Author Archives: robbucher

November 27, 2023 · 6:14 pm

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER Dec. 1-10 at Village Players of Fort Thomas

VP_The Best Christmas Pageant EverNOVEMBER 27, 2023, Fort Thomas, KY— Village Players of Fort Thomas is excited to announce its holiday show, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, will be presented in seven performances December 1-3 and December 7-10. Written by Barbara Robinson, the play is presented courtesy of Concord Theatricals and is directed by Amy Waldfogle.

In this Christmas classic, a couple struggling to put on a church pageant is faced with casting the Herdman kids—probably the most inventively awful kids in history. You won’t believe the mayhem—and the fun—when the Herdmans collide with the Christmas story head on!

“I love the themes of welcome and generosity in this play,” says director Amy Waldfogle. “There’s definitely a different energy when your cast includes 20 young people! And we have a bunch of people in their very first show.”

Please note evening shows of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever begin at 7:30pm; Sunday matinees are at 2:00pm.

Tickets are $20 and available online at villageplayers.org or by calling 859-240-7897.

Featuring:

  • Bob Bradley – CJ Bossart
  • Grace Bradley – Lauren Davidson
  • Beth Bradley – Clare Olliges
  • Charlie Bradley – Conrad Daniel
  • Ralph Herdman – Odell Brookbank
  • Imogene Herdman – Abby Turner
  • Leroy Herdman – Everett Robinson
  • Claude Herdman – Faith Hamzy
  • Ollie Herdman – Laila Bates
  • Gladys Herdman – Callie Carlson
  • Alice Wendleken – Lydia Bo
  • Maxine Charlie – Beth McDivitt
  • Beverly – Maddie Bossart
  • Doris – Adrienne Rademacher
  • Hobie – Johnny McDivitt
  • David – Eli Jacobsen
  • Baby Angel Shirley – Michaela Battson
  • Baby Angel Juanita – Elise Rademacher
  • Baby Angel Norah – Norah Holcomb
  • Baby Angel Theo – Theo Bossart
  • Baby Angel Teddy – Teddy McDivitt
  • Baby Angel Lorelai – Lorelai McDivitt
  • Mrs. Armstrong – Cheryl Eresman
  • Mrs. Slocum – Vickie Greco
  • Mrs. Clark – Amy McDivitt
  • Mrs. McCarthy – Jessie Faye
  • Rev. Hopkins – Doug Bruening
  • Fireman/Orderly – Elias Dean

Performance dates:

  • Friday, December 1, 7:30pm – sold out!
  • Saturday, December 2, 7:30pm
  • Sunday, December 3, 2:00pm – sold out!
  • Thursday, December 7, 7:30pm – sold out!
  • Friday, December 8, 7:30pm
  • Saturday, December 9, 7:30pm – selling fast!
  • Sunday – December 10, 2:00pm – sold out!

Village Players of Fort Thomas is a vibrant community theatre, continually producing plays and musicals for almost 60 years. Our productions range across a spectrum of periods and styles, presented in our intimate, three-quarter-thrust performance space in the heart of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. We stage innovative and of-the-moment works alongside beloved classic pieces while serving as an incubator for new talent, ideas, and writing. Each season features four mainstage shows, including a family-friendly winter production, as well as a summer production of original short plays produced by the New Works branch of the group.

###

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage, Press Releases

Tagged as

November 27, 2023 · 6:13 pm

Cast Announced for NOISES OFF at Tree County Players

TREE_logoThe cast includes:

  • Matt Boersma as Lloyd Dallas
  • Cathy Lincourt as Dotty Otley/Mrs. Clackett
  • Rocky Miano as Garry LeJeune/Roger Tramplemain
  • Taylor Dennis as Brooke Ashton/Vicki
  • Erich Davies as Frederick Fellowes/Philip Brent
  • Laura Stieneker-Taylor as Belinda Blair/Flavia Brent
  • Jack Harmon as Selsdon Mowbray/Burglar
  • Corden Simmonds as Tim Allgood
  • Allie Meyers as Poppy Norton-Taylor

Performances run Feb. 2-4.

For more information visit www.treecountyplayers.com.

