Monthly Archives: September 2026

William Shakespeare’s ROMEO + JULIET Film in Concert | January 12, 2027 | Aronoff Center

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO + JULIET FILM IN CONCERT
GLOBAL TOUR STOPS IN CINCINNATI

Baz Luhrmann’s Genre-Bending Blockbuster Returns Thirty Years Later
as a Cinematic Live-to-Film Event 


January 12, 2027

Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall 

Tickets on sale Friday, September 18 at 10:00 AM

[Cincinnati, OH] – GEA Live, in collaboration with Disney Concerts and Baz Luhrmann, today announced the global tour dates for William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert (www.romeoandjulietinconcert.com), the cinematic live-to-film event celebrating the 30th anniversary of Luhrmann’s groundbreaking 1996 film. Visiting three continents in all and set to make its world premiere at the Sydney Opera House on September 29, the global tour will stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall for one show only on Tuesday, January 12 at 7:30 PM. Academy Award®-winning Leonardo DiCaprio and Emmy®-winning Claire Danes star as Romeo and Juliet in the bold retelling that made Shakespeare feel dangerous and romantic for a new generation and continues to influence fashion, music, and culture that still reverberates today.

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 18 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For group sales (10 or more), call (513) 977-4155. Prices include all applicable fees and taxes and are subject to change.

Presented on a cinema screen with the original dialogue and action intact, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert features a hybrid ensemble performing the film’s score and music live in sync with the full movie. Blending rock and orchestral musicians with vocals, electronics, and a DJ, they channel Luhrmann’s signature fusion of classic storytelling and contemporary sound.

“One of the greatest surprises over the past three decades has been watching Romeo + Juliet find new audiences again and again. That’s the enduring magic of Shakespeare and cinema,” says Luhrmann, a two-time Academy Award® nominee for Best Picture. “This concert celebrates both, while inviting audiences around the world to experience the film’s emotion, music, and theatricality in a completely new way.”

“Romeo + Juliet has influenced generations of filmmakers, musicians, and audiences, and its impact continues to be felt thirty years later,” says Floris Douwes, Producer and Managing Director at GEA Live. “Our goal was to create a live experience that honors that legacy while giving audiences a fresh reason to fall in love with the film all over again.”

Originally released on November 1, 1996, and opening number one at the US box office, Romeo + Juliet became one of Luhrmann’s signature works, transforming Shakespeare’s tragedy into a maximal, MTV-era pop opera that still feels timely three decades later. Romeo + Juliet‘s defining ’90s music identity helped cement its status as a generational classic, powered by instantly recognizable tracks including “Kissing You” by Des’ree, “Lovefool” by The Cardigans, “Talk Show Host” by Radiohead, “#1 Crush” by Garbage, “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)” by Quindon Tarver, “Young Hearts Run Free” by Kym Mazelle, and “You and Me Song” by The Wannadies.

For more information about William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert, visit romeoandjulietinconcert.com and follow @bazluhrmann on Instagram and TikTok, and @BazLuhrmannOfficial on Facebook; and, @DisneyConcerts on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

About Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann is a pioneer of pop culture working across film, opera, theatre, live events, fashion, and music. His singular cinematic language continues to captivate audiences through a unique fusion of classical artistry and bold, contemporary style that has ignited imaginations around the world and made Luhrmann the most commercially successful director in Australia with four of the country’s top-ten grossing films.

Born in Sydney, Australia, Luhrmann’s journey began in theatre, where his innovative productions won the acclaim of audiences and critics alike. He burst onto the scene with the first of his Red Curtain Trilogy, Strictly Ballroom, which premiered at the 1992 Cannes Festival. This film was followed by the ambitious modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996) and the Academy Award-winning Moulin Rouge! (2001). With these films, Luhrmann brought the movie-musical back into the zeitgeist with his infectious, trademark theatrical aesthetic and operatic sense of romance.

Returning to the stage, Luhrmann’s production company, Bazmark, went on to garner two Tony Awards for the Broadway run of Puccini’s opera La Bohème (2002), which he then followed up with the sweeping historical epic, the Academy Award-nominated Australia (2008).

His now-iconic screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (2013) won two Academy Awards and became Luhrmann’s highest-grossing film to date. Collaborating with Jay-Z on the Gatsby soundtrack, Luhrmann redefined cross-genre music in film, with the album peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and setting a new record for the biggest digital sales week for a soundtrack in Billboard history.

Always pushing the boundaries of genre, Luhrmann collaborated with Netflix on his first series, The Get Down (2016), a critically acclaimed show about the birth of hip-hop in the 1970s South Bronx. His recent projects also include Faraway Downs, a six-part Hulu series reimagining his 2008 film, Australia.

