BUNNICULA
Town Hall Theatre
Oct. 23-Nov. 1
Centerville
After finding a bunny named Bunnicula in a movie theatre, the Monroe family including their cat Chester and dog Harold find out their new guest is no ordinary bunny. When the family’s produce begins to lose its juice Chester becomes convinced their new roomie is a vampire. Ages 4 and up.
Filed under Family-Friendly, On Stage
Acting Up to Present Guys and Dolls
At the Mason High School Theater, 6100 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason
Tickets are only $12 each and are available at ActingUp.com or at the door.
One of the most popular musical comedies, GUYS AND DOLLS will be hitting the live stage in Mason next weekend, presented by Acting Up -Young Performer’s Community Theater. Considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy, GUYS AND DOLLS received nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics and won a bevy of awards, including TONY Awards, Drama Desks, and Olivers. Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, GUYS AND DOLLS is an oddball romantic comedy filled with singing, dancing and 1920’s hijinks.
Featuring memorable songs such as “Luck Be a Lady” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat,” you are sure to leave the theater dancing and humming. The story is about gambler Nathan Detroit who tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck; meanwhile, his girlfriend, nightclub performer Adelaide, laments that they’ve been engaged for 14 years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler Sky Masterson for the dough, but Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown.GUYS AND DOLLS takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.
Acting Up’s version of GUYS AND DOLLS will feature a cast of approximately 65 talented youngsters ages 10 to 18, hailing from all over the Cincinnati-area. The director is Erin Wallace. The cast features CJ Allen (of Indian Hill) as Sky Masterson, Danielle Morey (of Mason) as Sarah Brown, Cole Hankins (of Loveland) as Nathan Detroit and Kayla Stroud (of Mason) as Adelaide.
Acting Up is an all-volunteer, young performer’s community theater which strives to bring high-quality, polished theatrical productions to the northwest suburbs. They stress family involvement and working with the community to provide an enjoyable, educational, and enriching experience for all. Acting Up is a member of ACT Cincinnati and just won 32 Orchid awards at the Association of Community Theatre awards in June 27 including Overall Technical Quality, Overall Performance Quality, Excellence in Dance Execution, and Excellence in Chorus, Choreography and Ensemble.
Acting Up will present four shows of Guys and Dolls on September 25, 26, 27, at the Mason High School Theater, 6100 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason, OH 45040. Performances will be Friday, September 25 at 7:00 pm; Saturday, September 26 at 2 pm. (sign language interpreter will be provided), and 7:00 pm; and Sunday, September 27 at 2 pm. Tickets are $12 each and it is general seating. You can purchase your tickets online at www.ActingUp.com or at the box office starting one hour before the show. For more information, visit www.ActingUp.com or call 513-494-6062.
Filed under Family-Friendly, Press Releases
Matt Krieg as Prince Eric & Brookie Steele as Ariel. Photo by Philip Groshong.
Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati
Oct. 16-25
Taft Theatre [Downtown]
Directed and choreographed by Roderick Justice
Cast: Brandon Bentley as Chef Louis/ Sailor, Wesstin Binn as Ensemble, Bailey Broxterman as Seahorse/ Ensemble, Mariah-Ann Crawley as Adrina, Mazzie Croog as Ensemble, Marlo D’Ascenzo as Flounder, Mia Bella D’Ascenzo as Flounder, Allison Edwards as Aquata, Josh Galloway as Ensemble, Trinity Gibson as Ensemble, Hannah Gregory as Alana, Bethany Xan Jeffery as Ursula, Matt Krieg as Prince Eric, Andrew Maloney as Scuttle, Jack Manion as Jetsam, Deondra Kamau Means as Sebastian, Greg Moore as Ensemble, Danielle Muething as Carlotta, Claire Northcut as Ensemble, Maddi O’Connell as Ensemble, Sarah Ann Radway as Ensemble, Mike O. Rochester as King Triton, Sam Rueff as Grimsby, Leslie Shoshana as Ensemble, Savannah Slaby as Adella, Spenser Smith as Flotsam, Brooke Steele as Ariel, Kealy Welage as Arista, Trace Young as Ensemble & Rachel Zimmerman as Atina
In a magical underwater kingdom, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home – and her fins – behind and be part of the world above. But first she’ll defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince the handsome Prince Eric that she’s the girl with the enchanting voice that he has been seeking.
