Category Archives: Press Releases

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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May 17, 2023 · 5:58 am

2023 Southwest Regional OCTAFest Excerpt Schedule

ACT_logoThe 2023 Southwest Regional OCTAFest excerpts are almost here! 

Join all your friends at Parrish Auditorium, 1601 University Boulevard Hamilton, OH 45011 in the heart of Miami University Hamilton’s campus, to watch Greater Cincinnati’s amazing community theater community strut their stuff at the annual excerpts! This year’s excerpt schedule is as follows: ​

Friday, June 16:

  • 5:00pm Registration begins
  • 7:15pm Tri-County Players A View From the Bridge
  • 8:15pm Mariemont Players Ken Ludwig’s The Gods of Comedy
  • 9:15pm CenterStage Players The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later
  • 10:15pm Cincinnati Music Theatre Kinky Boots​

Saturday, June 17:

  • 7:30am Registration begins
  • 8:15am Fairfield Footlighters Love/Sick
  • 9:15am Sunset Players Be My Baby
  • 10:15am Village Players of Fort Thomas Holidazed
  • 11:15am The Footlighters, Inc. A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
  • 12:15pm Lunch Break
  • 1:15pm The Drama Workshop Radium Girls
  • 2:15pm Loveland Stage Company Twelfth Night
  • 3:15pm Beechmont Players The Matchmaker
  • 4:15pm Mason Community Players Nunsense 

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May 17, 2023 · 5:57 am

BORED TEACHERS COMEDY TOUR | Fri., Sept. 22, 2023 | Aronoff Center

CAA_Bored TeachersThe Bored Teachers Comedy Tour is the Self-Care
Teachers Need in Their Lives Right Now!

More than ever, teachers need an outlet to kick back and laugH
at the trials and tribulations of daily classroom life.

September 22, 2023
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

Tickets on sale Friday, May 19

CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                Bored Teachers: We Can’t Make This Stuff Up! Comedy Tour

WHEN:                Friday, September 22, 2023 – 7:30 PM

WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

PRICE:                 $55.00 | $45.00 | $35.00. 10%-off groups of ten or more. Additional service fees may apply.

VIP TICKETS – $75.00 | $65.00 | $55.00. VIP Tickets include a souvenir Bored Teachers Comedy Tour lanyard/badge and priority access (skip the line!) to a Meet-and-Greet available to all audience members, where you can take photos and get autographs with your favorite teacher-comedians.

INFO:                  The biggest entertainment platform for teachers in the world, Bored Teachers presents the funniest teacher-comedians in the nation all on one stage. Their hilarious skits have amassed hundreds of millions of views on the internet, and they’re all joining comic forces for a night of laughter you do not want to miss.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, May 19 at 10:00 AM

  • www.CincinnatiArts.org
  • (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
  • Aronoff Center Ticket Office
  • Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4157

[Cincinnati, OH] – The biggest entertainment platform for teachers in the world, Bored Teachers presents the funniest teacher-comedians in the nation all on one stage. Their hilarious skits have amassed hundreds of millions of views on the internet, and they’re all joining comic forces for a night of laughter you do not want to miss. The Bored Teachers: We Can’t Make This Stuff Up! Comedy Tour makes a stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Friday, September 22, 2023 at 7:30 PM. The show is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2023-24 Season.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 19 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4157. Applicable services fees may apply. Special VIP tickets are available for purchase and include a souvenir Bored Teachers Comedy Tour lanyard/badge and priority access (skip the line!) to a Meet-and-Greet available to all audience members, where you can take photos and get autographs with your favorite teacher-comedians.

With more than five million followers across social platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube), Bored Teachers has 20+ million views every month of their viral comedy videos. The tour includes the most hilarious and well-known teacher comedians in the business with millions of combined followers as well. This comedy powerhouse is making its way around the country with 120+ shows booked so far this year! Teachers everywhere need a night of laughter, and the Bored Teachers Comedy Tour is the perfect fix. For a complete listing of all tour stops, visit the Bored Teachers Comedy Tour page.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRI-STATE CHEVY DEALERS

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, TriHealth

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May 17, 2023 · 5:55 am

Pones and Partners Introduce Dance-Infused Performance Highlighting Aging Community Members’ Diverse Stories

CFF23_Keeping Our Torch(Cincinnati, OH) Pones brings back its trademark collaborative style for their fourteenth Cincinnati Fringe Festival performance entitled, “Keeping our Torch.” This piece tells the diverse stories of the aging community through movement, music and multimedia. Inspired by real life stories from community elders on the formative milestones of their lives, the knowledge they’ve gained and would like to share, and their hopes for intergenerational joy; this offering honors the experience of lives lived fully and how younger generations can learn from our elders.

Inspired by the Gloria Steinem quote, “At my age, in this still hierarchical time, people often ask me if I’m “passing the torch.” I explain that I’m keeping my torch, thank you very much—and I’m using it to light the torches of others.” This piece was supported by the MAP Fund, a national organization that invests in performing artists and their work as the critical foundation of imagining and co-creating a more equitable and vibrant society.

The process of creating “Keeping Our Torch” was an engaging ethnography-based process, in which stories were collected by Pones artists, who interviewed over 20 older community-members, and passed their stories along to additional artists to interpret into vignettes on creative aging. Culminating in a multidisciplinary arts experience, this performance highlights the varied experiences of our region’s aging communities and celebrates the wisdom of older generations.

Pones has been growing offerings for seniors through regular programming and partnerships with Twin Towers, Episcopal Retirement Services, Creative Aging, Carmel Manor, and other local retirement communities and living centers. People often ask “isn’t this work sad or challenging” and the answer is quite the opposite. Often these sessions leave Pones teachers feeling recharged and with a reinvigorated sense of what is truly important in life. We hear stories of isolation, of invisibility, and/or regret, but also of celebration, reflection, and gratitude.

Pones has been part of Cincy Fringe since 2009, holding multiple Critic’s Pick and Producer’s Pick awards throughout the years. To enjoy this engaging art experience, come to Gabriel’s Corner on the following dates: 6/7 and 6/10 at 7pm, 6/11 at 2:30pm, 6/13 at 8:45pm, and 6/16 at 7pm

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