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NKU School of the Arts Announces Appointments to Program Heads

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University has appointed new program heads for its School of the Arts (SOTA).

NKU_Brad McCombs headshot

Brad McCombs.

Brad McCombs will transition from Program Head of Music over to the Program Head of Visual Arts. Brad received a B.F.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and a M.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University. Brad’s interest in leadership of the arts rests in the power of the arts to transform individuals and communities that both inspires and provokes thought. His research focuses on creating powerful connections with an audience whether they are physical, virtual or somewhere in-between. His role as an artist is comprehensive and embraces activism, anthropology, ecology, and sociology. His regional public art project, the Driftwood Institute, engages students to help educate the community about our watershed. Brad has shown his work both nationally and internationally including a recent project in collaboration with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra where he created visuals to accompany the live performance of Darius Milhaud’s “La Création du Monde”.

NKU_Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri headshot

Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri.

Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri will be assuming the role of Program Head of Music. She is Associate Professor of Voice and Vocal Area Coordinator at NKU’s School of the Arts. In 2016, she was the recipient of the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Lazzeri currently serves as President of the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. In the summer, she often serves on the music faculty of the Kentucky Institute for International Studies in Salzburg, Austria. Dr. Lazzeri is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher and she teaches a course at NKU entitled “Yoga for Creativity.” Dr. Lazzeri holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Northwestern University. To learn more, visit “Kimberly Gelbwasser Lazzeri Voice Studio” on Facebook.

NKU_Michael Hatton

Michael Hatton.

Michael Hatton will be continuing as Program Head of Theatre + Dance. Michael received his M.F.A. in Theatre Pedagogy and Directing from Virginia Commonwealth University and his B.F.A. in Theatre Management from Northern Kentucky University and has been a full-time faculty since 2005. He has served in various forms of university governance and service, including general education, university and college curriculum, e-learning, master advising, international education, and planning committees, and currently serves on the executive board of the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA). Additionally, Michael has won awards for teaching, including from the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and University as well as the NKU Michael C.C. and Susan S. Adams Outstanding Non-Tenure Track Faculty award. He is a freelance director and stage manager having worked with numerous regional theatre companies.

About NKU School of the Arts
SOTA is the creative engine of Northern Kentucky University. The School of the Arts combines dance, music, theatre, and visual arts to bring unparalleled artistic opportunities to current and future students. Our minors come from every college on campus from nursing to mathematics, political science to construction management. SOTA’s Prep programs, including the nationally recognized String Project, engage 900 students from children to adults annually. SOTA offers 12 degrees with 30 specializations in addition to seven minors. With innovative curriculum, small class sizes and award-winning instructors, students develop expertise and the qualities most in-demand for today’s changing career landscape. To learn more, please visit nku.edu/sota or find us on social media @NKUSOTA.

### NKU ###

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Video Auditions Announced for A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART TWO at Equality Productions

EP_logoEQUALITY PRODUCTIONS announces the auditions for its virtual production of DOLL’S HOUSE, PART TWO by Lucas Hnath. Fifteen years ago, Nora left her husband, Torvald. Nora has since become a successful feminist writer, while Torvald continued to work at the bank and raised their children. But after all that’s happened, will Torvald be willing to give her what she wants? After all this time, is Nora prepared to face what she left behind?

Roles:

  • NORA: A writer and ex-mother. Intelligent and independent, she takes great pride in her success and autonomy.  (Stage Age 40-50)
  • TORVALD: Nora’s estranged husband. On the surface, he is measured and reserved. He feels quite deeply, but is unsure of how to express it. (Stage Age 50-60)
  • ANNE MARIE: The housekeeper and nanny of the Helmer household. Bighearted, candid, and quick to make every sacrifice for those around her. (Stage Age 60-75)
  • EMMY: Nora and Torvald’s daughter. Young, but not to be underestimated. Cunning and wise, self-aware, and in some ways, a traditional romantic. (Stage Age early 20s)

Equality Productions encourages submissions from artists with a broad range of backgrounds, including all races, ethnicities, abilities, sexual identities, ages, and gender/gender identities.

Non-union. This production will be done as a fundraiser and therefore these roles will not be paid. All rehearsals will take place online in a Zoom format. The show will be recorded and released in late August.

