Category Archives: Press Releases

February 20, 2019 · 10:34 am

THE LION IN WINTER to Open as Falcon’s Fourth Production of 2018-19

Henry: What shall we hang? The holly, or each other?
Eleanor: How dear of you to let me out of jail!
Henry: It’s only for the holidays.

Who knew that dungeons, daggers, duplicity, and deception could be so much fun? 

FT_The Lion in Winter promo

Cast: Greg Mallios, Clay Winstead, Tracy M. Schoster, Jared Earland, Allen R. Middleton, Lexi Rigsby & Dan Robertson. Photo by Claudia Hershner.

It’s all part of THE LION IN WINTER, James Goldman’s deliciously wicked accounting of the love-hate travails between England’s King Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the accompanying power struggle to name the next heir to the English throne. Comedic in tone, darkly dramatic in action, and filled to overflowing with Goldman’s razor-sharp wit and dialogue, the play has been an audience favorite for more than fifty years. 

And it’s coming to the stage at Falcon Theatre. The production is the fourth of Falcon’s 2018-19 season, opening March 22. 

Eleanor has been imprisoned for ten years, after raising an army against her husband Henry.  But with Henry throwing a Christmas feast for the newly crowned King Philip II of France, the Plantagenets need to appear a happy family. Just for the occasion, Henry has released Eleanor from prison. Also in attendance are Henry’s three sons, each of whom is jockeying for position to be the named heir. The squabbling, backstabbing, and plotting that occurs among the brothers and the dangerous cat-and-mouse game played between Henry and Eleanor form the action of the story. 

The actual historical events portrayed in the play take place in 1183, but Falcon director Tara Williams has moved the setting to modern times, all the way to 2019, in fact. 

“The story may have taken place in the Middle Ages, but the major themes of the the piece, such as sibling rivalry, aging, death, ambition, and inheritance among royals, are as relevant now as they have ever been,” Ms. Williams says. “Royals today might be more outwardly civil to one another, and the scheming might be less bloody, but I suspect that the motivations and certainly the stakes haven’t lessened a bit since medieval times.” 

The Falcon production features Allen R. Middleton as Henry, Tracy M. Schoster as Eleanor, Greg Mallios as Richard, Jared Earland as Geoffrey, Clay Winstead as John, Lexi Rigsby as Alais, and Dan Robertson as Philip. 

Performances are at 8 PM on March 22, 23, 28, 29, and 30, and on April 4, 5, and 6. Ticket prices are $25 for adults and $15 for students with ID. Patrons enjoy a $5 discount for Thursday performances. Visit falcontheater.net to reserve seats.

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February 15, 2019 · 1:48 pm

Overture Awards Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony | Sat., March 9 | Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater

CAA_Overture AwardsCINCINNATI, OH – The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is proud to present the 2019 Overture Awards Finals Competition. The Overture Awards provides $4,000 to six area high school students for education and training expenses, with eighteen finalists each winning $1,000. The program also provides a $2,500 Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction.

The Overture Awards Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 1:00 PM at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Winners will be announced immediately following the competition.  The Visual Art finalists exhibition will be in Aronoff Center’s Center Stage Room (next to the Weston Art Gallery on Seventh Street) from Tuesday, March 5 – Saturday, March 9.

This year, 424 students were nominated by their schools or studios to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

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. Twenty-four finalists (four in each discipline) will compete in the Finals Competition at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater on March 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 

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

Arts Educator Award For Excellence in Arts Instruction

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, a 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. Nominations are made by submitting an on-line application with a three-minute video about why the nominee is an exemplary arts educator.

The winner of the 2019 award will receive $2,500, and two finalists will receive $500 each. The recipients of the Arts Educator Award may utilize the monetary award to strengthen their program or practice, e.g. an artist fee for a guest lecturer or master class, the purchase of equipment, or a professional learning opportunity such as tuition assistance for either the educator or for students to study with the recipient or another professional.

Arts Educator Award Finalists 

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 1.5 million students.

CAA is proud to be a member of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce, and Performing Arts Center Consortium.

