Category Archives: Press Releases

April 29, 2019 · 12:10 pm

Interactive Family Comedy SHOW UP KIDS! Makes Cincy Fringe Debut

CFF19_ShowUpKidsProdShot1Credit_Mikiodo

SHOW UP KIDS by Peter Michael Marino. Photo by Mikiodo.

With Four Special Performances this June

CINCINNATI, OH – Following critically acclaimed runs in NYC, Hollywood, and Edinburgh, Peter Michael Marino’s interactive SHOW UP KIDS! makes its Cincy Fringe debut June 1 & 2, 8 & 9. This entirely unique, semi-improvised, family show for kids 3-10 years old puts a comedic twist on the traditional kids’ show. When the main attraction doesn’t show up, Pete enlists the kids (and adults) to help create a show from set to sound, plot to props, and costumes to characters. What could possibly go wrong?

Marino’s “Show Up” received a Critic’s Pick at the 2018 Cincy Fringe, and he returns with this junior version as part of the Family Friendly Fringe at Cincy Fringe 2019. Tickets are pay-what-you-can.

★★★★★ “Marino handles the unpredictability of working with children in an improvised environment with great skill and grace, putting on a fantastic performance which my children were talking about long after the show.” – Backstage on the Fringe

“Fantastic fun! A one-man whirling dervish of energy, comic timing, physical agility, and out and out hilarity. The kids were absolutely mesmerized!” – The Front Row Center

“This show is not like any other show. Usually, the kids are just watching things happen, but here, kids are actually part of the show. Pete definitely has a superpower!”- Kids News NYC

★★★★ “Hilarious! Marino knows what kids find funny. A show of this caliber is an opportunity to show up for!” – The Wee Review

WHAT: SHOW UP KIDS!

WHO: By Peter Michael Marino & the kids
Directed by Michole Biancosino & the kids
Music by Michael Andrew

WHEN:

  • 4:00 p.m. Saturday, June 1
  • 3:30 p.m. Sunday, June 2
  • 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 8
  • 11:00 a.m. Sunday, June 9

WHERE: The Know Theatre of Cincinnati. 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

HOW MUCH: Pay-What-You-Can (ticket reservations required)

RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes

RESERVE FREE TICKETS AT: https://www.cincyfringe.com/the-lineup/family-friendly-fringe/

SHOW WEBSITE: http://www.showuptheshow.com/kids

Peter Michael Marino is a NYC-based teacher, writer, performer, and producer. He is the creator of SOLOCOM at The PIT, which has launched over 600 world-premiere solo comedies. His 2017-2018 improvised solo comedy “Show Up” received rave reviews everywhere from NYC to Cincy, Orlando, Pittsburgh, and Edinburgh. Pete’s internationally acclaimed solo comedy “Desperately Seeking the Exit” chronicled the unmaking of his West End musical flop “Desperately Seeking Susan” and received 5-star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe and a London transfer. “Desperately Seeking the Exit: Cincy Celeb Reading” also makes its Cincy Fringe debut this June. More info at: http://www.petermmarino.com

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April 29, 2019 · 11:58 am

XANADU JR Closes Walnut Hills High School Theatre Season

WHHS_Xanadu1

Sophia Cotton-Riker as Kira.

“This isn’t Venice, Italy; this is Venice, California. And this isn’t 1780, this is 1980.”

By Clare Brennan. April 28, 2019. Cincinnati OH – Join us for our final show of the season: Xanadu Jr.! Our junior high students take on the zany musical full of magic, familiar songs, and Greek gods. Based on the terrible movie of the same name and featuring 80s hits such as “Xanadu”, “Strange Magic”, “All Over the World” and many more, the rocking score is sure to rile nostalgia in anyone missing the 80s, as well as delight younger audiences discovering the music for the first time. This loud and hilarious love story is a wonderful way to ease into the summer spirit. Bring your leg warmers and roller skates and join us in 1980!

