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February 6, 2024 · 7:17 pm

Auditions Announced for INTO THE WOODS at TheatreLab Dayton

TLD_logoTheatreLab Dayton is excited to announce auditions for INTO THE WOODS.

Auditions: Feb 19 & 20 beginning at 6:30pm, Callbacks immediately following.

Where: 116 N Jefferson St, Dayton #200

INTO THE WOODS runs May 16-19, 2024 in Dayton, OH. Rehearsals tentatively begin April 1, 2024. All roles will be contracted, paid positions. We are actively seeking a diverse cast and actors of all races, ethnicities, gender identities and abilities are encouraged to audition. Non-Equity*

Directed by: Philip Drennen and Kaleb Smith
Music Direction: Philip Drennen
Stage Manager: Marley Masterson

How to Audition:
Sign up for a time slot at http://bit.ly/tldauditions
OR submit a video audition to auditions@theatrelabdayton.org by Feb 18 and we will contact you if you are needed for a callback.

For full casting notice and breakdown, please visit theatrelabdayton.org/auditions

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February 6, 2024 · 7:16 pm

Mason Players Begin 2024 Season with PROOF

MCP_ProofProof, produced by Mason Community Players, opens on Friday, February 23rd. MCP’s first show of 2024 is the 2001 Drama Desk Award for Best New Play, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, New York Critics’ Circle Best Play, Tony Award Best Play, and Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama.

The play, by David Auburn, centers around Catherine, a college student and daughter to Robert, a world-famous mathematician and college professor. Soon after completing his ‘greatest work’, Robert becomes mentally unstable and Catherine cares for him until her mental stability comes into question. Claire, Catherine’s sister, comes to visit and help, however, their relationship has always been on rocky terms. Hal, a graduate student of Robert’s, visits to look at some of Robert’s latest work to determine if it is worth publishing.

The production boasts an amazing cast of Abby Farmer as Catherine, Claire LaNicca as Claire, Andy Crawford as Robert, and Michael Knorr as Hal. It is being directed by Jim Cronin and produced by Tess Catlin.

Performances are:

  • Friday, February 23 at 8:00 PM
  • Saturday, February 24 at 8:00 PM
  • Sunday, February 25 at 2:00 PM
  • Thursday, February 29 at 8:00 PM
  • Friday, March 1 at 8:00 PM
  • Saturday, March 2 at 8:00 PM

All performances are at Mason Community Playhouse, 5529 Mason Road, Mason, OH 45040

Tickets are on sale now at MasonPlayers.org.

Don’t miss this outstanding work!

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February 6, 2024 · 7:15 pm

Auditions Announced for THE 39 STEPS at Tri-County Players

TCP_logoTri-County Players announces auditions for its Spring production: THE 39 STEPS adapted by Patrick Barlow. Directed by Sarah Hoback & Dane Rogers.

Auditions:
Sunday Feb. 18th – 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm  & Monday Feb. 19th –8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Bell Tower Arts Pavilion
Lower Level
3270 Glendale Milford Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45241

Please be prepared to do a cold reading from the script. Please bring a list of possible conflicts for the months of March and April 2024. Headshots and resume are appreciated but not required. If you wish, you may come prepared to do a brief monolog of your choosing, but it is not required.

Characters

Richard Hannay – 20’s – 50’s. He/him or they/them – gnc/non-binary/male presenting/male. Male identifying character. Any race or ethnicity. One half of the leading duo who possesses the Hitchcock-eques suave, dashing, debonair qualities. He is an artistic soul, a rebel, and an everyman capable of unlocking a secret heart filled with will and determination, cunning and vulnerability. Actor must be an adept physical comedian, a great listener and responder, and ensemble member.

Annabella/Pamela/Margaret – 20’s – 50’s. She/her or they/them – non-binary/trans/gnc/femme presenting/female. Female identifying character. Any race or ethnicity. One half of the leading duo who possesses physical, emotional, and comedic prowess. Actor will play all three roles below, with the possibility of stepping into a clown role or two.

  • Annabella: a brilliant but marked Russian woman who is on the run from spies and killed at their hand. Russian accent preferred.
  • Pamela: a quintessential Hitchcock-eques leading lady. She is bold, emotionally, and intellectually intelligent, powerful, and fashionable. English accent required.
  • Margaret: a small-town farm worker married off to a cruel man; she is eager to see the world, to help Richard out when he stumbles upon her farm and is willing to risk the consequences from her abusive husband in following her heart and gut. Scottish accent required.20-30, played by same actress, love interest, secret agent, Scottish wife, also involved in espionage and intrigue.

