Category Archives: Events

May 29, 2024 · 5:20 pm

THE IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY | Oct. 11-12, 2024 | Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater 

CAA_The Improvised Shakespeare Company“Staggeringly Brilliant” and “Downright Hilarious!” – Time Out Chicago

October 11-12, 2024
Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater

Tickets on sale Friday, May 31

[Cincinnati, OH] – One of the most critically acclaimed improv troupes in the world, The Improvised Shakespeare Company®, will make its Aronoff Center debut on Friday, October 11, 2024 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 2:00 PM in the intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater. The show is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2024-25 Season.

Tickets start at $60.00 and go on sale Friday, May 31 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4155. Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change.

Based on one audience suggestion (a title of a show that has never been written), The Improvised Shakespeare Company® creates a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes. Prepare for an evening of spontaneous comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. Nothing has been planned out, rehearsed, or written. All of the dialogue is said for the first time, the characters are created as you watch, and if ever you’re wondering where the story is going… so are they! You’ve never seen the Bard like this before!

The Improvised Shakespeare Company® is one of the funniest and most critically acclaimed improv troupes in the world. The ISC was founded in Chicago in 2005 where it ran to sold-out audiences at the iO Theatre for over a decade. Now it performs regularly at Los Angeles’ Largo at the Coronet for audiences that the LA Times calls “Beatlemaniacal.” The ISC has sold out raucous shows at The Kennedy Center, Bonnaroo, San Francisco Sketchfest, the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, The Just For Laughs festival in Montreal, and Outside Lands in San Francisco. It is featured regularly in NYC at 92nd St. Y and Theatre 80 St. Marks where it “plays to packed theaters with an atmosphere more like a rock club than a repertory house” (The New York Times). In 2018, Sir Patrick Stewart presented The ISC at the Soho Theatre in London. In the 2019-2020 season, The ISC was featured in the Broadway Series at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts where it wowed audiences throughout its 178-show residency.

ISC guest performers have included Jason Alexander, Bradley Whitford, and Patrick Stewart. It has been named Chicago’s best improv group by both the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Examiner and has received numerous awards in LA (Best of LA – LA Weekly), New York (New York Nightlife Awards), and Chicago (The Chicago Improv Foundation). It has been called “Indisputably Great” (Centerstage Chicago), “Mad Genius” (LA Times), “Hilarious” (LA Weekly, Seattle Times, Chicago Reader, TimeOut Chicago, Naples Daily News, CBC Manitoba, Winnipeg Free Press), and TimeOut New York simply says, “Don’t Miss Them. Seriously.”

For more information, visit www.improvisedshakespeare.com.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), ARTSWAVE, FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, TriHealth

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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                The Improvised Shakespeare Company®

WHEN:                Friday, October 11, 2024 @ 8:00 PM

Saturday, October 12, 2024 @ 2:00 PM 

WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater

PRICES:               Start at $60.00. 10%-off groups of ten or more. Additional service fees may apply. Prices subject to change.

INFO:                  Based on one audience suggestion (a title of a show that has never been written), The Improvised Shakespeare Company® creates a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes. Prepare for an evening of spontaneous comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. Nothing has been planned out, rehearsed, or written. 

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, May 31 at 10:00 AM

  • www.CincinnatiArts.org  
  • (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
  • Aronoff Center Ticket Office
  • Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4155

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May 23, 2024 · 4:39 pm

2024 FRINGE After Hours

CFF_24 logoThe 2024 Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Free, Late-Night, Extra-Fringey Programming
Announcing this year’s Fringe After Hours events 

Know Theatre proudly presents The 21st Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival – the region’s largest and longest-running annual performing arts festival – May 31 – June 15! A 14-day celebration featuring dozens of live performances from independent artists: the Cincy Fringe is Cincinnati’s Summer Theatre Party.

Fringe is a celebration of community, and any seasoned Fringe fanatic will tell you that the nightly gatherings at the Fringe HQ after that day’s shows are over are as much a part of the Fringe as the scheduled performances.

