Category Archives: Press Releases

May 11, 2021 · 11:17 am

MATERIAL MESSAGE: PHOTOGRAPHS OF FABRIC Opens at the Weston Art Gallery

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Selina Román, Red, 2016, archival pigment print, 24” x 36”

CINCINNATI, OH—On Saturday, May 15, the Cincinnati Arts Association’s Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts will open Material Message: Photographs of Fabric, a group exhibition of photographers curated by Marcella Hackbardt (Mt. Vernon, OH) responding to fabric’s aesthetic, formal, and conceptual potential, exploiting the medium’s malleability to construct messages ranging from notions of the veil to reveries of memory. Participating artists include Patty Carroll (Chicago, IL), Elizabeth M. Claffey (Bloomington, IN), John Mann (Oak Park, IL), Selina Román (Tampa, FL), Jacinda Russell (Indianapolis, IN), Leonard Suryajaya (Chicago, IL), and Morgan Ford Willingham (Emporia, KS).

Curator Marcella Hackbardt provides an overview and the conceptual links between the participating artists in her curatorial statement: “In Material Message these artists use fabric in order to subvert preconceived notions of social roles and the self, as in Patty Carroll’s draped female figures, and Selina Román’s Burqa Project photographs that question power, politics, and the unreturned gaze. John Mann collapses distinctions between the literal and abstraction, and Jacinda Russell complicates performance and documentary presentation with hotel towels. Elizabeth M. Claffey’s glowing, ghost-like apparitions attest to the temporality and longevity of familial devotions. Using the most delicate and barely-there fabric as a substrate for overt programming, Morgan Ford Willingham’s masks whisper destructive desires. Leonard Suryajaya ignites the optical nerves with extravagant patterns, colors, and textile sources, in images of tenderness and a beautifully chaotic ethos.

In addition to the photographic works presented in the Weston’s lower galleries, Leonard Suryajaya will create New Stand, a new installation in the Weston’s atrium space that mimics a newsstand in a deconstructed form. Inspired by the disorienting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this skeletal stage serves as a selfie backdrop for viewers to reflect on their own pandemic experiences and share renewed commitments and positive outcomes through social media posts.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Saturday, May 15 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. followed by a Gallery Talk with the curator and participating artists from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.  To maintain social distancing and COVID-19 safety protocols, attendance capacity for the reception and Gallery Talk will be limited. Reservations are required for the reception and Gallery Talk at this e-mail address: dharrington@cincinnatiarts.org.

Regular daily visitation during the Gallery’s new hours (Wednesday – Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.) will be available throughout the run of the exhibition (May 15 – June 26, 2021). Admission is free and open to the public, and no reservations are required for daily attendance. The health and well-being of the Gallery’s guests, staff, and artists continue to be our number one priority. COVID-19 pandemic Health and Safety Guidelines can be found on our website at CincinnatiArts.org/waghealthandsafety.    

Material Message is generously sponsored by FotoFocus Cincinnati and Helen and Brian Heekin.

All dates and times are subject to change.

Since 1995, the Weston Art Gallery’s mission has been to present and support the visual arts of the Tri-state region through exhibitions and special programs. Its objectives are to foster an awareness and appreciation of the visual arts among area residents and to support the development of professional and emerging artists of the region. 

Weston Art Gallery 2020-21 Season Sponsor: DEE and TOM STEGMAN

 Weston Art Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts • 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202-2517 • 513/977-4165
Wed. – Sat. 11 am – 4:00 pm.

www.westonartgallery.com • WestonArtGallery@CincinnatiArts.ORG • Admission is free.

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May 11, 2021 · 11:10 am

Hit the Lights! Theater Co. Presents HORSETALE at Cincinnati Fringe Festival

CFF21_Hit the Lights logoStreaming online June 4th – June 19th, 2021
For tickets visit cincyfringe.com/horsetale/

Hit the Lights! Theater Co. (HTL!) is pleased to stream its original shadow musical as part of the 2021 Digital Cincy Fringe Festival. In HORSETALE, two musicians share their story of love and heartbreak through the adventure of a horse and its tail that become separated and in their search for each other, find themselves. HTL! weaves together handmade shadow puppetry, six vintage overhead projectors, original folk/rock music, Looney Tunes homages, and American iconography to tell a story as wild and expansive as the West itself.

