Category Archives: Press Releases

October 9, 2019 · 1:27 pm

2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS Will Tickle the Ivories and Funny Bone

PIP_Two Pianos Four Hands promo

Promotional photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

Award-winning musical comedy begins Nov. 9 in the Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre

CINCINNATI – Two pianists’ quest for larger-than-life dreams takes the stage in 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS, beginning on Nov. 9 in the Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre. Audiences are invited to experience the side-splitting musical comedy through Jan. 5, with opening night on Nov. 14.

The show, which has been called “tears-streaming-down-your-face-funny” by the Ottawa Sun, tells the story of playwrights and performers Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, who shared a childhood dream of growing up to be superstar concert pianists. In the two-person show, we meet semi-autobiographical characters Ted and Richard. In a series of short, rapid-fire scenes, Ted and Richard transform into parents, teachers, coaches and even themselves at various ages. Memories of their music careers come to life onstage, from touching arguments with Richard’s father (who once fancied himself a bit of a pianist as well) to side-splitting glimpses of the characters that helped instruct Ted and Richard at the piano.

At the heart of this production is two men with comedic chemistry telling the story of all our childhood dreams of being a movie star, astronaut, or NFL-quarterback. The musicians bring relatable nostalgia to life as they work to master everything from Bach and Beethoven to Billy Joel.

“Part of what makes 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS so enduring is that in addition to being incredibly entertaining, audiences see themselves in it whether or not they ever wanted to play the piano,” says Tom Frey, who serves as both director and music director for Playhouse’s production.

2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS has been produced on five continents in over 4,000 productions during its 24-year history. The production inspires audiences to think about their passions and reminds us all not to give up on our dreams.

“As a director, I love to watch the audience take in a play and see what seems to resonate with them,” says Frey. “2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS delivers more moments of connection than almost any play I’ve worked on.”

For more information on 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS, visit cincyplay.com.

CAST
Matthew McGloin (Richard); Jefferson McDonald (Ted)

PRODUCTION
Tom Frey (Director and Music Director); Steve Lucas (Scenic Designer); James Sale (Lighting Designer); Dale Brown (Casting Director); Brooke Redler (Stage Manager)

TICKETS
To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.

Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Individual tickets start at just $35. Tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances are priced at just $10 for college students with a valid school ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances. Discounted ticket prices for children and teens are available for all productions and are $30 to $50, depending on show and seat location. 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS is suitable for ages 12 and up.

SPONSORS
Production Sponsors are The Carol Ann and Ralph Haile, Jr./ U.S. Bank Foundation. The Steinway Piano Sponsor is the Willis Music Company. The design sponsor is Bartlett Wealth Management. Artist sponsor is provided by BHDP. The Daley Family Foundation is an honorary producer. Season Sponsor is Heidelberg Distributing Company. Season Sponsor of New Work is the Rosenthal Family Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

ACCESS
The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs, and complete wheelchair access are available.

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October 9, 2019 · 10:23 am

CCM Stages Award-Winning Mystery THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

CCM_Curious Incident logoThe CCMONSTAGE Play Series presents this moving coming-of-age tale about the challenges and wonders of life on Oct. 17-20, 2019. Tickets are on sale now

CCM continues its new CCMONSTAGE Play Series with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, playing Oct. 17-20 in Cohen Family Studio Theater. Winner of the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play, the production is based on the novel by Mark Haddon and adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens.

The story focuses on 15-year-old Christopher and how he uses his extraordinary brain to navigate everyday life. He is exceptional at mathematics, but has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road. He detests being touched and he distrusts strangers, overwhelmed by sensory overload.

When Christopher finds his neighbor’s dead dog, he becomes determined to solve the mystery and find the murderer. His detective work takes him on a thrilling journey through London that overturns his entire world.

“Christopher is a hero on a hero’s journey,” says CCM Acting Professor Richard E. Hess, director of the play. “He teaches us about courage, about resilience, about curiosity and about hope. This play is a revelation, a magical journey to the heart.”

The 2019-20 CCMONSTAGE Play Series presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time on Oct. 17-20, 2019, at Cohen Family Studio Theater. Tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office; student discounts are available.

