Category Archives: Press Releases

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Presents Pulitzer Prize-Winning Murder Mystery, A SOLDIER’S PLAY

Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

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Mason Players to Present ALMOST, MAINE

ALMOST, MAINE Will Light Up the Night

Set amidst the wonder of the aurora borealis, ALMOST, MAINE is the “Life” of Mason Players’ 2026 Season. ​The show includes nine interconnected vignettes exploring the complexities of love and relationships in life, and features characters experiencing the highs and lows of love in all its forms: finding it, losing it and experiencing all the unexpected ways it can change people. Almost, Maine is set in various locations around the fictional, magical, and remote town of “Almost”; so remote it is “almost” not a town at all.

ALMOST, MAINE will be performed February 20, 21, 26, 27 & 28 at 8pm and February 22 at 2pm at the Mason Community Playhouse, 5529 Mason Road in Mason. Grab tickets early at MasonPlayers.org.

The production is being directed by Corey Meyer and produced by Lara Gonzalez. Desrial Meyer is the show’s stage manager. They are excited to be showcasing a cast of 19 performers:

Pete: Charles Infosino
Ginette: Lora Pateras

East: Raymond Kammer
Glory: Eva Bower

Sandrine: Emily Tilling
Jimmy: Andrew Schiltz
Villain: Erin Otto

Marvalyn: Abby Farmer
Steve: Ben Essex

Gayle: Marianne Bradshaw
Lendall: Justin Reilmann

Chad: Mike Pateras
Randy: Paul Henkler

Marci: Jennifer Lisa
Phil: Glenn Schaich

Hope: Lisa Breithaupt
Daniel: Ed Goldman

Rhonda: Hannah Richardson
Dave: Jack Verner

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SLUT SHAMING at Xavier University

Xavier University Theatre Presents
Slut Shaming, February 19th – February 22nd

(CINCINNATI, January 20th, 2026) – Xavier University Theatre continues its 2025-26 production season with Trey Tatum’s SLUT SHAMING, running February 19th – 22nd.

Lauren Lucas, a time traveler, views her attack, the trial, the aftermath, and her life-at-large simultaneously. She sees the woman she will become, the undamaged girl she once was; she learns how far into the future this event will consume her. And then she wakes up in the present, in high school, and she knows the struggles that lay waiting. The Artists’ Pick of the 2014 Cincinnati Fringe Festival, SLUT SHAMING is a Time-Travel Rape Adventure that explores how small-town communities aggravate teenage sexual assault. This will mark the third production of SLUT SHAMING at Xavier Theatre since 2016.

SLUT SHAMING challenges audiences to connect and confront the ways judgment and labels shape our lives. Sophomore Molly Ciuci (she/her), stage manager, embraces her role on this production saying, “SLUT SHAMING is a powerful story that I am honored to work on alongside an amazing cast. Working on a show with the playwright in the room is a unique and cool experience!”

Sophomore Nicole Grace, who plays Lauren 1, reflects the truth behind the show and its real-world roots. She explains, “SLUT SHAMING is an extremely powerful show, inspired by a true story. All the social media posts shared in the play are from actual comments. Although the subject is hard to talk about it is also very important.”

In speaking about her involvement in this production, sophomore Anna Meister, who plays Lauren 2, shares her enthusiasm and the significance of its message. She says, “I am very excited to have the opportunity to be in a room filled with a bunch of amazing women all working on a show about what it means to be a woman growing up in modern day. It’s a play that speaks directly on topics that historically have been frowned upon when spoken out loud, especially when the ones speaking are women. I’m extremely glad I get to be a part of this process that features women openly discussing these topics.”

The cast also includes sophomore Anna Hittepole (Lauren 3).

The play is directed by Bridget Leak. The design team includes Joe Beumer (Light Designer), Jessica Pitcairn (Costume Designer), Trey Tatum (Sound Designer & Playwright), and Joe Leonard (Technical Director). Other technical positions include Alec Schneider (Master Electrician), Hanna Wolke (Asst. Costume Designer), Irene Ferrell (Light Board Operator), Raya Franklin (Sound Board Operator), Veronica Talbert (Props Designer), and Kyra Sander (Props Designer and Costume Crew). Assisting the stage manager is Isabella Varricchio and Sam Eaton. The show is produced by Stephen Skiles.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on February 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 2:00 pm on February 21st, and 22nd. Tickets are available now. They are $20 each for adults and $15 each for Xavier students, faculty and staff. Seating is limited.

To purchase tickets, visit https://xaviertheatre.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200483793.

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THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) [REVISED] at Xavier University

Xavier University Theatre Presents
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ABRIDGED (REVISED), February 12th – February 15th

(CINCINNATI, January 16th, 2026) – Xavier University Theatre continues its 2025-26 production season with the hilarious and popular comedy, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, ABRIDGED (REVISED), February 12th – February 15th .

