Author Archives: robbucher

Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre is the centerpiece of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s all -new mainstage theatre complex. Building designed by BHDP Architecture. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park celebrated the completion of its capital campaign today with a ribbon cutting for its new Mainstage Theatre Complex, featuring Moe and Jack’s Place — The Rouse Theatre. The $50 million project began construction in 2021.

“Thank you to all the donors that gave generously and made this amazing achievement possible,” Robert Reifsnyder, who co-chaired the capital campaign with Woody Taft, noted in his remarks to the city and state leaders and donors in attendance. “We exceeded our fundraising goal by just over $1.3M for a grand total of $51,230,174 in funds available to build this new facility and usher in a new era for the Playhouse.”

The Rouse Theatre and Schueler Lobby will officially open March 16 with an all-new production of A Chorus Line. The new facility features expanded comfort and accessibility for patrons and enables the Playhouse to host Pre-Broadway productions, which means a production that premieres in Cincinnati could go straight to Broadway for the first time ever, further solidifying Cincinnati’s reputation as a city with a thriving arts scene.

“Thanks to the support of our community, we emerge from a tumultuous period with renewed clarity in our role as Cincinnati’s national theatre – committed to bringing diverse, engaging works of great artistry to our community and putting Cincinnati’s artistic excellence in the national spotlight,” stated Blake Robison, Osborn Family Producing Artistic Director.

Enhancements to outdoor features and landscaping this spring will connect the Playhouse to the Cincinnati Ballet and Cincinnati Art Museum in the emerging Eden Park/Walnut Hills arts corridor. New design elements also deepen the Playhouse’s roots in its Eden Park home.

The State of Ohio invested $3 million in the project, which created over 200 construction jobs and brought $2 to the community for every $1 spent. Other key donors include Moe and Jack Rouse; The Rosenthal Family Foundation; The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation; Digi and Michael Schueler The Taft Family; Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation; The Lemmerman Family; Procter & Gamble; Margaret and Albert Vonz, III; LKC Foundation, the City of Cincinnati; First Financial Foundation; The Harold C. Schott Foundation; Barbara M. Weyand;  Susan Friedlander; Craig & Anne Maier; Robert and Dell Anne Sathe; Ellen and Ray van der Horst; Western & Southern Financial Group; Susan and Don Zaunbrecher.

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.

###