Category Archives: Press Releases

April 1, 2019 · 4:10 pm

Three Tri-State Schools Awarded Fully-Funded JumpStart Theatre Program

TCT_Disney's Aladdin JR. Oyler School

Oyler School’s production of Disney’s Aladdin JR. Photo by Susan Doremus.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati Announced Winners Today

CINCINNATI:  After a three-month selection process, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) has named the newest tri-state area schools that will partner with the JumpStart Theatre Program.  The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF), in collaboration with New York City-based companies iTheatrics and Music Theatre International (MTI) created JumpStart Theatre, a three-year scalable program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved schools that previously had none.

Hartwell Elementary, Liberty Bible Academy, and Summit Academy Cincinnati Community School were selected to be part of the three-year program beginning in the 2019-20 school year.

The selection process included a formal written application, site visits to the schools and interviews with administrators and the faculty who would be spearheading the program.

Kim Kern, Managing Director and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati said, “After a rigorous application and interview process, we are thrilled to welcome Hartwell Elementary, Liberty Bible Academy and Summit Academy as JumpStart Theatre partner schools for the 2019-20 school year.  All that applied were wonderful candidates and will be invited to the boot camp trainings and to apply again for the 2020-21 school year.  We are so excited to see the continued momentum of this program, and to work alongside the Educational Theatre Foundation to continue the growth locally while they expand the reach and impact nationally.”

The selected schools are incredibly enthusiastic about beginning the process:

Antwan Lewis, Principal of Hartwell Elementary, said, “We are excited to partner with JumpStart Theatre.  This is a great opportunity to showcase the talent of our diverse student population and welcome in our parents and community.  Students will now have another avenue to display their creativity through drama, art, music, technology and more.  We are ready to put this in motion!”

“Liberty Bible Academy is thrilled to be a part of the JumpStart Theatre program starting in the 2019-2020 school year,” said Julie Weber, LBA 5th and 6th Grade Teacher and JumpStart Theatre On-Site Director.  “The JumpStart Theatre team’s knowledge and training will help us build a sustainable program for years to come, and we can’t wait to watch our middle school students build confidence and strengthen their character because of this enriching opportunity.”

Lisa L. Singleton of Summit Academy Cincinnati Community School, said “We are very excited to get this program off the ground.  We plan to partner our lower school students with the upper school students.  This will open so many doors for our students who would not otherwise be exposed to theater.  Learning to make costumes; make props for the set and even mix the sounds for the production.  Students can be on stage or behind the scenes.  Our hope is that families will want to be involved as well.”

Each selected school will receive services and materials valued at $12,000 in the form of training, mentoring, and production support for a show for their community. Students will be involved in every aspect of the production, and TCT and ETF will also host an annual JumpStart Theatre showcase, bringing all the participants together to share their work.

Three teachers from each participating school are taught the techniques and skills to develop and manage a musical theatre program (everything from casting, to rehearsal schedules, to staging/choreography and technical requirements, to cultivating parent/community engagement, to achieving economic sustainability) through a series of three, full-day professional development “boot camps” each year of the three-year program, plus an ongoing mentoring/coaching relationship with an experienced theatre teaching artist.

For questions about the JumpStart Theatre Program and application process, visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com or email Kim.Kern@tctcincinnati.com.

About The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT):
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is the oldest children’s theatre in the country.  Its mission is to educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming. Its vision is to awaken a lifelong love of theater in children and the young at heart. Today, the Children’s Theatre brings art to life for our audiences through three key programs:  TCT MainStage at the Taft Theatre, TCT on Tour (including Workshops) and TCT Academy. Each season TCT strives to reach more than 200,000 people in our region.  For more information visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

About the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF):
The Educational Theatre Foundation  was launched November, 2017, as the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association, which is the home of the International Thespian Society. ETF provides essential financial support to enhance excellence in theatre education and to expand access to school theatre programs for every child, putting them on a more positive life path. ETF is focused on three areas: JumpStart Theatre–to create sustainable musical theatre programs where there previously were none; need-based grants to schools–to provide teaching and performance resources and equipment in under-resourced schools; and, merit and need-based grants to individuals—to nurture the next generation of theatre teachers and artists.  In its first year ETF has awarded more than $650,000 in grants, directly impacting high school theatre programs in 50 cities, and enabling the development of musical theatre programs in underserved middle schools in six states.