All 37 Plays in 97 Minutes! An irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: (ABRIDGED) was London’s longest-running comedy! Join these madcap players in tights as they weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories and Tragedies in one wild ride that will leave you breathless and helpless with laughter.

Xavier professor, Dave Powell (he/him), director of Complete Works, captures the spirited tone of the show and shares his enthusiasm, saying, “I love this because it’s a fun and hilarious introduction to Shakespeare’s work. This show is for lovers of the bard, and for those that have no idea why Montagues hate the Capulets.”

Junior Hannah Barbee (she/her), who plays Jess Winfield, highlights the heart and relevance of the show: “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare is not only a hilarious smorgasbord of comedic tricks and bits, but it is a representation of Shakespeare’s continued influence on literature and academia. This show demonstrates how, even hundreds of years later, we continue to be drawn to ideals of love (Romeo and Juliet), betrayal (Julius Caesar), and fate (Macbeth). It is, dare I say, a representation of the human condition in its illustration of the need to laugh, cry, and understand. I am honored to bring it to life with some of the most hilarious and thoughtful people I have ever met and to be under the direction of a true genius in the field of comedic art, Dave Powell.”

Sophomore Olivia Burklow (she/her), stage manager, emphasizes the fast energy and infectious spirit of the comedy, explaining, “As someone who grew up on the ridiculous humor of Mel Brooks, this has been the perfect show for me to stage manage. With the comedic genius of both the actors and the director, this has been easily the most

entertaining show I have ever been a part of. If you love the classics like “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” or “The Princess Bride”, The Complete Works is a theatre production you won’t want to miss!”

The cast also includes Josi Pietrzyk (junior) and Loften Cooper (sophomore).

The show is directed by Dave Powell. The design team includes Joe Beumer (Light Designer), Jessica Pitcairn (Costume Designer), Raya Franklin (Sound Designer), and Joe Leonard (Set Designer and Technical Director). Other technical and designer team members include Bailee Price (Props Designer), Annaliese Monahan (Props Designer), Corinne Tiernan (Asst. Costume Designer), Alec Schneider (Master Electrician), Sean Moss (Light Board Operator), Enzo Battaglia (Run Crew), Jaime Israel (Costume Crew), Anna Smith (Costume Crew), and Tylen Gordon (Costume Crew). The assistant stage managers are Loretta Rubin and Lilliana Stiverson. The show is produced by Stephen Skiles.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on February 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 2:00 pm on February 14th and 15th. Tickets are available now. They are $20 each for adults and $15 each for Xavier students, faculty and staff. Seating is limited.

To purchase tickets, visit https://xaviertheatre.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200483791.

 

 

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2026-2027 Season Announced by Broadway in Cincinnati

Six Cincinnati Premieres Including THE OUTSIDERS,
THE GREAT GATSBY, BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB™, and
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, Part of Broadway in Cincinnati’s 26/27 Season
THE SOUND OF MUSIC and Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Also Set to Return 

Cincinnati, OH (January 27, 2026) – First Financial Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth announces an exciting season lineup featuring the Tony Award-winning smash hit new musical, The Great Gatsby, the heartfelt new musical Maybe Happy Ending, an enchanting new production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, the powerful coming-of-age story The Outsiders, the magical event Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and the  five-time Tony Award®-winning musical Buena Vista Social Club™, an uplifting story inspired by true events that brings the GRAMMY® Award-winning album to lifeThese shows will be joined by one-week engagements of BOOP!® The Musical and The Sound of Music, as well as special engagements of ’Twas The Night Before…, SIX, and Hadestown.

2026-2027 SEASON SHOWS 

The Great Gatsby                                                          September 15 – 27, 2026

BOOP!® The Musical*                                                 October 20 – 25, 2026

The Sound of Music**                                                 November 10 – 15, 2026

‘Twas The Night Before…***                                    Dec 2 – 13, 2026

SIX***                                                                                   January 5 – 10, 2027

Maybe Happy Ending                                                 January 19 – 31, 2027

Disney’s Beauty and The Beast                            February 16 – 28, 2027         

The Outsiders                                                                 March 16 – 28, 2027

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child                    April 13 – 25, 2027

Hadestown***                                                                May 14 – 16,2027

Buena Vista Social Club™                                        June 1 – 13, 2027 

*Week One Season Subscribers will automatically be seated into BOOP!® The Musical
**Week Two Season Subscribers will automatically be seated into The Sound of Music.
***Special Engagements that will not be included in a season subscription.
Full show descriptions below.

