Category Archives: Press Releases

February 13, 2020 · 12:58 pm

THE AGITATORS to Open as Falcon Theatre’s Latest Production

FT_The Agitators promo

Elliott Young as Frederick Douglass & Cat Cook as Susan B. Anthony. Photo by Kristy Rucker.

For forty-five years, they agitated the nation and each other. They met in the 1840’s as young abolitionists, full of hopes and sharing a common purpose. They became cultural and historical icons. They were Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Their tempestuous decades-long friendship is the subject of THE AGITATORS by playwright Mat Smart, the fourth production of Falcon Theatre’s 30th Anniversary season, opening March 20, 2020.

Anthony and Douglass found a common cause in the abolition of slavery, though each came at the subject from a different standpoint. She was white, a Quaker. He was black, an escaped slave. Both used their gifts as writers and orators, along with their shared passion for equality to forge an unlikely friendship. When slavery ended after the Civil War, the two focused on what they hoped would be universal suffrage. Their friendship and alliance became strained with the proposal of the 15th Amendment, which would grant voting rights to black men, but not to women of either race.

Playwright Smart sees the story of the pair as timely for 21st Century America. “The distance between people in this country seems to be growing greater and greater,” Smart says. “And something that is so inspiring to me about Susan and Frederick was their ability to have a healthy, hard dialogue with the people they disagreed with…with the people who hated them. So I hope a lesson we can take from them is how we can better listen to people who believe different things than we believe, and how we may better agitate the people who disagree with us to change their thinking. Or vice versa.”

The Gazette calls THE AGITATORS “…theater at its best. Teaching us, challenging us, reminding us of where we’ve been, where we are, and how far we still have to go.” The St. Louis Post-Dispatch calls it “theater at its most provocative and enlightening.” The Democrat & Chronicle says “THE AGITATORS opens a window into two extraordinary lives while also holding up a mirror to all of us. It portrays the gift of friendship, while reminding us we need to pass the olive branch along.”

Falcon’s production is directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin and features Cat Cook as Susan B. Anthony and Elliott Young as Frederick Douglass. Performances are at 8 PM on March 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 and on April 2, 3, and 4, 2020. Tickets prices are $25 for adults and $15 for students with ID. Patrons enjoy a $5 discount for Thursday performances. Visit falcontheater.net for tickets.

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February 10, 2020 · 4:26 pm

Cancelled | DANCING FOR THE STARS 2020 | Sat., April 18 | Music Hall Ballroom

caa_dancing for the stars 2019 logo

DANCING FOR THE STARS 2020
CANCELLED

CINCINNATI, OH – Due to the evolving impact of the coronavirus and the directives from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine regarding the ban on public gatherings until further notice, Cincinnati Arts Association’s annual fundraiser, Dancing for the Stars 2020, scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2020 at Cincinnati’s Music Hall Ballroom, has cancelled.

Guests who purchased tickets and made donations to the fundraiser have been notified, and their tickets and donations will be refunded.

For the most up-to-date information about the status of events at the Aronoff Center and Music Hall, visit www.cincinnatiarts.org/health-update.

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CINCINNATI, OH – Who will be voted Cincinnati’s best celebrity dancer?  Which stars have the right moves to rule the dance floor?  Find out on Saturday, April 18, 2020 when the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) celebrates season fourteen of its annual fundraiser Dancing for the Stars at the Music Hall Ballroom to benefit CAA’s Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally-run high school arts scholarship competition – and Arts Education Programs. 

Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars will feature nine Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program, at which the audience will vote for their favorite celebrity dancer. The competitive dance for the evening will be the Foxtrot and each dance pair will have ninety seconds to woo the crowd and the judges.

In addition, Dancing for the Stars will feature:

  • Online silent auction
  • Dance music by guest DJ “Rockin’ Ron” Schumacher, 103.5 WGRR-FM
  • Pre-event reception and wine tasting
  • Open dancing before and after the competition
  • Lite bites provided by some of Cincinnati’s finest restaurants and caterers
  • Cash bar

In addition to the winner of the dance competition, Dancing for the Stars will crown a Fundraising Champion – the celebrity dancer who raises the most revenue toward the event’s fundraising goal through table/ticket sales and donations. Fans may add a donation under their favorite celebrity’s name at the time of ticket purchase, or simply make a donation if they cannot attend the event. These direct donations (outside of the event ticket price) will help one of the fans’ favorite celebrities win the Dancing for the Stars Fundraising Champion award – which will be announced the evening of the event – and are 100% tax deductible.

