Cincinnati, OH – The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is thrilled to welcome you to their 2026 Junior High One Acts Festival. The shows run November 19-21 at 7 pm with a matinee on November 21 at 2 pm. All performances will take place in The Rick Steiner Black Box Theater.
Sasha Rucker-Chang as the Therapist and Gita Gheytani as The Scribe in A PLAY WITH WORDS. Photo by Mikki Schaffner
In A PLAY WITH WORDS, join Scribe as he adventures through misunderstanding and various wordy escapades in order to find a missing “what” in A Play With Words. Follow his ‘air-nating,’ and help figure out exactly the ‘what’ he is looking for, all while trying to find the right words to use in his own story! This over-the-top and wordy journey is a perfect example of how and why words are powerful, especially in your own stories!
Emaline Gallahger as Dr. Riesige and Norah Kestner as Martha in ESCAPE ROOM. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.
ESCAPE ROOM is a short, fast-paced comedy packed with nuanced characters, comically verbose monologues, and plenty of naughty jokes. Three young, gifted college students are invited to a wealthy man’s mansion, where they must navigate a series of puzzle-like rooms and obstacles designed around their individual areas of expertise. Beneath the laughs, the play explores the complicated relationship between morality and power, asking whether those who claim to be “moral” are always ethical—and whether those considered amoral can be vulnerable to manipulation and abuse.
Za’Nayah Combs-Reed as Jordyn and Xavier Chiseck as Julian in THE LOCKET. Photo by Mikki Schaffner
In THE LOCKET, upon the discovery of two vintage lockets from her Aunt’s closet, Jordyn and her best friend Julian spend their Halloween attempting to connect with the spiritual realm. However, to their surprise, they are transported back to the 1990s and come face to face with Jordyn’s parents who had disappeared shortly after she was born.
Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for students. Tickets can be purchased at https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets?authuser=0
This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by:
- Walnut Hills Highschool Parent Association
- Walnut Hills Highschool Class of 1964
- The Aber Family
- The Syroney Family
- Walnut Hills Highschool Alumni Foundation
A PLAY WITH WORDS, directed by Violet Kimnach and Aubrey Lowe, featuring Sasha Rucker-Chang as Scribe, Gita Gheytani as Therapist/Skeleton, Andrew Plaza as Me/Delivery Person, Ardea Zurich as Myself/Skeleton, Frances Blocher as I/Conga Line, Autumn Caldwell as Us/Ice Man, Oliver Crone as You/Bullet, Madeline Benoit as They/Judge/Conga Line, Violet Haunschild as Them/Conga Line/Bailiff, and Ife Olakanmi as It/Ice Man.
ESCAPE ROOM, written and directed by Levi Singer, featuring Emaline Gallahger as Dr Riesige, Loretta Galliano as Cody, Greyson Isenberg as Don, Bridget Patel as Dina, Nora Kestner as Martha, and Taginae Bryant as Maxine.
THE LOCKET, written and directed Easton Taylor and Ash Kertpet, featuring Za’Nayah Combs-Reed as Jordyn, Xavier Chiseck as Julian, Kamaya Anderson as Aunt Kasey/Young Kasey, Fiona Fischer as Morgan, and Julian Adkins as Kristopher.
- Festival Stage Manager – Katherine Hoffman
- Stage Managers – Aidyn Montgomery, Adah Mosher, C.C. Wise
- Festival Producer – Mike Sherman
- Technical Director – Joe Mitchell
- Costume Designers – Darcy Hughes and Lili Stroh
- Costume Manager – Megan Reidy
- Hair and Makeup Designers – Charlie Hans and Amelia Hoops
- Lighting Designer – William Crone
- Assistant Lighting Designer – Dallon Hatton
- Electrics Managers – Dallon Hatton and Eleanor Jackson
- Marketing and Publicity Managers – Violet Kimnach, Naomi Madaris, and Kendra Sullivan
- Props Designer – Sebastian Garitson
- Scenic Designers – Cordi Ellis and Kraig Ray
- Sound Designer – Gracie Whitehead
- Sound Manager – Molly Wermuth