Leave a comment

Filed under Cast list

Tagged as

November 27, 2023 · 6:12 pm

OTRimprov and Arnold’s Team Up Again to Make Your Holidays One-Of-A-Kind with THE NAUGHTY LIST

OTRi_The Naughty ListAn improvised dinner show that wants to know if you’ve been bad or good

December  5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 @ Arnold’s Bar & Grill

It’s a little bit naughtya and a little bit nice — but always a whole lot of fun — and is the only ticket in town guaranteeing you’ll never see the same show twice. OTRimprov, transforms the patio at Arnold’s Bar & Grill into a magical world to celebrate everything you love, and love to hate, about the holidays.

OTRimprov’s improvisers transport you to magical lands and create scenes you’re unlikely to forget. Whether showing how Santa would handle unexpected gift requests or reimagining your favorite holiday stories in magical ways, The Naughty List will fill your holidays with side-splitting laughs. Bring your cheer or your humbug; either way, you’ll help craft the incomparable experience only OTRimprov can provide.

On the tradition of The Naughty List, director Paul Wilson comments,

“Seeing families and friends come back year after year, to have them talk about their favorite moments and what they love about the experience is incredibly satisfying. And the people who discover us each year tell us how glad they are they found us and how they can’t wait to come back. All that and having it happen at Arnold’s, an iconic and uniquely Cincinnati location …it makes for a holiday tradition we are grateful to be a part of.”

And to delight even more of your senses, host Arnold’s Bar & Grill provides a delectable a la carte menu of dinner, drinks, and dessert for you to enjoy before and during the show. Audience members can arrive up to 90 minutes prior to the 7:30pm start time to feast – but please note that you must arrive no later than 7:00pm to guarantee dinner service. Dinner and drinks are not included in the ticket price. All parties are welcome and encouraged to request a reservation time for dinner when they purchase tickets at OTRimprov.com.

Cast in Alphabetical Order

  • Kevin Bauer
  • BJ Casey
  • Eileen Earnest
  • Amanda Monyhan
  • Julie Locker
  • Alison Strickland Rampa
  • Alanna Turner-Palmer

Production Team

  • Director – Paul Kerford Wilson

About OTRimprov
OTRimprov (OTRi) began in 2010 as a collection of wayward improvisers looking for like-minded performers and a place to play in Cincinnati. After headlining shows for the Little Big Night at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, we formed our own partnership with Know Theatre’s Jackson Street Market, a resource sharing program for fledgling companies, and began producing shows independently.

We continue to explore a variety of styles and formats, while developing a strong improv community populated with smart, engaging people and doing work that is collaborative, curious, and sometimes a little bit daring. We foster new talent through training and a welcoming atmosphere, where all performers feel inspired to explore and take risks.

Calendar Listing

THE NAUGHTY LIST
7:30pm December 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21

Dinner service from Arnold’s Bar & Grill is available at every performance. Audience members can arrive for dinner as early as 6:00pm but must arrive no later than 7:00pm to guarantee service. Dinner and drinks are not included in the ticket price. All parties are welcome and encouraged to place reservation times when they purchase tickets

Arnold’s Bar & Grill – 210 E 8th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202

Tickets:       $20

Dinner and drinks are not included in the ticket price.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting otrimprov.com

***

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases

Tagged as ,

November 27, 2023 · 6:10 pm

Calling All Second Graders for Open Audition Dec. 15 & 16 at Cincinnati Ballet

CB_Open AuditionsChildren selected will receive 15 weeks of FREE classes; Shoes and dancewear included

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (Cincinnati, OH, November 21, 2023) – All second graders in the Tri-State are invited to audition for our FREE CincyDance! Program, which connects children to the joy and discipline of dance! The audition will be held Friday, December 15 from 4–6 pm and  Saturday, December 16 from 2–4 pm at the Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center in Walnut Hills. (All details below) Following the audition, select dancers will be chosen to join CincyDance’s Ballet Foundations class, a 15-week program that will teach children ballet fundamentals in a safe, structured, and supportive environment. Students also have the opportunity to win a lifetime scholarship to the Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy. Classes will take place Wednesdays after-school OR Saturday afternoon starting January 2024. Invited students will be provided shoes and all dance attire. Classes focus on ballet, as well as other dance styles including street, modern and musical theater.

