Left to right: Sue Clare, Kevin Canafax, Melissa Singer-Reed.
Covington, KY – Earlier this month, the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center in Edgewood, Kentucky announced the dedication of the first-ever Music Therapy Studio in honor of Charles “Chuck” Gordon Reed III and Donald E. Clare, Jr., two musicians dedicated to supporting the arts in Northern Kentucky. Chuck and Don, who both passed away in 2017, were longtime performers with Suits That Rock, a fundraiser for The Carnegie in Covington, KY that funds in-school, after-school, and summer camp art programming for local students.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to honor Don and Chuck’s memory, their love of music and their service to our community through the Music Therapy Studio,” said Carri Chandler, Vice President of St. Elizabeth Foundation. “This studio exemplifies their lifelong passion for the arts and will serve as a resource for musical expression for patients and caregivers.”
Research shows people living with cancer who engage in creative arts therapy experience less depression and anxiety than those who don’t. Arts therapy provides a relaxing escape for patients and caregivers, who can embrace the creative process to express emotions. Developing this form of self-expression not only inspires personal growth, but also nurtures social interaction, which can relieve anxiety and enhance healing. For St. Elizabeth, this studio will bring music therapy to its inpatient and outpatient programs. The therapy will provide patients and their families with the options to play, listen to, or create music – providing emotional, sensory, and spiritual support. For more information on the Center’s approach to integrative oncology, take a virtual tour of the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center.
“During their combined 17-year tenure with Suits That Rock, Chuck and Don helped raise more than $1M for arts education programming,” said Kim Best, Executive Director of The Carnegie. “Subsequently, this helped The Carnegie’s art education programming to grow and serve more students each year. We are touched to know that Don and Chuck’s memory will live on through the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center’s Music Therapy Studio.”
Charles “Chuck” Gordon Reed III was the owner and president of River City Productions though family took center stage in Chuck’s life. He began playing guitar at age 12 and later took up bass guitar at age 14 when his band’s bass guitarist left the group. For more than 40 years he played with local and regional bands including Strange Brew, The Nightlife Band, and DV8, in which he shared the stage with his wife and fellow Suits That Rock volunteer, Melissa Singer-Reed.
“Music was such an important part of Chuck’s life,” said his wife, Melissa. “When Chuck was approached to be a part of Suits That Rock, he was so excited to volunteer. Not only was he performing with his friends, but he had the opportunity to raise critical dollars for local arts programing through The Carnegie.”
Donald E. Clare, Jr., a resident of Rabbit Hash, KY, built his career around helping others as an Emergency Room Nurse; 18 years at The Christ Hospital followed by 19 years at St. Elizabeth before retiring in 2015. Don wore many hats in the Northern Kentucky community. He devoted much of his life to music, writing, and the preservation of historic sites in Boone County. Don began singing and playing drums at the age of 16 and performed with a long list of bands over the years including Calico Rose and the Corryville Cowboys and The Buffalo Brothers. Don was on the board of directors of the Rabbit Hash Historical Society, a member of Friends of Big Bone, and an active supporter of the Dinsmore Homestead Foundation.
“In addition to all of his volunteer efforts, Don loved performing with Suits That Rock – even though you would rarely catch him in a suit,” said his wife, Sue Clare. “Don would want nothing more than to see his legacy of music live on in a place where he spent a majority of his time – St. Elizabeth.”
To learn more about the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center, please visit stelizabeth.com/mycancer.
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About St. Elizabeth Foundation: The mission of St. Elizabeth Foundation is to inspire and connect our generous community with St. Elizabeth programs and projects dedicated to improving the health of our families, friends and neighbors. We will elevate St. Elizabeth to lead Northern Kentucky in becoming one of the healthiest communities in America. Through the generosity from individuals, companies and more than 130 volunteers from the community, St. Elizabeth Foundation bridges the gap between revenue received by St. Elizabeth and the actual cost of meeting our community’s critical healthcare needs. From bringing us state-of-the-art programs and treatment facilities to helping mothers in need give their babies the best start, St. Elizabeth Foundation has been serving our community in ways big and small for over the past three decades. For more information, visit stelizabeth.com/community-outreach/foundation.
About the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center: With the ability to treat nearly 500 patients per day, St. Elizabeth’s six-story facility will lead the way in providing personalized care and treatment in the region.
The St. Elizabeth Cancer Center offers cancer detection, diagnosis and care — all under one roof. With an emphasis on precision medicine and genomic health, screening education and prevention, clinical research and advanced, innovative technology, St. Elizabeth provides a seamless experience for patients undergoing treatment. St. Elizabeth is also a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, consulting with Mayo Clinic cancer specialists and providing patients access to second opinions at no extra cost.
