Category Archives: Press Releases

March 5, 2025 · 5:55 pm

Overture Awards 2025 – Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony | Sat., March 15 | Aronoff Center

[CINCINNATI, OH] – The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is proud to present the 2025 Overture Awards Finals Competition. The Overture Awards provides $3,000 to six area high school students for education and training expenses, with eighteen finalists each winning $1,000. The program also includes and Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction totaling $1,000.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

The Overture Awards Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Winners will be announced immediately following the competition. The Visual Art Finalists Exhibition will be showcased in the Aronoff Center’s Center Stage Room (adjacent to the Weston Art Gallery on 7th Street) from Tuesday, March 10 – Sunday, March 23, 2025.

This year, 237 students applied to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held virtually in January 2025. The top twenty-five percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on February 12-15. Twenty-four finalists will compete in the Finals Competition at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater on March 15.

Now in its 29th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate, manage the competitions, and nurture the program. 

The Overture Awards are endowed by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.

THANK YOU to the following generous supporters of Dancing for the Stars and The Overture Awards: 

Accent on Cincinnati, The Alleen Company, Scott Allgyer, Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Arthur Murray – West Chester, Douglas Beal, Doreen Beatrice, James Branham, Bonita Brockert, Sebastian Castillo, Dance Manor, DelightMore, eat well celebrations & feasts, Maura Garuccio, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Jeff Thomas Catering, Alex Johns, Dr. Hali Jungers,  Dr. Magdalena Kerschner, Jeremy Mainous, Moerlein Lager House, Newport Aquarium, Party Source, Pepsi, Philip Bortz Jewelers, Prime Cincinnati, Primo Italian Steakhouse, Punky’s Pixels, Bret Schneider, Deb Schubert, Britton Spitler, Street City Pub, Studio 900,  Zack Thornton, Josh Tilford, Rostislav Toporski, Melissa Vaughn

Chris O’Brien & Janeen Coyle (former hosts of “Married with Microphones,” 103.5 WGRR-FM), JD Hughes (DJ, 103.5 WGRR-FM) 

Overture Scholarship Sponsors: The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Summerfair Cincinnati; TriHealth 

Printing Sponsor:  Harlan Graphics 

The 2025 Overture Awards Finalists 

CREATIVE WRITING

  • Evelyn Jeong, grade 9, Talawanda High School
  • Abbey Mader, grade 11, Saint Ursula Academy
  • Jai Tate, grade 11, Ohio Connections Academy
  • Asher Wesolowski, grade 10, School for Creative and Performing Arts 

DANCE

  • Nora Doyle, grade 10, School For Creative and Performing Arts/Just Off Broadway
  • Abigail Riester, grade 12, Turpin High School/College Conservatory of Music- Prep Ballet Department and Planet Dance
  • Maanasa Yarlagadda, grade 12, Sycamore High School
  • Audrey Zuziak, grade 12, Dixie Heights High School/Strive Dance Collective 

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

  • Beckett Cerón, grade 10, Seven Hills School/Studies with Jeremy Collins
  • Vivian Chang, grade 12, William Mason High School/Hong Cheng Violin Studio
  • Sonya Moomaw, grade 9, School for Creative and Performing Arts/Studies with Dr. Sarah Kim
  • Angela Tang, grade 10, William Mason High School/ Studies with Joel Smirnoff

THEATER

  • Jake Hagerty, grade 11, Highlands High School
  • Jai’Den Pritchett, grade 10, Sycamore High School/Musical Arts Center
  • Clarissa Ramirez, grade 12, Sycamore High School
  • Natalie Schmall, grade 10, Ursuline Academy 

VISUAL ART

  • Allison Droege, grade 12, William Mason High School
  • Nathan Knoll, grade 12, Elder High School
  • Faith Ogenyi, grade 12, Lakota East High School
  • Andrew Sichak, grade 12, Loveland High School

VOCAL MUSIC

  • Eden Bee, grade 12, Turpin High School/Studies with Xan Jeffery
  • Ishanvi Karthikeyan, grade 12, Lakota West High School/Studies with Malathy Vijay
  • Devi Kool, grade 10, Wyoming High School/Studies with Stacey Sands
  • William Wittekind, grade 11, Saint Xavier High School/Studies with Musical Arts Center

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than two million students and adults.

