Category Archives: Press Releases

April 18, 2019 · 11:39 am

HAMILTON to Return in 20/21 Season

BIC_Hamilton logoWILL RETURN TO CINCINNATI
DURING THE 20/21 FIFTH THIRD BANK

BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI SEASON PRESENTED BY TRIHEALTH 

Cincinnati, OH (April 18, 2019) – The national tour of HAMILTON will return to the Aronoff Center during Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati’s 20/21 season presented by TriHealth, it was announced today by producer Jeffrey Seller and Broadway in Cincinnati. “Our first engagement of HAMILTON was an unprecedented event in Cincinnati,” said Genevieve Holt, General Manager – Midwest for Broadway in Cincinnati.  “Our audiences were thrilled with this exceptional show, and we at Broadway in Cincinnati were eager to bring it back to the Tri-State as soon as possible.  We are very proud that we will get to share this remarkable musical with our audiences again in the 20/21 season. Broadway in Cincinnati subscribers who renew for the 19/20 season will have first access to HAMILTON when they renew their subscription for the 20/21 season. (Restrictions may apply.) More information regarding engagement dates and how to purchase group and individual tickets will be available at a later date.

With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical direction and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

HAMILTON is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary.  Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.

HAMILTON’s creative team previously collaborated on the 2008 Tony Award® Winning Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, and casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA.

The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.

The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide.  The HAMILTON recording received a 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

For information on HAMILTON, visit www.HamiltonOnBroadway.com, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonMusical, www.Instagram.com/HamiltonMusical and www.Twitter.com/HamiltonMusical.

Broadway in Cincinnati 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, 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 visitBroadwayAcrossAmerica.com and Broadway.com.

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April 12, 2019 · 10:47 am

Cincinnati Opera Announces 100th Anniversary Season & Programming

CO_Rusalka (Kelly Kaduce), credit Michal Daniel, Minnesota Opera

Rusalka (Kelly Kaduce), credit Michal Daniel, Minnesota Opera.jpg

Cincinnati Opera Announces 100th Anniversary Programming,
2020 Season Repertoire, and Casting Highlights 

2020 Summer Festival
World premiere of Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith’s Castor and Patience
The Barber of Seville, starring Isabel Leonard
A magnificent, new-to-Cincinnati Aida
First-ever production of Rusalka
Fierce, a collaboration with young women from WordPlay Cincy
and Music Resource Center—Cincinnati 

Yearlong Program of Anniversary Events Begins September 2019
Including:
100th Anniversary Ball
Stephen Costello in Concert
Bryce Dessner’s Triptych (Eyes of One on Another)
In Harmony Community Chorus 

CINCINNATI, OH—Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, today announced a host of programs celebrating the company’s upcoming 100th anniversary in 2020, along with repertoire and casting highlights of the 2020 Summer Festival.

“Attaining the age of one hundred years is no small feat for any company, but for an opera company it’s a truly special achievement—after all, opera is the most expensive art form!” said Mirageas. “It is an honor and a privilege to guide this company artistically into its second century, drawing on both a rich history of magnificent grand opera as well as our decades of presenting new works.”

“With these events, we are not looking to simply mark the company’s milestone—we want to celebrate with our community, which has supported and championed Cincinnati Opera for almost a century,” said Patricia K. Beggs, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO of the company.

“Cincinnati Opera is the second oldest opera company in America, yet displays the artistic vibrancy of one of our newest ‘indie’ opera companies,” said Marc Scorca, President & CEO of Opera America. “The program for the 100th anniversary season shows an exciting and balanced commitment to the masterpieces of the inherited repertoire, the artists who will shape the art form in the course of the company’s second century, and community programs that embrace the diversity of the city. Like every great organization, Cincinnati Opera honors its rich history and looks to the future in every aspect of its work.”