CincyDance! is a fully scholarshipped program designed to remove barriers and encourage racial, gender and economic diversity within the Otto M. Budig Academy. After the Ballet Foundations experience, five to six students will be given the opportunity to receive full, lifetime tuition scholarships to Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy. The Academy’s pre-professional training program provides students with a world-class dance education as well as performance opportunities with the Academy and Cincinnati Ballet’s professional company. Students may go on to pursue dance as a career pathway or as a personal passion. The December 11th audition is the beginning to a student’s exciting journey with Cincinnati Ballet and high-quality dance training.

DATE: December 15, 2023 and December 16, 2023

CHECK-IN TIME: 4 pm for 5 pm Audition | 2 pm for 3 pm Audition

WHERE: 1801 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Any second in the Tri-State area

WHAT TO WEAR: Comfortable clothes you can dance in. Dancers will audition in bare feet.

HOW TO PREPARE: Show up and bring your best self! No previous dance training or audition materials are required.

HOW TO REGISTER: Register here or by call us at 513-562-1111. Due to the limited capacity, we encourage all participants to pre-register online or by phone. Limited registration will be available on day of audition.

SAFETY: Masks are currently optional at the Ballet Center. Cincinnati Ballet follows all health and safety protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Class space is limited.

#####

Cincinnati Ballet 2023-2024 Season Sponsors:
PNC, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Foundation, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Jodie Gates, Cincinnati Ballet is a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world-premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Leave a comment

Filed under Auditions, Family-Friendly

Tagged as

November 27, 2023 · 1:25 pm

The Passing of Skip Fenker

CMT_Skip FenkerFrom Cincinnati Music Theatre

To all our community theatre friends and family, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dear friend Skip Fenker. His joy and passion he had for theatre was shown in every production he has been a part of. He has been part of the CMT family for over 20 years. Let us cherish all our dearest memories we shared with him. We love you Skip, may you rest in peace.

Please join us for a Celebration of Skip’s life at Tillie’s Lounge on Dec. 10th.

From Spring Grove Obituaries

Edward “Skip” Fenker, Jr. Obituary

Edward Allen Fenker, Jr., affectionately known as “Skip” by his family and friends, took his final bow on November 26, 2023, leaving a legacy filled with creativity, a passion for theater and love for puppetry that touched the hearts of many. Skip, the son of Edward Allen Sr. and Marian Ruth (nee Schultz) Fenker, is survived by his brother David Fenker, sister-in-law Amy Valle Fenker, nephew Danny Fenker (Dana), great niece Maeve Fenker and countless friends who will miss him deeply.

Skip’s theatrical career was renowned, directing over 50 shows and earning nearly 30 awards, including an Emmy nomination; a much deserved salute to his unwavering dedication and exceptional talent.

As a master puppeteer, writer and designer, his creative brilliance and nimble hands brought to life characters for Larry Smith Puppets, Wayne Martin Puppets and Heiken Puppets – enchanting audiences locally and across the country. His ability to infuse puppet characters with emotion and personality was nothing short of magical, leaving indelible memories for those fortunate enough to have seen his work.

However, it was Skip’s talent as a theater director that truly set him apart. Over the course of his journey, he directed an impressive array of more than 50 shows, each production bearing the mark of his creativity and visionary leadership. His innate ability to bring a script to life, coupled with his fiery passion for perfection, transformed every performance into a masterpiece – earning him the admiration and respect of those on and off the stage.

Skip’s departure leaves a void in the hearts of so many. Rest in peace, dear friend. Your final curtain call may have come, but you will be beautifully remembered. May your spirit continue to shine brightly in this world through the life you lived and the art you so passionately shared with us all.

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” Peter Pan

Family and friends will be gathering at Tillie’s Lounge on Hamilton Avenue on Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life also is being planned for early 2024 to honor his legacy.   www.springgrove.org 

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Edward “Skip”, please visit our Tree Store.

Leave a comment

Filed under In Other News

Tagged as