Category Archives: Press Releases

October 18, 2022 · 6:14 pm

Comedy Thriller Makes World Premiere in Dayton, OH

HRTC_Deadline LogoDEADLINE, a comedy thriller, hits the stage for the first time in its World Premiere production at The Human Race Theatre Company. Canadian playwrights Marcia Kash and Douglas E. Hughes pen this witty and surprising homage to the murder-mystery genre made great by Agatha Christie and Peter Sellars with performances from October 27 – November 13, 2022 at the Loft Theatre.

When a famous playwright dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his highly anticipated but unfinished play, writers Don and Mara are hired to complete it in time for an imminent Broadway opening. With the clock ticking and armed with only the first twenty-five pages of the script, the couple try to get inside the author’s head; instead, they find themselves sucked into the world he has created, cruising around the Caribbean aboard a luxury yacht with members of the cursed Bloodworth family. After one of their shipmates is murdered, Don and Mara realize their only chance of getting home is to write an ending before they meet their own.

“Marcia and Doug have paired a twisty “whodunit” with smart comedy writing, giving our audiences a treat that will feel fresh and familiar all at the same time,” comments Emily N. Wells, Human Race Theatre Company artistic director.  “Thrillers allow us to question our own perceptions of reality – what we think is true versus the facts – and DEADLINE delivers,” she continues. Cincinnati actor and director Jason Podplesky brings the production to life with a stellar cast of familiar faces. Audiences may remember Jason from his recent triple-role performance in Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help last April.

Wells also shares that for the remainder of the 22-23 season, The Human Race Theatre Company launches two new ticket initiatives: two sections of $20 seats available at any time through the box office, and ten $10 rush seats available 90 minutes before any performance. “It’s an invitation to laugh with us, be moved by a story, and share that experience with your neighbor,” she says.

In the all-local cast for this world premiere production are:  Annie Pesch as Mara/Meredith (Family Shots); Josh Aaron McCabe as Don/Silas (Everything That’s Beautiful); Andrew Ian Adams as Dean/Trevor (Airness); Barry Mullholand as Bartholemew (Cincinatti Shakespeare Company); Christine Brunner as Devorah (Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help); and Adelyn Rae Helms as Tabitha (Theatre LAB’s Something Rotten).

Joining Podplesky on the DEADLINE production team are: Ray Zupp, Scenic Design;  John Rensel, Lighting Design; Janet G. Powell, Costume Design; Brando Triantafillou, Sound Design; k. Jenny Jones, Fight Director; Sarah Gomes, Props; Mark Tynan, Production Stage Manager; and Joseph Adams, Production Assistant. For press ticket requests, please contact Monique Cooper, Company Manager at monique@humanracetheatre.org

DEADLINE will play in the Loft Theatre in downtown Dayton, October 27 – November 13, 2022.  Tickets are on sale through Dayton Live box office, 937-228-3630, or online at http://www.humanracetheatre.org   More details about the show can be found on our website.

Special Nights at The Loft:

  • Pay What You CAN – Wed. October 26 at 8 pm – Non-perishable food donations benefit The Foodbank; 100% of cash donations benefit the Take & Make Program at Dayton Metro Library
  • Inside Track – Thursday, Oct. 27 8pm – Pre-show Discussion at 7:15pm
  • Sawbuck Sunday – Sunday, Oct. 29 7 pm – $10 tickets available 5:30pm at the door
  • While We’re On The Subject – Sunday, Nov. 8 2pm – Post-Show Discussion w/ a surprise guest

The Human Race acknowledges its gratitude for the public and private support which makes these productions possible: The Loft Season Sponsors: Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation; Sustainability sponsors:  Anne F. Johnson, Steve and Lou Mason, and Morris Furniture Company;  Additional Season support:  Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts, Erma R. Catterton Trust, The Shubert Foundation;  Organizational support:  Culture Works, Montgomery County, Ohio Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Dayton Region Arts Renewal Grant. Media Sponsor: WDPR Discover Classical. Pay What You Can Sponsor: Enterprise Holdings Foundation.

