Category Archives: Events

Old Time Radio Sensation Comes Through Loud and Clear with ArtsConnect Dinner Show

— Relive or experience for the first time, the magic of old time radio with live sound effects and a stellar cast —

— It’s a trip to the past with a modern twist…and dinner! —

AC_Strangers on a Train logoSpringfield Township – On Friday, October 16 at 6:30 pm, the New Edgecliff Theatre will present a special old-time radio style performance of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller STANGERS ON A TRAIN. Guy Haines and Charles Bruno meet by chance on a train and share about the people in their lives they could do without. Guy is going through an unhappy time in his marriage and wants to divorce his wife Miriam. Bruno’s problem is with his father, but he wants a more permanent solution. The plan is relatively simple. When Bruno has an idea about planning the perfect murders, and then goes on to commit one, Haines finds himself in a bad position.

This vintage radio-style performance, complete with live sound effects created by Media Heritage’s Mike Martini, tells one of America’s best psychological crime thrillers. The performers will be dressed in period fashion. This production is a unique combination of the nostalgia of classic radio drama, and the excitement of a live theatrical performance. Come see the golden age of radio brought gloriously back to life, featuring some of Greater Cincinnati’s finest actors! It’s a trip to the past with a modern twist.’

  • TICKETS: Dinner and the Show are $40.00 per person. There is a cash bar. Dinner is provided by DiStasi Banquet Center. Tickets can be ordered online at TheArtsConnect.us/dinner-theater. You can choose your dinner option.
  • WHERE: The Grove Banquet and Events Center, 9150 Winton Road, Cincinnati, OH 45231, located behind the Springfield Township Civic Center.
  • WHEN: Doors open at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served buffet style and the show starts at 7:30 pm.

“Radio theatre is a significant slice of Americana,” said Shawn Maus, Springfield Township Arts and Enrichment Council board member.

Be a part of the live “studio” audience.

“From the innovative work of Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre broadcasts of the 1930’s to the hilarity of A Prairie Home Companion, the radio play has been one of our nation’s most beloved art forms,” adds Maus. “We are proud to honor this tradition through our Dinner Theatre series.”

—For more information on ArtsConnect™visit www.TheArtsConnect.us or call Kim Flamm, Projects, Events & Communications Coordinator. 9150 Winton Road, Cincinnati, OH 45231. Tel: (513) 522-14310; artsinfo@springfieldtwp.org; Web: www.springfieldtwp.org

The Springfield Township Arts and Enrichment Council, d.b.a. The ArtsConnect™ is a 501(c)3 organization established to create an engaged and vibrant community with quality of life enhancements through the arts, community events, and parks and recreation.

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Wanda Sykes | Fri., December 11, 2015 | Aronoff Center

Cincinnati Arts Association and Live Nation present 

WANDA SYKES   

Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall
December 11, 2015 – 8:00 PM

On Sale Friday, September 18 at 10:00 AM

CAA_Wanda Sykes promoCINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association and Live Nation welcome WANDA SYKES to the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Friday, December 11 at 8:00 PM. Wanda Sykes has been called “one of the funniest stand-up comics” by her peers and ranks among Entertainment Weekly’s “25 Funniest People in America.” Her smart-witted stand up has sent her career in many different directions, from TV to film to books. The show is part of CAA’S 2015-16 Season, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Aronoff Center.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, September 18 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

In 2012, Wanda joined forces with veteran producer Page Hurwitz to form Push It Productions, a production company dedicated to creating quality, comedy-based programming for network and cable television outlets. The company’s diverse slate of projects includes sketch comedy, concerts, reality, talk/variety, and competition formats. Their first set of specials, Herlarious, aired in the summer of 2013 and January 2014 on OWN and was the recipient of a 2014 Gracie Award.

Sykes was previously seen on several television shows over the past few years. She was on the Amazon Prime show Alpha House created by Gary Trudeau about a group of Republican Senators who share the same D.C. rental house, she made a return to HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, and she also spent five years on CBS’s New Adventures of Old Christine. In 2010, she starred on her own late night talk show on FOX, The Wanda Sykes Show. Other TV credits include Fox’s Wanda at Large, which she wrote, produced, and starred in; Wanda Does It on Comedy Central; and Crank Yankers as the voice of Gladys Murphy.

