Category Archives: Press Releases

October 12, 2021 · 2:01 pm

Cincinnati Ballet Presents KING ARTHUR’S CAMELOT Nov. 5-7 at Music Hall

CB_Camelot promoPyrotechnics, projections, and puppetry featured in large-scale, post-pandemic production

Cincinnati, OH (October 12, 2021) – Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to welcome audiences back to the theater for its first, full-scale production since the pandemic began. Artistic Director Victoria Morgan’s KING ARTHUR’S CAMELOT features dozens of dancers, dazzling sets and costumes, and incredible special effects. CAMELOT, first created in 2013, is also the first of three full-length, Morgan-choreographed ballets featured during the 2021-2022 Season, as the Company celebrates her 25th and final year as artistic director. “It means so much to me that we are producing KING ARTHUR’S CAMELOT this season,” Morgan said. “There are very few ballets based on the Arthurian legend. It has all the elements of a great story – a hero’s quest, forbidden love, epic battles – and the sword flighting and jousting are exciting as well! It was a joy to create this work, and I am thrilled we are sharing it with Cincinnati again.” CAMELOT transports us to a mystical land where the story of King Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere unfolds in a visually stunning display of dance, drama, and magic that the whole family will love! Exquisite costumes by Sandra Woodall, one of the dance world’s most sought-after designers, and an original score by John Estacio set the scene as newly crowned King Arthur navigates the trials of love and betrayal amidst a kingdom at war. All Cincinnati Ballet dancers and Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy young performers (age 12 and older) appearing in the production are fully vaccinated and will perform unmasked.

The health and safety of our patrons, artists and staff remain Cincinnati Ballet’s top priority. All ticket holders aged 12 and above are required to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for entry into Cincinnati Music Hall. Proof of a negative COVID test will also be accepted in lieu of proof of vaccination. The negative test can either be a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the performance or an antigen test by a healthcare or pharmacy provider within 24 hours. In addition, all guests regardless of age or vaccination status are required to wear face coverings at all times while inside the venue, including while seated in performance spaces. This policy will remain in effect until further notice. Cincinnati Ballet, along with our venue partners, will continue to closely monitor the rate of Covid-19 transmission in Hamilton County and assess and adjust accordingly. Additional Covid 19-related health protocols and requirements may be in effect at the time of future events. Cincinnati Ballet will communicate any changes via email prior to all affected performance.

Tickets are on sale now. For more information visit cballet.org.

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet
WHAT: KING ARTHUR’S CAMELOT
WHEN:

  • Friday, November 5 at 8 pm
  • Saturday, November 6 at 2 pm
  • Saturday, November 6 at 8 pm
  • Sunday, November 7 at 1 pm
  • Sunday, November 7 at 6:30 pm
  • Sunday, June 20 at 1 pm
  • Sunday, June 20 at 6:30 pm

WHERE: Cincinnati Music Hall
1241 Elm Street
Cincinnati, Ohio
TICKETS: Call 513.621.5282 or visit cballet.org

Cincinnati Ballet 2021-2022 Season Sponsors:

Victoria Morgan’s 25th Anniversary Season presented by PNC

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 Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become 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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October 12, 2021 · 1:32 pm

Clovernook Center to Host Blind Jazz Pianist Matthew Whitaker in Concert

MISC_Matthew WhitakerNov. 13 concert to raise funds for Center’s award-winning
 Arts & Accessibility Initiative

CINCINNATI – Oct. 12, 2021 – Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired (Clovernook Center) invites the public to enjoy an afternoon of music with renown blind jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker to benefit its Arts & Accessibility Initiative.

The Clovernook Center will present An Afternoon with Matthew Whitaker from 2 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13 at The Metropolitan Club (50 E. Rivercenter Blvd. #1900, Covington, KY 41011). A 90-minute concert with Whitaker will headline the afternoon’s festivities, which also includes hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. A special meet and greet with Whitaker will also be available for Patron Level ticket holders.