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October 17, 2022 · 5:42 pm

Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Welcomes Audiences to their 2022-2023 Season with the Shakespearean Classic, MACBETH

WHHS_Macbeth1

Wolf Singer as Macbeth & and Nate Caudill as Macduff in the Walnut Hills High School production of MACBETH. Costume design by Paloma Landzador. Hair and Makeup design by Lizzy Rebber and Sci Redding. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Cincinnati, OH – After a wonderful season last year, the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome back audiences to The Rick Steiner Black Box Theater with a World War I twist on the Shakespearean classic, MACBETH.

The show runs November 3rd-5th, 2022 at 7 p.m. with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, November 5th.

In one of the world’s most well-known tragedies, Macbeth, a popular Scottish noble and general is given a mysterious prophecy by three witches telling him he will be king.  Spurred on by his wife and his own ambition and desires, Macbeth murders his way to the crown, losing his humanity along the way.

“This play is a classic for a reason,” says director Mike Sherman. “It is a timeless tale about how the pursuit of power can lead not to the downfall of society, but also the loss of what makes us human.”

WHHS_Macbeth2

Izzy Lachey as 2nd Witch, Tammy Munoz as Hecate, Josie Leanza as 1st Witch and Clare Graff as 3rd Witch in the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department’s production of MACBETH. Costume design by Paloma Lanzador. Hair and Makeup design by Lizzy Rebber and Sci Redding. Photo credit- Mikki Schaffner photography.

The design concept of the play updates the setting to Europe in the aftermath of World War I, and will speak to mankind’s capacity for destruction. “The Scottish Play” combines the historical battlefield and style of the early 1900s and the mythological legends of Celtic and Scottish Mythology, further blurring the lines of the truth and reality. In keeping with the play, blood, gore, and death are all to be expected; just in time for Halloween.

“Even if you are familiar with the show and the plot, we’re incorporating lots of scary moments that will make the show fresh and bring the text alive for our audiences, ” says Sherman.

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students. They are now available, and can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by the Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.

Featuring Wolf Singer as Macbeth, Emma Dalton as Lady Macbeth, Avery Frank as Banquo, Nate Caudill as Macduff, Loretta Rubin as Malcolm, Emma Smith as Ross, Abby Riddle as Lennox, Sophie Christian as Seton, Josie Leanza as 1st Witch, Izzy Lachey as 2nd Witch, Clare Graff as 3rd Witch, Tammy Munoz as Hecate, Hadrian Dwyer as Duncan/Siward, Kyra Doty as Donalbain/Lady Macduff, Hoyt Noble as a Murderer/Soldier, Andrew Kelm as a Murderer/Soldier, Jude Shotwell as a Murderer/Soldier, Khara Rosebrook as Messenger, James Overton as Sergeant/Doctor, Olivia Hufford as an Apparition, Nola Stowe as an Apparition, Scarlett Frank as an Apparition, Adeleigh Karoutchi as Fleance/Macduff’s Son, Clark Sayre as Porter/Young Siward, Naima Jones as Angus, Kenner Bailey as Mentieth, and Riley Soutar as Gentlewoman/Caithness.

  • Directed by Mike Sherman
  • Assistant Directed by Ryan Peerless
  • Technical Direction by Helen A. Raymond-Goers
  • Production Stage Manager- Abbie Kershner
  • Assistant Stage Manager- Nyla Shahanavaz
  • Co-Hair and Makeup Designers- Lizzy Rebber and Sci Redding
  • Co-Props Designers- AJ Frecker and Oran Wilkins
  • Props Manager- Oran Wilkins
  • Costume Designer- Paloma Lanzador
  • Lighting Designer- Allison Calkins
  • Master Electrician- Maya Busche
  • Scenic Designer- Jae Goodman
  • Sound Designer- Maya Busche
  • Choreographer- Lael Ingram
  • Fight Choreographer- Melissa Bennett Murphy
  • Intimacy Coordinator- Erin Carr 

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October 13, 2022 · 6:15 pm

FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT Captures the Iconic Painter’s Stunning Live Story in a One-Woman Show Beginning Oct. 15

PIP_Frida1

Vanessa Severo in the Portland Center Stage 2021 production of FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT. Photo by Owen Carey.

