Category Archives: Press Releases

CCM Celebrates 50 years of Excellence in Musical Theatre with Lavish Production of GUYS AND DOLLS and Gala Afterparty

CCM-MT50-Saints-and-Sinners-Bash

Arts lovers are invited to get ‘all dolled up’ for a performance of the Broadway classic ‘Guys and Dolls’ followed by the ‘Saints and Sinners Bash’ gala on Oct. 20, 2018!

Cincinnati, OH — The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) celebrates the 50th anniversary of its legendary BFA program in Musical Theatre with a special gala event on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Arts lovers are invited to show their saintly support and have a sinfully good time during an evening that includes a lavish production of the classic Broadway musical Guys and Dolls followed by CCM’s Saints and Sinners Bash after party. Ticket proceeds support scholarships, student travel funds and master class opportunities.

The Musical Theatre program at CCM is the oldest in the country and was the first of its kind. A four-year bachelor of fine arts (BFA) program, it was used by the National Association of Schools of Theatre in formulating the guidelines for the accreditation of Musical Theatre programs nationwide. CCM Musical Theatre is widely recognized for its “triple-threat” approach to training and many of its graduates are following careers as performers and creative artists in every facet of the entertainment industry.

About The Show
CCM is celebrating the golden anniversary of its Musical Theatre program with a cherished musical comedy from Broadway’s golden age. Guys and Dolls tells the story of Nathan Detroit, a gambler trying to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while eluding the authorities. Detroit turns to fellow gambler Sky Masterson for the dough, who ends up chasing straight-laced missionary Sister Sarah Brown as a result. Featuring iconic musical numbers like “Luck Be a Lady,” “A Bushel and a Peck,” “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” and more, this Tony Award-winning show takes audiences from the heart of Times Square to the cafés of Havana in a tale of saints and sinners and the lengths they will go for love.

Directed and choreographed by Professor Diane Lala, with musical direction by Professor Roger GrodskyGuys and Dolls features the unbelievable on-stage talent of CCM’s musical theatre majors with live accompaniment by CCM’s world-class student orchestra. The performance takes place in CCM’s newly-renovated Corbett Auditorium.

About The After Party
After the performance of Guys and Dolls, attendees will be escorted to the Great Hall of UC’s Tangeman University Center for the Guys and Dolls-themed Saints and Sinners Bash. Guests can unwind in the Sinners Lounge, dance to music provided by the CCM Jazz Band and enjoy specialty drinks. Jeff Thomas Catering will provide themed food stations at the event, which also features a Graeter’s Ice Cream “Saints and Sinners” sundae bar.

The Saints and Sinners Bash will also celebrate the incredible history of CCM’s Musical Theatre program. CCM conferred the United States’ first BFA in Musical Theatre to Pamela Myers in 1969. Shortly after graduating, Myers received a Tony nomination in the category of Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her breakout role as Marta in Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical Company. Fifty years later, CCM Musical Theatre graduates continue to work on Broadway and throughout the nation in such productions as AnastasiaHamiltonWaitressThe Book of Mormon, Pippin, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, Kinky BootsBig FishNewsies and The Lion King. During the 2017-18 season, CCM again took the #2 spot in Playbill Magazine’s list of “10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway,” coming behind only New York University. Graduates also represent CCM in national and international touring productions, in dinner theatres and theme parks, on cruise ships, on television, in talent agencies, as producers and in many of the related entertainment fields.

Attendees are invited to get “all dolled up” in 1940s attire for a fun-filled night out benefiting CCM’s student “stars of tomorrow.” The entire evening is hosted by CCMpower, a dedicated volunteer group comprised of fans, advocates and alumni. The funds raised by this event enable CCMpower to “fuel the future of the arts” by awarding student scholarships and grants. CCMpower is presenting Guys and Dolls and the Saints and Sinners Bash in lieu of CCM’s popular Moveable Feast gala fundraiser. Moveable Feast will return to CCM in January 2020.

The Saints and Sinners Bash is chaired by Heather Vecellio, with Dianne Dunkelman serving as honorary chair. The fundraiser will be the first event held during the tenure of new CCMpower President Arlene Katz. The gala fundraiser also celebrates the arrival of new CCM Dean Stanley Romanstein, whose tenure officially began on July 1, 2018.

CCM’s Mainstage Series will also present performances of Guys and Dolls on Oct. 19, 21, 26 and 27. Learn more about these performances at https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2018/08/n201024.html. 

GUYS AND DOLLS AND THE SAINTS AND SINNERS BASH
A Musical Fable of Broadway
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Diane Lala, director and choreographer
Roger Grodsky, musical director

Date
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018

Schedule of Events:

  • Sponsor Reception at CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater: 6 p.m. (only available for sponsors)
  • Performance of Guys and Dolls at CCM’s Corbett Auditorium: 7 p.m.
  • Saints and Sinners Bash at the Great Hall in UC’s Tangeman University Center: 9:30-11:30 p.m.