Tickets are currently on sale at the following levels (a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible):

  • $150 – Patron (pre-event reception and two drink tickets)
  • $1,500 – Corporate Table (ten Patron level tickets and a half-page program ad)
  • $2,000 – Celebrity Circle Table (premium “first-row” viewing of competition area, ten Patron level tickets, full-page program ad, recognition on event signage)

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 

  • 6:00 PM – Wine & Cheese / Meet-and-Greet Reception with the Stars and the Pros
  • 7:00 PM – Dancing, Dinner by the Bite, Cash Bar
  • 8:00 PM – Celebrity Dance Competition
  • 9:30 PM – Dance the Night Away

RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION:

 THE STARS:

  • Gary Cates (Former Ohio Senator/ State Representative)
  • Heric Flores (Regional Account Executive, Western Reserve Medical Group)
  • Missy Hendon-Deters (Executive Director, Boys Hope Girls Hope)
  • Terry Horan (President & CEO, Horan & Associates)
  • Jill Jansen (Director of Government & External Relations, Mercy Health)
  • Elizabeth Knuppel (President, Skystone Partners)
  • Michelle Riegler Krumpelman (Northern Kentucky Philanthropist & Public Speaker)
  • Sara Mirus (Real Estate Agent, Keller Williams Realty)
  • Lee Tyson (Founder & Owner, Lee Side Wellness) 

THE PROS (WITH STAR PAIRING):  

  • Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor) – Terry Horan
  • Brandon Etheridge (Independent Dance Instructor) – Heric Flores
  • Maura Garuccio (Independent Dance Instructor) – Lee Tyson
  • Desiree Mainous (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati) – Gary Cates
  • Jeremy Mainous (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati) – Sara Mirus
  • Brian McNamee (Cincinnati Ballroom Company) – Michelle Riegler Krumpelman
  • Jozsef Parragh (Independent Dance Instructor) – Jill Jansen
  • Josh Tilford (Independent Dance Instructor) – Elizabeth Knuppel
  • Alyenendrov Tsorokean (Phoenix Rising Ballroom) – Missy Hendon-Deters 

THE HOSTS:  Chris O’Brien & Janeen Coyle (“Married With Microphones,” 103.5 WGRR-FM) 

THE JUDGES:   

  • Douglas Beal (Independent Dance Instructor)
  • Michael Betz (2019 Dancing for the Stars Alum & Fundraising Champion)
  • Guest Judge – to be announced

EVENT COMMITTEE:  Doreen Beatrice, Amal Daoud, Terry Foster, Ginger Loftin, Rosemary Schlachter, Phil Schworer, and Tracey Skale.

EVENT SPONSORS:  TriHealth – Presenting Sponsor, Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Bonita Brockert, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Brandon Etheridge, Maura Garuccio, Graphic Village, Jozsef Parragh, Pebble Creek Group, Phoenix Rising Ballroom, Josh Tilford. 

THIRTEEN YEARS OF DANCING FOR THE STARS WINNERS:

  • 2007:    Dr. O’dell Owens (former Hamilton County Coroner)
  • 2008:    Jenell Walton (former WCPO-TV9 Anchor and Reporter)
  • 2009:    Phil Schworer (past President, Cincinnati Bar Association; Environmental Lawyer, Frost, Brown and Todd)
  • 2010:    Donna Speigel (Owner, The Snooty Fox)
  • 2011:    Dr. Tracey Skale (Chief Medical Officer, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services)
  • 2012:    Regina Russo (former Director of Marketing and Communications, Cincinnati Art Museum)
  • 2013:    Chris Seelbach (Cincinnati City Councilman)
  • 2014:    Neal Schulte (Founder & President, Schulte Financial Group, LLC)
  • 2015:    Johnny Chu (Owner, AmerAsia Kungfood Restaurant)
  • 2016:    Jay Lame (Financial Analyst, Lenox Wealth Management)
  • 2017:    Rohan Hemani (Procter & Gamble Fabric Care Intrapenuer)
  • 2018:    Dr. Marcia Bowling (Gynecologic Oncology, Oncology Hematology Care, Inc.)
  • 2019:    Halle Quinn (Community Volunteer)

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION’S ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS
CAA’s Education Department promotes life-long learning through its programs, which are diverse, multidisciplinary, and accessible to all ages and cultural groups. SchoolTime presents a series of programs that feature nationally-recognized artists at CAA’s two venues (the Aronoff Center and Music Hall), and Artists On Tour brings the finest local artists in the region to Tri-state schools for interactive arts experiences aligned with the curriculum.

The Overture Awards Scholarship Competition is the largest locally-run arts scholarship competition in the country.  The program annually provides a $4,000 scholarship to six area high school students for education and training, with 18 finalists each winning a $1,000 scholarship. Each year, nearly 400 students are nominated by their schools to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, or Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Finals, and Final.

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.  Now in its 24th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation and Leadership Cincinnati (a Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce program).

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 more than 600,000 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, including Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Symphony/Pops Orchestras, May Festival, and Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati, presented by TriHealth. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached nearly 1.6 million students.

