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October 6, 2025 · 5:54 pm

Cincinnati Opera Announces New Board Officers, Trustees, and Associate Members

CINCINNATI (October 2, 2025)—Cincinnati Opera announces the election of officers for its board of trustees for the 2025–2026 fiscal year, as well as the addition of eight trustees and seven Cincinnati Opera Board Associates.

Officers were elected at Cincinnati Opera’s Annual Meeting on September 17, 2025. These officers were originally elected to serve a one-year term in September 2024 and were all re-elected to serve another one-year term as of the Annual Meeting. They include:

  • President Ronald T. Bates, Managing Director, 1919 Investment Counsel
  • Chair Melanie M. Chavez, Partner, Chavez Properties
  • Treasurer and Executive Vice President Robert Bitter, Partner, Deloitte
  • Secretary Charles E. Baverman III, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl

Also as of the Annual Meeting, new trustees and new members of the Cincinnati Opera Board Associates, a subsidiary of the board of trustees composed of young professionals, began their three-year terms.

New trustees include:

  • Amy Bixel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Fifth Third Bank
  • Josh Blatt, President, John Henry Homes
  • Michael T. Dean, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl
  • Michelle Goret, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Cintas
  • Brandon R. Jones, Audit Partner, Deloitte
  • David Paredes, Director of Marketing, Standard Textile
  • Buffie Rixey, community volunteer
  • Heather Z. Vecellio, Director of Brand, Design, and Production, HiNOTE

New Board Associates include:

  • Alicia DeVore, Marketing and Public Relations, Castellini Management Company
  • Caressa Layne Miles, Operations Coordinator and Gallery Director, Xavier University
  • Cara Nicolas, Marketing Coordinator, SHP, and Owner/Writer, Caniche Communications
  • Maddie Shanahan, Attorney, Calfee, Halter & Griswold
  • Carlin Twedt, Brand Manager, KAO
  • Lou Velazquez, Marketing Director, The BMW Store & Cincinnati MINI
  • Tobias P. Wright, Account Executive, Zoom

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 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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October 6, 2025 · 5:51 pm

Fairfield Footlighters Call for Directors

Fairfield Footlighters announces its annual call for directors! If you are interested in being considered for our upcoming season, please submit a list of plays/musicals and your directing resume, if you have one, at the link below:

https://forms.gle/ingEReZjTVswVLSi8

Please submit your information no later than December 7. 2025.

We look forward to being in touch!

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October 6, 2025 · 5:48 pm

Walnut Hills Theatre Department Presents the 2025 ONE ACTS FESTIVAL

Walnut Hills High School welcomes you back to the stage with their annual Junior High One Acts Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cincinnati, OH – The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is thrilled to be welcoming you to the opening of their 2025-2026 season with the Junior High One Acts Festival!  The show runs October 16-18th, 2025 at 7pm and October 18th at 2pm  in the Rick Steiner Black Box Theatre.

The festival features 3 One Act plays; Why We Like Love Stories by Stephen Gregg, Murder in Little Grimley by David Tristham, and an original piece titled Bebe Le Strange by Walnut students Ash Kertpet and Easton Taylor. 

Sasha Rucker-Chang as Crooper, Annajane Updegrove as Chloe & Silas Dronen as Bark. Costumes by Izzy Hayes, Hair and Makeup by Piper Hawkins.

Why We Like Love Stories
Directed by Mckenzie Bell

In the hills above Pin Cushion, California, students go to talk of the world, flirt and yearn. It’s a place where heartbreak awaits. In a La Ronde-style chain, Chloe breaks up with her boyfriend, Crooper, devastating him. Months later, Crooper ineptly attempts to use a mathematical equation to break up with Jessica—his girlfriend of seven months. She’s furious, since she’s in the middle of declaring her love for him. Months later, a calmer Jessica rebuffs Bark, who pines for her. But then things come full circle. Bark and Chloe—outsiders both—take an awkward, fumbling-for-words walk in the hills. Chloe has a secret, and Bark’s reaction to it gives them a surprising connection that, for the moment at least, promises a future. Why We Like Love Stories is a wistful comedy about the things we learn from the people we love, even once they’ve left us

Front row: Benno Gibson as Sam, Ellis Klump-Lawson as Gordon & Adina Morvay as Joyce
Back row: Madeline Benoit as Margaret and William Crone as Bernard. Costumes by Izzy Hayes, Hair and Makeup by Piper Hawkins. 

