Category Archives: Press Releases

May 22, 2023 · 5:59 am

OTR International Film Festival to Announce 2023 Film Lineup May 23rd

OTRIFF_logoOTRIFF Film Activation & Film Announcement Party

CINCINNATI, OH – The highly-anticipated annual Over-The-Rhine International Film Festival (OTR IFF) is on again this July and will announce its full film line-up celebrating diversity, inclusion, disability rights, and our shared humanity on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. The event is sponsored by Fifth Third Bank. An OTRIFF Activation will be held in the Fifth Third Atrium with a Film Announcement Party to follow at Fountain Square.

The Hollywood Red Carpet-themed announcement will kick off at 11am, featuring a fireside chat with the festival Artistic Director, tt stern-enzi, as well as the filmmaker and stars of the locally produced film “A Slice of Pie” . Information about the festival will be available and festival representatives will be on hand to answer questions.

Beginning at 4pm, the film announcement party begins on Fountain Square. Trailers for the 2023 OTRIFF Film line-up will be shown for the first time. There will be speakers, entertainment, giveaways, food trucks, cash bar and more. The celebration will end with jazz beginning at 6pm on the main stage.

OTRIFF FILM ACTIVATION

  • Tuesday, May 23, 2023 (Fifth Third Atrium from 11 am – 1 pm)
  • 11:00 am Activation Begins; 11:20 am Fireside Chat (Q&A at 11:50)

OTRIFF FILM ANNOUNCEMENT PARTY

  • Tuesday, May 23, 2023 (Fountain Square from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm)
  • Festival info, movie trailers, giveaways, food trucks, cash bar, entertainment

The program will feature speakers who will share their perspectives on why The Over-The-Rhine Film Festival, presented by LADD, brings the community together:

  • tt stern-enzi, OTR Film Festival Artistic Director
  • Blis Hanousek DeVault, Film Director, Slice of Pie (official Selection – OTR Film Festival 2023)
  • Kala Gibson, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, Fifth Third Bank
  • Jason Harris, Director of Strategic Operations, LADD
  • Molly Lyons, Festival Director

About Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival
In 2022 the Over-the-Rhine International Film Festival, presented by Procter & Gamble, was named one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the world (yes, WORLD) by MovieMaker Magazine. Experience the festival for yourself this July 6th–8th in the heart of the Over the Rhine district of Cincinnati. The festival, organized by leading disability services and advocacy organization LADD, is known as the nation’s premier inclusion and diversity film festival led by the disability community. The mission of this film festival is to create a sense of shared humanity through stories, conversations, and action. The festival’s vision is focused on giving a voice to the voiceless, empowering filmmakers who are more often than not forced into the margins of media and telling untold stories that deserve to be heard. LADD brings the annual festival to Cincinnati to continue reframing how we see disability in the entertainment industry’s ongoing discussion of diversity. Learn more at otrfilmfest.org.

About LADD
Guided by the belief that every person has ability and value, LADD empowers adults with developmental disabilities to live, work, and connect. Founded in 1975, the Cincinnati non-profit now supports over 650 adults experiencing disabilities through housing, employment and meaningful community engagement programs. The Over-The-Rhine Film Festival, presented by LADD, uses cinema as a tool to build empathy and create experiences for filmmakers and audiences that expands well beyond the screen. The Over-The-Rhine Film Festival, presented by LADD, held in the diverse area of Over-The-Rhine, is the first and only diversity-driven film festival led by people from the disability community. Learn more at laddinc.org.

About Fifth Third
Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust. Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com.

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May 22, 2023 · 5:57 am

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park Returns with THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, an All-New Park Production

CSC_Comedy of ErrorsThe tour of nearly 40 parks in the tristate area July 14- September 3, 2023.
View the complete schedule here

Cincinnati, May 18, 2023 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park tour returns this summer with “The Comedy of Errors” directed by Justin McCombs running from July 14 through September 3 with nearly 40 performances of FREE Shakespeare in parks across the tri-state area, including Cincinnati, Fairfield, Glendale, Lebanon, Madeira, Mason, Oxford, Portsmouth, Springfield, and West Chester in Ohio; Covington and Erlanger in Kentucky; and Lawrenceburg and Richmond in Indiana – and more! The complete schedule can be viewed online here at cincyshakes.com/event/park.

This year continues the tradition of CSC selecting a brand new Shakespeare title and production each summer with even more production value behind it!  This summer the show will be Shakespeare’s wacky comedy “The Comedy of Errors.”  Audiences can expect an announcement each spring about the new title and production and look forward to seeing more of Shakespeare’s canon over the years in Cincinnati.

