By Katrina “Kat” Reynolds
THE HOUSE ON WATCH HILL presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati through May 31st. I attended the Opening Night performance.
The cast of THE HOUSE ON WATCH HILL Photo by Ryan Kurtz.
For its final show of the 2025-2026 season, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is bringing audiences a proverbial “blast from the past” via THE HOUSE ON WATCH HILL with Book & Lyrics by Richard Oberacker & Robert Taylor and Music by Richard Oberacker. Based on true events, it tells the story of a group of teenaged misfits who try to make their mark in the summer of 1984 – the one before they venture into the world of high school.
Co-Directors D. Lynn Meyers and Dee Anne Bryll (who also serves as Choreographer) work well together in using the entire space at hand. Their use of unconventional parts of the set as beds or couches or seats in a basement is genius. Scenic & Lighting Design by Brian c. Mehring is sleek and stark punctuated by neon lights and…it really works! It is the ideal setting for a show which is trying to make the story itself and the characters the focus. Specific shoutout to the hardworking production staff who created the Spencer’s carts as I was immediately back in SoCal circa the 1980s trying to navigate the store without a parental figure catching me doing it. Music Director Steve Goers and his band (Joel Greenberg, Brian Malone, and Matt Wiles) certainly possess a knowledge of the time period’s music, but I fear a lot of Mr. Goers’ work with the vocalists is lost due to the volume of said accompaniment. It feels like the singers are fighting for their lives and no one wants to hear someone blow out a vocal cord.
While the show boasts a strong ensemble of performing artists, there are certainly some standouts. Sara Mackie, who plays Adult 2 (aka multiple roles throughout) gives us her usual extra effort. She is a delight to see and hear and provides us with some grounded character connections. Julianne Ferreira Da Silva plays Jennifer, a character whom embodies everything I would have been as a teen in the 1980s with the Pat Benetar-esque vocals to boot. Gavin Poronsky is utterly likable as Tim, a character of whom I’d loved to have seen more!
While clearly a deeply personal piece, I do think The House on Watch Hill could use some further workshopping. I can myself relate to being a “weird little kid” (hell, I’m a weird not-so-little adult), but that isn’t always enough motivation to care about a character or where they are headed. The nostalgia is real, the visuals are fantastic, and the heart is clearly present; it could all just use a wee more depth. Some things are timeless, however: dealing with liking someone or something to a precarious degree, finding your way through the world in your own skin, and holding dear the people who helped you survive those formative times.
Click here for more information about the production.
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 