Category Archives: Events

December 5, 2024 · 6:23 pm

NARUTO The Symphonic Experience | March 26, 2025 | Aronoff Center

NARUTO THE SYMPHONIC EXPERIENCE
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

For the First Time Ever, Audiences in More Than Sixty Cities Will See a Live Orchestra
Perform the Most Iconic Songs and Themes from the NARUTO Animated Series,
Live-to-Picture, as Scenes Play Out on a Full-Size Cinema Screen

March 26, 2025
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

Tickets on sale Friday, December 6

[Cincinnati, OH] – GEA Live, Un Pour Tous Productions, and RoadCo Entertainment today announced NARUTO The Symphonic Experience (www.narutoinconcert.com), fresh off its successful European tour seen by more than 60,000 fans, will visit more than sixty cities on its first North American tour, including a stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM. The event is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2024-25 Season.

For the first time ever, audiences will get their chance to see an original, unforgettable two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) meticulously created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun from the first 220 original episodes of the beloved NARUTO animated series that is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its original TV anime adaptation. The orchestra will perform the most iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 6 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Prices start at $55.00. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4155. Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change.

“We invite NARUTO fans to celebrate NARUTO with this unique, live-to-picture experience. We created a two-hour film enhanced with a live, symphonic orchestra because the soundtrack plays such a huge role in the anime’s success and is praised by the legions of fans time and time again,” says producer Julien Vallespi. “The original score, composed by Toshio Masuda, is a perfect blend between pop and rock arrangements as well as traditional Japanese instruments like the Shakuhachi and Shamisen.”

With worldwide popularity and more than 250 million copies sold, NARUTO, by Masashi Kishimoto, is a shonen manga that started in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999 and concluded in 2014 after 700 chapters. The story revolves around Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja who overcomes his past and battles countless rivals as he dreams of being Hokage, the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

The anime began airing on the TV Tokyo network in 2002, followed by NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (2007–2017). The 20th anniversary of the TV broadcast was commemorated in October 2022. Being distributed worldwide immediately after broadcast in Japan has made NARUTO an internationally celebrated series beloved by people all over the world. Eleven animated feature films have also been released, as well as apps, games, and merchandise, art exhibitions, 2.5D musicals, music festivals, and Kabuki performances.

Vallespi spent months selecting the best and most iconic moments from more than seventy hours of the first 220 episodes, identifying and choosing appropriate narrative arcs, and combining the best dialogue, scenes, and musical sequences. Significant synchronization work had to be done to match the score to the film, and to make everything as smooth as possible for the conductor and the musicians. “This symphonic-rock show is a tribute to Kishimoto’s anime and Masuda’s music,” says Vallespi.

For more information about NARUTO The Symphonic Experience, tour dates, and tickets, please visit www.narutoinconcert.com and follow @naruto_symphonic_experience on Instagram, @OfficialVIZMedia on Facebook, and @VIZMedia on Instagram and X.

About GEA Live
Since its inception in 2003, GEA Live has delivered innovative live entertainment projects in more than forty countries, becoming a global leader in the location-based entertainment sector. GEA Live has closely cooperated with the legend Maestro Ennio Morricone (representing him exclusively for all live touring) as well as with icons of music film industry such as James Newton Howard, Giorgio Moroder, and George Fenton. In addition to producing live cinematic experiences such as the Johnny Cash Official Concert Experience or Elvis Live On Screen, GEA Live has produced live screenings with orchestra and choir of major motion pictures such as Spider-Man, Dirty Dancing, The Godfather, Titanic, La La Land, Twilight, The Hunger Games, Paddington, and Amadeus. This journey has led to fruitful collaborations with renowned studios and IP giants such as Lionsgate, Viacom, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers, and other global leaders in the branded entertainment landscape, earning GEA Live its well-deserved position as the most reliable and trusted partner for location-based entertainment projects worldwide.

About Un Pour Tous Productions
Un Pour Tous Productions, co-founded by Rémi Préchac and Julien Vallespi in 2021, is a production company specializing in the acquisition and development of strong licenses (Lucky Luke, Naruto, Les Mystérieuses Cités d’Or…) in order to adapt them into musicals, films, or TV Series. Lucky Luke is the structure’s first ambitious series. Un Pour Tous Productions is a subsidiary of Abside Groupe, which also operates the Montjoie studios (winner of the 2030 stimulus plan) and aims to become a new industrial player in the creative sector. Un Pour Tous Productions is one of the driving forces behind this dynamic.

About RoadCo Entertainment
RoadCo Entertainment, formed in 2020, is a producing and distribution agency specializing in live entertainment experiences. A collaboration between Sony Music Entertainment and independent touring entrepreneurs Stephen Lindsay and Brett Sirota, RoadCo represents a broad roster of live events based on popular brands and intellectual properties, as well as all-new immersive and interactive attractions for audiences of all ages.