Location
University of Cincinnati

Dress
All Dolled Up (1940s attire encouraged)

Purchasing Tickets
Tickets are on sale now for general admission, young professional and CCM alumni. Order tickets over the phone at 513-556-2100 or online at  ccm.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/SaintsandSinnersBash2018.

Seating is limited. Event proceeds raised by CCMpower support student scholarships for CCM’s “stars of tomorrow” and also help fund student and ensemble travel, master class opportunities and collaborative projects.

Sponsorship and Host tickets to Guys and Dolls and the Saints and Sinners Bash are also available and can be purchased over the telephone at 513-556-2100. Sponsorship levels begin at $600, visit ccm.uc.edu/support/events for more details.

Host Options: 

  • Saint $250 – price includes one ticket to Guys and Dolls performance, one ticket to Saints and Sinners Bash, one ticket to CCM Musical Theatre’s “Not Famous Yet” Showcase on March 15, 2019, valet parking and program recognition
  • Sinner $175 – price includes one ticket to Guys and Dolls performance, one ticket to Saints and Sinners Bash, valet parking and program recognition
  • General Public Tickets: $125 – price includes one ticket to Guys and Dolls performance, one ticket to Saints and Sinners Bash and membership to CCMpower
  • CCM Alumni and Young Professional (40 and under) Tickets: $75 – price includes one ticket to Guys and Dolls performance, one ticket to Saints and Sinners Bash and membership to CCMpower

Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.

About CCMpower
The result of a merger of the Friends of CCM and the CCM Alumni Governing Board, CCMpower is a volunteer group of fans, advocates and alumni dedicated to empowering students and fueling the future of the arts through scholarship opportunities and more. This new organization is a combination of people who love and support the arts along with graduates of CCM investing back in their school. To learn more, visit ccm.uc.edu/ccmpower.

Declared “one of the nation’s leading conservatories” by The New York Times, CCM is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time.

CCM offers nine degree types (BA, BM, BFA, MFA, MM, MA, AD, DMA, PhD) in nearly 120 possible majors. The synergy created by housing CCM within a comprehensive public university gives the college its unique character and defines its objective: to educate and inspire the whole artist and scholar for positions on the world’s stage.

CCM is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio. All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

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The Return of the Flashmob: SECKATARY HAWKINS

QCF_Seckatary Hawkins logoReintroducing young adventures on the old river

(CINCINNATI) – Queen City Flash is back with a new flash mob, SECKATARY HAWKINS, a Centennial Celebration of the beloved children’s tales by Covington native Robert F. Schulkers. Adapted by Trey Tatum and directed by Bridget Leak, SECKATARY HAWKINS runs October 24 through 28, 2018. Performances begin at 7:00 p.m., with additional matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

The show features local actors David Driskill, Patrick McWilliams, Dave Powell, Alexx Rouse, and Hannah Sheppard.

Starting in 1918 for The Cincinnati Enquirer, Robert F. Schulkers’s childhood adventures detailed what daily life was like for children in the Cincinnati area. His tales of Seckatary Hawkins and his cohorts soon grew into syndicated weekly stories in newspapers around the country, novels, comic strips, radio serials and a national fan club.

Now, on the 100th Anniversary of his creation, Queen City Flash (JALZ, of Monster Descent, The Complete Tom ) is bringing Seckatary Hawkins back down to the river banks where he began his adventures in a brand-new flahsmob-style play:

It’s 1918. America is at war! Meanwhile, on the home front, a ragtag group of mischievous boys are waging their own battles against boredom as a self-described “Rejiment.” Join Seckatary Hawkins, and his lovable young cohorts, as they protect the river banks from the Pelham Gang, a rival rejiment from across the river. 

All performances are flash mob-style, meaning tickets can be reserved based on the date, time and accessibility level of your choice. At 3:00 p.m. the day of the show, an email will be sent to ticket holders with a map and parking instructions to the secret location. All performances are outdoors. Tickets are free to the public and can be reserved at www.QueenCityFlash.com For additional questions about accessibility, please email queencityflash@gmail.com.

Performances are:

  • Wednesday, October 24 @ 7pm
  • Thursday, October 25 @7pm
  • Friday, October 26 @7pm
  • Saturday, October 27 @ 3pm
  • Saturday, October 27 @ 7pm
  • Sunday, October 28 @ 3pm
  • Sunday, October 28 @ 7pm

About Queen City Flash:
Queen City Flash is a community-centric theater company dedicated to open access to the arts. By untethering the performing arts from physical space, prohibitive costs and traditional theatrical expectations, Queen City Flash unites local artists with their communities to create new, impactful theatre.

Currently, QCF programming falls under:  Flashmobs, Community, Activism, Flash|U, and Fringe.

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Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents a Special Performance Event, ST. NICHOLAS, Oct. 12-27, 2018

ETC_St. Nicholas logo

(Cincinnati, OH) Just in time for Halloween, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati presents a spine-chilling, two-week-only performance of St. Nicholas by Conor McPherson. Starring renowned regional actor Bruce Cromer, this amusingly gothic ghost story winds its way through the fog of memory towards a supernatural and suspenseful conclusion. Playing October 12-27. Directed by Brian Robertson. Production Sponsor is LPK.

