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March 15, 2021 · 10:48 am

BETTER TOGETHER Available April 2-4

CMT_Better Together logoBETTER TOGETHER: A Night to Unite Through the Arts
Cincinnati Music Theatre
April 2-4
[Online]

Directed by David Choate
Music Directed by Jon Scheiding
Produced by Jacqlyn Schott, Megan Williams & Bonnie Emmer

Cast: Jerry Beasley, Kevin Bell, Kertu Bell, Tosha Gibson, Ke’von Gibson, Zac Holman, Deborah Hunter, Allison Kalfas, Alexi Lewis, Matt Lovell, Camille Smith, Amanda Marasch, Jazz McMullen, Alexa Mueller, Erin Reardon, Jacqlyn Schott, Tia Seay, Molly Sexton, Amanda Shumate & Corey Tucker

In collaboration with Revolution Dance Theatre, this evening of song and dance is a celebration of diversity in our arts community, and features talent from both the theatre and dance communities across Cincinnati. Tickets are free, but donations of any size are greatly appreciated!

  • Available for streaming Fri-Sun, April 2-4 at 7pm

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March 15, 2021 · 10:36 am

TDW Releases SECOND STORY JOBS on Home View Theatre

TDW_Second Story Jobs promoThe Drama Workshop’s Home View Theatre series continues with the release of SECOND STORY JOBS by Fred Tacon

SECOND STORY JOBS is a comedy that portrays what happens when an extremely overworked tooth fairy visits an adult man. The video is directed by Lynne Aronson and features Michael Sharon as the man and Rusty Lacy as the very tired tooth fairy.  Ms. Lacey has worked with TDW before. Her recent appearances include Mrs. Bradman in Blithe Spirit and Elizabeth Imbrie in The Philadelphia Story.  Michael Sharon lives in Cleveland where over the past 30 years, he has performed in numerous musicals, dramas and comedies, as well as, some filmed works. Alexa Justice served as producer and co-edited the video with her husband Ryan Tinney.

Tickets to stream any of the Home View Theatre productions can be purchased at www.thedramaworkshop.org/homeview or by calling the box office at 513.598.8303. Single videos are $5 or you can subscribe to the series of six videos for only $25.

The second series of Home View Theatre plays include:

  • The Rules, a comedy by Jessie Faye. As they prepare for a first date, a man and woman reflect on societal pressure, self-doubt, and the complexities of the perfect outfit. TDW is excited to welcome Jeff and Maddy Weinkam to their TDW debut. They will play the couple, and Jeff is directing. The Rules premiered on February 12.
  • Vir:Us, a collection of monologues written by a group of TDW artists who began a writer’s group during their pandemic downtime. Each monologue, performed by its author, explores how people try to make connections with others during the pandemic. The group of actor/playwrights consist of Chris Bishop, Betsy Bossart, Stephanie Klein, Lindsey Pullum, Fred Tacon and Eric Thomas. Vir:Us premiered on February 26.
  • Second Story Jobs, a comedy by Fred Tacon that portrays what happens when an extremely overworked tooth fairy visits an adult man. The video will be directed by Lynne Aronson and feature Michael Sharon and Rusty Lacy. Second Story Jobs premieres on March 12.
  • Goodwill, a play by Teri Foltz. While clearing out the garage after their mother’s death, a brother and sister learn of a family secret. The cast includes Linda Callahan and Steve Phelan under the direction of Julie Jordan. Goodwill will premiere on March 26.
  • Indian Sign, a drama by Clint Bramkamp in which conflict arises between a man leading a campaign to keep a twenty-eight-foot sign depicting an outdated view of Native Americans in place and a Native American activist who wants to see the sign taken down. Richard Zenk directs the cast which features Jessie Faye and John McInerney. Indian Sign will premiere on April 9.
  • I’m Bloody Retired, a comedy by Eric Thomas. Retiring Detective Sergeant Royal is given one last assignment – to train rookie Detective Francis – and one last case — to finally bring down his arch-nemesis. Dennis Murphy will direct and play Detective Royal. The cast also includes Nicholas Dunker, Lindsey Pullum, Chris Bishop, Karen Romero and others. I’m Bloody Retired will premiere on April 23.

For additional information on The Drama Workshop or The Glenmore Playhouse, please contact me via email.

THE DRAMA WORKSHOP was founded in 1954. TDW is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to advancing education and promotion of the theatrical arts. The Drama Workshop is widely recognized as one of greater Cincinnati’s most accomplished community theater organizations, garnering dozens of awards annually from the Association of Community Theatres of Greater Cincinnati. TDW’s 2019 production of “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” was selected to represent the Southwest Ohio region at the Ohio Community Theatre Association annual conference. TDW was also honored to represent the state of Ohio at the 2013 and 2017 American Association of Community Theatre regional conferences. The Drama Workshop has been recognized by the Cincinnati Preservation Association for their efforts to rehabilitate the former Glenmore Bowl into The Glenmore Playhouse. Prospective members, and individuals or businesses interested in becoming involved or in helping advance TDW’s mission are encouraged to contact the group through our website at www.thedramaworkshop.org, or by phone at 513-598-8303.

