Category Archives: Press Releases

April 17, 2026 · 10:05 am

Dragons Descend on Downtown Cincinnati

DreamWorks’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON The Musical JR. Opens Friday night 

HICCUP

CINCINNATI – Vikings, dragons, and epic adventure are taking over the stage at the Emery Theater. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) opens DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. tomorrow, Friday, April 17, bringing the beloved DreamWorks story to life in a visually spectacular one-hour theatrical experience designed especially for families. Tickets start at $12 and are on sale now at thechildrenstheatre.com.

Using the Emery Theater’s immersive technology, the production transforms the historic venue into the mythical Isle of Berk, where young Viking Hiccup forms an unlikely friendship with a dragon named Toothless, sparking a story about courage, compassion, and discovering strength in unexpected places.

Designed to take full advantage of the Emery Theater’s cutting-edge technology, the production features immersive projection, dynamic staging, and theatrical magic that transport audiences straight into the world of Berk—making it one of TCT’s most ambitious and cinematic productions to date.

Kim Kern, President and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, said: “DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is exactly the kind of breathtaking, imaginative storytelling the Emery Theater was built for. It’s big, bold, and visually stunning, but at its heart, it’s a story about connection, courage, and seeing the world differently. Watching Hiccup and Toothless form that bond is something that stays with you. And to bring a story like this to life on this stage, with all the technology we now have at our fingertips, is exactly why we dreamed so big for the Emery. This is the kind of experience families will talk about long after they leave.”

Public Showtimes include:

  • Friday, April 17, 2026: 7 PM – OPENING NIGHT
  • Saturday, April 18, 2026: 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, April 19, 2026: 2 PM
  • Saturday, April 25, 2026: 11 AM and 2 PM (ASL and Audio Described Performance)
  • Sunday, April 26, 2026: 2 PM
  • Saturday, May 2, 2026: 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, May 3, 2026: 2 PM

Good to know: This production uses theatrical fog, haze, loud sound effects, and lifelike dragons. Flashing lights, but no strobe effects, are used. This production runs approximately 60 minutes without intermission. Ideal for ages 4+.

From DreamWorks Theatricals. Book By Kate Thomas. Music By Veronica Mansour. Lyrics By Kate Thomas & Veronica Mansour. Concept and Stage Direction by TCT Artistic Director, Roderick Justice. Choreography by TCT Education Director, Angelo Cerniglia. Music Direction, Jamey Strawn. Scenic Design, Nate Bertone. Lighting Design, Yelena Babinskaya. Costume Design, John Coulter. Video/Projection Design, Lightborne. Sound Design, Dani Lobello. Puppet Design/Creation, Kevin Frisch.

Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is made possible by Dress Run Sponsor TriHealth and Season Sponsors The Charles H. Dater Foundation and The H.B., E.W. and F.R. Luther Foundation. PNC Foundation provides additional funding for MainStage Ticket Subsidies. Additional Sponsors include The Sutphin Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation INC.

This production is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding.

DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. will be performed in the beautifully renovated and reimagined Emery Theater, 1112 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Tickets start at $12. Visit thechildrenstheatre.com anytime or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10, Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM to purchase tickets. 

CAST: 

