Category Archives: Press Releases

May 6, 2022 · 9:51 am

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Returns

CSC_Pride and Prejudice

Sara Mackie as Mrs. Bennet and her daughters in Cincinnati Shakespeare’s 2020 production. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is thrilled to announce the return of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Kate Hamill, adapted from the novel by Jane Austen- the most popular show in CSC history! 

After a heartbreaking early closure in 2020, CSC is thrilled to conclude this Grand Re-Opening Season with this production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 

Cincinnati, May 5, 2022 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to bring back its most popular show in CSC history: Pride and Prejudice by Kate Hamill, adapted from the novel by Jane Austen. After closing the show early in the run in March 2020 to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSC and theatre-goers across the tri-state area have waited with bated breath for the play’s return. The time has finally arrived! Pride and Prejudice is directed by Sara Clark and features many CSC Resident Ensemble favorites like Courtney Lucien in the role of the iconic Lizzy Bennet and Jared Joplin as the dashing –and dubious- Mr. Darcy. With 5 of the 8 person cast playing multiple roles, CSC will showcase gender-fluid doubling that will give old words new life in this classic romance.

One of the single most cherished stories of all time returns to the CSC stage in a fresh and funky new adaptation which critics are calling “delightfully different,” “fizzy and festive,” and “unlike any adaptation of Jane Austen one has seen before.” Sweepingly romantic, with a good dose of the tongue-in-cheek, Pride and Prejudice follows the love stories of the Bennet sisters, as they find that the path to true love can lead to the most unexpected of places.

In 2020, this production was beloved by critics and audiences alike with the League of Cincinnati Theatres saying “There was no fear…in this lively adaptation [of Pride and Prejudice]”…Director Sara Clark “amps up the humor to 11″…”you won’t be bored”…this production “takes risks”… and “Jane [Austen] would approve”.  An ArtsWave reviewer said “the audience’s enthusiasm was palpable”…Pride and Prejudice is “electrifying”…”an absolute blast”…the “cast of this production deserves endless praise”…and [everyone] “will find something to love in this new take.” And Rick Pender’s Theater Stage & Scenes said “Pride and Prejudice is “great fun”…”comic perfection”…the actors “evoked gales of laughter”…and “If you’re seeking a ‘fizzy and festive’ night of theater, this is the show for you.”

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s is proud to feature the work of women in this production of Pride and Prejudice. This production of a female playwright’s adaptation of one of the most influential female author’s novels of all time includes: a female director, 50% of the cast is female identifying, and the cherry on top of this girl power powerhouse, 80% of the production designers are women as well. In a note by Director Sara Clark, she says “virtually all the stage adaptations [of Pride and Prejudice are] written by men.” She continues saying “Kate Hamill’s adaptation retells the story by this proto-feminist author… [and] highlights what is often missed by Hollywood treatments of Austen novels: how FUNNY Jane Austen was and how keen her satire of the society in which she lived…[and that] Hamill has taken the original novel and made the comedy, the social commentary, and the romance more in line with our modern sensibility.”

Kate Hamill’s Pride and Prejudice first appeared on stage in the summer of 2017 at Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in New York. During the 2018-2019 theater season, her adaptation of Pride and Prejudice was one of the 10 most-produced plays nationally and was nominated for the Off-Broadway Alliance Award- Best Unique Theatrical Experience. Her play has been praised by critics nationally. The Wall Street Journal wrote that Pride and Prejudice is “the stuff hits are made of”…“completely and delightfully different”…and “adapted with fizzy, festive freedom.”

The creative team of the original production is thrilled to return to CSC, transforming the Otto M. Budig Theater stage into a stunning Regency-era masterpiece yet again. Designers include Shannon Moore (Scenic Design), Clara Jean Kelly (Costume Design), visiting Sound Designer Kevin Semancik, as well as visiting and debut Lighting Designer Nina Agelvis. Kara Eble Trusty (Properties Design) and Rachel Perin (Choreography) are delighted to return to their respective roles.