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March 12, 2021 · 11:16 am

Auditions Announced for JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at Cincinnati Young People’s Theatre

CYPT_logoCincinnati Young People’s Theatre (CYPT)
Audition Information
40th Anniversary Summer Musical

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
Lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

The national award-winning Cincinnati Young People’s Theatre (CYPT) will hold In-Person auditions for its 40th Anniversary production – JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT – at the Madcap Education Center, 3064 Harrison Avenue on the following dates: April 30, May 1 & 2.

New this year, performers and technicians can also audition via Video Link. Auditions by either method will be equally considered.

For Either Option: All auditionees must get an application packet in advance by emailing Jennifer Perrino at jenniferperrino@clpshows.org. Please request: In-Person Audition or Video Link Audition.

All participants must be 13 – 20 years of age at the time of the audition. Rehearsals Begin Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Performances: July 21 – August 8, 2021. Full information below.

NOTE: Auditions, rehearsals and performances will follow all guidelines and directives in force by the State of Ohio regarding Covid–19 precautions throughout the summer.

Tim Perrino, Director; Greg Dastillung, Music Director; Genevieve Perrino, Choreographer; Lizzy Stephenson, Production Stage Manager

IN-PERSON Audition Information for Performers

  1. Set up your audition appointment via email to Jennifer Perrino, Producer at jenniferperrino@CLPShows.org . All in-person auditionees MUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT by email in advance.
    TIMES: Please request a specific audition time slot:

    • Friday, April 30: 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm
    • Saturday, May 1: 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30am
    • Sunday, May 2nd 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm
      PLACE: Madcap Education Center, 3064 Harrison Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45211
  2. Bring your completed audition packet to your audition appointment. You must provide your age, a good phone number and an email address when setting up your audition.
  3. Arrive 15 minutes BEFORE the scheduled audition time to fill out paperwork.
  4. Please prepare a song from a musical theatre show that best represents your singing voice. Please bring sheet music for our accompanist. Do not expect to sing a cappella or with pre-recorded music.
  5.  Dress appropriately as you will be required to complete a dance audition.
  6. JOSEPH…DREAMCOAT is a sung-thru musical. You will not read from a script at auditions.
  7. All auditionees must complete all parts of the audition.

Video Link Audition Information – After receiving the Video Link audition packet:

Send back the following in one email:

  1. The completed audition packet
  2. A headshot and resume
  3. Link(s) to your audition video (Should feature you singing and dancing; see note below).
  4. Deadline to submit video link audition: May 2, 2021.
  5. Send email to jenniferperrino@clpshows.org.

Please note: Your video link may include previous shows/roles or your “audition reel” or something you create for this audition. The team will want to see you, hear you sing, and get a sense of how you move. The video links will not be judged on technical quality, but only on your appropriateness to the roles available in the show as demonstrated in the recording.

Technicians Audition Information – After receiving the audition packet:

Interviews will be set up for those interested in working tech for this production. Set up your interview by emailing Jennifer Perrino, Producer at jenniferperrino@CLPShows.org to request a time slot.

Interviews slots include:

  • Friday, April 30: 6:30 pm, 7:30 pm
  • Saturday, May 1: 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 11:30am
  • Sunday, May 2nd 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm

Tech interviews may be done by Zoom, phone or video during these times as well. Please arrange this via the above email.

Other Important Information:

  • All Rehearsals and Performances will be held at Covedale Center for the Performing Arts, 4990 Glenway Avenue, 45238.
  • Participation Fee: All participants (on stage and off) are required to pay a participation fee for this summer program. Fee will be due at the first rehearsal: $175.00 for performers (includes costume and show t-shirt); $50.00 for Techies (includes show t-shirt).
  • Please Note: A limited amount of funds are in place to assist with the participation fee. Funds are distributed on a confidential basis. Everyone is encouraged to audition, regardless of ability to pay! Choosing the cast of the show is based upon talent, enthusiasm and availability only. Ability to pay the participation fee is never a factor in casting decisions.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
One of the most fantastic shows ever written, Joseph… has TONS of roles, for women and men…GREAT songs… a WILD plot. Plus, the show really is just a dream – allowing for maximum creativity, excitement, crazy characters, hilarious anachronism and one stellar song after another.

A reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, the show is told entirely through song. After being betrayed by his brothers, Joseph travels to Egypt, ends up in jail, interprets the dreams of the Pharaoh and eventually forgives and reunites with his family!

