Category Archives: Press Releases

March 15, 2019 · 11:20 am

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS to Venture Off the Hill This Spring

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Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

Audiences will love the wildly entertaining show based on the children’s book playing April 5 through May 19

CINCINNATI – From shopping to baking to jumping on the bed, these five little monkey siblings are getting into some trouble! This spring, Playhouse presents its final Off the Hill touring show with Ernie Nolan’s adaptation of Eileen Chistelow’s children’s book series, FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS. Brought to life through the Bruce E. Doyle Acting Intern company, this zany production will travel to community centers throughout the Greater Cincinnati area from April 5 through May 19.

When Christelow was taught an old nursery rhyme that her daughter learned in preschool — “Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped her head” — she thought that it would create a nice picture book. Twelve years later, after becoming an author and illustrator, she revisited the idea for a new project. With the remarkable success of Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Christelow expanded the story into a best-selling children’s book series where the treasured monkey siblings get into all kinds of mischief.

Audiences will love tagging along for the wild adventures of this adorable monkey family, including the stories: Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Five Little Monkeys Bake a Birthday Cake, Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree, and Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping.

Nolan’s script integrates plot lines from four of the ten monkey books while also preserving its witty cumulative verse. From baking cakes to sitting in trees, or going shopping and jumping on beds, Nolan gives distinct personality traits to each monkey sibling which only heightens the hilarity of their ongoing mishaps.

Under the direction of Brian Robinson, the Playhouse’s production of FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS brings the storybook to life with a whimsical set by Playhouse Scenic Artist Kenton Brett and a frenetic soundscape by Sound Designer Trey Tatum. Audiences will love the technical magic of an exploding birthday cake and snapping jaws of a crocodile. Brett designed the oven with a trick door that allows a cake to go in, and then with a simple flick, the stove bursts open to reveal an exploded cake inside.

“Thematically, FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS celebrates the innocence and discovery in the wonders of childhood,” explains Playhouse Director of Education and Community Engagement Daunielle Rasmussen. “The monkeys have a curiosity and an excitement for learning. While it gets the monkeys into trouble, there is an earnestness and beauty to their childlike spirit.”

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS is recommended for children ages 3 and up and runs approximately 50 to 60 minutes. The Playhouse’s production will journey all over greater Cincinnati, from Oxford to Cheviot to Union to Covington and many places in between.

Click here for ticket information and Off the Hill locations.

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS is the last production in the 2018 – 2019 Off the Hill series. Support of Off the Hill touring plays is provided The John C. Griswold Foundation and KeyBank. Seasonal support of education and outreach by The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation. The Bruce E. Coyle Acting Intern Company is supported by Jerry and Betsy Shroat.

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

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March 15, 2019 · 10:59 am

Xavier University Theatre Presents World Premiere Play THE OXFORD COMMA, March 21-24

Print(CINCINNATI, March 14, 2019) – Xavier University Theatre continues its 2018-19 season with the world premiere of Liba Vaynberg’s The Oxford Comma. Described as a romance for realists, the show runs March 21 to 24 in Xavier’s Gallagher Student Center Theatre.

At a small private boys’ school in California, Charlotte, George and Karen try to teach while their second semester seniors doubt everyone and everything. When the lines between friends and spouses — as well as teachers and students — start to blur, everyone must decide what’s real and what isn’t.

Vaynberg is a New York-based actor, writer and singer. Her show Scheiss Book premiered at the United Solo Festival, where it won Best One Woman Show and the Backstage Audience Choice Award. The Russian and the Jew, written with Emily Perkins-Margolin, was created as part of a 2017-18 COJECO (Council of Jewish Émigré Community Organizations) BluePrint Fellowship and premiered at The Tank last December. Vaynberg holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and international studies from Yale University and an M.F.A. in acting from Columbia.

“As a pre-med student who became an artist, I’ve always been interested in the ways the sciences and humanities intersect at the highest levels,” Vaynberg said. “Physicists and chemists talk about the world in poetic ways, while philosophers and romantics search rigorously for patterns.”

