Monthly Archives: February 2026

February 5, 2026 · 5:03 pm

Explore the Unexpected Side of Opera with Cincinnati Opera’s New Event Series, UNDERSCORE

CINCINNATI (February 4, 2026)—You’re invited to experience the rich stories, history, and drama at the heart of opera through Cincinnati Opera’s new event series, Underscore. From March through May, audiences will be immersed in fun and imaginative experiences inspired by the operas featured during Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival. From theatrical investigations to topical discussions to lively character explorations, attendees will discover the unexpected connections and relatable moments that make opera resonate.

Cincinnati Opera presents
Underscore
A lively new event series that approaches opera from unexpected angles, inviting audiences to explore its stories and ideas in imaginative and surprising ways.

Underscore: The Importance of Being Oscar
A nearly-true story of Oscar Wilde’s first visit to Cincinnati

When:
Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.

Where:
Wilks Studio at Cincinnati Music Hall, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Description:
Before writing his controversial play Salome, the source material for Richard Strauss’s opera, Oscar Wilde visited Cincinnati three times during his speaking tour of America in 1882. This original one-act play by Cincinnati Opera’s Evans Mirageas and Audrey Chait dramatizes the interview Wilde gave just prior to his first lecture at Music Hall. As interviewed by Samuel Flickinger of the Cincinnati Gazette, Oscar applies his trademark wit to his impressions of Cincinnati, the Aesthetic movement, music, fame, and much more. Starring Douglas Fries as Oscar Wilde and Chris Logan Carter as the Interviewer, with performances by soprano Heidi Middendorf, tenor Jack Keller, and pianist Matthew Umphreys.

Tickets:
$25 per event; $60 for 3-event package. Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742. 

Underscore: Carmen’s Revenge—An Operatic Murder Mystery 

When:
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

Where:
Second Sight Spirits, 301 Elm Street, Ludlow, KY 41016

Description:
Spoiler alert: Things don’t go well for Carmen at the end of Bizet’s opera. But what if the drama didn’t stop at the end of Act IV? Join us for an interactive, irreverent, and, of course, operatic glimpse into what comes next for Carmen’s friends and foes—no prior Carmen knowledge required! Filled with clues and plot twists, plus live performances of classic Carmen arias, you’ll learn more about the opera while engaging with the cast of characters and fellow guests to uncover the truth. Will you be the sleuth who pieces it together and solves the murder?

Tickets:
$25 per event; $60 for 3-event package. Cash bar available. Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742. 

Underscore: The Afrofuturist Salon

When:
Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.

Where:
Artsville, 5021 Whetsel Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45227

Description:
Step into the vibrant universe of Lalovavi, Cincinnati Opera’s bold, new Afrofuturist opera, with The Afrofuturist Salon. This event brings together cultural innovators, creative voices, and curious minds for cocktails, connection, and conversation inspired by Afrofuturism and the power of hair, style, identity, storytelling, and legacy. Featuring Lalovavi librettist Tifara Brown, wig designer Tiara Jones, and Cassandra Jones, University of Cincinnati Assistant Professor of Africana Studies, exploring the intersections of Black futurism, beauty, and self-expression. The experience flows into a high-energy DJ set with spoken word and remixes inspired by Lalovavi. 

Tickets:
$25 per event; $60 for 3-event package. Cash bar available. Order at cincinnatiopera.org or 513-241-2742.

About Cincinnati Opera

Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the U.S., Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.

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February 3, 2026 · 4:44 pm

Auditions Announced for ANNIE at Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre

DATE: Sunday, February 22nd or Monday, February 23rd
CALLBACK DATE: Tuesday, February 24th
TIME: 6:00-7:30pm (children) and 7:30-9:30pm (adults)
LOCATION: The Creative Center at the Palace; 213 S. Third Street,
Hamilton, OH 45011

Directed by Ryan Heinrich
Vocal Direction by Betsy Horton
Choreography by Chris Beiser
Produced by Erin Heinrich

Please prepare one minute of an appropriate-style Broadway song. An accompanist will be provided. You may be asked to read from the script. All ages and types are welcome.
There will be a dance call for orphans at callbacks only.

Reserve your audition spot here: www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0449ADA72DAAFCC43-62061710-annie#/.
Walk-ins are welcome, and will be seen as time allows.

Rehearsals begin March 15th and will typically be every Sunday/Monday evenings for orphans, and Sunday/Monday/Tuesday/Thursday evenings for adults and Annie. You may not be called for every rehearsal. Rehearsals begin at 6:30 and may go until 9:30. Cast must be available for all of production week (April 26-May3).