HIT THE LIGHTS! THEATER CO. is an award-winning company created out of an artistic agreement to tell simple stories in unconventional ways. Hit the Lights! follows the motto ‘Less Talk, More Rock.’ This motto drives the creative process, culminating in work that is hyper-theatrical in nature: performers multitasking onstage in real time to create the technical, musical, and narrative components of a story simultaneously. Believing that motion, color, sound, and atmosphere are more evocative and experiential than spoken text, a heavy emphasis is placed on dialogue-less, action-oriented storytelling. Consequently, this allows the work to connect with audience members of varying theatrical experience, physical ability, cultural background, and age.

Past highlights include original works DUNGEON (Audience Pick of the Fringe at the Cincinnati Fringe and Editors Pick at the Minnesota Fringe), WHALES (nominated for three New York Innovative Theater Awards including Outstanding Innovative Design, Outstanding Original Music, and Outstanding Premiere Production of a Play, Artist Pick and Venue Award Minnesota Fringe), an original site-specific immersive theater experience in collaboration with the Know Theatre of Cincinnati THE OTHER RHINE, developing original shadow puppets for Vogue Magazine’s March 2021 cover shoot featuring Gigi Hadid, a live cinematic puppet adaptation of Gimlet Media’s hit podcast The Habitat, a collaboration with New York Botanical Garden’s Spooky Pumpkin Nights; a live music video for Grammy Award-nominated Sammy Miller and the Congregation, and being nominated for an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for “Best Family Show” for their theatrical adaptation of the book TASTE THE CLOUDS commissioned by New York City Children’s Theater. HTL!’s Off-Broadway credits include performances at Dixon Place, La MaMa ETC, New Victory Theater Lab Works, The Flea Theater, Franklin Stage Company, and Ars Nova in NYC where they were Company in Residence in 2018 and 2019.

More info: hitthelights.org

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May 7, 2021 · 11:31 am

Get Your Dancing Shoes Ready, The Carnegie Announces Latest Production I GOT RHYTHM

TC_I Got Rhytym logoCOVINGTON, KY – The Carnegie is set to tap – pun intended – into one of the most exuberant forms of dance when its latest production takes the stage.

Some of the greatest songs in American music will provide the soundtrack to I GOT RHYTHM, playing Friday through Sundays between May 21—May 30, 2021 at the new Covington Plaza (144 Madison Ave, Covington KY 41011). Featuring music from the likes of Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin among others, the high-energy, family-friendly production is appropriate for all ages and lovers of dance alike.

“I GOT RHYTHM will transport guests to the golden age of tap. It is the root of many modern styles of dance, which is why it’s legacy deserves celebrating,” said Maggie Perrino, Theater Director for The Carnegie. “Add in songs like Puttin’ on the Ritz, This Joint is Jumpin’, and There’s No Business Like Show Business, plus a cast of dynamite performers, and you’ve got an evening of entertainment sure to tap your troubles away.

There will be 10 performances total- May 21-23, 28-30 with 5 shows each weekend- Friday night at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7pm, Sunday at 2pm, and 7pm. Tickets to I GOT RHYTHM range from $15-$25 per person and can be purchased through The Carnegie Box Office, open Tuesday–Friday noon to 5 p.m., in person or by phone at (859) 957-1940 or online at www.thecarnegie.com. Run time for the show is 75 minutes with no intermission.

Cast

  • Tia Seay
  • Lesley Taylor
  • Sam Johnson
  • Matthew Nassida
  • Allison Evans
  • Renee Stoltzfus
  • Ashley Olivia Morton
  • Kate Stark

Production Team

  • Maggie Perrino, Director/Choreographer
  • Matthew Nassida, Music Director
  • Steven Ducker, Stage Manager
  • Doug Stock, Technical Director

The Carnegie’s 2020-21 Theatre Series is presented by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Support for The Carnegie Creative Disruption Committee programming series is provided by the John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust.