Luhrmann’s 2022 film Elvis, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks and entirely shot on the Gold Coast, Australia, became the fourth-highest grossing Australian film of all time. Elvis received eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture, while also winning four BAFTAs and eleven Australian Academy (AACTA) awards. Butler took home a BAFTA and a Golden Globe and was nominated for the Academy Award. The film’s Grammy-nominated soundtrack, produced by Luhrmann through his label House of Iona, featured the hit single “Vegas” by Doja Cat, which charted on Billboard’s top 10 and was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance. Elvis is Luhrmann’s most nominated film to date.

Luhrmann lives between New York, Paris, and the Gold Coast with his wife and creative partner, Oscar-winning designer Catherine Martin, and their two children. Luhrmann is currently in development on his forthcoming epic, Jehanne d’Arc at Warner Bros.

About GEA Live
GEA Live has established itself as the premier partner in location-based entertainment, combining creativity, excellence, and credibility to deliver unforgettable events that bring iconic brands to life in all their glory. Working with renowned IPs from TV, film, theatre, music, gaming, and anime, GEA Live designs, produces, and distributes everything from symphonic and film concerts to immersive exhibitions and stage shows. With a vast portfolio of shows spanning more than forty countries, GEA Live has collaborated with world-class brands like PlayStation, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Twilight, Dirty Dancing, Our Planet, and Demon Slayer, in addition to exclusively representing the legendary Ennio Morricone. As a trusted pillar of Sony Music’s Masterworks Live division, GEA Live has partnered with entertainment giants like Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, Viacom, and Warner Brothers, among others, delivering unparalleled value for licensors while further elevating the world’s most cherished brands.

About RoadCo
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 Disney Concerts
Disney Concerts is the concert production and licensing division of Disney Music Group, the music arm of The Walt Disney Company. Disney Concerts produces concerts and tours, and licenses Disney music and visual content to symphony orchestras, choruses and presenters on a worldwide basis. Disney Concerts’ concert packages include a variety of formats, such as “live-to-picture” film concerts, and themed instrumental and vocal compilation concerts that range from instrumental-only symphonic performances to multimedia productions featuring live vocalists and choirs. Showcasing concerts from the largest movie franchises in the world and the most iconic studios in entertainment – Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, 20th Century Studios, and National Geographic – Disney Concerts delivers world-class specialty entertainment, from bespoke performances to blockbuster hits and classics to seasonal favorites, in many of the world’s leading venues. Current and upcoming titles include the Star Wars Film Concert Series, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Infinity Saga Concert Experience, Black Panther, Moana, Frozen, The Lion King, Coco, Waiting to Exhale, Disney Princess: The Concert, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Toy Story, Edward Scissorhands, Home Alone 2, and the hit Worlds Collide tours. For more information, visit www.disneyconcerts.com.

About Bazmark

Bazmark is the internationally acclaimed creative studio founded by visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Academy Award-winning production and costume designer Catherine Martin. Over three decades, the company’s singular work has defined and re-defined genres across film, television, music, opera, theatre, live events, and luxury hospitality experiences and spaces. Bazmark’s iconic filmography – Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, Australia, The Great Gatsby, and Elvis – has garnered multiple Academy Awards and countless other global accolades. Bazmark continues to push the boundaries of cinematic and theatrical expression, creating culturally resonant works that captivate audiences worldwide.

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS 

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), MIAMI UNIVERSITY, ARTSWAVE, LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, PROCTER & GAMBLE, TRIHEALTH 

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, altafiber, Bahl & Gaynor, CityBeat, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, The Party Source, Pepsi, Summerfair Cincinnati

#  #  #

CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert
WHEN: 
              Tuesday, January 12, 2027 – 7:30 PM

WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

PRICE:                 Ticket prices start at $47.25, inclusive of all fees.

INFO:                 This cinematic live-to-film event celebrates the 30th anniversary of Luhrmann’s groundbreaking 1996 film. Academy Award®-winning Leonardo DiCaprio and Emmy®-winning Claire Danes star as Romeo and Juliet in the bold retelling that made Shakespeare feel dangerous and romantic for a new generation and continues to influence fashion, music, and culture that still reverberates today. Presented on a cinema screen with the original dialogue and action intact, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert features a hybrid ensemble performing the film’s score and music live in sync with the full movie. Blending rock and orchestral musicians with vocals, electronics, and a DJ, they channel Luhrmann’s signature fusion of classic storytelling and contemporary sound. 

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, September 18 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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“Practically Perfect” Nanny Takes Flight at the Emery Theater

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s MARY POPPINS JR. 

CINCINNATI – The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) opens its 107th MainStage season with Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins JR., playing October 9-25, 2026, at the Emery Theater. Tickets start at $12 and are on sale now at thechildrenstheatre.com.