Cast members’ minimum technical requirements include:

  1. A computer, smartphone, or tablet with a working microphone and camera that can be used without a headset
  2. A stable high-speed internet connection (https://www.speedtest.net/) and the ability to connect your device directly via ethernet cable, and

  3. A quiet space with good/controllable lighting to rehearse and record.

Auditions will be held online the week of July 6-10th afternoons and evenings. Times are listed  in PST. Sign up for your audition no later than Sunday, July 5th at 5 pm PST at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040449abaa28a4ff2-dolls.  A Google Meet link will be emailed to you on the day of your audition.

Actors are asked to prepare to perform sides for their character(s) of choice. These sides can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16bqWCnRFVFVBqG3SjORfmc4OGfkVlQ-EAxGrI94fx0o/edit?usp=sharing

Please email the following items to Cleo DeOrio, the director, at cleodeorio@gmail.com, no later than 9pm PST on Monday, July 6th.

  1.  Headshot (file name should be first_last_hs – e.g., Mary Jones HS)

  2.  Theatre resume (file name should be first_last_resume – e.g. Mary Jones Resume)

  3. Preferred Role(s) you’d like to read for; if more than one list them in order of preference, and,

  4. Conflicts – Rehearsal dates and times you can NOT attend from July 12th to August 30th (weekday evenings from 4-7pm PST/7-10pm EST, Saturdays from 11am – 4 pm PST/2-7pm EST).

Rehearsals will take place 2 to 3 times per week from mid-July to mid/late August on weekday nights and some weekends, based on actor availability. Actors will be responsible for their costumes, hair, props, and makeup. The director will assist if needed.

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Video Auditions Announced for HEDDA GABLER at Equality Productions

EP_logoEquality Productions announces auditions for a virtual production of Henrik Ibsen’s HEDDA GABLER.

“Do you think it quite incomprehensible that a young girl- when it can be done without anyone knowing- should be glad to have a peep, now and then, into a world which she is forbidden to know anything about?”

Skulking the walls of a house she never wanted and trapped in the confines of a marriage that disgusts her, bored, and mercurial Hedda Gabler longs for freedom she will never allow herself.  Quietly, maliciously, and perhaps desperately, she begins to manipulate the lives of those around her, orchestrating a bid for agency that careens toward self-destruction. Henrik Ibsen’s electrifying Hedda Gabler paints the snarled portrait of a woman whose character is not easily resolved and forces us to confront the humanity of those monsters fashioned in captivity.

CHARACTERS

  • HEDDA TESMAN: (stage age 25-35) Beautiful, bored, and often cruel, Hedda’s true nature is compressed by her own fear of scandal.
  • EILERT LOVBORG: (stage age 25-35) An old “friend” of Hedda’s and former tutor for the Elvsted household. Once resolutely bacchic, he has since been reformed through the influence of Thea Elvsted.
  • GEORGE TESMAN: (stage age 25-35) Hedda’s husband. Scholarly and proper, he feels unbelievably lucky to be married to Hedda.
  • THEA ELVSTED: (stage age 25-35) A schoolmate of Hedda’s and close collaborator of Eilert Loveborg. She is smart, passionate, and extremely concerned with Lovborg’s moral fortitude.
  • JUDGE BRACK: (stage age 35-45) Quietly devious and with a serious penchant for gossip, Judge Brack is both a confidant and a challenger to Hedda
  • MISS JULIANA TESMAN: (stage age 40-60)  George’s Aunt. She cares for her ailing sister and adores her nephew.
  • BERTA: (any age over 18) Maid to the Tesman family. She is sharp and very loyal to Juliana.

Equality Productions encourages submissions from artists with a broad range of backgrounds, including all races, ethnicities, disabilities, sexual identity, age, and gender/gender identity. The director welcomes all performers to audition as she is specifically looking to uplift the voices of BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ artists. This production is remote, so actors from all regions are welcome to audition (although all auditions, rehearsals, and performances are in EST).

Auditions will be hosted over Webex on Thursday, July 9th, and Friday, July 10th from 6-10 pm EST, with callbacks on July 11th from 6-10 pm EST. Please come prepared with a 1-2 minute performance or monologue or song, etc ! No restrictions; just something that showcases your talent and personality!

