Category Archives: Press Releases

July 13, 2018 · 12:48 pm

See Me. Feel Me. Touch Me. Heal Me. The Who’s TOMMY to Rock Memorial Hall

MEMO_The Whos Tommy logo

CINCINNATI, OH – It’s been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, named one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Albums of All Time, earned five Tony Awards, and has been performed on stages as varied as Woodstock, the Metropolitan Opera and Broadway’s St. James Theatre. Now the record that popularized the “rock opera” genre explodes to life in one of Cincinnati’s premier live music venues. Memorial Hall proudly presents The Who’s TOMMY, playing September 14, 15, 20 and 21, 2018 in the beautifully restored Anderson Theater. Broadway veteran Leslie Goddard directs and choreographs a sprawling concert staging, featuring an all-star live band, psychedelic projections, a 24-voice choir and twelve professional singer / dancers from around Cincinnati and across the country. Tickets are $28 – $42 and are available at MemorialHallOTR.com, or by calling the Memorial Hall Box Office at 513.977.8838 (Tu – Fr, 1pm – 6pm).

THE WHO’S TOMMY is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com.

That Deaf, Dumb and Blind Kid: A Synopsis
After witnessing the accidental murder of his mother’s lover by his father, Tommy is traumatized into catatonia and, as the boy grows, he suffers abuse at the hands of his sadistic relatives and neighbors. As an adolescent, he’s discovered to have an uncanny knack for playing pinball and, when his mother finally breaks through his catatonia, he becomes an international pinball superstar.

Featuring The Who classics “Pinball Wizard,” “Listening To You” and “I’m Free,” The Who’s TOMMY is an exhilarating tale of hope, healing and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities has inspired, amazed and puzzled audiences for more than 40 years.

Who’s Who
In a career that has included Broadway’s HAIRSPRAY and the Las Vegas staging of JERSEY BOYS, TOMMY director / choreographer Leslie Goddard has appeared in two productions of the rarely-mounted show, giving her unique insight into a piece that is ripe for directorial interpretation.

Goddard teams with stalwart music director and pianist Steve Goers. A faculty member at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and frequent presence at theatres including Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre and the Aronoff Center, Goers was a featured performer in the most recent local staging of TOMMY, a concert at the Covedale Center for the Arts in 2009. He leads a band featuring some of the Queen City’s finest talent; Brad Myers and Don Gauck interpret Pete Townshend’s iconic lead guitar, joined by Aaron Jacobs (bass) and Devon Leigh (drums), paying homage
to the inexorable Keith Moon. Goers will also have at his disposal the 24-voice Sycamore High School Select Ensemble, under the direction of Ken Holdt. The choir is no stranger to iconic rock-n-roll acts; they performed with Foreigner last summer in the band’s Riverbend concert.

Memorial Hall’s production of TOMMY features some of Greater Cincinnati’s finest homegrown talent, who return home for the production amid successful national and international careers. Playing the show’s title role is Dayton native and Northern Kentucky University alum Noah Berry. Berry has spent the better part of the past two years on the road with BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, and will be joining the national tour of SPAMALOT this fall. In the role of Captain Walker is Cincinnati native Zack Steele, whose globetrotting career has included cross-country crossovers RING OF FIRE, HANK WILLIAMS: LOST HIGHWAY and ALL SHOOK UP, as well as lengthy engagements as a featured performer on international cruise lines. CCM faculty member Katie Johannigman is thrilled to return to the stage as TOMMY’s dance captain, on the heels of a musical theatre intensive in China and choreography of Bernstein’s MASS with May Festival and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

A complete cast, band and production team list can be found following this release.

Concert Design
Memorial Hall’s concert staging of TOMMY will not be without visual spectacle. The show will utilize projections from the original Broadway production as designed by Wendall K. Harrington. Recipient of Drama Desk Award, American Theater Wing Award and the Outer Circle Critics Award as part of the Tony Award-winning production, Harrington’s video work will be integrated into a thrilling lighting & scenic design by CCM professor Mark Williams.

