Category Archives: Press Releases

Tony Award-Winning ONCE ON THIS ISLAND Brings Storybook Magic to Life

PIP_Once on This Island logo

Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

Joyous musical opens Playhouse season Sept. 7

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will begin the 2019-2020 season with the vibrant one-act musical, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND on Sept. 7 in the Marx Theatre. The production will run through Oct. 6, with opening night on Sept. 12.

Based on the novels My Love, My Love: or The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy, this Calypso-flavored musical tells the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl in the Caribbean French Antilles, who is led on an epic adventure for love. But the pompous gods who preside over the island make a bet with one another over which is stronger: love or death, with the stakes being Ti Moune’s life.

Winner of the 1995 Olivier Award for Best New Musical following its original London production and 2017 Tony Award-winner for its Broadway revival, ONCE ON THIS ISLANDis directed and choreographed by Robert Barry Fleming. Fleming is the Artistic Director at the lauded Actors Theatre of Louisville and has served as Associate Artistic Director at the Cleveland Play House and Director of Artistic Programming at Washington D.C.’s Arena Stage.

“The heart of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is the musical’s uplifting score by songwriting team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, who have garnered countless theatre accolades,” says Blake Robison, Artistic Director of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. “Together with the work of Robert Barry Fleming, the story will come to life for audiences with its themes of family, community and the power of love.”

The Playhouse’s $10 Tuesdays return during ONCE ON THIS ISLAND for the first two Tuesday performances of the run – on Sept. 10 and 17. A minimum of 100 tickets will be available each evening.

“Our $10 Tuesdays during In the Heights last season helped make the biggest show of the season accessible to anyone who loves theatre,” explains Robison. “We are going offer them periodically throughout the upcoming season, starting with two evenings during our season opener.”

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ohio’s only two-time Tony Award-winning theatre, boasts productions that are both nationally recognized and locally crafted. The 2019-2020 season includes productions featuring actors, directors, and designers who regularly work on and off Broadway and at other leading professional theatres across the country. All productions are presented at the Playhouse’s iconic Eden Park setting.

CAST 
(in speaking order)

Rheaume Crenshaw (Mama Euralie); Kenneth Robinson (Tonton Julian); Lauren Chanel (Ti Moune); Colin Carswell (Daniel Beauxhomme); Ken Early (Armand); Alexis Louise Young (Andrea); Sharon Catherine Brown (Papa Ge); Christina Booker (Storyteller); Alfie Dale Jones (Storyteller); Bre Jackson (Asaka); Allan K. Washington (Agwe); Christina Acosta Robinson (Erzulie); Asada Austin and Morgan O. Reynolds (Little Girl).

PRODUCTION
Robert Barry Fleming (Director and Choreographer); Brandon Adams (Music Director); Jason Ardizzone-West (Set Designer); Lex Liang (Costume Designer); Alan Edwards (Lighting Designer); Daniel Perelstein (Sound Designer); Stephanie Klapper, CSA (Casting Director); Brooke Redler (Stage Manager); Jenifer Morrow (Second 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 seat location. Recommended for children ages 10 and up.

$10 Tuesdays
The $10 tickets may only be purchased in-person at the Playhouse Box Office beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 and Tuesday, Sept. 17. Limit two per person. No advance reservations or choice of seating.

EVENTS

Wine Tastings
Fridays, Sept. 13, 20, 27, and Oct. 4 | 6:30 p.m. at the Playhouse | Cost: $42 per person
Join us before Friday evening performances of Once on This Island for a special wine tasting and a three-course meal, catered by Chef’s Choice Catering! Reservations are required by the Monday before the tasting and can be made through the Box Office at 513-421-3888 or online at cincyplay.com/events. Cost of dinner does not include a ticket to the show.