COVINGTON, KY (Oct. 13, 2022)—The stunning life story of iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo will illuminate the stage when Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park brings its production FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT to The Carnegie in Covington beginning Oct. 15. (Opening night is Oct. 20; the production runs through Nov. 6.)

The intimate, theatrical portrait, written and performed by Vanessa Severo, captures the difficulties and wonders of Kahlo’s life journey through physical hardship, tumultuous romantic relationships and mastering her artistic gifts. With music, movement, raw honesty and moments of deep humor, this one-woman show is as singular as the artist at the center of the play.

“I found this woman that was very ahead of her time — and very tweetable, actually, for today — and kind of the first selfies I would say of the 1930s and ‘40s,” Severo said in an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting. “But the difference was that in today’s world, we try to put on a patina of ‘everything’s great,’ and here’s this woman who’s painting her pain very clearly and unapologetically, and I thought, I wanted her to be alive and breathing today.”

After years of research and a moving trip to Kahlo’s home at La Caza Azul, Severo brings unparalleled authenticity to the painter’s story. She’s also found uncanny similarities with Kahlo in her own life, allowing her to crack open a powerful portal between them and share inspiring stories of her own.

FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT is directed by Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Joanie Schultz, who also directed the world premiere at Kansas City Repertory Theatre and a 2019 production of the play at Portland Center Stage.

“The play is a self-portrait of both the historical figure Frida Kahlo and the performer Vanessa Severo,” said Schultz. “As the piece unfolds, there are moments when the lines become blurred between the actor and the character. What we are left with is pure Frida and pure Vanessa, both searching to be seen and understood.”

Broadway World likened the production to “a series of paintings brought vividly to life,” and Oregon Artswatch wrote, “it broadens the reach of what we all have in common with one another.”

Although Kahlo is the play’s main character, Severo deftly portrays many characters, from Rivera to Frida’s parents and sister. The play is written as an interview with Kahlo (Severo also plays the interviewer) and beautifully incorporates movement, monologue, and Kahlo’s and Severo’s life stories into one cohesive piece.

LOCATION
Due to construction, the Playhouse’s Eden Park facility is temporarily closed. Performances of FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT will take place at The Carnegie, 1028 Scott St. Covington, Ky 4101.

CAST/PRODUCTION
Vanessa Severo (Playwright/Frida Kahlo); Joanie Schultz (Director); Jacqueline Penrod(Set Designer); Katherine Davis (Costume Designer); Rachael Cady (Lighting Designer); Thomas Dixon (Sound Designer/Original Compositions); Brooke Redler (Stage Manager

TICKETS 
Performances will take place at The Carnegie in Covington Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. (except Nov. 2), Saturdays at 2 p.m.and on Sundays at 3 p.m. (except Oct. 16). There is a 1 p.m. performance on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Patrons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled: dial 711 to connect to the Box Office via Ohio Relay Services.

SPECIAL EVENT

WRITING AND CREATING A SOLO SHOW
A writing and movement workshop inspired by the art of Frida Kahlo with instructor Erin Carr
Sat, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Carnegie, Eva G. Farris Education Center, 1028 Scott Boulevard, Covington, KY 41011
Cost: $25 per participant

Join us for a playwriting and performance workshop inspired by FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT during which you will have the opportunity to write and create your own short solo performance piece inspired by a piece of artwork. The first hour will be writing exercises to create a monologue and in the second hour, you will bring your monologue to life through movement and physical exploration. Participants will use prints of Frida Kahlo’s artwork to inspire the personal piece, but participants are also welcome to provide their own piece of inspirational art to work from, portraits are preferred.

This event is intended to be accessible for adults of all experience levels in movement and writing.

ADVISORY
FRIDA…A SELF PORTRAIT is suitable for ages 12 and up. Frida Kahlo boldly captured the details of her life through her art, and so this play includes discussions of adult relationships, illness and other mature themes.