Tommy: Concept Album, Live Sensation, Movie and Broadway Musical
Originally released in 1969, TOMMY was The Who’s fourth studio album, and is considered the first “rock opera.” The double album reached #2 and #4 on the UK and USA charts, respectively, and received celebrated live performances at Woodstock, Fillmore East and the Metropolitan Opera. Subsequent concerts have featured the likes of Phil Collins, Bette Midler, Patti LaBelle, Steve Winwood, Elton John, Billy Idol, Richie Havens, Ringo Starr, Richard Harris and Peter Sellers. A 1975 film adaptation cast Townshend alongside Ann-Margret, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and Jack Nicholson. In 1991, Tommy was developed into a stage musical at La Jolla Playhouse. The production
transferred to Broadway in 1993, where it enjoyed a two-year run and earned five Tony Awards. TOMMY has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, is one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Albums of All Time, and was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 1998.

Ticketing
Tickets to The Who’s TOMMY are available online beginning July 13. Tickets are available by phone via the Memorial Hall Box Office at 513.977.8838 (Tu – Fr, 1pm – 6pm).

Ticket scaling is as follows:

  • Boxes – $42 (includes concierge beverage service) Orchestra – $35
  • Center Balcony – $32
  • Side and Rear Balcony – $28
  • Students, Groups of 8 or More – $24 (call the box office for reservations)

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Cast:

  • Tommy / Narrator – Noah Berry
  • Mrs. Walker – Annie Schneider
  • Captain Walker – Zack Steele*
  • Uncle Ernie – Sean Mette
  • Cousin Kevin / Ensemble – Kyle Kemph
  • Acid Queen / Ensemble – Tia Seay
  • Dance Captain / Ensemble – Katie Johannigman*
  • Ensemble: John Woll, Hannah Gregory, Heather Hale & Hillary Hahn

*Actor appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Band:

  • Keyboard, Conductor – Steve Goers
  • Keyboard 2 – Julie Spangler
  • Guitar 1 – Brad Myers
  • Guitar 2 – Don Gauck
  • Electric Bass – Aaron Jacobs
  • Drums – Devon Leigh

Production Team:

  • Producer Joshua Steele
  • Director / Choreographer Leslie Goddard
  • Music Director Steve Goers
  • Choirmaster Ken Holdt
  • Lighting Designer Mark Williams
  • Costumer Janet Powell
  • Sound Designer Brian Lloyd
  • Dialect Coach Katelyn Reid
  • Production Manager Andi Schultes
  • Stage Manager Carissa Gandenberger
  • Assistant Stage Manager, Wardrobe Jeffery Bunch

About Memorial Hall:
Memorial Hall, managed and programmed by 3CDC, is conveniently located in the heart of the revitalized arts district of Over-the-Rhine. This exquisite venue overlooks Washington Park, and is adjacent to Music Hall in addition to being down the street from both the School for Creative and Performing Arts and soon-to-be completed new home of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Designed by Samuel Hannaford, the hall features marble staircases adorned with intricate wrought iron that lead to the 550-seat proscenium theater, dubbed the Annie W. and Elizabeth M. Anderson Theater. Exceptional acoustics, decorative murals and Tiffany chandeliers enhance this historic theater. Memorial Hall offers an elegant setting for performances and unique spaces for social and business events.

About 3CDC:
3CDC is a private, non-profit, real estate development and finance organization focused on revitalizing Cincinnati’s urban core in partnership with the City of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati corporate community. 3CDC’s work is specifically focused on the Central Business District and in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. 3CDC also manages The Cincinnati Equity Fund (CEF) and the Cincinnati New Markets Fund (CNMF). These investment funds play an important role by providing needed financial capital to 3CDC’s development projects. For more information, visit www.3cdc.org.

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July 12, 2018 · 3:02 pm

The Carnegie Opens 2018-19 Season with DREAMGIRLS

TC_Dreamgirls logoPlaying Weekends August 11-26, 2018

(COVINGTON, KY) – The Carnegie is kicking off its 2018-19 Theatre season with flashy costumes, Motown music, and plenty of drama. The Tony Award-winning musical DREAMGIRLS will open Saturday, August 11 and run weekends through August 26, 2018.

Based on the stories of real-life music icons, The Supremes, James Brown, and others, DREAMGIRLS offers a behind-the-scenes look at the music industry of the 60s as it tells the story of R&B group, The Dreams. Starting out as a trio of singers and friends, Effie, Deena, and Lorrell are determined to make it big in the vibrant music landscape of the 1960s. But as the band’s success grows, their relationships deteriorate. Featuring songs such as “Dreamgirls,” “And I’m Telling You,” and “One Night Only,” the musical was adapted into the 2006 motion picture starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, and Anika Noni Rose.

