Photo by of Mikki Schaffner Photography.
“Though this be madness, yet there is method in it”
Cincinnati, OH- Coming off its historic production of Urinetown, which garnered 19 Cappie awards last season, the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department will now tackle perhaps the most challenging play of all time in the most challenging of circumstances.
HAMLET is being produced and filmed in the Walnut Hills High School Auditorium, and the recording will be available to the public for On Demand Streaming beginning November 20th. Actors and crew are masked, and are following strict COVID-19 guidelines while filming.
“Conceptually, we’re bringing 2020 into the world of HAMLET,” says director Mike Sherman. “Our production is set now during the pandemic, as well all our political turmoil. Our philosophy was by making 2020 part of the show, we don’t have to pretend to ignore it, and neither does our audience. In a sense, we’re all Hamlet right now- constantly bombarded with grief, overstimulated and overloaded with information, and left wondering whether or not to take action about anything. We’ve also gender flipped multiple roles to reflect a more contemporary feel. Making some of these traditional male roles female, especially Polonus and Laertes, has given a lot of the show new life and meaning.”
On Demand Streaming begins 11/20 and runs through December 31. Ticket sales for the show will begin on Monday, November 2. Streaming Passes are $10 (service fees apply). No live audience will be permitted for performances. Tickets can be purchased through the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Website: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets.
This production is graciously sponsored by the Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.
About the show:
Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is visited by the ghost of his father who reveals that Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, is responsible for his father’s murder. Hamlet then sets down a path of madness and revenge against Claudius, who is now the king and married to Hamlet’s mother. Along the way, Hamlet begins to question his own sanity and discovers that all actions, and inactions, have consequences.
Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.
Featuring Jack Giglia as Hamlet, Owen Cummings as Claudius, Alli Robertson as Gertrude, Olivia Busche as Ophelia, Sarah Mansfield as Polonius, Emma Dalton as Laertes, Brando Donaldson as Horatio, Cam Hogue as Rosencrantz, Nina Roberto as Guildenstern, Sophie Christian as Francisco/Reynaldo, Megan Graeler as Marcellus / Servant, Avery Frank as Bernardo / Sailor, Wolf Singer as The Ghost / Fortinbras’ Captain, Lily Canter as Voltimand / First Gravedigger, Josie Leanza as Cornelius / Second Gravedigger, Nate Caudill as Player King / Priest, Lila Herzig as Player Queen / British Ambassador, Olivia Hufford as Third Player / Gentlewoman, Maxwell Nolan as Messenger / Osric, and Joanna Lin as Fortinbras. Understudies include Clare Graff, Chloe Goodman, Emma Herzig, Loretta Rubin, Emma Smith, Kyra Doty, Sidney Harris, and Alejandra Frecker.
Directed by Mike Sherman
- Technical Director: Helen A. Raymond-Goers
- Stage Manager: Lily Jones
- Assistant Stage Manager: Grace Allen
- Costume Designers: Nicole Domoe and Sena Segbefia
- Lighting Designer: JP Oberst
- Makeup Designer: Nadyaa Betts
- Props Designer: Gabby Burns
- Sound Designer: John Arora
Starting this month, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, university theatre performers and regional cabaret headliners will span musical genres four nights a week
Ghost Baby is also adding another layer of performance with the premiere of the new Wednesday night “Ghostlight Cabaret,” an homage to all of the talented professional and community performers who have had the traditional “ghostlight” lit on their stages across the region while live musical theatre has been paused by the pandemic. “We were struck by the realities of all of the theatres and performers who have been impacted by the closures throughout our neighborhood and city,” said Heuser. “The irony of a “ghostlight” representing a safe haven on a dark stage waiting for performances to begin again was not lost on us.” Ghostlight Cabaret presented by Ghost Baby draws on the history of the neighborhood that in the 1870s boasted Heuck’s Opera House, The People’s Theatre and countless vaudeville and variety showplaces and today is home to the city’s ever-growing theatre district. Ghostlight Cabaret will feature regional cabaret
A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER
“We are grateful for the opportunity to honor Don and Chuck’s memory, their love of music and their service to our community through the Music Therapy Studio,” said Carri Chandler, Vice President of St. Elizabeth Foundation. “This studio exemplifies their lifelong passion for the arts and will serve as a resource for musical expression for patients and caregivers.”
Research shows people living with cancer who engage in creative arts therapy experience less depression and anxiety than those who don’t. Arts therapy provides a relaxing escape for patients and caregivers, who can embrace the creative process to express emotions. Developing this form of self-expression not only inspires personal growth, but also nurtures social interaction, which can relieve anxiety and enhance healing. For St. Elizabeth, this studio will bring music therapy to its inpatient and outpatient programs. The therapy will provide patients and their families with the options to play, listen to, or create music – providing emotional, sensory, and spiritual support. For more information on the Center’s approach to integrative oncology, take a 
“During their combined 17-year tenure with Suits That Rock, Chuck and Don helped raise more than $1M for arts education programming,” said Kim Best, Executive Director of The Carnegie. “Subsequently, this helped The Carnegie’s art education programming to grow and serve more students each year. We are touched to know that Don and Chuck’s memory will live on through the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center’s Music Therapy Studio.”
The Change Fund to 
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 