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See TCT’s Dr. Seuss’s THE CAT IN THE HAT at the Taft Theatre This February

Bob Herzog stars as The Cat.

Featuring the Cincinnati Circus Company

Cincinnati – The third show in The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati 24-25 Farewell MainStage Season at the Taft Theatre is Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat February 15-24, 2025. Tickets are on sale now at www.thechildrenstheatre.com. This is the company’s last season at the Taft Theatre before opening the reimagined Emery Theater in October 2025.

From the moment his tall, red-and-white-striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat (Local 12’s Bob Herzog) is the funniest, most mischievous cat that they have ever met. With the trickiest of tricks and the craziest of ideas, he is certainly loads of fun. He turns a rainy afternoon into an amazing adventure… but what will mom find when she gets home…?

TCT’s production will be directed by A. James Jones and will feature the Cincinnati Circus Company, along with a whole lot of audience participation in the pre-show experience. Don’t be late for this show!

Ideal for ages 4+. This production runs approximately an hour without intermission.

Public Showtimes include:

  • Saturday, February 15 at 2 PM (ASL interpretation)
  • Saturday, February 15 at 5 PM
  • Sunday, February 16 at 2 PM
  • Tuesday, February 18 at 10 AM (Sensory-Friendly/Accessible performance)
  • Friday, February 21 at 7 PM
  • Saturday, February 22 at 11 AM
  • Saturday, February 22 at 2 PM
  • Sunday, February 23 at 2 PM

At The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, we believe theatre is for everyone. That’s why we are so excited to present our eighth season of MainStage Sensory-Friendly performances, with the Sensory-Friendly/Accessible performance on Tuesday, February 18 at 10 AM.

This performance is a great outing for people of all ages with sensory needs, perfect for School Field Trips as well as families. It is intended for individuals with developmental and physical disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum who may benefit, and their classmates and families, not for the general public.

Only 500 $10 tickets will be sold in The Taft Theatre (which seats 2,200) giving patrons plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the show comfortably.

Performed in a Judgment-Free Zone, come as you are—everyone is welcome! Featuring softer lights and gentler sounds, making it a cozy experience. Special effects like fog and strobes in the audience? Not this time! Patrons who need a break can chill out in our Quiet Area in the lobby, staffed with a friendly expert. Additional resources for the performance, such as a Character Guide, a Guide to Attending the Show at Home, and a downloadable Social Narrative (in Word format) are available a week before the performance.

A committee of experts in the field was created to aid TCT with these performances, including staff members from Theatre Development Fund’s Autism Theatre Initiative, Cincinnati Children’s Starting Our Adventure Right (SOAR) program, CCHMC/ Cincinnati Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program, Cincinnati Occupational Therapy Institute, Cincinnati State’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology Program, Autism Connections – Cincinnati, Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati, The Point Arc of Northern Kentucky, Best Point Education & Behavioral Health, Stepping Stones, Inc., Jenn Jordan of Q102.

Additionally, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati presents eight additional performances of Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat for school students, including an exclusive homeschool performance. Tickets are $10 per student, with one free adult admission for every 15 students. Call Pam Young at 513-569-8080 ext. 13 for details. Free proficiency test-focused Study Guides are available online at www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

Dani Lobello, Director of Production and Sound Designer. Samantha Reno, Scenic Designer. Yelena Babinskaya, Lighting Designer. Jeff Shearer, Original Costume Designer. Roderick Justice, Additional Costume Design. Maggie Foley & Andrew Nunley, Technical Direction. Jason Romney, Additional Sound Design. Adam Borchers, Properties Supervisor. Jadi Davis, Production Stage Manager.

Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat is made possible by Dress Run Sponsor TriHealth, Production Sponsor The Summit Hotel, and Season Sponsor The Charles H. Dater Foundation. PNC Foundation provides additional funding for MainStage Ticket Subsidies. Additional Sponsors include The Sutphin Family Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation Inc.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the tens of thousands who generously give to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Broadway-style MainStage productions, including Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat, are performed in the historic Taft Theatre, 5th and Sycamore Streets in Downtown Cincinnati. Tickets start at $12.

To purchase tickets, visit thechildrenstheatre.com or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10, Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM.