Unlike the ticketed and tightly-scheduled nature of Fringe shows, Fringe After Hours has a casual, no-ticket-required, come-and-go vibe. Pick up a drink at the bar and socialize with other Fringe-goers and artists, or attend a night of free programming that embodies the experimental and art-driven spirit of the Fringe.

Unless noted otherwise, all Fringe After Hours events begin at 10PM. Here’s what’s on the schedule for a whole festival’s worth of Fringe After Hours at the Papa Fringe HQ, sponsored by Joe “Papa Fringe” Mock of Cutler Real Estate.

60-Second Previews (May 31 at 9 PM and June 1 at 10 PM): Every Primary Lineup production gets exactly 60 seconds onstage to pitch their show to Fringe audiences. (Sponsored by Buddy Goose & Mary Rita Dominic.)

Fringe-a-oke (June 2): It’s not your ordinary karaoke. It’s Fringe-a-oke!

Everyone’s An Artist (June 4): Customize your own Fringe t-shirt (just like our Fringe Guide cover model, Aiden!) and enjoy artist-price discounts at the bar. (Sponsored by Patrick Cusick.)

Game Night (June 5): Just like a casual game night at your friend’s house. Enjoy Fringe-themed social games like Celebrity and Telestrations!

Gay Spelling Bee (June 6): Ben and Justin Present! A fun and raucous game show where contestants spell GAY words while navigating a secret rule that makes everything even more ridiculous.

Puppet Slam (June 7): A curated night of short-form puppet acts intended for adult audiences.

Fringe Dance Party (June 8): Put on your dance shoes and boogie the night away to certified bangers on the Know’s MainStage.

Fringe-Con (June 9): Celebrate Fringe Fandom with creative cosplay and our annual Fringe D&D LIVE – it’s a roleplaying adventure with an audience!

Fringe Olympics (June 11): Team up with your Fringe pals and test your mettle in Feats of Fringe! Revel in the silliness, the glory, and the camaraderie of fellow Fringe-lympians.

Smoke & Queers Burlesque (June 12): A queer-led, co-ed burlesque, drag, and performance art group that encourages all weird & wild expressions of self, gender, identity, and sexuality.

Improv Night with Kevin Bauer (June 13): Late night improv comedy, with a performance by professional improvisors and an open jam so YOU can join the fun!

Flashlight Cabaret (June 14): An evening of unforgettable entertainment, lit entirely by audience flashlight. (Sponsored by Karen “Auntie Fringe” Brinkman, Esq.)

Pick of the Fringe Awards and Closing Night Party (June 15 at 9:30 PM): Party with us one last time as we celebrate the closing of the festival and honor the Picks of the Fringe!

Visit cincyfringe.com for full details of the ticketed lineup events and to purchase tickets or multi-show passes, learn about volunteer opportunities, and plan your path through the festival.

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

The 19th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbors, the Art Academy of Cincinnati and 3CDC.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Know Theatre is also supported by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network. 

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May 23, 2024 · 12:03 pm

STOMP Returns to the Aronoff Center for 3 Performances Only

BIC_StompTHE INTERNATIONAL PERCUSSION SENSATION
COMES TO THE ARONOFF CENTER OCTOBER 11 – 12

CINCINNATI:  Broadway in Cincinnati is thrilled to announce that STOMP, the international percussion sensation, returns to Cincinnati for 3 performances only.  STOMP will play the Aronoff Center October 11 – 12 as a special engagement in the 24/25 Broadway in Cincinnati season presented by Tri-Health. From its beginnings as a street performance in the UK and now entering its 30th year of touring, STOMP has grown into an international sensation, having performed in more than 50 countries and in front of more than 26 million people. Tickets will be available to the public later this summer.

Created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, STOMP continues to tour North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia following 15 years in London’s West End and 29 years at New York’s Orpheum Theatre, and lengthy sit down productions in San Francisco, Boston and Las Vegas. Throughout its life, the show has continued to change by creating new material to bring music to everyday objects.  It is safe to say you will never again look at supermarket carts  or plumbing fixtures the same way… or paint cans, or kitchen sinks or…

STOMP, an overwhelming success marked by rave reviews, numerous awards, and sell-out engagements, is the winner of an Olivier Award for Best Choreography (London’s Tony Award), a New York Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatre Experience, and a Special Citation from Best Plays.

