Category Archives: Press Releases

May 15, 2025 · 3:45 pm

Tea TIME: One Woman Performance Artist Boils Over on Stage at Cincy Fringe

Tea TIME:
Erika MacDonald
A NEW EXPERIMENTAL STORYTELLING SOLO SHOW

“MacDonald embodies the “fearless intimacy” that is the essence of Fringe.”
– Orlando Weekly 

(Covington, KY) Fringe favorite and Covington resident Erika MacDonald returns to the Cincinnati Fringe Festival with an all-new performance monologue to entertain and delight. Tea TIME will have its world premiere at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival as part of the Primary Lineup with just five performances on the big stage at Gabriel’s Corner.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER
Erika has participated in the Cincinnati Fringe every year since 2014. Her many Fringe awards include BEST SHOW (The Barn Identity, Tampa Fringe), BEST FEMALE PERFORMER (Tap Me on the Shoulder, Orlando Fringe) and CRITICS’ PICK-OF-THE-FRINGE (Ice Candle, Cincy Fringe). Erika is one of the founders of the Cincinnati Storytelling Festival which will be returning for a fifth year this November. For bio/photos please visit https://www.othererika.com/.

“Delightfully energetic and entertaining” – Watermark 

THIS YEAR:
This has been a big year for Erika in experimental performance:

  • This winter she was honored to be invited to be a Featured Teller at the inaugural Fort Myers Storytelling Festival, as part of an eclectic collection of interdisciplinary storytellers
  • Erika has been brought on as a consultant for a National Science Foundation-funded research project entitled “our biologies” for her expertise in the field of experimental performance
  • This past March, right here on Cincinnati’s Know Theater Underground stage, Erika completed a five-camera shoot of her one-woman show, The Barn Identity, complete with a live studio audience. The video will be released this summer. 

“Smart and comic” – Curve Magazine

THE CREATIVE TEAM:

  • Writer / Performer: Erika MacDonald
  • Choreographer: Genevieve Bernard
  • Director / Sound Designer: Paul Strickland

TICKETS AND INFORMATION
Advance tickets are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at cincyfringe.com or during the festival at Festival Box Offices. Please note: No Late Seating to any Fringe Festival Event. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.

TICKET LINK: https://cincyfringe.com/tea-time/

VENUE: Gabriel’s Corner, located in OTR – 1425 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati OH 45202

SHOW DATES AND TIMES (60 minutes):
Friday, May 30th at 8:45pm; Sunday, June 1st at 7pm; Thursday, June 5th at 7pm; Friday, June 6th at 8:45pm; Wednesday, June 11th at 7pm.

PRICING: $20 General Admission | Multi-show passes available.

RATING: 13 & Up

WARNINGS: Adult Language, Hot Beverages

Festival dates: May 30 – June 14, 2025. For more info about Cincy Fringe visit cincyfringe.com.

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May 13, 2025 · 3:46 pm

DARE TO DREAM MUSICAL SPECTACULAR to Benefit ROYAL Theatre Company on May 30

ROYAL Theatre Company to Present
DARE TO DREAM MUSICAL SPECTACULAR
An Original Musical Review
May 30, 2025

ROYAL Theatre Company, Home of the Children’s Theatre of Mason, is proud to present Dare to Dream Musical Spectacular, an original musical review, on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. We invite you to be part of an extraordinary evening that promises to inspire, entertain, and celebrate the amazing impact our life’s dreams can have.

This show is one night only! Tickets are $100 per person for the Gala and show or $50 per person for the show and dessert only. Tickets for the Gala include a reception, two drink tickets, hors d’oeuvres, dessert and the show. To purchase tickets to the event and preview silent and live auction items please visit our website ROYALTheatreCompany.com. If you are interested in being a Dare to Dream sponsor, please contact Nicole@ROYALTheatreCompany.com

Dare to Dream Musical Spectacular is an innovative performance that highlights the dreams, hopes, and aspirations that drive us all. Featuring mesmerizing music, heartfelt performances, and choreography, it is a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the courage to pursue what seems impossible. The Gala will set the stage for an amazing night! The money we raise through this event will allow ROYAL Theatre Company to provide its ongoing initiatives to nurture creativity, education, and positive change through the arts. “Audience members will not only be wowed and entertained, they will also be personally moved in a way that impacts how they pursue their lives and dreams,” says Karen Kilgore, President of
ROYAL Theatre Company.

