Category Archives: Press Releases

October 9, 2019 · 9:48 am

The Carnegie Theatre Season Continues With PROOF

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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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October 7, 2019 · 3:20 pm

HRTC Reads Wartime Drama IF ALL THE SKY WERE PAPER for Veterans’ Day

HRTC_new logoThe Human Race presents this intimate look at correspondence from combatants on Monday, November 11

(DAYTON, Ohio) On Veterans’ Day this year, The Human Race Theatre Company will present a staged reading of a new play, If All The Sky Were Paper, by Andrew Carroll. It’s a meaningful piece of timing, because the play is based on letters sent home by soldiers dating from to the American Revolution to modern day emails from Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a powerful look at war and its effect on the people serving and their families at home.

The playwright, Andrew Carroll, is the Founding Director of the Center for American War Letters at Chapman University. It all started when his cousin sent Andrew a letter he uncovered in storage that the cousin had written and sent home during WWII after having visited a concentration camp. Since then, Andrew has collected hundreds of thousands more, mostly the original letters, that share pieces of history in their observations. To learn more about the Center for American War Letters, visit their website at https://www.chapman.edu/research/institutes-and-centers/cawl.

If All The Sky Were Paper is the first in a series of three play readings The Human Race Theatre Company will present this year. Additional readings will follow in March and April of 2020; titles are yet to be announced.

PERFORMANCE AND EVENT INFORMATION

Tickets for If All the Sky Were Paper start at $20. Prior to the event, subscribers to The Human Race Theatre may pay $15 per ticket; the day of the event, all tickets are $20. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more.

The performance is at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio. The show will begin at 7 pm.

Tickets and performance information are available at www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

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2019-2020 marks the 33rd season for The Human Race Theatre Company, “Dayton’s Official Professional Theatre Company.” Founded in 1986, The Human Race moved into the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence in its current home, the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces new works development and special event programming. Under the direction of Executive Director Kappy Kilburn and Kevin Moore, Artistic Director, the company also maintains outreach programs, as well as artist residencies in area schools and a summer youth program. Human Race organizational support is provided by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, Culture Works, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 2019-2020 Sustainability Sponsors are the ELM Foundation, Anne F. Johnson, Steve and Lou Mason, Morris Home, and the Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation. The 2019-2020 Loft season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton Foundation. The Women of Influence season sponsor is the Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts.

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October 7, 2019 · 3:12 pm

Xavier University Theatre Presents CHICAGO, Oct. 18-26

XUT_Chicago Cellblock

Peyton Wright as Liz, Jenna Treinen as Annie, Kertu Bell as June, Jo Dearman as Hunyak, Ellie Deutsch as Velma & Julia Olinger as Mona from The Cellblock Tango. Photo by Stephen Skiles.

(CINCINNATI, Oct. 7, 2019) – Xavier University continues its 2019-20 season with Broadway’s longest-running American musical, Chicago. The Tony Award-winning show runs for two weekends, from Oct. 18 to 26, in Xavier’s Gallagher Student Center Theatre.

The raucous Jazz Age is brought to life in all its corrupt glory in one of musical theatre’s most popular productions. Chicago is the story of Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, two women who rise to fame through cunning and murder. A satire of the legal system and our obsession with fame, the show remains timely as well as entertaining.

“I’ve wanted to direct Chicago for years,” said Director of Theatre Stephen Skiles.  “The show’s perspective on celebrity and media feels ahead of its time when viewed in the context of contemporary culture. Plus, the show is filled with great song-and-dance numbers that have challenged our students and promise great fun for audiences.”

“I’m honored to step into such an iconic role in the musical theatre canon to tell the story of a woman who took her life by the reigns without hiding behind a man,” said junior Kelsey Schwarber, who plays Roxie. “Roxie Hart defied the norms for women of her time. Chicago tells a story of America that remains relevant today as we navigate the triumphs and failures of the criminal justice system, women’s rights, and power in friendship.”

“Chicago, at its core, is about pursuing dreams,” noted senior Andy Girmann, who plays Roxie’s long-suffering husband, Amos. “Whether those dreams are big or small, each of the characters in the show would do anything to achieve them. The production offers a fascinating look into human nature and desire.”

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Ellie Deutsch as Velma Kelly, Max Carlson as Billy Flynn & Kelsey Schwarber as Roxie Hart. Photo by Stephen Skiles.

The principal cast also features junior Ellie Deutsch as Velma Kelly, sophomore Caroline Marino as Matron “Mama” Morton, junior Dylan Van Camp as Mary Sunshine, and junior Max Carlson as Billy Flynn.

The ensemble includes first-year students Carter Bechtol, Anna Campise, Anthony Contreras, Parker Culp, and Jenna Treinen; sophomores Kertu Bell, Jo Dearman, Jackson Frazier, Danielle Jacobs, Julia Olinger, Ryan Whitford, and Peyton Wright; junior Grant Zentmeyer; and senior Michael Rowlett.

In addition to Skiles, other members of the creative team include Joe Beumer (Set and Lighting Designer), Jessica Pitcairn (Costume Designer), Scot Buzza (Music Director), Dee Anne Bryll (Choreographer), junior Steven Stapleton (Sound Designer), and Joe Leonard (Technical Director). The stage manager is sophomore Liz Apollonio. Assistant stage managers are sophomores Josie Daley and Matt Sherman.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26 and 2:00 p.m. on Oct. 19. Tickets for Chicago are available now through the Xavier University Theatre Box Office. They are $18 each for adults and $13 each for students, as well as Xavier faculty and staff. To purchase tickets, visit www.xavier.edu/theatretickets or call 513-745-3939.

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