Filed under Family-Friendly, On Stage
LES MISERABLES
Children’s Theatre of Mason
Oct. 16-18
Mason High School [Mason]
In 19th century France, Jean Valjean is released from 19 years of unjust imprisonment, but finds nothing in store for him but mistrust and mistreatment. He breaks his parole in hopes of starting a new life, initiating a life-long struggle for redemption as he is relentlessly pursued by police inspector Javert, who refuses to believe Valjean can change his ways.
Filed under Family-Friendly, On Stage
(CINCINNATI) – The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s popular Off the Hill series for families launches its 2015-16 season with the world premiere of Allyson Currin’s HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN, which was commissioned by the Playhouse in 2013. Recommended for ages 7 and up, HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN will tour to Tristate community venues from Sept. 26 through Oct. 30.
New to the Off the Hill schedule this season, each production will debut “on the hill” at the Playhouse; HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN will be presented at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, with tickets priced at $5 and available through the Playhouse Box Office.
HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN spins the typical high school pecking order categories into a new orbit when an alien from outer space enrolls at Maddie’s high school. An eager freshman, Maddie hopes to reinvent her image to fit in with the popular crowd, but that goal is compromised as she gets to know Renata, the outlier alien student who creates quite a stir.
“I am thrilled to be directing HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN because it is so relatable for everyone,” said Bridget Leak, a former Playhouse directing intern who also directed last season’s touring production of Theory of Mind. “We all want to be liked and to find a group of people that you connect with, we all want to fit in, whether it’s middle school or middle age. Maddie looks forward to starting over as she transitions into her first year of high school — shedding her younger self and trying on a new personality to fit in with the cool group. We all have that one person we want to impress, have moments where we have tried too hard and have to adapt to change. High school is difficult for everyone and you see that through the eyes of Maddie and the alien — both feel out of place and everything feels foreign to them.”
The HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN cast includes Serena Ryen as Maddie, Kyle Powell as Charlie, Erin Ward as Robyn, Lilian Wouters as Renata and Law Dunford as Rex, all members of the Playhouse’s 2015-16 Bruce E. Coyle Acting Intern Company. Other production team members include set designer Veronica R. Pullins-Bishop, costume designer Melanie Mortimore, sound designer Trey Tatum and stage manager Tracy Hoida.
In addition to HIGH SCHOOL ALIEN, the 2015-16 Off the Hill season features ANTIGONE by John Yearley, an inventive, accessible world premiere based on the timeless Greek legend that explores the choice Antigone must make between the laws of men and loyalty to her family (performances Jan. 23-Feb. 21, 2016, recommended for ages 11 and up). The season closes with THE GARDEN OF RIKKI TIKKI TAVI, a fun, free-flowing adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s beloved classic about sharing and cooperation by Y York (performances April 16-May 22, 2016; recommended for ages 5 and up).
For more information about the Playhouse’s education and outreach programs, contact the Education Department at 513-345-2242 or visit www.cincyplay.com.
Off the Hill is supported by the Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, PNC Bank, the John C. Griswold Foundation, ArtsWave and the Ohio Arts Council. The Cincinnati Playhouse season is presented by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation and Heidelberg Distributing Company. The season sponsor of new work is The Lois and Richard Rosenthal Foundation.
The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of the community contributors to the ArtsWave campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE (as of Sept. 8, 2015)
Note: Details vary by location. Contact the individual sites for tickets and prices. Contact information is available on the Playhouse website at www.cincyplay.com (click on the SCHEDULE tab).
Filed under Family-Friendly, On Stage, Press Releases
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 