Clown #1 & Clown #2 – Any age. They/them, he/him, she/her. Any gender, race, or ethnicity. Non-Binary actors strongly encouraged to submit. Vivacious, debonair, and with substantial authority, the clowns expertly execute 150+ roles with Olympian prowess and skillful comedic timing. Actors shouldn’t feel tied to one track as implied by more “traditional” casting, nor to gender identity of any of the clown roles. Versatility with European accents is a plus. Must be able to lift certain set pieces and move adroitly throughout stage and between roles.

SHIOW DATES – April 26, 27 and 28 May 3, 4 and 5
Bell Tower Arts Pavilion 3270 Glendale Milford Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45241

THE 39 STEPS. Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have the intriguing, thrilling, riotous and unmissable comedy. The show hurtles a notorious fugitive and a spellbound blonde from a London music hall north by northwest to Scotland’s most remote highlands. Will they save Britain from a den of devious spies? A cast of four actors plays over 150 characters in this fast-paced tale of an ordinary man on an extraordinarily entertaining adventure.

Questions contact –

Sarah Hoback (Director) – sarahhoback@gmail.com
Dane Rogers (Director) – danerogers1@gmail.com
Gregory Smith (Producer) – eerf99@aol.com
Rick Stein (Producer) – marickstudios@hotmail.com

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February 6, 2024 · 7:14 pm

Playhouse Summer Camps & Performance Academies Now on Sale

PIP_logo2024 program features more performance opportunities and multiple locations

CINCINNATI — Enrollment is now open for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s summer camps, eight weeks of theatrical fun and creativity this summer, including more performance options than previous years. Students can choose from new programs and beloved camper favorites, with themes running from “Mean Girls JR.” to “Encanto” to zombies to urban legends.

Camps will be held at the Playhouse in Mt. Adams, the Mason Community Center and at a location near Erlanger, KY (to be announced soon). Camps are open to incoming 1st- through 12th-graders, including camps designed specifically for older campers. Programs also include an accessibility Launch Pad program for children with developmental disabilities, sensory challenges and neurodivergences (details below). No experience or audition is required for any camp.

“Our mission is to encourage creativity through awesome stories in an inclusive, artistic environment,” said Playhouse Education Director Ariana Moses. “We invite students to unleash their imagination, get moving, make new connections and become part of a community—all while having a blast!”

Through the course of each session, campers work together to tell stories while learning both theatre skills and life skills. In addition to studying musical theatre, stage combat, acting, writing and more, campers will discover more about their individuality as they make connections with audiences, with each other and with themselves.

One-Week Camps teach the fundamentals of creating theatre. Each week has a different theme that focuses on special skills — like stage combat or singing and dancing or writing — in addition to rehearsal and performance. Campers will share what they have learned with family and friends at the end of the week in an informal Shareformance. Programs this year include:

  • Clash of the Movie Monsters
  • ¡Hola Casita! Songs from Disney’s Encanto
  • The Kraken, Mothman and Ogopogo: Writing Urban Legends

Two-week Performance Academies offer the chance to experience the production of a play from start to finish. These camps have become popular for young theatre enthusiasts who enjoy working as an ensemble to rehearse and perform a play — but any student who is interested in learning theatre is welcome to register. Each session concludes with a performance for family and friends, complete with sets, props and costumes. Performance Academies include:

  • Annie KIDS
  • Disney’s Finding Nemo KIDS
  • Mean Girls JR.
  • She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition

New programming this summer includes one-week Performance Showcases and Intensives that focus more deeply on honing performance and storytelling techniques. Thematic content varies from week to week, but each camp explores these techniques through the lens of a specific story, musical or performance style. Campers will have extended rehearsal time in the lead-up to a showcase at the end of the week where they’ll share selections of what they have focused on with family and friends.

Programs include:

  • Musical Theatre Intensive: Spotlight on Disney’s Descendants: The Musical
  • It’s Showtime! Beetlejuice the Musical Showcase
  • Little Monsters Pop Music Explosion Showcase
  • Playwriting Inside the Upside Down Showcase
  • How to Make it Through a Zombie Apocalypse: Combat Showcase

“Theatre can be created by any person at any age, and our camp staff loves helping our campers play a part in that process during summer programs,” says Moses. “We always see students gain both confidence and performance skills. By the end of the summer, they’ve made new friends and are brimming with the joy that is live performance. It’s a pretty magical time.”

