Category Archives: Events

August 21, 2015 · 8:17 am

Cincinnati Ballet Kicks Off 2015-2016 Season with THE KAPLAN NEW WORKS SERIES

Featuring three world premieres and one Cincinnati premiere

Janessa Touchet & Cervilio Miguel Amador. Photography: Aaron M. Conway.

Janessa Touchet & Cervilio Miguel Amador. Photography: Aaron M. Conway.

CINCINNATI, OH. THE KAPLAN NEW WORKS SERIES takes the stage in the beautiful and intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater, at the Aronoff Center, September 11-19. With NEW WORKS’ continual record-breaking attendance, the new location offers access to a larger audience while maintaining the intimacy for which it is well known.

NEW WORKS was founded under the philosophy of fostering the future of ballet and dance. “Ballet today is a duplicitous mistress,” says Victoria Morgan, Artistic Director & CEO. “We don our pointe shoes, which root us to our heroic past, but our minds, determined to express today’s ideas, hurl us into this innovation hub called New Works. This series is the “start-up” engine leading us to a future that we cannot even describe.” The 2015 NEW WORKS program remains loyal to the premise of adventure, featuring three world premieres and one Cincinnati premiere.

Resident Choreographer Adam Hougland presents two works this year, introducing a brand new solo piece, which marks his sixth world premiere for Cincinnati Ballet and the return of All My Favorite People from Cincinnati Ballet & Over the Rhine Live. “Adam’s familiarity with our company dancers has earned him their complete devotion,” says Artistic Director & CEO, Victoria Morgan. In 2011 he created a brand new production of The Firebird specifically for Cincinnati Ballet, and the same year was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” He contributed his talent to a piece in the collaborative performance of Frampton & Cincinnati Ballet Live, which was performed at the Joyce Theater in New York City in 2014, and the full length Mozart’s Requiem performed this past March.

Ma Cong, resident choreographer and dancer at Tulsa Ballet, presents an exciting world premiere during his first time collaborating with Cincinnati Ballet. Cong began his training with the Beijing Dance Academy and has danced the work of acclaimed choreographers of this day, such as Balanchine, Forsythe, Kylián, McMillan and more. As a choreographer, he has been the recipient of several awards and honors from choreographic competitions worldwide. He has choreographed for the major mid-range ballet companies like BalletMet, Richmond Ballet and Smuin Ballet, among others.

Born in Kharkov City, Ukraine, Viktor Plotnikov received his training at the Kiev-Ukraine School and the St. Petersburg Vaganova Ballet Academy. From 1987 to 1990, he was a soloist with Donetsk Ballet Company in the Ukraine. Plotnikov held principal dancer positions at Ballet Mississippi and Tulsa Ballet between 1990 and 1993 before joining Boston Ballet as a principal dancer in 1993, where he performed until 2006. He has danced featured roles in extensive classical and contemporary ballets by many of the major choreographers and has toured extensively in Russia and the U.S. Plotnikov has created a multitude of original works for several world class organizations. These include solos and duets performed at international ballet competitions, with an eclectic musical taste ranging from Brahms to Pink Floyd.

Aside from being an acclaimed choreographer, Gabriel Gaffney Smith is currently a dancer at BalletMet Columbus as well as an accomplished composer. He presents his Cincinnati premiere pas de deux, Detachment Without Reason set to his own original musical composition. Smith composed the music for one of Heather Britt’s pieces, Habitual, which is featured later in the season during Director’s Choice. He has also created musical pieces for BalletMet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Texture Contemporary Ballet and a documentary for Red House Productions. As a dancer, Smith has also performed with River North Jazz Company in Chicago and Hisatomi Yoshiko Ballet in Japan.

NEW WORKS kicks off an exciting new season following the announcement of several promotions within the dancer ranks and the return of former Cincinnati Ballet Principal Dancer, Oğulcan Borova, as official Ballet Master. Borova is originally from Turkey and has won numerous medals in major international ballet competitions. Most recently he was a principal dancer with Joffrey Ballet. Three new dancers join Cincinnati Ballet’s roster: Patric Palkens returns as a Principal Dancer after a year in Europe with Salzburg State Theater Austria Dance. Jonathan Batista, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, joins as a Soloist. He danced for Miami City Ballet, National Ballet of Canada and Boston Ballet before joining Cincinnati Ballet. Serena Søvdsnes starts as an Apprentice, most recently dancing with Boston Ballet II.