A family separated in a shipwreck reunites when two sets of identical twins find themselves in the same place at the same time with the same face decades later. The only problem is that they don’t know what’s in front of them. What follows is a series of mistaken identity, love triangles, and misadventure. Have a laugh at the errors of comedy in “The Comedy of Errors,” this farcical and fun story perfect for the whole family!

Learn more at cincyshakes.com/event/park.

What is FREE Shakespeare in the Park?
Launched in 2007, CSC’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park tour is one of the nation’s largest summer Shakespeare offerings, both in geographic area covered and audience members served. As the only professional outdoor theatre opportunity in the Cincinnati region each summer, CSC’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park tour attracts more than 10,000 patrons to 50 area parks anywhere within a two-hour radius of Cincinnati. CSC’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park Tour enhances the vibrancy of neighborhoods throughout the region by creating traveling arts programs that increase the affordability, availability, and accessibility of the arts outside the downtown core. The park tour is an annual tradition—the closest audiences can get to what it might have been like to watch Shakespeare’s plays as they were first performed at the open-air theaters in Southhampton—and the heart of CSC’s mission to bring Shakespeare to life for all.

How can someone support FREE Shakespeare in the Park?
FREE Shakespeare in the Park is made possible through the generous support of companies, foundations, and donors throughout the tri-state and beyond. If you would like to make a gift in support of the program, please visit cincyshakes.com/park-fund or call 513.381.2273 x 3208.

All donors to our Shakespeare in the Park Fund between now and August 31 will be entered in a drawing to win two free subscriptions to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 30th Anniversary Season. We also have a variety of fun Shakespeare in the Park themed thank you gifts in exchange for your donations!

  • A Gift of $10 – Vinyl Sticker
  • A Gift of $25 – Bumper Magnet
  • A Gift of $50 – Water Bottle
  • A Gift of $100 – Insulated Tote Bag
  • A Gift of $500 – Roll-up Picnic Blanket
  • A Gift of $1,000 – Portable Camp Chair

Thank you gifts will be fulfilled beginning July 15, 2023.

The 2023 FREE Shakespeare in the Park Tour is generously sponsored by Western & Southern Financial Group and is made possible by donors to the FREE Shakespeare in the Park Fund.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company also sends special thanks to our Operating and Season Support Partners: The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation; Debby and Jim Mason; The Ohio Arts Council, The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation; Lightborne; and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source of arts funding.

Admission to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Shakespeare in the Park Tour is free and there is no ticket or RSVP required.  All performances are open to all and are general admission, open seating.  Arriving early is typically recommended for best seating and lawn chairs and blankets are recommended.  For questions regarding inclement weather or for details and rules regarding outside food and drink (including or excluding alcohol), please contact the individual parks and venues.

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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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May 18, 2023 · 5:54 am

2023-2024 Season Announced by Fairfield Footlighters

fflFairfield Footlighters is happy to announce our 2023-2024 season!

THE TEMPEST
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Kate Brauer-Bell
September 22nd-24th, 2023

Putting romance onstage, The Tempest gives us a magician, Prospero, a former duke of Milan who was displaced by his treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero is exiled on an island, where his only companions are his daughter, Miranda, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban. When his enemies are among those caught in a storm near the island, Prospero turns his power upon them through Ariel and other spirits.

AMATEURS
By Tom Griffin
Directed by Abby James
November 10th-12th, 2023

Amateurs is a full-length comedy by Tom Griffin. The tangled desires and hopes of the guests at an opening night party of a New England community theatre group are examined in this bittersweet and touching comedy about the rambunctious world of “show people,” and the highs and lows of the dramatic business we call show!

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
By George S. Kaufman
Directed by Mark Lunsford
February 23rd-25th, 2024

The family of Martin Vanderhof lives “just around the corner from Columbia University — but don’t go looking for it.” Grandpa, as Martin is more commonly known, is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family of charming eccentrics. His granddaughter, Alice, is an attractive and loving girl who is still embarrassed by her family’s idiosyncrasies. When Alice falls for her boss, Tony, a handsome scion of Wall Street, she fears that their two families – so unlike in manner, politics and finances – will never come together. But why be obsessed by money? After all, you can’t take it with you…