Season tickets for the 26/27 Broadway in Cincinnati Season presented by TriHealth will go on sale Tuesday, January 27 online, by phone, and in-person at 11:00am.
There will be three convenient ways to purchase season tickets:

  1. Select your seats in person at the Aronoff Center ticket office, downtown at 650 Walnut Street, Monday – Friday, 10:00am – 5:00pm.
  2. Order online 7 days a week/24 hours a day atBroadwayinCincinnati.com
  3. Call the toll-free Broadway in Cincinnati Season Ticket Hotline at 800.294.1816. The Hotline hours are Monday – Friday, 10:00am – 5:00pm, closed Saturday and Sunday.

Prices for the seven-show season subscription range between $290.00 and $995.00 depending on seat location.

MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN

Order by February 26 and make six easy monthly payments.  (Offer only available using a credit card.)

EXCLUSIVE SEASON TICKET HOLDER BENEFITS      

  • Online ticket exchanges.
  • Priority purchase opportunities for additional tickets to series shows and any season specials.
  • Lost ticket insurance and replacement service.
  • Same premium seat location for all season shows.
  • Priority renewal for future seasons.

SEASON PATRON CLUB

In addition to all the regular season ticket holder benefits, special Patron Club season tickets (available with an annual membership fee of $140) guarantee seating in the front orchestra or first three rows of the loge and include extended benefits such as complimentary drink vouchers and recognition in the Encore program.

CLOUD CLUB

For Broadway fans on a budget, the “Cloud Club” offers our seven-show package with complete subscription benefits starting at $290 for all performances. 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Broadway in Cincinnati shows typically run for two weeks at the Aronoff Center.  Performance options are Tuesday through Friday evenings at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 7:30pm and Sundays at 1pm & 6:30pm. (All times subject to change.) An audio-described performance for the visually impaired and an American Sign Language interpreted performance for the deaf are available.  Anyone requiring either of these services or accommodations for the physically challenged may should request so when purchasing season tickets.  Guests interested in learning more about age appropriateness and content of shows can visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com/FamilyGuide.

GROUP SALES AND SINGLE TICKETS
Group sales information is now available for all shows. Reservations for all shows may be made by calling Group Sales Manager Peggy Hughes, at 513.369.4363 or email at Peggy.Hughes@BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.
For more information visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

Single ticket on-sale dates for individual shows will be announced at a later date.   

2026-2027 Season Show Descriptions:

THE GREAT GATSBY
September 15 – 27, 2026
THE PARTY’S ROARING IN CINCINNATI!
THE GREAT GATSBY is a “Broadway extravaganza that explodes with life and energy” (Entertainment Weekly). Based on the classic American novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Tony Award®-winning new musical is an unforgettable journey of love, wealth and tragedy that brings the Roaring Twenties to life on stage.

Directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), this story of extravagance and longing features choreography by Dominique Kelley (So You Think You Can Dance), a book by Kait Kerrigan (The Mad Ones) and a jazz- and pop-influenced original score by Jason Howland (Little Women) and Nathan Tysen (Paradise Square). 

BOOP!® The Musical
October 20 – 25, 2026
“What’s not to love about Betty Boop?” (Chicago Tribune)

For almost a century, the Betty Boop® character has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. Now, in BOOP!® The Musical, Betty’s dream of an ordinary day off from super-celebrity in her black-and-white world leads to a “bright and bubbly” (Time Out New York) adventure of color, music, and love in New York City. “A show-stopping rainbow of joy” (The Daily Beast), BOOP! is the new Broadway musical-comedy extravaganza that’s fun for everyone – bringing heart, laughter, and a whole lot of Boop-oop-a-doop to the stage!

Tony Award®–winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray, La Cage aux Folles) brings Fleischer Studios’ Queen of the Screen to life with a score by celebrated multiple GRAMMY® winner David Foster (“I Have Nothing,” “After the Love Is Gone,” “The Prayer”), lyrics by Tony Award® nominee Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam), and a book by Tony Award® winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom).

BOOP! is the Broadway musical that is perfect for audiences of all ages.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC
November 10 – 15, 2026
For 65 years, THE SOUND OF MUSIC has been one of our “favorite things.” With its timeless story and irresistibly charming score, this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic isn’t just meant to be enjoyed – it’s meant to be shared. Now, a critically acclaimed North American tour brings the cherished musical to stages across the country to teach a new generation to sing.

Directed by three-time Tony Award® winner Jack O’Brien (Hairspray), this vibrant and romantic tale of Maria and the von Trapp family will captivate audiences with its universal themes of love, resilience and the power of music.