Characters in The Oxford Comma move fluidly among three realities, which has proven to be both “challenging and thrilling” for director Amelia Pedlow. “I believe all great theatre harnesses the imagination of its audience,” Pedlow said. “We’ve been exploring how sound, music, light and, most importantly, the actors themselves, can aid in transforming the world around them in front of the audience’s eyes. I call it ‘theatrical magic.’”

Pedlow hopes audiences will empathize with the play’s many questions. “It is a deeply human play in its recognition of frailty and longing,” she said. “I feel as though audiences will thoroughly enjoy themselves. It’s a show with humor and heart, leaping from tours of ancient Italian ruins to cabins in California to a classroom in which a student asks questions the teacher isn’t sure she can answer. It’s quick-paced, with four actors playing 1o characters in 90 minutes, all of which culminates in their world literally imploding. What more could you ask for in an evening of theatre?”

The cast for The Oxford Comma features first-year student Elliot Auch, sophomore Max Carlson, and juniors Gigi Relic and Catherine Sholtis. Additional members of the creative team include Joe Leonard (Set Designer/Technical Director), Jessica Pitcairn (Costume Designer), Joe Beumer (Lighting Designer) and Aiden Dalton (Sound Designer). The stage manager is Trever McKenzie. Assistant stage managers are Alyssa Gries and Grant Zentmeyer.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on March 21, 23 and 24 and 2:00 p.m. on March 23. Tickets for The Oxford Comma 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 http://www.xavier.edu/theatretickets or call
513-745-3939.

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March 15, 2019 · 10:52 am

COME FROM AWAY, ANASTASIA, MEAN GIRLS, and More, Part of Broadway in Cincinnati’s 19/20 Season

BIC_Margaritaville promo2

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE.

Cincinnati, OH (March 14, 2019) – Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth announces a highly-anticipated season lineup of shows including new musicals ANASTASIA, MEAN GIRLS, and COME FROM AWAY and reimagined classic musicals HELLO, DOLLY!, LES MISERABLES, and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. These will be joined by JERSEY BOYS, and ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE, with special engagements of DISNEY’S THE LION KING and THE BOOK OF MORMON.

 

19/20 SEASON SHOWS

COME FROM AWAY                                                  September 17 – 29, 2019
JERSEY BOYS*                                                            October 15 – 20, 2019
MEAN GIRLS                                                              November 5 – 17, 2019
HELLO, DOLLY!                                                        December 3 – 15, 2019
LES MISERABLES                                                     February 11 – 23, 2020
ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE*                          April 14 – 19, 2020
ANASTASIA                                                                May 12 – 24, 2020
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR                                    June 9 – 21, 2020

*Season Subscribers pick one to complete seven-show season package.

In addition to these season shows, Broadway in Cincinnati is proud to present the special engagements of two of Cincinnati’s favorite musicals. Tickets to these added attractions are available for renewed and new season ticket holders.

DISNEY’S THE LION KING                      January 8 – February 2, 2020
THE BOOK OF MORMON                         August 4 – 9, 2020 

Full show descriptions below.

Season tickets for the 19/20 Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati Season presented by TriHealth will go on sale Thursday, March 14 online at 7:00pm, and by phone and in-person Friday, March 15 at 9:00am. There will be three convenient ways to purchase season tickets:

  1. Select your seats in person at the Aronoff Center ticket office, downtown at 650 Walnut Street, Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
  1. Order online 7 days a week/24 hours a day atBroadwayinCincinnati.com
  1. Call the toll-free Broadway in Cincinnati Season Ticket Hotline at 800.294.1816. The Hotline hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturday 12:00pm – 5:00pm, and closed Sunday.

Prices for the seven-show season subscription range between $200 and $745 depending on seat location. 

MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN
Order before April 22 and make three easy monthly payments.  This offer is only available using a credit card.

EXCLUSIVE SEASON TICKET HOLDER BENEFITS

  • Free online ticket exchanges.
  • Priority purchase opportunities for additional tickets to series shows and any season specials.
  • Lost ticket insurance and replacement service.
  • Purchasing privileges in any of our other Broadway Across America cities.
  • Same premium seat location for all two-week season shows.
  • Priority renewal for future seasons.
  • Perks at local restaurants.

