Category Archives: Press Releases

NEXT TO NORMAL to open at The Footlighters, Inc., December 1, 2022

FLI_Next to Normal castNEWPORT, KY — The Footlighters, Inc., proudly presents the second show of its 2022-2023 season, the contemporary musical Next to Normal.

Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, Next to Normal takes an unflinching look at a suburban family struggling with the effects of mental illness. Next to Normal was also chosen as “one of the year’s ten best shows” by critics around the country, including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times.

With an energetic pop/rock score, Next to Normal is a deeply emotional, moving piece of theater that addresses issues such as grief, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life.

Next to Normal marks the Footlighters’ debut of local director Kaleigh-Brooke Scheiding and her music director husband Jon Scheiding, but they are no strangers to the Tri-State theater scene. Kaleigh-Brooke has a BA in theatre with a focus on directing and performing from Miami University. She studied primarily under Lewis Magruder and has previously directed numerous plays and children’s musicals. Her most recent credits have been with The Nerve Theatre Company in Dayton. Jon is an accomplished sound and lighting designer as well as music and vocal director, having worked extensively with Beechmont Players, Loveland Stage Company, Mason Community Players, Village Players of Ft. Thomas, and Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative in the past.

Performances:

  • Thursday – Saturday, December 1 – 3 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 4 at 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday – Saturday, December 8 – 10 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 11 at 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday – Saturday, December 15 – 17 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 18 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25 each and are available online at footlighters.org/tickets or by contacting the box office at (859) 652-3849 or FootlightersTickets@gmail.com.

The Footlighters, Inc., has been producing quality community theater shows in Greater Cincinnati for over 55 years. The group was established in 1963 by a small group of community theater volunteers who wanted to bring theater opportunities to the west side of Cincinnati.

In 1987, the group bought the Salem United Methodist Church in Newport and transformed it into The Stained Glass Theatre. The theater is on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated a Kentucky landmark. In September of 2018, Footlighters added an ADA ramp to the front of their building to complement the elevator installed in September of 2017, allowing access for all patrons with limited mobility.

For more information, please visit footlighters.org or like The Footlighters, Inc., on Facebook.

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The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Brings Holiday Cheer to the Queen City with RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER JR.

TCTC_Rudolph Jr logoOpens at the Taft Theatre in December

Cincinnati – The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s 22-23 MainStage Season continues with RUDOLPH tHE RED-NOSED REINDEER™ JR. at the Taft Theatre December 10-19, 2022. Tickets are on sale now at https://thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-jr/.

The holiday classic soars off the screen in this 60-minute musical adaptation of the beloved television special. Filled with holiday hits like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER™ JR.  features all your favorite characters including Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, Yukon Cornelius and, of course, Rudolph. It’s an adventure that teaches us that what makes you different can be what makes you special.

Because of his shiny nose, Rudolph doesn’t feel like he belongs in Christmastown and sets off to find a place that accepts him. Along his journey, he encounters fellow misfits, only to realize that home is where he has belonged the whole time. When a storm threatens to keep Santa’s sleigh from taking flight, it’s up to Rudolph to save Christmas!

For TCT’s 22-23 MainStage shows at the Taft Theatre, currently there are not any restrictions for entry. Masks are welcome, but not required. Safety is always our highest priority, and we hope you’ll treat each other with kindness and respect throughout your theatrical journey with us.

Music and Lyrics by Johnny Marks. Script Adaptation by Robert Penola. Arrangements by Timothy Splain. Orchestrations by William C. White. Based on the animated television special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

adapted from the story by Robert L. May and the song by Johnny Marks. Developed by Character Arts Creations, LLC.

Stage Direction and Scenic Design by Nate Bertone. Choreographed by Diane Lala. Mark Femia, Music Director. Jeff Shearer, TCT Resident Costume Designer. Matthew Benjamin, Lighting Designer. Dani Lobello, Director of Production.

Ideal for ages 4+. This production runs 60 minutes without an intermission.

