Author Archives: robbucher

Putting Together the Pieces in HUMPTY-DUMPTY IS MISSING at the Arts Center at Dunham

SSP_Humpty Dumpty is Missing color logoCINCINNATI, OH – November 10, 2019 — Gather the clues to piece together this classic children’s nursery rhyme turned whodunnit Humpty-Dumpty Is Missing opening December 6 at Sunset Players and The Art Center at Dunham (1945 Dunham Way, Cincinnati, OH 45238).

In the tradition of his grandfather, Samuel Shovel and his father, Sam Spade, private investigator Sammy Scoop faces the biggest challenge of his illustrious career with the sudden fall and disappearance of the jolly Humpty-Dumpty. Sam and his sidekick Alice from Dallas combine forces to crack the case and grill a list of suspects, including Mistress Mary, Rip Van Winkle, Henny-Penny, Peter Rabbit and his sisters, Rapunzel and the Handsome Prince, all who had motive and opportunity. Humpty-Dumpty Is Missing is written by Joseph Robinette, directed by Bob Kelley and produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

Performances are December 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15. Friday night performances are at 7:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm.

The cast includes:

  • Amelia Andriacco as Sammy
  • Elsie Whitmer as Alice
  • Lizzie Braunstein as Chief
  • Nora Andriacco as Mistress Mary
  • Connor Gamble as Rip Van Winkle
  • Katie Altman as Henny-Penny
  • Megan Weber as Rapunzel/Mother Hubbard
  • Corbin Hazlett as Handsome Prince/Peter Rabbit
  • Taylor Kelley as Troll
  • Maddie Hughes as Little Billy Goat Gruff
  • Avery Junker as Flopsy
  • Dashiell Suess as Mopsy
  • Isabelle Gregory as Cottontail
  • Mia DiNovo as Little Bo Peep
  • Ava Rogers as Little Red Riding Hood
  • Sage Altman as Mother Goose

Tickets are $6 or $25 families/groups of five or more and can be ordered online at https://www.sunsetplayers.org/current-production—tickets or at the door. Tickets can also be reserved by calling 513-588-4988.

Sunset Players, Inc. is a community theater group located on the west side of Cincinnati. Founded in 1979, the group performs at the Arts Center at Dunham and has produced more than 120 plays. Its mission is to bring a smile, and its plays include comedies, farces, dramatic comedies and musical comedies—as long as there is some “comedy” in the performance somewhere. For more information, visit our website at www.sunsetplayers.org or like us on Facebook.

###

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

Xavier University Theatre Presents THE WOLVES, Nov. 15-23

XUT_The Wolves promo

Becky Williams as 8, Kennedy Florence as 13, Olivia Pletcher as 2, Lily Dennstaedt as 14, Liv Hardy as 46, Victoria Forbes as 11, Lauren Davidson as 00, Holland Taylor as 25, & Gigi Relic as 7.

Helmed by HAMILTON tour resident director Tiffany Nichole Greene
with sets by Paul Shortt

(CINCINNATI, Nov. 8, 2019) – Xavier University continues its 2019-20 season with one of the nation’s most-produced shows this year, Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves. The play, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, runs for two weekends from Nov. 15 to 23 in Xavier’s Gallagher Student Center Theater.

Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girl’s indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. The Wolves is a portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals.

Director Tiffany Nichole Greene is elated to be working with the Xavier theatre program for a second time, having previously directed the world premiere production of Cannibal Galaxy in 2017. Originally from Houston, Greene now splits her time as the resident director of the Philip Tour of Hamilton and as a freelance director in theatres across America. She is a proud member of SDC whose recent work includes Boudica (Guthrie Theater); A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center); The Danger: A Homage to Strange Fruit (JACK Brooklyn); Between Riverside and Crazy (SpeakEasy Stage); Well-Intentioned White People (Barrington Stage); Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Theatre Three); A Raisin in the Sun (Triad Stage); and Skeleton Crew (Trinity Rep).