Creative Team

  • Richard Hess, director
  • Mallory Bruno, production stage manager
  • Seth Howard*, scenic designer
  • Alex Mason*, lighting designer
  • Travis Byrne*, sound designer
  • Sammi Grant, dialect coach

* CCM Student

Cast List

  • Jabari Carter as Christopher
  • Amanda Nelson as Siobhan
  • Gabe Nasato as Ed
  • Sierra Coachman as Judy
  • Chandler Bates as Voice One, Mrs. Shears, Mrs. Gascoyne, Woman on Train, Shopkeeper
  • Noah Buyak as Voice Two, Roger (Mr. Shears), Duty Sergeant, Mr. Wise, Man Behind Counter, Drunk One
  • Reid Robison as Voice Three, Policeman, Mr. Thompson, Drunk Two, Man with Socks, London Policeman
  • Frankie Chuter as Voice Four, Reverend Peters, Uncle Terry, Station Policeman, Station Guard
  • Kayla Temshiv as Voice Five, No. 40, Lady in Street, Information, Punk Girl
  • Michelle Jardine as Voice Six, Mrs. Alexander, Posh Woman

Performance Times

  • 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17
  • 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18
  • 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
  • 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20

Location
Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets

Directions & Parking
CCM is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Please visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions for detailed driving directions to CCM Village.

Parking is available in UC’s CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors.
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. New York.

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October 9, 2019 · 9:48 am

The Carnegie Theatre Season Continues With PROOF

TC_Proof

Katie Mitchell as Catherine & Jared Earland as Hal. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Playing Weekends November 2 – 17, 2019

(COVINGTON, KY) – On Saturday, November 2, The Carnegie will open PROOF, the second show in its 2019-20 season. The poignant play explores one of the most dominant topics in today’s society – mental health.

Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play PROOF follows Catherine, a troubled young woman who has spent years caring for her brilliant, but unstable, father, a math professor at The University of Chicago. Following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father’s, who hopes to find valuable work in the notebooks he left behind. Catherine is left to grapple with the fact that she may have inherited her father’s tendency toward mental illness as well as his genius.

“The best art reflects reality and starts conversations, and that’s what we want to do with PROOF,” said Maggie Perrino, Theatre Director at The Carnegie. “Mental health is an important topic that is on the minds of many in Northern Kentucky. We want audiences to come and enjoy a thoughtful, award-winning show, and then talk about it with their friends and family.”

Performances of PROOF run weekends November 2 – 19, Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $28, $25 for Carnegie Members and ArtsPass Members, $21 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. 

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

PROOF is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. 

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

Performer Sponsor: Intrinzic

Music Sponsor: Phil Nuxhall 

About The Carnegie: The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, exhibiting more than 100 emerging and established artists annually; the Otto M. Budig Theatre, producing professional productions as well as providing space for local high schools and smaller production companies; and the Eva G. Farris Education Center, delivering arts education to thousands of children in the region. More information about The Carnegie is available at www.thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030.

The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from ArtsWave, Cincinnati International 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.

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CAST LIST:

  • Catherine – Katie Mitchell
  • Claire – Kate Mock Elliot
  • Hal – Jared Earland
  • Robert – Allen R. Middleton

PRODUCTION TEAM:

  • Director – Torie Wiggins
  • Stage Manager – Liz Carmen

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October 8, 2019 · 2:34 pm

Cincinnati Ballet Premieres THE WIZARD OF OZ at the Aronoff Center Oct. 25-Nov. 3

CB_Wizar of Oz

Dorothy and Friends. Photo by Aaron M. Conway.

Due to popular demand, JUST ADDED additional performance 

CINCINNATI, OH.  (October 8, 2019) – It’s The Wizard of Oz like you’ve never seen before! Amazing projections, adorable puppets, flying monkeys and of course, incredible dance. It’s ‘Broadway meets Ballet.’ Join us for eleven performances October 25 through November 3 at The Aronoff Center for the Arts, including a special sensory-friendly performance Oct. 30 for those with sensory sensitivities. Due to high public demand, additional performance just added Sunday, November 3 at 6:30 pm.

Choreographer Septime Webre has created a full-length ballet, retelling the beloved, classic story. “Oz is infused with Septime’s cleverness and wit,” said Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director Victoria Morgan. “It’s an act of engineering and ingenuity to re-create some of what we saw in the movie on stage. How are you going to create a tornado on stage? How are you going to show the descent of the house into Oz? He’s accomplished that beautifully. It’s total escapism.” To bring Webre’s revolutionary vision to life took three ballet companies working together over several years. Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg together produced The Wizard of Oz. The three companies split the costs of creating the full-length story ballet, which includes an original score by Matthew Pierce, puppetry by Nicholas Mahon, who worked on the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, and costumes by designer Liz Vandal, best known for her whimsical work for Cirque du Soleil. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the classic film, The Wizard of Oz, that inspired Webre’s full-length ballet version.