Showtimes for RUDOLPH tHE RED-NOSED REINDEER™ JR. include:

  • Saturday, December 10 at 2 PM
  • Saturday, December 10 at 5 PM
  • Sunday, December 11 at 2 PM
  • Friday, December 16 at 7 PM
  • Saturday, December 17 at 11 AM
  • Saturday, December 17 at 2 PM
  • Sunday, December 18 at 2 PM

ASL interpretation will be offered on the first Saturday at 2 PM performance.

RUDOLPH tHE RED-NOSED REINDEER™ JR. is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

RUDOLPH tHE RED-NOSED REINDEER™ JR. is made possible by Production Sponsor The Summit Hotel, and Season Sponsor The Charles H. Dater Foundation. Additional funding for MainStage Ticket Subsidies is provided by PNC Foundation. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Additional support comes from ARP funds from the City of Cincinnati through ArtsWave.

All The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Broadway-style MainStage productions, including RUDOLPH tHE RED-NOSED REINDEER™ JR., are performed in the historic Taft Theatre, 5th and Sycamore Streets in Downtown Cincinnati. Tickets start at $10. Visit thechildrenstheatre.com or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10, Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM to purchase tickets.

CAST (In Alphabetical Order)

  • BENJAMIN ABES-FELDMAN … Aviator Elf / Ensemble / Cowboy
  • CHRISTIAN ARIAS … Reindeer / Ensemble / Chicago Reporter / Bird-Fish
  • DAVID RADTKE … Santa Claus
  • CHRIS LOGAN CARTER … Sam
  • MACKENZIE COOK … Elf 4 / Spotted Elephant
  • BRINLEY CULVER … Elf 1
  • ISSIAH CURRENT … Boss Elf
  • CELIA D’ASCENZO … Elf 5 / Dolly
  • MARLO D’ASCENZO … Clarice
  • STELLA D’ASCENZO … Elf 2
  • DORION FEARS … Donner
  • DOUGLAS FRIES … King Moonracer / Bumble / Ensemble
  • TOMMI HARSCH … Mrs. Donner / Charlie in the Box / Ensemble
  • GRIFFIN HATFIELD … Fireball / Ensemble
  • HENRY HOWLAND … Coach Comet
  • KASEY JOHANSEN … Puppeteer / Ensemble / Reindeer
  • ETHAN KUCHTA … Yukon Cornelius / Ensemble
  • JT LANGLAS … Ensemble / Clarice’s Father
  • ELLI MADDOCK … Elf 3 / Toy Cover
  • EDRICO PRITCHETT … Ensemble / Reindeer / Daily News Reporter / Plane
  • CAROLINE RAKESTRAW … Ensemble / Reindeer / Train
  • BRANDI LA’SHERRILL … Mrs. Claus
  • ALEX TALBOT … Hermey
  • KAI VADIVELU … Young Rudolph
  • KAVAN VADIVELU … Rudolph
  • KEYA VADIVELU … Puppeteer / Ensemble / Reindeer

-end-

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JAGGED LITTLE PILL Individual Tickets On Sale Now

BIC_Jagged Little PillTHE TONY AND GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL
JAGGED LITTLE PILL

WILL PLAY CINCINNATI’S ARONOFF CENTER
FROM MARCH 28 TO APRIL 2 

“JAGGED LITTLE PILL stands alongside the original musicals that
 have sustained the best hopes of Broadway.” -THE NEW YORK TIMES

CINCINNATI (Friday, November 4) is thrilled to announce that individual tickets for the Cincinnati premiere of JAGGED LITTLE PILL are now on sale. Inspired by the seminal rock album of the same name by seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette (she/her), tickets to the Tony and Grammy awarding-winning production are available at  CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office, downtown. 

Heidi Blickenstaff (she/her) will reprise her role from the Broadway production as Mary Jane Healy, joined by Lauren Chanel (she/her) as Frankie Healy, Chris Hoch (he/him) as Steve Healy and Dillon Klena (he/him) as Nick Healy. The cast also includes Jade McLeod (they/them) as Jo and Allison Sheppard (she/her) as Bella.

The ensemble includes Lee H. Alexander (he/him), Delaney Brown (she/they), Jada Simone Clark (she/her), Lani Corson (she/her), Rishi Golani (he/him), Jason Goldston (he/they), Zach Hess (he/him), Cydney Kutcipal (they/them), Jordan Leigh McCaskill (they/she), Alana Pollard (she/they), Daniel Thimm (he/him), Kei Tsuruharatani (she/they), and Jena VanElslander. Maya J. Christian (she/her), Claire Crause (she/her), Sean Doherty (he/him) and Charles P. Way (he/him) join the cast as swings.