100th Anniversary Programming
Cincinnati Opera will present a yearlong series of events, performances, and programs to celebrate its landmark 100thanniversary. A group of committed volunteers is working to support this programming through the 100th Anniversary Cabinet, co-chaired by Melanie Chavez and Jeannine Winkelmann. The Opera’s Community Celebrations committee, presenting a series of public events celebrating 100 years of opera in the community, is chaired by Julie Heard and Dr. Susan Strick. Fundraising activities for the 100th Anniversary are led by the Opera’s Presidents Council, chaired by Cathy Crain.

100 Fridays on 90.9 WGUC
In July 2018, Mirageas began leading the march to the Opera’s 100th anniversary on his weekly Friday evening broadcast on Classical 90.9 WGUC. Every Friday for 100 weeks, he explores one year in the history of Cincinnati Opera, counting up to the opening of the company’s 100th season. Along the way, Mirageas shares recordings of great artists from the illustrious history of the company, excerpts from significant Cincinnati Opera first performances, and occasionally historic live recordings from both the Cincinnati Zoo era (1920-1971) and from Music Hall. Historic anecdotes and facts are drawn from the landmark histories of Cincinnati Opera written by Eldred Thierstein and Charles Parsons. The series continues through June 2020; follow @cincinnatiopera, @909WGUC, and #CincyOpera100 on Twitter for weekly broadcast times and program details.

The 100th anniversary programming will kick off on September 18, 2019, when Cincinnati Opera once again returns to its historic roots at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden to present the 10th annual Back to the Zoo concert in the Wings of Wonder Theater. This fun, free, family-friendly program includes performances of opera and musical theater favorites, memories from the Zoo days, and close encounters with animals. Tickets to this highly anticipated event will become available in summer 2019.

On October 29, 2019, the company presents Stephen Costello in Recital, supported by the The Peter G. Courlas and Nicholas Tsimaras Annual Recital Fund, at Memorial Hall. Costello, a Metropolitan Opera regular who starred in the company’s 2010 La Bohème and 2012 La Traviata, will showcase an evening of bel canto opera arias in concert.

Longtime general director and CEO of the Opera Patty Beggs will be honored at the annual Opera Gala on November 23, 2019, at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hotel. The Gala is co-chaired by Alva Jean Crawford, Catharina Toltzis, and Anne Zaring, with honorary co-chairs Harry and Linda Fath and Marc Scorca, President & CEO of Opera America.

In Harmony Community Chorus
Connecting with the community is one of Cincinnati Opera’s top strategic priorities as it enters its second century. Since 2006, the company has produced an annual series of Opera Goes to Church concerts in collaboration with local churches, in which resident choirs perform with mainstage opera singers. The experience has been audience-focused, and is hugely popular, with each free concert filled to capacity. The company now seeks to create an impactful experience for the amateur singers in the choirs, with the belief that collaborative art-making will create social bridges across the community. To address that in a tangible way, in spring 2020 it will launch In Harmony, a community chorus of 100 participants, with ten members each from ten diverse organizations.

The company will partner with a mix of churches—African American, Latino, and white; conservative and liberal—along with other houses of worship, as well as existing community choruses. Participants will commit to a half-day weekend retreat in April 2020, six rehearsals, and six performances over two weekends in June 2020. The retreat will feature trust-building activities led by a professional facilitator, and each rehearsal will feature a social activity.

The culminating performances will take place at community centers, churches, and Cincinnati Music Hall over the course of two weekends. One weekend will feature a daylong tour along the Ohio River, with concerts in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. All programs will be presented free of charge. After the project, participants will be invited to attend a reunion and a dress rehearsal performance at Music Hall. In Harmony is supported by a $75,000 Innovation Grant from Opera America.

Triptych (Eyes of One on Another)
In April 2020, Cincinnati Opera will present the regional premiere of Bryce Dessner’s Triptych (Eyes of One on Another), a new work inspired by Dessner’s experience of growing up in Cincinnati during protests against an exhibit of the work of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe at the Contemporary Arts Center in 1990. Dessner, a member of the indie rock band The National and founder of the eclectic Cincinnati festival MusicNOW, collaborated with librettist Korde Arrington Tuttleand vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth to explore the ways Mapplethorpe’s works compel an audience’s complicity and characterizes them in the act of attention. The performance piece, which was co-commissioned by Cincinnati Opera, combines the poetry of Patti Smith and Essex Hemphill with projections of Mapplethorpe’s images. The work will be presented at the Taft Theatre in collaboration with the Contemporary Arts Center.