A jaded theatre critic spins a tale beginning with obsession and ending with a descent into a macabre world of vampires. Is it all a drunken lie? A tantalizing fairy tale? Or is it his own version of a higher truth? Bruce Cromer sinks his teeth into this hauntingly funny one-man play that is storytelling at its spooky best.

“Conor McPherson’s [writing] is a joy to experience. I think his take on the idea of encountering vampires is more broad-reaching than the typical jump-scare,” says Director Brian Robertson. “[St. Nicholas] reminds us of the power of simple storytelling—that one individual spinning a tale can encompass us on so many levels: our senses, our own imagination, our emotional state. It’s something not to miss.”

About the Cast

Bruce Cromer (Man) has been a member of Actors’ Equity Association since 1981, performing in over 170 professional stage productions at organizations such as Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and Milwaukee Repertory. He has been seen at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati in the one-man shows An Iliad and Underneath the Lintel, as well as the productions The Legend of Georgia McBride, Next Fall, and Blue/Orange, among others. He was one of the original resident artists at the Human Race Theatre Company in Dayton, Ohio.  A busy voice-over artist for ThinkTV, he has also done one-man shows with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Cromer is a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat with the Society of American Fight Directors, and has been a Professor in the BFA Professional Actor Training Program at Wright State University since 1987.

Performance Information
Performances run Tuesday through Sunday. Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday, 8:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 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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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.

2018-2019 Season Presenting Sponsor is the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support provided PNC.

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

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The Human Race Theatre Company Selects Katherine Kilburn as Executive Director

HRTC_Katherine Kilburn head shot

Katherine “Kappy” Kilburn.

Looking toward a bright future, The Human Race Theatre Company is proud to announce the addition of a new Executive Director

(Dayton, OH) — The Human Race Theatre Company is proud to announce the addition of a new Executive Director to their staff. Katherine “Kappy” Kilburn will join HRTC October 9.

“We are delighted to be giving Kevin Moore, President and Artistic Director, the management partner he has wanted for many years. The job is too big for any one person and Kappy will be Kevin’s perfect complement,” says Anne Brown, President of the Board of Trustees. “She is bright, energetic and loves the idea of making a difference in the Dayton community through The Human Race.”

Kilburn, who brings a wealth of theatrical management experience, will move from New York City, where she has proven leadership in not-for-profit and commercial theatre. Previously, she worked in Los Angeles with the Center Theatre Group and the Pasadena Playhouse. Most recently, Kilburn worked with Snug Harbor Productions and Puppet Phactory, a group focused on multi-disciplinary storytelling.

Kilburn holds an undergraduate degree from University of Missouri in Technical Theatre and a MFA from Columbia University in Theatre Producing and Management. Her passion for theatre and new works is exceeded only by her dedication to the careful management of the theatre. Kilburn, who specializes in contract negotiations and fiscal management, is looking forward to leading The Human Race toward a bright future.

Kilburn, whose father grew up in the Dayton area, is excited to come full circle and return to this community. “Theatre (and art in general) is always important in communities,” says Kilburn. “It reminds us that we are humans at our core and need to connect. The Human Race Theatre Company is a place to encourage and allow civil conversation and connection in these trying times. Having spent the last four years working between the not-for-profit and commercial theatre worlds, I look forward to bringing a fresh insight on managing work at the highest level of quality.”

As Kilburn assumes the business management of The Human Race, President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore is now able to focus his energies solely on the artistic functions of the company. “For the past eight years I have worn two hats as both Artistic Director and Executive Director of The Human Race,” stated Moore. “In that time, there have been many challenges for the company and the community. I look forward to passing the Executive Director hat to Kappy Kilburn, whose diverse theatre background makes her a perfect addition to The Human Race family. For my part, I look forward to being able to concentrate 100% on the artistic direction of the company. I believe that this combination will allow us to soar to new heights.”

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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 President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore, 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.

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CAA’s Meghan Kaskoun Appointed to the Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism

CAA_Meghan KaskounCincinnati Arts Association’s
Meghan Kaskoun
Appointed to the Ohio Commission
on Service and Volunteerism

CINCINNATI, OH – Meghan Kaskoun, Director of Volunteer Engagement & Guest Experience, Cincinnati Arts Association, has been appointed by Governor John R. Kasich to ServeOhio – the Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism – for a term beginning July 24, 2018 and ending April 21, 2021.

In accordance with its legal authority, ServeOhio Commissioners retain both fiduciary responsibility and responsibility for the overall policy and management of the agency. Duties include administering and overseeing the AmeriCorps program in the State of Ohio; developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy to encourage and expand community service programs throughout the state; and assisting public and private organizations to develop/implement community service and volunteer programs.

“It’s an honor to have been asked to apply and to be appointed to the State Commission,” said Kaskoun. “I look forward to serving Ohio communities through strengthened volunteer engagement programs and helping to implement strategies that will expand community service.”

For a full list of ServeOhio Commissioners, visit www.serveohio.org/about/commissioners.

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