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About The Carnegie
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center.  More information about The Carnegie is available at thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030. 

The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from Cincinnati International Wine Festival, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, the Kentucky Arts Council and the City of Covington. The Carnegie is also supported by the generosity of more than 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. 

About The Carnegie Theatre Series
The Carnegie Theatre Series produces professional, innovative stagings of an eclectic range of theatrical works. Striving to unite the greater Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati theatre community through partnerships and collaborations, the series engages and nurtures both emerging and established talent, including working professionals, committed part-time theatre artists, university performing arts students and younger students. The Carnegie Theatre Series productions bring together these forces to provide quality theatre for Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area.

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May 7, 2021 · 11:02 am

The Drama Workshop Premieres I’M BLOOY RETIRED, Its Final Home View Theatre Piece

TDW_VERTThe Drama Workshop’s Home View Theatre series will close with the release of ‘M BLOOY RETIRED, a comedic crime mystery written by Eric Thomas.

Dennis Murphy, TDW’s Vice President of Productions states that, “’M BLOOY RETIRED is a very fitting choice to bring our successful Home View Theatre series to a close. With this delightful comedy, Home View Theatre has produced 13 short videos over the course of nine months. Not only has Home View Theatre provided funding to support TDW operations during the pandemic, but it has also served as a valuable link between TDW and its subscribers, membership and the broader theatrical community during the many months of isolation. We thank the writers, casts and crews of all of the Home View productions for their time, effort and creativity. They have managed to produce 13 videos safely while working within Covid protocols and restrictions Their courage and dedication to this project is greatly appreciated by TDW and something our audiences would soundly applaud – if they could.”

In ‘M BLOOY RETIRED, retiring Detective Sergeant Royal is given one last assignment – to train rookie Detective Francis – and one last case — to finally bring down his arch-nemesis. Dennis Murphy directed the video and portrays Detective Royal. Detective Francis is played by Nicholas Dunker. Chris Bishop, Stephanie Klein, Lindsey Pullum and Karen Romero round out the stellar cast.  The video was edited by Murphy and Eric Thomas. Cal Lumpkin served as videographer and assistant editor.

Tickets to stream ‘M BLOOY RETIRED or any of the Home View Theatre productions can be purchased at www.thedramaworkshop.org/homeview or by calling the box office at (513)598-8303. Single videos are $5 or you can subscribe to the series of six videos for only $25.

The second series of Home View Theatre plays also includes:

The Rules, a comedy by Jessie Faye. As they prepare for a first date, a man and woman reflect on societal pressure, self-doubt, and the complexities of the perfect outfit. TDW is excited to welcome Jeff and Maddy Weinkam to their TDW debut. They played the couple, and Jeff directed the video. The Rules premiered on February 12.

Vir:Us, a collection of monologues written by a group of TDW artists who began a writer’s group during their pandemic downtime. Each monologue, performed by its author, explores how people try to make connections with others during the pandemic. The group of actor/playwrights consist of Chris Bishop, Betsy Bossart, Stephanie Klein, Lindsey Pullum, Fred Tacon and Eric Thomas. Vir:Us premiered on February 26.

Second Story Jobs, a comedy by Fred Tacon that portrays what happens when an extremely overworked tooth fairy visits an adult man. The video is directed by Lynne Aronson and features Michael Sharon and Rusty Lacy. Second Story Jobs premiered on March 12.

Goodwill, a play by Teri Foltz. While clearing out the garage after their mother’s death, a brother and sister learn of a family secret. The cast includes Linda Callahan and Steve Phelan under the direction of Julie Jordan. Goodwill premiered on March 26.

Indian Sign, a drama by Clint Bramkamp in which conflict arises between a man leading a campaign to keep a twenty-eight-foot sign depicting an outdated view of Native Americans in place and a Native American activist who wants to see the sign taken down. Richard Zenk directs the cast which features Jessie Faye and John McInerney. Indian Sign premiered on April 9.