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February 15, 2019 · 11:18 am

Playhouse Stages August Wilson Masterpiece Beginning March 2

TWO TRAINS RUNNING explores the lives of ordinary people during the civil rights movement

PIP_Two Trains Running promo

Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

CINCINNATI – Beginning March 2, history unfolds around everyday lives in August Wilson’s TWO TRAINS RUNNING at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Part of Wilson’s American Century Cycle, the masterpiece play portrays ordinary people swept up in a rapidly changing world against the backdrop of the civil rights movement. TWO TRAINS RUNNING is presented in the Marx Theatre by Moe and Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth through March 30. Opening night is Thursday, March 7.

Wilson is widely regarded as the world’s foremost African-American playwright and as one of the most important and influential voices in the history of theatre. He won both a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for his 1987 play, Fences. He won his second Pulitzer Prize in 1990 for The Piano Lesson. Wilson’s American Century Cycle is a trailblazing 10-play series about the African-American experience. From 1979 to 2004, he wrote one play for each decade of the 20th century.

Variety stated that TWO TRAINS RUNNING was “perfection… a work by a writer at the peak of his powers.”

Set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in a local diner in 1969, long-time regulars gather to gossip, flirt and play by the numbers. The owner must decide whether or let the city take over his building or sell it to a shrewd, local businessman.

Playhouse Associate Artist Timothy Douglas, who directs the production, is one of the country’s preeminent directors of Wilson’s plays. Douglas has directed several productions of Wilson’s work, including the Playhouse’s 2016 production of Jitney.

“When August Wilson’s plays first came on to the scene, one of the major impacts was in filling the void that was the lack of authentic black lives and voices on mainstream American stages,” explains Douglas. “August Wilson’s works are unapologetically pro-black, which is the polar opposite of being anti-white, and it is because of this reality — by way of his plays, characters and dynamic use of language — he is able to convey universal truths.”

The play explores topics such as inequality and injustice, balanced with moments of humor and optimism. Though it marks the seventh play of Wilson’s American Century Cycle, TWO TRAINS RUNNING stands on its own, painting a compassionate portrait of ordinary people in the midst of transformation.

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SPONSORS
TWO TRAINS RUNNING is presented by Moe and Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth. Design Sponsor is TriVersity Construction. Artist Sponsors are Fifth Third Bank; Bahl & Gaynor; Rosemary and Mark Schlachter; and World Pac Paper, LLC. Honorary Producer is Leon Meyer. Marx Theatre Season Sponsor is Schueler Group and Season Design Sponsor is Macy’s. Season Sponsor of New Work is The Rosenthal Family Foundation.

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.

CAST
Frank Britton (Hambone); Doug Brown (West); Chiké Johnson (Sterling); Jefferson A. Russell (Wolf); Malkia Stampley (Risa); Raymond Anthony Thomas (Memphis); Michael Anthony Williams (Holloway)

PRODUCTION
Timothy Douglas (Director); Tony Cisek (Set Designer); Kara Harmon (Costume Designer); Michael Gilliam (Lighting Designer); Matthew M. Nielson (Composer/Sound Designer); Stephanie Klapper, CSA (Casting Director); Jenifer Morrow (Production Stage Manager); Brooke Redler (Second Stage Manager).

TICKETS
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. An additional matinee takes place at 1 p.m. on March 27. Please note there are no public evening performances on March 13 or 24.  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 $15 on the day of the show for all other performances. Discounted ticket prices for children and teens are available for all performances and are $30.

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February 14, 2019 · 11:33 am

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents Sensational Comedy A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2, March 2-30, 2019

ETC_A Dolls House Part 2 logo

(Cincinnati, OH) Nora’s back, and this time, she’s kicking down the door! Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati presents the regional premiere of the scintillating comedy that’s sweeping the nation, A Doll’s House, Part 2. Nominated for eight Tony Awards, Lucas Hnath’s completely unauthorized sequel to Ibsen’s theatrical classic is a thoughtful and contemporary commentary on marriage and how the roles of women have—and haven’t—changed over time. Playing March 2-30, 2019. Directed by Regina Pugh. Production Sponsor is John Goering.

Nora famously slammed the door on her marriage, leaving her family behind in Ibsen’s 1879 revolutionary classic, but what happened to the iconic heroine next? This audacious sequel imagines her 15 years later as a changed woman. Universally acclaimed on Broadway, this smart, sophisticated comedy crackles with razor-sharp humor that speaks directly to today’s audiences, giving new voice to its predecessor’s themes of marriage, fidelity, and personal independence.

