Once again, BCT must announce that due to the current COVID situation, we must cancel our youth production of A WINNIE THE POOH CHRISTMAS TAIL. While things are beginning to open up, we feel we must keep the health and best interest of our performers and patrons the top priority, and to move forward with this production would not do that.
We miss you all and hope that things return to normal soon.
Filed under Press Releases
Audiences Across the Country
Urged to Get into Good Trouble
Nationwide watch of documentary about John Lewis during September, plus virtual conversation with national civic leaders on September 21 at 7:00 PM
(Cincinnati, OH) Representative John Lewis of Georgia — Freedom Rider and Congressman, Presidential Medal of Freedom honoree, and conscience of the nation — served the cause of social justice for decades, both as an elected representative and as a groundbreaking activist whose fervent belief in getting into “good trouble, necessary trouble” for the cause of racial equality changed our country.
The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) invites audiences to join in a nationwide watch, in collaboration with more than sixty of the nation’s arts and cultural institutions, of the riveting new documentary John Lewis: Good Trouble, which looks at the impact of Lewis’ life and work. CAA audiences will be able to rent the film directly from Magnolia Pictures, then take part in a live virtual conversation about John Lewis’ remarkable legacy.
JOHN LEWIS DOCUMENTARY
The film celebrates Lewis’ sixty-plus years of activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health-care reform, and immigration through rare archival footage and exclusive interviews with the late Congressman.
This special rental of the documentary includes two extra features: an interview Congressman Lewis gave to Oprah Winfrey shortly before his death earlier this year, as well as a one-hour panel, recorded in July, with the documentary’s director, Dawn Porter, and two of Lewis’ fellow original Freedom Riders, Dr. Bernard Lafayette and Dr. Rip Patton.
The film’s $12.00 rental fee includes a $5.00 donation to the Cincinnati Arts Association.
VIRTUAL PANEL DISCUSSON
After screening the film, audiences are invited to join a live, interactive online panel discussion about Lewis’ history and impact on the social justice struggles of today. Panelists include Dawn Porter, the film’s director; Ras J. Baraka, Mayor of Newark, NJ; Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and Director of the Institutional Antiracism and Accountability Project; and Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, who worked extensively with Lewis to establish the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The free virtual conversation takes place at 7:00 PM EST on Monday, September 21 on Zoom.
To rent the movie and register for the panel discussion, visit the Cincinnati Arts Association website at www.CincinnatiArts.org/John-Lewis.
The online conversation and coordinated effort amongst the country’s performing arts centers is produced by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) of Newark, NJ.
This event is part of NJPAC’s ongoing initiatives designed to offer both a greater understanding of current racial disparities and a forum for learning about the actions all citizens can take to advance the cause of equality.
“Everyone at NJPAC stands in solidarity with those fighting against structural racism, societal inequity, and police brutality, and for civil rights, multiculturalism and authentic inclusion. Changing the world requires the efforts of everyone. Now, more than ever, each of us has an indispensable part to play,” says John Schreiber, NJPAC’s President and CEO. For more information, please visit NJPAC’s website at NJPAC.org.
“We are very pleased to join NJPAC and performing arts centers across the country in offering this important documentary and panel discussion to our audiences,” said Steve Loftin, President, Cincinnati Arts Association. “Throughout history, the arts and culture have reflected and supported social change and civil rights, and it is our hope that this opportunity will add to the ongoing national and local conversation about equity, inclusion, and racial justice.”
CAA SEASON SPONSORS: AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), CINCINNATI-NORTHERN KENTUCKY HONDA DEALERS, FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
# # #
Filed under Events, Press Releases
By Cheryl L. West
September 23 – October 4, 2020
“When I liberate myself, I liberate you!”
After opening our season digitally with the critically-acclaimed solo show Feast. (streaming now through September 20), the Know presents Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!, a brand-new, live, and in-person outdoor theatrical experience.
After a lifetime of agitating for civil rights on the highest platforms in our land, the incredible Fannie Lou Hamer is coming to a neighborhood near you to share her passion for justice – and maybe pass on a spark of her flame.
To vote is to hope.
Fannie Lou Hamer, the midcentury activist for voting, civil, and women’s rights, comes to life in Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It!, a traveling production that recreates Fannie’s famous civil-rights rallies. Fannie is bringing her pickup truck and her Music Man to a parking lot near you to share her journey from sharecropper to activist, sing her favorite old-school spirituals with you, and empower you to be the fearless firebrand she knows you can be.