On June 14, 2020, the Opera will once again kick off the season with Opera in the Park, its annual free outdoor concert in Washington Park featuring a selection of opera and musical theater favorites performed by stars from the 2020 season, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Prior to the concert, the public is invited to Opera For All, a Music Hall open house featuring performances and activities for the whole family.

Then, on the opening night of the season, June 18, 2020, the company will present the 100th Anniversary Ball, a celebratory black-tie dinner prior to the performance of The Barber of Seville. The 100th Anniversary Ball is co-chaired byMelanie Chavez and Jeannine Winkelmann.

In conjunction with the meeting of the national Opera America board in Cincinnati, Cincinnati Opera will present Fierce Grace: Jeannette Rankin, a song cycle about the first woman elected to Congress, by composers Kitty Brazelton, Laura Kaminsky, Laura Karpman, and Ellen Reid, with text by Kimberly Reed, on July 17, 2020. This event is part of the company’s Championing Women’s Voices initiative.

In addition, Cincinnati Opera will present its usual lineup of community and education programming, including Opera Raps, the 30th annual Community Open Dress Rehearsal, The Opera Express mobile opera theater, the Inside Opera podcast series, performances through the UC Medical Center and Cincinnati Opera Voice Health Partnership, and the 15th annualOpera Goes to Church/Opera Goes to Temple concert series.

2020 Season
Cincinnati Opera will open its 100th anniversary season with Gioachino Rossini’s charming comedy The Barber of Seville(June 18 & 20) in Music Hall’s Springer Auditorium. Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, a frequent star of the Metropolitan Opera stage, will make her Cincinnati Opera debut as Rosina. After appearing as Tamino and Papageno in the company’s 2017 Magic Flute, tenor Aaron Blake and baritone Rodion Pogossov will showcase their comic teamwork as Count Almaviva and Figaro, respectively. Italian conductor Renato Balsadonna returns to conduct following his debut with 2018’s La Traviata.

Next, the company will present the world premiere of Fierce (June 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28), part of both the Championing Women’s Voices initiative and CO Next: Diverse Voices, an initiative designed to showcase diverse stories and artists. A collaboration with WordPlay Cincy, The Music Resource Center—Cincinnati (MRC), and i.imagine, Fierce tells stories inspired by the lives of the teenage girls who helped create it. The libretto is by novelist Sheila Williams, working with participants in WordPlay Cincy’s programs, and the music is by composer William Menefield, working with participants in MRC’s programs. Teenage girl participants in i.imagine’s photography-based educational programs will partner with the Opera on promoting the piece to their peers. D. Lynn Meyers, the producing artistic director of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, acts as stage director and dramaturg in her company debut. The project was previously announced under the working title Girls 2020.

For the first time in its 100-year history, the company will present Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka (July 9 & 11), the beautiful and tragic tale of a love-struck mermaid, sung in the original Czech at Music Hall. British-Swiss soprano Kim-Lillian Strebel, who made her U.S. debut singing Pamina in the company’s 2017 production of The Magic Flute, will star in the title role. Slovenian conductor Daniela Candillari will make her company debut leading the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Cincinnati Opera will then present the highly anticipated world premiere opera Castor and Patience (July 16, 18, 22, 24 & 26), at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. With music by Gregory Spears, composer of the company’s acclaimed 2016 commission Fellow Travelers, and an original libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, the story is centered on two members of an African American family who find themselves at odds over the fate of a historic parcel of land they have inherited in the American South. Not just the story of a single family or even a particular geography, the work addresses America’s warring tensions between reckoning with the hard facts of history and racing blindly forward toward the dream of progress. Soprano Latonia Moore returns to star as Patience following her acclaimed portrayal of Aida in 2013, and bass-baritone Kevin Short makes his company debut as Castor. Frederick Ballentine, Jr. will sing the role of Castor’s son, Judah, following roles in The Flying Dutchman (2018) and Porgy and Bess (2019). Kevin Newbury returns to direct following his work on 2016’s Fellow Travelers.