Show Synopsis
Xanadu JR. follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach, California, on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time – the first Roller Disco. (Hey, it’s 1980!) But, when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and chaos abounds.

Directed by Danielle Muething, Assistant Directed by Oliver Vockell and Clare Brennan
Production Stage Manager: Chloe Burwinkle

WHHS_Xanadu2Featuring Sophia Cotton-Riker as Kira, Sunny Dighe as Sonny, Christopher Vonderschmidt as Old Danny, Brando Donaldson as Young Danny, Ella Vaughn as Melpomene, Josie Leanza as Calliope, Diana Hutchinson as Erato/Siren, Sophie Hammons as Euterpe/Siren, Anika Vockell as Polyhymnia/Siren, Isabella Lachey as Terpsichore/Siren, Clare Graff as Thalia/Siren, Tierney Shafer as Urania/Siren, Owen Cummings as Zeus/Chorus, Kayla McGraw as Hera/Andrews Sister/Chorus, Sophia Rooksberry as Thetis/Andrews Sister/Chorus, Lily Canter as Aphrodite/Andrews Sister/Chorus, Nate Caudill as Hermes/Chorus, Adeleigh Karoutchi as Young Woman/Chorus, Mischa Sella as Cyclops/The Tubes/ Chorus, Avery Frank as Medusa/The Tubes/Chorus, Hannah Wardlow as Centaur/The Tubes/Chorus; and the Greek Chorus featuring, Kathryn Daniher, Annalise Smith, Katie Beth Christie, Katie Berich, Khara Rosebrook, Sophie Christian, Maya Busche, Joanna Lin, Kaelyn Carr, Lucia Johns, Rose Ellsworth, Andrew Kelm, and Aiden Brogen.

Performance Dates: May 9th-11th @ 7pm

WHHS Auditorium

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

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April 29, 2019 · 11:24 am

DEAR EVAN HANSEN Announces Cincinnati Digital Lottery

“ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE SHOWS IN MUSICAL THEATER HISTORY.”
– The Washington Post

BIC_Dear Evan Hanson banner

DEAR EVAN HANSEN
FIRST NORTH AMERICAN TOUR MAKES
CINCINNATI DEBUT AT THE ARONOFF CENTER 

ANNOUNCES $25 DIGITAL LOTTERY FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE 

CINCINNATI, APRIL 29 – Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “cultural phenomenon,” Dear Evan Hansencomes to Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center April 30 – May 12 as a part of Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati’s season presented by TriHealth. In advance of the start of performances, the production announced today that it will host a digital ticket lottery offering fans the chance to purchase a limited number of $25 tickets available per performance.

The digital lottery will begin accepting entries 48 hours prior to the first performance in Cincinnati and will be accepted until 9 a.m. local time the day before the performance. Fans who have been selected will be notified daily via email and can then purchase up to two (2) tickets at $25 each. The ticket lottery will continue on a rolling basis for every performance in the engagement. All entrants are encouraged to follow Dear Evan Hansen on Instagram (@dearevanhansen), Twitter (@dearevanhansen) and Facebook (@DearEvanHansen) for additional lottery news and information.

Entrants must be 18 years or older. A valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter is required for pickup. Seat locations awarded by the lottery are subject to availability. Additional details and times will be announced in each tour city by the local theatre box office prior to the engagement. Additional lottery requirements can be found at www.luckyseat.com/dearevanhansen.

The winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

Declared “One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by the Washington Post’s Peter Marks, Dear Evan Hansen opened at the Music Box Theatre to rave reviews on December 4, 2016, where it’s broken all box office records and struck a chord with critics and audiences alike.