In 2020, Pride and Prejudice was first production in the Otto M. Budig Theater to be presented in the round and this 2022 production will return to the round! This is a form of theatrical staging in which the acting area, which may be raised or at floor level, is completely surrounded by the audience. There will be a circular stage center with audience members on all sides. And the stage will be on a turntable allowing the actors to act to all audience members while the stage rotates.  This also adds to the comedic lightheartedness and enhances the playfulness of the production for the audience who will experience the production all around them- include in special STAGE GALLERY seating, up on the stage!

Pride and Prejudice runs May 20—June 19. The show’s opening, Friday, May 20, boasts the Benefit Performance Gala, Revel and Regency, to celebrate CSC’s Grand Re-Opening Season. Tickets run at $250. Learn more about Revel and Regency by visiting https://cincyshakes.com/event/revel-2022/.

Performances on Pride and Prejudice are on Wednesday, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 2:00 PM, and Saturday, June 18 at 2:00 PM (Also ASL Interpreted on June 18). Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19, with tickets at $45 or $25 for YPs. There are discounts available for students, seniors, local residents, and community partners as access to all is important to CSC. Each performance night has a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets in the Upper Gallery and Stage Gallery.  These can be purchased in advance by going online or calling the Box Office.  And starting 1 hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets may be available as a discounted Rush Ticket to anyone, not just students. These tickets are only $12 and could be located anywhere in the house depending on that evening’s availability. These cannot be reserved more than 1 hour before a show and must be purchased in person in the Box Office. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees apply.  To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.

Audience members are no longer required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend performances at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. The wearing of masks will be encouraged but optional. Please reach out to the Box Office by email or phone at (513) 381-2273 for assistance.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park.  Many parking spaces are available on the street and in nearby lots and garages- for more information, visit http://www.otrchamber.com/pages/WheretoPark.

CSC also offers Valet Parking for every performance! Make reservations for $20 in advance when purchasing tickets or visit www.cincyshakes.com/parking. Purchasing in advance guarantees a spot.  Valet is available right at the corner of 12th and Elm Street in front of the theater and begins approx. 1.5 hours before a performance. Cars can be picked up for up to one hour following a performance. (After one hour, you will need to arrange pick up with the valet service directly.) After purchasing, the valet will have your name on the list— it’s that easy!

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 2021-2022 Grand Re-Opening Season is generously presented by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation; along with our Education Season Sponsor, Debby and Jim Mason Honoring James R. Bridgeland, Jr; and our Operating Support Partners, The Ohio Arts Council, The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts with Arts Midwest, The Shubert Foundation, Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. CSC is also grateful for Show Ensemble Sponsor Frost Brown Todd, Show Design Sponsors Taft Law and Bartlett Wealth Management, and Opening Night Sponsors Glenn and Cass Plott and Graeter’s.

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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 OTR. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, and contemporary classics.  CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of the Theater Communications Group and the Shakespeare Theatre Association.  Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members each season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by 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 6, 2022 · 9:14 am

2022-2023 Season Announced by Falcon Theatre

FT_logoFALCON THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2022 – 2023 SEASON

Plays Focused on Strength, Resilience and the Endurance of the Human Spirit

(Newport, KY) — Falcon Theatre Producing Artistic Director, Ted J. Weil, announced today the continuation of live, in-person performances when the Newport, Kentucky theatre company opens its 2022-23 Season, presenting a mix of contemporary works and regional U.S. premieres.

The U.S. regional premiere of The Half-Life of Marie Curie by Lauren Gunderson (Silent Sky, The Revolutionists) revels in the strength of female friendship between two fearless scientists during the heights and depths of their careers.

The Half-Life of Marie Curie tells the story of Marie Curie, who won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. Within a year of her scientific triumph, she was the object of ruthless gossip over an alleged affair with a married Frenchman, all but erasing her achievements from public memory. Weakened and demoralized by an unrelenting and unforgiving press, Marie joins her friend and colleague Hertha Ayrton, an electromechanical engineer and suffragette, to recover from the scandal at Hertha’s seaside retreat on the British coast, their journey to persevere and heal reveals the strength that can be found in others.

