THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
Northern Kentucky University
Dec. 1-11
Corbett Theatre [Highland Heights]
A high-spirited romp, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE tells the story of a small-town girl who travels to New York City to marry for money instead of love. Audiences will relive the roaring 1920s in this Tony Award-winning musical featuring jazz, thunderous tap dancing, frisky flappers and dashing leading men.
Filed under On Stage
YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS
CenterStage Players
Dec. 1-4
North College Hill City Center
Directed by Karen Vanover
Produced by Lisa Hunt
Cast: Ava Wickemeier as Prologue #1, Grace Critzer as Prologue #2, Reagan Strickler as Prologue #3, Hope Eulenberg as Virginia O’Hanlon, Ainsley Benken as Samantha O’Hanlon, Jeff Spadfore as Mr. O’Hanlon, Patty Grasty as Mrs. O’Hanlon, Brandon Stout as Francis, Brad Baldwin as Walter, Lisa Hunt as Hannah Parker, Sammi Sayler as Mary Lou Parker, Remi Dupree as Wendy Parker, Aubrey Mathues as Martha & Meghan Altimari as Postal Worker
Inspired by the famous editorial, “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” two compelling stories come together in this heartwarming play. On Christmas Eve, 1897, in New York City, eight-year-old Virginia is left pondering whether or not Santa really exists after a series of unhappy events. Meanwhile, a young newspaper editor also struggles against tough holiday times as he is faced with losing his job if he can’t find his writer’s voice by morning. Though they don’t know each other, the spirit of Christmas is about to bring these people together, creating in the process an unforgettable and cherished part of classic Christmas lore. Appropriate for all ages.
Filed under Family-Friendly, On Stage
JAILBAIT
The Playground Theatre
Dec. 1-4
Dayton
Directed by Jenna Valyn
Cast: Jenna Gomes as Claire, Lisa Glover as Emmy, Mike Beerbower as Robert & Christopher Hahn as Mark
Through the course of one dizzying night at a club, JAILBAIT follows the parallel stories of two 15-year-old girls, desperate to grow up, and two 30-something men who are looking to be 21 again. High school sophomores Claire and Emmy make a game of posing as college students in order to meet older men. Brash bachelor Mark thinks a night out with attractive girls will be just what his friend Robert needs to recover from his recent breakup. When this unlikely foursome collides, they discover some surprising and dangerous compatibilities. But when Emmy encounters the sexual expectations of the slick Mark, and Claire finds herself surprisingly drawn to the heartbroken Robert, both girls must decide how far they are willing to go while playing at adulthood. Smart, funny, and disturbing, JAILBAIT asks the question: When do you really become an adult?
Filed under On Stage
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre
Nov. 30-Dec. 4
Parrish Auditorium [Hamilton]
Directed by Pat Ganz
Produced by Kevin Brunck and Tracy Botos
Cast: Jim Graham as Dr. Pierce, Bob McClain as Kris Kringle, Janine Graham as Bag Lady, Erin Knox as Rich Person, Jim Ward as Shellhammer, Angie Neal as Doris Walker, Hannah Neal & Maddie Sackenheim as Susan Walker, James Karr as Fred Gayley, Tom Redman as Drunken Santa, Joe Nagle as Mr. Macy, Adam Blount as Sawyer, Dick Gentry as Mr. Bloomingdale, Tom Redman as Judge Harper, Samantha Murray as Finley,Lacy Prewitt as Mara, Bill Peace as Halloran, Gabe Neil as D. Mara Jr., Dick Gentry as Al, Joe Nagle as Lou, Logan Knox as Child #1, Brady Knox as Child #2, Brady Knox as Sam, Erin Knox as Sam’s Parent, Logan Knox as Johnny, Janine Graham as Johnny’s Parent, Madeline Webb as Dutch Girl, Olivia Jones as Foster Mother, Elijah Fidder as Elf-Q, Emma Kollstedt as Elf-R, Josh Couch as Elf-S & Brianna Chmeil as Duncan
Pedestrians: Erin Knox, Olivia Jones & Brianna Chmeil
Extras: Jim Graham & Janine Graham
By chance, Kris Kringle, an old man in a retirement home, gets a job working as Santa for Macy’s. Kris unleashes waves of good will with Macy’s customers and the commercial world of New York City by referring parents to other stores to find exactly the toy their child has asked for. Seen as deluded and dangerous by Macy’s vocational counselor, who plots to have Kris shanghaied to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, Kris ends up in a court competency hearing. Especially at stake is one little girl’s belief in Santa. In a dramatic decision, the court confirms Kris as the true Santa, allowing Susan and countless other children to experience the joy of childhood fantasy.