This production is directed by Derek Snow, who has appeared regularly on the Know’s stage since 2007’s The Pillowman. Derek says, “Fannie Lou has always been one of my personal sheroes, and I enjoy the fact that not too many people are instantly familiar with her name and what she accomplished. Now is the perfect time to ‘edu-tain’ people about her life and the lives of so many who shed blood to insure my right to vote. This piece speaks to the need for vigilance as it relates to voting rights, and manages to also be a beautiful play about determination and never being too old to reinvent yourself.” The Know also welcomes Elizabeth Leigh Taylor as Fannie and Nathan Singer, of the local band the Whiskey Shambles, as the Music Man, both in their Know Theatre debuts.
The performance will happen entirely outdoors, with Fannie holding her rally from the bed of her pickup truck. She’ll be visiting parking lots in Over-the-Rhine, Downtown, Price Hill, Covington, and more around the greater Cincinnati area; for a full schedule and to find a performance near your neighborhood, visit our website.
Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! will be a pay-what-you-can production. Advance tickets will be available for reservation for various donation levels at knowtheatre.com; the Know also gladly welcomes donations in cash or via PayPal or Venmo for those who wish to walk up. All patrons will be asked to wear masks, and maintain a distance of at least six feet from those outside their party as often as possible. One performance will be available as an internet livestream; the date of that performance is yet to be announced.
Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! was commissioned and developed by Goodman Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theatre. It was originally directed by Henry Godinez and features musical arrangements by Felton Offard. The Know Theatre’s production will run concurrently with Goodman Theatre’s, which will tour the Chicago area.
In the spirit of Fannie’s activism, the Know Theatre is partnering with The Greater Cincinnati Voter Collaborative to conduct voter registration drives at every performance. We’re offering this show as “Pay What You Can” so that as many people can take part as possible, and so we are also asking our community to step up and help make this project happen with individual donations. If you want to help bring voter registration and an inspiring story of empowerment to local communities, please visit knowtheatre.com/support to make a gift in support of this project today.
Join Fannie Lou Hamer and the Know Theatre in a neighborhood near you to check your voting registration, get charged up for civic engagement, and get to work changing the world.
CAST
PRODUCTION TEAM
AT A GLANCE
Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It! is made possible by Guest Artist Sponsor Judge (Ret.) Mark P. Painter. Additional community support comes from the Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./US Bank Foundation, Price Hill Arts Connection, The Rodenberg Family Foundation, and Sophia McAllister.
Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.
Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.
The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.
Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.
Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.
###
Filed under Press Releases
September 10, 2020:
Fairfield Footlighters regret to announce that we have postponed our September production of THE SUNSHINE BOYS. The outdoor event planned for Village Green amphitheatre is no longer possible due to the rise in COVID-19 levels for Butler County. We hope to bring you the production in Spring 2021, so like the Fairfield Footlighters Facebook Page to get latest news.
Fairfield Footlighters remains committed to keeping our patrons, our volunteer cast & crew, and the dedicated City staff safe.
Now, more than ever, support your local community theatre. Many of us are struggling to keep the stage lights on. #SaveOurStages
~ Fairfield Footlighters Board
Filed under Press Releases
Sept. 11 – The Carnegie just received a donation that they were not expecting for Suits That Rock. Their total is now more than $76,000 for the campaign. Would you be willing to update your post? The team is very excited about this news!
Covington, KY – The Carnegie is pleased to announce that its monthlong Suits That Rock virtual fundraising campaign raised more than $68,800. The Carnegie replaced its original in-person concerts with an online celebration throughout the month of August. Suits That Rock benefits The Carnegie’s arts education programming, which provides in-school and after-school, and summer camp art programming to local students.
“Planning a monthlong virtual event was a learning experience for everyone involved. As a business professional and musician, you learn the importance of being flexible,” said John Domaschko, a Suits That Rock founder. “Each of the participating Suits would like to thank the event’s sponsors, donors and volunteers for making the event a success! We are looking forward to ‘getting the band back together’ in 2021 to raise even more funds for The Carnegie kids!”
The “Rock On for the Carnegie Kids” online campaign featured intimate interviews with founding Suits Paul Bromwell, Kevin Canafax, John Domaschko, and Greg Shumate. The campaign also included performance recaps throughout the years, interviews with Guest Suits, sponsor highlights, and more. The program concluded with a special “Suits Fireside Chat” featuring the founders of the fundraising concert series.
“Over the last twelve years, the funds raised by the Suits have transformed our arts education program offerings, and that’s something to be celebrated,” said Kim Best, Executive Director of The Carnegie. “Thanks to Suits That Rock, The Carnegie’s arts education programming has grown from offering just 5,000 student experiences each year to more than 83,000 student experiences regionally. The funds raised this year will be instrumental in helping to sustain our programming throughout the pandemic.”
Even though the campaign has technically finished, donations are still being accepted. Please visit http://www.thecarnegie.com/suits to donate. All Suits That Rock virtual programming will remain available on the Suits That Rock official Facebook page and The Carnegie’s YouTube channel. For more about The Carnegie, visit www.thecarnegie.com.
###
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.
Filed under Press Releases
