By Katrina “Kat” Reynolds
CORNER OF THE SKY: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati through September 27th. I attended the Opening Night performance.
The Cast of Corner of the Sky presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Photo credit: Ryan Kurtz..
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is opening its 2026-2027 season with a World Premiere Musical Revue, Corner of the Sky: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz. With music & lyrics by Mr. Schwartz himself (of course), this celebration of the prolific songwriter is conceived & created by Scott Coulter and spans five decades of Broadway tunes.
Director (who is also credited with Choreography) Vincent DeGeorge excels with his use of the playing space, knowing exactly when to keep it simple or make it big. While the choreo is certainly more rhythmic movement versus dancing, it contributes to the stage pictures nicely. Scenic & Lighting Designer Brian c. Mehring offers us a simple yet useful set which plays with the lighting choices quite well. (I was particularly fond of the accent lights during “Stranger to the Rain”.) Cat Schmeal-Swope makes some pleasant choices on costumes regarding style and colour, but the men needed a wee bit extra love. They appeared rather slapdash amongst the smarter looks. Kudos to Co-Sound Designers Jake Tillman and Danielle Lobello as the vocalists are clearly heard and understood; the excellent balance allowed the singers to bask in the natural highs and lows of Mr. Schwartz’s compositions.
This show boasts a solid ensemble of vocal talent as well as story-telling capabilities. Jordyn Amani Jones is without a doubt a performing artist with an incredible future ahead of them. Mx. Jones’ understanding and navigation of their vocal prowess is miles ahead of their time. New to the ETC stage is Chanduni Herath, another young person with a heck of a future in store for her. Her clear and flawless vocals are impressive to say the least. Cincinnati royalty Kenneth Early reminds us of his seemingly limitless range, both as a chanteur and actor. Bravx to a top-notch troupe of performing artists!
While many of you may know I am not generally a fan of musicals, you will also know there are exceptions – and Stephen Schwartz’s compositions are more often than not in the group of those I enjoy. The very first song I took to my voice coach at the age of 15 was “O Bless The Lord” because I was determined to learn the control necessary to go from simple singing to belting to lilting into the higher notes without obvious “breaks” in my execution. While Godspell was my own first exposure to Mr. Schwartz’s talents (and for the record, I still believe “By My Side” is one of the most beautiful songs ever written), it is only the tip of the iceberg for what he offers humanity via his genius. It is easy to see why Scott Coulter eagerly created this offering of laud for the songwriter’s catalogue. I highly recommend this production as a way to sit back and enjoy the music we have loved for so long performed by some very capable humans; it will cure many of your ills.
Click here for more information about the production.
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