FOUR OLD BROADS
Leslie Kimbell
Directed by John Vanderplough
May 24th-26th, 2024

Retired burlesque queen Beatrice Shelton desperately needs a vacation – and NOT another trip up to Helen, Georgia to see that “precious little German village for the umpteenth time.” A Sassy Seniors Cruise through the Caribbean may be just the ticket if she can just convince her best friend, Eaddy Mae Clayton, to stop praying and go with her. Unfortunately, things have not been very pleasant at Magnolia Place Assisted Living since Nurse Pat Jones began working there. The newest resident, Imogene Fletcher, is suddenly losing her memory. Maude Jenkins is obsessed with her favorite soap opera and planning her own funeral. Sam Smith, retired Elvis impersonator, keeps trying to bed every woman in the building. A mystery unfolds with laughter as the gals try to outsmart the evil Nurse Pat Jones and figure out why so many residents have been moved to “the dark side,” what exactly IS that mysterious pill, and what happened to Doctor Head? Hilarity ensues as Imogene goes undercover and Maude enters the Miss Magnolia Senior Citizen Pageant to throw Pat off their trail. If they can solve the mystery, they may make it to the cruise ship after all.

We can’t wait to see you all as our new season of shows debut!

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May 18, 2023 · 5:51 am

Liz Toonkel’s MAGIC FOR ANIMALS Comes to the 20th Annual Cincy Fringe

CFF23_Magic for Animals

Liz Toonkel and goldfish, photographed by Myles Pettengill

Liz Toonkel’s MAGIC FOR ANIMALS, a one-woman magic show breaking illusions around agency and consent, comes to the 20th annual Cincy Fringe

“In Liz Toonkel’s daring performance, she showed us vulnerability, empathy, and above all humor.”
– L.A. Dance Chronicle

Los Angeles | May 17, 2023 – In this one woman magic show about agency, consent, and animal rights, Liz Toonkel, the production designer behind the Oscar nominated film “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” a professional magician, and a passionate activist for animal rights, raises urgent questions about personal autonomy for humans and animals. Next month, Toonkel, in partnership with  Los Angeles Performance Practice, brings this thought-provoking and downright hilarious magic show to the 20th annual Cincy Fringe Festival from June 3rd through June 14th, 2023.

“I am excited to bring Magic for Animals to the Cincy Fringe because historically, womxn and animals have only existed in magic as props to be cut in half or miraculously disappeared,” says Toonkel. “But in this show, they are fully embodied subjects given space to speak and swim. As a queer female magician, I welcome audiences who feel alienated at traditional magic shows that often employ racist and sexist language and behaviors,”.

In this show, Toonkel never uses live animals as props. Magic engages the viewers to consider the pressing issues of animal welfare, climate change, and sexism through a continuous narrative woven throughout each illusion, ultimately paving a way forward with empathy and self-awareness. Part political protest and part humorous spectacle, Liz Toonkel created Magic for Animals as a form of dissent to inspire audiences to investigate their relationships to animals and one another, employing sparkling, incisive humor to offer an antidote to the gendered and speciesist tradition of magic.

Liz Toonkel is an all around creative force who believes in the storytelling power of design in theater and visual art. Her work, which ranges from performance, installations, and video art, strives to wield a power that serves the LGBTQIA community, BIPOC, and womxn. Recent Exhibitions include Aarhus Festuge with Live Art Denmark, Honor Fraser Gallery, LAX Festival, ltd Gallery and the 2016 Queer Biennial in Los Angeles. Liz was nominated for an Art Director’s Guild award for her production design of the Oscar nominated animated feature film “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.” She is a magician member of the Academy of Magical Arts at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.

She adds: “It brings me so much joy to perform a show that not only entertains but also educates and inspires my audience. It will be so rewarding to get to share my work with a new community and I am so grateful for the opportunity,”.

Magic for Animals premiered in 2021 at the Live Arts Exchange Festival presented by Los Angeles Performance Practice, and had its international debut at Aarhus Festuge, Live Art Denmark in 2022. It can be seen this summer at Edinburgh Fringe in Scotland, U.K. The show is produced in partnership with Los Angeles Performance Practice – a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, California – devoted to the production and presentation of contemporary performance by artists whose work advances and challenges multidisciplinary artistic practices.

Show dates and times for Magic For Animals at Cincy Fringe are Saturday, June 3 at 7pm, Sunday, June 4 at 4:15pm, Friday, June 9 at 7pm, Saturday, June 10 at 4:15pm, and Sunday, June 11 at 7pm (U.S. Eastern time). The show venue is located at 1316 Main St, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Venue houses open 15 minutes prior to showtime for all performances.

Tickets and passes are now available online at https://cincyfringe.com/magic-for-animals/ , by calling 513-300-5669, or visiting Fringe Headquarters – 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Single tickets to all Festival shows and special events are $18, or opt for the $20 “Love Your Artists” ticket that puts more cash in the hands of artists. Passes can be purchased online or at any Fringe box office.

