In their quest to complete Shakespeare’s 40 play canon by their 40th anniversary, Cincy Shakes brings regional audiences a unique opportunity to experience a bold reimagining of this seldom seen Shakespearean Romance
Jim Hopkins as Helicanus & Giles Davies as Pericles.
Cincinnati, April 15, 2026 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to present William Shakespeare’s Pericles playing April 17 – May 3, 2026, directed by CSC Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Brian Isaac Phillips. This production features longtime favorite CSC Ensemble Member, Giles Davies as the titular Prince Pericles. This production is generously sponsored by Season Shakespeare Sponsor, The Linnemann Family Foundation and Design Sponsors Rance and Marilyn Duke; Marcie and Jim Kinney; and Messer Construction.
In this tale, Prince Pericles embarks on an epic voyage through alien worlds, cosmic storms, and intergalactic encounters on his search for true love. Join us on a journey to the farthest reaches of Shakespeare’s canon with this seldom seen treasure, revealing how hope can guide us- even through the most distant corners of the universe.
Bringing this classic to the stars is an ensemble cast of 16 talented actors. Giles Davies returns to the CSC stage as Prince Pericles, who embarks on an intergalactic adventure. Narrating this space epic through song is Gower, played by Cary Davenport, who has composed original music to tell the story. Barry Mulholland plays the tyrant Antiochus, with Patrick Earl Phillips as his interstellar bounty hunter. Courtney Lucien plays Antiochus’ daughter, as well as Lychorida and the goddess Diana. Billy Chace and Hayley Guthrie play Cleon and Dionyza, the King and Queen of the deteriorating Tarsus. Kelly Mengelkoch plays the ruler of Pentapolis Simonides, and her daughter Thaisa is played by Aiden Sims. After the story moves forward 15 years in Act II, Jasimine Bouldin plays Marina, the daughter of Thaisa and Pericles now grown up. Barry Mulholland, Elizabeth Chinn Molloy, and Jeremy Dubin play Pander, Bawd, and Boult. Rounding out the ensemble Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as Escanes and Leonine, Hannah Gregory as Musician, Jim Hopkins as Helicanus, and Sylvester Little Jr. as Lysimachus. All other roles in this space epic are played by members of the ensemble.
In Shakespeare’s original play, Pericles travels across the ancient world from kingdom to kingdom. In this production, those kingdoms become planets, each with its own ruler, culture, and story, and his journey becomes a voyage across a theatrical galaxy. Below are the worlds Pericles encounters on his journey and Cincy Shakes’ creative interpretation of those planets. Audiences will see costumes, projections, and other design elements on stage that bring these worlds to life:
The Planets of CSC’s Pericles Production:
- Tyre – A planet of advanced technology and abundant resources. Once devoted to conquest, its people now foster peace across the galaxy.
- Antioch – A terrible planet that consumes all, where individuality is erased in service of a king whose conquering hand has spread across the galaxy.
- Tarsus – A dying planet, ravaged by its people’s environmental exploitation. Barely surviving, its people suffer while the King and Queen live in excess.
- Pentapolis – A bountiful and beautiful water planet that has known peace for centuries. With its plentiful resources and strong royal line, one would not find a better ally than Pentapolis.
- Ephesus – Home of the Temple of Diane. A moon that has survived the destruction of the planet it orbits and has become the last bastion of hope for many.
- Mytilene – At the center of the galactic highways, Mytilene caters to travelers from all over the galaxy, offering a place to refuel your ship or engage in the intergalactic black-market trade.
Creating outer space on Cincy Shakes’ stage is the out-of-this-world design team led by director Brian Isaac Phillips with assistant direction by Liz Carman. Scenic Designer Andrew Hungerford transforms the stage into spaceship filled with hidden entrances, tv screens, and spaces for projections designed by Robert Carlton Stimmel. Rainy Edwards’ costume designs are out of this world; completed by Kayla Cieslinski’s Wig Designs, these costumes truly transport the audience to the planets visited in Pericles. Watson’s lighting design, assisted by Cole Benner-Smith and Donnie Wolf, along with Zack Bennett’s sound design, immerses the audience into each planet. Susan Jung has choregraphed dynamic dances for the Q-Kidz Dance Team and the cast, set to music by composer Cary Davenport. Gina Cerimele-Mechley acts as fight director. Pericles is stage managed by Cole Cammack-Sweasy with assistant stage management by Colton Wolf.
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Pericles runs from April 17 – May 3, 2026. Performances of Pericles are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with two Sunday Matinees on April 26 and May 3 at 2:00 PM. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. Live Audio Descriptions are available on April 17, and there is a Sign Language Interpreted performance on May 2 at 2:00 PM.
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Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, April 15, and Thursday, April 16, 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 online here.
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 3CDC 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!
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Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 