In addition, as a member of the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate and Research Networks, patients have access to additional clinical programs. At the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center’s August 2019 groundbreaking ceremony, St. Elizabeth Foundation announced a comprehensive capital campaign to raise $35 million in support of the Cancer Center. Overall, with a generous community and partners, St. Elizabeth Foundation exceeded its $35 million campaign goal. For more information about the St. Elizabeth Cancer Center, visit stelizabeth.com/mycancer.
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 www.thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030.
The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from Cincinnati Wine Festival, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, the Kentucky Arts Council and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. / US Bank Foundation. The Carnegie is also supported by the generosity of more than 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.
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GEOFFREY BARNES* (Silas, SILAS) is thrilled to be a part of this project and to have the opportunity to work with this wonderful group of artists! Credits include: Gabriel in FENCES, A FLEA IN HER EAR, MACBETH and THE WINTER’S TALE with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Other credits include MARIAN: OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, HANDS ON A HARDBODY (Ronald McCowan) with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Seattle Children’s Theatre, the ZACH Theatre in Austin, Texas, American Globe Theatre and the Storm Theatre Company in NYC. “Be well, stay safe, and yes…please wear a mask. Thank you.”
NOAH BERRY (Stevie, UGLY LIES THE BONE) has spent the last four years touring the country in various musicals and regional productions. Before the pandemic, he could be seen in the National tour of BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY (Jerry Allison). Other favorite tours and regional credits include the National tour of SPAMALOT (Ensemble), LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (Seymour), [TITLE OF SHOW] (Hunter Bell), and THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (Leaf Coneybear). Noah is very thankful to be able to bring a bit of art to these troubling times. Much love to his family, friends, and his Sunshine.
JASIMINE BOULDIN (Olivia Dotson, SILAS) is a Cincinnati native who attended Northern Kentucky University to obtain a BA in Acting. After taking a five-year hiatus from performing, she’s been making strides to be more present in Cincinnati’s acting scene. She’s been a member of OTRImprov since 2017. She made her Cincinnati Fringe Festival debut in 2018 and has since also appeared in the Festival with Performance Gallery in KUMFERTED (2019) and HIVE MIND (2020). She’s been featured in independent films such as “Slasher” (written and directed by Jonathan Rowan, 2019) and “Wildfire, OH” (written by David James, 2019).
BURGESS BYRD* (Marlene Hartfield, SILAS) is delighted to perform with a great group of folks in a show that’s not over a Zoom call. Recent credits: “Monologues of Hope” Cincinnati Playhouse in The Park, “Say Their Names” with Pones, Monologues For Us By Us with Cincinnati Black Theatre Collective, GLORIA: A LIFE at Human Race Theatre, and THE FROG PRINCESS at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Some of her favorite credits include SKELETON CREW (Faye) with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Lena) with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, MERCHANT OF VENICE (Shylock) with UT Austin, AVENUE Q (Gary) with Showbiz Players, and the solo show PRETTY FIRE (Charlayne) with Know Theatre of Cincinnati. “Thank you for being here!”
CHRISTINE DYE* (Vincent, SILAS) is delighted to be part of this production alongside fellow actors for whom she holds great admiration. She is an actress who has enjoyed a 30-year career on stage and has now added film and television to her resume as well. She takes get pride in reading the words of her longtime friend, Derek Snow. She would also like to show her gratitude to you, the audience for supporting this project, and hopefully many more to come.
KATIE GRONEMAN (Jessie, UGLY LIES THE BONE) is a proud Cincinnati native and graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington where she studied performance. She is an Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati acting apprentice alumna, who has also been seen at Know Theatre Cincinnati in Serials and as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. shows. She is very excited to have just finished recording THE ELECTION OF MS. REBECCA’S THIRD GRADE CLASS as an audio play for the Know. She has filmed commercials for Macy’s, Gold Star Chili, Bob Evan’s, KY Lottery, and Cradle Cincinnati, to name a few. Recent film credits include the Amazon Prime series “Wildfire” and the movie “Hard Kill” starring Bruce Willis Some of her favorite performance moments to date are RABBIT HOLE (Izzy), the off-Broadway tour of THE JEWELER’S SHOP (Anna), and recording her own stories for FBi Radio when she lived in Australia. Follow along on IG: @katie_groneman
DARYL HARRIS (Director, SILAS, THE UNINVITED) is a Full Professor in the Theatre and Dance Program in the School of the Arts (SOTA) at Northern Kentucky University. He is a 52-year veteran of traditional, experimental, educational, and applied theatre. He has studied and worked throughout North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. In addition to teaching diverse interdisciplinary theatre courses, Daryl also acts in, directs and costume-designs theatrical productions. His primary passion: engaging scholars and communities transculturally and transnationally across disciplines.