For a complete list of tour stops, please visit: JaggedLittlePill.com.

Directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (she/her; Waitress, Pippin), JAGGED LITTLE PILL is an “electrifying, visceral and stunning” (The Hollywood Reporter) musical with an original story by Tony and Academy Award-winning writer Diablo Cody (she/her; Juno, Tully), about a perfectly imperfect American family that “vaults the audience to its collective feet” (The Guardian). Nominated for a season-record of 15 Tony Awards following its Broadway premiere, The New York Times declared the show “redemptive, rousing and real… JAGGED LITTLE PILL stands alongside the original musicals that have sustained the best hopes of Broadway.”

Ignited by Morissette’s groundbreaking lyrics and music – from beloved hits such as “You Oughta Know,” “Head Over Feet,” “Hand In My Pocket,” and “Ironic”, to brand new songs written for the show – JAGGED LITTLE PILL  features explosive choreography by Tony Award nominee and frequent Beyoncé collaborator Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (he/him; “Apesh*t”, “Love Drought/Sandcastles” Live at The Grammys), and the raw power of an onstage band under the Musical Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements of Grammy, Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Kitt (he/him; Next to Normal, American Idiot). 

The JAGGED LITTLE PILL creative team includes Tony-nominated Scenic Designer Riccardo Hernandez (he/him; Parade), Tony-nominated Costume Designer Emily Rebholz (she/her; Dear Evan Hansen), Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Justin Townsend (he/him; Moulin Rouge!), Tony-nominated Sound Designer Jonathan Deans (he/him; Waitress), and Tony-nominated Video Designer Lucy Mackinnon (she/her; Spring Awakening). Hair, Wig, and Make-up Design is provided by J. Jared Janas (he/him; Sunset Boulevard). 

JAGGED LITTLE PILL officially opened on Broadway December 5, 2019 at the Broadhurst Theatre after beginning previews November 3. Prior to Broadway, JAGGED LITTLE PILL completed a record-breaking, sold-out run at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA. That pre-Broadway world premiere production ran for 79 sold-out performances, from May 5–July 15, 2018, marking the longest-running and highest-grossing production in A.R.T.’s history. JAGGED LITTLE PILL concluded its award-winning Broadway run on December 17, 2021, after playing 36 previews and 171 performances. That same month, the production made its international debut in Australia at Theatre Royal Sydney. The Australian tour is currently playing at Comedy Theatre, Melbourne.

Released on June 13, 1995, the tremendous success of Alanis Morissette’s album Jagged Little Pill skyrocketed her to become the bestselling international debut artist in history; a title she still holds, with the record’s sales reaching 33 million copies worldwide. Now, 25 years after its release, Jagged Little Pill continues to be one of the Top 20 Best-Selling Albums of All Time. With ten eclectic and acclaimed albums released over the subsequent years, Morissette’s music has garnered 7 Grammy Awards (with 14 nominations), a Golden Globe nomination, and total sales of over 60 million albums

In 2019, Atlantic Records partnered with the Broadway production for the release of its Original Broadway Cast Recording, adding the show to the label’s elite roster of Grammy Award-winning artists and cast albums. The cast album for JAGGED LITTLE PILL was officially released on December 6, 2019 – the day after the show’s opening night on Broadway – and won the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album.

In the fall of 2020, the musical garnered a season-leading 15 Tony Nominations – including Best Musical – and Grand Central Publishing released a hardcover coffee table book following the journey of JAGGED LITTLE PILL to Broadway, with behind-the-scenes photos and stories from Alanis Morissette, Diablo Cody, the cast and more. Following the show’s big Grammy Award win in 2021, JAGGED LITTLE PILL also won Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical (Diablo Cody) and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Lauren Patten).