In addition to winning six Tony awards, Dear Evan Hansen has won numerous other awards, including the 2017 Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production and for the off-Broadway production, two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards. The Broadway production recently celebrated its two-year anniversary with a special donation to the Smithsonian, where the show’s iconic blue polo and arm cast will now be part of the permanent collection at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansen, produced by Atlantic Records, was released in February 2017, making an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 and entering the chart at #8 – the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961 – and went on to win the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. A Deluxe Album of the Grammy-winning cast recording, with six bonus tracks including “Waving Through a Window” performed by pop star Katy Perry, was released digitally by Atlantic Records on November 2, 2018.

A special edition coffee table book authored by Levenson, Pasek and Paul, Dear Evan Hansen: through the window (Grand Central Publishing / Melcher) is now available, offering an in-depth, all-access look at the musical, including never-before-seen production photos and cast portraits, behind-the-scenes stories, and a fully annotated script by the authors.

In addition to the touring production and the record-breaking Broadway production, Dear Evan Hansen will launch its first international production in Canada, in March 2019 at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, followed by a production in London at the Noël Coward Theatre later in 2019.

Dear Evan Hansen features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown.  Music supervision, orchestrations and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire.  Ben Cohn is the Associate Music Supervisor.  Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Danny Mefford is the choreographer.  U.S. Casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Xavier Rubiano. Sash Bischoff, Adam Quinn and Danny Sharron are the Associate Directors. Judith Schoenfeld is the Production Supervisor. 101 Productions, Ltd. is the General Manager.

The touring production of Dear Evan Hansen is produced by Stacey Mindich. The co-producers are Mickey Liddell, Hunter Arnold, Caiola Productions, Double Gemini Productions, Fakston Productions, Roy Furman, Harris Karma Productions, On Your Marks Group, Darren Bagert, Roger & William Berlind, Bob Boyett, Colin Callender, Caitlin Clements, Freddy DeMann, Dante Di Loreto, Bonnie & Kenneth Feld, FickStern Productions, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Robert Greenblatt, Jere Harris and Darren DeVerna, The John Gore Organization, Mike Kriak, David Mirvish, Eva Price, Zeilinger Productions, Adam Zotovich, Ambassador Theatre Group, Independent Presenters Network, and the Shubert Organization, in association with Arena Stage, Molly Smith and Edgar Dobie, and Second Stage Theatre, Carole Rothman, and Casey Reitz. Wendy Orshan and Jeffrey M. Wilson are Executive Producers.

Dear Evan Hansen will play the Aronoff Center from April 30 – May 12, 2019: Tuesday – Thursday at 7:30PM, Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, Sunday at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets start at $35 and will be available at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown at 650 Walnut Street, online at CincinnatiArts.orgor by phone at 513.621.ARTS. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

For more information, please visit DearEvanHansen.com

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.   

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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April 29, 2019 · 8:50 am

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Announces Lead Gift to Capital Campaign

PIP_Jack and Moe_Official Approved 4-19

Moe and Jack Rouse by Bruce Fisher.

New Mainstage Theatre to be Named for Moe and Jack Rouse

CINCINNATI (April 29, 2019) — Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Capital Campaign Co-Chairmen Woody Taft and Rob Reifsnyder announced today that the new mainstage theatre will be named for Moe and Jack Rouse, thanks to a gift of $5 million. The newly christened “Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre” will replace the Marx Theatre, the oldest, un-renovated mainstage facility at any regional theatre in the country.

“Moe and Jack’s leadership and generosity laid the groundwork for the fantastic progress we continue to make on the campaign,” says Reifsnyder.

The Rouses are major supporters of the Playhouse. They have been production sponsors for nine years and are presenting co-sponsors of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running and next season’s The Lifespan of a Fact. Jack Rouse has served on the Playhouse Board of Trustees for 18 seasons and was President twice, most recently from 2016 to 2018. He currently serves as Board Chair.

In addition, they are both active in a number of volunteer leadership positions in the community. Moe Rouse founded Mannequin, a clothing boutique in Over the Rhine that benefits eight local charities: FreeStore Foodbank, Lighthouse Youth Services, La Soupe, Wesley Chapel, First Step Home, Caracole, Tender Mercies and UCAN Spay/Neuter. She has served on the boards of the Red Cross, Cincinnati Ballet, WGUC, Film Commission and the Contemporary Arts Center. Jack Rouse currently serves on the boards of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and ArtsWave.