CAST

  • Christopher Baker………………..JUGGLING PERFORMER/KITTEN
  • Ella Cooper ………………………..THING 2
  • *Brinley Culver ……………………SALLY
  • Stella Dionysiou…………………..AERIALIST/KITTEN
  • Bob Herzog………………………..THE CAT
  • Ethan Kuchta………………………ENSEMBLE
  • *Elli Maddock……………………..THING 1
  • Aaron Marshall…………………..THE CIRCUS MCGURKUS, NARRATOR/FOLEY ARTIST
  • Gina Mauro ……………………….AERIALIST
  • Bobby Montaniz …………………FISH
  • Oriana Noelle………………….ROLLING GLOBE PERFORMER/KITTEN
  • Malyssa Quinn……………………ENSEMBLE
  • Olaf H. Rask……………………….UNICYCLIST/KITTEN
  • *Colton Slade ……………………..ENSEMBLE
  • Lauren Ashley Whitfield………..AERIALIST
  • *Kavan Vadivelu ………………….CONRAD

*Denotes TCT’s Young Artists Company

-end-

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Auditions Announced for PUFFS at Tri-County Players

Tri-County Players announces auditions for its Spring 2024 production of PUFFS by Matt Cox

Directed by Tricia Cooper

  • Sunday   Jan. 26     7 pm – 8:30 pm
  • Tuesday Jan. 28     7 pm – 8:30 pm

Evendale Cultural Art Center – 10428 Reading Rd Cincinnati OH 45241, in the Upper Art Studio of the Evendale Cultural Art Center. At the corner of Glendale-Milford Road and Reading Road, you can only enter via the East bound lane of Reading Road. Parking and entrance are at the rear of the building.

Show dates are April 25 – May 3 at The Bell Tower Arts Pavilion 3270 Glendale Milford Road, Cincinnati OH 45241

Looking for 6M/5F/1E.  All roles except Wayne, Oliver, Megan and the Narrator will play multiple characters. British accents are required for many of the roles, but NOT Wayne, Oliver and Megan.

Characters:

  • Wayne Hopkins – A nerdy wizard from New Mexico
  • Oliver Rivers – Best friend till the end and side kick. Good at math and from New Jersey.
  • Megan Jones – British Wednesday Adams type, keeps to herself and believes she is meant to be a Snake and not a Puff.
  • Narrator – Our guide throughout the story, British and has many heavy books.
  • Ernie Mac – A boaster and hype type.
  • Hannah – Shy Puff who gets made fun of by other houses.
  • J. Finch Fletchley – Puff who may or may not be imaginary and refers to themselves in the third person.
  • Leanne – Leanne is very spacey and occasionally wise Puff.
  • Sally Perks – One of the coolest Puffs who has many admirers but keeps losing her glasses.
  • Susie Bones – A Puff who lives in fear of death, due to the fact that her entire family died.
  • Cedric – Cedric is the coolest guy but not the brightest.
  • Mr. Voldy – He who must definitely not be named. Rotten to the core and a showman.

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Auditions Announced for HAIRSPRAY at Incline Theatre

Open Audition dates/times:

  • Saturday, February 22, 2025  1:00pm to 3:30pm
  • Sunday, February 23, 2025  1:00pm to 3:30pm

Callbacks: Tuesday, February 25, 2025  6:00pm to 8:30pm

Audition Location:
The Warsaw Federal Incline Theater
801 Matson Place
Cincinnati, OH  45204


If you’d like the audition forms sent to you in advance, email Jennifer Perrino at jenniferperrino@clpshows.org.

Important Audition Information

  • Please prepare a  60’s style song to sing for 32 measures.
  • You will be taught a dance combination as well.
  • Must be a minimum of 18 years of age to audition.
  • MUST HAVE A RESUME listing theatrical experience in order to audition
  • A headshot/picture is appreciated.  Please bring a headshot and resume
  • CLP is actively seeking a diverse cast. Performers of all races and ethnicities, gender identities, sexualities and abilities are especially encouraged to audition and will be considered for all roles
  • We will accept video auditions as well. Please contact Jennifer Perrino at jenniferperrino@clpshows.org for submission info.  
  • Please note: Should you be asked to attend the callbacks, that’s when you’ll read from the script.
  • No more than 2 conflicts will be accepted during the rehearsal process.
  • All roles are paid positions.  No Roles have been precast.
  • Cast members do not have to be the actual ages of the characters in any of the productions – But must be able to look age appropriate and act accordingly.
  • CLP is actively seeking a diverse cast. Performers of all races and ethnicities, gender identities, sexualities and abilities are encouraged to audition.

HAIRSPRAY
Aug. 20 – Sept. 14, 2025

Music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters’s 1988 film of the same name.

It’s the 1960s, and change is in the air! Hairspray, winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is a family-friendly musical, piled bouffant-high with laughter, romance and deliriously tuneful songs.  It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and the lovable plus-size teen, Tracy Turnblad, has only one desire – to dance on the popular “Corny Collins Show.” When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. She must use her newfound power to dethrone the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a TV network… all without denting her ‘do!