Click here to sign up for an audition slot: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040449A9A62AA1FB6-hedda

Please email these items to Casey Venema, the director, at cav009@bucknell.edu, no later than 5 pm EST on July 8th:

  1. Your headshot (file name should be first_last_hs – e.g., Mary Jones HS)
  2. Your theatre resume (file name should be first_last_resume – e.g. Mary Jones Resume)
  3. Your ability to meet the technical requirements listed below
  4. Any additional video/audio/lighting equipment to which you have access
  5. Which role(s) you’d like to read for; if more than one list them in order of preference, and,
  6. Which rehearsal dates and times you can NOT attend from July 12th to August 30th (weekday evenings from 7-10 pm, Saturdays from 2 – 6pm and Sunday from  8am – 12pm ).

Those selected for callbacks will be reading selections from the play that will be sent the evening before, but anyone can download Hedda Gabler for free at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/4093/4093-h/4093-h.htm

Minimum technical requirements for actors include:

  1. A computer, smartphone, or tablet with a working microphone and camera that can be used without a headset,
  2. A stable internet connection (https://www.speedtest.net/) and the ability to connect your device directly via ethernet cable,
  3. A quiet space with good/controllable lighting to rehearse and record,
  4. Moveable light fixtures and other camera/recording equipment are a plus!

This performance is non-union with all the proceeds being donated to an organization of the ensemble’s choice- therefore, the roles are non-paid.

Rehearsals will start mid-July and continue into mid-August. Rehearsal will be 5 times a week, 2-3 hours. This production will be rehearsed, performed, and recorded through video conferencing, with the final product being released in August.

Actors will collaborate with the director and designers to assemble props and costumes and develop hair and makeup looks.

Questions? Email cav009@bucknell.edu.

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ON CUE June 2020 – The Electronic Newsletter of ACT of Greater Cincinnati

ACT_purple

This year is not what any of us expected. Because of the Corona Virus, theater productions were halted in mid-March. Some shows were in the middle of their run and a lot of shows were not allowed to go on. People were asked to stay home in order to try to prevent the spread of the infection.

Not only were local productions cancelled, but the ACT/OCTAfest, OCTA Jr and the OCTA State Conference were all cancelled. So “virtual” has become the word of the day. Thanks to the ACT board, the awards were held online. Dan Maloney, Amanda Emmons Shumate, Fred Hunt, Dennis Murphy, Wayne Kirsch and Gary Rogers worked to make the event happen. (To any one else involved in making this happen, kudos to you as well). So, here is a wrap up of the presentations.

The evening was opened with remarks from President, Dan Maloney. Amanda Emmons Shumate, ACT 1st VP, also contributed opening remarks.

Wayne Kirsch presented the first awards of the evening. The Spirit of Community Theatre awards are presented in each region to a person or persons who have contributed to the promotion of community theatre both on the local as well as the state level. The winners this year were Valeria Amburgey and Joel Lind.

The Rising Star award is the newest award and it is given by the various member theatres to recognize individuals who have exemplified a new level of exceptional dedication and commitment to their theatre or the ACT community as a whole.

Those winners are:

  • Acting Up – Kathy Maritato
  • CenterStage Players- Trisha Cooper
  • Cincinnati Music Theatre – Adrianna Boris
  • Footlighters – Katie McCarthy
  • INNOVAtheatre – Michael J. Schumacher
  • Loveland Stage Company – David Vest
  • Mariemont Players – Becky Collins
  • Mason Community Players – Jess Braun
  • Sunset Players – Ross Hazlett
  • The Drama Workshop – Lindsey Pullam

Dan Maloney presented the President’s Award. This award is given annually by the President of ACT to a an Act board member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and dedication to the goal’s of the ACT during that particular year. This year’s recipient is Fred Hunt.

Dennis Murphy, the Awards Chair, presented the three big ACT awards. He introduced last year’s winners who have the honor of announcing the various winners. ACT member groups can nominate any person to receive an award based on the attributes attributed to their namesakes. Then a committee meets to select the various winners. This year’s winners are:

  • Mario Pitocco Award-this award is presented annually to honor an individual who has shown continuous service and excellence in creative technical theatre-
    Jason Cox-The Drama Workshop
  • Roger Grooms Award-presented to honor an individual who has demonstrated dedication to raising the artistic quality of community theater production through active teaching and/or by demonstrating sustained excellence in the categories of directing, acting, choreography, musical or vocal direction-
    Jerry Wiesenhahn-Beechmont Players
  • Art Rouse Award-presented to an individual or couple who has shown exceptional commitments and dedication to community theatre-
    Tom & Nancy Ann Storey-Mariemont Players

Fred Hunt, ACT 2nd VP, presented the Orchid Awards throughout the evening.There were 43 shows in this abbreviated season with 882 Nominations and 439 Orchids.