CAA is proud to be a member of Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce.

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March 4, 2025 · 4:59 pm

Improv Cincinnati Acquires Local ComedySportz

Local comedy theatre adds national family-friendly improv franchise to their show offerings

Improv Cincinnati, a leading force in the region’s comedy community, is excited to announce its acquisition of the local ComedySportz franchise. This strategic move will bring together two beloved improv comedy institutions, thereby expanding the opportunities for performers and audiences alike in the Queen City.

ComedySportz Cincinnati is a competitive improv show that has two teams go head-to-head in a fast-paced, family-friendly improv “match”. With its unique blend of audience participation and quick-witted humor, ComedySportz has built a loyal following since its inception in 2017.

Improv Cincinnati is excited to integrate ComedySportz’s signature competitive improv format into its already diverse lineup of shows, classes, and community initiatives. Two community initiatives that they are most excited about expanding are the CSz Highschool League, and improv-based summer camp programs.

“We have partnered with Moeller as our first member of the Highschool League. We are very excited to generate interest for other schools to join us next season!” says Alex Morris, the Managing Director of ComedySportz. “Additionally, it’s the second year for our summer camps, and I could not be happier to train the next generation of improvisers!”

For more information about Improv Cincinnati and ComedySportz performances and community initiatives, visit www.improvcincinnati.com.

About Improv Cincinnati

Improv Cincinnati is an award-winning theatre company that teaches classes, produces theatrical improv and sketch comedy performances, and delivers professional team building and keynote experiences. Since our inception in April 2016, we’ve entertained countless members of Cincinnati’s community while also teaching more than 1,000 students through improv workshops, classes, and team building. We foster compassion and a sense of belonging for individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or any other way a person may identify. And we strengthen this commitment through continued learning, scholarships, community engagement and charitable donations.

Our mission is to become a best-in-class institution that helps people of all backgrounds become their best selves through learning, performing, and enjoying comedy of all kinds.

ComedySportz Cincinnati is a high-energy, competitive improv show where two teams of improvisers battle for laughs with audience suggestions fueling the fun. Additionally, ComedySportz offers improv training, summer camps, and corporate workshops that inspire laughter and personal growth both on and off the stage.

Since 2017, ComedySportz has been entertaining families in Cincinnati with a focus on clean, high-energy entertainment. ComedySportz offers a hilarious and inclusive experience for families, friends, and corporate events alike.

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March 4, 2025 · 4:57 pm

The American Guild of Musical Artists and Cincinnati Opera Announce New Three-Year Agreement

CINCINNATI (March 4, 2025) – The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) and Cincinnati Opera proudly announce a new three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The CBA was ratified by the AGMA Board of Governors on March 3, 2025, after being approved by the artists.

This agreement secures improvements for AGMA members of Cincinnati Opera, including wage increases, better financial support for non-local Artists, stronger workplace protections, and new policies addressing artificial intelligence, data security, and bereavement leave. It also expands rights for Choristers, Corps Dancers, and Principal Artists, enhances conditions for Staging Staff, and ensures fairer policies across all working groups.

“These negotiations were a testament to the strength and solidarity of the artists of Cincinnati Opera,” said AGMA Counsel Martha Kinsella. “We advocated strongly for meaningful wage increases and achieved the best contractual raises in recent memory. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our Negotiation Committee, which represented nearly all working groups, for their dedication, strategic thinking, and unwavering advocacy throughout this process. I also want to thank Cincinnati Opera’s management team, who bargained in good faith from start to finish, demonstrating their commitment to the artists who bring these productions to life.”

The agreement comes as Cincinnati Opera prepares for its 105th anniversary Summer Festival that will feature the prominent involvement of AGMA members onstage and behind the scenes. Its 2025 season, which runs June 12–July 27, includes three mainstage productions—Rigoletto, Tosca, and an all-new production of Fiddler on the Roof—and three Studio Sessions, intimate performances curated and performed by Cincinnati Opera artists.