SPONSORS

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is sponsored by Johnson Investment Counsel and Clark Schaefer Hackett. Design Sponsor is Messer Construction Co. Artist sponsors are BHDP and Key Bank. Orchestra Sponsor is Barbara Weyand. The Marx Theatre season is presented by Schueler Group. The Season Sponsor of New Work is The Rosenthal Family Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of 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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CCM Announces Initial 2019-2020 Performance Lineup, New Subscription Offerings

CCM_logoCCM has assembled all of its performances under the new banner of CCMONSTAGE,
making it easier than ever for audiences to experience the college’s ‘stars of tomorrow’

CINCINNATI, OH — Area arts lovers have a new destination for world-class performances in 2019-20. The largest single-source of performing and media arts events in the state of Ohio, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has assembled all of its public performances under the new banner of CCMONSTAGE  and the new online portal ccmonstage.universitytickets.com, making it easier than ever for audiences to experience the immense talent of the college’s student and faculty artists.

“Before they appear on the world stage, tomorrow’s arts leaders and luminaries get their start on the CCM stage,” says CCM Dean Stanley E. Romanstein, PhD. “CCM is already synonymous with excellence in performing arts education. Beginning this fall, CCMONSTAGE will become synonymous with opportunities for the general public to experience this excellence for themselves.”

This new name and online home for CCM’s wide array of public events is being accompanied by all-new subscription packages, digital sales options and much more. “From our patrons’ first point of contact with the CCM Box Office to the program booklets that they receive when they arrive at each major performance, we are enhancing every aspect of the audience experience with CCMONSTAGE,” says Romanstein.

New Subscription Packages
For the first time ever, subscribers get priority access to the spectacular theatre arts productions presented on all of CCM’s stages. In place of CCM’s conventional Mainstage subscriptions, each genre-specific CCMONSTAGE subscription package is designed to let audiences experience more of what they love most.

CCMONSTAGE’s 2019-20 theatre arts subscription series includes three operas (The Bartered Bride, Partenope and The Magic Flute), four musicals (42nd Street, The Rocky Horror Show, The Secret Garden and Bright Star), four plays (Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Clybourne Park and Punk Rock) and three dance programs (The Art of Motion, Student Choreographers’ Showcase and Serenade + The Rite of Spring).

These offerings take the place of CCM’s previous “Mainstage Series” and “Studio Series” designations. The CCMONSTAGE operas, musicals, plays and dance productions staged in the Cohen Family Studio Theater will require paid admission and are now included in CCMONSTAGE subscription packages, allowing patrons to secure their seats in advance for these intimate and adventurous productions.

CCMONSTAGE’s concert subscription offerings include a five-part orchestra series featuring the CCM Philharmonia collaborating with special guests like Louis Langrée and Leslie Dunner, a five-part big band series with the incomparable CCM Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab Band and a four-part chamber music series featuring CCM resident artists the Ariel Quartet performing with visiting artists including Alexander Fiterstein and Anton Nel. Patrons can now reserve their seats for all CCMONSTAGE concert subscription offerings.

CCM’s full 2019-20 concert schedule will be announced later this summer and flex concert packages will again be available for purchase.

Patrons now have the option of subscribing to each genre-specific series of events, guaranteeing the best seats in the house at the season’s lowest prices. Subscriptions and single tickets go on sale to the general public at noon on Monday, Aug. 19, 2019.

Patrons who purchased CCM Mainstage or Ariel Quartet subscriptions in 2018-19 will receive a Pre-Sale Code, which grants them exclusive access to CCM’s new subscriptions before the general on sale date. Pre-Sale Codes are being mailed and emailed to all 2018-19 subscribers.

Subscription packages can be purchased online at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com, over the phone at 513-556-4183 or in person at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts.

“Whether it’s exhilarating concerts or breathtaking theatre,” says Romanstein, “the artistry that you love lives at CCM. We hope you will join us for an incredible season of CCMONSTAGE.”

Full performance details are listed below. Performance dates and details subject to change. For the most current information, visit the new CCMONSTAGE portal at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com.

Be the first to know about future ticket on-sale dates and more: sign up for our email list at ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/subscribe.