In addition to the stage shows, STOMP has been an overwhelming success marked by rave reviews, numerous awards, an Academy Award nomination, four Emmy nominations and one Emmy Award for their acclaimed HBO special Stomp Out Loud, noteworthy TV appearances including The London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, The Academy Awards (produced by Quincy Jones), Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and a series of award-winning international commercials.

The performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” says co-founder/director Luke Cresswell.  A unique combination of percussion, movement and visual comedy, STOMP has created its own inimitable, contemporary form of rhythmic expression: both household and industrial objects find new life as musical instruments in the hands of an idiosyncratic band of body percussionists.  It is a journey through sound, a celebration of the everyday and a comic interplay of characters wordlessly communicating through dance and drum.

Synchronized stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra, eight Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue; wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion.  STOMP uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – dustbins, suitcases, radiator hoses, boots, hub caps – to fill the stage with a compelling and unique act that is often imitated but never duplicated.

Critics and audiences have raved: “STOMP is as crisp and exuberant as if it had opened yesterday,” says The New York Times. The San Francisco Chronicle declares “STOMP has a beat that just won’t quit!” The Los Angeles Times exclaims: “Electrifying! Triumphs in the infinite variety of the human experience.” “A phenomenal show! Bashing, crashing, smashing, swishing, banging and kicking – a joyous invention!” says the Chicago Tribune.

STOMP will play the Aronoff Center from October 11 – 12, 2024: Friday at 7:30PM, and Saturday at 2:00PM and 7:30PM. Tickets will go on sale to the public later this summer. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit BroadwayinCincinnati.com.

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STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH ALL THINGS BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI:
Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: @BroadwayCincy

Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Tri-State, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals in Cincinnati since 1987. For over twenty years, Broadway in Cincinnati has presented all shows at the Aronoff Center. The Broadway in Cincinnati series brings more than 185,000 people downtown to the Aronoff Center each year and contributes an average of $30 million to the local economy each season. Broadway in Cincinnati is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and The Broadway League. The season is presented by TriHealth. 

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands.  Led by 20-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Current productions include &Juliet, Hadestown, Hamilton, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ: The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. 

The John Gore Organization is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 20-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier Awards.  The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

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May 15, 2024 · 10:28 am

Cincinnati Opera Presents CREATORS FORUM, a Discussion on the Development of New Opera

On June 18, the company hosts a conversation with the creative teams behind two inspiring new works, Lalovavi and Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, both of which will receive their world premieres at Cincinnati Opera

CINCINNATI (May 14, 2024)—On June 18, 2024, Cincinnati Opera will host Creators Forum, a rare and insightful conversation with the creative teams behind two operas that the company has commissioned as part of its groundbreaking artistic initiative, The Black Opera Project. The first program of its kind, The Black Opera Project seeks to illuminate the resilient spirit and vibrant heritage of the Black American experience through the development of three new operas by Black artists.

The featured works to be discussed at the Creators Forum include the previously announced Lalovavi, an Afrofuturist opera that will receive its world premiere at Cincinnati Opera in June 2025, and Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, inspired by the life of American civil rights leader and politician John Lewis, premiering at Cincinnati Opera in 2026.

Participating artists from Lalovavi include composer Kevin Day, librettist Tifara Brown, stage director and dramaturg Kimille Howard, and conductor Kevin Miller, and from Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, composer Maria Thompson Corley, librettist Diana Solomon-Glover, and stage director and dramaturg Timothy Douglas. Evans Mirageas, the company’s Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, will moderate.

Creators Forum takes place at 5 p.m. in Music Hall’s Corbett Tower (1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). Admission is free, though reservations are required. To reserve, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call 513-241-2742.