The agreement begins retroactive to January 1, 2025, and runs through December 31, 2027.

“Cincinnati Opera is deeply grateful for the extraordinary talent and dedication of our artists, who bring inspiring passion and creativity to every production,” said Chris Milligan, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO of Cincinnati Opera. “This agreement reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering a work environment where artists can thrive. I’m grateful to Cincinnati Opera’s negotiating team for their thoughtfulness, preparedness, and collaborative spirit, and to our colleagues at AGMA for a continued fruitful partnership.”

“The 12-member Negotiation Committee is a sign of the profound commitment the artists have to Cincinnati Opera and played an important role in shaping the dynamic and focus of the negotiations. We are pleased with both the process and outcome of the negotiations,” said Stephen Hanna and Jennifer Shaw, Cincinnati Opera delegates and members of the Negotiation Committee.

About the American Guild of Musical Artists
The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) is the labor union of singers, dancers, staging staff, and faculty, staff, and instructors in opera, ballet and concert dance, and concert choral performance in the United States. A national union with a membership of 7,000 artists, AGMA provides forceful advocacy and defense of its members’ employment and artistic rights. AGMA negotiates and enforces 70 collective bargaining agreements throughout the country, ensuring fair and safe working conditions and enhancing the quality of life of its members. AGMA has a direct charter from the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO Branch of Associated Actors and Artists of America and the Department for Professional Employees (DPE). AGMA is also a part of the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG).

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. This project was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more at cincinnatiopera.org.

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March 4, 2025 · 10:00 am

Know Theatre of Cincinnati Announces the 2025–2026 Season

MainStage Season 28 continues Producing Artistic
Director, Bridget Leak’s bright, new vision

Cincinnati, OH – The Know Theatre, Cincinnati’s premiere black box professional theatre, is thrilled to unveil its highly anticipated 2025-2026 season under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Bridget Leak and Managing Director Ri Moodie. Known for its intimate performance space and for the community they have built by showcasing local writers and artists, the Know Theatre continues to push artistic boundaries with a lineup of thought-provoking, emotionally-resonant productions that celebrate our humanity and the ties that bind us to one another.

“There is a thread that runs through this season’s productions,” says Producing Artistic Director Bridget Leak. “These are stories about people finding their community and bracing themselves for the hard times to come. Right now I think it’s really easy to feel incredibly insignificant, that your voice does not matter. If your world is feeling lonely right now, the Know can be a place for you.”

The 2025-2026 season begins with the Regional Premiere of King James by Rajiv Joseph, running September 11–27, 2025. Set in a sports bar, this clever two-man comedy about basketball, brotherhood, and LeBron James, will be directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin and staged in the Know Theatre’s Underground Bar.

The Cincinnati Storytelling Festival comes to the Know Theatre Mainstage November 13–15, 2025. Founded in 2020 by Paul Strickland, Erika Kate MacDonald and Alice Flanders, this three-day celebration of stories features local and national storytellers from a variety of backgrounds and traditions.

Die Hard is a Christmas Movie, the Know Theatre’s second best-selling show ever, is back by popular demand and with added performances, running November 28–December 21, 2025. Penned by local writers A.J. Baldwin and Alexx Rouse and directed by Tatiana Godfrey, this goofy and outrageous Mainstage comedy is the perfect holiday offering for the whole family.

SERIALS!, Know Theatre’s Monday Night Episodic Theatre Party returns for its 16th season featuring local writers and actors performing five never-before-seen plays over the course of five nights on the Know Theatre’s Underground Cabaret Stage. SERIALS! 16 will run January 26, February 9 and 23, and March 9 and 23, 2026. A call for submissions will open in early October and close in early December 2025.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes the Regional Premiere of Constellations by Nick Payne. This beautiful and heartbreaking love story about the infinite possibilities contained in one couple’s relationship runs February 12–21, 2026. Bridget Leak directs.