The 100th anniversary season will close with the grandest of all operatic masterpieces, Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida (July 25, 28, 30 & August 1), at Music Hall. Soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams makes her company debut in the title role, which she has previously sung at The Atlanta Opera and Teatro Massimo di Palermo in Sicily. Italian tenor Marco Berti will sing the role of Radamès, which he has performed at both La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera, in his company debut. Mezzo-sopranoRonnita Miller will make her company debut as the jealous princess Amneris. Baritone Reginald Smith, Jr. returns to sing the role of Amonasro following his appearance as Jake in Porgy and Bess (2019). Bass Morris Robinson reprises the role of Ramfis, which he last sang for the company in 2013. Robinson is the company’s Artistic Advisor and sings the role of Porgy inPorgy and Bess during the 2019 Summer Festival. Christopher Allen returns to conduct following his previous work on The Magic Flute (2017) and Tosca (2016).

Subscriptions to the 2020 Summer Festival will be available beginning in fall 2019, with single tickets on sale in spring 2020. For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

Championing Women’s Voices Initiative
In 2017, Cincinnati Opera presented its first-ever opera by a female composer with Song from the Uproar by Missy Mazzoli. The following year, the company presented its second, As One by Laura Kaminsky. During its centennial season, Cincinnati Opera will present a series of female-created works under the umbrella of the Championing Women’s Voices initiative. These include: the world premiere of Fierce, created by teenage girls from WordPlay and MRC and librettist Sheila Williams, directed by D. Lynn Meyers, with promotional support from the teenage girls from i.imagine; the world premiere of Castor and Patience with a libretto by U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith; and the presentation of Fierce Grace: Jeannette Rankin, a song cycle by composers Kitty Brazelton, Laura Kaminsky, Laura Karpman, and Ellen Reid, with text by Kimberly Reed. As part of Cincinnati Opera’s 100th anniversary, which coincides with the centennial of women’s suffrage in the U.S., this initiative celebrates the creativity and power of female artists. It will be supported in perpetuity by the Patricia K. Beggs Fund for Championing Women’s Voices.

Patricia K. Beggs Fund for Championing Women’s Voices
As announced in March, Patricia K. Beggs, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO, will retire following the company’s 2020 season, and the Board of Trustees has established a fund to honor her 35-year career and significant accomplishments. Throughout her career, Beggs has been a champion of artistic excellence, community, diversity, and new works, and has supported the work of female conductors, designers, and directors. Therefore, the focus of the fund is artistic excellence and community engagement, with an emphasis on female creators. The money raised by the fund will be used to showcase the work of established and emerging female creators, including composers, librettists, conductors, and directors, as well as to promote diversity and gender parity in the field. 

Founded in 1920, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of opera every June and July in multiple venues, including the recently renovated historic Music Hall. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary works brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative teams. 

Cincinnati Opera’s 2019 Summer Festival runs June 13 through July 28, featuring Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro,Charles Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, the world premiere of Blind Injustice by Scott Davenport Richards and David Cote, based on true stories of the Ohio Innocence Project, and The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Cincinnati Opera’s 2019 Season Presenting Sponsor is Huntington Bank. The 2019 season is also made possible with support from ArtsWave, Ohio Arts Council, Macy’s, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, and many generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. 

Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences.

cincinnatiopera.org

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April 11, 2019 · 11:00 am

AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS | Mon., Oct. 21 | Aronoff Center

CAA_David SedarisThe Best-Selling Author, Humorist and Contributor to
This American Life
Live at the Aronoff Center on Monday, October 21

[Cincinnati, OH], April 11, 2019 – WVXU presents An Evening with David Sedaris, author of the previous bestsellers Naked,Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and regular National Public Radio contributor will be appearing for one night only at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Monday, October 21 at 7:30pm, following the release of his newest book and New York Times #1 Best Seller, Calypso. 