  • ISABEL ACEVEDO: Ensemble
  • CHRISTIAN ARIAS: Toothless Puppeteer
  • PHOENIX BILLS: Darby
  • LILLY BUCK: Astrid
  • CAMMI CALDWELL: Zippleback
  • MAIYA CALDWELL: Ensemble
  • BRAEDEN CRISS: Zippleback
  • EDRICO EVANS-PRITCHETT: Snotlout
  • AVERY FOX: Ruffnut
  • JOSH GALLOWAY: Fishlegs
  • ADRIAN GRAFF: Gronckle
  • GRIFFIN HATFIELD: Ensemble
  • ROLAND HENSLEY: Ensemble
  • ARIANA HOOBERMAN-PIÑERIO: Deadly Nadder
  • DEZ FLYNN HUTCHENS: Ensemble
  • JONATHAN SMITHE KENNEDY: Tuffnut
  • EVAN KOONS: Stoick
  • ETHAN KUCHTA: Burnthair/Wild Dragon
  • AARON MARSHALL: Toothless
  • ELLIOT MARTIN: Ensemble
  • AUSTIN MILLS : Ensemble
  • MEGAN MURRAY : Ensemble
  • GABRIEL KANAI NAKATA: Monstrous Nightmare
  • MIKAYLA RAE: Phlegma
  • CODY ROBERTS: Gobber
  • NICHOLAS LYONS ROHR: Gudrun
  • ADONIAH ROSS: Ensemble
  • LILA RUSCHE: Frida/Wild Dragon
  • ABE SANDERS: Ensemble
  • COLTON SLADE: Hiccup
  • PAYTON TROUT: Ack
  • DONALD WASHINGTON: Hoarck
  • MICHELLE WELLS: Gertrud/The Red Death
  • SAMARA WILKEY: Ensemble
  • MARY VOSSEBERG: Nore/Wild Dragon 

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April 15, 2026 · 5:19 pm

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents Regional Premiere Musical THE HOUSE ON WATCH HILL May 9-31

(Cincinnati, OH) The scariest thing isn’t the haunted house—it’s growing up. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) closes its 40th Anniversary Season with the regional premiere musical The House on Watch Hill by Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor, the Tony-nominated creators of Bandstand. Pulsing with original ‘80s-inspired music, this thrilling new musical is full of nostalgia, heart, and a touch of the supernatural. Playing May 9–31, 2026 and directed by D. Lynn Meyers and Dee Anne Bryll. Premiere Sponsor is Manuel Hernandez.

Based on true events, The House on Watch Hill follows a group of teen misfits in the summer of 1984 who set out to build the ultimate haunted house in their Cincinnati suburb. Led by 14-year-old horror buff Patrick, their project stirs up fears far more real than any ghost story. Set to an original ’80s-inspired soundtrack and steeped in Cold War anxiety and latchkey freedom, this coming-of-age story is funny, moving, and maybe just a little spooky. A must-see for fans of Stranger Things, The Goonies, and anyone who’s ever felt like an underdog, The House on Watch Hill captures the bittersweet moment between childhood and growing up—when you’re old enough to know the world is scary but brave enough to face it anyway.

“Do you remember a summer when you thought everything was possible?” asks ETC’s Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “This show is about the stripping away all the layers of who we’ve become and going back to a time when we were still growing, still dreaming, and still hoping things come to fruition. It’s based on a true and local story about the life of one of its creators, Richard Oberacker, and the summer that changed his life. What a brave and beautiful opportunity to share his story. The concept of this story would be considered completely outrageous if it wasn’t true. And the music? It’s intoxicating. Once you jump in, the rhythm just keeps going throughout the whole piece. These songs could have been hits of the ‘80s had they been written during that time.”

The cast includes Jason Collins(Adult 1), Julianne Ferreira da Silva (Jennifer), Wesley Akio Geary (Paul), Adrian Graff (Patrick), Jordyn Amani Jones (Joy), Morgan Lindell (Kristin), Sara Mackie (Adult 2), Gavin Poronsky (Tim), and Tommy Sanders (Jason).

Production team: Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer), Steve Goers (Music Director), Dee Anne Bryll (Choreographer), Cat Schmeal-Swope (Costume Designer), Brian Hsieh (Sound Designer), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Curator & Design Associate), Jacob Dowell (Technical Director), Michele A. Kay (Production Stage Manager), and Lexi Muller (Assistant Stage Manager).

Performance Information
Performances Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. A complete calendar of performances is available at http://www.ensemblecincinnati.org.

