Ben Cherry as Yaacov, Bex Odorso as Dvorah & Lana Schwartz as Rutka. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.
CINCINNATI (Sept. 23, 2024) –A powerful new indie-rock musical based on the international bestseller Rutka’s Notebook: A Voice from the Holocaust will debut Oct. 13 at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Presented by MC and Tom Brennan, Linda and Gary Greenberg, and The Lemmerman Family and based on the diary of Rutka Laskier, RUTKA: A NEW MUSICAL runs through Nov. 10. Opening night is Oct. 17.
“We are thrilled to launch this world premiere musical on its journey to Broadway right here in Cincinnati,” stated Blake Robison, Osborn Family Producing Artistic Director. “It fulfills a promise to our community to make the most of Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre’s state-of-the-art technology and overall capabilities, enabling the work we create to gain national attention on the industry’s largest stages.”
RUTKA features a powerful ensemble of young performers who bring the true story of Rutka Laskier, a Jewish teenager who lived in 1943 Poland during the Holocaust, to life on stage with original songs and a raw and emotional sound that promise an extraordinary musical experience. Music and lyrics are by Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Lloyd-Styles, formerly of the Brooklyn-based band Pearl and the Beard, and the book is written by Emmy nominee Neena Beber, known to many for her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The show was conceived by Amy Langer and David B. Schwartz of Think System Productions.
The world-premiere musical is based on Rutka’s Notebook: A Voice from the Holocaust, the personal diary of Rutka Laskier, which her friend discovered and kept safe for decades before it was eventually published.
“Working and creating from such important source material gives the project a great deal of import and emotional resonance,” says Playhouse Associate Artist Wendy C. Goldberg, director of RUTKA. “I have been deeply inspired by the idea that Rutka’s friends are trying to create their own world under such horrible circumstances, and they are also trying to fight back and keep a sense of hope. That message remains essential during times of crisis. The enormity of loss that the Holocaust wrought is a story we do need to return to, so we never forget, and we never repeat.”
Goldberg’s directorial credits at the Playhouse include The Lifespan of a Fact (2019) and the world premiere of Leveling Up (2013). Goldberg is a nationally acclaimed theatre artist and serves as the artistic director of the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center — an organization that, under her tenure, has been awarded the 2010 Regional Tony Award and the 2016 National Medal of Arts from the White House.
CAST (in alphabetical order)
Mordechai Jacob – Ben-Shmuel*
Stasia – Delaney Brown*
Yaacov – Ben Cherry*
Nina – Julia Ty Goldberg*
Lolek – Dillon Klena*
Linka – Sabrina Koss*
Dvorah – Bex Odorisio*
Rutka – Lana Schwartz*
Micka – Zoe Siegel*
Tusia – Hannah T. Skokan*
Janek – Ayden Weinstein*
German Soldier/Gestapo Officer – David Whalen*
Mulek – Jacob Zelonky*
Understudies: Luka Ashley Carter, Hannah Grace Ervin, Sara Mackie, Tai Rosenblatt
ARTISTIC/PRODUCTION STAFF
Composers – Jocelyn Mackenzie, Jeremy Lloyd-Styles
Playwright – Neena Beber
Director – Wendy C. Goldberg
Choreographer – Patrick McCollum
Orchestrator – Nathan Koci
Music Director – Sharon Kenny
Set Designer – Todd Rosenthal
Costume Designer – Jen Caprio
Lighting Designer – Josh Epstein
Sound Designer – Connor Wang
Projection Designer – Yee Eun Nam
Dramaturg – Joanie Schultz
Casting Director – Daryl Eisenberg, CSA
Stage Manager – Andrea L. Shell
Assistant Stage Managers – Brandon T. Holmes, Madison Stone
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
TICKETS
Tickets begin at $35.00. Prices vary based on seating location and performance day. Preview performances take place at 2 p.m. on Oct. 13 and at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 15 and 16. Opening night is Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Regular performances will take place on Tuesday-Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. A weekday matinee will be offered Oct. 30 at 1 p.m.
To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Patrons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled: dial 711 to connect to the Box Office via Ohio Relay Services.
EVENTS
Preview Performances
Be among the first to see the show before opening night and save! Preview performance tickets are discounted.