The spring brings a World Premiere by Cincinnati native Derek J. Snow to the Know Theatre Mainstage. Originally commissioned and developed in a workshop production by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park through its Jerome Fey Play Collection Fund, The Ravenside Occurrence chronicles the night that four women escape from an asylum and take refuge in an abandoned inn only to have the bonds of their found family tested by the ghost that haunts its halls. This curious tale with a score for string quartet by composer Jimmie A. Parker runs March 27–April 18, 2026.

The region’s largest and longest-running live performing arts festival, the Cincinnati Fringe Festival kicks off its 23rd year of bringing local, national and international theatre artists to pop-up venues around OTR. With over 40 distinct hour-long shows and 150+ performances over the two week festival, there’s a reason that artists from around the world know the Cincy Fringe as Cincinnati’s Summer Theatre Party. Produced by Katie Hartman, this jury-curated festival opens artist submissions in early October 2025. For more information go to www.cincyfringe.com.

A collaboration with local theatre company InBocca Performance, the Know Theatre Youth Education Program offers youth grades 3-12 the opportunity to create an original production as an ensemble. Led by local theatre-maker Caroline Stine, whose popular summer youth theatre camps have thrilled local audiences for their fierce imagination and creative storytelling, Fall and Spring sessions take place over three-month periods on Saturday mornings. 2026 Summer Camp will occur weekdays in July and culminate in performances during the first week of August.

The Know Theatre is committed to creating an atmosphere of radical hospitality where all are welcome to come as they are. Season 28 Mainstage productions will continue to have ASL-interpreted performances on the final Friday of each run, $20 tickets for Arts & Service Industry Workers on select Monday night performances, and $15 advanced reservations and pay-what-you-wish tickets for every Thursday Mainstage performance.

Subscriptions for the 2025-2026 season are now on sale for $250. Subscribers now enjoy reserved seating and may also purchase discounted Die Hard is a Christmas Movie tickets. Subscriptions may be purchased online at http://www.knowtheatre.com or by phone at (513) 300– 5669.

MainStage

King James
by Rajiv Joseph
Directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin
September 11–27, 2025
Playwright Sponsors: Michelle & Drew Petersen
When “King” LeBron James shoots to basketball superstardom with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the city unites to cheer on their hometown hero. Matt and Shawn, an unlikely duo bonded through shared adulation of their sports idol, weather together the highs and lows of a twelve-year friendship – from LeBron’s rookie season through his NBA championship. King James is a celebration of basketball and chosen brotherhood.
Rated: PG

The Cincinnati Storytelling Festival
November 13 – 15, 2025
Founded in 2020, the Cincinnati Storytelling Festival is a 3-day celebration of stories rooted in tradition and told for a contemporary audience. Featuring national and local storytellers from a variety of backgrounds and traditions, the festival brings communities together to enjoy fairy tales, scary stories, laugh-out-loud tales, and everything in between.

Die Hard is a Christmas Movie
by A.J. Baldwin & Alexx Rouse
Directed by Tatiana Godfrey
November 28 – December 21, 2025
Picture this: the movie Die Hard actually happened and the blockbuster action classic is a dramatization of the hero’s memoir. Two years after that daring rescue, fame has taken its toll on the family and their relationship is on the rocks. The teenage kids know what to do: hire actors to kidnap Mom, Dad springs into action, saves her, and boom! marriage saved. When the plan goes off the rails and the family finds itself in real peril, they’ve got to work together to make it to Christmas morning … or die hard trying.
Rated: PG-13

Serials! Season 16
January 26, February 9 & 23, March 9 & 26, 2026
15-minute episodes of five new, never-before-seen different plays by local playwrights, every two weeks, for a total of five installments! At the end of each installment, the audience votes on a this-or-that style question that shapes the arc of the next episode. Miss an episode? No problem! Each episode starts with a “previously on…” recap at the top of each show to catch
the audience up to speed.

