Category Archives: Press Releases

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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October 6, 2021 · 9:46 am

Mutual Dance Theatre Announces Season 50 Under New Name

MDT_Pulp and Variations logoMutual Dance Theatre (formerly known as Contemporary Dance Theater and MamLuft&Co. Dance) Announces Season 50 Under New Name

CINCINNATI, OHIO — Mutual Dance Theatre and Arts Centers made headlines last year when a merger to form the organization was announced by Contemporary Dance Theater (est. 1972) and MamLuft&Co. Dance (est. 2007). Under Artistic and Executive Director, Jeanne Mam-Luft, Mutual Dance Theatre announces an exciting return of Modern Dance to the stage with Season 50 (adopting Contemporary Dance Theater’s numeration) in 2021-2022, kicking off right away in November.

The season features both home performances by the resident company, Mutual Dance Theatre, as well as the preservation of Contemporary Dance Theater’s most treasured program, formerly known as the Guest Artist Series. This jewel of the region brings nationally-significant art to our stages, schools, and community hubs. This year, the JJCDT features performances by the world-renowned PHILADANCO! (Philadelphia, PA) and the visually-fascinating Sidra Bell Dance NY, both Black-led companies (Sidra Bell being the first African American woman to be commissioned by the New York City Ballet).

The resident company, featuring artists who exhibit virtuosity and powerful nuanced performance, will share numerous world premieres. The performances will take place both in their home studio theatre and in the Aronoff Center, including new repertory acquisitions from the aforementioned guest artists. These acquisitions are part of the company’s exciting pivot to growing their identity as a repertory company with work by nationally-recognized choreographers.

The season will also feature a celebration of CDT founder Jefferson James and her work, commemorating 50 years of her singular work to advance and promote Modern Dance in Cincinnati before her recent retirement.

Audiences can save significantly (and support the organization) by subscribing to the season, with a subscription starting at just $76.50.

Mutual Dance Theatre and Arts Centers extends the impact of these performances by bringing the artists into the community. Activities will include a free lecture-demonstration for children, residencies, public Q&As, and workshops or masterclasses with artists on the Saturday of each performance weekend.

The season is generously supported in part by: donations (big and small) from individuals; the National Endowment for the Arts; the generosity of more than 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign; state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC); and The Warrington Foundation.

MDT’s PULP and VARIATIONS IN A BRAINSTORM
November 12-20, 2021
WORLD PREMIERES: AN IMMERSIVE DANCE EXPERIENCE REVEALED IN CHAPTERS

  • Friday, November 12th, 2021 at 8pm
  • Saturday, November 13th, 2021 at 8pm
  • Friday, November 19th, 2021 at 8pm
  • Saturday, November 20th, 2021 at 8pm

VENUE: Mutual Arts Center Hartwell, 8222 Monon Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45216

TICKETS:

  • $20 when purchased before October 20, 2021
  • $25 when purchased on or after October 21, 2021

Tickets and more information at mutualdance.org/pulp

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS START AT JUST $76.50

Audiences will be immersed in a dance theatre experience that will take them on two, different adventures, both revealed in chapters. In Pulp, as the audience surrounds the performers in Mutual Arts Center’s black box studio, they will first begin by helping to choose a unique sequence of events that will never again be performed in that same order. The theatergoers will simultaneously perceive a common object, but interpret it differently as perspective is weighed in pithy moments. In Variations in a Brainstorm, letters, writings, and musings—all tied to a writing desk—will guide audiences through a tour of divergent identities. In the end, both adventures unearth the human mind’s vast ability to make connections.

Choreographers Rowan Salem and Hannah Williamson are 2nd and 5th-year veterans of Mutual Dance Theatre (respectively). Rowan Salem, originally from Massachusetts, was a Gretchen Moran Scholar at Smith College in Northampton, and her work has been presented at the Redline Contemporary Arts Center, Counterpath Exhibition Space, Green Street Studios, and Art Gym, Denver where she was the 2017 recipient of the Create Award Residency. Hannah Williamson is a local, rising talent whose work has been selected for presentations from Ohio to Virginia; she has performed in works by notable artists Dwight Rhoden and Clifford Williams of Complexions Contemporary Ballet and the Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre in Carmel, IN.

This performance takes place in Hartwell at 8222 Monon Avenue 45216 NOT at The Aronoff Center.

AUDIENCES SHOULD PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALTHOUGH SOME SPACING MAY BE POSSIBLE, THIS IS GENERAL SEATING AND DISTANCING CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. Parking is free and the building is ADA-accessible. For more information about the venue, please see mutualdance.org/hartwell.

American Sign Language interpretation will be provided on Friday, November 19.

Experienced dancers are also invited to an open workshop with choreographer Rowan Salem Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 11am. See mutualdance.org/masterclasses for more information, including pricing and location.