Murder in Little Grimley
Directed by Caroline Lovelace and Aubrey Lowe

Anxious to cash in on the public’s appetite for detective dramas, the Chairman Gordon writes a whodunnit. But in a bizarre twist he then finds himself embroiled in a real-life murder mystery that threatens to put him behind bars. The quarrelsome quartet have been in some sticky situations over the years. But can they possibly get away with murder?

 

 

Ive Syroney as Charlie and Leni Cable as Bebe Le Strange. Costumes by Izzy Hayes, Hair and Makeup by Piper Hawkins.

Bebe Le Strange
Written and Directed by Ash Kertpet and Easton Taylor

When a gullible teenager named Charlie visits the mysterious psychic Bebe Le Strange, he is given a tarot reading that he believes will change his life. Bebe Le Strange pulls “The Magician” card from the deck and tells Charlie that he is meant to be a magician. Little does Charlie know, the psychic is a fraud and misled Charlie with a fake reading and fake spellbook. Unfortunately, Charlie takes the card to heart and performs a magic act for his friends at his birthday party, but miraculously he makes his friend Jessie disappear and can’t bring him back. 

All photos by Mikki Schaffner.

Tickets are $15.50* for adults and $13.50 for students (prices include processing fees).Tickets can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by: 

  • The Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund
  • The Walnut Hills High School Alumni Foundation 
  • Wings Walnut Hills Theatre Boosters
  • WHHS Parent Association 
  • Solution Roofing
  • Riverview Heating and Cooling
  • Dr. Pepper and Family 

Why We Like Love Stories features Silas Dronen as Bark, Sasha Rucker-Chang as Crooper, Tahirih Fanananzapir as Jessica, and Annajane Updegrove as Chloe. Murder in Little Grimley features Ellis Klump-Lawson as Gordon, Madeline Benoit as Margaret, WIlliam Crone as Bernard, Adina Morvay as Joyce, and Benno Gibson as Sam. Bebe Le Strange features Leni Cable as Bebe Le Strange, Ivy Syroney as Charlie, Grayson Isenberg as Finley, Za’nayah Combs-Reed as Emerson, Tuula Hicks as Jessie/Police Officer, and Emeline Gallagher as Alex.

  • Student Directors- Caroline Lovelace, Aubrey Lowe, Mckenzie Bell, Ash Kertpet, and Easton Taylor
  • Technical Director-  Joe Mitchell
  • Festival Producer- Mike Sherman 
  • Festival Stage Manager/Student Technical Director- Abbie Kershner
  • Stage Managers-Violet Garitson, Adelaide Linser, Aidyn Montgomery, and C.C. Wise
  • Costume Designer- Izzy Hayes
  • Costume Manager- Al Carmicle
  • Hair and Makeup Designer- Piper Hawkins
  • Marketing and Publicity Manager- Adelaide Linser
  • House Manager- Ellie Cook
  • Lighting Designer- Dallon Hatton
  • Lighting Managers- Dallon Hatton and Eleanor Jackson
  • Props Designer- Sebastian Garitson
  • Props Manager- Asher Morin
  • Scenic Designer/Lead Scenic Artist- Polly Wilson
  • Assistant Scenic Designer- Riley Coleman
  • Scenic Manager- Lily Pavelka
  • Sound Designer- Molly Wermuth
  • Sound Manager- Violet Garitson

 

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October 3, 2025 · 11:00 am

Auditions Announced for 2026 Summer Series at The Carnegie

Note: These auditions are for all roles in DEAR EVAN HANSEN and MURDER FOR TWO and for adult principal and featured roles in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Auditions for all other roles in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES will take place in early 2026.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN
June 19—28, 2026 | Rehearse: May 26—June 18
Joe Bertucci: Director, Kim Popa: Choreographer, Jacob Priddy: Music Director

MURDER FOR TWO
July 22—26, 2026 | Rehearse: June 29—July 21
Joe Deer: Director, Steve Goers: Music Director

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
August 14—23, 2026 | Rehearse: July 20—August 13
Rachel Stevens: Director, TBA: Choreographer, Jacob Priddy: Music Director

AEA Contracts: DEAR EVAN HANSEN, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, CARRIE: Single Engagement Agreement Tier B ($575/week minimum). MURDER FOR TWO: Single Engagement Agreement Tier C ($732/week minimum). AEA eligible roles are indicated in the production breakdowns.

Non-AEA Contracts: Non-AEA actors in principal roles will receive $350/week minimum. Non-AEA actors in ensemble roles will receive $250/week minimum.

The Carnegie is committed to inclusive casting. All races, ethnicities, gender identities, body types, and mobilities are encouraged to apply. Pronouns listed in the character breakdown refer to the genders of the characters only. Actors should submit for any roles they feel comfortable playing. Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination.