Her first HBO comedy special, Wanda Sykes – Sick and Tired, debuted in October 2006 and was nominated for a 2007 Primetime Emmy for ‘Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.’ It was taped in Seattle and covered everything from racial profiling to gay marriage. She returned to HBO for her second stand up special, I’ma Be Me. This time it was taped at the Warner Theatre in Washington D.C., where she tackled topics like the first black president, gay cruises, being a new mom, and aging. The special was nominated for two 2010 Primetime Emmy awards: ‘Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special’ and ‘Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special’. Her first special Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untiedpremiered on Comedy Central in 2003.

She can be heard in many animated feature films, including Ice Age: Continental Drift as ‘Granny’, FOX’s Rio as ‘the Goose’, Dreamworks’ Over the Hedge, and Paramount’s The Barnyard.

Sykes was also seen in the feature films Evan Almighty, the sequel to Bruce Almighty, in which she co-starred with Steve Carell; the New Line feature Monster-In-Law, starring opposite Jane Fonda; My Super Ex-Girlfriend; Pootie Tang; Nutty Professor 2; The Klumps; and Down to Earth.

Her first book, titled Yeah, I Said It and published by Simon and Schuster, hit bookstores in September 2004. Yeah, I Said It is a hilarious collection of essays touching on life, family, and current events.

She spent five years as part of HBO’s critically-acclaimed Chris Rock Show. As a performer and writer on the show, she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy’s and in 1999 won the Emmy for ‘Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special.’ In 2001, she won the American Comedy Award for ‘Outstanding Female Stand Up Comic’. She won three more Emmys – in 2002, 2004 and 2005 – for her work on Inside the NFLfor ‘Outstanding Studio Show – Weekly’.

In 2010 she won a GLAAD award for promoting a good image of equal rights for gays and lesbians.

Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and ecommerce company, comprised of four market leaders:Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Artist Nation, and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five ecommerce sites, with a database of over 119 million fans who visit our sites. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Artist Nation is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 200 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 250 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

Cincinnati Arts Association
Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.4 million students.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC,The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Garfield Suites Hotel, Macy’s, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, Ultimate Air Shuttle, Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.

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IT JUST TAKES ONE Runs Sept. 17-20

Kate Tombaugh.

Kate Tombaugh.

Kate Tombaugh is bringing her one-woman show IT JUST TAKES ONE to Cincinnati September 17th-20th, featuring Stephen Variames on piano.

IT JUST TAKES ONE is an entertaining, one-woman musical that pulls theater-goers into the charming, roller-coaster story of a young woman in her twenties who is busy embarking on a career in opera while struggling to balance her social life.”

Performances are:

  • Thursday, September 17th at 7 PM
  • Friday, September 18th at 7 PM
  • Saturday, September 19th at 2 PM
  • Sunday, September 20th at 2 PM

The venue is:
St Thomas Episcopal Church / 100 Miami Avenue / Terrace Park, OH 45174

Tickets are:
$20 General Admission and available at the door
(10% of all profits will directly benefit the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Charitable Care Fund)

IT JUST TAKES ONE has been a multiyear project for Kate Tombaugh (see her biography below), with her real life experiences in singing and dating acting as the framework for the show. Set to Kate’s original script and staging, IT JUST TAKES ONE features music from operatic arias, art songs, standard Broadway tunes, 30s/40s, to contemporary works by living composers.

The show runs less than 2 hours, including one 15-minute intermission, and the content is PG.

The Cincinnati premiere offers Kate’s show in its latest form; she now owns her own traveling set, costumes, and lighting, and is ready to take the show on the road.

The facebook link is: https://www.facebook.com/events/413672258837331/

The website link is: http://www.katetombaugh.com/it-just-takes-one/

“The gently humorous and at-times-poignant narrative is wonderfully woven throughout with apt musical selections that run the gamut from traditional Broadway, classical and opera, to works by contemporary composers.