AVAILABLE ROLES:

Annie
A street-wise orphan; she is eventually taken in by Oliver Warbucks.
Spunky, friendly, big-voiced.
Age: 10 to 12
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: A3

Orphans
The other girls in the orphanage with Annie. These girls are gritty, neglected and vulnerable, yet basically honest and potentially loveable. Includes Molly, Kate, Tessie, Pepper, July, and Duffy.
Age: 6 to 13

Warbucks
A successful businessman with a warm heart. Rich, stiff-collared, bullish.
Age: 35 to 55
Vocal range top: Gb5
Vocal range bottom: B3

Miss Hannigan
The orphanage matron who hates children but is fond of liquor. Very disillusioned, bitter, and cold.
Age: 30+
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: A3

Rooster
Miss Hannigan’s no-good brother looking for a quick buck. A sleazy, slick con man.
Age: 25+
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: B3

Lily
Rooster’s girlfriend, who is also out for a quick buck.
Age: 25+
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: B3

Grace Farrell
Faithful secretary to Mr. Oliver Warbucks. Poised, sweet, gentle.
Age: 20+
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: Bb3

Bert Healy
The ultimate radio personality. He helps Annie by broadcasting about the search for her birth parents.
Age: 25+
Vocal range top: G5
Vocal range bottom: E4

Roosevelt
The 32nd President of the United States. A friend of Warbucks.
Age: 40 to 60
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: Eb3

Ensemble
Servants (Drake, Mrs. Greer, Mrs. Pugh), Boylan Sisters, Cabinet Members, Hooverville Citizens, etc.
Age: Any

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February 3, 2026 · 4:44 pm

Poetic Romantic Drama MARY’S WEDDING Brings a Timeless Tale of Love, Loss and Resilience to Rosenthal Shelterhouse Beginning Feb. 7

Britian Seibert (Mary/Flowers) and Aaron Schilling (Charlie) in rehearsal for MARY’S WEDDING at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

CINCINNATI (Feb. 3, 2026) – MARY’S WEDDING, a poetic story of love, loss and the human spirit, begins in previews Feb. 7 in the Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre. The period drama, set during World War I and told through a series of interwoven dreams, runs through March 9. Opening night is Feb. 12.

The romance begins on the eve of the First World War. Mary and her mother have recently moved to Canada from England. Mary meets Charlie, a Canadian farm boy, and they fall in love. Soon after, Charlie is shipped off to battle in the trenches of France while Mary waits in anticipation of their wedding day. As the play unfolds, audiences experience an unforgettable story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit.

MARY’S WEDDING is written by award-winning Canadian playwright Stephen Massicotte. It received the 2002 Betty Mitchell Award for Best New Play and the 2003 Alberta Book Award for Drama after it was first produced in Calgary in 2002, and it’s been widely produced across North America ever since.

The Calgary Herald noted, “Mary’s Wedding … proves Massicotte is a gifted storyteller with an ear for detail and imagery… It was Massicotte’s descriptive writing that allowed the audience to really lose themselves in the moment. There was nary a dry eye in the house by the time the actors took their final bows.”

“I believe there is great value in telling period stories set in a specific time and social context, with characters that are a product of their era,” states Osborn Producing Artistic Director Blake Robison, who directs the production. “Young people in love at a time of political turmoil and world tumult has something to do with what happens and continues to happen in the world today. The time period of World War I offered moral clarity that we don’t often get in contemporary times.”

ARTISTS

  • Aaron Schilling                                      Charlie
  • Britian Seibert*                                      Flowers/Mary
  • Stephen Massicotte                              Playwright
  • Blake Robison                                      Director
  • Lex Liang                                              Set/Costume Designer
  • Michelle Habeck                                   Lighting Designer
  • Matthew M. Nielson                              Sound Designer/Composer
  • Brandon T. Holmes*                              Stage Manager
  • Maggie Ballard                                      Production Assistant
  • D’Arcy Smith                                         Dialect Coach
  • Erin Carr                                               Intimacy Coordinator

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

TICKETS
Tickets begin at $35.00. Prices vary depending on performance. Preview performances take place Feb. 7, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. Opening night is Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Regular performances will take place on Tuesday-Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. A matinee performance will take place at 1 p.m. on Feb. 25. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Patrons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled: dial 711 to connect to the Box Office via Ohio Relay Services.

EVENTS

Preview Performances
Be among the first to see the show before opening night and save! Preview performance tickets are discounted.

  • Sat., Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Tue., Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Wed., Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Opening Night
Share the excitement of Thursday opening night.