“At first glance, The Wolves could easily be perceived as a play about bratty teen girls, but that would be incorrect. And that doesn’t interest me,” says the show’s director, Tiffany Greene. “There are three central ideas that I found to be powerful and used as the baseline in my direction: this play skillfully explores the ways in which we pollute our most sacred spaces; it artfully articulates the effects fear and insecurity have on the ways in which we connect or reach out; and it leaves us clear about one thing- a sacred space is not to be confused with a protected one… no one is exempt.”

“We are ecstatic to have Tiffany directing for us again,” said Stephen Skiles, director of Xavier University Theatre. “She was the perfect person to work on this physical, important, dynamic piece of theatre. The fact that she stepped away from Hamilton to work with us says a lot about the dedication of our students. I can’t wait for audiences to see the nuance, energy and commitment that Tiffany gets from these young performers.”

The cast for The Wolves features first-year students Kennedy Florence and Becky Williams; sophomores Lauren Davidson, Victoria Forbes, Olivia Hardy and Olivia Pletcher; juniors Tina Boffa and Holland Taylor; and seniors Lilly Dennstaedt and Gigi Relic. Understudies are first-year student Emily Bruns, sophomore Connie Kavensky and senior Emily Jorgensen.

In addition to Greene, other members of the creative team include Paul Shortt (set designer), Jessica Pitcairn (costume designer), Joe Beumer (lighting designer) and Tatum Mann (sound designer). Support is provided by Stephen Skiles (producer), Amara Shroba (soccer coach) and Joe Leonard (technical director). The stage manager is senior Emi Suarez, and assistant stage managers are first-year student Lillian Reynolds and junior Katherine Ivins.

Performances take place in the Gallagher Student Center Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 and 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 16. Tickets for The Wolves are available now through the Xavier University Theatre Box Office. They are $18 each for adults and $13 each for students, as well as Xavier faculty and staff. To purchase tickets, visit www.xavier.edu/theatretickets or call 513-745-3939.

###

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases

Auditions Announced for CHECK PLEASE and CHECK PLEASE TAKE 2 at Beyond the Proscenium Ensemble

BTP_logoBeyond The Proscenium Ensemble Present

CHECK PLEASE and CHECK PLEASE TAKE 2

Two One-Act Comedies by Jonathan Rand

A Special Valentine’s Dinner Theatre Event

DATES:

  • Saturday, November 16, 2019 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm
  • Monday, November 18, 2019 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm

LOCATION:
The Liberty Exhibition Hall, 3938 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223

AUDITION: Cold Read, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

SEEKING: Men/Women- All ethnicities, ages 21 to 60.

PERFORMANCES: February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2020

PAY: Non-union, per performance stipend.

To schedule an audition for one of these two dates, e-mail BTPE2019@aol.com with your name, contact number, and preferred audition day. We will attempt to accommodate your schedule. However, it is on a “first come” basis. Additional questions can be answered through the same e-mail or you can contact (513) 999-BTPE.

Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com)

Leave a comment

Filed under Auditions

2020-2021 Season Announced by Mariemont Players

MPI_logoTHE OUTSIDER – By Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Doug Berlon
September 11-27, 2020

Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor. He’s terrified of public speaking, and his poll numbers are impressively bad. To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff, Ned seems destined to fail. But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office – unless the public is looking for… the worst candidate to ever run for office. A timely and hilarious comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy.

THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO – By Alfred Uhry
Directed by Aaron Whitehead
Comedy/Drama
November 6-22, 2020

In December 1939, Gone with the Wind is having its world premiere and Hitler’s invading Poland, but members of Atlanta’s Jewish-German elite are more concerned with who’s going to Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. Amidst comedy, romance, and unexpected turns, the Freitag family is forced to face where they come from and deal with who they really are. Winner of the 1997 Tony Award for Best Play.

THE CAT’S MEOW – By Steven Peros
Directed by jef brown
Drama
January 15-31, 2021

Based on the true story of a mysterious Hollywood death, a fascinating cross section of Jazz Era characters including William Randolph Hearst, Charlie Chaplin, Marion Davies, and Thomas Ince intersect in this fictionalized account of one notorious weekend on board Hearst’s yacht in 1924.

