Monthly Archives: January 2025

Cast Announced for THESE SHINING LIVES at Village Players

VP_new logoVillage Players of Fort Thomas is proud to announce the cast for THESE SHINING LIVES, directed by Becky Collins:

  • Sydney Vollmer – Catherine Donahue
  • Tamara Sanow – Charlotte Purcell
  • Madelynn Meredith – Frances O’Connell, also plays Reporter
  • Claudia Covarrubias – Pearl Payne, also plays Reporter and Daughter
  • Evan Beckmeyer – Tom Donahue
  • Travis Ryan – Mr. Reed
  • Bex Langendorfer – Dr. Dalitsch, also plays Dr. Rowntree & Judge
  • Nathan Turner – Leonard Grossman, also plays Company Doctor, Radio Announcer and Son

THESE SHINING LIVES by Melanie Marnich runs April 25 – May 3, courtesy of Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

Tickets are on sale now at www.villageplayers.org/these-shining-lives

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2025-2026 Season Announcement and Call for Directors at Dayton Theatre Guild

DTG_logoDayton Theatre Guild is Pleased to Announce 2025-2026 Season

A RAISIN IN THE SUN by Lorraine Hansberry
Performance dates: August 22-September 9, 2025

Auditions: July 7 & 8, 2025
[4 women, 6 men (& moving men)]

Set in Chicago’s South Side in the 1950’s, this is about the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband’s insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. Hansberry’s portrait of one family’s struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration. It was the first play by an African American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize.

DIAL “M” FOR MURDER by Frederick Knott
Performance Dates: October 10-26, 2025

Auditions: August 25 & 26, 2025
[1 woman, 5 men]

Tony Wendice plots to murder his wealthy wife, Margot, for her money by hiring a criminal to strangle her, but his plan goes awry, forcing him to manipulate the situation to frame her. But Margot engages a clever, quick-witted detective from Scotland Yard who uncovers the truth, leading to a suspenseful climax where Tony’s guilt is exposed.

LIGHT SENSITIVE by Jim Geoghan (Season Extra)
Performance dates: December 5-14, 2025

Auditions: October 13 & 14, 2025
[1 woman, 2 men]

Thomas Hanratty, lifelong resident of Hell’s Kitchen and once the most dangerous white cab driver in New York, was blinded eight years ago in a drunken accident and is fading into a routine of self pity and alcohol. His bartender and only friend is moving to Vermont with his girlfriend, but finds it difficult to abandon Tom. He recruits a slightly handicapped volunteer reader who battles her way through Tom’s shell. By the second act, they are falling in love. His buddy returns with tales of his “Christmas from hell” in Vermont, and doubt arises as to who will hold the number one position in Tom’s life.

MARY JANE by Amy Herzog
Performance dates: January 30-February 15, 2026

Auditions: December 8 & 9, 2025
[5 women]

Mary Jane navigates both the mundane and the unfathomable realities of caring for Alex, her chronically ill young son. She finds herself building a community of women from many walks of life, and dealing with all of life’s realities. Mary Jane is Pulitzer Prize finalist Amy Herzog’s remarkably powerful and compassionate portrait of a contemporary American woman striving for grace. It ran on Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club during the 2023/2024 season.

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE
Book/Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham; Music by Joshua Salzman
Performance dates: March 27-April 12, 2026

Auditions: February 2 & 3, 2026
[3 women, 3 men]

This musical from the mid-2000’s is a twist on Jane Austen’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. A young, uptight greeting card writer’s life is changed when he meets a flighty photographer. Along with their eccentric friends and siblings, they learn to love each other, not despite their faults, but because of them.

THE BEACON by Nancy Harris
Performance dates: May 22-June 7, 2026

Auditions: March 30 & 31, 2026
[2 women, 3 men]

Beiv, a renowned artist, has left her suburban Dublin home for a secluded cottage on a rugged island off the coast of West Cork, Ireland. Here, there is no escaping the rumors of her shadowy past, and Beiv lets everyone see right in because she’s having an extension made to the home, and many of the walls are missing. She and her visiting son have a chilly relationship at best — and there is also the question of whether Beiv really did kill her husband. This play ran Off-Broadway with a limited run, and closed in November, 2024.