JAGGED LITTLE PILL will play the Aronoff Center from March 28 – April 2, 2023: Tuesday – Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, Sundays at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets start at $36.25 and will be online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

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Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Tri-State, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals in Cincinnati since 1987. For over twenty years, Broadway in Cincinnati has presented all shows at the Aronoff Center. The Broadway in Cincinnati series brings more than 185,000 people downtown to the Aronoff Center each year and contributes an average of $30 million to the local economy each season. Broadway in Cincinnati is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and The Broadway League. Fifth Third Bank is the sponsor of the Cincinnati 22/23 Season, and the season is presented by TriHealth. 

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com and Group Sales Box Office.  Led by 14-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton. Current and past productions include Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge! and To Kill A Mockingbird 

The John Gore Organization is the leading developer, producer, distributor and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide. Under the leadership of 14-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, and Group Sales Box Office. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier awards.

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ANNIE Individual Tickets On Sale Now

THE SUN WILL COME OUT

BIC_Annie logo

©2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

New North American Tour of the Iconic
Tony Award-winning musical to play
the Aronoff Center February 7-12 

Tickets On Sale Now!

Cincinnati, OH – Leapin’ Lizards! Broadway in Cincinnati announced today that the individual tickets for an all-new tour of the iconic Tony Award®-winning musical ANNIE are on sale now, as part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati series presented by TriHealth. Performances will run February 7 – 12, 2023, and tickets will be available online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office, downtown.

This new multi-week tour is produced by TROIKA Entertainment, LLC, and launches at The Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, NY on October 4th. TROIKA Entertainment’s COO and Executive Producer, Kori Prior says, “We’re thrilled to be bringing such a fresh, new and heartfelt production to audiences across North America starting this fall.”

BIC_Annie0906“This show, with its iconic title character, continues to delight generations of theatre-lovers old and new by joyfully singing directly into the face of great adversity with perseverance, guts and guile,” says director Jenn Thompson. “For decades, ANNIE has continued to shine brightly, not only as an appeal to our better angels, but also as an example of the thrill of hope, hard-won: promising a better ‘Tomorrow’ not only for Annie herself, but for all who need her message now more than ever.”

ANNIE is directed by Jenn Thompson, who at the age of 10 stepped into the role of “Pepper” in the Original Broadway production, choreographed by Patricia Wilcox (Motown, A Night with Janis Joplin), with orchestrations by Dan DeLange. Talitha Fehr is the Music Coordinator and Elaine Davidson is the Music Director.

The design team includes scenic design by Wilson Chin (Pass Over), costume design by Alejo Vietti (Jersey Boys), lighting design by Philip Rosenberg, sound design by Ken Travis (Disney’s Aladdin), hair & wig design by Ashley Rae Callahan and casting by Paul Hardt of Hardt Casting, LLC.

The lovable mutt “Sandy” is once again trained by Tony Award®Honoree William Berloni (ANNIE, A Christmas Story, Legally Blonde).

In the title role of Annie is Ellie Pulsifer, a 12-year-old actress from South Florida, making her tour debut.  Christopher Swan will star as Oliver Warbucks.  In the role of Miss Hannigan is Stefanie Londino.  Also starring in the tour are Julia Nicole Hunter as Grace, Nick Bernardi as Rooster, Krista Curry as Lily and Mark Woodard as FDR.  Addison, a stray mutt rescued by William Berloni through the Humane Society in 2017, stars as Sandy.

The Orphans are Riglee Ruth Bryson, Bronte Harrison, Vivianne Neely, Izzy Pike, Kenzie Rees and Valeria Velasco.

The featured ensemble includes Kolten Bell, Bradley Ford Betros, Luther Brooks IV, Harrison Drake, Laura Elizabeth Flanagan, Jataria Heyward, Carly Ann Moore, Kevin Ivey Morrison, Leeanna Rubin, Andrew Scoggin, Sophie Stromberg and Kaley Were.

Holding onto hope when times are tough can take an awful lot of determination, and sometimes, an awful lot of determination comes in a surprisingly small package. Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations of theatergoers that sunshine is always right around the corner, and now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in this new production – just as you remember it and just when we need it most.  This celebration of family, optimism and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way.

Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as, “one of the best family musicals ever penned!”, ANNIE features a book by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. All three authors received 1977 Tony Awards® for their work.