Ticket Prices
Tickets start at $22 for adults; student tickets are $29; and children are $27. Half-Price Rush Tickets: All remaining tickets for the current day’s performance(s) are available two hours prior to each show time for half-price (discount only applies to adult tickets) when purchasing by phone or in person.

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2025–2026 Season Presenting Sponsor is the LKC Foundation.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences

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April 15, 2026 · 5:17 pm

Cincy Shakes Travels to the Farthest Reaches of Shakespeare’s Canon with PERICLES

In their quest to complete Shakespeare’s 40 play canon by their 40th anniversary, Cincy Shakes brings regional audiences a unique opportunity to experience a bold reimagining of this seldom seen Shakespearean Romance 

Jim Hopkins as Helicanus & Giles Davies as Pericles.

Cincinnati, April 15, 2026 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to present William Shakespeare’s Pericles playing April 17 – May 3, 2026, directed by CSC Producing Artistic Director and CEO, Brian Isaac Phillips. This production features longtime favorite CSC Ensemble Member, Giles Davies as the titular Prince Pericles. This production is generously sponsored by Season Shakespeare Sponsor, The Linnemann Family Foundation and Design Sponsors Rance and Marilyn Duke; Marcie and Jim Kinney; and Messer Construction.

In this tale, Prince Pericles embarks on an epic voyage through alien worlds, cosmic storms, and intergalactic encounters on his search for true love. Join us on a journey to the farthest reaches of Shakespeare’s canon with this seldom seen treasure, revealing how hope can guide us- even through the most distant corners of the universe.

Bringing this classic to the stars is an ensemble cast of 16 talented actors. Giles Davies returns to the CSC stage as Prince Pericles, who embarks on an intergalactic adventure. Narrating this space epic through song is Gower, played by Cary Davenport, who has composed original music to tell the story. Barry Mulholland plays the tyrant Antiochus, with Patrick Earl Phillips as his interstellar bounty hunter. Courtney Lucien plays Antiochus’ daughter, as well as Lychorida and the goddess Diana. Billy Chace and Hayley Guthrie play Cleon and Dionyza, the King and Queen of the deteriorating Tarsus. Kelly Mengelkoch plays the ruler of Pentapolis Simonides, and her daughter Thaisa is played by Aiden Sims. After the story moves forward 15 years in Act II, Jasimine Bouldin plays Marina, the daughter of Thaisa and Pericles now grown up. Barry Mulholland, Elizabeth Chinn Molloy, and Jeremy Dubin play Pander, Bawd, and Boult. Rounding out the ensemble Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as Escanes and Leonine, Hannah Gregory as Musician, Jim Hopkins as Helicanus, and Sylvester Little Jr. as Lysimachus. All other roles in this space epic are played by members of the ensemble.

In Shakespeare’s original play, Pericles travels across the ancient world from kingdom to kingdom. In this production, those kingdoms become planets, each with its own ruler, culture, and story, and his journey becomes a voyage across a theatrical galaxy. Below are the worlds Pericles encounters on his journey and Cincy Shakes’ creative interpretation of those planets. Audiences will see costumes, projections, and other design elements on stage that bring these worlds to life:

The Planets of CSC’s Pericles Production:

  • Tyre – A planet of advanced technology and abundant resources. Once devoted to conquest, its people now foster peace across the galaxy.
  • Antioch – A terrible planet that consumes all, where individuality is erased in service of a king whose conquering hand has spread across the galaxy.
  • Tarsus – A dying planet, ravaged by its people’s environmental exploitation. Barely surviving, its people suffer while the King and Queen live in excess.
  • Pentapolis – A bountiful and beautiful water planet that has known peace for centuries. With its plentiful resources and strong royal line, one would not find a better ally than Pentapolis.
  • Ephesus – Home of the Temple of Diane. A moon that has survived the destruction of the planet it orbits and has become the last bastion of hope for many.
  • Mytilene – At the center of the galactic highways, Mytilene caters to travelers from all over the galaxy, offering a place to refuel your ship or engage in the intergalactic black-market trade.