We are also putting out the call for directors for the season. Those interested can find the directors application, on-line at https://forms.gle/2KXLjgUVGEUtjuUC9.

The deadline to submit the application is February 1, 2025.

For all questions concerning the Director’s call, contact Jared Mola at: mola.jared@gmail.com.

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Set Sail for an Unsinkable Night of Entertainment – Walnut Hills High School Theatre Debuts THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN: Revised Version

Cincinnati, OH-Returning to the stage once again, The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome audiences to their winter musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Walnut Hills was one of 16 schools in the nation to first receive a grant to perform this revised version, and it will be the regional premiere of this version of the show. The show runs February 13-15, 2024 at 7pm in the WHHS Auditorium.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown is the rags-to-riches love story of Molly and “Leadville” Johnny Brown, owners of the richest mine in the U.S. at the turn of the twentieth century. The show features music and lyrics by the incomparable Meredith Willson, and a book and additional lyrics by Tony-nominated author Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie) based on the original book by Richard Henry Morris.

This new revitalized version includes the songs you love but a story that’s new and true. This is Molly as she really was: vibrant, progressive, and ready to fight for the underdog as a champion of women’s rights, labor rights, and immigration reform.

Clark Sayre as J.J. Brown and Caroline Lovelace as Molly Brown. Costumes by Al Carmicle. Hair and Makeup by Cy Redding. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

This spirited tale of a legendary, real-life American original follows the exploits of Molly Brown, whose feisty determination to rise above her impoverished beginnings leads her from the backwoods of Hannibal, Missouri, to the palaces of Europe. Along the way, she marries a lucky prospector, enters the highest echelons of society, survives the sinking of the Titanic and, most importantly, earns the approval that she so desperately seeks from those “Beautiful People of Denver.”

Funny, light, uplifting and uniquely American, The Unsinkable Molly Brown charmed Broadway and Hollywood with its irresistible, outrageous title role and won over new audiences with this revitalized version when it premiered in 2020.

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students.Tickets 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
  • WHHS Parent Association
  • Solution Roofing
  • Riverview Heating and Cooling
  • Pepper and Family

Featuring
Caroline Lovelace as Molly Brown, Clark Sayre as JJ Brown, Sunny Durig-Roos as Julia Gerrard, Andrew Ryan Canter as Vincenzo Bionconi, Ben Clemenz as Erich Gescheider, Elijah Cook as Arthur,  Mya Verticchio as Baby Doe Tabor, James Overton as Horace Tabor/Dolce Trio (English), Adelaide Linser as Louise Sneed-Hill/Belly-Up Dancer, Lauryn Shafer as Emma Stetson/Maud Call/Young Streetwalker, Sophie Catalanotto as Birdie/Sacred 36/Desperate Mother/Can Can Dancer, Maya Lipscomb as Pearl/Sacred 36/Suffragette/Can Can Dancer, Kendra Sullivan as Nelva/Sacred 36/Concerned Mother/Can Can Dancer,  Jonathan Rubin as Senator Perkins/William Gerrard  /Doc Moris/Fred Bonfils/Ensemble, Charles Burdsall as Senator Simmons/Miner 1/Father Robinson/Impoverished Student/Buisness Man, C.C. Wise as Senator Newland/Sacred 36/Father Robinson/Judge Ben Lindsey/Business Man, Zach Stucker as Senator Nelson/Miner 3/Sacred 36/Jailer/Business Man/Hitchen, Senator Fletcher/Miner 4/Sacred 36/Criminal 1/Business Man/Dulce Trio (Italian)/ Guitar Player, Aubrey Lowe as Mary Nevin/Ensemble, Charlie Hans as Kit/Ensemble, Sami Ray as Larry/Ensemble, Adah Mosher as Maureen/Ensemble, Oscar Syroney as Rodolfo/Criminal 2/Dolce Trio (French)/Reporter/Ensemble, Violet Kimnach as Mimi/Belly-Up Dancer/Ensemble,  Benno Gibson as Newsboy/Juvenile Delinquent/Ensemble, Devlin Kennedy as Governor/Immigration Officer/Ensemble, Jackson Alexander, Riley Coleman, MJ Hartnell, Aniya Jenkins, Felix Leslie, Naomi Madaris, Aidyn Montgomery, Daphne Steele, Anna Rose Wright, and Ash Kertpet as Ensemble.