“DREAMGIRLS takes you behind the scenes of the music business during the Motown era. The rise of the Dreams is incredibly compelling, while also showing the isolation and struggle that comes with fame,” said Carnegie Theatre Director Maggie Perrino. “And I couldn’t be more pleased to have Torie Wiggins, a local onstage favorite, taking on the direction of this backstage drama. Her brilliant sense of storytelling will make this show really pop and connect with audiences.”

Directed by Torie Wiggins, DREAMGIRLS will feature musical direction by Mike Flohr and choreography by Darnell Pierre Benjamin. The cast will be led by Sharisse Vernelle Santos as Deena Jones, Tia Seay as Effie White, and Lormarev Jones as Lorrell Robinson.

Performances of DREAMGIRLS run weekends August 11-26, 2018, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $30, $27 for Carnegie Members and ArtsPass Members, $23 for students. Tickets can be purchased through The Carnegie Box Office, open Tuesday-Friday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., in person or by phone at (859) 957-1940, or online at www.thecarnegie.com. Patrons seeking group or student tickets should call to make arrangements.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Adult Themes

DREAMGIRLS is presented by arrangement with TAMS-WHITMARK MUSIC LIBRARY, INC. 560 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York, 10022. 

ABOUT THE CARNEGIE:
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center.  More information about The Carnegie is available at www.thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030.

The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from ArtsWave, Cincinnati International Wine Festival, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, the Kentucky Arts Council and the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. / US Bank Foundation.

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CAST LIST:

  • Deena Jones – Sharisse Vernelle Santos
  • Effie White – Tia Seay
  • Lorrell Robinson – Lormarev Jones
  • Michelle Morris/Ensemble – Ernaisja Curry
  • Curtis Taylor, Jr. – Brandon Burton
  • James Thunder Early – Dedrick Weathersby
  • Marty – Javon Cameron
  • C.C. White/Ensemble – Reginald Hemphill
  • Ensemble – Fiona Capri, LaCrea Burns, Kearston Hawkins-Johnson, Leonard Petersen, Josh Heard, Jack Johnson, John Woll, Brianna Bernard, Carrington Shropshire, Jessica Steuver

PRODUCTION TEAM:

  • Director – Torie Wiggins
  • Choreographer – Darnell Pierre Benjamin
  • Music Director – Mike Flohr
  • Stage Manager – Carissa Gandenberger
  • Set Designer – Doug Stock
  • Sound Designer – Eric Bardes
  • Lighting Designer – Erik McCandless
  • Costume Designer – Helen Anneliesa Raymond Goers
  • Asst. Stage Manager – Morgan Becker

SELECT BIOS:

Tia Seay – Effie White
Tia is thrilled to be making her debut on The Carnegie stage. Tia is a classically trained Soprano with a special love for Jazz and The Blues. She has been seen most recently in Cincinnati Landmark Production’s ONCE ON THIS ISLAND (Asaka), Dayton Playhouse’s SISTER ACT (Deloris Van Cartier), SPAMALOT (Lady of The Lake) and RAGTIME (Sarah), ONE NIGHT ONLY: THE MUSIC OF DREAMGIRLS with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra & a variety amazing shows.

Sharisse Vernelle Santos – Deena Jones
Sharisse Vernelle Santos is happily making her return to theatrical artistry as Deena Jones in The Carnegie’s production of DREAMGIRLS. Sharisse is best known for the titular role in the world premiere production of [VAMPIRE]MEDEA that showcased at the Atlanta Fringe Festival. Santos is also known for her roles as Ofelia in ANNA IN THE TROPICS, Crystal in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, and Dorothy in THE WIZ. As an accomplished vocalist, Sharisse sings with Fluidity CCCC and participated in GALA Choruses with Muse Women’s Choir. When she is not performing, Sharisse works in the box office of Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati and at Boys Hope Girls Hope, an educational non-profit for at-risk youth in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Lormarev Jones – Lorrell Robinson
Lormarev Jones is a local actor, educator, and director/choreographer who hails from Raleigh, NC, where she worked professionally for the past decade. She earned her B.A. in Theatre from Meredith College in Raleigh and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, NY. Favorite roles include Bart in MISTER BURNS and Evilene in THE WIZ. You may recognize her from last summer’s THE FULL MONTY at The Carnegie or the Know Theatre’s DARKEST NIGHT AT THE GNARLY STUMP.