Creating outer space on Cincy Shakes’ stage is the out-of-this-world design team led by director Brian Isaac Phillips with assistant direction by Liz Carman. Scenic Designer Andrew Hungerford transforms the stage into spaceship filled with hidden entrances, tv screens, and spaces for projections designed by Robert Carlton Stimmel. Rainy Edwards’ costume designs are out of this world; completed by Kayla Cieslinski’s Wig Designs, these costumes truly transport the audience to the planets visited in Pericles. Watson’s lighting design, assisted by Cole Benner-Smith and Donnie Wolf, along with Zack Bennett’s sound design, immerses the audience into each planet. Susan Jung has choregraphed dynamic dances for the Q-Kidz Dance Team and the cast, set to music by composer Cary Davenport. Gina Cerimele-Mechley acts as fight director. Pericles is stage managed by Cole Cammack-Sweasy with assistant stage management by Colton Wolf.

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Pericles runs from April 17 – May 3, 2026. Performances of Pericles are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with two Sunday Matinees on April 26 and May 3 at 2:00 PM. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. Live Audio Descriptions are available on April 17, and there is a Sign Language Interpreted performance on May 2 at 2:00 PM.

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Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, April 15, and Thursday, April 16, with half price tickets. Discounts are available for students, seniors, local residents, and community partners. Each performance night has a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets.  These can be purchased in advance by going online or calling the Box Office.  And starting 1 hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets may be available as a discounted Rush Ticket to anyone, not just students. These tickets are only $12 and could be located anywhere in the house, depending on that evening’s availability. These cannot be reserved more than 1 hour before a show and must be purchased in person in the Box Office. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees apply. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at http://www.cincyshakes.com.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park.  Many parking spaces are available on the street and in nearby lots and garages- for more information, visit online here.

CSC has coordinated a prepaid self-parking option right next door to the theater for a hassle‐free, guaranteed spot. A limited number of reserved spaces are available starting 1.5 hours before performances and lasting through the end of the show. The 3CDC parking attendant will have your name on the list with advance purchase, guaranteeing your spot and price. Visit www.cincyshakes.com/parking to reserve self-parking.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 2025-2026 Season is generously presented by our Operating Support Partners: The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation; The Linnemann Family Foundation; The Ohio Arts Council; The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation; The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest; The Shubert Foundation; Maureen and John Bridgeland, Cindy Bridgeland Crilley, and Debby and Jim Mason in honor of Jim Bridgeland; Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for all.  In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the Classics!

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April 9, 2026 · 5:18 pm

DANCING FOR THE STARS to Benefit CAA’s Overture Awards | Sat., April 25 | Music Hall Ballroom

SEASON EIGHTEEN

April 25, 2026
Music Hall Ballroom

CINCINNATI, OH – Who will be voted Cincinnati’s best celebrity dancer?  Which stars have the right moves to rule the dance floor?  Find out on Saturday, April 25, 2026, when the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) celebrates Season Eighteen of its fundraiser Dancing for the Stars at the Music Hall Ballroom to benefit CAA’s Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally-run high school arts scholarship competition – and arts education programs. 

Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars will feature six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program at which the audience will vote for their favorite celebrity dancer. The competitive dance for the evening will be themed to the 1950s, and each dance pair will have a maximum of three minutes to woo the crowd and the judges.