Fans can follow ROYAL Theatre Company on Meta: Facebook (ROYAL Theatre Company, Home of Children’s Theatre of Mason) and Instagram (royal_theatre_company).

About ROYAL Theatre Company, Home of The Children’s Theatre of Mason ROYAL Theatre Company produces two large-scale productions each season, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Oliver to Beauty and the Beast and Lion King Jr. as well as many other popular favorites. ROYAL Theatre Company offers children from ages 6-18 and other talented actors from all over the Cincinnati area the opportunity to take part onstage as performers as well as off stage as crew members, make-up assistants and many other behind-the-scenes roles. To volunteer, donate or learn more, visit ROYALTheatreCompany.com or call 513.398.0116.

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May 12, 2025 · 3:43 pm

Claudia Pompeya Brings THE MOTHER to Cincy Fringe

I’m Claudia Pompeya, a Cincinnati-based graphic designer and performer. I wanted to share that I’m debuting my first solo clown show, THE MOTHER, at this year’s Cincy Fringe—a one-night, work-in-progress performance on June 12 at 8:45 PM. Doors open 8:15pm.

It’s a poetic and offbeat exploration of the mother wound, told through physical storytelling, character, props, and absurdity. The piece is deeply shaped by my healing journey through clown.

Claudia Pompeya is a performer and visual artist who accidentally became a clown. She’s trained with Dell’Arte, renowned British comedy troupe Spymonkey, and more. Her first clown work, In My Room, was featured in Wave Pool Art Gallery’s Faux Real exhibition. Former corporate graphic designer. Current vessel of poetic nonsense. She blends visual storytelling with physical performance and soft chaos.

🎟️ Tickets: https://cincyfringe.com/the-mother/
📍 Miami Venue, on the corner of Vine & 13th Streets – Cincy Fringe Festival

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May 12, 2025 · 3:42 pm

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Closes the 2024-2025 Season with JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING

May 31 – June 22, 2025

(Cincinnati, OH) Get tressed to impress! Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) closes its 2024–2025 Season with the regional premiere dramedy Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Written by award-winning and Tony-nominated Ghanaian American playwright Jocelyn Bioh (School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play), pull up a chair with West African immigrant braiders who work their magic on the locals’ locks. This laugh-out-loud comedic gem is a riotously funny yet deeply resonant play that celebrates the indomitable spirit and interconnectedness that define us all. Playing  May 31–June 22, 2025, and is directed by Torie Wiggins. Premiere Sponsors are Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard and ArtsWave. Artist Sponsor is Linda R. Holthaus.

Welcome to Jaja’s bustling hair braiding salon nestled in the pulsating heart of Harlem, where a lively community of West African immigrant hair braiders weaves together humor and heart. Amidst the laughter and playful shop talk, a diverse group of women share dreams, love stories, and hidden secrets, all while creating stunning braided masterpieces. On a sweltering summer day, the lighthearted banter reveals deeper reflections on the challenges of feeling like outsiders in their own neighborhood, sparking a powerful exploration of identity and belonging, and confronting what it means to be an outsider on the edge of the place they call home.

“One of the things I love about Jaja’s is all these voices and ideas converging in this one place,” explains ETC Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “It’s important to celebrate a community’s voice in a way that feels accessible and understandable and that can be empathetic as well as celebratory. These women’s lives are changed in an instant by powers beyond their control. I think it’s essential in our world to recognize what other people may be up against that we’re unaware of as we go about our daily lives.”

