Monthly Archives: December 2024

LES MISERABLES Runs Jan. 7-19

“One Day More” from Les Misérables Photo: Matthew Murphy.

LES MISERABLES
Broadway in Cincinnati
Jan. 7-19
Aronoff Center Procter & Gamble Hall [Downtown]

STILL THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR MUSICAL. Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables. This brilliant staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “Les Mis for the 21st Century” (Huffington Post), “a reborn dream of a production” (Daily Telegraph) and “one of the greatest musicals ever created” (Chicago Tribune). Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. This epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” “Master of the House” and many more. Seen by over 130 million people worldwide in 53 countries and 22 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals.

  • Tue-Fri, Jan. 7-10 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Jan. 11 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Jan. 12 at 1pm & 6:30pm
  • Tue-Wed, Jan. 14-15 at 7:30pm
  • Thu, Jan. 16 at 1pm & 7:30pm
  • Fri, Jan. 17 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Jan. 18 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Jan. 19 at 1pm

Official page |

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FAILURE: A Love Story Runs Jan. 3-12

FAILURE: A Love Story
Springboro Community Theatre
Jan. 3-12
Springfield Performing Arts Center

Directed by Julia Gomez

Cast: Sawyer Schafer as Gertrude Fail, Madelyn Sweet as Jenny June Fail, Ryleigh Sadler as Nelly Fail, Mason McHone as Mortimer Mortimer, Zella Younce as John N. Fail, Avery Adkins as Cuckoo Clock/Front Door/Window/Chorus, Belle Scherquist as Chorus, Brenna Lawrence as Mae/Counter Clock/Chorus, Chloe Nelson as Grantland Rice/Chorus, Heather Hilderbrand as Marietta Fail/Gramophone/Chorus, Milena Moncayo as Henry Fail/Moses/Chorus, Myka Denison as Chorus, Nicole Denison as Dog/Grandfather Clock/Chorus & Zoe Hancock as December/Wall Clock/Chorus

By the end of 1928, all three Fail sisters will be dead — expiring in reverse order, youngest to oldest, from blunt object to the head, disappearance, and finally consumption. Tuneful songs, and a whimsical chorus follow the story of Nelly, Jenny June, and Gerty as they live out their lives above the family clock repair shop near the Chicago River, before their time unexpectedly runs out. A magical, musical fable where, in the end, the power of love is far greater than any individual’s successes or failures.

  • Fri-Sat, Jan. 3-4 at 7pm
  • Sun, Jan. 5 at 2pm
  • Fri-Sat, Jan. 10-11 at 7pm
  • Sun, Jan. 12 at 2pm

Official page |

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NARUTO The Symphonic Experience | March 26, 2025 | Aronoff Center

NARUTO THE SYMPHONIC EXPERIENCE
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

For the First Time Ever, Audiences in More Than Sixty Cities Will See a Live Orchestra
Perform the Most Iconic Songs and Themes from the NARUTO Animated Series,
Live-to-Picture, as Scenes Play Out on a Full-Size Cinema Screen

March 26, 2025
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

Tickets on sale Friday, December 6

[Cincinnati, OH] – GEA Live, Un Pour Tous Productions, and RoadCo Entertainment today announced NARUTO The Symphonic Experience (www.narutoinconcert.com), fresh off its successful European tour seen by more than 60,000 fans, will visit more than sixty cities on its first North American tour, including a stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM. The event is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2024-25 Season.

For the first time ever, audiences will get their chance to see an original, unforgettable two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) meticulously created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun from the first 220 original episodes of the beloved NARUTO animated series that is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its original TV anime adaptation. The orchestra will perform the most iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 6 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Prices start at $55.00. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4155. Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change.

“We invite NARUTO fans to celebrate NARUTO with this unique, live-to-picture experience. We created a two-hour film enhanced with a live, symphonic orchestra because the soundtrack plays such a huge role in the anime’s success and is praised by the legions of fans time and time again,” says producer Julien Vallespi. “The original score, composed by Toshio Masuda, is a perfect blend between pop and rock arrangements as well as traditional Japanese instruments like the Shakuhachi and Shamisen.”