SEASON PATRON CLUB
In addition to all of the regular season ticket holder benefits, special Patron Club season tickets (available with an annual membership fee of $120) guarantee seating in the front orchestra or first three rows of the loge and include extended benefits such as complimentary parking for season shows, name recognition in the PLAYBILL program and a Broadway Concierge Line to assist patrons with purchasing tickets for shows on Broadway.

CLOUD CLUB
For theatre lovers on a budget, the “Cloud Club” offers our seven-show package with COMPLETE subscription benefits starting at $200 for all performances. 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Broadway in Cincinnati shows typically run for two weeks at the Aronoff Center.  Performance options are Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7:30pm, Friday evenings at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 2:00 & 8:00pm and Sundays at 1:00 & 6:30pm. (All times are subject to change.) An audio-described performance for the visually impaired and an American Sign Language interpreted performance for the deaf are available.  Anyone requiring either of these services or accommodations for the physically challenged should request so when purchasing season tickets.  Guests interested in learning more about age appropriateness and content of shows can visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com/FamilyGuide.

GROUP SALES AND SINGLE TICKETS
Group sales information is now available for all shows excluding ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE and JERSEY BOYS. Reservations for all other shows may be made by calling Group Sales Manager Peggy Holthaus Hughes, at 513.369.4363 or email at Peggy.Holthaus-Hughes@BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com. For more information visit BroadwayinCincinnati.com.

Single ticket on-sale dates for individual shows will be announced at a later date.    

19/20 Season Show Descriptions: 

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The First North American Tour Cast of COME FROM AWAY, Photo by Matthew Murphy, 2018.

COME FROM AWAY
September 17 – 29, 2019
Broadway’s COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner all across North America!

This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships.

Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by this year’s Tony-winning Best Director, Christopher Ashley. Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!”

On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

JERSEY BOYS
October 15 – 20, 2019
They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard… and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story — a story that has made them an international sensation all over again.

Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony Award®-winning true-life musical phenomenon, JERSEY BOYS. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this is the musical that’s just too good to be true.

JERSEY BOYS contains authentic, “profane Jersey language” and is recommended for ages 12+.

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Book by Tina Fey, Music by Jeff Richmond, Lyrics by Nell Benjamin, Directed & Choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Pictured: Kerry Butler as Mrs. George & Erika Henningsen as Cady Heron. Credit: © 2017 Joan Marcus.

MEAN GIRLS
November 5 – 17, 2019
Direct from Broadway, MEAN GIRLS is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer TINA FEY (“30 Rock), composer JEFF RICHMOND (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist NELL BENJAMIN (Legally Blonde) and director CASEY NICHOLAW (The Book of Mormon).

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

HELLO, DOLLY!
December 3 – 15, 2019
Winner of four Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival, director Jerry Zaks’ new production is “making people crazy happy!” (The Washington Post). Breaking box office records and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, HELLO, DOLLY! pays tribute to the original work of legendary director/ choreographer Gower Champion–hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history. 

LES MISERABLES
February 11 – 23, 2020
Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon, LES MISÉRABLES, direct from an acclaimed two-and-a-half-year return to Broadway.  Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, LES MISÉRABLES tells an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion, and the resilience of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck. “LES MIZ is born again!” (NY1).  

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE
April 14 – 19, 2020
Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all—and stay to find something they never expected. With a book by Emmy Award® winner Greg Garcia (“My Name is Earl,” “Raising Hope”) and Emmy Award® nominee Mike O’Malley (“Survivors Remorse,” “Shameless”) ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE is the musical comedy featuring both original songs and your most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Fins,” “Volcano,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and many more. USA Today calls it “A little slice of paradise!” and Entertainment Weekly raves, “It will knock your flip-flops off!” So don’t let the party start without you.

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Lila Coogan as Anya, Stephen Brower as Dmitry and the company of the National Tour of ANASTASIA. Photo by Evan Zimmerman, MurphyMade.

ANASTASIA
May 12 – 24, 2020
Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical ANASTASIA is on a journey to Cincinnati at last!