  • Directed by Mike Sherman
  • Assistant Director- McKenzie Bell
  • Music Director- Steve Goers
  • Choreographer- Kate Stark
  • Student Choreographer- Lauryn Shafer
  • Orchestra Conductor- Edward LeBorgne
  • Technical Director-  Helen A. Raymond-Goers
  • Production Stage Manager/Head Electrician- Abbie Kershner
  • Assistant Stage Managers- Noa Jaffee and Felix Moore
  • Costume Designer/Costume Manager- Alice Carmicle
  • Hair and Makeup Designer- Cy Redding
  • House Manager- Ellie Cook
  • Lighting Designer- Eleanor Jackson
  • Marketing and Publicity Head- Adelaide Linser
  • Production Manager/Co-Sound Designer- Nyla Shahanavaz
  • Props Designer/Props Manager- Peri Brenner
  • Scenic Designers: Eliot Brueggemann and Evan Williams
  • Co-Sound Designer- Cate Fitton

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Cast Announced for SNAPSHOTS: A Musical Scrapbook at Lumos Players

Lumos Players is excited to announce the cast of Stephen Schwartz’s SNAPSHOTS: A Musical Scrapbook

  • SUE: Laurie Barber
  • DAN: Erich Geoppinger
  • SUSAN/ENSEMBLE: Paula Gerhardt
  • DANIEL/ENSEMBLE: Chris Toney
  • SUSIE/ENSEMBLE: Paige Corsemeier
  • DANNY/ENSEMBLE: Brandon Stout
  • KAREN/ENSEMBLE: Monica Tenhover

Director – Corey McOsker-Nieman
Music Director – Katie Personke
Asst. Director – McKenzie Kugler
Stage Manager – Tina Behringer
Set Design/ ASM – Nicole Haake

Don’t miss this beautiful musical with songs from Stephen Schwartz’s most popular shows.
SNAPSHOTS: A Musical Scrapbook
PRODUCTION DATES: 3/21/25-3/29/25 at 7:30PM

WHERE: Lakeview UCC, 8639 Columbia Rd. Maineville, OH 45039.
Tickets $10 at the door or online. Tickets will be available online soon!

www.lumosplayers.com

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See TCT’s Dr. Seuss’s THE CAT IN THE HAT at the Taft Theatre This February

Bob Herzog stars as The Cat.

Featuring the Cincinnati Circus Company

Cincinnati – The third show in The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati 24-25 Farewell MainStage Season at the Taft Theatre is Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat February 15-24, 2025. Tickets are on sale now at www.thechildrenstheatre.com. This is the company’s last season at the Taft Theatre before opening the reimagined Emery Theater in October 2025.

From the moment his tall, red-and-white-striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat (Local 12’s Bob Herzog) is the funniest, most mischievous cat that they have ever met. With the trickiest of tricks and the craziest of ideas, he is certainly loads of fun. He turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure… but what will mom find when she gets home…?

TCT’s production will be directed by A. James Jones and will feature the Cincinnati Circus Company, along with a whole lot of audience participation in the pre-show experience. Don’t be late for this show!

Ideal for ages 4+. This production runs approximately an hour without intermission.