All proceeds from the event benefit Clovernook Center’s award-winning Arts & Accessibility Initiative, which provides materials for inclusive, accessible experiences in museums, performing arts organizations and other cultural institutions at low- or no-cost to the institution. The provision of braille and other resources for blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals can often be prohibitively expensive and likewise often poorly crafted. Clovernook Center’s Arts & Accessibility Initiative works with institutions to develop materials that can be effective for blind and visually impaired individuals to experience their offerings.

“The arts are a very important aspect to a person’s growth and development. Some may think that the blind and visually impaired are exempt from enjoying and learning from this simple pleasure in life,” said Clovernook Center President and CEO Chris Faust. “Thanks to An Afternoon with Matthew Whitaker, Cincinnati is able to experience an extraordinary young man who has overcome his disability to achieve his dreams, all while providing accessible arts options to the BVI community.”

Born blind, Whitaker began playing keyboard at the age of three and taught himself to play the organ at the age of nine. A child prodigy and jazz pianist, he gave his first paid performance in Capri, Italy with other seasoned jazz musicians when he was just 11 years old. Since then, he’s played in over 200 clubs and concert halls across the world; has opened for Stevie Wonder at the Apollo; and performed with Christian McBride, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Rhoda Scott, James Carter, John Batiste and more.

Tickets for An Afternoon with Matthew Whitaker are available at $125 for Individuals (which includes admission for one, hors d’oeuvres and refreshments) and $200 at the Patron level. Patron level tickets also include a meet and greet with Whitaker, plus complimentary parking, listing in the program and more.

For more information about Clovernook Center or An Afternoon with Matthew Whitaker, please visit clovernook.org/events. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Rhonda Curtis at RCurtis@clovernook.org for more information.

An Afternoon with Matthew Whitaker is generously supported by P&G and Corporex.

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About Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Since 1903, Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired has been providing life-enriching opportunities and empowering people who are blind or visually impaired to be self-sufficient and full participants in their communities. Adult programs and youth activities, as well as arts and recreation departments provide critical services to those who need it. Clovernook Center’s Braille Printing House is the largest volume producer of braille in the world. It prints books, magazines and other materials for the National Library Services and braille patrons worldwide while providing employment opportunities for individuals who are blind and visually impaired. For more information, visit www.clovernook.org.

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October 11, 2021 · 11:09 am

NKU Brings Laughter with Farcical Comedy NOISES OFF

NKU_Noises Off logoHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts continues its 21/22 Theatre + Dance season with Michael Frayn’s NOISES OFF, running from Oct. 14-24, 2021 at NKU’s Corbett Theatre. NOISES OFF is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.

  • What: “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn
  • When: Oct. 14-24, 2021 – weeknights/Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.
  • Where: NKU Corbett Theatre
  • Tickets: nku.edu/sotatickets or (859) 572-5464

NOISES OFF has been called “the funniest farce ever written” and takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss, and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure. This play-within-a-play captures a manic menagerie of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called “Nothing’s On.” Doors slamming, falling trousers, on and offstage intrigue, and an errant plate of sardines all figure in the plot of this hilarious and classically comic play.

Ken Jones, the Rosenthal Distinguished Professor of Theatre at NKU, directs the show. “These actors are the best of the best when it comes to physical comedy,” Jones reports happily. “I love over-the-top. As long as you’re precise, you can never be too big. And, after being locked up for a year, we’re ready to make people laugh!”

The NKU cast features Hannah Beaven, Sylas Craven, Austin Fidler, Trey Finkenstead, Natalie Hayslett, Chloe Hedrick, Joel Parece, Reagan Ruth, Kirby Schwarber, Liam Sweeney, and Hailey Watson. The show is directed by Ken Jones. The Stage Manager is Erin Caudill and Assistant Stage Manager is Alexia Daniels.

Health & Safety Guidelines
With safety in mind, SOTA is moving to touchless mobile ticketing and print-at-home options. If you do not have a mobile device or home printing capabilities, please call the Box Office (859) 572-5464 for alternative options.

Starting Jan. 1, 2022 all sales will become credit card only to create a “touchless” payment environment for improved health and safety of our guests.

NKU is following all CDC and government guidelines, and continues to monitor the COVID situation. Masks are required indoors on campus for all persons, vaccinated and unvaccinated. Visit nku.edu/covid19 for the latest information.