Cincy Fringe is produced by Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Ohio. More information about the festival can be found at https://cincyfringe.com/.

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May 17, 2023 · 12:42 pm

2023-2024 Season Announced by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

ETC_logoEnsemble Theatre Cincinnati ANNOUNCES 2023-2024 season

(Cincinnati, OH) Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC), the region’s premiere theatre, is delighted to announce its 2023-2024 season, which features a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a world premiere comedy, an autobiographical tour-de-force, and the revival of a unique rock musical. Along with this compelling lineup, next season also features the world premiere holiday musical about Cincinnati’s larger-than-life hippo heroine.

“Come together right now at ETC,” says Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “We live in a country that is shattered and fragmented in many ways, so it’s time for us to come back together and share our thoughts and different views in a safe and welcoming place, such as Ensemble Theatre. The shows for the 2023-2024 season are deliberately diverse, deliberately open to your own interpretation. This season will present two world premieres, two musicals, and the opportunity to view life in America through many different lenses.”

About the Plays

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati opens its 38th year with the Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck, September 9–October 1, 2023. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human new play, she embodies her teenage self in order to trace the founding document’s profound impact on not just her own life, but the past four generations of women in her family, starting with the first to set foot in America: a mail-order bride. This boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.

For the holidays, everyone’s favorite hippo makes her musical debut in the world premiere of Fiona: The Musical from Cincinnati native Zina Camblin and ETC composer David Kisor, November 29–December 29, 2023. Based on the true story of the hippo that captured the world’s heart, this story follows Fiona’s journey from a premature baby to a larger-than-life heroine! When Fiona is born two months early at only 29 pounds, the odds are stacked against her. But when a determined team of zookeepers and doctors refuses to give up on the little hippo that could, the beautiful friendships that form might just give Fiona the strength she needs. This touching story reminds us of the power of perseverance, compassion, and never giving up on the underdogs—or underhippos!

Written and originally performed by playwriting legend August Wilson himself, ETC presents the regional premiere drama How I Learned What I Learned, which will run February 17–March 10, 2024. This autobiographical tour-de-force chronicles Wilson’s days as a struggling young writer. In this intimate one-person play, experience his first jobs; his first loves; a stint in jail; his encounters with racism, violence, and music; and how the people of Pittsburgh’s Hill District inspired his celebrated cycle of plays. Following his rise from a young poet to the literary giant we honor today, this timeless and heartfelt memoir charts one man’s journey of self-discovery and what it means to be a Black artist in America.

Next, ETC is thrilled to present the commissioned world premiere of The Match Game by Steven Strafford, April 13–May 5, 2024. Steph has typical mid-life woes on her plate: a precocious daughter about to graduate high school and an absentee father who just moved in, who may or may not be faking dementia. Oh, and did we mention she has a little bit of cancer? Steph has ulterior motives for letting in her dad and a grand scheme to pull it off. When the family gathers for a birthday party with a hidden agenda, they’re forced to confront the truths they’ve been too afraid to acknowledge. The 2022 winner of the Jackie Demaline playwriting competition, this world premiere comedy hilariously reflects on how families aren’t always well matched.

ETC’s 2023-2024 season closes with the regional musical revival of the fan favorite Hands on A Hardbody, taking the stage June 8–30, 2024. Based on the 1997 documentary film of the same name, Hands on a Hardbody garnered three Tony Award nominations and features a brilliant score from Amanda Green and Trey Anastasio (front man for the band Phish), along with a masterful story by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Grey Gardens). For 10 hard-luck Texans, a new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end, armed with nothing but hope, humor, and ambition, they’ll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. Inspired by true events and infused with a “fresh roots-rock vibe,” this is the hilarious, hard-fought contest where only one winner can drive away with the American dream. Featuring a catchy combination of blues, rock and roll, and country songs, this musical is a peek into the lives of everyday, ordinary Americans struggling to survive against the backdrop of a broken and beaten working middle class.

Subscriptions On Sale Now
Subscriptions to the 2023-2024 Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati season are on sale now. 4-Show Preview subscriptions are $136 (excludes holiday production); Regular and FlexPass subscriptions range from $215 to $240. ETC will continue its deeply discounted subscription options for students, with packages just $100 for Teen Scene subscribers and just $125 for Student subscriptions. 

Single Tickets On Sale July 24, 2023
Single tickets for most productions in the 2023-2024 season go on sale to the general public starting at 10:00 am on Monday, July 24, 2023.

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2023-2024 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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