  • Thu., Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Art Talks
(Formerly Meet the Artists), stay after select performances for a behind-the-scenes discussion with members of the artistic team.

  • Sun., Feb. 15 at 2 p.m.
  • Sun., Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.
  • Wed., Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Thu., Mar. 5 at 7:30 pm

Audio-Described Performance
Trained volunteers describe the visual elements of the production via a hearing enhancement system, allowing patrons to hear dialogue, music and other sound effects. The description is timed to avoid interfering with dialogue. Before the show and during intermission, show and actor information are shared.

  • Tue., Mar. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

ADVISORY
MARY’S WEDDINGis recommended for ages 13 and up. Two characters fall in love against the backdrop of World War I, navigating their feelings across space and time. Using very mild adult language, their story depicts war, with some sound effects and descriptions of violence and death.

SPONSORS
Production Sponsors are Dick and Sandy Manteuffel. Honorary Producer is the Lemmerman Family. Artists Sponsors are Betsy and Jerry Shroat and Diane and Carl Iseman. This production is made possible by a generous gift from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Media Sponsor is 91.7 WVXU.FM. The 2025-26 Rosenthal Shelterhouse Season is presented by the Vontz Family.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

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February 3, 2026 · 4:43 pm

A SOLDIER’S PLAY Review

By Katrina “Kat” Reynold

A SOLDIER’S PLAY presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company through February 15th. I attended the Opening Night performance. 

Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

As its first production of the 2026 calendar year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is bringing audiences the 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama: A SOLDIER’ PLAY by Charles Fuller. Set in 1944, this murder mystery unfolds on an Army base in the segregation-era South. Boasting suspense and an unfiltered look at prejudice and resentment, this tale is one for the ages.

Director Christopher V. Edwards has not only gathered one of the best ensembles in theatre history, but has done this intriguing script justice in its staging. Scenic Design by Jon Savage is functional and just plain impressive. Without spoiling, Mr. Savage implements a creative playing field for “flashbacks” while giving the set itself multiple levels for the actors to use. Lighting Design by Jessica Drayton and her assistant Kassidy Schley is impactful and complements both the set and the mood of the play perfectly.

If you read my reviews (and everyone you know needs to read my reviews), you will know how fond I am of a solid ensemble of performing artists. Cincy Shakes is one of the best at gathering such an ensemble and this one is aces. Each and every actor has a wonderful opportunity to shine with this script. Performances of particular note are those of “ranney” as opportunistic Pvt James Wilke; Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as conflicted Tech Sgt Vernon C. Walters; Montez Jenkins Copeland as lovable Pvt CJ Memphis; and Jay Wade as reluctant Pvt Tony Smalls. Bravx to all!

Like so many productions from smart theatre companies, A SOLDIER’ PLAY is (unfortunately) still relevant decades after its publishing and even more decades after its timeline placement. Prejudice exists at many levels and assumptions are at its core. Further, the expression “hurt people hurt people” comes to mind as I think about the content of this incredible text. Make no mistake: there are beautiful moments of camaraderie and celebration in Mr. Fuller’s masterpiece – but the hate rears its ugly head and dims the light on those snapshots. The arts can be an ideal teacher during these times and particularly as we acknowledge the importance of Black History Month, can we not take the lessons learned into every day with us? As a person of privilege due to the colour of my own skin, I say with all my heart: I see you, I hear you, and I will do better.

Click here for more information about the production.

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February 3, 2026 · 4:42 pm

The Passing of Nancy Storey

From Geo. H. Rohde & Son Funeral Home

Nancy Ann Storey of Cincinnati passed away January 31, 2026, at the age of 94.

Nancy was born on November 20, 1931, to the late Frank & Genevieve Moore. Nancy was the beloved wife of the late Thomas Joseph Storey for 65 years.

After attending OSU as a theater major, Nancy then spent a lifetime involvement in Cincinnati Community Theater.  She was very much involved in the Bellarmine Players, Village Players and a forever lasting contribution to the Mariemont Players which she remained on the board as an Emeritus member. Outside of theater she had a deep love of animals; especially her own pets. She is survived by loving nieces, nephews and friends.

We especially appreciate the helping hands of our Caregiver Lilian and the wonderful Hospice of Cincinnati both home care and in patient.

No visitation. Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Mary Catholic Church, 2845 Erie Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208 on Friday, February 6, 2026 at 11:00 AM. In lieu of Flowers, the family requests donations in Nancy Ann’s name to OAR- (Ohio Alleycat Resource) at https://ohioalleycat.org/donate/ or Hospice of Cincinnati at https://hospiceofcincinnati.org/donate/.

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