With worldwide popularity and more than 250 million copies sold, NARUTO, by Masashi Kishimoto, is a shonen manga that started in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999 and concluded in 2014 after 700 chapters. The story revolves around Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja who overcomes his past and battles countless rivals as he dreams of being Hokage, the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The anime began airing on the TV Tokyo network in 2002, followed by NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2007–2017). The 20th anniversary of the TV broadcast was commemorated in October 2022. Being distributed worldwide immediately after broadcast in Japan has made NARUTO an internationally celebrated series beloved by people all over the world. Eleven animated feature films have also been released, as well as apps, games, and merchandise, art exhibitions, 2.5D musicals, music festivals, and Kabuki performances.

Vallespi spent months selecting the best and most iconic moments from more than seventy hours of the first 220 episodes, identifying and choosing appropriate narrative arcs, and combining the best dialogue, scenes, and musical sequences. Significant synchronization work had to be done to match the score to the film, and to make everything as smooth as possible for the conductor and the musicians. “This symphonic-rock show is a tribute to Kishimoto’s anime and Masuda’s music,” says Vallespi.

For more information about NARUTO The Symphonic Experience, tour dates, and tickets, please visit www.narutoinconcert.com and follow @naruto_symphonic_experience on Instagram, @OfficialVIZMedia on Facebook, and @VIZMedia on Instagram and X.

About GEA Live
Since its inception in 2003, GEA Live has delivered innovative live entertainment projects in more than forty countries, becoming a global leader in the location-based entertainment sector. GEA Live has closely cooperated with the legend Maestro Ennio Morricone (representing him exclusively for all live touring) as well as with icons of music film industry such as James Newton Howard, Giorgio Moroder, and George Fenton. In addition to producing live cinematic experiences such as the Johnny Cash Official Concert Experience or Elvis Live On Screen, GEA Live has produced live screenings with orchestra and choir of major motion pictures such as Spider-ManDirty DancingThe GodfatherTitanicLa La LandTwilightThe Hunger GamesPaddington, and Amadeus. This journey has led to fruitful collaborations with renowned studios and IP giants such as Lionsgate, Viacom, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, and other global leaders in the branded entertainment landscape, earning GEA Live its well-deserved position as the most reliable and trusted partner for location-based entertainment projects worldwide.

About Un Pour Tous Productions
Un Pour Tous Productions, co-founded by Rémi Préchac and Julien Vallespi in 2021, is a production company specializing in the acquisition and development of strong licenses (Lucky Luke, Naruto, Les Mystérieuses Cités d’Or…) in order to adapt them into musicals, films, or TV Series. Lucky Luke is the structure’s first ambitious series. Un Pour Tous Productions is a subsidiary of Abside Groupe, which also operates the Montjoie studios (winner of the 2030 stimulus plan) and aims to become a new industrial player in the creative sector. Un Pour Tous Productions is one of the driving forces behind this dynamic.

About RoadCo Entertainment
RoadCo Entertainment, formed in 2020, is a producing and distribution agency specializing in live entertainment experiences. A collaboration between Sony Music Entertainment and independent touring entrepreneurs Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, RoadCo represents a broad roster of live events based on popular brands and intellectual properties, as well as all-new immersive and interactive attractions for audiences of all ages.

About VIZ Media
Wherever manga and anime fans are, we are! VIZ Media is No. 1 in Japanese pop culture, introducing fans to what’s now, new, and next. VIZ is home to the world’s most influential and groundbreaking storytellers and artists, who today drive multiple industries from publishing and animation to film and gaming. If it’s big in Japan, you can find it at VIZ.

VIZ Media is proudly certified as a Most Loved Workplace® in America and Inc Magazine’s 2023 Best Workplace. For more information on VIZ Media, visit https://www.viz.com/ and follow @OfficialVIZMedia on Facebook, and @VIZMedia on Instagram and X.