The JumpStart Theatre program creates sustainable theatre arts programs in middle schools where there previously were none.  Participating schools are chosen through a rigorous application process and receive training, materials, and budget support to produce their first full-scale musical production. The support continues for three years until the program becomes self-sustaining.  Non-theatre teachers are equipped with skills and resources to produce their school’s first musical through a proven combination of bootcamp style training and hands-on mentoring. The Educational Theatre Foundation operates JumpStart Theatre through a national network of regional theatre company partners who are selected based on their track-record of success in running educational programs for children. JumpStart Theatre partners are:  Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Ga.; La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, Calif.; Mountain City Center for the Arts, Frostburg, MD; Stages St. Louis, St. Louis, MO; The Children’s Theatre, Cincinnati, OH*

*original pilot site

-end-

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March 26, 2019 · 4:34 pm

Falcon Theatre Announces Its 30th Anniversary Season Lineup

FT_logoNewport, KY — Falcon Theatre Artistic Director Ted Weil has announced the slate of plays for its 2019-20 season, for the theatre’s 30th Anniversary. The lineup offers 2 area premieres and a wide range of dramatic genres and styles…from a madcap parody of and homage to the films of the Master of Suspense…to an unsettling examination of the life lived and the life remembered…to a timely and thought-provoking look at the spiritual relationship between two of our earliest fighters for social justice. 

Falcon Theatre 2019-2020 Season  

The 39 Steps
by Patrick Barlow and John Buchan
September 27- October 12, 2019
Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunnit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre!  Celebrate our 30th anniversary season with this exciting revival of our 2012 hit.

Marjorie Prime
by Jordan Harrison
November 22 – December 7, 2019 *Area Premiere*
What would we remember and what would we forget if given the chance? This richly spare, wondrous new play explores the mysteries of human identity and the limits, if any, of what technology can replace in the age of artificial intelligence. A must for any fans of Black Mirror!

Blues For An Alabama Sky
by Pearl Cleage
January 24 – February 8, 2020
It’s the summer of 1930 in Harlem, New York. The creative euphoria of the Harlem Renaissance has given way to the harsher realities of the Great Depression. The play brings together a rich cast of characters who reflect the conflicting currents of the time through their overlapping personalities and politics.

The Agitators
by Mat Smart
March 20 – April 4, 2020 *Area Premiere*
A riveting story about the friendship that persisted through the years between Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass as both fought tirelessly for the rights of others. The play struggles with the question “Do you believe there can be a country for all?”

Silent Sky
by Lauren Gunderson
May 1 – May 16, 2020
The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth. 

Artistic Director Ted Weil says, “I think this slate of plays is perfect for an anniversary year because it really highlights the best of what Falcon does and stands for. We’re particularly excited to open the season with a revival of The 39 Steps, which was a huge hit with our audiences back in 2012. The season will be a celebration of our past while we keep our eyes fixed squarely on the future.”

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March 26, 2019 · 2:29 pm

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents the Riveting Drama SKELETON CREW

April 13—May 11, 2019

ETC_Skeleton Crew logo

(Cincinnati, OH) It’s time to walk the line. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati presents the regional premiere of Skeleton Crew, a compelling drama about a driven team of autoworkers trying to navigate a cutthroat industry. This searing new play is by Dominique Morisseau (Detroit ‘67 ), a 2018 recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Fellows Program (unofficially referred to as a Genius Grant). Skeleton Crew is the final installment of Morisseau’s powerful Detroit Project, which was inspired by August Wilson’s landmark Century Cycle. Playing April 13-May 11, 2019. Directed by Stori Ayers. Production Sponsor is The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.

Times are rough in 2008 Detroit as a hundred-year-old industry grinds to a halt. As rumors fly about factory closings, a tight-knit trio of autoworkers faces tough decisions about the future, while their foreman weighs the demands of white-collar management status against his fierce loyalty to his team. From the playwright of Detroit ’67 comes a powerful and engrossing portrait of courage and camaraderie in blue-collar America.

“What I love most about being an artist working on a Dominique Morisseau show is that you are instantly changed from artist to activists. Her work is embedded with social outreach that, as an artist, requires more of you,” shares Director Stori Ayers. “Skeleton Crew is a play about the ultimate sacrifice: the sacrifice of self in the fight for justice. We all know that there is no progress without sacrifice.” She adds, “My hope is that each audience member will see that, when faced with injustice, the act of sacrificing self for the greater good is the most sublime gesture one can do for another. A gesture that is greatly needed in our society today.”