“Jack and I met doing theatre together and have a long-abiding love of the Playhouse,” says Moe Rouse. “Making this gift is our way of sharing the joy of live theatre with the community. We want the new mainstage theatre to be a friendly, accessible place that brings all types of people together.”

The new mainstage theatre complex, including the Rouse Theatre, is anticipated to open in late 2022. This is later than the previously projected opening date of late 2021.

“We anticipate breaking ground in 2020. It’s a very complex project – building on a hill and working around our schedule of productions,” says Playhouse Artistic Director Blake Robison.  “We’re committed to our home site in beautiful Eden Park, and we want to minimize disruptions to our patrons.”

In the meantime, the capital project has already begun with the renovation of the Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre scheduled for this summer. This first phase will be completed and ready for the opening of the 2019-20 season in September. Patrons can expect more leg room, comfortable new seats, and improved accessibility to the Playhouse’s beloved, original space.

The new mainstage theatre complex includes the Rouse Theatre and support facilities such as new dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms, green rooms, costume shop and backstage areas. It will expand what can be done on stage with state-of-the art theatre technology. The new theatre will also enhance the audience experience with better comfort, sightlines, acoustics and entry/exit.

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.

PIP_Exterior View from East as of 4-17-19

Exterior View from East as of April 17, 2019. Building renderings by BHDP Architecture.

PIP_Exterior View from South as of 4-17-19

Exterior View from South as of April 17, 2019. Building renderings by BHDP Architecture.

PIP_Interior Lobby View as of 4-17-19

Interior Lobby View as of April 17, 2019. Building renderings by BHDP Architecture.

PIP_Lobby View from Outside as of 4-17-19

Lobby View from Outside as of April 17, 2019. Building renderings by BHDP Architecture.

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April 26, 2019 · 11:48 am

Cincinnati Music Theatre Announces its 2019-2020 Season at the Aronoff Center

cmt_logoCINCINNATI, OH – Cincinnati Music Theatre (CMT), a resident company of the Aronoff Center for the Arts, is pleased to announce its 2019-20 Season, including two full-scale musical productions in the Jarson-Kaplan Theater and three Studio Series productions in the intimate Fifth Third Bank Theater.

Season tickets go on sale Friday, May 3 and single tickets go on sale Monday, June 3 at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

Producing a historic five-show season, CMT is excited to offer Cincinnati high quality musicals at an affordable price. From a classic movie musical to Tony Award-winning shows to an original work created by a local Cincinnatian, CMT continues to thrill audiences with popular musical theatre and fabulous local talent, and to delight them with new works.

2019-20 MAINSTAGE SEASON

CABARET
Book by JOSEPF MASTEROFF, based on the play by JOHN VAN DRUTEN and stories by CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD, music by JOHN KANDER, lyrics by FRED EBB
November 8-16, 2019
Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater
In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Cliff, a young American writer newly arrived in Berlin, is immediately taken by English singer Sally Bowles. Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider, proprietor of Cliff and Sally’s boarding house, tentatively begins a romance with Herr Schultz, a mild-mannered fruit seller who happens to be Jewish. These contrasting relationships are played out against the backdrop of the Nazis rise to power. The award-winning score includes such classics as “Willkommen,” “Cabaret,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Maybe This Time,” and the title song. Directed by Skip Fenker. 