This delightful adaptation of the Broadway and West End hit brings the unforgettable Banks family and the magic of Cherry Tree Lane to the stage. With colorful characters, an irresistible score, high-flying theatrical effects, and the Emery Theater’s immersive stage technology, this production offers an incredible crowd-pleasing experience for all ages. The musical includes favorite Sherman Brothers songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Feed the Birds,” “Step in Time,” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” along with new songs by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

Kim Kern, President and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, said: “Mary Poppins is a story generations know and love, and the Emery Theater gives us the opportunity to tell it with an entirely new sense of scale and wonder. From the moment Mary flies into Cherry Tree Lane, audiences will be surrounded by the music, movement, and theatrical magic that make this show so special. It is a practically-perfect way to open our 107th season, and we cannot wait to welcome families back to the Emery!”

Public Showtimes include:

  • Friday, October 9, 2026: 7 PM – OPENING NIGHT
  • Saturday, October 10, 2026: 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, October 11, 2026: 2 PM
  • Saturday, October 17, 2026: 11 AM and 2 PM (ASL and Audio Described Performance)
  • Sunday, October 18, 2026: 2 PM
  • Saturday, October 24, 2026: 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, October 25, 2026: 2 PM

Important information for opening-weekend patrons: BLINK Cincinnati will take place Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, October 11, from 7 to 11 PM throughout downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine, and Northern Kentucky. Because the free light and art festival is expected to draw large crowds and will affect traffic, street access, and parking near the Emery Theater, patrons attending performances October 9–11 should plan to arrive early and allow extra travel time. Public transportation is encouraged. Visit blinkcincinnati.com for current maps, road closures, parking, and transportation information. Pre-paid guaranteed parking passes for TCT patrons are available now at thechildrenstheatre.com.

Good to know: This production uses theatrical fog and haze, and actors will be flying on stage. This production runs approximately 70 minutes without intermission. Ideal for ages 4+.

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins JR. is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film. Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. Book by Julian Fellowes. New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Co-Created by Cameron Mackintosh. Adapted by iTheatrics under the supervision of Timothy Allen McDonald.

Original London and Broadway Production Credits

Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Thomas Schumacher. Co-Choreography by Stephen Mear. Lighting Design by Howard Harrison. Scenic and Costume Design by Bob Crowley. Co-Direction and Choreography by Matthew Bourne. Directed by Richard Eyre.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Production Credits

Stage Direction by TCT Artistic Director, Roderick Justice. Choreography by TCT Associate Artistic Director, Maddie Jones. Music Direction, Jacob Priddy. Scenic Design, Seth Howard. Lighting Design, Yelena Babinskaya. Resident Costume Designer, Alix Frisch. Original Costume Design, Noelle Wedig-Johnson. Sound Design, Daniel Massey. Video/Projection Design, Lightborne. Flying Effects, ZFX. Technical Direction, Maggie Foley & Andrew Nunley, Properties Master, Adam Borchers. Director of Production, Dani Lobello. Production Stage Manager, Jadi Davis.

Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

Disney & Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins JR. is made possible by Season Sponsors The Charles H. Dater Foundation and H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee. Production Sponsor The P&G Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation. PNC Foundation provides additional funding for MainStage Ticket Subsidies. Dress Run Sponsor TriHealth. Additional Sponsors include The Sutphin Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation INC. And Media Sponsors 12 WKRC-TV and Q102.

This production is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. 

Disney & Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins JR. will be performed in the beautifully renovated and reimagined Emery Theater, 1112 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Tickets start at $12. Visit thechildrenstheatre.com anytime or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10, Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM to purchase tickets. 

CAST:

  • KATIE BAUER:  Ensemble
  • AMY S. BAUMANN:  Miss Andrew
  • * LEVI BAUM:  Michael
  • PHOENIX BILLS:  Northbrook/Ensemble
  • TROIAN BUTLER:  Ensemble
  • CAMMI CALDWELL:  Katie Nanna/Mrs. Smythe/Ensemble
  • MAIYA CALDWELL:  Ensemble
  • *HAILEY CHANG:  Ensemble
  • *CELIA D’ASCENZO: Jane
  • COLIN DECH:  Ensemble
  • EDRICO EVANS-PRITCHETT:  Ensemble
  • EMMA HACKWORTH:  Neleus/Ensemble
  • * JAVIN HILL:  Robertson Ay
  • *DEZ FLYNN HUTCHENS:  Ensemble
  • KYNDRA D. JEFFERIES:  Mrs. Corry
  • JAMES JONES: Bert
  • EVAN KOONS:  George Banks
  • *PATRICK LYTLE:  Ensemble
  • AARON MARSHALL:  Von Hussler/ Ensemble
  • SEAN MOSS:  Chairman
  • AMY OBLINGER:  Mrs. Brill
  • ZACHARY PETRIE:  Ensemble
  • ALEXIS PINTO:  Ensemble
  • EMMA RILEY:  Mary Poppins
  • COLTON SLADE:  Ensemble
  • * KEYA VADIVELU:  Ensemble
  • MARY VOSSEBERG:  Bird Woman
  • MICHELLE WELLS:  Winifred Banks
  • PORTER WILLS:  Ensemble