The Launch Pad Accessibility Program continues this summer, offering opportunities for campers who have developmental disabilities, neurodivergences and sensory challenges to participate in camps and have their unique needs met. Camp staff are trained to meet specific needs and accommodations, and a family coordinator works with parents and caregivers to ensure a comfortable experience for their camper.

Enrollment is now open with early bird pricing until Feb. 29. Financial scholarships are available for campers who demonstrate need, and Before Care and After Care options are available at all locations.

For more information or to connect with us about questions, click here or call 513-421-3888.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

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February 6, 2024 · 7:12 pm

Pones & Cincinnati State Premiere Groundbreaking Presentation Highlighting the Power of the Deaf Community in Times of Unrest

PONES_Deaf Republic(Cincinnati, OH) A new presentation by local dance company Pones will bring to life an award-winning collection of poems by combining spoken word, dance, and “shadow interpretation,” an innovative form of delivering sign language where interpreters are part of the action on stage.

The performance, titled DEAF REPUBLIC, presents a collection of poems with the same name that has won numerous national awards, written by Ilya Kaminsky. The poems describe the military occupation of the fictional village of Vasenka, where villagers use Deafness and a novel sign language to subvert the military authorities.

Performances will be held on Cincinnati State’s Clifton Campus (ATLC 211 Auditorium) on Thursday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, February 23 at 7:30p.m., and Saturday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Cincinnati State is easily accessible via Cincinnati Metro bus service, and on campus parking is $5 per vehicle.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, tickets for DEAF REPUBLIC are free of charge, but space Is limited, so reservations are required. They can be made online at https://ponesdeafrepublic.eventbrite.com.

The presentation is suitable for ages high school and up. It contains adult language and situations, including references to sex and sex work, warfare, military occupation, violence, and death.

DEAF REPUBLIC  shows that Deafness is a source of strength, a long-held tenet of Deaf Culture. This visual presentation will demonstrate that strength to all audience members, Deaf and hearing alike.

DEAF REPUBLIC will combine the expertise of renowned director Gina Kleesattel, who has incorporated shadow interpretation into her work for over 10 years, and Pones, which has been developing novel productions and collaborative works since 2008.

American Sign Language (ASL) is a highly physical language, lending itself well to dance, and this innovative presentation will combine dance, shadow interpretation with ASL, and Kaminsky’s poetry.

Shadow interpretation moves beyond accessibility and into a new artistic space. Traditional interpreted performances force the Deaf audience to choose between the action and visual dynamics of the performance on stage in front of them and what the characters are saying as translated by interpreters who are often at the side of the stage. In shadow interpretation, interpreters are on stage, in costume, and integrated seamlessly with the cast to deliver dialogue next to the speaking character so that action and speech are connected. Shadow interpreters are complementary cast members who allow audience members to enjoy a truly accessible show.

Featuring Cincinnati actors Eileen Earnest, Ian Timothy Forsgren, Dominique Owen, Torie Pate Perdue, Joysoline Smith, Liz Smith, and Dylan Van Camp, dancers Courtney Duncan, Haley Haskin, Jillian Kreimer, Ashley O. Morton, Noah Warner, and John Woll, and certified interpreters Kristen Bowen, Emma Kist, Gail Maue, Richard Miller, and Angie Walker, we are thrilled to bring one of the first ASL Shadow Interpreted works to our region.

Production team: Gina Kleesattel (Director), Kim Popa (Producer/Choreographer), Ruby Downie (Director of Artistic Sign Language), Jensen Riley & Sarah Spurling (Choreographers), Douglas Borntrager (Scenic, Lighting, and Sound Designer), Maria Fernanda Ortiz (Costume Designer), Chuck Kleesattel (Composer), Josh Neumeyer (Stage Manager), and Jared O’Roark (Assistant Stage Manager).

The Interpreter Training Program at Cincinnati State is a stepping stone toward competency in the field of sign language interpreting, including extensive coursework in American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of all types of interpreters is projected to grow by 4% through 2032 (as fast as the average for all professions), and demand for ASL interpreters is expected to grow rapidly as well.

This presentation is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the David C. Herriman Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, in collaboration with Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and the Wylie Agency.

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