Saturday, November 8, 2025
10am-6pm, by appointment
Lunch break from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Walk-ins will be seen as time permits.

The Carnegie
Eva G. Farris Education Center
1028 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY 41011 

Schedule an audition appointment

Prepare two contrasting 16-32 bar cuts.
Please bring a hard copy of your headshot and résumé stapled together.
An accompanist will be provided.
Actors auditioning for MURDER FOR TWO are encouraged to accompany themselves on piano for one cut.

Expected to attend are Tyler Gabbard (Producing Director of Theatre), directors, choreographers, and music directors. See breakdown for production-specific personnel. An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Submissions are due by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

Prepare two contrasting 16-32 bar cuts.

  • Actors auditioning for MURDER FOR TWO are encouraged to accompany themselves on piano for one cut.
  • Audition videos will only be accepted as links. Files requiring download will not be accepted.
  • Please ensure that privacy settings are such that we are enabled to view by the link only, with no need for password or additional access request. Please film your material in a horizontal/landscape frame on a solid background or plain wall.  A ¾ shot is preferred.

Please submit your headshot and résumé.

  • Your headshot must be an image file and your resume must be in PDF format. Both should be labeled with you name (i.e. Gabbard_Tyler.pdf)

 Submit your video audition

Callbacks will be a mix of live and digital based on availability of the auditionee and production staff. In-person callbacks for DEAR EVAN HANSEN and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES will take place on Sunday, November 9, 2025. Callbacks for MURDER FOR TWO will be on an as-needed basis.

*AEA Eligible Roles

Heidi Hansen* (40s): F3-Eb5 (belt). Evan’s mother. Overworked and stretched too thin, Heidi loves her son fiercely but fears they have begun to grow apart. She is prepared to do anything to repair the damage.

Cynthia Murphy* (40s): F#3-E5 (belt). Connor and Zoe’s mother. To Evan, she seems to be the perfect mother, nurturing, available, and willing to talk about anything. To her own children, it’s a bit more complicated.

Larry Murphy* (40s): F#2-G4. Connor and Zoe’s father. Though often tense and taciturn, Larry shows a different face to the world, representing for Evan the dad he always wished for: strong, confident, and more than anything, reliable, someone to be counted on.

Evan Hansen (17): G2-B4. Smart, sincere, and painfully self-conscious, Evan prefers to hover in the background, a supporting player in his own life, too afraid to step forward into the spotlight and risk ridicule or, what might be worse, no one noticing him at all.

Zoe Murphy (16): F3-E5 (belt). Sensitive and sophisticated with a sharp sense of humor, one of those popular kids who doesn’t care and doesn’t play the high school social status games.

Alana Beck (17): F3-E5 (belt). Earnest to a fault, prone to and thrives on melodrama all of which hides a deeper loneliness and insecurity beneath an ever-present smile and an almost aggressive friendliness.

Connor Murphy (17): G2-G4. An angry and disaffected loner, Connor has been a troubled kid for as long as anyone can remember. He is approached with caution by his peers and is a mystery to his parents.

Jared Kleinman (17): A2-B4 G4. Droll and sarcastic, he covers his insecurities with a well-practiced swagger and a know-it-all arrogance.

Understudy 1: Will understudy the roles of Evan, Connor, and Jared
Understudy 2: Will understudy the roles of Zoe and Alana
Understudy 3: Will understudy the roles of Cynthia and Heidi
Understudy 4: Will understudy the role of Larry

*AEA Eligible Roles

Marcus* (20s-40s): Tenor/Baritone, Strong Pianist. A small-town police officer with big dreams of making detective. Earnest, eager, and a little in over his head, but determined to crack the case.

The Suspects* (20s-50s): Tenor/Baritone, Strong Pianist. Multiple characters, including a femme fatale, a bickering married couple, a trio of overeager boy scouts, and more. Exceptional versatility, comedic chops, and the ability to switch characters in a split second.

Understudy: Will understudy the roles of Marcus and The Suspects

*AEA Eligible Roles

Albin/Zaza* (40s-50s): Baritone, A#2-G4. A performer of star quality; mature; great powerhouse of a Broadway voice; fine comic actor.

Georges* (40s-50s): G2-F4. A star; mature and attractive; good singer; energetic, loving and caring; must move well.

Edouard Dindon* (40s-50s): Bb2-Eb4. Anne’s father; right-wing radical politician; pompous; quirky; must sing, move well, and be a fine comedian.