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February 7, 2020 · 4:05 pm

KSO & St. Peter in Chairs Cathedral Choir Perform MOZART’S DENOUEMENT (Mozart Saves the Best for Last) on Feb. 23, 2020

MOZART’S DENOUEMENT
(Mozart Saves the Best for Last)
3:00 p.m. February 23, 2020
St. Peter in Chains Cathedral

KSO_Mozarts Denouement promo

The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra teams up with one of Cincinnati’s top choirs —The St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir — and the Cathedral’s Music in a Great Space Series to present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s latest and perhaps greatest works. In 1984, thanks to the film Amadeus, the music of Mozart became universally known and celebrated. From child prodigy to prolific composer, Mozart’s catalog includes a diverse array (opera, symphony, concerto, etc) of the greatest music in history.

Mozart’s final years produced his last symphonies (39-41), all three written within just six weeks in the summer of 1788. They are all masterpieces, yet his 41st subtitled “Jupiter” stands at the pinnacle of symphonic form. With its recurring 4-note plain chant motive, opera aria quotation and 5-subject fugue, Mozart’s final symphony is a profound work employing truly awe-inspiring counterpoint influenced by his study of works by Bach, Handel and Michael Haydn.

Following a brief intermission, the professional, 24-voice St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir, assembled in 1994 by its current Music Director Anthony DiCello, joins the KSO and soloists for Mozart’s hauntingly beautiful Requiem in D minor. Unfinished at his death in 1791, Mozart’s mass for the dead was completed by his student Franz Süßmayr (many composers have attempted their own completions of Mozart’s Requiem, yet Süßmayr’s is the default version for most performers). Soloists for the Requiem include soprano Victoria Okafor, mezzo-soprano Maria Miller, tenor Marco Panuccio, and bass
Samuel Kidd.

Though commissioned by an anonymous patron (who wished to claim authorship and dedicate its performance to his deceased wife — not the intrigue of Antonio Salieri as in the movie), Mozart’s Requiem is a deeply personal piece upon which Mozart worked until his final hours. Music Director James Cassidy points out — “A five-note motive that opens and weaves its way throughout the work appears to be a quote of Handel’s “The ways of Zion do mourn” and is reminiscent of the Lutheran hymn — “When my final hour is at hand.” So, Mozart was seemingly aware that the Requiem was to be his final opus.”

The St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir, which can be heard at 11 a.m. Sunday masses (Sept – May), has been a special and recent KSO collaborator, singing our pairing of 16th c. Giovanni Gabrieli motets and antiphonal music together with the premiere of Kim Arnesen’s Magnificat in 2016. Last season, the KSO and Cathedral Choir gave the North American premiere of Paweł Łukasewzski’s dramatic Via Crucis, illuminating the Cathedral’s Stations of the Cross.

Join the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and the Cathedral Choir of St. Peter in Chains under the direction of James R. Cassidy at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, February 23, at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral in downtown Cincinnati (8th & Plum). Reserved seating tickets are $24, $32, $40 (children ages 6-18 are 50% off) and are available online at kyso.org, by phone — (859) 431-6216, or at the door.

KSO and St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir
MOZART’S DENOUEMENT
3:00 p.m. Sunday, February 23, 2020

St. Peter in Chains Cathedral
325 W 8th St, Cincinnati 45202

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
ymphony No. 41 in C (Jupiter) K.551

Intermission

Mozart Requiem in d K.626
Victoria Okafor, soprano
Maria Miller, mezzo-soprano
Marco Panuccio, tenor
Samuel Kidd, bass

St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir
Anthony DiCello, Music Director

For additional information, visit the KSO at www.kyso.org or call (859) 431-6216.
The KSO receives general operating & season funding from:

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February 7, 2020 · 3:05 pm

Attend A CATERED AFFAIR at the Drama Workshop

TDW_A Catered Affair promo

Cathy Jo Judge as Aggie, Robert Weidle as Uncle Winston & Anna Hazard as Janey.

The Drama Workshop, entertaining Westside audiences since 1954, invites everyone to attend “A Catered Affair”. This heart-warming musical, based on the 1956 film of the same name, runs February 21 – March 8. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and include a special Thursday evening performance on March 5 at 7:30 p.m.  All performances are at The Glenmore Playhouse, 3716 Glenmore, Ave. Cheviot, OH 45211.  Tickets are $18 if purchased online or by phone and $20 at the door.  Tickets may be purchased by calling the TDW ticket line at 513-598-8303 or by ordering online at www.thedramaworshop.org.

This musical version of “A Catered Affair” is based on the movie that starred Betty Davis, Ernest Borgnine and Debbie Reynolds.  Playwright Harvey Fienstein and composer John Bucchino     turned the story into a musical in 2008.  Bucchino usually composes operas. His first foray into musicals results in beautifully lush melodies that underscore the emotional life of the characters perfectly. The show was nominated for 12 Drama Desk awards and was chosen as “Best Musical” by the New York Drama League.