Constellations
by Nick Payne
Directed by Bridget Leak
February 12–21, 2026
Playwright Sponsors: Michelle & Drew Petersen
Marianne and Roland meet at a barbecue, date, and break up. Or maybe they don’t. Maybe they fall in love and live happily ever after. Or again, maybe they don’t. This sparkling and passionate love story explodes open the vast possibilities contained in ordinary lives, exploring the paths we take – and those we don’t – through multiverse theory, free will, and honey.
Rated: PG

The Ravenside Occurrence
by Derek J. Snow
March 27 – April 18, 2026
London, 1876. Four headstrong women break out of the asylum to which their families have committed them. An abandoned inn offers welcome shelter, but the restless spirit who walks the halls will test the bonds of this little found family before he decides whether to shelter them or cast them back out upon the mercy of the world. With an original score for string quartet by Jimmie A. Parker, this new production by local playwright Derek J. Snow is about how racism and misogyny haunt the living. Originally commissioned and developed in a workshop production by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park through its Jerome Fey Play Collection Fund.
Rated: PG-13

The 23rd Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival
May 29–June 13, 2026
A 14-day celebration of curated new work and uncensored live performance from local, national, and international indie theatre artists, the Cincinnati Fringe Festival is the region’s largest and longest-running performing arts festival. Featuring more than 40 unique, hour-long productions and hundreds of live performances, free children’s programming on weekend afternoons, and free Late Night events starting at 10pm every night at the Know Theatre.

Know Theatre Youth Education

Fall Semester 2025:
September 6th–November 8th
Every Saturday 9am–11am

Spring Semester 2026:
February 7th–April 18th
Every Saturday 9am–11am

Summer Camp 2026:
July 6th–August 2nd
Monday through Fridays, 9am–noon

An ensemble-devised, production-driven, process-centered, socially-conscious education program in partnership with InBocca Performance. Grades 3 through 12.

Performance Times
All evening performances are at 7:30pm, matinee performances are at 2pm.

Ticket Prices

  • Mainstage Subscription : $250
    • Reserved Seating and Complimentary Concierge Service
    • One ticket for each MainStage production (3 shows)
    • $25 Die Hard is a Christmas Movie tickets
    • Entry to all five Serials! performances
    • *Three complimentary tickets for guests that have never seen a
      show at the Know
    • Subscribers also receive discounted drink prices, a MainStage ticket for one guest and discounted ticket prices for guests.
    • Subscriber Happy Hours and Underground Bar Discounts
    • First Access to Exclusive Know Theatre-produced Performances *excludes Die Hard is a Christmas Movie
  • $25 Rush Tickets for 35 and Under, one hour before showtime
  • Flex Pass : $190
    • Six MainStage tickets for the price of five ($228 value)
  • Single tickets : $38
  • Welcome Thursdays: Each Thursday during a MainStage production we offer $15 advance reservation tickets and Pay-What-You-Wish Walk-Up tickets an hour before the show.

We are Know Theatre of Cincinnati: where artists and audiences can come together to produce and experience work that you haven’t seen before. We strive to build a community around viscerally theatrical, exciting new works.

The 23rd Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbor the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

Know Theatre is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding.

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 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.

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March 3, 2025 · 7:57 pm

2025-2026 Season Announced by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

Our 2025-26 season promises to inspire, entertain, celebrate our differences, and lift up our shared humanity. It features stories that feel familiar, that stand the test of time and that are fresh and contemporary. The lineup truly embodies the Playhouse’s mission to bring diverse, engaging works of great artistry to our community and to put Cincinnati’s artistic excellence in the national spotlight.

Moe & Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre
Season presented by Schueler Group 

MC & Tom Brennan and
David C. Herriman Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation present

MYTHIC
Book and Lyrics by MARCUS STEVENS
Music by ORAN ELDOR

Directed and Choreographed by KATHLEEN MARSHALL

Sept. 20 – Oct. 19, 2025

 new pop-rock musical comedy with Broadway ambitions, Mythic makes its U.S. premiere in Cincinnati. The ancient Greek myth of Persephone is turned on its ear, with the gods as chart-topping pop stars, power hungry politicians and attention-seeking influencers. Starstruck by Olympian celebrity, Persephone rebels against her mother Demeter’s expectations and decides to forge her own path. When she sneaks into a party at the Acropolis and meets brooding bad-boy Hades, her life takes an unexpected turn into the Underworld. Mythic played to critical acclaim in London and in a sold-out run in Montreal. This new production will be directed and choreographed by nine-time Tony Award-nominee and three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall. If you’ve ever been a teenager or a parent, you’ll love this entertaining, coming-of-age tale.“Each song could be a hit single in its own right. Just heavenly.” – The Stage, UK

Season Sponsor of New Work MARK AND NANCY DAWES

SEASON EXTRA! Subscribers get first access to tickets before the general public!