Rodrigo Almarales has been promoted from Senior Soloist to Principal; Courtney Connor Jones has been promoted from Soloist to Senior Soloist; James Gilmer has been promoted from Corps de Ballet to Soloist; Sirui Liu and Abigail Morwood have been promoted from Corps de Ballet to Soloists; Samantha Nagy-Chow and Khris Santos have been promoted from Apprentices to New Dancers; and Taylor Carrasco and Daniel Wagner have been promoted from CBII Dancers to Apprentices for the 15-16 Season.

MEET THE ARTISTS Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to offer Meet the Artists, a pre-performance discussion series where you will have the opportunity to meet select dancers, choreographers and members of the creative team who bring New Works to life. For admission, please present your ticket to the current production. Meet the Artists will be held at 7:00 pm on September 11 and 18.

PERFORMANCE DATES AND INFORMATION

  • WHO:
    Cincinnati Ballet
    Choreography: Ma Cong, Adam Hougland, Viktor Plotnikov, Gabriel Gaffney Smith
  • WHAT:
    The Kaplan New Works Series
    Three World Premieres, One Cincinnati Premiere
  • WHEN:
    Friday, September 11 – 8:00 pm
    Saturday, September 12 – 2:00 pm
    Saturday, September 12 – 8:00 pm
    Sunday, September 13 – 2:00 pm
    Wednesday, September 16 – 8:00 pm
    Thursday, September 17 – 8:00 pm
    Friday, September 18 – 8:00 pm
    Saturday, September 19 – 2:00 pm
    Saturday, September 19 – 8:00 pm
  • WHERE:
    The Jarson-Kaplan Theater
    Aronoff Center for the Arts
    650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
  • HOW:
    Call 513.621.5282, visit cballet.org, or visit the Cincinnati Ballet Box Office at 1555 Central Parkway
    Tickets start at $55

###

THE KAPLAN NEW WORKS SERIES Sponsors: James A. Miller, Dianne Dunkelman & Peter Schwartz, Dianne & J. David Rosenberg, Theodore L. Schwartz & Minette Hoffheimer, Capital Investment Group, Neyra, UBS

Cincinnati Ballet 2015-2016 Season Sponsors: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation, ArtsWave, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley Family Foundation, Rosemary & Mark Schlachter, Ohio Arts Council, PNC Bank, Frisch’s, Wellington Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, Cincinnati Enquirer

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 Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to inspire hope and joy in our community and beyond through the power and passion of dance, 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, extensive education outreach programs and offers top level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

CONNECT: READ / WATCH / LISTEN / LEARN / ENJOY at cballet.org
http://www.facebook.com/CincinnatiBallet
http://twitter.com/cincyballet

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August 19, 2015 · 1:48 pm

WALK, TALK AND DANCE LIKE THE ANIMALS at the Arts Center at Dunham

MISC_Arts Center At Dunham logoCINCINNATI, OH – August 19, 2015 — Children of all ages can learn how to WALK, TALK AND DANCE LIKE THE ANIMALS at a free program held at Arts Center at Dunham (1945 Dunham Way Cincinnati, OH) on Saturday, August 29 from 9:00 am-12 noon.

Provided through a grant from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, the program will include dance lessons, face painting, puppet making and special appearances of animals from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.

For more information, contact Ann Andriacco at aandriacco@fuse.net or call 513-501-1879.

The Arts Center at Dunham is a fine arts center for the west side of Cincinnati. Housed in one of the three remaining buildings of what was the first municipally owned tuberculosis sanatorium in the United States, the Arts Center includes a 350-seat performance venue as well as extensive studio and programming space. The Arts Center is located in the Dunham Recreation Complex. See what is happening at the Arts Center at Dunham on Facebook.

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August 13, 2015 · 10:19 am

Comedian Lewis Black Rants to Benefit The Human Race Theatre Company, October 11 at Victoria Theatre‏

COMEDIAN LEWIS BLACK PERFORMS STAND UP CONCERT
TO BENEFIT THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY

October 11, 2015 event at Victoria Theatre is a rant for a good cause.

Lewis Black.

Lewis Black.

(Dayton, OH)— On Sunday, October 11, everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, comedian/actor/playwright Lewis Black (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Inside Out), takes the Victoria Theatre stage in downtown Dayton for Lewis Black in Concert: A Benefit to The Human Race (Theatre Company), a one-night-only stand up concert benefiting The Human Race Theatre Company, Dayton’s premier professional regional theatre company. You’ll laugh until you cry as the “King of Rant” himself skewers the absurdities of life in his trademark finger-wagging finest. Tickets begin at $30 and are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage.