About NKU: Founded in 1968, we are a growing metropolitan university of more than 15,000 students served by more than 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati. Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Kentucky—just seven miles southeast of Cincinnati—we have become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students’ names. For more information, visit nku.edu.

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October 8, 2021 · 9:15 am

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Re-Opens the Mainstage with a Stunning Production of ROMEO AND JULIET

CSC_Rome & Juliet2

Courtney Lucien as Juliet and Crystian Wiltshire as Romeo. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

580 days since the last audience attended a performance, Cincinnati Shakespeare is thrilled to be re-opening!

CINCINNATI (September 7, 2021) – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is thrilled to re-open their Mainstage theater at The Otto M. Budig Theater with William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The production is directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin and features a cast of 16 Resident Ensemble Members.  This production’s design is generously sponsored by Marcene and Jim Kinney.  “Romeo and Juliet” is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

This season opens with William Shakespeare’s ROMEO AND JULIET directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin.  This production is set in a traditional Italian Renaissance setting and will make for a triumphant return to the Mainstage. The star-crossed lovers in “Romeo and Juliet” will be Courtney Lucien and Crystian Wiltshire.  Both actors frequently appear at CSC with Courtney last appearing in “Pride and Prejudice,” and Crystian Wiltshire appearing last in “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “All the Way.”  Crystian has also recently joined Cincinnati Shakespeare as its new Associate Artistic Director.

At this time, all ticketholders must be masked as well as show proof of a full COVID vaccination status OR provide a negative COVID test to enter The Otto M. Budig Theater. More details on the exact procedure are shared before each performance.  Learn more at CSC’s Health and Safety page at cincyshakes.com/health-and-safety/.

Tickets are on sale now. 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.  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.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues to offer audiences great value with affordable, flexible subscriptions that include flexible tickets that can be used in any combination for any performance. Subscription packages start at $240.  All subscriptions and single tickets are currently on sale now and may be purchased through the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company website http://www.cincyshakes.com or box office by calling 513-381-BARD (2273) ext. 1.

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.

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William Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet
October 8 – November 13, 2021

We are thrilled to be re-opening the Mainstage season with Romeo and Juliet!  William Shakespeare’s timeless tale of two star-crossed lovers and the feuding families who tear them apart, returns to the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company stage in all of its everlasting grandeur. Revel in lavish masked balls, rousing street brawls, tragic young love, and some of the most exquisite poetry ever penned, all in a traditional Elizabethan setting. Fall in love again for the first time.

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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 made up of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, and contemporary classics.  CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with 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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October 7, 2021 · 10:16 am

Falcon Theatre Continues 2021-2022 Season With Regional Premiere of Lisa Kron’s Obie Award-Winning Play WELL

FT_Well logoThe New York Times ‘Best Play’ Directed by Burgess Byrd

Opening on Friday, November 19 through Saturday, December 4, 2021

(Newport, KY) — Falcon Theatre (Ted J. Weil, Producing Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the next show in the 2021-2022 season, Lisa Kron’s critically-acclaimed memoir-comedy WELL.

WELL is an examination of mothers and daughters, sickness and health, racial diversity, and how a neighborhood can grow through integration. Described as a singularly-unique theatrical experience, the play asks the provocative question: “Do we create our own illness?” The answers become highly complicated as the play spins dangerously out of control into riotously funny and unexpected territory. Directed by Burgess Byrd, WELL makes its regional premiere for a limited, three-week engagement.

Ticket Information
Performances are on November 19, 20, 26, 27, and December 2, 3, 4, 2021. All performances are at 8:00 PM EST. Tickets prices are $25 for adults and $15 for students with ID. Patrons enjoy a $5 discount for Thursday performances. Visit falcontheater.net to reserve seats.

Health and Safety Information
Falcon Theatre is making the safety of our artists and our audience a priority and continues to follow CDC and Local Health guidelines. As previously announced, all ticket holders must wear masks and show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test to attend a performance. Actors will not be masked, and seats will be sold to full capacity without social distancing. Our Covid safety policy will be continually updated on our website as safety recommendations change.

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