Following a celebrated revival on Broadway, Falcon presents the ground-breaking drama Betrayal by Harold Pinter (The Dumb Waiter, Moonlight). Betrayal is a presentation of human resilience as its three characters navigate the aftermath of their lives following the end of a tumultuous love triangle.

The play begins in the present, with the meeting of Emma and Jerry, whose adulterous affair of seven years has long since ended. Emma’s marriage to Robert, Jerry’s best friend, is now ending and she needs someone in whom to confide. Their reminiscences reveal that Robert knew of their affair all along and, to Jerry’s dismay, regarded it with total nonchalance. In a series of contiguous scenes, the play moves backward in time, from the end of the affair to its beginning, throwing into relief the little lies and oblique remarks that reveal more than direct statements or actions ever could.

Human strength takes center stage in Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, a heart-wrenching yet humorous play about depression and the lengths we will go to for those we love.

You’re six years old. Mum’s in the hospital and Dad says it’s because she’s “done something stupid”. She finds it hard to be happy. So, you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world – everything that makes life worth living. In this acclaimed show, a child attempts to cure their mother’s depression by creating a list of the best things in the world. The list grows as they progress from childhood (ice cream) and adolescence (Star Trek), to college (surprises) and marriage (falling in love). But, when life deals a bitter blow, the list proves to be helpful to them in ways that it could never be for their mother. 

The Lifespan of a Fact is based on the stirring true story of John d’Agata’s essay, “What Happens There,” about the Las Vegas suicide of teenager Levi Presley. Written by a trio of playwrights (Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell), this contemporary drama is propelled by human resilience and determination for truth.

What starts professional, quickly becomes profane in this fast-paced play that hurtles through a few crucial days in the lives of a writer, fact-checker, and editor as opposing ideologies collide in a battle of highly intellectual combatants. The clock races as the three characters debate facts, artistic license, and the need to tell a good story as the decision looms whether to publish against an approaching Monday morning deadline that could make or break their struggling magazine – and their careers.

Flyin’ West by Pearl Cleage (Blues for an Alabama Sky, A Song for Coretta) explores the strength and endurance of four African-American women who overcame tremendous odds to make a place for themselves in post-Civil War America.

Set in 1898, Flyin’ West is the story of pioneers of color who took advantage of The Homestead Act, leaving their homes and heading West to build new lives for themselves and their families in the all-black town of Nicodemus, Kansas. Throughout their journey, their sisterhood is challenged in unexpected ways as they face harsh conditions, racism, sexism, and domestic violence. Flyin’ West is a reflection upon how individuals, families, and communities survive together.

Ted J. Weil, Producing Artistic Director, says, “In this poignant time of reflection and rebirth, we wanted to present a variety of stories that highlight the strength, resilience and endurance of the human spirit. The plays we’ve chosen to present do that through many lenses, all with the goal of our audience finding themselves in each compelling story. We are very excited to present a powerful, thrilling and life-affirming season of theatre.”

The 2022 – 2023 Season dates, creative teams, and ticket purchasing information will be available online at falcontheater.net. 

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May 5, 2022 · 11:16 am

Cincinnati Opera and CCM Announce Next Opera Fusion: New Works Workshop, ROBESON Opera

co_logoMusic by Scott Davenport Richards
Libretto by David Cote and Scott Davenport Richards
Dramaturgy and stage direction by Robin Guarino

Free public performance of excerpts at Music Hall on Saturday, May 14, at 3 p.m.

Cincinnati, Ohio—Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) are pleased to announce the next workshop in their groundbreaking joint program, Opera Fusion: New Works.

The featured opera currently has the working title of ROBESON Opera and includes music by Scott Davenport Richards and a libretto by Richards and David Cote, with CCM Professor Robin Guarino as dramaturg. Guarino will also serve as stage director. ROBESON Opera will receive a 10-day workshop culminating in a public performance of excerpts on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at 3 p.m. in Music Hall’s Wilks Studio.