MDT’s Jefferson James Contemporary Dance Theater Series presents
PHILADANCO!
January 21-22, 2022
ONE OF THE NATION’S MOST TREASURED MODERN DANCE COMPANIES, HERE FOR ONE WEEKEND ONLY

DATES:

  • Friday, January 21, 2022 at 8pm
  • Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 8pm

VENUE:
Aronoff Center for the Arts, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

TICKETS:

  • $35.00-$46.25 when purchased before December 20, 2021
  • $40.00-$53.00 when purchased on or after December 20, 2021

Tickets and more information at mutualdance.org/philadanco

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS START AT JUST $76.50

Known across the world for their “brilliant mix of miracle of skill” and “virtuoso physicality,” PHILADANCO! makes a short return to Cincinnati 10 years since their last visit. The Jefferson James Contemporary Dance Theater Series (newly renamed since CDT’s merger into Mutual Dance Theatre and Arts Centers) welcomes the 50-year-old legendary dance company who celebrates and preserves predominantly African American traditions in dance. Do not miss this repertory concert chock-full of both old and new favorites.

Experienced dancers are also invited to an open workshop with PHILADANCO! company members on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 11am. See mutualdance.org/masterclasses for more information, including pricing and location.

MDT’s Jefferson James Contemporary Dance Theater Series presents
SIDRA BELL DANCE NY
March 25-26, 2022
THE CINCINNATI PREMIERE OF INTERNATIONALLY SOUGHT-AFTER VISIONARY, SIDRA BELL

DATES:

  • Friday, March 25, 2022 at 8pm
  • Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 8pm

VENUE:
Aronoff Center for the Arts, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

TICKETS:

  • $30.00-$40.00 when purchased before February 20, 2022
  • $35.00-$46.25 when purchased on or after February 20, 2022

Tickets and more information at mutualdance.org/sidrabell

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS START AT JUST $76.50

Sidra Bell is one of Modern Dance’s most up-and-coming artists, sought-after across the globe and the nation. Mutual Dance Theatre’s Jefferson James Contemporary Dance Theater Series is ecstatic to present Ms. Bell and her diverse Company of dance artists for the first time in Cincinnati, Ohio for one weekend only. Described as “hypnotically seductive” and “brilliant and impressive,” Bell’s aesthetic rings of “Pina Bausch, fashion, and Harlem’s ballrooms” in a unique, visionary style that draws in audiences, deeply. Her distinctive, hyperkinetic movement and dramatic brilliance hone-in on the human psyche and questions of identity. Sidra Bell is the first African American woman to be commissioned by the New York City Ballet. Sidra Bell Dance NY will perform IN | REP, an evening of dance theater works that will leave audiences feeling and thinking for days to come.

The community is also invited to an open workshop with Ms. Bell on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 11am. No dance experience is required or expected: experience Ms. Bell’s process through movement and space. See mutualdance.org/masterclasses for more information, including pricing and location.

MDT’s MODERN MIX,
June 17-18, 2022
FOUR MODERN DANCE PREMIERES WITH CHOREOGRAPHY BY SIDRA BELL, PHILADANCO! ARTISTS, STEVEN P. EVANS, AND JASMINE SNELLEN

DATES:

  • Friday, June 17th, 2022 at 8pm
  • Saturday, June 18th, 2022 at 8pm

VENUE:
Aronoff Center for the Arts, Jarson-Kaplan Theater, 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

TICKETS:

  • $30.00-$40.00 when purchased before May 15, 2022
  • $35.00-$46.25 when purchased on or after  May 15, 2022

Tickets and more information at mutualdance.org/modernmix

SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS START AT JUST $76.50

MODERN MIX features a proud collection of work, including three Black artists. The season-closer promises variety, athletic prowess, virtuosic dancing, and compelling drama. Mutual Dance Theatre (formerly known as MamLuft&Co. Dance) is undergoing a thrilling transformation as it amplifies its repertory through commissions and re-stagings by national artists! Cincinnati’s Modern Dance company will close its 21-22 season with choreography by Sidra Bell (of Sidra Bell DanceNY), PHILADANCO! artists, and Steven P. Evans and Jasmine Snellen of Mutual Dance Theatre.

Experienced dancers are also invited to an open workshop with choreographer Jasmine Snellen on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 11am. See mutualdance.org/masterclasses for more information, including pricing and location.

COVID-19 Policies
Along with numerous other venues in Cincinnati, due to the high levels of COVID-19 transmission in Hamilton County and the surrounding area, the following protocols are currently effective until further notice:

Guests, staff, and volunteers are required to wear masks at all times in our venues, regardless of vaccination status.

Ticket holders 12 years of age and older will be required to show a proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for entry into the events.

Read more information and any updates at https://www.cincinnatiarts.org/plan-your-visit/health-and-safety.

Access
Mutual Dance Theatre was founded to create more access to Modern Dance. We believe that all income levels should have the pleasure of attending live performances. Free admission will be provided to persons of low-income.  Patrons are encouraged to contact the organization at 513.494.6526 or hello@mutualarts.org for assistance.

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