Featuring beloved songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and “Edelweiss,” THE SOUND OF MUSIC is the iconic tale of a spirited nun who chooses not to live behind closed doors – and, by following her heart, learns to climb every mountain.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by The Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp. The 1965 Oscar®-winning film recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and continues to be one of the most successful movie musicals of all time.

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE…
Dec 2 – 13, 2026
Cirque du Soleil’s first holiday-themed family theatrical arrives in Cincinnati this December. ‘Twas the Night Before… is an exhilarating new spin on the beloved Christmas classic poem, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” as only Cirque du Soleil can imagine. This vibrant acrobatic spectacle is a festive flurry of love and cheer brought to life by a mesmerizing aerial straps duo, daring hoop diving, gravity-defying hair suspension, high-energy dancing, and more. With something for everyone, ‘Twas the Night Before… promises to spark lasting memories in the hearts of children and adults alike this holiday season.

SIX
January 5 – 10, 2027
From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!

The New York Times says SIX “TOTALLY RULES!” (Critic’s Pick) and The Washington Post hails SIX as “Exactly the kind of energizing, inspirational illumination this town aches for!”

The SIX: LIVE ON OPENING NIGHT Broadway album debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard cast album charts and surpassed one billion streams worldwide!

MAYBE HAPPY ENDING
January 19 – 31, 2027
Winner of 6 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Maybe Happy Ending tells the deeply human story of a chance encounter that sparks connection, adventure, and maybe even love. Helmed by Tony Award-winning director Michael Arden (Parade), Maybe Happy Ending has been called “one of the best musicals in years” (USA Today) and even “The best musical in eons!” (Observer). Don’t miss the totally original new musical adventure that explores what it means to be human. Even if they’re not.

Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
February 16 – 28, 2027
Be Our Guest at BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, Disney’s first North American touring production of the beloved musical in over 25 years. This enchanting and timeless tale, filled with the romance and grandeur audiences know and love, has been brought to life like never before, with spectacular new sets and dazzling costumes. The show boasts the Oscar®-winning and Tony Award®-nominated score, including the classic songs “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Reuniting to create this new production are members of the original Tony Award®-winning artistic team, including composer Alan Menken, lyricist Tim Rice, book writer Linda Woolverton, with direction and choreography by Matt West, scenic design by Stanley A. Meyer, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward and lighting design by Natasha Katz. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the beloved musical that will fill your heart with joy and Disney magic.

THE OUTSIDERS
March 16 – 28, 2027
The winner of four 2024 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, is THE OUTSIDERS. This classic coming-of-age story takes you to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967, where Ponyboy Curtis, his best friend Johnny Cade, and their family of Greaser “outsiders” dream about who they want to become in a world that will never accept them. THE OUTSIDERS features Danya Taymor’s Tony Award winning direction that’s “refreshing, gritty, and endlessly effective.” (The New York Times). With “high-octane choreography” (New York Magazine), THE OUTSIDERS has been described as “more pulse-pounding than anything else on Broadway!” (Time Out New York).

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
April 13 – 25, 2027
IT’S TIME TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC
Broadway’s spellbinding spectacular Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is coming to Cincinnati. Join the next adventure and experience the wizarding world like never before at this record-breaking hit and winner of six Tony Awards including Best Play. “It’s one of the most defining pop culture events of the decade” (Forbes).

When Harry Potter’s head-strong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all—with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for a mind-blowing race through time, spectacular spells, and an epic battle, all brought to life with the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage. It’s a “marvel of imagination” (The New York Times) that will “leave you wondering ‘how’d they do that?’ for days to come” (People Magazine).

HADESTOWN
May 14 – 16,2027
COME SEE HOW THE WORLD COULD BE.

Welcome to HADESTOWN, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and original director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today… and always.

HADESTOWN intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB
June 1 – 13, 2027
Step into the heart of Cuba, beyond the glitz of the Tropicana, to a place where blazing trumpets and sizzling guitars set the dance floor on fire. Here, the real sound of Havana is born – and one woman discovers the music that will change her life forever.

Inspired by true events, five-time Tony Award®-winning musical BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB™ brings the GRAMMY® Award-winning album to thrilling life – and tells the story of the legends who lived it. A world-class band joins a sensational cast of musicians, actors, and dancers from across the globe for an authentic experience unlike any you’ve seen or heard before. “A jaw-dropping, soul-stirring must-see!” (The Washington Post). Experience the tale of big dreams, second chances, and the unbreakable bonds of making music together that captivated Broadway.

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

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office, and Broadway Brands.  Led by 22-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in over 45 markets with over 475,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion KingWicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Current productions include &JulietHadestownHamiltonHell’s KitchenMJ: The MusicalMoulin Rouge! The Musical, The Outsiders and Stereophonic. 

The John Gore Organization is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 22-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk and Olivier Awards.  The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

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