The Human Race will produce Mr. Black’s comedy play, One Slight Hitch, on its 2015-2016 Loft Season, April 7 – 24, 2016.

“PATRON” SEATS/POST-SHOW RECEPTION
There are a select number of $150 “Patron” tickets available which include prime center-section seats close to the stage, a Human Race Theatre “bling bag” and an exclusive post-show dessert reception with Lewis Black in The Loft Theatre lobby. The reception is hosted by Larry and Marilyn Klaben. $50 of the “Patron” ticket price is a tax-deductible gift to The Human Race Theatre.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The Sunday, October 11 performance is at the Victoria Theatre, located at 138 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Show time is 7:00 p.m.

The exclusive post-show reception with Lewis Black is in The Loft Theatre lobby, located on the third floor of the Metropolitan Art Center, located at 126 North Main Street, next to the Victoria Theatre. The meet and greet is for “Patron” ticket holders only.

ABOUT LEWIS BLACK

Though Lewis Black came to stand-up later in life, he quickly became one of the biggest comics of his generation. Often political, Black’s trademark style is an angry boil that builds to a full-on shouting rant; his frustration with politics and society drive him from frustration to rage. Like George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Bill Hicks before him, Black is fed up with the hypocrisy and madness he sees in the world, and his comedy is devoted to preaching that gospel to the unsuspecting masses. He is well-known to audiences from his regular segment, “Back in Black,” on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and his numerous stand up concert shows which include Black on Broadway; Red, White and Screwed; Stark Raving Black; In God We Rust and the Grammy Award-winning The Carnegie Hall Performance. As an actor, he has appeared in the films Accepted and Man of the Year (with Robin Williams), and is currently the voice of “Anger” in the Walt Disney/Pixar animated film Inside Out. A prolific playwright for the past several decades, his wedding day comedy One Slight Hitch has recently received productions around the country.

For a full, in-depth biography on Mr. Black, please visit The Human Race Theatre Company’s website page on the October 11 concert.

Lewis Black in Concert: A Benefit to The Human Race (Theatre Company) is sponsored by Doug Annala and Sam Rinehart, and Maureen Lynch and Richard Lapedes. Cox Media Group Ohio is the media sponsor.

Sunday, October 11, 2015  7:00 p.m.

Victoria Theatre – 138 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402

For tickets:

  • Ticket Center Stage box office phone: (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630
    Box office hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Schuster Center Box Office, and two hours prior to performances at the Victoria Theatre Box Office.
  • Online: www.humanracetheatre.org or www.ticketcenterstage.com.

Ticket prices: $30, $50, $65. “Patron” ticket price: $150 (includes exclusive post-show meet and greet with Lewis Black and Human Race gift bag; $50 tax-deductible contribution to The Human Race Theatre Company)

The Human Race Theatre Company was founded in 1986 and moved into the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces a summer Festival of New Works and special event programming. Under the direction of President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore, the company also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools, The Muse Machine In-School Tour, and a summer youth program. Human Race organizational support is provided by Culture Works, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation Fund for the Development of New Works, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 2015-2016 Sustainability Sponsors are the ELM Foundation, Anne F. Johnson and Steve and Lou Mason. The 2015-2016 Loft season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton Foundation, with additional support from Premier Health and Morris Home Furnishings.

CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

The Human Race Theatre Company presents

Lewis Black in Concert

A Benefit to The Human Race (Theatre Company)

Sunday, October 11, 2015  7:00 p.m.

Victoria Theatre

138 North Main Street

Dayton, Ohio 45402

Comedian Lewis Black, the “King of Rant” himself, takes the Victoria Theatre stage in this one-night-only stand up concert benefiting The Human Race Theatre Company. You’ll laugh until you cry as one of the most popular comics of our time skewers the absurdities of life in his trademark finger-wagging finest.
For tickets:

Ticket Center Stage box office phone: (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630

Box office hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Schuster Center Box Office, and two hours prior to performances at the Victoria Theatre Box Office.

Online: http://www.humanracetheatre.org or http://www.ticketcenterstage.com
Ticket prices: $30, $50, $65

“Patron” ticket price: $150 (includes exclusive post-show meet and greet with Lewis Black and Human Race gift bag; $50 tax-deductible contribution to The Human Race Theatre Company)

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August 13, 2015 · 10:02 am

Caffeinated Conversations at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

An energized behind-the-scenes discussion of all things theatre! 