By permission of Tribune Content Agency, LLC, ANNIE is based on Harold Gray’s popular comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” which premiered in the 1920s in the New York Daily News and became one of the most widely read strips in the 30s and 40s.  Lyricist Martin Charnin bought a coffee table book called “The Life and Hard Times of Little Orphan Annie” as a Christmas gift for a friend in 1970. The clerk at the bookstore was too busy to wrap the book, so Charnin took the book home to wrap it.  Instead, he read it and fell in love with the strip and set out to secure the rights. The friend never got the book.

The original production of ANNIE had its world premiere on Aug 10, 1976 at the Goodspeed Opera House (Michael J. Price, Executive Director) and opened on Broadway on April 21, 1977 at the Alvin Theatre (Neil Simon theatre).  It went on to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, the Grammy for Best Cast Show Album and seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin).  It closed on Broadway after playing 2,377 performances.  ANNIE was revived on Broadway in 1997 and again in 2014. It has been made into a film three times (1982, 1999, 2014) and was most recently featured as a live television production on NBC.  The show remains one of the biggest Broadway musical hits ever; it has been performed in 28 languages and has been running somewhere around the world for 45 years.

The beloved score for ANNIE includes “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”

This production of ANNIE was licensed by Music Theatre International.

ANNIE will play the Aronoff Center from February 7 – 12, 2023: Tuesday – Thursdays at 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, Sundays at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets start at $36.25 and will be online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

Connect with ANNIE on tour:

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Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Tri-State, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals in Cincinnati since 1987. For over twenty years, Broadway in Cincinnati has presented all shows at the Aronoff Center. The Broadway in Cincinnati series brings more than 185,000 people downtown to the Aronoff Center each year and contributes an average of $30 million to the local economy each season. Broadway in Cincinnati is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and The Broadway League. Fifth Third Bank is the sponsor of the Cincinnati 22/23 Season, and the season is presented by TriHealth. 

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com and Group Sales Box Office.  Led by 14-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Phantom of the Opera and Hamilton. Current and past productions include Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge! and To Kill A Mockingbird. 

The John Gore Organization is the leading developer, producer, distributor and marketer of Broadway theatre worldwide. Under the leadership of 14-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, and Group Sales Box Office. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier awards.

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The Carnegie Names Tyler Gabbard New Theatre Director and Announces Lineup of Hit Musicals

TC_Tyler Gabbard headshotSUMMER SERIES RETURNS FOR SECOND YEAR IN 2023 FOLLOWED BY A BELOVED BROADWAY CLASSIC IN WINTER 2024

COVINGTON, Ky. (November 3, 2022) – The Carnegie is pleased to announce that Tyler Gabbard has been named Theatre Director of The Carnegie’s Otto M. Budig Theatre. Along with this news comes the unveiling of an exciting season of musicals that offers something for everyone to enjoy.

“The Carnegie has been an artistic home for me for many years now and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the Theatre Department and build on the transformative work of my predecessor Maggie Perrino,” said Gabbard. “As someone born and raised in Northern Kentucky and a current resident of Covington, I’m excited to continue offering meaningful artistic experiences that are both entertaining and enriching to the community.”

Gabbard comes to The Carnegie from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati where he was the Patron Experience Manager. Previously, he was the Box Office and Patron Communications Manager for the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, the Events and Publicity Manager for the School of the Arts at Northern Kentucky University, and Vice President of the League of Cincinnati Theaters.

Gabbard’s educational credentials include a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he focused in Theatre Management and Scenic Design. He has a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northern Kentucky University. In January 2020 Gabbard was one of 27 individuals selected from across North America to take part in the Emerging Leadership Institute at the Association of Performing Arts Professionals’ annual conference in New York City.

Gabbard has a decade long history with The Carnegie as the Scenic Designer for over a dozen productions including RENT, INTO THE WOODS, GEORGE REMUS, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, SWING!, TENDERLY, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS. His design work has also been seen onstage at theatres in New York City and Los Angeles and locally at Memorial Hall, New Edgecliff Theatre, Kincaid Regional Theatre, Northern Kentucky University, Falcon Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Company, Stage Right Musical Theatre, Cincinnati Chamber Opera, Catacoustic Consort, Woodford Theatre, and the Stephen Foster Drama Association.