THE DRAMA WORKSHOP was founded in 1954. TDW is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to advancing education and promotion of the theatrical arts. The Drama Workshop is widely recognized as one of greater Cincinnati’s most accomplished community theater organizations, garnering dozens of awards annually from the Association of Community Theatres of Greater Cincinnati. TDW’s 2019 production of “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” was selected to represent the Southwest Ohio region at the Ohio Community Theatre Association annual conference. TDW was also honored to represent the state of Ohio at the 2013 and 2017 American Association of Community Theatre regional conferences. The Drama Workshop has been recognized by the Cincinnati Preservation Association for their efforts to rehabilitate the former Glenmore Bowl into The Glenmore Playhouse. Prospective members, and individuals or businesses interested in becoming involved or in helping advance TDW’s mission are encouraged to contact the group through our website at www.thedramaworkshop.org, or by phone at 513-598-8303.

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May 5, 2021 · 1:22 pm

MO-TO-THE-ONCLE at 2021 Cincy Fringe

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Melissa Cole. Photo by Svetlana Kim.

National Fringe hit makes its Cincinnati Fringe debut

Cincinnati, Ohio – MO-TO-THE-ONCLE (pronounced MO-to-the-AWN-uh-kuhl) debuts at the 18th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival (Friday, June 4 – Saturday, June 19) via cincyfringe.com. MO-TO-THE-ONCLE will be available to be viewed on-demand throughout the 14-day theater festival. Tickets are now on sale for $10 at cincyfringe.com, where more information is also available.

MO-TO-THE-ONCLE is a satirical one-woman comedy play about a Bronx teenager who must wear a monocle to school after his dad loses their vision insurance. The story unfolds through a series of bold monologues performed by writer and actress Melissa Cole, who portrays at least a dozen different characters throughout the show. “People always say that they just can’t get into solo shows,” says Cole. “My background is in improv and sketch comedy, so my perspective as a creator comes through that lens. MO-TO-THE-ONCLE is really fast-paced and fun, and I think it’s a real standout in the solo show category.”

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Photo by Anthony Velez.

Since MO-TO-THE-ONCLE’s 2016 premiere in New York City, Cole has taken her wild solo performance on the road to Fringe stages in cities across the country, including Rochester, Orlando, and Pittsburgh, amassing great critical acclaim along the way.

Last year, as many Fringe festivals made the pivot to presenting online offerings exclusively, this Cincy Fringe newcomer says she welcomed the “challenge” of recreating her show for virtual audiences, who she says could be even more discerning. “I’ve never been to Ohio before, and I certainly would have really loved to have been there in person,” Cole explains. “But this is my second time doing a virtual festival, and I’ve worked really hard to ensure that the virtual showing of MO-TO-THE-ONCLE is just as fulfilling–if not even more so–than its live counterpart, especially for Cincy Fringe’s loyal audience.”

More about Fringe: The Cincinnati Fringe Festival is produced by Know Theatre of Cincinnati as our final presentation of each season. All year-round, Know Theatre staff work on the Festival. We also bring in part-time staffers and hundreds of volunteers to help make the magic happen. A 14-day celebration of theatre, art, music, film, dance, and everything between —  that’s Kinda WEIRD. Like YOU! Now in its 17th year, Cincy Fringe (as its succinctly known) presents over 200 performances of 40+ theatre productions each May and June, plus art galleries, screenings, concerts, workshops, classes, and nightly parties.

More about Melissa Cole: Melissa Cole (writer/actress) is a New York City based actress, improviser and writer. In 2017, Cole was the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival’s Best Actress winner for her performance in Mo-to-the-oncle. In 2016, she performed as a Top 7 finalist in the NBC & Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Diversity Scholarship Showcase, a high-profile showcase featuring rising sketch comedy actors. A Long Island, New York native, Cole is a graduate of New York University.

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