Author Archives: robbucher

May 9, 2018 · 12:45 pm

FADEAWAY GIRL Presented by the 15th Annual Cincy Fringe Festival

FADEAWAY GIRL
presented by the 15th Annual Cincy Fringe Festival
at Gabriel’s Corner
June 5-9, 2018

CFF18_Fadeaway Girl promo

Rachel Petrie in FADEAWAY GIRL. Photo by Dan Norman.

This June at Gabriel’s Corner, the 15th Annual Cincy Fringe Festival presents FADEAWAY GIRL, an autobiographical story of one woman’s experience with mental illness, written and performed by Rachel Petrie and directed by Keely Wolter.

FADEAWAY GIRL is the true story of playwright/performer Rachel Petrie’s experience coming to terms with a bipolar diagnosis. From her very first manic episode in 2004 to present day, Rachel shares her personal stories of derailment, discovery, reinvention, and joy.

Who / The 15th Annual Cincy Fringe Festival

What / FADEAWAY GIRL

When / June 5-9, 2018

Performances:

  • Tuesday, June 5th at 6:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 7th at 7:00 p.m.
  • Friday, June 8th at 9:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, June 9th at 4:45 p.m.

Where / Gabriel’s Corner, 1425 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tickets / https://knowtheatre.vbotickets.com/event/Fadeaway_Girl/27318

About the play and artists

FADEAWAY GIRL
A life changing diagnosis…
Another life changing diagnosis…
A mercurial story about allergic reactions, infatuation, The Matrix, uncharacteristic behavior, knitting, love, 2013, Russians, fluctuations in body weight, facial tissues, Coles Phillips, loss, lists, reality, perceived reality, suicide, 2004, Angelina Jolie, delusions of grandeur, acceptance, immaculate conception, true friends, online dating, and my mom.

FADEAWAY GIRL is the autobiographical story of how one woman comes to terms with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder not once, but twice. Through a narrative that is both personal and universal, Rachel sheds light on the still ever present stigma attached to mental illness. At times humorous, at times poignant, Fadeaway Girl is an amalgam of emotions, life experiences, and lessons learned. It’s a story of loss, determination, perseverance, and triumph.

From the writer/performer (Rachel Petrie)
I have been wanting to write a show about my experiences with mental health and mental illness for years. I believe that we all need to feel that it’s safe and acceptable to talk freely and openly about these subjects and that we need not be so afraid of them. Also, I’m a success story. I’m proof that a person can live with a bipolar diagnosis and be fine…more than fine, actually. It can be done. That’s why I believe it is an important story to tell.

About Rachel Petrie
Rachel Petrie is a performer, writer, and director who has been working in the Minneapolis/St. Paul theater scene since 2006. She has collaborated with many performance groups including: Four Humors (Member ’10-‘13); NTC; Bedlam Theatre; Mixed Precipitation; Live Action Set; Dangerous Productions; Mainly Me; Yellow Tree Theater; TRP; The Haunted Basement; Erin Sheppard; Ben San Del; and Raw Sugar. She has toured several original theatrical productions, both nationally and internationally, earning a Critic’s Pick Award (‘12) and a Producer’s Pick Award (‘10), both from the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, for Bombus & Berylline, or the Bumblebee & the Hummingbird and The Finkles’ Theater Show!!!, respectively.

From the director (Keely Wolter)
When Rachel asked me to direct FADEAWAY GIRL last summer, I was immediately excited to get started. Rachel and I have worked seamlessly and joyfully together in the past, and creating a comfortable dialogue around the issues of mental health and mental illness is something I’ve always felt is incredibly important. I knew that I could bring the humor and sensitivity that a piece like this deserves, and the result is a delightful, funny, and poignant portrayal of Rachel’s experience.

About Keely Wolter
Keely Wolter is a director, accent/dialect coach, and actor based in Minneapolis, MN. She holds an MA in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a BA in Theater Performance from Viterbo University. Keely has served as an accent coach for over 100 Twin Cities theater productions in the last 7 years. She has also performed with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in 2009 and most recently in her one woman show Stuff That Reminds Me of Other Things: A Walking Tour in the Minnesota Fringe Festival.