CCMONSTAGE 2019-20 Subscription Series

OPERA (THREE PRODUCTIONS)

THE BARTERED BRIDE
Music by Bedřich Smetana Libretto by Karel Sabina German adaptation by Max Kalbeck New German translation by Walter Felsenstein

Levi Hammer, conductor
Audrey Chait, director

Part bubbly operetta and part Bohemian folk pageant, The Bartered Bride is a romantic comedy set in the Czech Republic. Marie is arranged to marry the son of a rich landowner, but she is in love with someone else. Defiantly, Marie vows before her parents that she will only accept her love, Hans, as her husband. As her parents and the matchmaker fight for the arranged marriage, the young lovers fight against tradition in order to be together.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21
7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
_____

PARTENOPE
Music by George Frideric Handel
Libretto by Silvio Stampiglia

Caleb Glickman, conductor
Greg Eldridge, director

Four rival suitors must navigate their way through mistaken identities, cross-dressing and declarations of war as they vie for Queen Partenope’s hand in marriage. Written in 1730, Handel’s witty romantic comedy features gorgeous arias and captivating music.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23
Cohen Family Studio Theater
_____
THE MAGIC FLUTE
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder

Mark Gibson, conductor
Robin Guarino, director

Mozart composed this beloved opera for the person who wants everything: a hero and heroine questing for true love, evil villains, a comical sidekick and – to add to the lunacy – a whole range of beastly creatures. Mozart’s incredible music reflects and drives the merriment in this all-time favorite.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4
2 p.m. Sunday, April 5
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s

CCMONSTAGE Opera Three-Show Subscription Package: $89
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=171

ORCHESTRA (FIVE CONCERTS)

SEASON-OPENING CONCERT
CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor
Featuring faculty artist Giora Schmidt, violin

DVOŘÁK: Slavonic Dance in C Major, Op. 46, No. 1
DVOŘÁK: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53, feat. Giora Schmidt
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20
Corbett Auditorium
_____
PRIDE OF RUSSIA
CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor
Featuring faculty artist Dror Biran, piano

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Russian Easter Overture
SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 102
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3
Corbett Auditorium
_____
CSI HALLOWEEN: POST-MORTEM
CCM Philharmonia and Chamber Orchestra
Mark Gibson, music director
Featuring guest artist Leslie B. Dunner, guest conductor and chief medical examiner

LISZT: Totentanz
SAINT-SAËNS: Carnival of the “Dead” Animals
BRITTEN: “Dead” Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1
Corbett Auditorium
_____
THE LONG GOODBYE
CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor

BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, “Les Adieux”
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 in D Major

7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31
Corbett Auditorium
_____
WELCOME TO CCM, MAESTRO LANGRÉE
CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director
Louis Langrée, conductor

DEBUSSY: Prélude à L’après-midi d’un faune
RAVEL: Piano Concerto
BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
Corbett Auditorium

CCMONSTAGE Orchestra Five-Concert Subscription Package: $99
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=175

Additional concert performances will be offered outside of this new five-part series. CCM will announce its full schedule of 2019-20 choral, jazz, orchestral and winds concerts later this summer.

MUSICALS (FOUR PRODUCTIONS)

42ND STREET
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble
Based on the Novel by Bradford Ropes
Original Direction and Dances by Gower Champion
Originally Produced on Broadway by David Merrick
The use of all songs is by arrangement with Warner Bros., the owner of music publishers’ rights

Diane Lala, director and co-choreographer
Katie Johannigman, co-choreographer
Roger Grodsky, musical director

The ultimate show-biz musical, 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square and the people who make the magic of musical theatre. Aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. But just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” “Dames,” “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “Forty-Second Street.”

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27
Corbett Auditorium

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
_____
Richard O’Brien’s
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Book, Music and Lyrics by Richard O’Brien

Vincent DeGeorge, director and choreographer
Stephen Goers, musical director

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named Rocky. Celebrate Halloween with this deliberately kitschy rock ‘n’ roll sci-fi Gothic musical, which features popular hits such as “Science Fiction – Double Feature,” “Time Warp” and “Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul).” For mature audiences.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31
7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1
2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3
Cohen Family Studio Theater

The Rocky Horror Show is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
_____
CCMONSTAGE Presents
THE SECRET GARDEN
Book and lyrics by Marsha Norman Music by Lucy Simon Based on the Novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Connor Gallagher, director and choreographer
Jeremy Robin Lyons, musical director