In addition, Dancing for the Stars will feature:

  • Dance music by JD Hughes, guest DJ and 103.5 WGRR-FM on-air personality
  • Pre-event reception and whiskey tasting provided by Willow Run Custom Bourbon
  • Open dancing before and after the competition
  • Lite bites provided by some of Cincinnati’s finest restaurants and caterers

In addition to the winner of the dance competition, Dancing for the Stars will crown a Fundraising Champion – the celebrity dancer who raises the most revenue toward the event’s fundraising goal through table/ticket sales and donations. Fans may add a donation under their favorite celebrity’s name at the time of ticket purchase or sponsorship, or by simply making a donation if they cannot attend the event. These direct donations will help one of the fans’ favorite celebrities win the Dancing for the Stars Fundraising Champion award – which will be announced on the evening of the event – and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Tickets are currently on sale at the following levels (a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible):

  • $100 – Patron (pre-event reception and two drink tickets)
  • $150­ – VIP (pre-event reception and open bar)
  • $1,000 – Patron Table (ten Patron level tickets)
  • $1,500 – VIP Table (ten Premium level tickets)

RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION

THE STARS:

  • Alex Beach (Director, Lifetime Engagements, Fidelity Investments)
  • Nicholas Dunigan (Associate Wealth Management Advisor, Fifth Third Bank)
  • Dr. Mona Foad (Founder & CEO, Mona Dermatology)
  • Felisa Insignares (Owner, Designer Items and More Boutique)
  • Meeka Owens (Cincinnati City Councilwoman)
  • Robert Warfel (Public Safety and Law Enforcement Executive) 

THE PROS (with Star pairing):  

  • James Branham (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – West Chester) – Felisa Insignares
  • Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor) – Alex Beach
  • Desiree Mainous (Owner, Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Montgomery) – Robert Warfel
  • Jozsef Parragh (Independent Dance Instructor) – Dr. Mona Foad
  • Alyenendrov Tsorokean (Phoenix Rising Ballroom) – Meeka Owens
  • Melissa Vaughn – (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Montgomery) – Nicholas Dunigan 

THE HOSTS: Chris O’Brien and Janeen Coyle (Retired radio hosts – 103.5 WGRR-FM, Married with Microphones) 

EVENT COMMITTEE: Doreen Beatrice, Douglas Beal, Terry Foster, Alex Johns, Ginger Loftin, Rosemary Schlachter

EVENT SPONSORS:  TriHealth – Presenting Sponsor, Accent on Cincinnati, Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Arthur Murray – Montgomery, Arthur Murray – West Chester, Baru, eat well celebrations and feasts, Mazunte, Prime Cincinnati, Punky’s Pixels, Willow Run Custom Bourbons, Skyline, Vintage on Race 

SEVENTEEN YEARS OF DANCING FOR THE STARS WINNERS:

  • 2007:    Dr. O’dell Owens (former Hamilton County Coroner)
  • 2008:    Jenell Walton (former WCPO-TV9 Anchor and Reporter)
  • 2009:    Phil Schworer (past President, Cincinnati Bar Association; Environmental Lawyer, Frost, Brown and Todd)
  • 2010:    Donna Speigel (Owner, The Snooty Fox)
  • 2011:    Dr. Tracey Skale (Chief Medical Officer, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services)
  • 2012:    Regina Russo (former Director of Marketing and Communications, Cincinnati Art Museum)
  • 2013:    Chris Seelbach (Cincinnati City Councilman)
  • 2014:    Neal Schulte (Founder & President, Schulte Financial Group, LLC)
  • 2015:    Johnny Chu (Owner, AmerAsia Kungfood Restaurant)
  • 2016:    Jay Lame (Financial Analyst, Lenox Wealth Management)
  • 2017:    Rohan Hemani (Procter & Gamble Fabric Care Intrapenuer)
  • 2018:    Dr. Marcia Bowling (Gynecologic Oncology, Oncology Hematology Care, Inc.)
  • 2019:    Halle Quinn (Community Volunteer)
  • 2022:    Sebastian Castillo (General Manager, Prime Cincinnati)
  • 2023:   Britton Spittler as Brock Leah Spears (Project Manager, ADM)
  • 2024:   Deb Schubert (Health Care Professional Marketing, Procter & Gamble)
  • 2025:   Erin Mignano (Vice President and General Manager, Turner Construction)

Cincinnati Arts Association’s Arts Education Programs
CAA’s Education Department promotes life-long learning through its programs, which are diverse, multidisciplinary, and accessible to all ages and cultural groups. SchoolTime presents a series of programs that feature nationally recognized artists at CAA’s two venues (the Aronoff Center and Music Hall), and Artists On Tour brings the finest local artists in the region to Tri-state schools for interactive arts experiences aligned with the curriculum.