The show is full of great songs in a variety of styles, from a parody of French ballads (“Those Canaan Days”), to country-western (“One More Angel in Heaven”) and calypso (“Benjamin Calypso”), along with the unforgettable classics “Any Dream Will Do” and “Close Every Door.”

Women’s Roles: Narrator 1,Narrator 2, Narrator 3, Napthali, Isaachar, Asher, Gad, Judah, Zebulum, Butler, Mrs. Potiphar, Harem (dance ensemble), Jacob’s Wives ensemble, Prisoners ensemble, Guards.

Men’s Roles: Jacob, Joseph, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Dan, Benjamin, Pharaoh, Potiphar, Baker, Old Testament Ensemble, Ishmaelites Ensemble, Prisoners Ensemble, Guards

What is CYPT? Cincinnati Young People’s Theatre provides a summer of great experience for performers and techies alike. Many alumni are professional actors, singers, dancers, technicians and musicians. Others are Drama, Opera, Music Theatre, Voice, Music and Broadcasting majors at colleges all over the country. To date, over 2,300 teens have been a part of CYPT!

CYPT has produced 38 years of exciting shows, including: Legally Blonde, Jesus Christ Superstar, Footloose, Children of Eden, Hello Dolly, Anything Goes, The Pajama Game, Godspell, Les Misérables, Crazy For You, The Wedding Singer, Grease, Hairspray, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, The Music Man and many more!

CYPT is the recipient of the Post-Corbett Award for Outstanding Arts Organization, plus, the National Recreation and Parks Arts and Humanities Award, and the Ohio State Award for Best Student Program.

CYPT brings together 100 teens each summer, on stage and off. In 2019, participants came from 40 different schools, from all over the Southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana region.

CYPT is for you! The teenage performer/techie interested in three things: 1) Theatrical Experience; 2) A Summer project with a difference; 3) A lot of new friends with the same interests.

Joseph Performance Dates:

  • Wed. July 21- Sun, July 25
  • Wed, July 38-Sun, Aug. 1
  • Wed, Aug. 4-Sun, Aug. 8

Tickets on sale starting June 1, 2021.

Tickets may be purchased via: www.CLPShows.org or at 513-241-6550 with a credit card.

Adults $22, Seniors/Students $20; Reserved Seats only.

All seating will follow the Ohio State guidelines for indoor theater performances.

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March 11, 2021 · 1:17 pm

CCM’s Streaming Series Continues with Performance by the Chamber Choir

CCM_Together ApartTOGETHER/APART Premieres on Friday, March 19 

CINCINNATI, OH—The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s virtual concert series continues with a powerful performance by the CCM Chamber Choir.

CCM’s “stars of tomorrow” are back on stage, and you get the best seats in the house! The next episode of CCMONSTAGE Online debuts at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 19, 2021. The premiere will stream simultaneously on CCM’s website, YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Dubbed Together/Apart, this hour-long virtual concert features the CCM Chamber Choir under the direction of accomplished new faculty member Joe Miller, who was named the director of CCM’s lauded Choral Studies program in 2020.

“The isolation generated by the pandemic is at the heart of Together/ Apart,” says Miller. “Strengthening our world by staying apart is a new concept for many of us and one that we both resist and embrace.”

Comprised of nine musical selections dating from the Renaissance to the 21st century, Together/Apart‘s eclectic program takes viewers on an emotional journey that reflects on the impact of COVID-19. Works by Thomas Morley, Claudio Monteverdi and J.S. Bach are featured alongside contemporary pieces like David Lang’s “I Am Walking” and The Wailin’ Jennys’ “One Voice.” The performance is also a collaborative effort with CCM’s Department of Theatre Design and Production, and also features lighting and projections by student designer Emily Rooks.

“Engaging with music allows us to recognize the significance of this isolation,” says Miller. “Together/Apart seeks to provide a musical landscape, reflecting this shared experience. Sometimes music is the only thing that makes sense.”

Like other episodes in CCM’s new virtual performance series, Together/Apart also features commentary from CCM students. All episodes of CCMONSTAGE Online can be digitally streamed for free. After the premiere broadcast, each installment in this ongoing series will remain available for on-demand viewing on CCM’s website, YouTube channel and Facebook page.

In addition to the performances recorded in CCM’s Corbett Auditorium, portions of Together/Apart were also recorded at Cincinnati’s Old St. Mary’s Church. Video production by MasseyGreenAVP, LLC. This digital performance series is made possible by support from CCMONSTAGE Online Broadcast Sponsors CCMpower and ArtsWave, and CCMONSTAGE Online Production Sponsors Dr. & Mrs. Carl G. Fischer.

View full details online

Receive broadcast reminders and information on future episodes of CCMONSTAGE Online by subscribing to CCM’s YouTube channel and email newsletter.