The following are the categories with the number of nominations and orchids in each category.

Category | # of Nominations | # of Orchids

  • Sound Design | 28 | 8
  • Sound Execution | 17 | 1
  • Light Design | 32 | 18
  • Light Execution | 20 | 5
  • Set Design | 33 | 23
  • Set Décor | 33 | 22
  • Set Construction | 21 | 15
  • Costume Design | 34 | 23
  • Makeup | 7 | 1
  • Hair/Wigs | 12 | 6
  • Photography | 13 | 3
  • Video Production Design | 2 | 0
  • Video Execution | 1 | 0
  • Other | 17 | 6
  • PreShow | 4 | 1
  • Original Program Art | 27 | 13
  • Program | 25 | 9
  • Special Effects | 5 | 2
  • Lobby Display | 23 | 10
  • House | 21 | 9
  • Properties | 30 | 8
  • Stage Management | 26 | 15
  • Stage Combat | 4 | 2
  • Dialect Coaching | 3 | 1
  • Producing | 36 | 23
  • Overall Technical Quality | 16 | 5
  • Ensemble | 47 | 16
  • Choreography | 10 | 7
  • Dance Execution | 11 | 5
  • Musical Direction | 13 | 10
  • Vocal Direction | 9 | 3
  • Orchestral Performance | 13 | 11
  • Direction | 39 | 23
  • Overall Performance Quality | 11 | 5
  • Musical Theatre Performance | 104 | 55
  • Acting in a Play | 135 | 75

Here is the breakdown by theatre group

Theatre | # of Shows | # of Nominations | # of Orchids

  • Acting Up | 1 | 19 | 10
  • Beechmont Players | 4 | 80 | 26
  • Center Stage | 2 | 41 | 27
  • Cincinnati Music Theatre | 1 | 34 | 18
  • Fairfield Footlighters | 3 | 62 | 32
  • Footlighters | 3 | 83 | 55
  • INNOVAtheatre | 2 | 28 | 20
  • Inspiring Arts Productions | 1 | 23 | 12
  • Loveland Stage Company | 4 | 79 | 36
  • Mariemont Players | 4 | 89 | 44
  • Mason Community | 4 | 71 | 25
  • Merit | 1 | 23 | 9
  • Riverstage Community | 1 | 8 | 2
  • Sunset Players | 2 | 44 | 34
  • The Drama Workshop | 4 | 93 | 49
  • Tri-County Players | 3 | 57 | 23
  • The Village Players | 3 | 48 | 17

For information for winners from each theatre, you can visit this blog entry at Behind the Curtain Cincinnati.

Any errors, mistakes or omissions are not intentional.
Thanks to all of you for being a part of Greater Cincinnati theatre.

Please, everyone stay safe. Hope to see you all soon.
Linda Roll, editor

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Local Young Pianist Performs in Lang Lang’s Virtual Concert Series on July 3

MISC_Sophia Suwirvo

Sophia Suwiryo.

Cincinnati-area pianist Sophia Suwiryo will be a part of Lang Lang’s virtual concert series on Friday 7/3 at 12 PM EST.

The Lang Lang International Music Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that music can remain a source of inspiration and comfort during these strange and uncertain times. Starting from May 15th, the foundation has adapted Play It Forward to the virtual space with a weekly concert series to connect and inspire audiences across the globe.

Play It Forward is a community service initiative for our Young Scholars, in which they bring classical music performances to schools, retirement homes, and community centers. The goal is to inspire hope by bringing world-class performances straight into the homes of their audience.

The weekly series will be hosted on LLIMF’s Instagram IGTV, and will feature a 20-30 minute performance by one of their Young Scholars, followed by a Live Q&A session from the performer(s) on Instagram Live.

You can see Lang Lang’s announcement here: https://www.facebook.com/LangLangPiano/videos/838518596635554/

For more information: http://langlangfoundation.org/https://www.instagram.com/langlangfoundation/

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