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The Passing of Blake Bowden

MISC_Blake BowdenEarly last week, the news of the passing of Blake Bowden shocked and saddened the Cincinnati theater community.

Blake Sperry Bowden
Beloved father of Sam and Spencer Bowden; dear brother of Rebecca Rebrook (Dennis). Born in Columbus, Ohio on October 27, 1967 to Annette Sperry Bowden and William Lee Bowden, Blake grew up in Marion and Wooster, Ohio. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Northwestern University and his Ph.D. at DePaul University. His post-graduate work brought him to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s CCDD division, and he went on to work as a school psychologist for the Forest Hills School District, Cincinnati Public Schools, and Lakota Local Schools. Here in Cincinnati, Blake happily pursued his passion for the theatre onstage and off, acting in many local productions and writing and producing a stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Age 47, he leaves behind many cherished colleagues who will miss him dearly, as well as his sister, his beloved sons, and their mother, Wendy Dorn. Family will receive visitors Monday, September 14, 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Hodapp Funeral Home, 8815 Cincinnati Columbus Rd, West Chester. Service will follow at 6:00 p.m. Donations in Blake’s memory may be made to Prospect House, www.prospect-house.org. Condolences to hodappfuneralhome.com.

You can follow this link to leave your condolences online.

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Upcoming Slate of Fringe Encores Announced by Know Theatre of Cincinnati

CFF_logoIn this week’s newsletter, the Know Theatre of Cincinnati announced a slate or upcoming Fringe Encores.

Full details will be released soon, but you can plan on being able to catch the following productions one more time:

  • OCCUPATIONAL PLEASURES from Homegrown Theatre
  • CINDERBLOCK from Homegrown Theatre (technically part of SERIALS 2!: THUNDERDOME but as Chris Wesselman says, “whatevs.”)
  • dungeon from Hit the Lights, Dad! Theatre Company (2015 Audience Pick of the Fringe!)
  • HUNGRY MOTHER from Vodianoi
  • CODY CLARK: A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING from Cody Clark
  • CHEMISTRY from The Cake Shop Theatre Company (2015 Producer’s Pick of the Fringe!)
  • Paul’s Strickland’s Trailer Park Triology (AIN’T TRUE AND UNCLE FALSE, PAPA SQUAT’S STORE OF SORTS and TALES TOO TALE FOR TRAILERS)

Details have been announced for SHE’S CRAZY (AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH MYTHS), running Sunday through Tuesday and A LITTLE BUSINESS AT THE BIG TOP coming Sept. 3-5.

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2014-2015 Southwest Regional OCTAFest Awards

OCTA_logoLEND ME A TENOR presented by Fairfield Footlighters

  • Merit in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Merit in Directing – Heidi Schiller
  • Merit in Costumes – Heidi Schiller
  • Excellence in Acting as the Bellhop – Taylor Greatbatch

THE GLASS MENAGERIE presented by Mariemont Players

  • Excellence in Acting as Laura Wingfield – Morgan Carter
  • Excellence in Acting as Jim O’Connor – David Trump
  • Merit in Acting as Amanda Wingfield – Barbara Karol
  • Merit in Acting as Tom Wingfield – Collin Wenzell
  • Excellence in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Excellence in Directing – Laura Boggs
  • Excellence in Technical Elements – Ed Cohen, Greg Smith and Dan Dermody
  • Merit in Costumes – Pegatha Edingfield

BEAU JEST presented by Milford Theatre Guilde

  • Merit in Acting as Joel Goldman – Micheal Kiser
  • Merit in Acting as Sarah Goldman – Desiree Brackett
  • Merit in Acting as Miriam Goldman – Becky Cole
  • Merit in Acting as Abe Goldman – Kent Smith

INHERIT THE WIND presented by Beechmont Players

  • Outstanding in Acting as Brady – Gary Glass
  • Excellence in Acting as Drummond – Joel Lind
  • Excellence in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Merit in Costumes – Kristen Vincenty
  • Merit in Directing – Jerry Wiesenhahn
  • Merit in Acting as Court Room Spectators – Wesley Schmidt, Bryce Willison, Catherine Voorhees, Francis Kolis, Brandy Buckingham, Lee Anne Waldfolgle, Mary Ann Fagel, Geoff Amann, and Sam Wright

WAIT UNTIL DARK presented by Sunset Players

  • Merit in Acting as Suzy Hendrix – Natasha Boeckmann
  • Merit in Acting as Gloria – Eve Roth