From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

ANASTASIA features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) with direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
June 9 – 21, 2020
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is an iconic musical phenomenon with a world-wide fan base. In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and award winning choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.

With music and lyrics by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar’.

DISNEY’S THE LION KING
January 8 – February 2, 2020
Giraffes strut.  Birds swoop.  Gazelles leap.  The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before.  And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney’s THE LION KING, making its triumphant return to the Aronoff Center!

More than 85 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular – one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage.

Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, THE LION KING brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway.  Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals.  THE LION KING also features the extraordinary work of Tony Award®-winning choreographer Garth Fagan and some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice.

There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING.

THE BOOK OF MORMON
August 4 – 9, 2020
The New York Times calls it “the best musical of this century.” The Washington Post says, “It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.” And Entertainment Weekly says, “Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.” Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show calls it “Genius. Brilliant. Phenomenal.” It’s THE BOOK OF MORMON, the nine-time Tony Award®-winning Best Musical.

This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, THE BOOK OF MORMON has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.

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Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Tri-State, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals in Cincinnati since 1987. For over twenty years, Broadway in Cincinnati has presented all shows at the Aronoff Center.  The Broadway in Cincinnati series brings more than 185,000 people downtown to the Aronoff Center each year, and contributes an average of $30 million to the local economy each season. Broadway in Cincinnati is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and The Broadway League. Fifth Third Bank is the sponsor of the Cincinnati 18/19 Season and the season is presented by TriHealth. LOCAL 12 is the official television station of the 17/18 Cincinnati Season.   

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA (BAA) is part of The John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com and The Broadway Channel.  Led by 11-time Tony-winning producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 44 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Current and past productions include Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Groundhog Day, Hairspray, Hello, Dolly!, Million Dollar Quartet, On Your Feet!, The Producers, School of Rock and Waitress.Broadway.com is the premier theater website for news, exclusive content and ticket sales. For more information please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com and Broadway.com.

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March 14, 2019 · 12:14 pm

CAA Announces 2019 Overture Award Winners

CAA_Overture Awards$45,500 Awarded for Excellence in the Arts
Arts Educator Award Winner Also Announced    

CINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association is pleased to announce the winners of its Overture Awards Competition, held on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, and the winner of its Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction. The competition awarded $4,000 to six area students for education and training, with 18 runners-up each winning $1,000, while the Arts Educator Award winner received $2,500 and two finalists were awarded $500 each.

The Overture Awards recognizes, encourages, and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12 and is the area’s largest solo arts competition. Students are nominated by their schools and/or private studios to compete in one of six disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Arts Educator Award promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout Greater Cincinnati. An educator who teaches any of the following arts disciplines may be nominated: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. They can be a high school arts specialist, teaching artist working with high school students, or an arts professional or educator providing private lessons or instruction. Nominations for the award must come from students between the ages of 14-19 who are currently enrolled in high school. The Arts Educator Award finalists and winner are selected by a panel of judges who are arts professionals.

2019 OVERTURE AWARD WINNERS

CREATIVE WRITING: Maura O’Dea – grade 12, Ursuline Academy
HOMETOWN: Blue Ash, OH – Maura spends her time working backstage as a stage manager, editing the creative writing section of the newspaper, and running the writing club she co-founded. Maura’s plans for the future include pursuing an English degree and publishing something beautiful one day.

DANCE: Jordan Slemons – grade 12, Anderson High School / Just Off Broadway
HOMETOWN: Anderson, OH – Jordan has been dancing for fifteen years at Just Off Broadway. She couldn’t be happier to have been given this amazing opportunity to be a an Overture Awards finalist. She wants to thank her family, teachers, and friends for always supporting her.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Simon Bakos – grade 11, William Mason High School / DCG Studio
HOMETOWN: Mason, OH – Simon has been studying clarinet and bass clarinet for the past five years. He currently participates in the clarinet section of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra. He was principal clarinet in the 2019 Ohio All-State Orchestra, and has performed with the William Mason Wind Symphony at the Midwest Clinic. He enjoys performing with his high school marching band, and looks forward to enjoying and supporting music in the future.