Public Showtimes include:

  • Saturday, February 15 at 2 PM (ASL interpretation)
  • Saturday, February 15 at 5 PM
  • Sunday, February 16 at 2 PM
  • Tuesday, February 18 at 10 AM (Sensory-Friendly/Accessible performance)
  • Friday, February 21 at 7 PM
  • Saturday, February 22 at 11 AM
  • Saturday, February 22 at 2 PM
  • Sunday, February 23 at 2 PM

At The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, we believe theatre is for everyone. That’s why we are so excited to present our eighth season of MainStage Sensory-Friendly performances, with the Sensory-Friendly/Accessible performance on Tuesday, February 18 at 10 AM.

This performance is a great outing for people of all ages with sensory needs, perfect for School Field Trips as well as families. It is intended for individuals with developmental and physical disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum who may benefit, and their classmates and families, not for the general public.

Only 500 $10 tickets will be sold in The Taft Theatre (which seats 2,200) giving patrons plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the show comfortably.

Performed in a Judgment-Free Zone, come as you are—everyone is welcome! Featuring softer lights and gentler sounds, making it a cozy experience. Special effects like fog and strobes in the audience? Not this time! Patrons who need a break can chill out in our Quiet Area in the lobby, staffed with a friendly expert. Additional resources for the performance, such as a Character Guide, a Guide to Attending the Show at Home, and a downloadable Social Narrative (in Word format) are available a week before the performance.

A committee of experts in the field was created to aid TCT with these performances, including staff members from Theatre Development Fund’s Autism Theatre Initiative, Cincinnati Children’s Starting Our Adventure Right (SOAR) program, CCHMC/ Cincinnati Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program, Cincinnati Occupational Therapy Institute, Cincinnati State’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology Program, Autism Connections – Cincinnati, Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati, The Point Arc of Northern Kentucky, Best Point Education & Behavioral Health, Stepping Stones, Inc., Jenn Jordan of Q102.

Additionally, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati presents eight additional performances of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat for school students, including an exclusive homeschool performance. Tickets are $10 per student, with one free adult admission for every 15 students. Call Pam Young at 513-569-8080 ext. 13 for details. Free proficiency test-focused Study Guides are available online at www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

Dani Lobello, Director of Production and Sound Designer. Samantha Reno, Scenic Designer. Yelena Babinskaya, Lighting Designer. Jeff Shearer, Original Costume Designer. Roderick Justice, Additional Costume Design. Maggie Foley & Andrew Nunley, Technical Direction. Jason Romney, Additional Sound Design. Adam Borchers, Properties Supervisor. Jadi Davis, Production Stage Manager.

Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat is made possible by Dress Run Sponsor TriHealth, Production Sponsor The Summit Hotel, and Season Sponsor The Charles H. Dater Foundation. PNC Foundation provides additional funding for MainStage Ticket Subsidies. Additional Sponsors include The Sutphin Family Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation Inc.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the tens of thousands who generously give to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Broadway-style MainStage productions, including Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat, are performed in the historic Taft Theatre, 5th and Sycamore Streets in Downtown Cincinnati. Tickets start at $12.

To purchase tickets, visit thechildrenstheatre.com or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10, Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM.

CAST

  • Christopher Baker………………..JUGGLING PERFORMER/KITTEN
  • Ella Cooper ………………………..THING 2
  • *Brinley Culver ……………………SALLY
  • Stella Dionysiou…………………..AERIALIST/KITTEN
  • Bob Herzog………………………..THE CAT
  • Ethan Kuchta………………………ENSEMBLE
  • *Elli Maddock……………………..THING 1
  • Aaron Marshall…………………..THE CIRCUS MCGURKUS, NARRATOR/FOLEY ARTIST
  • Gina Mauro ……………………….AERIALIST
  • Bobby Montaniz …………………FISH
  • Oriana Noelle………………….ROLLING GLOBE PERFORMER/KITTEN
  • Malyssa Quinn……………………ENSEMBLE
  • Olaf H. Rask……………………….UNICYCLIST/KITTEN
  • *Colton Slade ……………………..ENSEMBLE
  • Lauren Ashley Whitfield………..AERIALIST
  • *Kavan Vadivelu ………………….CONRAD

*Denotes TCT’s Young Artists Company

-end-

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