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May 9, 2018 · 11:57 am

PRESENT LAUGHTER Runs June 8-16

MLT_Present Laughter logoPRESENT LAUGHTER
Middletown Lyric Theatre
June 8-16
[Middletown]

Directed by Charley Shafor

Cast: Bonnie Froelich as Monica Reed, Duane Gordon as Hugo Lyppiatt, Karen Griesinger as Miss Erikson, Jeremy Jackson as Morris Dixon, David Jenkins as Fred, Claire LaNicca as Joanna Lyppiatt, Elizabeth Long as Lady Saltburn, Christyn New as Daphne Stillington, Karen Oehler as Roland Maule, Gail Rudolph as Liz Essendine & Michael Schlotterbeck as Garry Essendine

At the center of his own universe sits matinee idol Garry Essendine: suave, hedonistic and too old, says his wife, to be having numerous affairs. His line in harmless, infatuated debutantes is largely tolerated but playing closer to home is not. Just before he escapes on tour to Africa the full extent of his misdemeanors is discovered. And all hell breaks loose.

  • Fri-Sat, June 8-9 at 8pm
  • Fri, June 15 at 8pm
  • Sat, June 16 at 3pm & 8pm

Official page |

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May 9, 2018 · 11:15 am

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME Comes to the ROYAL Theatre Company Stage May 25-27

RTC_Hunchback of Notre Dame cast

The cast.

ROYAL Theatre Company to Honor Local First Responders 

ROYAL Theatre Company, Home of The Children’s Theatre of Mason, is proud to present The Hunchback of Notre Dame, May 25-27 at Mason High School. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame showcases the film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. Peter Parnell’s new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo’s gothic novel.

The show will run for four performances – Friday, May 25th at 7:00pm; Saturday, May 26th at 2:00pm and 7:00pm; and Sunday, May 27th at 2:00pm. VIP reserved seating tickets can be purchased for any show for $25 each, and General admission tickets for any show are $12 each.  All tickets can be purchased online at www.ROYALTheatreCompany.com through May 24th at 5pm and at the door starting one hour before each show.

The musical begins as the bells of Notre Dame sound through the famed cathedral in fifteenth-century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer who longs to be “Out There,” observes all of Paris reveling in the Feast of Fools. Held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, he escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Quasimodo isn’t the only one captivated by her free spirit, though – the handsome Captain Phoebus and Frollo are equally enthralled. As the three vie for her attention, Frollo embarks on a mission to destroy the gypsies – and it’s up to Quasimodo to save them all.  Karen Kilgore, President of ROYAL Theatre Company said, “The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.”

Some of the most enduring messages of The Hunchback of Notre Dame are that every life has value and love has the ability to grant us untold courage.  The Hunchback of Notre Dame cast made up of junior high and high school students were sincerely impacted by the events at Parkland High School in Florida.  They felt it important to honor the lives of their peers as well as express their support for the tireless efforts of the police, fire and EMS personnel who saved lives that day and those who put their own safety on the line each and every day in all of our communities.  In that spirit, the cast has chosen to honor the Parkland 17 on their cast t-shirts and with a special moment at each performance.  To honor and support our local first-responders, ROYAL Theatre Company will be offering 2 complementary, reserved seating tickets to a performance of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.  These tickets will be available on a first come, first serve basis with a maximum of 50 reserved seats per performance.

Fans can follow ROYAL Theatre Company on Facebook (ROYAL Theatre Company, Home of Children’s Theatre of Mason), Twitter (@ROYALTheatre_Co) and Instagram (royal_theatre_company).

About ROYAL Theatre Company, Home of The Children’s Theatre of Mason
ROYAL Theatre Company produces two large-scale productions each season, from “Les Miserables” to “South Pacific” and “Annie” to “West Side Story” as well as many other popular favorites. ROYAL offers children from ages 7-18 from all over the Cincinnati area the opportunity to take part onstage as performers as well as off stage as crew members, make-up assistants and many other behind-the-scenes roles. To volunteer, donate or learn more, visit www.ROYALTheatreCompany.com or call 513.398.0116. 