This enchanting classic of children’s literature is reimagined in musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of ‘Night Mother. Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his ailing son Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the “Dreamers,” spirits from Mary’s past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden’s compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5
7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6
2 p.m. Saturday, March 7
7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7
2 p.m. Sunday, March 8
Corbett Auditorium

The Secret Garden is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
_____
BRIGHT STAR
Inspired by a True Story
Music, Book and Story by Steve Martin
Music, Lyrics and Story by Edie Brickell
Produced by Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Zebulon LLC, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Len Blavatnik, James L. Nederlander, Carson & Joseph Gleberman, Balboa Park Productions, The Shubert Organization, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler/Cricket Jiranek
In Association with Rodger Hess, A.C. Orange International, Broadway Across America, Sally Jacobs & Warren Baker, Diana DiMenna, Exeter Capital, Agnes Gund, True Love Productions and The Old Globe

Katie Johannigman, director and choreographer
Stephen Goers, musical director

Inspired by a real event and featuring the Grammy-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Broadway’s Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past – and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and powerfully moving performances.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3
2 p.m. Saturday, April 4
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4
2 p.m. Sunday, April 5
Cohen Family Studio Theater

Bright Star is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York NY 10036. 866-378-9758 www.theatericalrights.com

CCMONSTAGE Musicals Four-Show Subscription Package: $119
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=168

JAZZ (FIVE CONCERTS)

SWINGING WITH WOODY HERMAN
THE INAUGURAL JOHN VON OHLEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP CONCERT
CCM Jazz Orchestra
Scott Belck, music director

Hot off their Summer 2019 tour with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the CCM Jazz Orchestra celebrates the legacy of Cincinnati jazz legend John Von Ohlen, who drummed with Stan Kenton and Woody Herman before joining CCM’s jazz faculty. This memorial concert raises scholarship funds in Von Ohlen’s honor.

7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Corbett Auditorium
_____
THE MUSIC OF STEVIE WONDER
CCM Jazz Lab Band
Craig Bailey, music director
Featuring guest artist Tyshawn Colquitt, vocals

The groove is guaranteed to be “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” in this musical tribute to one of Motown’s brightest stars! Hear the hits of Stevie Wonder brought to life by the CCM Jazz Lab Band and Cincinnati native Tyshawn Colquitt, a seven-time winner of Showtime at the Apollo and recent contestant on NBC’s The Voice singing competition.

7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3
Corbett Auditorium
_____
DUKE ELLINGTON’S NUTCRACKER SUITE
CCM Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab Band
Featuring CCM Musical Theatre students
Scott Belck, music director
Diane Lala, choreographer

Enjoy our original retelling of Ellington’s remarkable adaptation of The Nutcracker Suite, brought to life with stunning choreography from CCM Musical Theatre’s stars of tomorrow.

4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24
Corbett Auditorium
_____
ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON FESTIVAL: GALA CONCERT
CCM Jazz Orchestra
Scott Belck, music director

CCM’s Essentially Ellington Festival, sponsored by Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center, returns in full swing! The daylong event features the region’s top high school jazz ensembles, and the gala concert will feature the CCM Jazz Orchestra with a special guest artist from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22
Corbett Auditorium
_____
THE MUSIC OF FRANK SINATRA
CCM Jazz Orchestra

Scott Belck, music director
Featuring guest artist Steve Lippia, vocals

Critically acclaimed jazz vocalist Steve Lippia joins CCM’s Big Band for a hard-swinging tribute to the legendary Frank Sinatra. Experience the romance of an evening filled with the hits of “Old Blue Eyes.”

7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11
Corbett Auditorium

CCMONSTAGE Jazz Five-Concert Subscription Package: $99
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=173

Additional concert performances will be offered outside of this new five-part series. CCM will announce its full schedule of 2019-20 choral, jazz, orchestral and winds concerts later this summer.