CO_Creators Forum

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The company also receives support from the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Black Opera Project receives generous funding from the Mellon Foundation. Lead funder for Lalovavi is the David C. Herriman Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. Learn more at cincinnatiopera.org.

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May 13, 2024 · 5:15 pm

To Park or Not to Park: Cincy Shakes Brings FREE Performances of Hamlet to Over 30 Parks!

CSC_Hamlet

Beasley as Hamlet. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

The annual Cincinnati tradition continues this summer with an accessible and vibrant production of “Hamlet,” kicking off PROJECT Hamlet—a trio of productions presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company celebrating Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy

Cincinnati, May 10, 2024 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC) is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated schedule of this summer’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park tour, featuring the timeless tragedy of “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare.  Between July 12 and September 1, 2024, over 30 parks across the tri-state area will host free performances of “Hamlet,” including Cincinnati, Fairfield, Glendale, Lebanon, Madeira, Mason, Oxford, Portsmouth, and West Chester in Ohio; Covington and Erlanger in Kentucky; and Lawrenceburg and Richmond in Indiana – and more!

The complete schedule can be viewed online here.

While grappling with the grief of his father’s murder, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is thrust into a web of deceit, betrayal, and impending war. Not only has his mother married his father’s brother, but his uncle is the murderer. This summer, become immersed in the intrigue of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” — a riveting blend of passion, ghosts, and royal drama that promises to heat up your summer nights with gripping intensity.

This season, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company launches PROJECT Hamlet, a trio of productions that delve into the depths of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy. The series kicks off with this FREE production of “Hamlet” in parks across the region.  The tour is followed by the Cincinnati premiere of James Ijames’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Fat Ham,” offering a fresh take on “Hamlet” set in a backyard BBQ in the South. The series culminates with the World Premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s “A Room in the Castle,” a play commissioned by CSC in collaboration with the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, focusing on the women of “Hamlet.”

Starring in the titular role of “Hamlet” is the talented Beasley, known for their captivating performances in previous FREE Shakespeare in the Park productions such as last summer’s “The Comedy of Errors” and CSC’s mainstage productions of “The Amen Corner” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” where they recently dazzled audiences as Don Pedro.

This production of “Hamlet” is helmed by CSC’s Candice Handy, who recently led this season’s critically praised mainstage production of James Baldwin’s “The Amen Corner,” as well as CSC’s 2022 unforgettable staging of August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” As an artistic leader at CSC, Handy is known for her ability to foster community through engaging storytelling. Her vision for “Hamlet” promises to make it an accessible and vibrant production for all.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s FREE! Shakespeare in the Park brings the excitement of Shakespeare’s plays directly to the community, with outdoor performances staged in various parks across the tri-state area. These productions, featuring one of Shakespeare’s classic plays, are open to all, with no tickets or RSVP required. Audiences can simply bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of entertainment under the stars. For questions regarding a specific location’s policies on parking, outside food and drink, etc., please contact the venue directly.

This annual tradition reflects CSC’s commitment to making the arts accessible to everyone, providing an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the power of live theater in a casual and welcoming environment. Because of this CSC offers audio described and sign language interpreted performances of FREE! Shakespeare in the Park:

  • Audio Descriptions available at Keehner Park (West Chester Township) on Saturday, July 13, 2024 – 7:00 PM
  • Sign Language Interpreted performances will be available. Dates TBD.

Explore the impact this program has on the community:

  • 73% have more pride in their community because of the park tour.
  • 97% feel their neighborhoods are positively impacted through this program.
  • 86% of audiences report that their community needs more arts opportunities
  • 89% of audiences report that this is the easiest and most accessible way to attend live theatre

FREE! Shakespeare in the Park is sponsored by Western & Southern Financial Group; was financially assisted by the Eleanora C. U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank; and is supported by generous donors to the FREE Shakespeare in the Park Fund.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 2023-2024 Season is generously presented by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Season Funder: ArtsWave; Education Season Sponsor: Debby and Jim Mason; and Operating Support Partners: The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Lightborne, and 1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for all.  In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the Classics!

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