About VIZ Media
Wherever manga and anime fans are, we are! VIZ Media is No. 1 in Japanese pop culture, introducing fans to what’s now, new, and next. VIZ is home to the world’s most influential and groundbreaking storytellers and artists, who today drive multiple industries from publishing and animation to film and gaming. If it’s big in Japan, you can find it at VIZ.

VIZ Media is proudly certified as a Most Loved Workplace® in America and Inc Magazine’s 2023 Best Workplace. For more information on VIZ Media, visit https://www.viz.com/ and follow @OfficialVIZMedia on Facebook, and @VIZMedia on Instagram and X.

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, TRIHEALTH

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:                NARUTO The Symphonic Experience
WHEN:                Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – 7:30 PM
WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICES:               Start at $55.00. 10%-off groups of ten or more. Additional service fees may apply. Prices subject to change.
INFO:                   For the first time ever, audiences will get their chance to see an original, unforgettable two-hour feature film (shown with subtitles) meticulously created by Julien Vallespi and Quentin Benayoun from the first 220 original episodes of the beloved NARUTO animated series that is currently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its original TV anime adaptation. The orchestra will perform the most iconic songs and themes from the series, live-to-picture, as scenes are projected on a full-size, HD cinema screen.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, December 6 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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November 18, 2024 · 3:56 pm

Two-time “Best of Cincinnati” Winners Bring Celebrated Annual Holiday Concert to Local Venues

CINCINNATI, OH – Warm your holiday spirits with NO PROMISES Vocal Band and their beloved annual “Christmas with No Promises” tour. The “Best of Cincinnati” winners stoke the midwinter hearth with seasonal favorites from Joni Mitchell and A Charlie Brown Christmas, joining selections by Andy Williams, the Temptations, *NSYNC and more. Guest artists Buck Hinman, Paul Phillips and Chancellor Waye lend thrilling lead vocals to a heart-warming, family-friendly program.

“Christmas with No Promises” will include four public performances at venues across Greater Cincinnati:

St. Columban Parish
Thursday, December 5, 7:30pm
894 Oakland Road | Loveland (45140)
60m Family-Length Program
A freewill offering will be accepted; no reservations required

Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre
Wednesday, December 18, 7:30pm
801 Matson Place | Price Hill (45204)
Full-Length Program with Two Sets
Tickets $25 | Purchase Online or 513.241.6550

Community of the Good Shepherd
Thursday, December 19, 6:30pm
8815 East Kemper Road | Montgomery (45249)
60m Family-Length Program; Ends One Hour Prior to Bengals Game
A freewill offering will be accepted; no reservations required

The Carnegie
Saturday, December 21 7:30pm
1028 Scott Boulevard | Covington (41011)
Full-Length Program with Two Sets
Tickets $25 | Purchase Online or 859.957.1940

New Friends & New Music for 2024
Now in its tenth season (including a pandemic-era digital concert in 2020), “Christmas with No Promises” has become a holiday tradition for vocal music lovers across Cincinnati, drawing thousands of listeners to the annual series of concerts at the Tri-State’s popular venues and sacred spaces.

Highlights of this year’s tour include:

  • Three outstanding young singers making their Christmas debuts with No Promises. WLWT-TV executive producer Buck Himan is the newest guest artist to NO PROMISES, bringing with him a passion for barbershop-style singing honed through international competition. Recent Xavier University graduate Chancellor Waye is a bass singer who directed of his university’s a cappella group, Harmon-X, on his way to a degree in choral education. And NO PROMISES’ newest fulltime singer is also the new Director of Choirs at St. Xavier High School: Joey Pace. Similarly coming to the group by way of barbershop music, Joey sings with the Southern Gateway Chorus and enjoys publishing multi-track a cappella recordings.
  • The return of NO PROMISES Christmas favorites. These selections will include:
    • The first post-pandemic performance of Harry Connick, Jr’s. whimsical “I Think I Saw Ol’ Santa.
    • The first public performance since 2015 of NO PROMISES’ lovely and complex “A Charlie Brown Christmas” medley, featuring Vince Guaraldi’s “Skating” and “Christmas Time Is Here.”
    • A re-imagining of the group’s long-time, show-closing ballad “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” featured in the musical MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and featuring NO PROMISES’ own Broadway veteran, Dr. David Baum.
    • The first “Christmas with No Promises” performance of the group’s “Boy Band Medley,” which debuted with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra featuring hits by *NSYNC, Boyz 2 Men and Cincinnati favorites 98 Degrees. This piece will be performed at the December 18 and 21 programs.