THEATER: Jonah Sorscher – grade 11, Indian Hill High School / Musical Arts Center
HOMETOWN: Camp Dennison, OH – Jonah is thrilled to perform at the Overture Awards! Besides performing, he loves to write his own theater, producing an original musical, Alibi, this summer. He thanks the Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy, Musical Arts Center, Becky Childs, and his family and friends for their love and support.

VISUAL ART: Alyson Power – grade 12, Lakota West High School
HOMETOWN: West Chester, OH – Alyson’s mother, an art teacher, introduced her to art very early. Alyson has explored art her whole life. She will be majoring in Fine Art at either Miami or Ohio University. She’s won twenty Scholastic Art awards, including one National Medal, five Governor’s Art Awards, and has displayed work at The Xavier Juried Exhibition.

VOCAL MUSIC: Lauren Maynus – grade 12, Ursuline Academy / Alison Acord
HOMETOWN: Amberly Village, OH – Lauren studies voice with Dr. Alison Acord, is a section leader with the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church choir under the direction of Dr. Tom Merrill, is on the Student Board at TX, and is honored to participate in the Overture Awards Finals again this year! Lauren has been selected for the Met’s High School Opera Singer Intensive program this winter, will attend Schmidt Vocal Institute this summer, and plans to study Vocal Performance in the Fall.

2019 ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD WINNER

Benita Tse- Leung, Leung Studio
Discipline: Piano
Nominated by Jenny Hu

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held on January 26 at the Immanuel School of Music, Northern Kentucky University, and Mount Saint Joseph University. The top twenty percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center on February 7-9.

Now in its twenty-third year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate, and manage the competitions, and nurture the program.

THE OVERTURE AWARDS ARE ENDOWED BY THE OTTO M. BUDIG FAMILY FOUNDATION.

Overture Awards Presenting Sponsors: TriHealth; The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank; Trustee; Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Summerfair Cincinnati

Scholarship Sponsors: Arthur Murray – Cincinnati; Doreen Beatrice; Douglas Beal; Bonita Brockert; Brandon Etheridge; Jozsef Parragh; Pebble Creek Group; Phoenix Rising Ballroom; Summerfair Cincinnati; Josh Tilford; Western & Southern Financial Fund; The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation

Competition Sponsors: Immanuel School of Music, Northern Kentucky University, Mount Saint Joseph University

Printing Sponsor: Graphic Village

THE 2019 OVERTURE AWARDS FINALISTS
Winners listed in bold 

CREATIVE WRITING

  • Sam Bowden – grade 11, Wyoming High School
  • Iris LeCates – grade 11, Walnut Hills High School
  • Maura O’Dea – grade 12, Ursuline Academy
  • Molly Tierney – grade 12, Beechwood High School 

DANCE

  • Krupa Hegde – grade 10, Larry A. Ryle High School  / Cultural Centre of India
  • Hanna Hopple – grade 12, Saint  Ursula Academy / McGing Irish Dancers
  • Ava Sine – grade 11, School for Creative & Performing Arts / Just Off Broadway
  • Jordan Slemons – grade 12, Anderson High School / Just Off Broadway

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC  

  • Simon Bakos – grade 11, William Mason High School / DCG Studio
  • Liam Hedrick – grade 12, Homeschool / UC-CCM Preparatory
  • Kasey M. Shao – grade 10, Walnut Hills High School / CCM
  • Andrew Yang – grade 10, Seven Hills School / CCM 

THEATER  

  • Eleanor Donnelly  – grade 12, Wyoming High School / Bill Seale
  • Jake Jervis – grade 10, Sycamore High School / McCready Voice Studio
  • Maxwell Metsch  – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts / Lincoln Chapman Studio
  • Jonah Sorscher – grade 11, Indian Hill High School / Musical Arts Center 

VISUAL ART  

  • Geneva Huffman – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts
  • Alyson Power – grade 12, Lakota West High School
  • Trey Small – grade 12, Lakota West High School
  • Grace Vanderwoude – grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy

VOCAL MUSIC  

  • Reed Gnepper – grade 12, School for Creative & Performing Arts / UC-CCM Preparatory
  • Amy Helms – grade 12, Kings High School / Musical Arts Center
  • Sarah Koopman – grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy / Karl Resnik Studio
  • Lauren Maynus – grade 12, Ursuline Academy / Alison Acord

 

2019 ARTS EDUCATOR AWARD FINALISTS
Winner listed in bold

Lincoln Chapman, Private Teacher
Discipline: Vocal Music
Nominated by: Maxwell Metsch 

Catherine Keen, The Keen Voice Studio
Discipline: Vocal Music
Nominated by: Grace Caccavari

Benita Tse-Leung, Leung Studio
Discipline: Piano
Nominated by: Jenny Hu

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than 1.7 million students. 

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March 13, 2019 · 2:47 pm

See Know Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director in Rare Solo Performance in SAND, March 28 – 30

KTC_Sand posterSee Know Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director in a rare solo performance in
SAND
the US premiere of a devastating new play by
Nick Gill

SPECIAL LIMITED RUN: March 28 – 30

“so you want to build a simple nuclear bomb”

Join us at Your Theatrical Playground, Know Theatre, for a rare chance to see our Producing Artistic Andrew J. Hungerford onstage in the solo performance of an unforgettable new play, in its US premiere.

It’s now the sixth of August 1945.
She is alone.
god, my head.
At 8.15 in the morning, everything is quiet.
The house is still.
Thirty one thousand and sixty feet above her, there is a single aircraft.
In forty three seconds, the bomb it has released will have fallen around twenty nine thousand feet and will detonate above the city.
In forty four seconds, seventy thousand people will be dead.

and the world turns.

            – excerpt from SAND by Nick Gill

 

At Know Theatre for a special limited run, March 28 – 30, SAND is a riveting new work of theatre that combines fiction, science, and history to explore the threat of nuclear weapons and the devastation of nuclear war. It’s a fractured collection of narratives that jump across the stories of a dozen women over a century-long timeline, building to an inevitable breaking point.

SAND is an intense, poetic dive into the frightening power that humanity wields against itself. A version of the play was shown at the Royal Court Theatre on June 17, 2013, directed by Vicky Featherstone and performed by Eileen Walsh & Toby Jones.

Acclaimed director and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music professor Brant Russell (The Man-Beast) helms a script-in-hand staging of the show for the US premiere of this powerful new script.

SAND also offers a rare chance to catch a performance by Producing Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford, last seen in a dramatic role on Cincinnati stages in his 2010 Cincy Fringe Show, “Of People and Not Things.”

Says Hungerford,

“I first read this script just a few weeks ago, and instantly knew we needed to produce it. For one, it’s a perfect fit for the SecondStage of our season examining fear itself.

From a personal perspective, I was plagued by nightmares and anxiety attacks about nuclear war as a kid growing up at the tail end of the cold war.

In the 90’s, it felt like the world began to come to its collective senses as disarmament began to take hold. But now as non-proliferation treaties are scrapped, as countries ramp up missile production and nuclear programs, it’s vital for us to consider the ramifications of those choices, to take a hard look at the nuclear powder keg our modern world sits atop.”

As a small but nimble professional Theatre, Know Theatre is uniquely suited to take a show from page-to-stage both rapidly and effectively – especially when a story is as relevant to this moment as Nick Gill’s SAND is.

Join us for a gripping night of hot-off-the-presses theatre, in a special limited run from March 28 – 30 – only at Your Theatrical Playground, Know Theatre of Cincinnati.

Cast

  • Starring Know Theatre Producing Artistic Director Andrew J. Hungerford

Production Team

  • Director –  Brant Russell
  • Scenic & Lighting Designer – Andrew J. Hungerford

Calendar Listing

Production:  SAND by Nick Gill – a US premiere

When: 8:00 pm March 28, 29, and 30

Where:  Know Theatre of Cincinnati. 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. In historic Over-the-Rhine.

Tickets:      

  • $15 regular price tickets
  • $25 “Living Wage” tickets, supporting working artists in Cincinnati
  • $10 Rush tickets at the door 10 minutes prior to curtain (when available)

Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669 (KNOW).

Season Design sponsorship provided by Travis McElroy.

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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