All seats at the Aronoff Center are reserved, range in price from $48.75 to $58.75, and are subject to additional taxes and fees. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, April 19 at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

This is a unique opportunity to see the best-selling humorist in an intimate setting. As always, Sedaris will be offering a selection of all-new readings and recollections, as well as a Q&A session and book signing.

With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, Mr. Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today.

David Sedaris returns to the road following the release of his most deeply personal and darkly hilarious collection, Calypso.  Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. Make no mistake: these stories are very, very funny – it’s a book that can make you laugh ’til you snort, the way only family can. Sedaris’s powers of observation have never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter unparalleled. But much of the comedy here is born out of that vertiginous moment when your own body betrays you and you realize that the story of your life is made up of more past than future.

If you love David Sedaris’s cheerfully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what you’re getting into at his live readings. You’d be wrong.  To see him read his own work on stage allows his autobiographical narrative to reveal a uniquely personal narrative that will keep you laughing throughout the evening.  Don’t miss this event!

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April 10, 2019 · 3:57 pm

The Human Race Theatre Company Announces its 33rd Season: A Season of Women!

HRTC_new logoWOMEN OF INFLUENCE: THEIR POWER, PASSION AND PITFALLS

“This may be the first time in our 33 years,” stated Human Race Artistic Director and Founding Member Kevin Moore, “that we selected a season theme before we selected our shows.” And for good reason. The 2019-20 Human Race Theatre season at the Loft Theatre coincides with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the first step in all women having the right to vote and the catalyst for our movements for Equality.

“In celebration of this monumental year,” continued Moore, “The Human Race titled its new seasonWomen of Influence: Their Power, Passion and Pitfalls.  The season showcases unique women’s stories and plentiful, strong female characters – both factual and fictional.  It also features some of the country’s outstanding women playwrights.”

“Throughout this remarkable season, I am especially thrilled about all the opportunities it presents to further our engagement with our audience and collaborate with many old and new community partners,” said Executive Director Kappy Kilburn.

The Human Race kicks off the season in September with Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill by Lanie Robertson. In 1959, Billie Holiday, or “Lady Day” as she was called, performed one of her final shows in a run-down bar in South Philly.  In Robertson’s award-winning play, Holiday engages the audience with salty, often humorous reminiscences of her troubled life as a travelling performer in a segregated south.  With the help of her piano man, Jimmy Powers, she lets music tell her story, sharing soulful, heart-wrenching and bawdy songs from her memorable canon including: “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” “When a Woman Loves a Man,” and “Taint Nobody’s Business If I Do.”

November brings us The Cake, a new comedy by Bekah Brunstetter, the Supervising Producer and Writer of the hit NBC show This Is Us. Della makes cakes, not judgment calls — those she leaves to her husband, Tim. Besides, she was just selected as a contestant on The Great American Bake-Off, so she has her hands full.  But when her best friend’s daughter comes home to North Carolina to get married, Della’s life gets turned upside down when she realizes there’s not just one bride, but two. She can’t really make a cake for such a wedding, can she? For the first time in her life Della has to think for herself, forcing her to re-examine some of her deeply-held beliefs, as well as her own marriage.

Our March 2020 production celebrates Ohio-born journalist, social political activist and nationally recognized leader of the American feminist movement, Gloria Steinem, with the play by Emily Mann,Gloria: A Life, which recently ran Off-Broadway. Fifty years after Gloria Steinem began raising her voice for equality and advocating for others, her vision is as urgent as ever.   This richly detailed tapestry is about one of the most inspiring and remarkable women of our time.  Gloria’s life’s work and belief in the necessity of conversation as a catalyst for change offers us all a path forward in a way that only live theater can provide.