THE ADDAMS FAMILY presented by Showbiz Players

  • Outstanding in Costumes – Sean Mize and Emily Rowekamp
  • Excellence in Make-up – Sean Mize and Emily Rowekamp
  • Excellence in Choreography – J. V. Katz
  • Excellence in Acting as Gomez – Charlie Harper
  • Outstanding in Musical Performance as Wednesday – Emily Rowekamp
  • Merit in Acting as Morticia – Carly Cantor
  • Excellence in Acting as Uncle Fester – Jeff Richardson
  • Excellence in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Merit in Musical Direction – Erin McCamley
  • Excellence in Directing – Bunny Arsman
  • Excellence in Set Design – Ivory Mazur, Bunny Arsman and Sean Mize
  • Excellence in Musical Accompaniment – The Orchestra

STANTON’S GARAGE presented by CenterStage Players

  • Merit in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Merit in Acting as Ron – David Hughes
  • Merit in Set Pieces – David Hughes and Dee Dunn

THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS presented by Footlighters Inc.

  • Outstanding In Vocal Performance as Sherriff Dodd – Jon Vater
  • Excellence in Acting as Miss Mona – Deana Tully
  • Excellence in Stage Presence – Jeff Surber
  • Merit in Acting as Melvin P. Thorpe – Robert Weidle
  • Merit in Costumes – Jack Williams and Megan Williams
  • Merit in Choreography for Aggie Number – Clayton Castle, Nick Castle, Jack Williams, Robert Fields, Nick Horton, Justin Stallkamp, Jeff Surber and Chris Toney
  • Merit in Vocal Performance as Jewell – Joy Rolland-Oba
  • Merit in Vocal Direction – Robin Baker
  • Excellence in Muscial Accompaniment – The Orchestra
  • Merit in Directing – David Radtke
  • Merit in Set Design – Eric Bardes
  • Excellence in Use of Texas Flag Boxer Shorts – H. Scott Nesbit

THE WHALES OF AUGUST presented by Tri-County Players

  • Excellence in Acting as Libby – Leslie Stokes Brinkman
  • Excellence in Set Design – Gregory Smith and Vickie Rafferty

BLOOD RELATIONS presented by Village Players

  • Excellence in Costumes – Teresa Myers
  • Merit in Set Design – Jef Brown
  • Excellence in Acting as Actress/Lizzie – Jeanette Tacon
  • Excellence in Acting as Miss Lizzie/Bridget – Amy Stier

FROM DOOR TO DOOR presented by Stagecrafters

  • Excellence in Acting as Deborah – Rebecca Coots
  • Merit in Acting as Bessie – Betty Coulter
  • Outstanding in Acting as Mary – Rose Vanden Eynden
  • Excellence in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Merit in Directing – Karen Vanover

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST presented by The Drama Workshop

  • Outstanding in Set Design – Ray Persing
  • Excellence in Acting as Chief Bromden – Ron Samad
  • Merit in Acting as Cheswick – Chris Bishop
  • Excellence in Acting as Billie Bibbit – Geoffrey Hill
  • Merit in Ensemble – The Cast
  • Merit in Acting as Harding – Bill Keeton

CRAZY FOR YOU presented by Cincinnati Music Theatre

  • Excellence in Musical Performance as Bobby – John Woll
  • Excellence in Costumes – Elaine Michael
  • Merit in Choreography – Brian Anderson
  • Merit in Acting as Lank – Greg Good
  • Excellence in Vocal Performance as Polly – Kaitlin Lory
  • Merit in Acting as Irene – Jennifer Drake

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2014-2015 Orchid Awards

ACT_vThe Orchid Awards are presented at the end of each season determined by an adjudication system of providing three judges per production for each of the ACT of Greater Cincinnati member groups. Orchid awards for the 2014-2015 Season:

Southwest Regional OCTAFest Awards

Congratulations to the southwest region’s invitees to perform at the state convention.

  • THE ADDAMS FAMILY by Showbiz Players
  • THE GLASS MENAGERIE by Mariemont Players
  • FROM DOOR TO DOOR by Stagecrafters.
    The alternate is THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS by the Footlighters.

ACT of Greater Cincinnati Honorary Awards

  • Roger Grooms Award – Karen Doss Vanover
  • Art Rouse Award – Dee Dunn.
  • Spirit of Community Theater Award – Gretchen Gantner
  • Mario Pitocco Award – Elaine Volker

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2014-2015 Orchid Awards for Union Community Theatre

UCT_logoLITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

  • Excellence in Light Design -Roberto Henriquez
  • Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Conner Keef as Orin
  • Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Syddney Kline as Ronnette
  • Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Sarah Andrews as Crystal
  • Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Jessie Weikert as Chiffon

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