“I love that this play forces us to confront our own beliefs about marriage and family,” says director Regina Pugh.  “All of the characters in this story make extremely good arguments and extremely flawed arguments and, ultimately, it becomes very hard to tell one from the other. Life is like that. We often feel like we are doing the exact right thing and exact wrong thing at the exact same time.”

About the Cast

Tony Campisi (Torvald) returns to Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, having previously appeared in The Humans, Permanent Collection, and Glimmer, Glimmer, and Shine. He was seen at Playhouse in the Park in Men on the Take, Durango, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and You Can’t Take it with You. Other regional theatres include Cleveland Play House, McCarter Theatre, Studio Arena Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Mark Taper Forum, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Geva Theatre Center, New York Stage and Film, and Hudson Guild, among others. Broadway: Awake and Sing! (Tony Award), The Nerd, and Pvt. Wars. Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center Theatre, Roundabout Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, and Primary Stages. His television credits include: Seven Seconds (Netflix), Blue Bloods, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Ally McBeal, Profiler, Matlock, EZ Streets, and several soap operas; film credits include: Cruzando, A Home of our Own, Tyson (HBO), and Green Plaid Shirt.

Christine Dye (Anne Marie) last performed at Ensemble Theatre in The Humans and When We Were Young and Unafraid. She has also appeared onstage in Much Ado About Nothing, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival; August: Osage County, Riverside, and Sarge, Clifton Performance Theatre; Dracula, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; House of Yes, Untethered Theatre; Jeffery, Parallel Lives, and Valhalla, Ovation Theatre; Power Failure, Night of the Iguana, and Bus Stop, New Edgecliff Theatre; and Vagina Monologues, Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, and Shirley Valentine, Middletown Lyric Theatre. Her film credits include Carol, Old Man and the Gun, Donnybrook, A Case of Murder, Mom and Dad, Aftermath, and First Kill.

Connan Morrissey (Nora) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut. Her previous credits include roles in new and classical plays at Arena Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Asolo Theatre Center, Folger Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Round House Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Clarence Brown Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory, Capital Repertory, North Carolina Stage Company, Vermont Stage Company, and Peterborough Players. She has worked as a performance coach for companies including Deloitte, PWC, Unilever, and Fifth Third. Ms. Morrissey has an MFA from the University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill.

Esther Cunningham (Emmy) is a current member of the Professional Acting Apprentice Program at Ensemble Theatre, where she understudied Crabble in Fly by Night and the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland. Off stage, she works with the ETC Education Department as a teaching assistant for the Hunter Heartbeat Program. She is a graduate of Wheaton College with a BA in Theater, where some of her favorite credits include Julius Caesar, The Sparrow, and Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

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), Stormie Mac (Costume Designer), and James Geier (Wig 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.

A Doll’s House, Part 2—At A Glance

What:  A Doll’s House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath

Where: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, 1127 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 

When: March 2 – 30, 2019
Opening Night: Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 pm

Times: Tues-Thurs at 7:30 pm; Fri & Sat at 8:00 pm; Sat & Sun at 2:00 pm; Sun at 7:00 pm

Tickets: Start at $35 for adults; students, $28 

Content Advisory
This production contains adult language and may not be suitable for all audiences. 

Discounts
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. Group discounts available for 8+. Complete details available at www.ensemblecincinnati.org. 

Parking:
Surface lot and Gateway Garage, both at the corner of 12th and Vine Streets. Parking also available at the Washington Park Garage and Mercer Commons Garage. 

CAST
Torvald: Tony Campisi*
Emmy: Esther Cunningham
Anne Marie: Christine Dye*
Nora: Connan Morrissey*

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director: Regina Pugh
Costume Designer: Reba Senske
Production Stage Manager: Brandon T. Holmes*
Sound Designer: Matt Callaha
Set & Lighting Designer: Brian c. Mehring
Wig Designer: James Geier
Properties Master & Design Assistant: Shannon Rae Lutz
Production Manager: Matthew Hollstegge

*Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

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February 12, 2019 · 2:12 pm

Jump on the Next Runaway Train and Join Phileas Fogg on his Adventure AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

HRTC_Around the World in 80 Days promo2

Cast of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Jared Joplin, Patrick Earl Phillips, Jake Lockwood, Darlene Spencer and Lovlee Carroll). Photo by Immobulous.