In the spring, playwright Lauren Gunderson brings us Sex in the City circa 1793 Paris with The Revolutionists. Four beautiful, badass women lose their heads in this irreverent, girl-powered comedy set during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror. Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen (and big fan of ribbons) Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle all are committed to finding Equality for Women while trying to figure out what it means for a woman to be “revolutionary.” This grand and zany comedy is about violence and legacy, art and activism, feminism and terrorism, compatriots and chosen sisters, and how we actually go about changing the world without losing our heads.

In June we are Hollywood-bound with Matthew Lombardo’s comedy Looped, based on a real event that has been the subject of gossip for years – featuring the outspoken film legend, Tallulah Bankhead. Loopedtakes place in the summer of 1965, and the film legend shows up to redub – or loop – one line of dialogue for her last movie, Die! Die! My Darling!!  It should have taken 8 minutes, but an inebriated Tallulah, well known for her husky voice, outrageous personality and devastating wit,needed eight hours.  Why?  Find out as Bankhead’s outsized personality dominates the young, frustrated film editor who is “knocked for a loop” by the tempestuous stage and screen icon.

This five-show Loft season will be The Human Race’s 33rd season of professional theatre in the Miami Valley. Subscribers’ renewal packets will be available when they attend the upcoming show,Sylvia, April 25 – May 12, or they can call Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630. Subscriber deadline for renewal is May 24. New subscription orders are available anytime, but will not be seated until the renewal process has completed.

HRTC_Season 19-20 logo

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL
by Lanie Robertson
September 12 – 29, 2019

THE CAKE
by Bekah Brunstetter
October 31 – November 17, 2019

GLORIA: A LIFE
by Emily Mann
February 27 – March 15, 2020

THE REVOLUTIONISTS
by Lauren Gunderson
April 16 – May 3, 2020

LOOPED
by Matthew Lombardo
June 11 – 28, 2020

Renewal Options:

1.) Pick up renewal packets when you attend any performance of SYLVIA
2.) Call Ticket Center Stage at 937-228-3630
3.) Visit the Schuster Center Box Office
4.) Wait for mailed packet – mailing date May 18

RENEWAL DEADLINE: May 24, 2019

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April 9, 2019 · 11:40 am

A Comedic Love Triangle Between a Husband, His Wife and His Furry Friend, SYLVIA!

HRTC_Sylvia3

Rory Sheridan, Jason Podplesky as Greg, Alex Sunderhaus as Sylvia & Jennifer Joplin as Kate. Publicity photo courtesy of Immobulus Photography.

The Human Race continues its 32nd Season with A. R. Gurney’s Sylvia, April. 25 – May 12, 2019 at the Loft Theatre

“Sylvia was first produced by The Human Race in our 10th season,” said Artistic Director Kevin Moore.  “And it has now been four years since the Broadway production.  And what is clear is our relationship with our pets does not change.  It is a commitment that we take very seriously.  And is why we can find so much humor in it still.”

(Dayton, OH) —Middle-aged Greg brings home a dog he found–or rather, one that found him­–in the park. With no other identification other than “Sylvia” on her nametag, she’s a street-smart mutt with a mind of her own and no shortage of opinions. Sylvia quickly becomes a major bone of contention between Greg and his wife, Kate. To him, she’s a welcome escape from an unhappy job and a loss of purpose. To Kate, Sylvia’s a slobbering, hairy rival for her husband’s affection. This ingenious take on a twisted love triangle leads to plenty of laughs and revelations on love and marriage… and a dog.

Sylvia is rated PG-15. Parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under the age of 15.

Sylvia will be Marya Spring Cordes’ (Director) 4th show she has directed at HRTC. Marya’slast show at the Loft was Neil Simon’s semi-biographical comedy, Brighton Beach Memoirs.

CAST AND DESIGN TEAM

Our stellar cast of four are all veterans of The Human Race.

Jennifer Joplin, playing Kate, is a Resident Artist and has worked with HRTC for more than 25 years! Joplin last appeared as Erma Bombeck in At Wit’s End. Jason Podplesky, playing Greg, is thrilled to be returning to HRTC having last appeared on stage under the direction of Cordes in Becky’s New Car. Rory Sheridan has his hands full as he juggles three different characters: Tom, Phyllis, and Leslie. Rory made his HRTC debut in Brighton Beach Memoirs, which was also directed by Cordes. Alex Sunderhaus is back for her 5th production at HRTC having played Lindsay in last years hit comedy, The House. Alex will play the role of Greg’s furry friend, Sylvia.