Director, Dee Anne Bryll; Ryan Heinrich, Music Director; Julius Jones, Choreographer and Shannon Eaton, Stage Manager

Roles include:
Principals

  • Tracy Turnblad 15-20. Our story’s unsuspecting protagonist, she is large and in charge. Confident, talented, and incredibly determined. A romantic with a good heart and desire to cut up the dance floor. Always on top of the latest trends. Tracy will be played by a white performer. G3-G5.
  • Edna Turnblad 30-50. Tracy’s big and blonde mother. She is a working housewife who has lost her confidence and dream to be a plus-size clothing designer. Boisterous and commanding. Often played by a male in drag. Edna will be played by a white performer. F3-G5.
  • Penny Pingleton 15-20. Tracy’s best friend and dorky sidekick. Not the brightest girl, but she has good intentions. Bursting to get free of her mother’s dominating control, she falls for Seaweed with childlike curiosity. Penny will be played by a white performer. A3-G5.
  • Seaweed J. Stubbs 15-20. Tracy’s classmate and friend, who is discriminated against due to his skin color. He is cocky but surprisingly lovable. Talented in song and dance. He falls for Penny. Seaweed will be played by a black performer. F3-D5.
  • Amber Von Tussle 15-20. Link’s girlfriend and Tracy’s nemesis. She is pretty, thin, shallow, snobby, and racist. Can’t dance but is expected to win Miss Baltimore Hairspray. Always feels the need to be the center of attention. Amber will be played by a white performer. A3-F5.
  • Link Larkin 15-20. The star heartthrob on Corny Collins’ show. He is extremely attractive and talented. Hoping to get his big break with a recording contract, he unexpectedly falls for Tracy. Link will be played by a white performer. G3-A5.

Supporting

  • Wilbur Turnblad 40-60. Tracy’s simpleminded and kind father. He owns a joke shop and supports his daughter in spite of everything else. He also loves his wife, Edna, very much. Wilbur will be played by a white actor. A3-A5.
  • Motormouth Mable 40-50. Seaweed and Little Inez’s mother, she also appears as the Guest DJ on the Corny Collin’s Negro Day show. Big, blonde, beautiful and proud of it. She is sassy and confident. Motormouth will be played by a black performer. F3-E5.
  • Corny Collins 25-35. The charismatic host of the Corny Collins’ Show. Good looking and smooth talking, he is a genuinely nice guy both on and off camera. Corny will be played by a white performer. D3-A4.
  • Velma Von Tussle 45-55. Amber’s mother and the director of Corny Collin’s show. She is a devious taskmaster and snobby racist. The former Miss Baltimore Crabs will go to any length to ensure her daughter is the next big thing. Velma will be played by a white performer. G3-E5.
  • Prudy Pingleton 40-50. Penny’s strict mother. Very conservative, controlling, and closed minded. Prudy will be played by a white performer. D4-B4.
  • Little Inez 11-14. Seaweed’s little sister. A great singer and dancer with a quiet exterior, who can and will be bold when the opportunity comes. Little Inez will be played by a black performer.

Featured/Ensemble

  • We are looking to cast a large ensemble, with featured roles, including the Council Members (teen dancers/singers on the Corny Collins show, played by white performers), and The Dynamites (60’s female trio, played by black performers), and Mr. Pinky (owner of the ladies clothing store).

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Cast Announced for DOG SEES GOD at CenterStage Players

CenterStage Players is excited to announce our cast for DOG SEES GOD – Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead by Bert V. Royal.

The cast includes:

  • Ellis Quinne as CB
  • Christine Gallagher as CB’s Sister
  • Zak Kelley as Van
  • Kenton Baer as Matt
  • Roman Harris-Richardson as Beethoven
  • Deanna Berryhill as Tricia
  • Faith Von Handorf as Marcy
  • Bryn Studer Van’s Sister

This show will be presented from May 16-24 at 8 North Center for the Arts in Ft. Thomas, KY.

For more information visit https://www.centerstageplayersinc.com/dog-sees-god.html.

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HENRY V Runs Feb. 13-22

HENRY V
Northern Kentucky University
Feb. 13-22
Stauss Theatre [Highland Heights]

Prepare for a gripping tale of leadership, honor, and the weight of kingship as NKU Theatre brings Shakespeare’s Henry V to life. After an insult from the French Dauphin, King Henry V of England invades France to claim the throne he believes should be his. Henry stops an assassination plot, gives powerful speeches, and wins battles against the odds. In the end, he woos and marries the Princess of France, linking the two nations. This timeless story of courage, power, and political intrigue explores the fine line between heroism and ambition.

  • Thu-Fri, Feb. 13 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Feb. 14 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Feb. 16 at 2pm
  • Wed-Fri, Feb. 19-21 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Feb. 22 at 2pm & (7:30pm SOLD OUT)

Official page |

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