Filed under On Stage
It all starts out with a ‘he said – she said.’ Whether we listen to each side of the story is up to us.
NOV 14 – 2016—Tristate audiences are invited to this educational musical workshop production of Good Kids: Playing with Music, based on the play by Naomi Iizuka, presented by Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy, LLC. This show, which is part of CASA’s High School Acting Studio, runs from November 25th – December 4th at Essex Studios.
“Something happened to Chloe after that party last Saturday night. Something she says she can’t remember. Something everybody is talking about. Set in a contemporary Midwestern high school, inundated with social media, smartphones and YouTube – “Good Kids: Playing with Music” explores a sexual encounter gone wrong and its very public aftermath. Who’s telling the truth? Whose version of the story do you believe? And what does that say about you? With the addition of pop music throughout this script, this devised musical challenges the audience to examine what creates these toxic attitudes we have today surrounding gender roles, female sexuality and sexual assault.”
This educational musical workshop production is directed & devised by Erin Carr. Cast includes current CASA students: Lily Adams, Bethany Bennet, Matt Berman, Julie Deye, Will Forgham, Meg Griffin, Margot Grom, Katie Kenniston, Owen Kiley, Finney Kutcher, Ryan Smith, Jenna Valentine, Grace Wesson. Production crew includes Maddy Jones as Stage Manager, Kyle Goold as Choreographer, Janet Langhorst as Vocal Director, Marisa Holzman as Production Manager, Worley Sitdham as Assistant Stage Manager, Finny Kutcher as Acrobat Coordinator, and Katie Kenniston as Asst. Production Manager.
Performances run November 25th, 26th and 27th at 7:30PM, December 3rd & 4th at 7:30PM, with a matinee performance on December 4th at 2:00PM. All performances run 2hrs, with an intermission, and will take place at Essex Studios, 2511 Essex Pl, Cincinnati, Ohio 45206. Every performance will have a 10min talk back after the performance with a local social worker to discuss the themes of the show and ways we can move forward as a community. Tickets can be reserved at casatics@gmail.com. Tickets: Adults $12, Students $7. For more information, like Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy on Facebook.
Additional Show Information:
The Steubenville High School rape occurred in Steubenville, Ohio, on the night of August 11, 2012, when a high-school girl, incapacitated by alcohol, was publicly and repeatedly sexually assaulted by her peers, several of whom documented the acts on social media. The victim was transported, undressed, photographed, and sexually assaulted. Not only did the students rally against her, but the administration assisted in obstructing any investigation.
As we looked into each moment of this powerful play, a theme that kept coming up was the influence of pop culture. The world we surround ourselves with has power over us. The music, the movies, the commercials. So we decided to explore pop music, produced after 2000, to explore what songs add to the desire to stand up for your community and fight for one another versus songs that divide, isolate and insult. Songs include “Blurred Lines,” “Brave,” and “Who You Are,” to name a few.
Between toxic masculinity, women acting against one another, influence of social media, ignorance of entitlement, lack of responsibility and the surrounding pop culture, we begin to see how each and every one of us needs to take charge. How can we come together as a community to fight against sexual assault? It is on us to stand up for the victims and create a world where all people can feel safe, protected and welcomed.
Either develop your own culture or allow the surrounding culture to develop you.
#whatisagoodkid
Donations for the Cincinnati organization, Women Helping Women, will be collected at every performance. For more information on this organization: http://www.womenhelpingwomen.org/
Filed under On Stage