Starring in the show that she also conceived and wrote has been a multiyear project for Kate Tombaugh whose real life experiences provide the framework of IT JUST TAKES ONE. She received dual undergraduate degrees in English literature and vocal performance at Illinois Wesleyan University, then later studied opera performance and received her master’s from University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Kate served apprenticeships with the Santa Fe Opera, Utah Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and has since performed with Opera on the Avalon in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Opera Omaha, Winter Opera St. Louis, and Performance Santa Fe. Her symphonic engagements have included solo appearances with the Lexington Philharmonic, Jackson Symphony, Heartland Philharmonic, and Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra. Locally, Kate has performed with Cincinnati’s own concert:nova, the Cincinnati Bach Ensemble and the Cincinnati Chamber Opera. She studies with Mary Henderson-Stucky and is managed by Witzke Artists International.

In addition to opera, Kate also sings musical theater, oratorio, and the premieres of new works. Kate’s background in dance and theater is put to good use every time she steps onstage.

If you would like to help bring IT JUST TAKES ONE to your town in the Midwest, please email Kate directly at kate@katetombaugh.com for further details.

Previous Performances of IT JUST TAKES ONE:

Streator, IL-August 28th-30th, 2015 (the show has been adapted and revised since its premiere in 2013; Kate is now the producer and owns her own set,costumes, lights, etc.

The upcoming performances in Cincinnati, OH are the show’s Ohio and Cincinnati premiere).

Prairie Fire Theatre- Bloomington, IL, October 2013 (Six performances)

Cincinnati, OH workshop, September 2013

Santa Fe, NM workshop, August 2013

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Shaping Sound | Sun., November 8 | Aronoff Center

COMMERCIAL DANCE UNPLUGGED

CAA_Shaping Sound promo

WITH TODAY’S HOTTEST DANCE STARS 

COMING TO THE ARONOFF CENTER

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
FOR ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY 

(Cincinnati, OH – August 31, 2015) — BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS is pleased to announce that North America’s hottest new dance show – SHAPING SOUND – will perform one night only at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Sunday, November 8, 2015 at 4:00 PM. Tickets goon sale Wednesday, September 2 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Experience the exhilarating collaboration of North America’s newest dance visionaries as they mash-up music genres and dance styles in an explosive dance theater experience that is perfect for all ages.

The dance company SHAPING SOUND was established in Los Angeles in 2012 with a focus on contemporary dance and choreographic artistry. Under the artistic direction of TRAVIS WALL, and co-created with NICK LAZZARINI, TEDDY FORANCE and KYLE ROBINSON, the company is an evocative collaboration by diverse artists who describe themselves as ‘visual musicians,’ i.e. their dance gives shape and form to sound. The four dancers broke into public awareness in a big way with the debut of the reality television series “All The Right Moves” on the Oxygen channel.  The popular series followed these lifelong friends and roommates in their quest to launch their own dance company – the company that is now the enormously successful SHAPING SOUND.  

SHAPING SOUND’s movement style provides its audience access to, and a greater understanding of, contemporary dance through a unique fusion of jazz, modern and hip-hop choreography. With a dynamic mix of energy, emotion and athleticism, the ensemble brings tremendous musicality of movement to each performance. Lauded by the commercial dance world and immensely popular with audiences of all ages, the company members have been showcased on all of America’s popular primetime dance, awards, entertainment and music shows including: “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing With The Stars,” “Glee,” “American Idol,” “The Voice” and “The 2013 Prime Time Emmy Awards” to name a few. They have toured internationally with an impressive array of the world’s top recording artists, and with award-winning dance companies.

Respected by both critics of dance and by the entertainment industry in general, SHAPING SOUND has quickly built an important critical resume and an impressively large fan base. BroadwayWorld.com described the show as:  “Electrifying and stunning … Aficionados of contemporary dance should do everything in their power to attend SHAPING SOUND.” And The Advocate said: “Once in a generation there is a group of artists who changes the trajectory of a genre.” After a Dallas-area performance, Theatre Jones stated:  “The choreography creates a visual effect that is mesmerizing.”

The combined resumes of the founding members show an impressive foray into the top echelon of the American entertainment industry:

TRAVIS WALL was the runner-up in Season Two of the Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and went on to become a resident choreographer and now holds the pivotal role of ‘Mentor’ to the Team Stage dancers in the show’s 12th season.  His work has been nominated for five consecutive Emmy© Awards for ‘Outstanding Choreography’.  He choreographed Carrie Underwood’s music video “Something In The Water” which received the 2015 CMT Award for ‘Best Music Video’.  The video was danced by the SHAPING SOUND company.  Travis assisted with the choreography of the “The 82nd Academy Awards,” and with Drake for “The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards” and has worked with Florence and the Machine, Chelsea Handler, Eminem and Rihanna. Travis also choreographed the contemporary numbers for the feature film, Step Up Revolution. Currently, he teaches on tour with NUVO Dance Convention.