CCMONSTAGE Online Presents
TOGETHER/APART
Featuring the CCM Chamber Choir
Joe Miller, music director and conductor

Streaming Premiere
7:30 p.m. EDT Friday, March 19, 2021

Performance Details

  • David Lang: “I Am Walking” from Death Speaks
  • Thomas Morley: Nolo mortem peccatoris
  • Claudio Monteverdi: Ohimè, dov’è il mio ben(from Book VII Madrigals)
  • Robert White: Domine quis habitabit(III)
  • Paweł Łukaszewski: Responsoria Tenebrae: V. Ecce quomodo moritur
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Komm, Jesu, komm
  • Ruth Moody, arr. Marcelline Moody: One Voice
  • Nathan Jones: I Would Live in Your Love
  • Ola Gjeilo: Ubi Caritas

Visit us online to learn more about the performers

A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music offers nearly 120 possible majors, along with a wide variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs.

The synergy created by housing CCM within a comprehensive public university gives the college its unique character and defines its objective: to educate and inspire the whole artist and scholar for positions on the world stage.

For more information, please visit us online at https://ccm.uc.edu/.

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March 11, 2021 · 10:44 am

Cincinnati Opera and CCM Opera’s Opera Fusion: New Works Program Hosts Workshop for THE HOURS

CO_The HoursBy Kevin Puts and Greg Pierce, commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera and The Philadelphia Orchestra

A free, public livestream of performance excerpts can be viewed Monday, March 15, at cincinnatiopera.org

Cincinnati, Ohio—Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are pleased to announce the next workshop in their groundbreaking joint program, Opera Fusion: New Works.

In collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera and The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Cincinnati partners are hosting the first workshop for the new opera The Hours, by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts (Cincinnati Opera’s Silent Night, 2014) and librettist Greg Pierce (Cincinnati Opera’s Fellow Travelers, 2016). During this workshop, Puts and Pierce collaborate in real time with artists to shape and refine this work-in-progress, which is commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera and The Philadelphia Orchestra. The Met will premiere the work in its 2022-23 season.

The Opera Fusion: New Works workshop for The Hours will culminate in a free, public livestream of performance excerpts on Monday, March 15, 2021, from 5–6 p.m., at cincinnatiopera.org. The livestream also will feature a conversation about the creation of the work with Puts, Pierce, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera and co-artistic director of Opera Fusion: New Works.

Opera Fusion: New Works is generously funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

About The Hours
The Hours is a new opera based on the book by Michael Cunningham and the Paramount Pictures film. It tells the story of three women whose lives have a literary connection: Clarissa is a New York City book editor in the early 2000s, whose best friend, Richard, a celebrated poet dying of AIDS, nicknames her Mrs. Dalloway, after the heroine of the Virginia Woolf novel. Woolf also appears as a central character—in suburban London in 1923—as she struggles to write Mrs. Dalloway while battling suicidal thoughts. A third character, Laura, is a housewife in 1949 Los Angeles wrestling with depression and seeking escape by reading Mrs. Dalloway. Their three stories are elegantly interwoven, as parallels and echoes in their lives shed light on the eternal search for meaning, fulfillment, and connection, particularly for women constrained by societal roles and their own complicated desires and expectations. 

About Opera Fusion: New Works
Opera Fusion: New Works is a partnership between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) dedicated to fostering the development of new American operas. This collaboration is jointly led by Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, and Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM. Opera Fusion: New Works offers composers and composer/librettist teams the opportunity to workshop an opera during a residency in Cincinnati. Residencies use the facilities, personnel, and talent of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM. The workshops are cast with a combination of CCM students and professional artists, and each workshop concludes with a free, public presentation of excerpts followed by a Q&A session, all of which is streamed online. Since its founding in 2011, Opera Fusion: New Works has developed 18 new American operas, including Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce’s Fellow Travelers, Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s Great Scott, Ricky Ian Gordon and Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel, Rufus Wainwright and Daniel MacIvor’s Hadrian, and Matthew Aucoin and Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice. For more information, visit ofnw.org.

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 nation, 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 receives support from ArtsWave, the Ohio Arts Council, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. To learn more, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

About CCM Opera/Voice
Declared a top college vocal program by Backstage Magazine and described as ”one of the continent’s major music schools” by the Toronto Star, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s Departments of Opera and Voice provide one of the most comprehensive training programs for opera singers, coaches, and directors in the United States. CCM offers an international faculty of dedicated educators who are also celebrated professionals in their own right, widely and currently active in their respective fields.

CCM sends its students out into the profession. Several national opera companies now hold auditions at the conservatory, and the Opera Department also hosts a series of informational talks by nationally renowned professionals working both in America and in Europe. CCM students frequently advance to the final rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and CCM graduates have performed on the stages of the world’s greatest opera companies, including Cincinnati Opera, the Metropolitan Opera (New York), Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera (London), La Scala (Italy), and more. To learn more, visit ccm.uc.edu/opera.

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