FIRST FINANCIAL BANK presents

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

By CHARLES DICKENS
Adapted and Originally Directed by BLAKE ROBISON
Directed by BRIDGET LEAK

Nov. 21 – Dec. 28, 2025

The holiday story you love unfolds in spectacular fashion in Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre! In Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy curmudgeon who finds his heart changing when three spirits and the ghost of a long-lost friend show him the errors of his ways. Across one fateful Christmas Eve night, Scrooge recalls the warmth and generosity of past loved ones, learns the value of kindness through Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family and glimpses a terrifying future should his heart remain the same. Featuring dazzling set, costume and lighting designs, A Christmas Carol promises a magical holiday experience for your family.”No humbug – just joy to the world!” – Talkin’ Broadway

Fifth Third Bank presents

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S
LITTLE WOMEN

Adapted by LAUREN M. GUNDERSON
From the novel by LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

Directed by JOANIE SCHULTZ

Jan. 17 – Feb. 15, 2026

Experience the classic novel you adore as it’s being written in this playful and theatrical new adaptation that puts the author in the spotlight. Louisa May Alcott plays Jo March as she recounts how she wrote her famous novel for her real-life sisters who play the characters inspired by them. As they come of age during the Civil War under the loving guidance of Marmee, ambitious Jo, traditional Meg, gentle Beth and spirited Amy balance their sisterly bonds with their distinct personalities. Captivating readers for generations, this beloved story shines anew onstage with an energetic and novelistic approach using dialogue, description and interior thoughts just as Alcott wrote them. Relive this timeless tale of family, resilience and a determined young writer finding her way in the world.“The wit and complexity of Alcott’s characters come alive.” – NewCity Chicago

Sponsored by JOHNSON INVESTMENT COUNSEL & CLARK SCHAEFER HACKETT

Leading Ladies presents

MRS. CHRISTIE

By HEIDI ARMBRUSTER

Directed by JOANIE SCHULTZ

Co-produced with MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER

Feb. 28 – March 29, 2026

A mystery about Agatha Christie! The curious, real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie sets the stage for this charming and heartfelt comedy that celebrates writers and the stories that shape our lives. In 1926, after the recent death of her mother and with her marriage on the rocks, 37-year-old Agatha Christie vanished for 11 days, then reappeared without explanation. The reasons behind her disappearance remain unknown. A century later, devoted superfan Lucy, who is going through her own life crisis, attends an Agatha Christie Festival. There, she follows the clues left by Agatha and might finally crack the case. As we follow their parallel timelines and journeys of self-discovery, we experience the thrill of good old-fashioned mystery.“Fun, poignant and clever enough to earn the Christie name, this is a show that everyone will enjoy.” – Theater by the Bay

Sponsored by THE LEMMERMAN FAMILY

Moe & Jack Rouse and
Randolph Wadsworth present

AUGUST WILSON’S
THE PIANO LESSON

Directed by LOU BELLAMY

Co-produced with MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER

April 11 – May 3, 2026

August Wilson’s explosive, award-winning play is a gripping story of family, legacy and the choices that define us. During the Great Depression, Berniece and her brother Boy Willie clash over the fate of the family’s cherished, heirloom piano. Decorated with intricate carvings done by their enslaved ancestor, she treasures the piano’s storied history, and he sees it as the means to a more prosperous life. The ghosts of the past collide with the promise of the future in this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece from August Wilson’s epic American Century Cycle that explores the complexities of identity and belonging.“Like other Wilson plays, it seems to sing even when it is talking.” – The New York Times