LINSEY ROGERS (Kacie, UGLY LIES THE BONE) is so thankful for this opportunity to return to live theatre! AKA The Wandering Linstrel, she has performed professionally all over the world as a violist, fiddler, pianist, vocalist, and actress. Locally she has worked with Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cincinnati Landmark Productions, and The Carnegie. Favorite local theatre credits include DARKEST NIGHT AT THE GNARLY STUMP (Band), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Annas), THE WINTER’S TALE (Musician), and GUYS AND DOLLS (General Cartwright). She is also a competitive pinball player and co-hosts the What The Flip pinball stream on Twitch. She’d like to thank the countless people who have supported her crazy career choice, including you for keeping live theatre alive! 
SPRING STARR PILLOW (Voice / Mom, UGLY) graduated from Northern Kentucky University with a degree in Musical Theatre Performance and holds Master’s Credits from the University of Cincinnati in Education and Counseling. She is currently employed as the Education Specialist for Wordplay Cincy. Spring is a very active part of the initiative to combine theatre and education. She has developed several after school and in school workshops combining curriculum and drama in the Tri-state schools. Spring has worked for several tri-state theatres, including Ensemble Theatre, Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, Covedale Theatre, and The Showboat Majestic, and was a featured cabaret performer at The Celestial. Spring has also had the privilege of singing and writing with David Kisor, a prolific children’s song writer, on several nationally recognized CDs and play projects through Growing Sound. In her spare time, Spring enjoys writing poetry, short stories, plays and music, rehabbing old homes, singing with her band No Guarantees whenever possible, and spending time with her boys, Nick, Eli, and Max and her dogs, Sophie and Herman.
DEREK SNOW (Playwright, SILAS) has been in the Cincinnati theatre community as an actor, writer and director for over 35 years. A graduate of the School for Creative and Performing Arts, Derek then continued his education in New York City before returning after graduation to teach dramatic arts to inner-city youth in the public school system. He has been with the popular physical theatre group Performance Gallery for the past 18 years. His written work has been produced in Atlanta, New Jersey and Sydney, Australia. He recently had his latest short play, WIND KILL FACTOR, read for a sold-out audience at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, and is thrilled to be bringing SILAS, THE UNINVITED to audiences for the first time.
PHILLIP WEBSTER (Director, UGLY LIES THE BONE) is a musician, actor and all-around dilettante who’s been onstage and behind the scenes at the Horizon Theatre (Atlanta), the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Prince George’s Co. Shakespeare in the Park, The Carnegie and New Stage Collective, among others. He is also veteran of the US
AARON WHITEHEAD (Kelvin, UGLY LIES THE BONE) is happy to be making his first appearance at Memorial Hall. Working by day at a Cincinnati non-profit, Aaron spends his evenings involved with as much theatre as possible. Some of Aaron’s recent local appearances include THE ELEPHANT MAN (Merrick) with Center Stage Players, THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (Melvin) at Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, and DRY LAND (Janitor) at Clifton Performance Theatre. Aaron was rehearsing the role of Anthony in THE END OF THE RAINBOW at the Carnegie when COVID-19 hit, cancelling the show. Aaron was also scheduled to direct THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO at Mariemont Players, but this was rescheduled for autumn 2021. Aaron is glad to have the opportunity to be involved with theatre that has such strong social relevance as a means of speaking out for marginalized voices in these difficult times.
The third installment of The Drama Workshop’s Home View Theatre video series is now available for viewing. The video is called A Paranormal Investigation into The Raven and was written and directed by Dennis Murphy and stars CJ and Betsy Bossart. Ms. Bossart plays the host for the television series Paranormal Investigations. She is interviewing one Edgar Poe (played by Mr. Bossart) who claims to be visited nightly by a ghostly raven. Is this a bonafide haunting or something else entirely? You’ll have to watch to know.
The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra opens its 29th season in an industrial warehouse with a Halloween mix of string classics that should provide a good scare for musicians and audience alike. Keeping musicians employed and playing during the Covid crisis requires following safety guidelines that are nearly impossible to enact with in traditional auditorium settings (visit kyso.org for safety guidelines). However, since the KSO possesses the will, it certainly has found a way, by turning to unconventional spaces. Verst Group Logistics generously offered the Symphony use of its Hebron warehouse with the square footage of a football field and 40’ ceilings to address adequate distancing and circulation concerns. Even the City of Bellevue helped out for a single rehearsal at the former Joe’s Crab Shak to assist with its season opening program dubbed Strings Noir.
Geff Strik‘s Verklärte Nacht is a live musical performance of Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht accompanied by a 28-minute dramatic short film of paintings done in real-time to the music. The paintings are inspired by the music and Richard Dehmel’s poem of the same name, which is also part of the video. The poem details a dark romantic story set in the 19th century. It begins, “Two figures pass through the bare, cold grove/the moon accompanies them, they gaze into it.”
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 