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS

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.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), ARTSWAVEFIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRIHEALTH

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

#  #  #

CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                NARUTO The Symphonic Experience
WHEN:                Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – 7:30 PM
WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICES:               Start at $55.00. 10%-off groups of ten or more. Additional service fees may apply. Prices subject to change.
INFO:                   For the first time ever, audiences will get their chance to see an original, unforgettable two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) meticulously created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun from the first 220 original episodes of the beloved NARUTO animated series that is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its original TV anime adaptation. The orchestra will perform the most iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, December 6 at 10:00 AM

  • www.CincinnatiArts.org  
  • (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
  • Aronoff Center Ticket Office
  • Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4155

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Actors Needed for YOU’VE CAUGHT US IN OUR SHORTS…FOR THE 7TH TIME at Sunset Players

Sunset Players Presents: YOU’VE CAUGHT US IN OUR SHORTS…FOR THE 7TH TIME, a night of short one act plays.

Show runs March 14-22. Rehearsals begin in January.

Director Logan Dunn is seeking two male actors to fill roles in the short play “Enigma Variations” by David Ives.

“Zany hijinks as a pair of lookalikes named Bebe WW Doppler-gängler solve an identity crisis with the help of Dr. William W Williams and his nurse Fifi, who may or may not be Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Or is she a male gym teacher in a dress?”

Characters:
Bill 1: Nerdy and serious psychiatrist. Age 20’s-30’s
Bill 2: Same as Bill 1. Is his mirror on stage. Age 20’s-30’s

If interested please contact Logan Dunn at 13dunnlo@gmail.com

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ALICE IN WONDERLAND Review

By Katrina “Kat” Reynold

ALICE IN WONDERLAND presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati through December 30th. I attended the Opening Night performance. 

Sara Mackie as the Queen (and King) of Hearts. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Featuring an updated score and fresh new costumes, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is bringing back ALICE IN WONDERLAND to audiences this holiday season. As Director D. Lynn Meyers informed Opening Night attendees, this marks the 25th opening for an ETC show with Book by Joseph McDonough and Music & Lyrics by David Kisor. Based on the beloved, imaginative tale by Lewis Carroll, this modern retelling is the toe-tapping story of a lost girl, a cool cat, a wild hare, and the original “dancing queen.”

Under the solid and capable direction of Ms. Meyers, the cast and crew flourishes. Choreographer Dee Anne Bryll has an incredible knack for the exact movements needed to enhance and never detract from a scene. Costume Designer Cat Schmeal-Swope gives us some excellent lewks (yes, I spelled that correctly) with a strong red-and-white theme throughout. In addition, Wig & Makeup Designer Missy J. White’s vision works seamlessly with Ms. Schmeal-Swope’s designs. The aesthetics are a perfect marriage of contemporary fashion along with edgy, Wonderland-esque garb. Tens across the board, darlings!

It should come as no surprise that this year’s holiday show is jam-packed with star power. Each of the talented performing artists gets wonderful stage moments to highlight their assets; however, here are some of particular note.

Without a doubt, some of the biggest audience reactions are brought to us by the appearance(s) of the Cheshire Cat played masterfully by Brooke Steele. Boasting stellar vocals and enviable physicality, Ms. Steele is the perfect choice to play the mischievous feline misfit of Wonderland.

Adding a sweet side of whimsy to her gorgeous vocals is Kate Wilford as the Dormouse. I could not take my eyes off her any time this veteran graced the stage. In fact, the trio of the Dormouse, the March Hare (Brandi La’Sherrill), and the Mad Hatter (KG Rucker) is an all-out delight with some of the best costumes you’ll see.

Finally, it would be remiss to leave out the phenomenon that is Sara Mackie. Ms. Mackie (who is also dressed to the nines) commands the stage as both the Queen (and King) of Hearts. Serving wonderful puppetry magic (the King sings AND dances) along with show-stopping vocals, she is the belle of the freaking ball. With her laudable skills and attention to detail, all performers should aspire to be just like her.

This production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND carries on the long-standing tradition of ETC’s Fairy Godmother Program which allows students in underserved communities to experience the joy of live theatre and go home with a snack to boot. Couple that with the joy this family-friendly show will bring so many and you won’t dream of regretting this trip to Wonderland.

Click here for more information about the production.

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