Marie Dindon* (40s-50s): F4-A5. Anne’s mother; shy, retiring, sexually repressed and sex-starved; good singer and actress who moves well; is willing to transform from modest dress to bawdy leotard for the finale.

Jacqueline (30s-50s): B3-F5. Mature, female friend of Georges and Albin; owns a chic restaurant; attractive, charming; very theatrical; not necessarily a singer.

Renaud (30s-50s): Owner of the Promenade Cafe down the street, where Georges and Albin frequent, sings in the ensemble.

Mme. Renaud (30s-50s): Soprano. A friend of Georges and Albin, sings in the ensemble.

Francis (30s-50s): The fussy, particular stage manager of the nightclub. Great comic timing, sings in the ensemble.

Auditions for all other roles in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES will take place in early 2026.

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October 3, 2025 · 10:15 am

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Presents the Hilarious DRACULA: A Comedy of Terrors

This Off-Broadway and West End hit comes to Cincinnati, just in time for spooky season! 

Cincinnati, October 2, 2025 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to present Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, playing September 5 – 20, 2025 and directed by Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Brian Isaac Phillips. This production is generously sponsored by Rance and Marilyn Duke.

About the show: 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! 

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors premiered Off-Broadway at New World Stages on September 4, 2023, where it quickly gained popularity with critics and audiences for its fast-paced farce and campy spin on Bram Stoker’s classic. The production became a viral sensation and went on to enjoy strong success in regional theatres across the U.S. Following its New York run, it made its UK premiere in March 2025 at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory, marking a significant step in its international reach and continued popularity.

Bringing the outrageous world of Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors to life is a stellar cast of CSC favorites. Christopher Guthrie sinks his teeth into the title role of Count Dracula, while Kelly Mengelkoch showcases her versatility as both Mina Westfeldt and the fearless Dr. Van Helsing. Candice Handy takes on the role of Jonathan Harker, with Jasmine Bouldin as the spirited Lucy Westfeldt. Rounding out the ensemble, Billy Chace delivers double the laughs as both Dr. Westfeldt and the delightfully unhinged Renfield.

Directed by CSC Producing Artistic Director and CEO Brian Isaac Phillips, with Assistant Director Robert Carlton Stimmel, this creative team is bringing Halloween hilarity to life! Scenic Designer Chris Holloway sets the stage for comedic chaos, while Costume Designer Rainy Edwards—along with Kayla Cieslinski’s wig design—gives Dracula and the cast their iconic looks. Lighting Designer Aiden Bezark and Sound Designer Doug Borntrager add to the fun with a playful mix of gags and sound effects. Properties Designer Robert Carlton Stimmel provides the cast with an assortment of whimsical props, including puppets designed by Matthew Lewis Johnson. Gina Cerimele-Mechley serves as Fight and Intimacy Director, and Susan Jung brings movement to the stage as Dance Choreographer. The production is stage managed by Cole Sweasy, with Assistant Stage Management by Colton Wolf.

Content Advisory: Contains adult humor and situations, PG-13 recommended. Includes flashing lights and loud noises.

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Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors runs from October 3 – November 1, 2025. Performances of Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with two Saturday Matinees on October 25 and November 1 and three Sunday matinee on October 12, 19, and 26 at 2:00 PM. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. Live Audio Descriptions are available on October 3, and there is a Sign Language Interpreted performance on November 1.

Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, October 1, and Thursday, October 2, with half price tickets. Discounts are available for students, seniors, local residents, and community partners. Each performance night has a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets.  These can be purchased in advance by going online or calling the Box Office.  And starting 1 hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets may be available as a discounted Rush Ticket to anyone, not just students. These tickets are only $12 and could be located anywhere in the house, depending on that evening’s availability. These cannot be reserved more than 1 hour before a show and must be purchased in person in the Box Office. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees apply. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park.  Many parking spaces are available on the street and in nearby lots and garages- for more information, visit http://www.otrchamber.com/pages/WheretoPark.

CSC has coordinated a prepaid self-parking option right next door to the theater for a hassle‐free, guaranteed spot. A limited number of reserved spaces are available starting 1.5 hours before performances and lasting through the end of the show. The parking attendant will have your name on the list with advance purchase, guaranteeing your spot and price. Visit www.cincyshakes.com/parking to reserve self-parking.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 2025-2026 Season is generously presented by our Operating Support Partners: The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation; The Linnemann Family Foundation; The Ohio Arts Council; The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation; The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest; The Shubert Foundation; Maureen and John Bridgeland, Cindy Bridgeland Crilley, and Debby and Jim Mason in honor of Jim Bridgeland; Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for all.  In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the Classics!

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