* Denotes TCT’s Young Artists Company

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Cast Announced for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS at Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

CLP is proud to announce the cast and production staff:

The Cast:

  • Cassidy Steele (Princess Winnifred the Woebegon)
  • Leo Jenkins (Prince Dauntless)
  • Marissa Poole (Queen Aggravain)
  • Ryan J. Poole (King Sextimus the Silent)
  • Caleb Freed (The Minstrel)
  • Jordan Howlett (The Jester)
  • John Dorney (The Wizard)
  • Hope Louden (Lady Larken)
  • Royce Louden (Sir Harry)
  • Ensemble: Deanna Yael Berryhill, Elena Boyd, Molly Ann Compton, Sara Craig, Alaska Dunn, Jacob Eddingfield, Trey Finkenstead, Annie Schneider, Zach Treinen, Jaylen Turner, Elijah Wilson & Maria Zierolf

Production team:

  • Colin Waters, Director
  • Joseph Rivers, Music Director
  • Rachael Petranek, Choreographer
  • Jenny Lutes, Production Stage Manager

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS runs October 8 – November 1.

Tickets are available now at www.clpshows.org!
It’s not too late to secure your season subscription.

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MRS. MANNERLY at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Runs Oct. 13-Nov. 1

MRS. MANNERLY
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
Oct. 13-Nov. 1
[Over-the-Rhine]

Cast: Raymond McAnally as Jeffrey/Others & Dale Hodges as Mrs. Mannerly

Travel back to 1967 with Jeffrey Hatcher’s charming comedy, Mrs. Mannerly! Set in Steubenville, Ohio, this autobiographical play follows nine-year-old Jeffrey as he tackles the rigorous etiquette class of the formidable Mrs. Mannerly, a teacher with a mysterious past and zero tolerance for rudeness. Through mischief, determination, and surprising friendship, Jeffrey learns that manners are about more than just forks and napkins; they’re lessons in life, respect, and self-discovery. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati brings back one of the most popular productions in its history, with Raymond McAnally and Dale Hodges reprising their roles from the sold-out run. Packed with sharp wit, heartwarming moments, and nostalgic humor, Mrs. Mannerly is a delightful romp that proves good manners—and laughter—never go out of style.

  • In preview, Tue, Oct. 13 at 7pm
  • Wed-Fri, Oct. 14-16 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Oct. 17 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Oct. 18 at 2pm
  • Tue-Fri, Oct. 20-23 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Oct. 24 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Oct. 25 at 2pm
  • Tue-Fri, Oct. 27-30 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Oct. 31 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Nov. 1 at 2pm

Official page |

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DRACULA: A Comedy of Terrors at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Runs Oct. 9-31

Chris Guthrie as Dracula. Photo by Mikki Schafffner.

DRACULA: A Comedy of Terrors
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Oct. 9-31
[Over-the-Rhine]

Directed by Brian Isaac Phillips

Cast: Jasimine Bouldin as Lucy Westfeldt, Bill Chace as Dr. Westfeldt/Renfield, Chris Guthrie as Dracula, Candice Handy as Jonathan Harker & Kelly Mengelkoch as Mina Westfield/Dr. Van Helsing

Sink your teeth into a hilarious new take on the world’s most famous vampire! Filled with outrageous twists, playful innuendo, and more laughs than you can count, this delightful romp reimagines Bram Stoker’s gothic classic like you’ve never seen before. This dangerously debonair Dracula brings seductive chaos, proving that sometimes the Prince of Darkness can be as captivating as he is cunning. Join the hilarious hunt this Halloween season, where the only thing sharper than Dracula’s fangs are the gags that’ll leave you in stitches. Don’t miss the riotous ride that’s sure to leave you howling with laughter!

  • In preview, Wed, Oct. 7 at 7:30pm
  • In preview, Wed, Oct. 8 at 6:30pm
  • Fri, Oct. 9 at 6:30pm
  • Sat. Oct. 10 at 2pm
  • Thu-Fri, Oct. 15-16 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Oct. 17 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Oct. 18 at 2pm
  • Thu-Fri, Oct. 22-23 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Oct. 24 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Oct. 25 at 2pm
  • Wed-Fri, Oct. 28-30 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Oct. 31 at 2pm & 7:30pm

Official page |

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