Ernaisja Curry –  Michelle Morris
Ernaisja Curry is very excited to be making her debut on The Carnegie’s stage. The Florida native has happily made Cincinnati her home after completing the Bruce E. Coyle Acting Internship with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Her favorite recent roles include Door in NEVERWHERE at Know Theatre, and Rhonda in THIS RANDOM WORLD at Ensemble Theatre. As well as Luciana, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, Lady Percy, HENRY IV, PART I, and Bianca OTHELLO at the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival.

Dedrick Weathersby  – James Thunder Early
Dedrick Weathersby was recently nominated for three 2017 Broadway World Awards, in the category of Best Lead actor in a play for the MOUNTAINTOP, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Best lead actor in a musical for RAGTIME, Coalhouse Walker Jr., and Best Solo Performance for James Brown the one man concert show.

Brandon Burton – Curtis Taylor, Jr.
Brandon Burton is very excited to be making his first appearance with The Carnegie​. Recently, you may have seen Brandon in CHAMPAGNE GODS as Will Dewhurst at The Clifton Players, ​VENUS IN FUR as Thomas Novachek with New Edgecliff T​heatre, and ​on stage at T​he KNOW Theatre of Cincinnati as Sir Lenny in MARIAN: OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD and ​Islington in Neil Gaiman’s NEVERWHERE. Some favorite past roles of his are Crooks from Of MICE AND MEN, Lord Clifford from Shakespeare’s ​HENRY VI: PART 2 & 3, and Lord Ratspeaker from NEVERWHERE. 

Reginald Hemphill – C.C. White
Reginald Hemphill is a performer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and is ecstatic to be working on such a wonderful production of DREAMGIRLS. Reginald’s recent Cincinnati credits include FAILURE: A LOVE STORY and THE DANCING PRINCESSES at Ensemble Theater Cincinnati. Reginald recently graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Performance and completed an apprenticeship with Ensemble Theater Cincinnati and working with their 2017/2018 season.

Torie Wiggins – Director
Torie Wiggins has been performing and teaching professionally for over 15 years. She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a BFA in Dramatic Performance. She has co-adapted and performed a one woman show, YOUR NEGRO TOUR GUIDE, at various venues across the country. Her film work includes A CHRISTMAS MELODY, starring and directed by Mariah Carey; THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN with Robert Redford and Danny Glover and EXTREMELY WICKED, EVIL AND VILE, starring Zac Efron. Cincinnati credits include COLLAPES, AFGHAN WOMEN’S WRITER’S PROJECT, BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, PLUTO, HARR AND THE THIEF (Know Theatre of Cincinnati); THE MOUNTAINTOP, CINDERELLA, VIOLET, HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW (Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati); TWILIGHT; LOS ANGELES 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith (Diogenes Theatre Co); MAME, VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE AND CROWNS (Human Race Theatre Co.) and OLIVER TWIST, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Cincinnati Shakespeare Co.) She appeared in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD with both Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Her directing credits include #LOVEWINS and WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT…at Miami University, a staged reading of THE SIGN IN SYDNEY BRUSTEIN’S WINDOW, and an upcoming production of GOOD KIDS at Miami University. She is thrilled to be making her directorial debut at The Carnegie!

Darnell Pierre Benjamin – Choreographer
Darnell Pierre Benjamin is feeling his 70’s fantasy with this opportunity to choreograph DREAMGIRLS. You may have seen him in the Carnegie’s 2014 production of WEST SIDE STORY. Darnell is an Associate Artist at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, where he’s performed in, choreographed, and directed some of his favorite productions over the past eight years. Favorites in the area: WHISPER HOUSE, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, KILL MOVE PARADISE, THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE, and DETROIT ’67. Darnell teaches at Xavier University.

MICHAEL FLOHR – MUSIC DIRECTOR
Michael is thrilled to make his debut at the Carnegie in this season’s production of DREAMGIRLS. Over the past two decades he has been involved with one ASCAP Award Winning Musical, eight World Premiers, and fourteen Regional Premiers. He is an Ohio Arts Council Artist Project Grant Recipient, working for many fine regional professional theatres, including Cleveland Public Theatre (Cleveland), Actors Summit (Akron), & MetroStage (Washington, D.C.) as well as The Know Theatre across the river in Cincinnati. He has played for Tony award winner Pamela Myers and American Icon Patti Page. He was also the first musical director for OTRimprov, live scoring improvised shows from top to tail.