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
Screenplay by BETTY COMDEN and ADOLF GREEN, songs by NACIO HERB BROWN and ARTHUR FREED, based on the classic Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer film, by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Inc.
May 8-16, 2020
Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater
The “Greatest Movie Musical of All Time,” Singin’ in the Rain takes you on a memorable trip into Hollywood’s past. Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green adapted their award-winning screenplay for the stage. Each unforgettable scene, song, and dance is accounted for, including the splashy show-stopping title number. In silent movies, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a hot item but, behind the scenes, things aren’t as they appear. The advent of “talking pictures” may bring the end of Lina’s career until a talented young actress is asked to do the singing and talking for her.  Filled with comedy, romance, and a hit-parade of Hollywood standards, Singin’ in the Rain is a downpour of musical bliss! Directed by Dennis Murphy.

2019–20 STUDIO SERIES

SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM
Music and lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM and music by LEONARD BERSTEIN, MARY ROGERS, RICHARD ROGERS, JULE STYNE, continuity by NED SHERRIN
Sept 6, 7 & 13, 14, 2019
Aronoff Center – Fifth Third Bank Theater
Get ready to laugh, cry, and fall in love with lyrics that are heartbreakingly true and music that captures the soaring emotions of a generation with Side by Side by Sondheim. Simple and unpretentious, this Tony Award-winning musical is a perfect introduction to the work of this contemporary master and a must for diehard fans. Featuring music from Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, and Pacific Overtures, not to mention classics written with musical theatre giants Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rogers, Richard Rogers, and Jule Styne, this dazzling array of some of Sondheim’s best-known songs demonstrates his masterful craft and astounding creativity. Directed by Adam Drake. 

SINGABLES AND SWINGABLES: An Evening of Jazz
Created by CMT Board Member MARYPAT CARLETTI
Feb 14, 15 & 21, 22, 2020
Aronoff Center – Fifth Third Bank Theater
Your toes will tap and your fingers will snap as you enjoy song favorites made famous by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Manhattan Transfer, The Andrews Sisters, and more of the country’s best-loved jazz singers.  Let some of Cincinnati’s finest local ‘Cats and Canaries’ entertain you, as they come on like ‘gangbusters’. Directed by Marypat Carletti. 

I DO! I DO! A Musical About Marriage
Books and lyrics by TOM JONES, music by HARVEY SCHMIDT, based on “The FOURPOSTER” by JAN DE HARTOG
June 5, 6, & 12, 13, 2020
Aronoff Center, Fifth Third Bank Theater
The story of a marriage is at the center of I Do! I Do! A Musical About Marriage, an intimate and nostalgic work by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (The Fantasticks, 110 in the Shade). The show follows Michael and Agnes from their wedding day through to their retirement. We watch as they go through their wedding night jitters, raise a family, and negotiate midlife crises. We follow fifty years of their marriage to see them rediscover how much they really need each other. This touching story of two soul mates navigating the perils of life is set to a tuneful, charming score featuring the song “My Cup Runneth Over.” Directed by Tom Peters.

TICKETS & INFORMATION – Season tickets on sale Friday, May 3. Single tickets go on sale Monday, June 3.    

  • www.CincinnatiArts.org
  • (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
  • Aronoff Center Ticket Office
  • Group Discount Tickets (15 or more):  (513) 977-4157

                *Additional ticketing fees may apply.  Ticket prices and fees subject to change.

Aronoff Center Ticket Office Hours        

  • Monday-Friday:  9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  • Saturday:  10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Through intermission of the last show on performance days

Cincinnati Music Theatre
One of Cincinnati’s oldest and most successful community theaters, CMT is proud of its long history of presenting popular, large scale, award-winning musicals to enthusiastic audiences from across the Greater Cincinnati area. For more information, visit www.cincinnatimusictheatre.org, LIKE us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cincinnatimusictheatre, and follow us on Instagram @cincinnatimusictheatre.

Singin’ in the Rain, Side by Side by Sondheim, and I Do! I Do! are presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, 423 West 55thStreet, New York, NY 10009. Tel.: (212) 541-4684 Fax: (212)397-4684.  www.MTIShows.com 

Cabaret is produced by arrangement with TAMS-WITMARK, www.tamswitmark.com.

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