The Human Race continues its 32nd Season with Mark Brown’s Around the World in 80 Days, adapted from the novel by Jules Verne, Feb. 28 – March 17, 2019 at the Loft Theatre.

“80 DAYS is one of the funniest evenings of theatre I’ve ever worked on.” Says director, Joe Deer. “This cast is an absolutely delightful and incredibly versatile group of actors from across the country who are making the perfect antidote to the Winter Blues. The show is a hybrid adventure story/romance/buddy film/travelogue in the spirit of Monty Python, Gilbert and Sullivan and Indiana Jones – a farcical romp in every way. As a guy who spends his time directing a lot of comedies, I am certain this will be one of the best audiences Dayton will ever see.”

30 characters, 5 actors, and a whirlwind of costumes, hats and luggage!

HRTC_Around the World in 80 Days promo1

Cast of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Jared Joplin, Patrick Earl Phillips, Jake Lockwood, Darlene Spencer and Lovlee Carroll). Photo by Immobulous.

(Dayton, OH) —Jules Verne’s classic tale springs to life in this clever, fast-paced comedy for the whole family. Proper gentleman Phileas Fogg strikes a wager and sets off on a race that puts his fortune and life at risk. With his faithful servant at his side, he has just 80 days to circle the globe–an inconceivable feat in the year 1872! Fierce natives, furious typhoons, runaway trains, a damsel in distress and a dogged detective threaten to delay him at every step in this delightful, whirlwind odyssey that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to unexpected end.

“Our biggest challenge,” said Human Race Artistic Director Kevin Moore, “is convincing people that the hot air balloon does not exist in the actual book.  While it made for exciting cinematography in Mike Todd’s 1956 film version, it is not part of the Jules Verne novel. However, audiences will experience typhoons, angry natives, a runaway train – and an elephant. And in the intimate Loft, it may feel like a ride at Disney!”

It’s an adventure for the entire family! “High-spirited, fast-moving and flat-out hilarious!” –Orlando Weekly

Around the World in 80 Days will be Joe Deer’s (Director) 12th show he has directed at HRTC. Deer’s last show at the Loft was the comedic musical about six unemployed steelworkers turned strippers, The Full Monty.

HRTC_Around the World in 80 Days promo3

Cast of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Jared Joplin, Patrick Earl Phillips, Jake Lockwood, Darlene Spencer and Lovlee Carroll). Photo by Immobulous.

CAST AND DESIGN TEAM

The cast of five is made up of one Human Race veteran and four actors who are making their onstage debut at The Human Race Theatre.

Jared Joplin (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati) is making his onstage Human Race Theatre debut as Mr. Phileas Fogg. Patrick Earl Phillips is excited to be making his HRTC debut as Fogg’s trusted valet, Passepartout. Lovlee Carroll is thrilled to be reprising the role of Actor 4 (Aouda and 3 characters) in her debut performance at HRTC. Jake Lockwood is no stranger to HRTC. This will be Lockwood’s 6th production at HRTC and will be playing Actor 1, which consists of 17 characters. Resident Artist Darlene Spencer was last seen at HRTC in the staged reading of Sweat and will be making her onstage HRTC debut as Actor 2 (8 characters).

Mark Brown (Playwright) Mark Brown is a widely produced playwright throughout America and abroad. His plays and musicals include Around the World in 80 Days; China – The Whole Enchilada; Tom Jones; Tom Jones the Musical; The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge; The Gentleman Thief; Deep Into That Darkness Peering; The Little Prince. Originally from New Jersey, Mark is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter and dreams of living in a chateau in France.

Dick Block (Scenic Designer) is the genius behind the shows Victorian Steam Punk design and this will be his 25th production at The Human Race Theatre. Block’s most recent show with HRTC was A Christmas Story. Cat Schmeal–Swope (Costume Designer) is hard at work designing wardrobe for her first Human Race production. Resident Artists John Rensel (Lighting Designer) and Jay Brunner (Sound Designer) round out the design team. Jacquelyn Duncan is the production stage manager.

Biographies on the cast and creative team can be found on The Human Race Theatre Company’s website under Around the World in 80 Days. For press tickets, please contact Chad Wyckoff at chad@humanracetheatre.org.