PLAYS (FOUR PRODUCTIONS)

LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN
By Oscar Wilde

Susan Felder, director

Infidelity, blackmail, a birthday ball and a fan are at the center of this 19th-century satire set in London. Lady Windermere suspects that her husband is having an affair with a mysterious woman. Will she exact her revenge and find comfort in another man? What is the true identity of the mysterious Mrs. Erlynne — and why is Lord Windermere secretly giving her money? A witty evaluation of marriage, sex and gender politics, this classic by Oscar Wilde gave the world the iconic line: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4
2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
_____
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
Based on the novel by Mark Haddon
Adapted by Simon Stephens

Richard E. Hess, director

In this 2015 Tony Award winning Best Play, 15-year-old Christopher 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, Wellington, he becomes determined to solve the mystery of who murdered the dog. His detective work takes him on a thrilling journey through London that overturns his entire world.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18
2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20
Cohen Family Studio Theater
_____
CLYBOURNE PARK
By Bruce Norris

Richard E. Hess, director

Clybourne Park was awarded the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play. Inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959), the play explodes in two high powered acts set 50 years apart. It imagines events in a racially charged America and reveals that underneath a house in a typical neighborhood, racial fault lines run deep and wide.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14
2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
_____
PUNK ROCK
By Simon Stephens

Brant Russell, director

In the library of a British high school, William and his fellow classmates prepare for their final exams while navigating the pressures of teenage life. They are educated and aspirational young people, but the savagery and combustibility of their world infects them. For mature audiences.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24
2 p.m. Saturday, April 25
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25
2 p.m. Sunday, April 26
Cohen Family Studio Theater

CCMONSTAGE Plays Four-Show Subscription Package: $89
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=169

ARIEL QUARTET (FOUR CONCERTS)

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

HAYDN: String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 76, No. 2, “Fifths”
DUN: Eight Colors for String Quartet (1986)
SCHUBERT: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden”

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
_____
THE FUGUE

This concert of fugues features Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 with its original final movement, the Grosse Fugue, which is often performed on its own as Beethoven’s Opus 133.

MOZART: Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, K. 546
BARTÓK: String Quartet No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 7
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 and 133

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
_____
A WORLD PREMIERE
Featuring guest artist Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet

The Ariel Quartet continues its 2019-20 concert series with a world premiere by Christopher Theofanidis, commissioned by the Manchester Music Festival and written for the Ariel Quartet with guest artist Alexander Fiterstein.

BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127
THEOFANIDIS: Clarinet Quintet
MOZART: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
_____
HUNGARY
Featuring guest artist and CCM alumnus Anton Nel, piano

HAYDN: String Quartet No. 62 in C Major, Op. 76, No. 3, “Emperor”
BRAHMS: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25
DOHNÁNYI: Piano Quintet No. 2 in E-flat Minor, Op. 26

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall

The Ariel Quartet’s 2019-20 CCM concert series is made possible by the generous contributions of an anonymous donor, The Estate of Mr. William A. Friedlander, Mrs. William A. Friedlander, Dr. Randolph L. Wadsworth, Mr. & Mrs. J. David Rosenberg, Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Santen, Elizabeth C. B. & Paul G. Sittenfeld, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman, Dr. & Mrs. Theodore W. Striker and Mrs. Harry M. Hoffheimer

CCMONSTAGE Ariel Quartet Four-Concert Subscription Package: $79
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=172

DANCE (THREE PRODUCTIONS)

THE ART OF MOTION
Deirdre Carberry, director

CCM Dance showcases an array of classic and contemporary works restaged and choreographed by CCM Dance faculty members.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
_____
STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE
Michael Tevlin, director

Come experience the next generation of emerging choreographers as CCM dance majors take the stage with exciting and diverse new works.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5
7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6
7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7
2 p.m. Sunday, March 8
Cohen Family Studio Theater
_____
SERENADE + THE RITE OF SPRING
Jiang Qi, director Mark Gibson, conductor

CCM Dance and the CCM Philharmonia present two ballets set to music by two master composers. The first original ballet created by George Balanchine in America, Serenade is set to romantic music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who also composed Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. Set to music by Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring was one of the first examples of modern music and dance when the ballet first premiered in Paris in 1913. Although a riot broke out at the premiere, the legendary work is now regarded as one of the most important ballets of the 20th century.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25
2 p.m. Sunday, April 26
Corbett Auditorium

The performance of Serenade, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangements with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s

CCMONSTAGE Dance Three-Show Subscription Package: $59
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details at
https://ccmonstage.universitytickets.com/w/?cid=170

CCMONSTAGE Subscription Benefits

THE BEST SEATS: CCMONSTAGE subscribers can guarantee their favorite seats for all of their favorite performances in CCM’s Corbett Auditorium, Patricia Corbett Theater and Cohen Family Studio Theater.