ETC_Caffenated ConversationsThey say it takes a village…Get to know the village that makes Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati possible through our newest program, Caffeinated Conversations!

Join us on select Saturday mornings throughout our 2015-2016 season for a relaxed seminar on topics that range from how our talented designers create breathtaking scenery in a building originally built as a bank to our Producing Artistic Director’s play-selection process, as well as a tour of our scene shop. Enjoy a cup of joe and ask the questions you’ve long been yearning to ask our designers, stage managers, and technicians.

Cost:$15.00 for individual dates; $50.00 for the entire 5-part series. Hurry, space is limited!

Purchase tickets for entire 5-part series | Purchase individual tickets

  • Designing In A Bank: September 26, 2015 @ 11:00 am
    Designing isn’t exactly easy and at ETC, it’s made even more challenging by the constraints of our building, which used to be a bank. During this Caffeinated Conversation, ETC’s Design Team discusses the challenges (and creative solutions) of working in a non-traditional space.
  • Getting to Know You: October 31, 2015 @ 11:00 am
    How is ETC’s season selected? How do you find local actors? What’s it like to direct a play or musical that deals with issues such as mental illness, economic disparity, or racial tensions? Find out the answers to all these questions and more with Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers!
  • Behind the Scenes at ETC: February 13, 2016 @ 11:00 am
    Take a tour of our scene shop and discuss the ins and outs of making the on-stage magic happen with Production Manager, Matt Hollstegge, and Technical Director, Jack Murphy.
  • From Page to Stage: April 9, 2016 @ 11:00 am
    This show isn’t going to run itself- call the Stage Manager! At this Caffeinated Conversation, Equity Production Stage Manager Brandon T. Holmes discusses the ins and outs of managing a production from the first read-through to closing night.
  • E is for Education: May 21, 2016 @ 11:00 am
    It’s all fun and games…..and learning! Learn how Director of Education Ben Raanan works with local schools to integrate the arts into the curriculum.

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August 7, 2015 · 1:02 pm

POV: A Dance Exploration of Poverty, Homelessness, and Over-the-Rhine

Embark on a journey with Pones Inc. as we explore our city with a new perspective.

Pones logoOn the heels of its sold-out Fringe production, Shelter, Pones Inc. brings a new piece to Cincinnati audiences which investigates the dynamics of poverty in the Queen City. POV (previously titled ConverseNation) was presented at the CrisisArt Festival held in Arezzo, Italy in 2014, and premiered in Cincinnati in October 2014 as a demonstration of the powerful effect art can have on social change. The work was incredibly well-received on both international and local platforms, with audience members sharing how they “now question their own ideas of privilege,” and calling the work “A beautiful crescendo that invited me to play” and “Powerful, meaningful, sensual, poetic. Very good use of space, the best show I have seen in a long time.”

Through technology and careful listening, Pones company members interviewed a range of people, recording as many interviews as possible and creating POV as a dance piece with a documentary video component. The work is site-specific, taking the audience on a tour of Over-the-Rhine’s lesser-seen corners, using both natural and constructed spaces. “[The show] is visually striking and wonderfully innovative – taking the audience on an evening walk through the neighborhood that is the focus of the show, historic and diverse Over-the-Rhine.” Audiences begin at Washington Park and journey throughout OTR, seeing multiple dance vignettes and stopping off in various indoor spaces, such as NAST Community UMC, to view documentary video. The production involves collaborators such as the Young Professionals Choral Collective, local musician Preston Charles Bell III, Chicago’s hottest spoken word artist J. Evelyn, and local flash mob theatre collective Queen City Flash. Embark with us on this conversation about the economic inequality of our city, as we explore its manifestations with a new perspective.

Performances will take place September 11, 12, and 13 from 8:00-10:00 p.m.

Reservations can be made online, https://ponesinc.wordpress.com/productions/pov/ and tickets will be $15 per person, payable at the beginning of the performance via cash, check, or credit card.

Pones Inc. provides artistic opportunities for community growth by creating engaging new ways for audiences to experience dance.

Founded in 2008, Pones Inc. has collaborated with over 200 artists and 100 art and service organizations. The company creates site-specific performances through a fusion of movement and dance with other art forms. Pones Inc. performers use their bodies to speak their minds and uses its signature pedestrian-inspired movement to spark collaboration, connection, and community. Pones Inc. believes that art creates powerful change.

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