The preview performance of Around the World in 80 Days is Thursday, February 28. Opening night is Friday, March 1.

The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of Around the World in 80 Days is sponsored by Emerson Climate Technologies, Marion’s Piazza, Houser Asphalt & Concrete, Larry Glickler­–Glickler Funeral Home, Matthew J. Scarr, CPA LLC, and Patti Giering.

PERFORMANCE AND SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION
Tickets for Around the World in 80 Days start at $14. Prices vary depending on the day of the week and seating location. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Student tickets are available at 50% off regular adult prices and a student I.D. must be presented when picking up at the Box Office. The Sunday, March 3 7:00 p.m. performance is “Sawbuck Sunday,” when any available seat can be purchased in person for just $10 at the Loft Theatre box office two hours prior to the show. Discounts are subject to availability and some restrictions apply.

All performances are at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Show times for Around the World in 80 Days are 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Performances on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings begin at 7:00 p.m., and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday matinees.

Tickets and performance information for Around the World in 80 Days are available at http://www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

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2018-2019 marks the 32nd season for The Human Race Theatre Company, “Dayton’s Official Professional Theatre Company.” Founded in 1986, The Human Race moved into the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence in its current home, the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces new works development and special event programming. Under the direction of Executive Director Kappy Kilburn and Kevin Moore, Artistic Director, the company also maintains outreach programs, as well as artist residencies in area schools and a summer youth program. Human Race organizational support is provided by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, Culture Works, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 2018-2019 Sustainability Sponsors are the ELM Foundation, Anne F. Johnson, Steve and Lou Mason, and Morris Home. The 2018-2019 Loft season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton Foundation.

 

CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

The Human Race Theatre Company presents
Around the World in 80 Days
by Mark Brown
directed by Joe Deer

February 28 – March 17, 2019

Performed at the Loft Theatre
Metropolitan Arts Center
126 North Main Street (between First and Second streets)
Dayton, Ohio 45402

Jules Verne’s classic tale springs to life in this clever, fast-paced comedy for the whole family. Proper gentleman Phileas Fogg strikes a wager and sets off on a race that puts his fortune and life at risk. With his faithful servant at his side, he has just 80 days to circle the globe–an inconceivable feat in the year 1872! Fierce natives, furious typhoons, runaway trains, a damsel in distress and a dogged detective threaten to delay him at every step in this delightful, whirlwind odyssey that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to unexpected end. Join the adventure!

For tickets:

Ticket Center Stage box office phone: (937) 228-3630
Box office hours: Mondays – Fridays, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Saturdays, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.; and two hours prior to each performance Online: http://www.humanracetheatre.org or http://www.ticketcenterstage.com
Ticket prices start at: $37 – $55 for adults, $34 – $48 for seniors and $19.50  – $27.00 for students. Prices vary depending on performance date.
Discounts: Select side-area seats available for $14 and $27 at all performances; “Sawbuck Sunday” March 3 at 7:00 p.m. – $10 seats available for walk up sales only
Student Discounts: All adult priced tickets are discounted at 50% for students. *A student I.D. must be presented at the box office.
Group sales: contact Betty Gould at (937) 461-8295 or Betty.Gould@victoriatheatre.com

Around the World in 80 Days performance dates:

  • Wednesday, February 27 8:00 p.m.  Pay-What-You-CAN open rehearsal
  • Thursday, February 28 8:00 p.m.  “Inside Track” pre-show discussion/Preview performance
  • Friday, March 1 8:00 p.m.  Opening night with post-show lobby party
  • Saturday, March 2 8:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 3 2:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 3 7:00 p.m.  “Sawbuck Sunday” – $10 tickets at the door
  • Tuesday, March 5 7:00 p.m.  Lite Fare at the Loft pre-show lobby dining 
  • Wednesday, March 6 7:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 7 8:00 p.m.
  • Friday, March 8 8:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 9 8:00 p.m.  Audio Described/Sign Interpreted performance (reserve by February 28)
  • Sunday, March 10 2:00 p.m.  “While We’re on the Subject” post-show talk-back
  • Tuesday, March 12 7:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 13 7:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 14 8:00 p.m.
  • Friday, March 15 8:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 16 8:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 17 2:00 p.m.  Closing performance

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