“The Carnegie’s Theatre Department could not be in better hands,” said Kim Best, Executive Director of The Carnegie. “Since joining the team in October, Tyler has brought an excitement and enthusiasm to The Carnegie that I’m sure patrons will see reflected in these upcoming productions.”

Following the success of the inaugural Summer Series in 2022, the repertory model returns in June 2023 with the huge-hearted, high-heeled hit KINKY BOOTS. In July, audiences will travel back in time to one of the final performances of Billie Holiday’s storied career in LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL. The summer will continue with one of the greatest musical comedies ever written, GUYS & DOLLS. All three productions will play in rotation through August, allowing theatergoers their choice of multiple shows in one weekend or the ability to come back to catch a favorite performance again.

In January 2024, HELLO, DOLLY! will burst onto The Carnegie stage with romance, humor, and joy-inducing song and dance that promises to delight audiences of all ages.

“All of this season’s musicals celebrate the big rewards that come with taking big risks,” said Gabbard. “They’re populated by a captivating assortment of characters, both real and imagined, that will take theatregoers along for quite the ride.”

Tickets, multi-show packages, and performance times for The Carnegie’s 2023 Summer Series and 2024 Winter Musical will be announced later at thecarnegie.com.

The current season concludes with the family-friendly classic, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, from Jan. 28 through Feb. 12, 2023. The production is directed and choreographed by Maggie Perrino, former Theatre Director at The Carnegie. Tyler Gabbard, the new Theatre Director, will be the production’s Scenic Designer. Tickets for SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN can currently be purchased at https://thecarnegie.com/theatre/summer-theatre-series/singin-in-the-rain/

The following includes more information about each production in the 2023-24 season.

OPENING JUNE 2023

KINKY BOOTS
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Original Broadway Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell

Based on the Miramax motion picture of the same name, written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth

KINKY BOOTS, the winner of six Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, is a huge-hearted, high-heeled hit featuring music and lyrics by pop legend Cyndi Lauper. Factory owner Charlie is struggling to save his business when he meets Lola, a drag queen with a wildly exciting idea that just might save the day. Inspired by true events, KINKY BOOTS tells the story of a mismatched pair of friends who together learn that sometimes, the best way to fit in… is to stand out!

OPENING JULY 2023

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL
By Lanie Robertson
Musical Arrangements by Danny Holgate

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL is a riveting portrait of Billie Holiday and the songs that made her famous. In a captivating evening of story and song, audiences will be transported to the gritty Philadelphia bar where the legendary jazz singer gave one of her final public performances in 1959. The hard-hitting musical chronicles the singer’s life story – both humorous and heart-wrenching – and celebrates the music she gave the world including “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do.”

OPENING JULY 2023

GUYS AND DOLLS
A Musical Fable of Broadway
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon

GUYS AND DOLLS is musical theatre at its show-stopping best! Hailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this colorful classic follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers and showgirls in a wild game of chance and love. Set in bustling 1950s Manhattan, GUYS AND DOLLS features some of the most memorable showtunes of all time, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and the irrepressible anthem “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

OPENING JANUARY 2024

HELLO, DOLLY!
Book by Michael Stewart Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder
Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Gower Champion
Produced for the Broadway Stage by David Merrick and Champion Five, Inc.

HELLO, DOLLY! is a blockbuster Broadway hit bursting with romance, humor, and some of the greatest songs in musical theater history. Boisterous and charming from start to finish, the musical follows the exploits of meddling matchmaker Dolly Levi over the course of one unforgettable day. Audiences will delight in one crowd-pleasing musical number after another including “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” and the effervescent title song.

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About The Carnegie
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center. More information about The Carnegie is available at http://www.thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030.

The Carnegie is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from the Kentucky Arts Council, City of Covington, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Cincinnati International Wine Festival. 

About The Carnegie Theatre Series
The Carnegie Theatre Series produces professional, innovative stagings of an eclectic range of musical theatre works. Striving to unite the greater Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati theatre community through partnerships and collaborations, the series engages and nurtures both emerging and established talent, including working professionals, committed part-time theatre artists, university performing arts students and younger students. The Carnegie Theatre Series productions bring together these forces to provide quality theatre for Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area.

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