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May 9, 2018 · 10:41 am

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Auditions for Children on June 23 & 24 at Playhouse

PIP_logoA CHRISTMAS CAROL AUDITIONS FOR CHILDREN
ON JUNE 23 AND 24
Local children can be a part of Cincinnati Playhouse’s classic production

CINCINNATI (May 08, 2018)—Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will hold auditions for children interested in performing in the theatre’s 2018 production of the annual holiday favorite, A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The auditions take place June 23 and 24 at the Cincinnati Playhouse in Mt. Adams.

Nine area children will be cast to fill speaking and non-speaking parts in the show. Roles are available for boys and girls 8 to 13 years old. Additionally, a boy aged 6 to 8 years old will be cast as Tiny Tim. To be eligible, children must not turn 14 before Dec. 31, 2018. Children of all races and ethnicities are encouraged to audition.

“We’ve had a strong and committed group of young actors for a number of years, and the majority have aged-out. As a result, we have more open positions for young actors in the coming season and are excited to discover new talent,” says A CHRISTMAS CAROL director Michael Evan Haney.

Interested children must be available for all rehearsals of the production, most of which are scheduled around school hours. Children must also be available for all performances, which are scheduled Tuesdays through Sundays and include some weekday student and public matinees. Performance dates are available on the Playhouse website. All roles receive compensation.

All auditions will be held at the Playhouse, located in Eden Park at the edge of Mt. Adams, 962 Mt. Adams Circle, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202.

For full information about the production, as well as details about audition scheduling and submitting, visit the Employment section on the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park website at www.cincyplay.com/employment.

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May 9, 2018 · 10:23 am

Mysterious Bible Badguy Gets High with Satanically Possesed Pig at Cincy Fringe

CFF18_Gospel of Barrabbas promo1CINCINNATI, OH – He’s a rather enigmatic biblical villain, yet he is mentioned more times in the Christian gospels than Judas Iscariot, and his pardon by the Judeans essentially seals the fate of Jesus of Nazareth. But what if he also smoked a lot of weed, befriended a satanically possessed talking pig and drove a Chevy Astro?

These stupid questions and little else are answered by THE GOSPEL OF BARABBAS (BARABBAS), playing May 30 through June 10 at Memorial Hall (1225 Elm Street) as part of the 2018 Cincinnati Fringe Festival (Cincy Fringe). Mike Sherman directs a cast of local stars and gifted emerging artists in an absurdist adventure through ancient Israel that marries the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski with Tom Stoppard’s ROSENCRANTZ & GILDENSTERN ARE DEAD.

Five performances of the 60-minute farce will take place in Memorial Hall’s Studio:

  • Wednesday, May 30, 9:00pm
  • Friday, June 1, 7:00pm
  • Tuesday, June 5, 7:45pm
  • Thursday, June 7, 9:00pm
  • Friday, June 8, 8:30pm

BARABBAS is rated “R” for offensive language, insinuated violence and simulated smoking of marijuana. Most audiences will find THE GOSPEL OF BARABBAS offensive.

Tickets may be purchased at CincyFringe.com, or by calling 513.300.5669. Single tickets are $15, and various festival passes are available.

BARABBAS is produced by Hugo West Theatricals (HWT)

HIGH CONCEPT, LOW-BROW HUMOR
In the tradition of Stoppard’s absurdist masterpiece ROSENCRANTZ & GILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, BARABBAS imagines the life and times of a minor literary character against the established backdrop of a well-known story. As the consummately self-involved pothead Barabbas moves from failure to failure, he intersects with the movements of biblical characters as described in the Christian gospels. We find our hero huffing spray paint behind the Jerusalem temple where young Jesus absconded from his parents,
filming Facebook live videos in the camp of John The Baptist, befriending one of the satanically-possessed pigs that Jesus sends tumbling over a cliff, holding court in a bar near Gethsemane, and ultimately imprisoned alongside Jesus in Pontius Pilate’s praetorium.

