Category Archives: On Stage

January 6, 2026 · 5:33 pm

CRACKS Runs Jan. 17-18

CRACKS – A One-Trans-Woman Dark Comedy Memoir
Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Jan. 17-18
[Over-the-Rhine]

Written and performed by Claire Lochmueller, and developed for the 2024 Cincinnati Fringe Festival, CRACKS is an award-winning memoir about growing up in the Catholic Church and JROTC military high school, and the pervasive ways those places affect trans identity. As vulnerable as it is funny, CRACKS takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster of navigating gender identity, substance abuse, and finding joy.

  • Sat-Sun, Jan. 17-18 at 7:30pm

Official page | Facebook event |

Proceeds from CRACKS ticket sales will benefit Transform Cincy, a local nonprofit providing free wardrobes and community support for transgender and gender non-conforming youth. After the performance, stick around for a free improv show from Cincinnati’s new all-women comedy company, Joyride Comedy!

Claire Lochmueller presents CRACKS, a one-trans-woman dark comedy memoir about growing up in the Catholic Church and a JROTC Military High-School and the pervasive ways those places affect a trans identity. CRACKS is as vulnerable as it is funny. Through a hybrid of storytelling, stand-up, and theatre the audience is taken on an emotional roller coaster of navigating gender identity, substance abuse, and finding joy. Come see how her two lives, through laughter and tears, became one trans identity.

“It’s worth witnessing. In fact, it’s one of the most accomplished Fringe pieces I’ve seen in a few years. Claire Lochmueller has created a beautiful, effective story that allows the audience a better understanding of the trans experience… If you’re going to catch one solo show in this year’s festival, this is it.”  -Forget the Box (Montreal’s Most In-Depth Arts Magazine)

Accolades:

  • Winner- Storytelling Award: Montreal Fringe 2025
  • Nominee- Most Promising English Text: Montreal Fringe 2025
  • Winner- Artist’s Choice Award: PortFringe 2025
  • Winner- Critic’s Choice Achievement in Performance: PortFringe 2025
  • Winner- Critic’s Choice Achievement in Writing: PortFringe 2025

Production History:

  • Cincinnati Fringe 2024
  • Annoyance Theater 2025
  • Richmond Fringe 2025
  • Montreal Fringe 2025
  • PortFringe 2025
  • Elgin Fringe 2025
  • Redtwist Theatre 2025- Season of Defiant Femme

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January 6, 2026 · 5:32 pm

SERIALS! 16 Runs Jan. 26-April 15

SERIALS! 16
Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Jan. 26-April 15
[Over-the-Rhine]

15-minute episodes of five new, never-before-seen different plays by local playwrights, every two weeks, for a total of five installments! At the fifth episode finale, the audience votes on which production will be produced in its entirety. Miss an episode? No problem! Each episode starts with a “previously on…” recap at the top of each show to catch the audience up to speed.

  • Mon, Jan. 26 at 7pm POSTPONED
  • Mon, Feb. 2 at 7pm
  • Mon, Feb. 9 at 7pm
  • Mon, March 30 at 7pm
  • Mon, April 15 at 7pm

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January 6, 2026 · 5:31 pm

A GIRL IN A SCHOOL UNIFORM (WALKS INTO A BAR) Runs Jan. 23-Feb. 7

A GIRL IN A SCHOOL UNIFORM (WALKS INTO A BAR)
Falcon Theatre
Jan. 23-Feb. 7
[Newport]

Directed by Samantha Joy Weil

Cast: Kaitlin McCulloch as Bell & Ella Prather as Steph

Schoolgirl Steph walks into the seedy, empty bar where Bell works. Bell is dressed with everything short and low, and there are no longer any regulars at her bar. Whatever has happened to create this dystopian world remains a mystery, but we learn that there are frequent blackouts, people regularly go missing and women are being killed.

Steph is looking for her friend Charlotte, a girl who also at some point walked into Bell’s bar but then went missing. The relationship between Bell and Charlotte is unclear, as her conversations with Steph shift between truth, lies and fantasy. In this tense atmosphere, where there is a sense of growing fear, the play ” forces the audience to turn detective not just to track down the elusive Charlotte but also to find meaning itself” (The Guardian).

  • Fri, Jan. 23 at 8pm
  • Sat, Jan 24 at 8pm CANCELLED
  • Thu-Sat, Jan. 29-31 at 8pm
  • Thu-Sat, Feb. 5-6 at 8pm

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January 6, 2026 · 5:30 pm

OLD-SCHOOL LIVING Runs Jan. 23-Feb. 1

OLD-SCHOOL LIVING
Xenia Area Community Theatre
Jan. 23-Feb. 1
[Xenia]

Directed by Dee Berdine

Cast: Beth Anderson as Linda, Connie Strait as Denise, Cheryl Dern as Barb, Brian Laughlin as Greg, Aaron Tanzer as Gary, Eric Shoemaker as Don/Chuck, Mark Sharp as Sam, Michelle Phillips as Carrie, Debbi Frantz as Andrea & Dean Shipley as Jacob

At their 50th class reunion, Denise pitches the idea of buying their recently vacated high school and converting the classrooms into condos. Several classmates join in and Snow Water High School becomes Snow Water Housing for Seniors. Hilarious morning announcements, guest speakers, activities, and exercise programs, lend  a whole new meaning to being a senior in high school.

  • Fri-Sat, Jan. 23-24 at 7pm
  • Sun, Jan. 25 at 3pm CANCELLED
  • Fri-Sat, Jan. 30-31 at 7pm
  • Sun, Feb. 1 at 3pm

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January 5, 2026 · 6:11 pm

Auditions Announced for THE COTTAGE at Sunset Players

Sunset Players is holding auditions for THE COTTAGE, a comedy by Sandy Ruskin and directed by Dennis Murphy on January 12 and 13 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Arts Center at Dunham, 1945 Dunham Way, Cincinnati, OH 45238.

Set in 1920s England, THE COTTAGE is a modern twist on a Noël Coward-style farce. The comedy revolves around romantic entanglements resulting from a woman mistakenly inviting her lover’s wife and her own husband to come to the site of their affair which is a lovely country cottage. Everything descends into chaos when the lover’s girlfriend shows up followed by her jealous husband who may or may not want to kill someone. THE COTTAGE had a notable Broadway run in 2023.

The play calls for three women and three men, stage age 25 – 45.  A RP British dialect is essential for most of the characters. Two characters may use a working class or cockney accent.

The auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Sign up for an audition slot at Sign Up Genius.

Character Descriptions

  • Sylvia – a lovely and rash romantic
  • Beau – witty, quite happy with the status-quo, whatever the status quo may be
  • Marjorie – Beau’s wife, 8 months pregnant, pragmatic and a tad spicy
  • Clarke – Beau’s younger brother and Sylvia’s husband; distinguished, but a bit stodgy
  • Dierdre – an awfully pretty, sometimes wise, nincompoop.
  • Richard – at first-glance murderous, but is actually a gentle soul

THE COTTAGE will run May 22 – 30 at the Arts Center at Dunham.

For more information, contact Dennis Murphy at durfsworld@yahoo.com.

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