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Brent Vimtrup as Doctor Thomas Stockmann. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

When a doctor exposes a public health danger, the community rallies—not around the science, but against the scientist 

Cincinnati, September 3, 2025 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to present Amy Herzog’s new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, playing September 5 – 20, 2025 and directed by Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Brian Isaac Phillips. An Enemy of the People is generously sponsored by Rance and Marilyn Duke and President H. James Williams and First Lady Carole Campbell Williams of Mount St. Joseph University.

Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People premiered in 1882 in Norway and quickly became one of his most enduring and controversial works. The play has been revisited across centuries for its sharp commentary on truth, corruption, and the conflict between the common good and economic self-interest.

Amy Herzog’s acclaimed new adaptation, which premiered on Broadway in 2024 starring Jeremy Strong (Succession) and Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), was heralded by critics for its urgent resonance and incisive dialogue. The New York Times called Herzog’s version “an electrifying revival that makes Ibsen feel written for today.” Cincinnati audiences will now experience this remarkable new play just one year after its Broadway success.

When a doctor discovers a shocking secret about his community’s prized health resort, he becomes determined to expose the truth—even if it means turning the entire town against him. With family, friendship, and the price of integrity hanging in the balance, An Enemy of the People is a riveting exploration of what happens when one person’s truth becomes a community’s greatest threat. A timeless masterpiece that asks how far we are willing to go to stand up for what’s right.

The cast at CSC features many familiar faces. Brent Vimtrup returns as Dr. Thomas Stockmann, who uncovers a dangerous truth that threatens to destroy his community. Guest Artistic Associate Matthew Lewis Johnson plays his brother, Mayor Peter Stockmann, who fears the economic consequences of the discovery. Jasimine Bouldin appears as Petra Stockmann, Dr. Stockmann’s daughter and fiercest supporter. Montez Jenkins Copeland, Patrick Earl Phillips, and Barry Mulholland portray Hovstad, Billing, and Aslaksen, respectively, with Jim Hopkins as Morten Kiil and Sylvester Little Jr. as Captain Horster.

The production’s creative team includes Jon Savage returning as Scenic Designer after last season’s thrilling Macbeth. Erin Reed Carter and Baxter Chambers make their CSC debuts as Costume Designer and Lighting Designer, respectively, with Zack Bennett as Sound Designer and Alice Hopkins as Properties Designer. The show is stage managed by Danitza Piper with Tessa Killen as Assistant Stage Manager.

This production of An Enemy of the People is staged in the round, with the audience seated on all sides of the stage for an intimate and immersive perspective. A limited number of $14 Access Tickets are available for on-stage seating, giving theatergoers a rare chance to sit within the world of the play itself and experience the drama unfolding just steps away.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is also proud to highlight two special community partnerships during this production. The printing and letterpress artifacts on stage are on loan from the Cincinnati Type & Print Museum, a working museum in Lower Price Hill that preserves the city’s rich printing history while training individuals in valuable job and life skills. CSC is also partnering with the Mill Creek Alliance, whose mission is to protect and enhance the value of Mill Creek and its watershed. Representatives from the Alliance will host an information table at the Young Professionals Preview Night on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, sharing ways we can all work together to keep our community’s water healthy.

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An Enemy of the People runs from September 5 – 20, 2025. Performances of An Enemy of the People are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with two Saturday Matinees on September 13 & 20 and one Sunday matinee on September 14 at 2:00 PM. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. Live Audio Descriptions are available on September 5, and there is a Sign Language Interpreted performance on September 20.

Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, September 3, and Thursday, September 4, 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 http://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!