ROBESON Opera is the next work from the creative team behind the critically acclaimed 2019 opera Blind Injustice. It is an epic and inspiring biographical examination of Black singer, actor, and activist Paul Robeson (1898–1976). A global superstar, Robeson leveraged his fame to fight on the frontlines for equality. His heroic and uncompromising efforts against fascism and racism worldwide led Robeson to be entangled in the tragic power struggle between the two superpowers of the twentieth century—the United States and the USSR—with his own life and career hanging in the balance. Inspired by historical events, ROBESON Opera also resonates with today’s ongoing fights for social justice.

Admission to the public presentation of excerpts on May 14 is free, and reservations are required. Reservations are available through the Cincinnati Opera Box Office by calling 513-241-2742 or visiting cincinnatiopera.org.

Opera Fusion: New Works presents
ROBESON Opera

Music by Scott Davenport Richards
Libretto by David Cote and Scott Davenport Richards
Dramaturgy and stage direction by Robin Guarino

Public performance of excerpts: Saturday, May 14, 3 p.m.
Location: Music Hall’s Wilks Studio, 1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati
Admission: Free; reservations are required. Reservations are available by calling 513-241-2742 or visiting cincinnatiopera.org.

About Opera Fusion: New Works
Funded through a generous gift from the Mellon Foundation, Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is a partnership between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) dedicated to fostering the development of new American operas. This collaboration is jointly led by Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, and Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM. OF:NW offers composers or composer/librettist teams the opportunity to workshop an opera during a residency in Cincinnati. Residencies utilize the facilities, personnel, and talent of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM. The workshops are cast with a combination of CCM students and professional artists, and each workshop concludes with a free public presentation of excerpts followed by an audience Q&A session, all of which is streamed online. For more information, visit ofnw.org.

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Season Presenting Sponsor of Cincinnati Opera’s 2022 Summer Festival is Huntington. Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Cincinnati Opera also receives generous season support from the Ohio Arts Council, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America.

To learn more, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

About CCM
Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time. CCM offers nine degree types (BA, BM, BFA, MFA, MM, MA, AD, DMA, PhD) in nearly 120 possible majors, along with a wide variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs.

Declared a top college vocal program by Backstage Magazine and described as “one of the continent’s major music schools,” by the Toronto Star, CCM’s Departments of Opera and Voice provide one of the most comprehensive training programs for opera singers, coaches and directors in the United States. CCM offers an international faculty of dedicated educators who are also celebrated professionals in their own right, widely and currently active in their respective fields. Several national opera companies hold auditions at the conservatory, and CCM students frequently advance to the final rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. CCM graduates have performed on the stages of the world’s greatest opera companies, including Cincinnati Opera, the Metropolitan Opera (New York), Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera (London), La Scala (Italy) and more.

To learn more, visit ccm.uc.edu.

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May 5, 2022 · 10:08 am

Mason Players Present Spring Show

MCP_You Have the Right to Remain Dead logoIs there a theatre group in the area that does not have a show on the boards this coming weekend, May 6-8? If not, we know you just closed last weekend or you will be taking the stage next weekend. Break a leg to all!

Mason Community Players humbly adds their show to the list and asks you to consider coming to see us in our new venue, Mason Community Playhouse, 5529 Mason Road in Mason.

You Have the Right to Remain Dead opens this Friday, May 6th. Shows will be May 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14 at 8:00 pm and May 8 at 2:00 pm. The show will be live streamed on the 12th.

Tickets are $20 General and $15 Seniors/Students

They can be purchased online at masonplayers.org under the Tickets tab.

Directed by Tess Catlin and produced by Laureen Catlin, the cast includes Brandon Blair, Phil Catlin, Dana Davis, Abby Farmer, Melissia Gary, Anthony Lisa, Sonya Neff, Lora Pateras, Mike Pateras, and Erin Marie Schwartz. This is a zany and fun-filled show where even the audience members are suspects. Everyone gets to play detective, and the laughs just keep coming. Please plan to join MCP for all the fun.