- Sun., Oct. 13 at 2 p.m.
- Tue, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- Wed., Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Opening Night
Share the excitement of Thursday opening nights!
- Thu., Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Art Talks
(Formerly Meet the Artists), stay after select performances for a behind-the-scenes discussion with members of the artistic team.
- Sun., Oct. 20 at 2 p.m.
- Thu., Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
- Wed., Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Public Workshops
In partnership with The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, the Playhouse is offering a variety of opportunities to follow in the footsteps of teen diarist Rutka Laskier and learn to be an Upstander – a person who exemplifies the best of humanity and uses those character strengths to make a positive difference in the community. The workshops will use drama to inspire participants to be an Upstander in everyday life. All workshops take place at the Playhouse.
Upstander Workshop for Teens
- Sunday, Oct. 27, 12:30 – 1 :30 p.m.
Performance of Rutka at 2 p.m. with a special $20 price for teens
We invite teenagers (ages 12-18) to an Upstander workshop in conjunction with the world premiere of the indie-rock musical, Rutka, and to attend the matinee performance that day for a discounted price. Food and beverage provided during the pre-show event.
Upstander Workshop for General Public
- Monday, Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m.
Deepen your engagement with the musical RUTKA through reflection on the work. Please join us for a workshop that connects the ideas of the play to those of being an Upstander. This free, multigenerational workshop is for ages 12 through adult and lasts approximately 90
minutes. Free. Reservations are required for both public workshops. Visit cincyplay.com
School workshops are also available. If you are an educator interested in bringing this program to your classroom, email education@cincyplay.com for more information.
$10 Tuesday!
A minimum of 150 $10 tickets will be available for purchase in-person at the Playhouse Box Office beginning at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 22 for that evening’s 7:30 p.m. performance. Limit two per person. No advance reservations or choice of seating. Subject to availability.
- Tue., Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Pay What You Can
Pay What You Can performances are an additional way we try to make live theatre accessible to those who otherwise might not be able to attend our shows. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 513-421-3888 or in person beginning at noon, day of the performance only. Tickets are subject to availability.
- Wed., Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
- Wed., Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. (Tickets available for purchase at 11 a.m.)
Audio-Described Performance
Trained volunteers describe the visual elements of the production via a hearing enhancement system, allowing patrons to hear dialogue, music and other sound effects. The description is timed to avoid interfering with dialogue. Before the show and during intermission, show and actor information are shared.
Signed ASL Performance
Each Rouse Theatre production offers one signed ASL performance during the show’s run.
ADVISORY
RUTKA is recommended for ages 12 and up. The teenage characters in Rutka try to live normal lives with discussions of first feelings of love, first kisses and new haircuts. Yet, the reality of the world around them includes descriptions of the violence and death associated with the Holocaust.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: CONSTRUCTION ON EDEN PARK DRIVE
The City of Cincinnati has begun a months-long project to stabilize the slope and repair the sidewalk on Art Museum Drive leading up from Eden Park Drive. With this work, there are currently some road closures on the approach to the Playhouse from Eden Park Drive that will last into December. Please refer to this online map for information on the closures and alternate routes and add extra time for your arrival to the Playhouse. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Please call the Box Office at (513) 421-3888 with any questions.
RUTKA is presented by MC and Tom Brennan, Linda and Gary Greenberg and The Lemmerman Family. Production Sponsor is Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati. Honorary Producer is Barbara and Irwin Weinburg Fund. Education and Outreach Sponsors are Don and Frani Jones, Karen and David Hoguet, Manuel D. & Rhoda Mayerson Foundation, The Rockwern Charitable Foundation, Rhonda and Larry Sheakley and Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation. Artist Sponsors are the Goldhoff Family and Towne Properties. Additional support by Shelly and Michael Gerson, Diane and Carl Iseman, Wayne L. Prim Foundation, and Nancy and David Wolf. This project is funded in part by the Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission.
Moe and Jack’s Place — The Rouse Theatre Season is presented by Schueler Group. Season Design Sponsor is Kerry Automotive. Season Sponsor of New Work is Mark and Nancy Dawes.
The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community 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.
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