A.R. Gurney (Playwright) was an American playwright, novelist and academic. He is known for works including The Dining Room, Sweet Sue, The Cocktail Hour, and for his Pulitzer Prize nominated play, Love Letters. Sylvia premiered in 1995 featuring Sarah Jessica Parker in the title role. It was nominated for three Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Play, Actress (Parker), and Costume Design.

Eric Moore (Scenic Designer) returns to design his 7th show for The Human Race Theatre. Moore’s last production design was An Act of God. Jessica Pitcairn (Costume Designer) is excited to be back at HRTC for her third season after designing costumes for A Christmas Story and 26 Pebbles. 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 Sylvia.

The preview performance of Sylvia is Thursday, April 25. Opening night is Friday, April 26.

On May 7 at 5:30 p.m., round up your friends, come early for the show and enjoy craft beer while you meet some furry friends up for adoption at our Puppies & Pints event! Sponsored by the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and Toxic Brew Company. Additional information can be found on our Facebook page under events.

The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of Sylvia is sponsored by Barbara O’Hara, Barbara Schenck and an anonymous dog lover.

Cast of Sylvia

Jennifer Joplin, Jason Podplesky, Rory Sheridan and Alex Sunderhaus

PERFORMANCE AND SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION

Tickets for Sylvia 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, April 28 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 Sylvia 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 Sylvia are available at http://www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

# # #

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
Sylvia
by A.R. Gurney

directed by Marya Spring Cordes

April 25 – May 12, 2019

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

Middle-aged Greg brings home a dog he found–or rather, one that found him­–in the park. With no other identification other than “Sylvia” on her nametag, she’s a street-smart mutt with a mind of her own and no shortage of opinions. Sylvia quickly becomes a major bone of contention between Greg and his wife, Kate. To him, she’s a welcome escape from an unhappy job and a loss of purpose. To Kate, Sylvia’s a slobbering, hairy rival for her husband’s affection. This ingenious take on a twisted love triangle leads to plenty of laughs and revelations on love and marriage… and a dog.

For tickets:
Ticket Center Stage box office phone: (937) 228-3630 or visit www.humanracetheatre.org or www.ticketcenterstage.com.

Box office hours: Mondays – Fridays, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Saturdays, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Schuster Center; and two hours prior to each performance in the Loft Lobby.

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” April 28 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.

Military Discount: U.S. Military members (active duty & retired) can receive 50% off a Full Priced Adult Ticket with Military ID.  *Limit 2 per performance.

Group sales: contact Betty Gould at (937) 461-8295 or Betty.Gould@victoriatheatre.com

Sylvia performance dates:

  • Wednesday, April 24 8:00 p.m.  Pay-What-You-CAN open rehearsal
  • Thursday, April 25 8:00 p.m.  “Inside Track” pre-show discussion/Preview performance
  • Friday, April 26 8:00 p.m.  Opening night with post-show lobby party
  • Saturday, April 27 8:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 28 2:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 28 7:00 p.m.  “Sawbuck Sunday” – $10 tickets at the door
  • Tuesday, April 30 7:00 p.m.  Lite Fare at the Loft pre-show lobby dinning
  • Wednesday, May 1 6 7:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 2 8:00 p.m.
  • Friday, May 3 8:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 4 8:00 p.m.  Audio Described/Sign Interpreted performance (reserve by April 25)
  • Sunday, May 5 2:00 p.m.  “While We’re on the Subject” post-show talk-back
  • Tuesday, May 7 7:00 p.m. Puppies & Pints – 2nd floor rehearsal hall from 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
  • Wednesday, May 8 13 7:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 9 8:00 p.m.
  • Friday, May 10 8:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 11 16 8:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 12 2:00 p.m.  Closing performance

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