Category Archives: On Stage

March 20, 2025 · 3:33 pm

BIRTHDAY CANDLES Runs April 19-May 18

PIP_Birthday CandlesBIRTHDAY CANDLES 
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
April 19-May 18
Shelterhouse Theatre [Eden Park]

Directed by Joanie Schultz

Cast: Will Allan as Billy/John, Barbara Chisholm as Ernestine, Amira Danan as Alice/Madeline/Ernie, Mierka Girten as Joan/Alex/Beth, Adam Poss as Matt/William & Bill Timoney as Kenneth

The ingredients for the cake are simple: eggs, butter, sugar, salt. Look closer, though, and you’ll see the essence of life itself. Every year, Ernestine bakes a cake and celebrates with her family on her birthday — a delicious ritual that unfolds onstage across 90 years of birthdays. We meet Ernestine and the people who sweeten her life every year on this day as she grows from 17 to 107 years old. Through glimpses of Ernestine’s life as the years go by, Birthday Candles tenderly explores motherhood, family, love, loss and finding your place in the universe. This charming new play, recently performed on Broadway, will warm the soul. Note: Birthday Candles is recommended for older teenage and adult audiences. Using a bit of strong adult language, the play celebrates life and the pain and beauty that comes with it – from serious illness, loss and grief to love, sex, family and birthday cake.

  • In preview, Sat, April 19 at 7:30pm
  • In preview, Tue-Wed, April 22-23 at 7:30pm
  • Thu-Fri, April 24-25 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, April 26 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, April 27 at 2pm
  • Tue-Fri, April 29-May 2 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, May 3 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, May 4 at 2pm
  • Tue, May 6 at 7:30pm
  • Wed, May 7 at 1pm & 7:30pm
  • Thu-Fri, May 8-9 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, May 10 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, May 11 at 2pm
  • Tue-Fri, May 13-16 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, May 17 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, May 18 at 2pm

Official page | Facebook event |

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March 20, 2025 · 3:32 pm

CHURCH AND STATE Runs April 18-27

CHURCH AND STATE
Xenia Area Community Theatre
April 18-27
[Xenia]

Directed by Mike Taint

Cast: Steve Mongelli as Senator Charles Whitmore (R/NC), Amy Taint as Sara Whitmore, Jonah Reed as Alex Klein, Shawn Furl as Tom & Brandon Castillo as Marshall

Church & State is a fast-paced dramedy about faith, politics, and “The Twitter”. The play is about Charles Whitmore’s Senate re-election campaign, and how he decides to finally tell the public exactly what’s on his mind, no filter. As his devoutly Christian wife and liberal Jewish campaign manager try to contain the damage, the play looks at how religion influences politics and how politics has become a religion. The play is simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, and uplifting.

  • Fri-Sat, April 18-19 at 7pm
  • Sun, April 20 at 3pm
  • Fri-Sat, April 25-26 at 7pm
  • Sun, April 27 at 3pm

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March 18, 2025 · 3:17 pm

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Runs April 17-27

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Queen City Productions
April 17-27
Art Center at Dunham [West Price Hill]

While driving on a rainy night, strait-laced lovebirds Brad Majors  and Janet Weiss  end up by chance at the castle of  Dr. Frank-N-Furter and his bizarre entourage and find that he’s having a party. This is no ordinary party. This is the unveiling of the doctor’s latest creation: Rocky Horror, a man-made Adonis that will give absolute pleasure. Over the course of the night, Frank seduces both Brad and Janet, Janet and Rocky become Biblically involved, and Dr. Everett V. Scott arrives looking for his nephew, Eddie.  This is an exceedingly grand visual and musical camp satire of the golden days of the B-movie horror and science-fiction genres. With a memorable, musical soundtrack to give audience participation a new meaning, this shall be a night that Brad and Janet and audience members will remember for a very long time. Join us for an exciting new take on this sexually kinky, rock ‘n roll world of a gender-bending scientist – and his time warped plans.

  • Thu, April 17 at 7:30pm (Denton Cast)
  • Fri, April 18 at 8pm (Transylvania Cast)
  • Sat, April 19 at 2pm (Denton Cast)
  • Sat, April 19 at 10pm Interactive/Audience Participation (Transylvania Cast)
  • Thu, April 24 at 7:30pm (Transylvania Cast)
  • Fri, April 25 at 8pm (Denton Cast)
  • Sat, April 26 at 2pm (Transylvania Cast)
  • Sat, April 26 at 10pm Interactive/Audience Participation (Denton Cast)

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March 18, 2025 · 3:15 pm

DURING/AFTER Runs April 4-12

DURING/AFTER
Falcon Theatre
April 4-12
[Newport]

Written by Wendy Vogel
Directed by Ed Cohen

Cast: Rick Grant as Lucas, Samantha Weil as Eden, Ryan Bowron as Aaron, Tristan Pianovski as Nate & Bill Keeton as James

Every decision we make sculpts our lives, inch by inch. Told through interweaving monologues and flashbacks, this world premiere examines choice and consequence, redemption and forgiveness in the stories of three men whose lives are connected in ways they could never conceive.

  • Fri-Sat, April 4-5 at 8pm
  • Sun, April 6 at 4pm
  • Fri-Sat, April 11-12 at 8pm

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March 17, 2025 · 3:31 pm

THE ST. JOHN PASSION PLAY Runs April 5-13

LCC_St. John Passion PlayTHE ST. JOHN PASSION PLAY
Lockland Christian Church
April 5-13
[Lockland]

In February 1917 America was at war.  Like other parishes throughout the United States, St. John the Baptist Church in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati had readily given its quota of men to the armed forces during World War I. Eight of them had already been killed in action.

Father Richard Wurth, Franciscan pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, was deeply saddened by the loss of these eight young men, and considered how he and his parishioners could merit a special protection of God for the others serving in active duty. He remembered how the wood-carving peasants of Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps had escaped the Black Death in the 17th century by vowing to produce a Passion Play every ten years in thanksgiving.

With hope in his heart, Father Wurth decided on a similar strategy.  He produced Veronica, or the Holy Face, a play centered on the passion and death of Christ. After the third and final performance, he called all of the actors together backstage.  Realizing there had been no more battle-related casualties, they joined hands in thanksgiving. They solemnly pledged to present a passion play annually for the continued protection of those serving in the war. The following year, in 1918, The St. John Passion Play was established. Since that time, that promise has not been broken.

  • Sat, April 5 at 7pm
  • Sun, April 6 at 3pm
  • Sat, April 12 at 7pm
  • Sun, April 13 at 3pm (Veteran’s Appreciation Day)

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