The Queen City is also turning into the Emerald City! The “Cincinnati” sign at Duke Energy Convention Center will turn green October 25 through November 3 during the run of The Wizard of Oz at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. Dorothy’s ruby slipper pointe shoes are also on display until October 21 at Cincinnati Museum Center. Fans ca take a selfie with Dorothy’s slippers before they make their premiere October 25 at the Aronoff, then upload photos to Cincinnati Ballet social media channels, using the hashtag #cbapplause. One lucky fan will win 4 tickets to a select performance of The Wizard of Oz! We’ll select the winner randomly from one of our social media sites October 22.

Tickets are on sale now. For more information visit cballet.org.

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet

WHAT: THE WIZARD OF OZ

WHEN:

  • October 25 – 8:00 pm
  • October 26 – 2:00 pm
  • October 26 – 8:00 pm
  • October 27 – 1:00 pm
  • October 30 – 6:30 pm (Sensory Friendly)
  • October 31 – 7:30 pm
  • November 1 – 8:00 pm
  • November 2 – 2:00 pm
  • November 2 – 8:00 pm
  • November 3 – 1:00 pm
  • November 3 – 6:30 pm – ADDED PERFORMANCE

WHERE:

The Aronoff Center for the Arts
650 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

TICKETS: Call 513.621.5282, visit cballet.org or visit the Cincinnati Ballet Box Office at 1555 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45214. Tickets start at $29.

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to inspire hope and joy in our community and beyond through the power and passion of dance, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance through exhilarating performances, extensive education outreach programs and top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

Cincinnati Ballet 2019-2020 Season Sponsors: Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley, ArtsWave, Mercy Health, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust, Frisch’s Big Boy, Knowlton

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October 8, 2019 · 1:23 pm

THREE SISTERS at NKU: From Russia, With Love and Loss

NKU_Three Sisters promoHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts continues its 2019-2020 Theatre + Dance Season with one of Anton Chekhov’s most significant plays THREE SISTERS. The production runs Oct. 17-27 at NKU’s Stauss Theatre. For more information and tickets, visit nku.edu/threesisters.

As the Prozorov sisters and their brother yearn for a return to adventure-filled life in Moscow, the pastoral setting of their new lives brings change and reflection on love, marriage, and career. In a prophetic hinting of the coming Bolshevik Revolution, the playwright weaves a memorable tale about the rise of the working class and social change in Russia. THREE SISTERS is a naturalistic play examining the aching desire of dreams and the often cold realities that come to pass.

NKU is using a translation of the play by Dr. Sharon Carnicke of the University of Southern California. She is one of the leading scholars of Russian theatre, especially the work of Anton Chekhov and Constantin Stanislavski, and has translated many works by Chekhov and other Russian dramatists. She has also published widely in the fields of acting on stage and film.

Dr. Carnicke shared her work on Stanislavsky’s system of Active Analysis to the cast during a two-day intensive workshop. The Active Analysis Technique was suppressed in Russia for decades because it failed to adhere to Communist Party ideology. Active Analysis changes the work of analyzing a play from a cerebral activity done around a table, to a physical process done in the theatre space. The cast and director applied the training throughout the rehearsal process, resulting in some exciting discoveries.

The NKU cast features Joel Parece (Andrey Prozorov), Gabriela Barbosa-Gonzales (Natasha Ivanovna), Chelsea Trammell (Olga), Rachel Kazee (Masha), Hannah Beaven (Irina), Nathaniel Clifford (Kulygin), Trevor Browning (Vershinin), Tim Belton (Tuzenbach), Jason Coffenberry (Solyony), Jarod Higgins (Chebutykin), Field Oldham (Fedotik), Trey Finkenstead (Rode), Jordan Whittaker (Ferapont), and Ellie Bennett (Anfisa). The show is directed by Mike King. Other creative team members include Anna Catton (Scenic/ Prop Designer), Paige Devrooman (Asst. Scenic/ Prop Designer), Jacob Miller (Costume Designer), Aaron Burns (Lighting Designer), Kevin Havlin (Sound Designer), and Maria Barnes (Hair/Makeup Designer). The Stage Manager is Holden Casada, and Assistant Stage Managers are Payton Pearson and Mary McNeill. Dr. Carnicke’s visit was made possible by the Tom & Christine Neyer Family Guest Artist Fund.

For more information, call the NKU School of the Arts Box Office at (859) 572-5464 or visit nku.edu/sotatickets.

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