,​ Audrey Mason, Erica Mason, Isabelle Morales, Helen Mariah Murdoch, Bianca Page, Amy Reynolds, John Rothan,​ Olivia Rothan, Laila Spiker, Saira West, Brooklyn Whitaker, Annie Williams & Josie Williams​

Rose is a young Mexican migrant, abandoned and lost in turbulent 1930s California. She clings to Margaret Thomas, a Kansas farm wife displaced by the Dust Bowl. Together, they grieve a lost family and search for home and healing in the midst of unrelenting hardships. Could John Bollen, the generous wheat farmer down the road, be a savior for them both? A powerful journey of the heart unfolds for three people who find their lives intertwined, each desperate to heal the past and embrace a new future.  Lush, full-bodied orchestrations and soaring melodies take us back to the sweeping wheat fields of America’s Great Plains. With its cast of vibrant characters, this thoughtful script is packed with heart-rending drama, laugh-out-loud humor, and gentle romance.

  • Thu-Fri, June 6-7 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, June 8 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, June 9 at 2pm

Official page |

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The Passing of Steve Russell

MTG_Steve RussellStephen James Russell

Steve Russell was born on November 22, 1949, in Covington, KY, to the late Charles E. and Jane (nee Osterman) Russell.

Steve is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years Barbara (nee Hatke) Russell; Loving father of Charles (Stephanie) Russell; Cherished grandfather of Logan and Sonja Russell; Brother of Joseph (Joellen) Russell and brother-in-law to Gary Lee and Gerry Ash. Along with his parents, Steve is preceded in death by his two sisters, Lucy Lee and Cecilia Ash. Steve is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

Stephen was a devoted family man who cherished spending time with his wife Barbara and their family. He had a passion for hosting game nights, organizing family vacations, and enjoying boating excursions. A true fan of the Cincinnati Bengals, Stephen’s enthusiasm for football extended to throwing tailgates, where he would cook and delight numerous fans with his culinary skills.

In addition to his love for sports, Stephen had a talent for cooking and singing, and he actively participated in community theater productions. He was a member of the Milford Theatre Guilde where he earned numerous awards for set design, acting, producing, and set construction. Steve was an avid singer and was a member of St. Andrew’s Church Choir and The Kingsmen. Steve will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed.

Steve passed away on May 11, 2024, at the age of 74. Resident of Miami township. A celebration of life will be held at the convenience of the family held at a later day. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Steve’s name to the Mental Health Foundation.

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THE ADDAMS FAMILIY Runs June 14-16

CPAM_The Addams FamilyTHE ADDAMS FAMILIY
Performing Arts of Miamisburg
June 14-16
Miamisburg Memorial Auditorium

Official cast list |

Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family – a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before– keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

  • Friday, June 14 at 7pm
  • Sat, June 15 at 2pm (Understudy Cast) & 7pm
  • Sun, June 16 at 2pm

Official page |

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2024-2025 Season Announced by Fairfield Footlighters

fflBLITHE SPIRIT
September 27-29, 2024
Directed by Kate Brauer-Bell

A smash comedy hit on London and Broadway stages, this much-revived classic from the playwright of “Private Lives” offers wit, conflict and big laughs as a fussy, cantankerous novelist finds himself haunted by the ghost of his late first wife.

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE
November 15-17, 2024
Directed by Cameron DeVille

Cut off from the outside world by its remote location and shunned by all who know its forbidding and sinister reputation, Hill House has remained empty and silent except for the daily visits of its grumbling caretaker, Mrs. Dudley. Its isolation is broken by the arrival of Dr. Montague, an investigator of supernatural phenomena who has been granted a short lease by the present owner. His mission is to delve into the morbid history of the house and to come to grips with the occult forces that have made it uninhabitable for many years. Visitors too are absorbed by the supernatural, but their approach is via direct communication with the departed spirits—a type of psychic research which is regarded fearfully by Dr. Montague and which, as subsequent events bear out, brings on a crisis in which the evil forces of Hill House are goaded to a new and, for one of those present, fatal fury.

GODSPELL
February 21-23, 2025
Directed by Anna Schindler Brown

A small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus’ life dances across the stage. Dissolving hauntingly into the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Jesus’ messages of kindness, tolerance and love come vibrantly to life. A masterful retelling of the original sensation, injected with contemporary references and dazzling new arrangements is sure to entertain audiences.

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID
May 23-25, 2025
Directed by Ginny Johnson

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID is the rollicking tale of four loyal and determined women who definitively answer the question, “Just how far are you willing to go to keep a promise to a friend?” If you’ve ever elbowed a stranger out of the way to catch a bride’s bouquet, seriously questioned the mental stability of the duo saying “I do”, or been forced to wear the world’s ugliest bridesmaid dress, this deliriously funny JONES HOPE WOOTEN COMEDY is definitely for you…and your dearly beloved!

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