About the Cast

Burgess Byrd (Faye) returns to Ensemble Theatre, having appeared last in Red Velvet, This Random World, and Detroit ’67. Recently, she was a guest artist at the University of Texas at Austin in The Merchant of Venice. Some of her other credits include Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and A Raisin in the Sun, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Harry and the Thief and Pretty Fire, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; Caroline or Change, New Stage Collective; Silence! The Musical, Falcon Theatre; Doubt, The Drama Workshop; and Avenue Q, Showbiz Players.

Amari Cheatom (Dez) is an Atlanta, Georgia native who received his training at The Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta Theatre and is a graduate of the prestigious Julliard School of Drama Division. His theatre credits include Skeleton Crew, The Old Globe (San Diego); Detroit ’67, Baltimore Center Stage; The Temple Bombing, Alliance Theatre; Fetch Clay, Make Man, True Colors Theatre Co.; Dutch Masters, LAByrinth Theatre Company; On the Levee, Lincoln Center Theater; The Book of Grace, The Public Theatre; and Zooman and the Sign, Signature Theatre Company. His film credits include Roman J. Israel Esq, Detroit, Crown Heights, Moths & Butterflies, The Alchemist Cookbook, Django Unchained, Newlyweeds, Night Catches Us, and Knucklehead. His television credits include Numb3rs, Chase, Detroit 1-8-7, and Georgetown.

Ernaisja Curry (Shanita) returns to Ensemble Theatre having last appeared in This Random World. A Florida native, she has made Cincinnati her home after completing the Bruce E. Coyle Acting Internship with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Some of her recent credits include Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; Dreamgirls, The Carnegie; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and The Comedy of Errors, Kentucky Shakespeare.

Brian Marable (Reggie) makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. His professional regional theatre credits include Spunk, American Stage; Detroit ’67, Baltimore Center Stage and Detroit Public Theater; Skeleton Crew, The Old Globe (San Diego) and People’s Light; and Pipeline, Detroit Public Theater. Mr. Marable created his own theater company, The Clubhouse Theater, in the city and neighborhood where he grew up. His film credits include Standing in the Shadows of Motown, Have a Little Faith, The Citizen (2012) and Low Winter Sun.

Production team includes D. Lynn Meyers (Producing Artistic Director), Brian c. Mehring (Set & Lighting Designer), Jack Murphy (Technical Director), Matthew Hollstegge (Production Manager), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Master & Design Assistant), Matt Callahan (Sound Designer), and Stormie Mac (Costume Designer). Production Stage Manager is Brandon T. Holmes. Assistant Stage Manager is Lexi Muller.

Performance Information
Performances run Tuesday through Sunday. Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday, 8:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 pm; and Sunday, 7:00 pm. A complete calendar of performances is available online at www.ensemblecincinnati.org. 

Ticket Prices
Ticket prices start at $35 for adults; 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 does not apply to children’s 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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2018-2019 Season Presenting Sponsor is the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support provided PNC.

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 of 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 dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich and inspire our audiences.

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March 26, 2019 · 2:16 pm

NKU Opera Brings Laughs with Menotti’s OLD MAID AND THE THIEF

NKUO_Old Maid and the Thief logoHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts Opera will be staging Gian Carlo Menotti’s one-act comedic operaThe Old Maid and the Thief on April 12 & 14 in Greaves Concert Hall at NKU.

When a beggar appears at their door, Miss Todd and her maid Laetitia swoon and allow him in. But little do they know, a dangerous thief has escaped from the county jail that very night. While keeping the town gossip Miss Pinkerton at bay, the ladies decide the fate of their new friend. Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief is a fast-paced and melodramatic comedic opera which tells a twisted tale of morals that will satisfy audiences of all ages.

“The Old Maid and the Thief is a one-act opera written specifically to be aired on the radio,” said director Kimberly Lazzeri. “Because the opera was originally meant to be heard and not seen, all of the action is vividly portrayed in the music! The music is melodic and totally accessible. Audiences might even leave whistling one of the beautiful arias featured in the production.”