Importantly, the piece does not satirize the bible’s most sacred figures. Mary, John The Baptist, Saint Peter and Jesus (excepting a final monologue) speak only in words attributed to them from King James’ Bible. While offensive in various and sundry ways, BARABBAS does not endeavor to mock the Christian faith.

CINCINNATI STARS SLUMMING IT
Moonlighting from leading the theatre program at Walnut Hills High School, award-winning director and actor Mike Sherman helms a cast of some of Cincinnati’s finest talent. Maggie Lou Rader* descends from her star turn as the “wonderfully anxious temptress” (Cincinnati Enquirer) Maggie in Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF to make her Cincy Fringe debut as Trudy of Nazareth. She plays opposite respected performer Rory Sheridan, who similarly dumbs down for the titular role of Barabbas on the heels of a “terrific” performance (Dayton Most Metro) as Jack in The Human Race Theatre Company production of BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS.

Joining them are some of Cincinnati’s hardest-working actors. A favorite comedic lead of Cincinnati Landmark Productions, Roger Pille lends his talents playing the funniest man in the bible: John the Baptist. He joins fellow HWT veteran Randy Bailey, who with Pille has appeared in a combined seven of the scrappy company’s productions. Cincy Fringe veteran Lisa DeRoberts makes her HWT debut following a turn as Candy/Maurice in The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s production of MADAGASCAR. Narrator Mike Moskowitz is a 60-year veteran of the Cincinnati theatre scene. And in a role seemingly written for him, longtime local character actor and comedian Mike Dennis makes his HWT debut as Manuel, the satanically possessed pig.

Kaleb King is an emerging talent from Northern Kentucky University who has recently starred in the university’s productions of KISS ME KATE (Paul) and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Oberon). King takes on the onerous task of portraying an earnest Jesus of Nazareth amid low-brow chaos. A new graduate of Walnut Hills High School and pupil of BARABBAS director Sherman, Kendall Young has nonetheless amassed an impressive professional resume, including A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), THE JUNGLE BOOK and THE LEGEND OF POCAHONTAS (The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati).

BARABBAS CAST AND DESIGN TEAM

  • Jesus of Nazaeth – Kaleb King
  • Barabbas – Rory Sheridan
  • Trudy of Nazareth, Ensemble – Maggie Lou Rader*
  • John The Baptist, Pontius Pilate, Ensemble – Rodger Pille
  • Manuel, Ensemble – Mike Dennis
  • Mary, Peter, Ensemble – Lormarev Jones
  • Guard, Ensemble – Randy Lee Bailey
  • Elisabeth, Judas, Ensemble – Lisa DeRoberts
  • Lydia, Ensemble – Kendall Young
  • Voiceover – Mike Moskowitz
  • Director – Mike Sherman
  • Costumer – Jim Stump
  • Sound Designer – Hunter Spoede
  • Stage Manager – Clare Jaymes
  • Producer – Joshua Steele
  • Assistant Producer – Justin Woolums
  • Graphic Design – Greg Glevicky

* The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

ABOUT HUGO WEST THEATRICALS
Hugo West Theatricals is the lunatic hobbyhorse of Cincinnati-based writing and producing team Mike Hall and Joshua Steele. Mistakenly called “smart playwright[s] who know how to surprise an audience in unexpected ways,” their often sold-out productions have been dubbed “smart and funny, amiable and high energy” (River City News) and “riotously funny but infectiously endearing” (Cincinnati Citybeat).

Founded in 2012, HWT has produced award-winning stagings of original, adapted and existing works: DON’T CROSS THE STREAMS: THE CEASE AND DESIST MUSICAL; A KLINGON CHRISTMAS CAROL; HOT DAMN! IT’S THE LOVELAND FROG!; ZOMBIE-LOGUE; CESSNA; THE LETTERS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH: A LIVE PERFORMANCE; and SUMATRAN RHINO.

BARABBAS is HWT’s sixth Cincinnati Fringe Festival entry.

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