About NO PROMISES
NO PROMISES is a Cincinnati-based professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and breathtaking harmonizations to jazz and popular music favorites from 1940s classics to today’s jams. Citybeat “Best of Cincinnati” winners in 2017 and 2022, the group has entertained at festivals, concert series, stadiums and performing arts centers throughout the state. Its members have graced the stages of Broadway, fronted major symphony orchestras, and backed the likes of Jim Messina, Steve Winwood, Kenny Loggins and POCO. In their day-to-day lives, the men of NO PROMISES are clinical psychologists, concert promoters, therapists, choir directors, real estate moguls and hairdressers with a passion for fine a cappella singing.

In 2024, NO PROMISES was honored to make their debut at Great American Ballpark, performing the national anthem for two Cincinnati Reds games. During the year prior, the group premiered a newly commissioned work as part of Cincinnati May Festival’s 150th anniversary season, and joined Broadway veteran Sally Wilfert in concert at historic Memorial Hall in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. 2021 saw the ensemble’s debut of “The Boy Band Diaries,” a collaboration with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra featuring male vocal hits spanning the past century. The group’s numerous other collaborators and guest artist appearances have included the Gem City Chorus, the Southern Gateway Chorus, the Sycamore Community Singers, the Northern Kentucky Brotherhood Singers, the Queen City Sisters, the Three Bald Guys and the Cincinnati Collaborative Ringing Project. NO PROMISES has released three recording projects: A No Promises Christmas (2016), All Wet (2018) and The Nines (2019), as well as the pandemic-era virtual concert, NO PROMISES Saves Christmas.

The members of NO PROMISES are Joshua Steele (resident of Kennedy Heights), Kaeden Kass (Mt. Airy), Joey Pace (Clifton), David Baum (Montgomery), Jeff Grooms (Cold Spring, KY) and Nat Comisar (Symmes Township). Buck Hinman (Walnut Hills), Paul Phillips (Tempe, AZ) and Chancellor Waye (Mason) join the group as guest artist for the 2024 “Christmas with No Promises” tour. Individual bios available at www.nopromisesvocalband.com/lineup/.

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November 18, 2024 · 3:54 pm

The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Welcomes Audiences Back For the Annual One Acts Festival, 2024

Cincinnati, OH- Returning to the stage once again, The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome audiences to their one acts festival, a production of 3 student-directed one act plays! The show runs November 21st-23rd, 2024 at 7 p.m. and November 23rd at 2p.m.

The one acts festival this year will consist of 3 pieces; A Trip to the Moon by Tracy Wells directed by Elijah Cook and Jonathan Rubin, The Mystery of the Silver Backed Hairbrush: A Whodunnit in One Act by Burton Crane directed by Andrew Canter, and Bad Auditions by Bad Actors by Ian McWethy directed by Noa Jaffee and Jonas Warner.

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students. Tickets can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by:

  • The Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund
  • Wings Walnut Hills Theatre Boosters
  • WHHS Parent Association
  • Solution Roofing
  • Riverview Heating and Cooling
  • Pepper and Family

Featuring, in A Trip to the Moon, William Crone as Man/Jimmy/Carl, Clara Quintaba as Randy/Woman/Sarah, Sumner Bailey as Brett/Meadow/Cindy, Lenora Cable as Maureen/Suzanne/Lisa, Tuula Hicks as Chris/Gladys/Jeff, Red Brock as Dad/Jessie/Mailman, Mia Kline as Mom/Mother/Mary, and Milan Shah as Jackie/Paula.

In Bad Auditions by Bad Actors, Katherine Hoffman as CD, Levi Singer as Roger, Ivy Syroney as Melissa/Josie/Catherine/Charlize/Meg, Tahirih Fananazapir as Coach/Joe/Martin/Agent/Josh/Edmund, and Willa Turpin as Amy.

In The Mystery of the Silver-Backed Hairbrush, Riya Pasare as J. Grewsome Smith, Amelia Hoops as Murderer, Eleanor Faye as Minnie, Cecily Winner as Flossie, Red Kinnear as Chesterton, and Adina Morvay as Dobson.

Directed by Andrew Canter, Noa Jaffee, Jonas Warner, Elijah Cook, and Jonathan Rubin
Technical Director/Scenic Designer- Helen A. Raymond-Goers
Festival Producer- Mike Sherman
Production Stage Managers- Norah Boehm, Adah Mosher, and Naima Jones
Assistant Stage Manager- Easton Taylor
Production Manager- Nyla Shahanavaz
Costume Designer- Riley Coleman
Lighting Designer- Eleanor Jackson
Head Electrician- Abbie Kershner
Props Designer- Eden Kraus
Props Manager- Peri Brenner
Sound Designer- Violet Garitson
Marketing and Publicity Head- Adelaide Linser
Co-Hair and Makeup Designers- Piper Hawkins and Aunna Phillips

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October 28, 2024 · 5:38 pm

ELF the Musical at Loveland High School Nov. 13-16

Christmas spirit starts early in Loveland with a production of ELF the Musical at Loveland High School November 13th – 16th.  This show is a great start to the family holidays and will have you pulling out your decorations extra early.