LOCATION
The Carnegie, 1028 Scott Street, Covington, KY, 41011, while construction of the new Moe & Jack’s Place The Rouse Theatre continues. The new mainstage theater will open in Spring 2023.

SPONSORS

Production Sponsor is Digi and Mike Schueler. Artist Sponsor is Bartlett Wealth Management. Honorary Producer is Corporex. Season Sponsors are the Vontz Family and the Rosenthal Family Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

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October 12, 2022 · 6:31 pm

LIZARD BOY at Know Theatre

KTC_Lizard Boy logo“I used to think it was a better choice to hide /
You took my hand and reminded me of who I am inside.”

LIZARD BOY
a new musical with book, music, and lyrics by Justin Huertas

November 18 – December 11, 2022

Comic book lore and an indie-rock score collide for one magic night of adventure, music, and love. 

If you’re looking for something more than Dickens or children’s fare this holiday season, Know Theatre of Cincinnati is your destination. Join us starting November 18 for a new queer rock musical about a boy who looks like a lizard: Lizard Boy, by Justin Huertas.

There’s only one day a year that scale-covered Trevor can blend in with the crowd: “Monster Fest.” Tired of hiding, he sets out to make a love connection – but Fate might just be calling him, instead. Featuring lush indie-rock melodies, this comic-inspired queer fable is a timely reminder of the restorative powers of loving and being loved. 

Know Theatre, now in our 25th Anniversary season, smashes expectations once again with a new spin on the “holiday musical” – this time, a triumphant, comic-book inspired coming-of-age and coming-out tale about conquering the fear that keeps you silent when the world needs your voice the most.

In Lizard Boy, you’ll encounter monsters, mayhem, and virtuoso performances from a trio of multi-talented actor/musicians.  While the Know’s crack design & production team takes their inspiration from comic book lore to transform the MainStage into a Seattle both like and very unlike our own time, the cast will transport you with their soaring melodies and thrilling tale of self-discovery.

Director, actor, musician, and filmmaker Lindsey Augusta Mercer comes back to the Know to bring their singular creative vision to this production. Co-founder of Queen City Queer Theatre Collective, Lindsey is no stranger to the Know MainStage – you’ll recognize her starmaking turns in 2015’s Hundred Days, 2016’s Darkest Night at the Gnarly Stump, and as director of, the 2016 Matthew Sweet/Todd Almond musical Girlfriend.

Why Lizard Boy, right now?
“Right now, we are being bombarded by politically motivated messages telling us that only some of us are worthy of love or care; and that those of us whose hearts love a different way or whose bodies stand out in defiant difference are monsters. Right now, we need a story about recognizing the transformative power of living and loving, loudly, in your truth.” 

– Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters

Who is this show for?
Lizard Boy is about finding your truest, fiercest self, doing fearless battle against evildoers, and maybe even getting the guy of your dreams along the way.

It’s for all the people who’ve struggled to love parts of themselves that don’t quite fit in, who know that even the most ordinary-seeming places can be full of magic, and who’ve ever found their peace in loving someone else. It’s for the people who love comic books, superhero tales, and red-hot rock music.

It’s for you.

Get ready for adventure. Here’s your questing party:

We’re delighted to welcome Jaron Crawford, who makes his Know Theatre (and Cincinnati stage!) debut with the role of Trevor, the “Lizard Boy”  who finds himself right at the tipping point between his youthful optimism and the weight of his own grief.

Lizard Boy also marks the MainStage debut of Ian Timothy Forsgren, a familiar face of the local dance scene whose work you’ll recognize if you’re a fan of Pones or DanceFix. Ian plays Cary, the soulful musician whose brief connection with Trevor on a dating app sparks a wild night of daring adventure.

Rounding out the cast is Erin McCamley as Siren, the rock goddess with the spellbinding voice whose jaded exterior barely covers her seething, bloodthirsty rage. Erin brings her soaring vocals and musical virtuosity back to the MainStage after serving as Music Director (and pit musician) for 2016’s Girlfriend.

Join us for this thrilling comic-book rock-music adventure as we do battle against evil, find our own superpowers, and experience the healing power of loving and being loved. Lizard Boy runs November 18 – December 11, live at the Know, and livestreaming on select dates to your home.