THE CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE STAKES – By Bruce Graham
Directed by Dan Maloney
Comedy/Drama
March 12-28, 2021

It’s a special day at the racetrack where “Champagne” Charlie, a racetrack regular, has a race named in his honor. A dreamer and teller of tall tales, Charlie conspires to place his entire meager savings – “the whole she-bang” – on a long-shot hunch. This gentle and poignant comedy mixes family, love, and an oversized bet to illustrate the power of loyalty, integrity, and growing older gracefully.

CRY IT OUT – By Molly Smith Metzler
Directed by Becky Collins
Comedy/Drama
May 7-23, 2021

In the sweet spot between their yards where both baby monitors get reception, new moms Jessie and Lina bond over coffee during naptime while laughing through the highs and lows of motherhood. A comedy with dark edges, Cry It Out takes an honest look at the absurdities of being home with a baby, the power of female friendship, the dilemma of going back to work, and the effect class has on parenthood in America. **Contains Strong Language**

BEEHIVE: The 60’s Musical – Created by Larry Gallagher
Directed by Linda Abbott
Musical Revue
July 9-25, 2021

Beehive celebrates the powerful female voices of the 1960’s with such timeless hits as “My Boyfriend’s Back,” “Be My Baby,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” and “Me and Bobby McGee.” Told from the perspective of six young women who come of age in this enigmatic decade, BEEHIVE takes us from their first Beehive Dance to the challenges we faced as a nation.

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases, Season Announcements

MEAN GIRLS Quick Review

MEAN GIRLS presented by Broadway in Cincinnati through Nov. 17. I attended the opening night performance. 

BIC_Mean Girls 6

Danielle Wade as Cady Heron, Megan Masako Haley as Gretchen Wieners, Mariah Rose Faith as Regina George, Jonalyn Saxer as Karen Smith, Mary Kate Morrissey as Janis Sarkisian, and the National Touring Company. Credit: © 2019 Joan Marcus.

Interested in a more immersive experience? You can join cast members from MEAN GIRLS in a Broadway Weekends theater camp for adults.

The stage adaption of the movie MEAN GIRLS arrived Tuesday at the Aronoff Center for a two week stay.

The vocals of the leads are strong across the board and the ladies have some great belting solos. Danielle Wade is easily likable as fish out of water Cady. The titular “Mean Girls” play off of each other well: Mariah Rose Faith as queen bee Regina, Megan Masako Haley as desperate people-pleasing Gretchen, and Jonalyn Saxer as the extremely dim-witted Karen. Mary Kate Morrissey is solid as angst-ridden artist Janis.

BIC_Mean Girls12

Eric Huffman as Damian Hubbard and the National Touring Company. Credit: © 2019 Joan Marcus

It is CCM-alum Eric Huffman though who steals the show as Damian. Serving as co-narrator, he establishes a great rapport with the audience and his enjoyment leading the production numbers is contagious.

BIC_Mean Girls2

Gaelen Gilliland as Mrs. George and Danielle Wade as Cady Heron. © 2019 Joan Marcus

Special shout out to Gaelen Gilliland who displays great versatility and comic timing tackling three roles: both Cady’s and Regina’s mom as well as math teacher Ms. Norbury.

The choreography is high-energy and fun to watch with clever use of set pieces and props throughout. The support of talented ensemble is instrumental in setting the scene and keeping the pacing tight.

The LED walls of the set work very well and are used to great effect. They allow the location of the scene to change instantaneously when needed. At times they even trick the eye, making the exits disappear entirely. The brief delay to address a flooring issue for the safety of the cast was handled quickly and professionally.

While the show is very enjoyable, I never connected to the characters emotionally. The consequences of Cady’s actions are few and short lived. Forgiveness from those she wronged is nearly immediately and makes the final scenes of the show seemed rushed.

BIC_Mean Girls5

The National Touring Company. Credit: © 2019 Joan Marcus

Overall a fun, colorful, and very enjoyable production.

My rating: 4.75 out of 5.

Click here for more information on the production.

Leave a comment

Filed under Reviews