ROSENTHAL SHELTERHOUSE THEATRE
Season presented by THE VONTZ FAMILY 

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA

Written by JEFF AUGUSTIN
Music by THE BENGSONS

Directed by TIMOTHY DOUGLAS

Aug. 30 – Sept. 28, 2025

A poignant, beautiful story of parallel journeys. After he learns of his estranged father’s death, Jonah recreates the cross-country trip his Haitian immigrant parents took before he was born. As he traces their journey across America and bonds with the music his father adored, time blurs and erases the distance between them as Jonah seeks to understand his father’s life and legacy. Lyrical storytelling and live folk music weave an emotional and evocative tale of rediscovering love and the everlasting bond of a father and son.“Heartfelt and deeply resonant. It’s easy to get lost in the music and mystery.” – Theatremainia

Sponsored by DIGI & MIKE SCHUELER

THE HEART SELLERS

By LLOYD SUH

Directed by DESDEMONA CHIANG

Oct. 25 – Nov. 23, 2025

A funny and moving new comedy about finding direction in the land of opportunity. When Luna and Jane meet at the supermarket on Thanksgiving Day in 1973, the two women discover they have much in common. They are both Asian immigrants new to American and are spending the day alone while their medical resident husbands work long shifts on the holiday. As Luna and Jane attempt to cook a frozen turkey in two hours and drink a little too much wine, they find solace and companionship in each other. Dreams of Disneyland, disco dancing and learning to drive lead to intimate discussions as they share their hopes and fears for making a new home in a new land.“A love letter to friendship” – BroadwayWorld

SEASON EXTRA! Subscribers get first access to tickets before the general public!

Linda & Gary Greenberg present

BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE

Created by MATT CUSACK and ALLISON KELLY

Dec. 3 – Dec. 23, 2025

This celebration of the great loves and love songs in country music features the return of Matt Cusack and Allison Kelly. They wowed Playhouse audiences in Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash with their versatile, multi-instrumental performances and now bring their passion for country music and their amazing talent to this intimate, musical revue. From iconic duos to contemporary torch songs, Because You’re Mine features singers and songwriters you know and love like: Johnny Cash and June Carter, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, John Prine and Iris Dement, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves and so many more! This limited-run ode to county music is sure to be an entertaining and popular night out during the holiday season.“Musical sparks fly off the stage.” – floridaweekly.com

Sponsored by THE MARKLEY FAMILY

MARY’S WEDDING

By STEPHEN MASSICOTTE

Directed by BLAKE ROBISON

Feb. 7 – March 8, 2026

In this poetic romantic drama, Mary and Charlie discover the thrill of first love. But the year is 1914, and the world is collapsing into a brutal war. On the night before her wedding, Mary reminisces about meeting Charlie, a farm boy in rural Canada, during a thunderstorm. Their story is told with dream-like interweaving of scenes from their budding relationship, Charlie’s time in the trenches of France and Mary’s present anticipation of her big day. Both tender and suspenseful, Mary’s Wedding is a stunning and unforgettable story of love, loss, hope and the resilience of the human spirit.“This deeply romantic dream-play goes straight to the heart.” – The Seattle Times

Sponsored by THE LEMMERMAN FAMILY

ELLEN & RAY van der HORST present

Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical

Based on the Life of Rosemary Clooney
By JANET YATES VOGT and MARK FRIEDMAN
Directed by MICHAEL MAROTTA

March 21 – May 17, 2026

One of the most beloved entertainers of all time comes home in this exhilarating and inspiring musical biography. Rosemary Clooney’s journey starts with her humble beginnings in Maysville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati and follows her rise to Hollywood stardom. With her signature songs woven throughout, trace the story of her amazing successes on film, radio and TV, her personal battles with addiction and depression, and her triumphant comeback. And through it all, she topped the charts for nearly five decades. A sold-out hit around the country and during its previous extended run at the Playhouse, Tenderly offers a remarkably personal portrait of the woman whose unparalleled talent and unbridled personality made her a legend.“Touching, affecting and greatly entertaining.” – Cincinnati Enquirer

Sponsored by HUNTINGTON BANK

SEASON TICKETS are on sale now!

Season tickets guarantee your seats and get discounted tickets to A Christmas Carol and Because You’re Mine (not included in any season ticket package). You’ll also enjoy exclusive benefits like the best prices, easy ticket exchanges, payment installments, discounted parking and more.

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