Tickets are available on our website, knowtheatre.com, or by calling our box office at 513-300-5669.

KTC_Lizard Boy cast

CAST
Jaron Crawford as Trevor
Ian Timothy Forsgren as Cary
Erin McCamley as Siren 

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director: Lindsey Augusta Mercer
Lighting & Scenic Designer: Andrew J. Hungerford
Costume Designer: Rainey Edwards
Sound & Projections Designer: Douglas J. Borntrager
Props Designer: Danielle Robison
Music Director: Erin McCamley
Technical Director: Jim Stark
Stage Manager: Grace Wohlschlegel 

AT A GLANCE

Production: Lizard Boy, book, music, and lyrics by Justin Huertas 

Dates: November 18 – December 11. Wednesday – Saturday shows are at 8 PM; Sunday matinees are at 3 PM. 

Where: Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson Street in Over-the-Rhine.
             Livestreaming on select dates TBA. 

Themes: queer love · adventure · comic books · rock musical 

Tickets: The standard ticket price is $25. Audiences may opt to support the Know’s initiative to pay all artists and employees a living wage by selecting the $40 Living Wage Ticket. Low-cost admission available for $15. On Wednesdays, as part of a program we call “The Welcome Experiment,” tickets are $5 in advance, or FREE at the door. 

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible. 

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.  

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. 

Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

 Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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October 11, 2022 · 6:29 pm

Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and May Festival Chorus Combine for CARMINA BURANA and EXTREMELY CLOSE

CB_Carmina Burana promoFOUR Performances only – Nov. 4-6 at Music Hall

Cincinnati, OH (November 11, 2022) – Audiences are invited this fall to Cincinnati Ballet’s Carmina Burana and Extremely Close at Music Hall, November 4-6. Composer Carl Orff’s heroic score and Nicolo Fonte’s choreography for Carmina Burana come to life thanks to the combined talents of Cincinnati Ballet, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and May Festival Chorus, celebrating its 150th Anniversary Season. Carmina Burana is joined by Alejandro Cerrudo’s mesmerizing Extremely Close with music from Philip Glass and Dustin O’Halloran. Carmina Burana is a sensory treat for audiences, dancers are joined on stage by solo vocalists, whole dozens of May Festival Chorus singers perform the iconic lyrics suspended over the stage. If you think you aren’t familiar with Carmina Burana, we promise you’ve heard the music! O Fortuna, the opening piece from Carmina Burana, first made its way into pop culture as the theme from the 1981 film Excalibur, it has been used in dozens of movies, tv shows and commercials, including The Hunt for Red October, Friends, and as the X Factor song! It is part of a 13th century collection of poems called Carmina Burana that German composer Carl Orff set to music in 1935. The lush, melodic, and somewhat ominous music is not only a filmmaker’s dream, but an incredible work for ballet. Cerrudo’s Extremely Close, which opens this dynamic double bill, is equally evocative. Unsettling and mysterious, a blizzard of feathers fall in a gentle snowstorm as the audience finds their seats in Springer Auditorium. The dancers then send three large, movable panels around the stage. They function like dancers themselves, obscuring the artists and then revealing them again.

Tickets for Carmina Burana and Extremely Close are on sale now. For more information visit cballet.org. Please check the website for the latest health alerts. Masks are currently optional for patrons at Music Hall and the Aronoff Center for the Arts. NOTE: Artists may be masked during performances depending on current health alerts.

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet

WHAT: Carmina Burana and Extremely Close

WHEN:

  • Friday, November 4 at 8 pm
  • Saturday, November 5 at 2 pm
  • Saturday, November 5 at 8 pm
  • Sunday, November 6 at 1 pm

WHERE: Cincinnati Music Hall  – 1241 Elm, Cincinnati, Ohio

TICKETS: Call 513.621.5282 or visit cballet.org

Cincinnati Ballet 2022-2023 Season Sponsors:
Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, Margaret and Michael Valentine, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Jodie Gates, Cincinnati Ballet is a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world-premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

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