NICK LAZZARINI is the season one winner of the Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and he has been featured in countless publications, including three covers of Dance Sprit Magazine.  He was nominated for an Emmy with Shaping Sound for their performance on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2012. He has performed on “The Emmy Awards,” “The Oscars,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “American Music Awards,” “The MTV Video Music Awards,” and multiple other television appearances. He has been featured in musical numbers with several recording artists including Carrie Underwood, Adele, Kelly Clarkson, and Florence and the Machine. Currently, he teaches on tour for JUMP Dance Convention.

TEDDY FORANCE is a fourth generation dancer with his family’s dance studio, the Hackworth School of Performing Arts in Massachusetts. He turned professional by the age of 17 travelling throughout Greece as a dancer for the international pop star Anna Vissi. He has partnered with many esteemed choreographers including Mia Michaels – where he assisted the “Celine Dion Taking Chances” tour and performed as a lead dancer in Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium. He is well-known for his work in seasons two and three of the Fox television reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” for which he received an honorary Emmy© Award nomination. He is a featured performer on “Dancing with the Stars” and works as a choreographer for Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald. He has performed with an array of award-winning artists including Lady Gaga performing on “American Idol,” Usher at “The American Music Awards,” Florence and the Machine at “The MTV Video Music Awards” and choreographed for Kelly Clarkson on “The American Music Awards.” He recently performed on “The 2013 Emmy Awards.” Currently, he teaches internationally for JUMP Dance Convention.

KYLE ROBINSON began dancing when he was eleven years old and quickly mastered all movements and forms of the art. By the age of eighteen, he was awarded the ‘Gold Award in Modern Dance’ from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). It was during this time that he met legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov who has served as Kyle’s mentor since. He trained at the Julliard School, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.  Throughout college he worked as a freelance dancer with Aszure & Artists and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company.  He played ‘Diesel’ in the recent, highly-reviewed first national tour of West Side Story.  Kyle recently performed on “The 2013 Emmy Awards,” “X Factor” and this past season in “Glee.” He mentors and dances with SHAPING SOUND and independently.

SHAPING SOUND is produced by BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS, LLC, Executive Producer Gil Stroming and Producer Nikole Vallins, and is considered one of the world’s preeminent dance entertainment companies today. In addition to touring theatrical productions, they produce dance conventions in 75 cities throughout the year which encompass dance workshops, dance competitions, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel.  With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 250,000 dancers annually, BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS is largely responsible for the transformation of dance entertainment.

BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS is pleased to bring SHAPING SOUND to Cincinnati for one show only at the Aronoff Center on Sunday, November 8 at 4:00 PM.  Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 2 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

For more information visit www.SHAPINGSOUNDCO.COM

facebook symbol /SHAPINGSOUNDCO     image008.jpg@01D0DFF8.F5810060 @SHAPINGSOUNDCO and  image009.jpg@01D0DFF8.F5810060 SHAPINGSOUNDDANCECO

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An Evening with #GoodPeople: A Playwriting Workshop September 23rd

GPTC_logoGoodPeople Theatre Co. is proud to announce that for the first time as a company, it will be a hosting AN EVENING WITH #GoodPeople: A PLAYWRITING WORKSHOP.

SEPTEMBER 23rd, 2015 from 7pm-9pm

Location: Roh’s Street Café (Upstairs Meeting Room), 245 W. McMillan St., Cincinnati, OH 45219

Attending the workshop is completely FREE (we will be accepting donations – all which will solely go to the company). Whether you are a playwright, an actor, a stage manager, a human being, ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND.

If you are a playwright, please bring a couple of copies of your pieces so that they may be read aloud by other actors (a good five to 10 minutes of your piece is perfectly fine) – and then we can discuss what we have heard.

The workshop will be led by Artistic Director/Founder of #GoodPeople Theatre Co. Mollie Jeanette Amburgey.

To reserve your spot for the workshop/have any further questions, please email heygoodpeopletheatre@gmail.com.

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