The Overture Awards Scholarship Competition is the largest locally run arts scholarship competition in the country.  The program annually provides a $4,000 scholarship to six area high school students for education and training, with eighteen finalists winning a $1,500 scholarship. This year, over 200 students were nominated to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, or Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Finals, and Final.

The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students with an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools.  Now in its 30th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation and Leadership Cincinnati (a Cincinnati Regional Chamber program).

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves more than 600,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies, including Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Symphony/Pops Orchestras, May Festival, and First Financial Bank Broadway in Cincinnati, presented by TriHealth. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education and community engagement programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 2.1 million students and adults.

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CALENDAR INFORMATION 

WHAT:                Dancing for the Stars 2026
                                A Benefit for Cincinnati Arts Association’s Overture Awards and Arts Education Programs

WHEN:                Saturday, April 25, 2026

  • 6:30 PM – Dancing, Dinner-by-the-Bite, Open Bar
  • 8:00 PM – Celebrity Dance Competition
  • 9:30 PM – Dance the Night Away

WHERE:              Music Hall Ballroom

PRICES:               $100 – Patron Ticket • $150 VIP Ticket • $1,000 – Patron Table • $1,500 – VIP Table
Additional Sponsorship Opportunities available: $2,500 to $10,000.  Contact Vice President of Development, Sarah Miller, at Smiller@cincinnatiarts.org or (513) 977-4106 for details.

INFO:                   Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars will feature six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program at which the audience will vote for their favorite celebrity dancer. The stars include: Alex Beach (Director, Lifetime Engagements, Fidelity Investments), Nicholas Dunigan (Associate Wealth Management Advisor, Fifth Third Bank), Dr. Mona Foad (Founder & CEO, Mona Dermatology), Felisa Insignares (Owner, Designer Items and More Boutique), Meeka Owens (Cincinnati City Councilwoman), Robert Warfel (Public Safety and Law Enforcement Executive).

RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION – Tickets on sale now

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April 9, 2026 · 5:17 pm

Maysville Players Present Tony Award-Winning Best Musical 1776 at the Historic Washington Opera House

Maysville, KY – April 2026 — The Maysville Players, recognized as the oldest continuously operating community theater in Kentucky, proudly announce their upcoming production of 1776 The Musical, a powerful and timely celebration of the birth of our nation. Presented in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States, performances will take place at the historic Washington Opera House in downtown Maysville, Kentucky.

Step back in time to the summer of 1776, when America’s founding fathers gathered in Philadelphia to debate, negotiate, and ultimately sign the Declaration of Independence. With a brilliant score and witty, insightful script, 1776 brings history to life through memorable characters, spirited performances, and powerful storytelling that resonates just as strongly today.

Audiences will follow John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and their fellow delegates as they navigate political tensions, personal conflicts, and the immense responsibility of shaping a new nation. Blending humor, drama, and unforgettable music, 1776 offers a compelling look at the human side of history.

Presented by a company with a rich and enduring legacy, this production continues the Maysville Players’ long-standing tradition of bringing high-quality live theater to the region. Staged at the beautifully restored Washington Opera House-a treasured landmark and recognized as the oldest working theater in Kentucky and the fourth oldest in the United States—1776 promises a uniquely engaging experience for audiences of all ages.

Performance Dates: April 16–26, 2026, Thursdays – Sundays.  Follow us on Facebook!

www.maysvilleplayers.net 116 W. 2nd Street, Maysville, Kentucky

“What would posterity think we were? Demigods?  We’re men, no more or less, trying to get a nation started against greater odds than a more generous God would have allowed.”

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