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May 4, 2022 · 1:09 pm

World Premiere LGBTQIA+ Musical to Play Cincy Fringe Festival During LGBT Pride Month! 

CFF22_Texas AnnieThis Queer and Campy Musical will play 5 shows as part of the Cincy Fringe Festival Running June 3-18, 2022

(CINCINNATI, OH) – The Cincy Fringe Festival is the place to be for cutting-edge performance content, and the new musical comedy, TEXAS ANNIE: THE LEGEND OF THE MOAN RANGER by Jennifer Howd and Roz Mihalko, brings the house down with LGBTQI+ inclusive flair!

Produced by local duo Jennifer Howd (Multimedia Artist and Award-winning Screenwriter) and Maggie Perrino (Theatre Director for The Carnegie), TEXAS ANNIE follows the musical adventures of a down-and-out salesgirl at an adult toy store whose life is turned upside-down when the Governor of Texas outlaws the use of intimate devices. On the run to deliver orders to eager customers across the Lone Star state, Annie must outsmart the Governor’s Texas Ranger henchman, Wolf Johnson, who is always hot on her heels. Can Annie change herself, her love life, and the Governor’s mind before the final curtain? Grab a ticket to find out!

A campy satire in the style of John Waters and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, this adults-only musical is based on a real Texas law passed in 1973 that made owning more than 6 intimate devices a felony in the state. Although the law was overturned in 2008, it technically remains on the books. Which means, presently, you can (legally) own more guns than intimate devices in Texas. Other states, such as Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, and parts of Georgia all have versions of this law that are still being enforced to this day.

TEXAS ANNIE Co-Writer/Co-Lyricist and Co-Producer, Jennifer Howd is thrilled to be debuting the show at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. “As a proud member of the Cincinnati queer community, I’m excited to be bringing fun, LGBTQIA+ inclusive content to the city—especially during pride month.”

“It’s a really funny show with a deeper message,” adds show Producer and Director, Maggie Perrino. “We hope anyone who sees it is inspired to live and love in whatever ways are most authentic to them.”

Co-Writer & Co-Lyricist, Roz Mihalko couldn’t agree more. “TEXAS ANNIE is all about spreading good vibrations with love, laughter, and song. And with all the myriad challenges folks are facing these days—gay or straight—couldn’t we all just use some upbeat, heartwarming fun to help us get through these crazy times?”

Performances of TEXAS ANNIE will take place at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, located at 1120 Jackson St, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

Show times are: Sat, 6/4 @ 5:15p; Sun, 6/5 @ 9:00pm; Sun, 6/12 @ 3:30pm; Tues, 6/14 @ 9:00pm; and Fri, 6/17 @ 9:00pm.

Tickets can be purchased via The Cincy Fringe Festival’s website.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Production includes sexual content, adult themes and language. Not appropriate for children under 17.

About The Writers: Writer/Producer Jennifer Howd is a non-binary, queer multi-disciplinary artist, author, and avid meditator. Roz Mihalko is a queer trans woman playwright, screenwriter, and author. For more information about Jennifer, visit JenniferHowd.com. For more information about Roz, visit rozmihalko.com.

For more information about TEXAS ANNIE, visit: TexasAnnieMusical.com.

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CAST:

  • Texas Annie: Hattie Clark
  • Ashley Killjoy: Lydia Knoll
  • Governor Killjoy: Justin Glaser
  • Prudence Killjoy/Granny: Martha Slater
  • Rainbow: Katerina Reynolds
  • Dr. Goodbody/Ensemble: Chloe Price
  • Wolf Johnson: Matt Krieg
  • Brad/Sam Houston: Royce Louden
  • Candi/Ensemble: Hope Pauley
  • Sr. Christian/Ensemble: Robert Fields

PRODUCTION TEAM:

  • Writers: Jennifer Howd and Roz Mihalko
  • Music Composers: Steve Goers and John Woods
  • Producers: Jennifer Howd and Maggie Perrino
  • Director/Choreographer: Maggie Perrino
  • Assistant Director/Company Manager: Kyle Taylor
  • Music Director: Steve Goers

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