THE BEST PRICES: CCMONSTAGE subscribers can save as much as 25% off of single ticket prices. All CCMONSTAGE subscription prices are inclusive of all fees.

GUARANTEED PARKING: CCMONSTAGE subscribers can order prepaid parking at $8 each for every performance selected. Parking in the CCM Garage for a performance or special event is usually available for $8-$15.

Purchasing Your CCMONSTAGE Subscriptions

Subscription renewals are on sale now; renewal information will be mailed and emailed to current subscribers. New subscriptions and single tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 19, 2019.

Subscription packages can be ordered:

  • ONLINE at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com
  • OVER THE PHONE at 513-556-4183
  • IN PERSON at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts

Our Box Office staff is always ready to answer your questions by phone at 513-556-4183 or by email at boxoff@uc.edu.

Be the first to know about future ticket on-sale dates and more: sign up for our email list at ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/subscribe.

A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

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The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Presents SUFFRAGETTES: WITH LIBERTY AND VOTING FOR ALL on the Showtime Stage

TCTC_Suffragettes promo

Laura Stenger as a Suffragette.  Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Votes for women!  The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) brings a historic 45-minute musical performance of SUFFRAGETTES: WITH LIBERTY AND VOTING FOR ALL presented by TCT On Tour (TCT’s touring division) to the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage September 21-22, 2019.

​​In 2020, the nation will the celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the United States – the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote. Experience the empowering history of the brave women who made triumphant strides through sacrifice and determination. Through story and song, learn about the great gift these women left us – an empowering heritage of pride, momentum and purpose. From 1920 to today, these women are a constant source of strength and inspiration.

The 4-person cast includes members of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Resident Artist Company:  Whitney Daniels, Lauren Everett, LaShondra Hood, and James Stringer Jr. The production was written and directed by local playwright, Mary Tensing, with music by Tracy Walker—who has been at the forefront of Cincinnati’s independent music scene and whose style sits at the crossroads of Folk, Rock, Country, Jazz, and Blues. 

SUFFRAGETTES is most enjoyed by those ages 8+ and will be presented on the Ralph and Patricia Corbett Showtime Stage, 4015 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH  45227. Only 152 seats are available for each performance. A question-and-answer session follows every show.

Performances will be held:

  • Saturday, September 21 at 2 PM and 5 PM
  • Sunday, September 22 at 2 PM

Tickets are $10 each (plus service fees) and are available exclusively through ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Mainstage subscribers pay just $7 per ticket – a savings of $3. Tickets available now.

TCT On Tour is bringing this production to schools and venues around the Tri-State and throughout the region.  If you’re interested in booking, please contact Violet Webster at 513-569-8080 x20 or by emailing violet.webster@tctcincinnati.com.

Don’t miss The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Podcast, Audio Footlights. Hosted by Producing Artistic Director, Roderick Justice, this podcast is designed to look at the shows TCT produces, and to ignite, impact and inspire young listeners to have a lifelong love of theatre. This free TCT Podcast runs about 8 minutes, and will be available on iTunes as well as Stitcher, SoundCloud, GooglePlay, TuneIn and Spotify soon!

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s TCT On Tour production of SUFFRAGETTES: WITH LIBERTY AND VOTING FOR ALL is made possible by PNC.  The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the Ohio Arts Council and the generosity of the tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. 

TCT On Tour Actor Bios:

WHITNEY DANIELS – Whitney is excited to be making her debut with TCT. Past credits include It Should’ve Been You (Annie), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Esmeralda), Dreamgirls (Michelle), as well as performing in the Holly Jolly Trolley Show at Carowinds Amusement Park. Whitney is a graduate from Coastal Carolina University with a BA in Music Performance and Minor in Dramatic Arts.