The action of the musical will take the audience back to Brooklyn in 1953.  Husband and wife, Tom and Aggie, are reminded of the loss of their son in Korea when his death benefits check arrives.  Tom wants to use the money to buy the medallion for the taxi he has been driving for twenty years.  But when daughter Janey announces that she is getting married to her boyfriend at the court house before taking a cross country trip, Aggie decides that the money should be used to give her daughter the beautiful wedding she herself never had. Uncle Winston, Aggie’s gay brother, offers his assistance to plan and pay for the wedding but is told the event will be for immediate family only. Planning for the wedding puts the family unit in turmoil leaving them all to question whose dreams should come true in the end.

Cathy Jo Judge will take on the role of Aggie, the bride’s mother, who wants her daughter to have the wedding she never had and Mark Culp will play Tom, the father. Anna Hazard will play the bride-to-be and D’Waughn Hazard, her fiance.  Robert Weidle will play Uncle Winston.  Jim Swartout, Mary Puetz, Denise Schnieders, Cathy Roesener and Sarah Willis each play multiple roles including Janey’s best friend, Tom’s taxi-driving friend, the fiance’s parents, a caterer, a wedding dress shop owner and the family’s neighbors.

Director Dan Maloney wanted to direct this show because he is “at a point in my life where I just want to tell a love story, and this is a beautiful one. The music is gorgeous. My hope is that audience members will come to the show and feel like they know these characters from their own lives and families.” Maloney further states that “Love is full of peaks and valleys, happiness and frustrations, and in a lot of ways, it’s like a ride at an amusement park. ‘A Catered Affair’ encourages us to open our eyes and find the beauty in all of it.”

The production team for the play is led by producer Elaine Volker. The set was designed by Greg Schaper and set construction is led by master carpenters Schaper and Kent Smith. The costumes were designed by Cathy Ross. Jason Cox serves as the sound designer and Dennis Murphy as lighting designer. Elaine Volker assembled the props.

A Taste of Class Catering is sponsoring A CATERED AFFAIR.

Join us at The Drama Workshop for a special musical about a very special day in the life of this Bronx family who in many ways is just like our own families.

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February 7, 2020 · 10:25 am

The Carnegie Theatre Season Closes With END OF THE RAINBOW

tc_end of the rainbow logoPlaying Weekends March 21 – April 5, 2020

COVINGTON, KY – The Carnegie is closing it’s 2019-20 Theatre Series with a story of a beloved movie star, Judy Garland. END OF THE RAINBOW runs on the Otto M. Budig stage weekends March 21 – April 5, 2020.

The year is 1968 and Judy Garland is set firmly on the comeback trail. The failed marriages, the suicide attempts, and the addictions are all behind her. At forty-six and with new flame Mickey Deans at her side, she seems determined to carry it off and recapture her magic. But lasting happiness always eludes some people, and there was never any answer to the question with which Judy ended every show: “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why, can’t I?”

END OF THE RAINBOW is a savagely funny drama featuring a glorious ensemble of Judy Garland hits such as “Get Happy,” “The Man that Got Away,” and, of course, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

“This show has it all — it’s a dramatic and at times sad story, but it has its happy moments as well,” said Carnegie Theatre Director Maggie Perrino. “It’s quite the coincidence that this is the year we chose to do this musical as Renee Zellweger is nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award for taking on the role of Judy. Her story is timeless”

Performances of END OF THE RAINBOW run weekends March 21 – April 5, 2020 Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $32, $29 for Carnegie Members and ArtsPass Members, and $25 for students. Tickets can be purchased through The Carnegie Box Office, open Tuesday-Friday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., in person or by phone at (859) 957-1940, or online at www.thecarnegie.com. Patrons seeking group or student tickets should call to make arrangements. 

CAST LIST:

  • Judy Garland – Kim Schroeder Long
  • Anthony – Aaron Whitehead
  • Mickey Deans – Dylan Shelton
  • Radio Interviewer – Brianna Bernard

PRODUCTION TEAM:

  • Director – Alice Flanders
  • Music Coordinator/Band Leader – Ted Baldwin
  • Stage Manager – Steven Ducker
  • Assistant Stage Manager – Liz Carmen
  • Scenic Designer – Tyler Gabbard
  • Costume Designer – Helen A. Raymond Goers
  • Lighting Designer – Andrew Stewart
  • Sounds Designer – Avery Reynolds
  • Technical Director – Doug Stock
  • Producer – Maggie Perrino

CONTENT ADVISORY: Production includes adult themes and language. Not recommended for children under 13. 

END OF THE RAINBOW is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. 

The 2019-20 Carnegie Theatre Series is presented by the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support comes from the Kentucky Department of Tourism. The Performer Sponsor is Graydon. 

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 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.

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