A baby who crawled into Santa’s sack and grew up at the North Pole with the elves finds out he actually is human.  When he sets off to find his family in New York City, Buddy’s adventures show him the good and the bad of live in the big city.

Will people believe he really knows “the big guy”?  Can he raise enough Christmas spirit to get Santa’s sleigh to fly and save his dad’s publishing company from ruin?

Over 70 students are involved in this production –  the backstage crew, the actors singing and dancing on stage, and the orchestra playing the stick-in-your-head sparklejollytwinklejingley tunes.

Performances are Wed-Fri at 7pm, Sat at 2pm & 7pm.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and senior citizens.

Order yours here: https://lovelandhstheater.wixsite.com/lhsdrama/box-office

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October 28, 2024 · 5:32 pm

Cincinnati Ballet, City, 3CDC, and Art Academy of Cincinnati Announce WINTER WONDERLAND Installation in Washington Park

Story Walk to Be Unveiled December 1 for Holiday Season

CINCINNATI (October 24, 2024) – The holiday season is just around the corner and the Cincinnati Ballet, the City of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC), and the Art Academy of Cincinnati have partnered to bring a Nutcracker-inspired Winter Wonderland installation to Washington Park this December.

The installation, Winter Wonderland presented by Cincinnati Ballet, will be a story walk with six scenes created by students from the Art Academy of Cincinnati, in addition to dazzling holiday lights on park trees, along paths, and surrounding the bandstand.  The story walk will be viewable from December 1-31 and the lighting enhancements will remain in the park through February 2025. Additionally, Cincinnati Ballet will host a special event December 1 to celebrate the launch of the story walk experience from 11AM – 3PM. The event will include ballet dancers and characters, family-friendly activities, music, and more. Santa Claus will also be on-site at the Sherwin-Williams Porch greeting families and taking free photos.

“The holidays are a magical time for families to enjoy our City. Bringing Washington Park to life with the timeless tale of The Nutcracker will create memories and a connection to Cincinnati that will last a lifetime. These experiences are the cornerstone of growing our City. I can’t thank the Cincinnati Ballet, 3CDC, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati enough for making this moment possible” said Cincinnati City Councilmember Seth Walsh.

“We’re thrilled to partner with staples of our community, the Cincinnati Ballet and the Art Academy of Cincinnati, to bring holiday magic to Washington Park this winter” said Christy Samad, Executive Vice President of Civic & Commercial Space Activations for 3CDC. “OTR is rich with shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences during the holiday season and we’re excited to give folks one more reason to come downtown and enjoy the holidays in OTR. We’re grateful to the City of Cincinnati for helping us to bring this vision to life.”

This season, the Cincinnati Ballet is celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Nutcracker in Cincinnati. The Company first performed the holiday classic in 1973. Performances will be held at Music Hall from December 19 – 29 and tickets can be purchased at https://cballet.org/performances/the-nutcracker-presented-by-sheakley-family/.

“This season we joyfully celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Cincinnati Ballet’s enchanting production of The Nutcracker,“ said Interim Artistic Director Cervilio Miguel Amador. “Attending The Nutcracker at Music Hall has been a beloved holiday tradition for families across generations. This immersive and spectacular installation at Washington Park will enhance this magical experience!” “Our mission is to share the love of dance with our community,” said Cincinnati Ballet CEO Debbie Brant. “We are so excited to bring this partnership to life in Washington Park, as we come together to celebrate the magic of the holidays.”

Winter Wonderland presented by Cincinnati Ballet debuts December 1, 2024 and will be viewable during all park hours (7AM – 10 PM) seven days a week through December 31.

Washington Park’s Sherwin-Williams Porch and concession stand offer full bar service including hot chocolate, coffee, Coca-Cola products, beer, wine, seltzer and liquor from brands like Fifty West Brewing Company, NÜTRL Vodka Seltzer, Heineken, White Claw, Dark Horse, Bud Light, Boone County Distilling, Rhinegeist, Canvus Premium Cocktails, and The Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. No outside alcohol is permitted in the park.

Washington Park is located at 1230 Elm Street, in the heart of OTR. Secure parking is available in the Park’s 450-space underground garage facility, or at nearby Mercer Garage on Vine Street.

MORE INFORMATION: www.WashingtonPark.org.

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About 3CDC
The Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) is a private, non-profit full-service real estate developer with a mission and strategic focus to strengthen the core assets of Downtown Cincinnati in partnership with the City of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati corporate community. Its work is specifically focused on revitalizing and connecting the Central Business District and Over-the-Rhine. For more information, visit http://www.3cdc.org.

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