Category Archives: On Stage

Off the Hill production available virtually on weekends
Feb. 12 – 28

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will partner with community centers throughout the region to present THE SNOWY DAY AND OTHER STORIES BY EZRA JACK KEATS as part of the Playhouse’s virtual Off the Hill series. The professionally filmed theatrical performance will be available for streaming for free on weekends from Feb. 12 to 28.

“We’re pleased to partner with the community centers, who normally would offer our Off the Hill performances live, and present a beloved story for all ages,” said Daunielle Rasmussen, director of education and community engagement, who directed the production. “This is one of many ways we are continuing to engage our audiences and provide theatre in new ways amidst the realities of the pandemic.”

Audiences can follow the adventures of Peter and his friends as they experience the first snowfall in the neighborhood, the delight of whistling for the first time, the awe in finding a special treasure, and the excitement of sending the perfect letter to a friend in this professionally filmed virtual performance.

Written with a whimsical spirit by award-winning playwright Jerome Hairston, this imaginative production includes shadow puppets and original music, and it perfectly encapsulates the joys of childhood and the challenges of growing up. The script is based on several of Ezra Jack Keats’ award-winning picture books. Published in 1962, The Snowy Day was the first illustrated children’s book to have a Black main character.

“Keats captured the magic of the day-to-day adventures of being a boy and the wonder of childhood,” said Piper N. Davis, who served as cultural director on the show. “It shows a Black family living in their own space and place, while the themes offer something everyone can relate to – no matter their age, race, class or family structure.”

The production features Kearston Hawkins-Johnson as Peter; A.J. Baldwin as Mom, Archie, and Amy; and Montez Jenkins-Copeland as Dad and the boys. It also features set design and shadow puppets by Kenton Brent, costume design by Melanie Mortimore, sound design and original music by Trey Tatum, stage management by Rebecca Armstrong, and filming and editing by Optic Lizard Productions.

THE SNOWY DAY AND OTHER STORIES BY EZRA JACK KEATS can be viewed Friday through Saturday on three weekends, starting February 12 and closing on February 28. This play is recommended for kids aged 5 and up. Streaming is free, but advance registration is required to view this production. For more information and to register for the weekend you’d like to stream the performance, visit https://cincyplay.com/productions/the-snowy-day. Registration will include instructions on watching the performance.

Seasonal support of Education and Outreach programs is supported by The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation and Linda and Gary Greenberg. Off the Hill is supported by KeyBank and John C. Griswold Foundation. The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of more than 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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Samantha Riester and Daniel Wagner; FINDING OUR WAY; Choreography: Suzette Boyer Webb; Photography: Hiromi Platt

Additional changes to remainder of 20-21 Season announced

CINCINNATI, OH (January 27, 2021) – Ballet in the Park returns this May! Last fall’s free, outdoor production was so popular, a second Ballet in the Park has been added to the Company’s spring schedule. “We were overwhelmed with the positive response to our performances at P & G Pavilion at Sawyer Point Park. Dance lovers snapped up reservations within minutes,” said Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet’s Artistic Director. “We are so excited to share this unique, interactive experience with the community this spring.” The production will feature Main Company dancers, as well as our elite Otto M. Budig Academy Professional Training Division. Multiple socially-distanced performances will take place at Eden Park’s Seasongood Pavilion, May 21-23. Reservations will open in early March.

Last fall, Cincinnati Ballet made the critical and creative decision to shift programming to both in-person and virtual options for the 2020-2021 Season. In addition to Ballet in the Park, the Company staged Cincinnati Made, an intimate, limited-capacity performance at the Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom. Audiences also enjoyed the first-ever broadcast production of our reimagined The Nutcracker at Home. Given the success of this virtual production and current pandemic trends, The Kaplan New Works Series will shift to an
innovative, digital experience. The program will explore the theme of ‘Unheard Voices.’ Audiences can look forward to thought-provoking new works that reflect this unprecedented moment in time. Cincinnati Ballet’s Resident Choreographer Jennifer Archibald and choreographers Dana Genshaft and Helen Pickett will share their personal perspectives through movement. The digital program also features new choreographic creations from Principal Dancer Melissa Gelfin De-Poli and Corps de Ballet Dancer Taylor Carrasco. New Works will be recorded at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater with multiple cameras for an immersive, intimate production. New Works will stream free at cballet.org during the weekends of February 25-28 and March 5-7, 2021.

While we continue to modify choreography and use technology to successfully stage both in-person and virtual performances, we must also ensure the artistic integrity of large-scale productions planned prior to the pandemic. We have made the difficult decision to postpone both our annual Family Series: Snow White and Cinderella to future seasons. “Both full-length ballets require large casts of dancers and Otto M. Budig Academy students on stage to adequately tell the stories. Unfortunately, this is not possible given current health and safety guidelines,” said Scott Altman, Cincinnati Ballet President + CEO. “We are so grateful for the community’s support as we navigate through these challenging circumstances. Our patrons are our mission and the reason our dancers perform each season.”

This season’s Bold Moves Plus will also shift from April 2021 to June 2021. This in-person, mixed-rep program will be reimagined and staged at Procter & Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center, with the health and safety of our dancers and patrons top of mind. Tickets will be available in in mid to late March.

In June, Cincinnati Ballet will celebrate the opening of the new Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Walnut Hills. The 57,000-sqaure-foot facility includes nine studios and more than double Cincinnati Ballet’s current space. The $31 million capital campaign to fund the project is nearing completion. Stay tuned for more exciting news about the Ballet Center opening this summer.

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and outreach in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Cincinnati Ballet 2020-2021 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Frisch’s, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

Applications are currently being accepted for our Performance Scholarship Competition.

Deadline for submission is midnight, January 31, 2021.
Late application submissions cannot be accepted.

There are seven scholarships this year ranging from $2,500. to $350.

Freshman to Junior college students currently enrolled in an accredited bachelor’s degree program are eligible. Student must attend a college within 50 miles of the greater Cincinnati area and/or have a connection to one of our ACT Cincinnati member theatre groups.

1. All portions of this application must be completed and uploaded at the same time, so please collect all components before starting your application.
   Required items
   • Theatre Resume
   • Biography (one paragraph; third person)
   • Headshot photo with your full name visible
   • One (1) recorded uninterrupted (five (5) minute maximum) performance of two contrasting theatrical pieces, (any combination, song, dance, monologue) with an introduction, accompaniment of your choice and no editing.
   • Valid email address
     NOTE: Submissions will be reviewed by the judges only and will not be used or distributed without prior written permission.
2. Materials cannot be changed after application submission.
3. You will receive a confirmation of successful submission immediately after completion.
4. Each submission will be reviewed and evaluated by a five (5) adjudicator panel during the month of February 2021.
5. Scholarship winners will be notified via phone and or email. Then all winners will be announced publicly on our ACT Cincinnati webpage — approximately mid-March 2021 – ACT Facebook page, etc.
6. The name and photo associated with your Google account will be recorded when you upload files and submit your application.
7. Prior participation in an ACT Cincinnati member group production is not required for scholarship competition submission.

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa M. Smith, Scholarship Chair, mmsmith2026@gmail.com.

www.ACTCincinnati.org

https://forms.gle/MtUyrXtk1vdmhEcR6