Sarah DeMoor, a senior vocal performance major, is portraying the cunning and conniving maid Laetitia on the April 12 performance. She considers the music as both a highlight and challenge. “It is beautifully written… I have found an appreciation for not only my character’s portion of the score but the entirety of the orchestration as a whole. It is a masterpiece.”

Senior vocal performance major Ashley Patak, who is portraying Laetitia on April 14, has enjoyed playing the character and learned a lot in the process. “If someone has never seen an opera, this would be a really great one to start with because it is in English, and it’s hilarious… watching the different dynamics between each character and seeing their tactics to get what they each want would be entertaining to anyone.”

Kaitlin Fierro is landing her first big role in opera as Miss Pinkerton. The junior vocal performance major considers this her most challenging role in balancing the reality of the character with the general hilarity. “There is a fine line between good and bad comedy. I have such fun making people laugh that sometimes I have to pull myself up and do a mental check.”

Fierro knows the opera is not especially deep or philosophical, but everyone is going to go home laughing. “It is one of the most accessible operas I have had the pleasure of encountering. Menotti presents a quirky, fun story which the audience will fall in love with. My hope is that everyone will remember that one scene where they could not stop laughing.”

The NKU cast features Maria Bales (Miss Todd), Tyler Smith (Bob), Sarah DeMoor (Laetitia – April 12), Ashley Patak (Laetitia – April 14), and Kaitlin Fierro (Miss Pinkerton). Performances take place Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. in Greaves Concert Hall at NKU. Tickets range $10-$17 and can be purchased at nku.edu/sotatickets or by calling 859-572-5464. Parking is available in Lots D & I on campus. For more information about NKU’s School of the Arts, please visit nku.edu/sota or follow on social media @NKUSOTA.

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March 21, 2019 · 12:59 pm

Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Turns Tradition On Its Head With All-Female Production of Euripides’ MEDEA

WHHS_medea press-64“Now will men admire
our women’s ways, and give
us sway; no more will they
insult and slander us; honor
shall be our daily bread.”

Imagine a time you have loved, a time you have lost, a time you have triumphed…Join us this April for one of the most powerful, but lesser-known Greek tragedies.  Continuing where the myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece left off, Medea finds herself betrayed by her husband in a strange land.  Set on a dark path, will she be able to come back from the brink, or will madness and the need for revenge consume her and her children? Through an all-female cast and traditional Greek masks, this production explores themes of love, empowerment, and betrayal. The cast and crew strip away the hyper theatricality to present this classic in an intimate and minimalist manner, truly showcasing the beauty of the words and the prowess of the actresses. Highlighting the extraordinary in the ordinary, the unconventional within the conventional, this is an experience you do not want to miss.

Runs Saturday April 27th and Sunday April 28th at 2:00 pm and Saturday April 27th at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students.

Show Synopsis:
In this production of the classic Greek tragedy, translated skillfully by poet Inés Azar, the story of Medea, princess of Colchis, a powerful sorceress is revealed. Medea, taken to Corinth by her former husband Jason after assisting him in the securing of the golden fleece, is forced to reckon with Jason’s betrayal, as he has left her to marry the daughter of Creon, Corinth’s king. Infuriated by Jason’s actions, Medea and her Familiar devise a plot to take revenge on those who have wronged her. Narrated by a chorus of Corinthian woman, this tale of a woman wronged unfolds as Medea encounters Jason and other mythical characters ultimately ending in the tragic outcomes of Medea’s plans. A subversion of the greek tradition of casting men in all roles, our production brings an all-female cast performing in traditional greek style, masks included, to the Rick Steiner black box.

Directed by Helen Raymond-Goers, Assistant Directed by Bettina Ernst.
Production Stage Manager: Matthew Eggers

Featuring: Charlie Patterson as Nurse/Guard, Cam Hogue as Tutor/Guard, Lily Canter as Child, Megan Graeler as Child, Grace Kelly Fulton as Medea, Kennedy Nadermann as Familiar, Talia Raider-Roth as Chorus Leader, Christina Picklo as Rational, Nina Roberto as Juror, Elle Bisheimer as Advisor, Caroline Yaeger as Zealot, Sarah Mansfield as Creon, Lily Adams as Jason, Perri Wedlock as Aegeus, Sophia Rooksberry as Messenger/Guard, and Mama Njie as Guard.

Tickets are $10 for students and staff and $12 for adults. Tickets may be purchased by visiting

https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets

 

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