LAUREN EVERETT – Lauren is a proud graduate of Wright State University’s BFA Musical Theatre Program. She was last seen with TCT at the Taft Theatre as Cinderella/Trinhilda in Sleeping Beauty. Regional Credits: Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown), Twelfth Night (Olivia). WSU Credits: No, No, Nanette! (Nanette), The Music Man (Marian u/s), The Great Gatsby (Daisy u/s), Peter Pan (Wendy u/s). Website: www.laureneverett.net Instagram: @misslaureneileen.

LASHONDRA HOOD – LaShondra is honored to join The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati for their 100th season! She recently received her M.F.A. from the University of Louisville and is excited about this new chapter of her career. Some of LaShondra’s proudest theatrical credits include The Mountaintop, Fabulation, Eurydice, Our Country’s Good, Crowns, Fences, and Flyin’ West. Other opportunities include an apprenticeship with Williamstown Theatre Festival ‘16, a company member of U of L’s Repertory Theatre Company, and partner of the 2019 winner of the Kennedy Center Irene Ryan competition.

JAMES STRINGER JR. – James is ecstatic to be joining The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati this year as part of their touring company. James just finished the internship program at The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park as part of the 18-19 season where he was seen in mainstage shows such as Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley and A Christmas Carol. Touring shows included Cyrano and Five Little Monkeys. James graduated from The University of Louisville in 2017 with a Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts. He is looking forward to another great year in Cincinnati and working with the amazing team at TCT!

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CHAMELEON – A Story of Abuse, Addiction, Incarceration and Triumph

CAA_Chameleon promoCINCINNATI – Things can happen in childhood that set us on a collision course with life.

Lucretia Bowman has collided hard with life. She was placed in foster care at birth, abused as a child, and placed in a mental hospital. She became a runaway, and turned to a life of drugs and crime, spending 17 years in prison. Despite all that – perhaps because of all that – she has become an inspirational leader, helping women and men overcome life-controlling behaviors through the long-term residential recovery program at City Gospel Mission as VP of Recovery.

Now, her story of triumph is being told through a one-woman play – CHAMELEON – performed by L. Rene Christian of NuLyphe Performing Arts. It will run at the Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater August 9-11.

The play is based off Bowman’s book “Breaking the Cycle of Self-Abuse,” and chronicles Bowman’s childhood to the climactic moment where she makes a challenging decision to be free from it all.

Says Christian, who works for Cincinnati Public Schools where she teaches theatre and dance: “Reading Lucretia’s book led to me creating an interpretive dance which I performed for 10 years. That blossomed into the idea for a play. I wanted to show the change that happens as someone adapts to each environment – just like a chameleon does. I’m honored to tell the story of her amazing journey.”

In 1992, Bowman started a ministry for women that has since helped hundreds overcome prison, addiction, prostitution and domestic violence. She joined City Gospel Mission in 1997 and has since expanded the program to include men.

Says Bowman: “I tell those in recovery at City Gospel Mission, ‘The two most important days in your lives are the day you were born and the day you realize the reason why they were born.’ In 1997, I realized one day I was born for this. And that all of my broken parts were going to be put back together to help others.”

Media members are invited to the dress rehearsal, Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 6 p.m. Christian, Bowman, and men and women in addiction recovery at City Gospel Mission are available for interviews after the performance.

An expert panel will hold a Q&A about the play’s themes following each performance.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at cincinnatiarts.org. A portion of the proceeds benefit the men and women in addiction recovery at City Gospel Mission.

The play is made possible by the Cincinnati Arts Association Education & Community Engagement Department and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

WHAT: Chameleon

WHEN: Aug. 9, 7 p.m.; Aug. 10, 3 p.m.; Aug. 11, 3 p.m.

WHERE: Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater (650 Walnut St., Cincinnati, OH 45202)

An excerpt from the book, photos, and video for broll can be downloaded at: https://citygospelmission-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/tcurtis_citygospelmission_org/EgOAVnkoe_BLnWZzSfJHOY4BB3U88ZFsbA4G2hecs7XyPw?e=dvFK65

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Robert Dubac’s BOOK OF MORON | Oct. 25-26 | Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater

CAA_Book of Moron promoARONOFF CENTER – JARSON-KAPLAN THEATER
OCTOBER 25-26, 2019
Tickets on-sale Friday, August 9 at 10:00 AM 

CINCINNATI, OH – Robert Dubac’s Off-Broadway solo hit, BOOK OF MORON, has been described as one of the most “Hilarious” “Intelligent” and “Scorching” satirical attacks on idiocracy since Mark Twain. (And “idiocracy” isn’t even a word. How dumb is that?)