Cast includes Burgess Byrd (Jaja), Keisha L. Kemper (Bea), Samantha Russell (Marie), Elexis Selmon (Jennifer), and Beasley (Vanessa/Shelia/Radia). Additionally, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati welcomes the following performers in their ETC debuts: A.J. Baldwin (Michelle/Chrissy/LaNiece), Jasimine Bouldin (Ndidi), Candice Handy (Aminata), Brianna Miller (Miriam), and Samuel Stricklen (James/Franklin/Olu/Eric).

Production team: Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer), Tiara M. Jones (Costume, Hair, & Wig Designer), Aniya Williams (Assistant Hair & Wig Designer), Justin Ellington (Sound Designer), Trey Tatum (Associate Sound Designer), Debora Crabbe (Dialect Coach), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Curator & Design Assistant), and Jacob Dowell (Technical Director). Production Stage Manager is Margot Whitney. Assistant Stage Manager is Lexi Muller. 

Performance Information

Performances Tuesday-Saturday at 7:30 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. A complete calendar of performances is available at www.ensemblecincinnati.org. 

Ticket Prices

Tickets for adults start at $30; student tickets are $28; and children are $24. Half-Price Rush Tickets: All remaining tickets for the current day’s performance(s) are available two hours prior to each show time for half-price (discount only applies to adult tickets) when purchasing by phone or in person. $15 Student Rush Tickets: Students may purchase up to two $15 student rush tickets two hours prior to show time with valid student I.D. Available in person only.

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2024-2025 Season Presenting Sponsor is the LKC Foundation.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre rooted in historic Over-the-Rhine dedicated to engaging, enriching, and inspiring audiences through our thought-provoking world and regional premiere productions, creating and sustaining careers in professional theatre, building community partnerships, and sharing impactful education programs throughout our region.

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May 7, 2025 · 3:34 pm

Cincinnati Ballet Announces Alyssa Wang as Music Director

Wang will assume new role for 2025-2026 Season

Cincinnati, OH (May 6, 2025) – Cincinnati Ballet announced today that Alyssa Wang has been named the Company’s permanent Music Director. Wang, an accomplished conductor, violinist, and composer will assume her new role for the upcoming 2025 – 2026 Season. “After an extensive international search, it became clear that Alyssa has the vision, excellence, and experience to lead the Company as its new music leader,” said Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director Cervilio Miguel Amador. Since 2021, Wang has served as the Assistant Conductor for Boston Ballet and served as Music Director for the annual Next Generation project with Boston Ballet School. She is the Co-Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Conductor of the Boston Festival Orchestra, which presents an annual summer festival, chamber music series, and music education program.  Wang has also worked as a conductor with the Dallas Symphony, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Cape Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Concord Orchestra, and more.

Alyssa has enjoyed exploring diverse creative paths with a focus on audience inclusivity and engagement. She is the recipient of the 2024 New Music USA Creator Fund, the 2023 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award, and the 2022 St. Botolph Emerging Artist Award. As a violinist, Alyssa has soloed with ensembles across the country and is the newest member musician of the Boston Chamber Music Society. She has been featured in numerous contemporary recording projects, such as Carlos Simon’s Grammy-nominated album, Requiem for the Enslaved (Decca), Nancy Galbraith’s Violin Concerto with Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and David Post’s Violin Sonata (Centaur). As a composer, she premiered her own violin concerto, Swept Away, with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh, who commissioned the work, in February 2023. Her latest composition project is a string octet for Boston Chamber Music Society that will premiere in May 2026.

Alyssa earned her bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University under the tutelage of Andrés Cárdenes, and a master’s degree at the New England Conservatory where she studied with Malcolm Lowe. She is a recipient of the Pittsburgh Female College Association Prize, the Carnegie Mellon Women’s Award, the Senior Leadership Award, and the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award. Alyssa is also an Andrew Carnegie Scholar.

Wang will become the second music director in Cincinnati Ballet’s history. Carmon Deleone, Music Director Emeritus, retired in 2023 after more than 50 years in the position.

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, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Cincinnati Ballet is a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world-premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a high-caliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy. Cincinnati Ballet is housed at the world-class Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance in Cincinnati’s thriving Walnut Hills arts community.

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