Robert Dubac’s BOOK OF MORON plays the Aronoff Center’s intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater for three performances only:  Friday, October 25 at 7:30 PM, and Saturday, October 26 at 4:00 PM and 7:30 PM.  Tickets are $55 and go on sale Friday, August 9 at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. 

The New York Times raves, “Riding shotgun with intelligence and absurdity, BOOK OF MORON crashes head first into the barriers of sex, race, religion, politics, and the media. It may be offensive to some, but there’s laughter for all!”

One man’s pain is another man’s comedy.  Especially when he’s in a coma and his five inner voices won’t stop yakking.  How he wakes up from this nightmare is hysterical!

BOOK OF MORON is a fast-paced, hilarious production that combines satire and theater into what is being described by critics as: “A terrific show, witty and incisive, provocative and smart, an erudite comic trek.” “★★★½ stars!” “Razor sharp!” (Denver Post). “Dubac is a master of his craft” (Huffington Post), “and always a laugh a minute.” (Examiner.com). “BOOK OF MORON is a hilarious and thought-provoking performance delivered with biting wit. Not to be missed!” (Austin Republic). “A 21st century Mark Twain.” (Littleton Independent). “You’ll laugh until it hurts!” (Aurora Sentinel).

Garry Shandling calls it, “The funniest show you’ll ever think at!” Dana Carvey, the Church Lady from SNL declares, “If funny were a religion, Bob is nothing short of a miracle!” And Kevin Nealon from SNL adds, “Start laughing really hard now or you’re going to miss a lot from laughing so hard during the show!”

In BOOK OF MORON, Dubac portrays ROBERT, an everyman who has lost sight of the bigger picture. He’s been bombarded by so much hype and spin that he can’t remember who he is or what he believes. Does he have a purpose? Can he think for himself? Is the truth in the details or in the pudding? He hasn’t a clue. He racks his brain searching for answers but finds nothing but voices. 

First his VOICE OF REASON convinces him to think outside the box but not without a fight from his INNER MORON. Then his COMMON SENSE teaches him critical thought so he can think for himself instead of relying on the Media. Next his INNER CHILD shows him how to use just enough innocence to question authority without getting spanked. Then his INNER ASSHOLE urges him to use both four syllable and four letter words to battle censorship. Along the way he finds his SCRUPLES who encourage him to open The Door of Truth. But when it hits him in the head, he realizes the ultimate paradox — the truth hurts and is funny at the same time. 

Before it’s over, his VOICE OF REASON returns to solve partisan politics with an idea so absurd it borders on brilliance, while his COMMON SENSE levies a Stupid Tax on ignorance while scolding religion for taking the “fun” out of fundamentalism. 

It’s all for one and one for all as ROBERT’S inner voices take him on a freight train of provocative thought to find the bigger picture and wake up from the coma of modern day life. 

Robert Dubac belongs to a unique breed of humorists, bringing to mind the best of Lily Tomlin and Mark Twain. He creates characters that boggle our minds with biting wit and rapid-fire satire while simultaneously crafting a simple story that binds us all together. His ability to combine the raucous laughter of stand-up comedy with the startling thrill of live theater continues to fill seats everywhere; as nothing like this can be seen on TV, that’s for sure.

If you are yearning for some satire that cuts with a clever intelligent edge; if you are tired of adolescent comedies generated by the mediocrity of television; then buckle up for a hilarious joy ride over the pot-holed highways of cultural hypocrisy with Robert Dubac’s BOOK OF MORON!

It’s comedy on steroids. Think your funny bone can handle it?

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), CINCINNATI-NORTHERN KENTUCKY HONDA DEALERS, FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Courtyard Marriott & Residence Inn-Rookwood, Graphic Village, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Downtown, Millennium Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, TriHealth, Ultimate Air Shuttle

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