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July 11, 2018 · 1:33 pm

Cincinnati Opera Commissions CASTOR AND PATIENCE

CO_Spears Smith headshotsGregory Spears, composer
Tracy K. Smith (U.S. Poet Laureate), librettist

WORLD PREMIERE IN 2020,
COMPANY’S CENTENNIAL SEASON

New work follows Spears’ acclaimed score for Fellow Travelers 

Hard facts and hopes for the future in the American South

Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, today announced that the company has commissioned a new evening-length opera, Castor and Patience, from composer Gregory Spears and librettist Tracy K. Smith, poet laureate of the United States. Castor and Patience will premiere at the Corbett Theater in the School for Creative and Performing Arts in July 2020, highlighting Cincinnati Opera’s centennial season. It will be Spears’ second work for the company, following the extraordinary critical and popular success of Fellow Travelers, with librettist Greg Pierce, in 2016. Smith, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her collection Life on Mars, is one of the most lauded poets of her generation; her original story for Castor and Patience is both timeless and topical, setting a prototypical family conflict against the backdrop of recent events.

In Smith’s words, “Castor and Patience tells the story of African American cousins who find themselves at odds over the fate of a historic parcel of land they have inherited in the American South. It’s 2008, and Patience is fighting to stave off overzealous developers. Castor has a ballooning mortgage to contend with and is hoping to sell his share of the land. But if they’re going to get anywhere as a family, they must first learn to see past their differing allegiances and trust one another. Castor and Patience is the story not just of a single family or even a particular geography, but of America’s warring tensions between reckoning with the hard facts of history and racing blindly forward toward the dream of progress.”

Said Spears, “I am thrilled to be collaborating with Tracy K. Smith – one of my favorite authors and an old friend – on Castor and Patience, an opera that explores the ways in which the history of the South continues to shape the lives of modern Americans. It is a special honor that Cincinnati Opera, who so lovingly developed and premiered Fellow Travelers two years ago, has decided to commission this project. I am particularly excited that Tracy is writing an original libretto, rather than adapting a pre-existing work. Composing music in response to her words and story has been uniquely inspiring.”

“It has been an honor to watch these two young artists – already at the top of their game – develop this fascinating, important work from whole cloth,” said Mirageas. “Cincinnati Opera is proud to commission and premiere this opera, which I am confident will be both timeless and thought-provoking.”

“Cincinnati Opera’s upcoming 100th anniversary inspired us to commission a significant new work,” said Patricia K. Beggs, General Director and CEO of Cincinnati Opera. “In the tradition of our previous commissions of Margaret Garner and Fellow Travelers, Castor and Patience will speak to issues vital to our nation’s continuing cultural conversations. What is home? What do we owe our ancestors? How do we come to terms with the shameful parts of our nation’s history? The stage is in Cincinnati, but the impact will be well beyond.”

THE CREATIVE TEAM
Gregory Spears is a New York-based composer whose music has been called “astonishingly beautiful” (The New York Times), “coolly entrancing” (The New Yorker), and “some of the most beautifully unsettling music to appear in recent memory” (The Boston Globe). In recent seasons he has been commissioned by Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cincinnati Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seraphic Fire, The Crossing, BMI and Concert Artists Guild, Vocal Arts DC, New York Polyphony, The New York International Piano Competition, and the JACK Quartet, among others.

Spears’ most recent evening-length opera, Fellow Travelers, written in collaboration with Greg Pierce, premiered at Cincinnati Opera in 2016 and was seen during the 2017-18 season at the Prototype Festival (NYC), Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Minnesota Opera. It was hailed as “one of the most accomplished new operas I have seen in recent years” (Chicago Tribune) and an opera that “seems assured of lasting appeal” (The New York Times). The premiere was featured in The New York Times’ Best in Classical Music for 2016. Cincinnati Opera released a commercial CD recording in 2017.

Other operas include Jason and the Argonauts, a work for children written with Kathryn Walat, which premiered in 2016 at Lyric Opera of Chicago; O Columbia (written with Royce Vavrek), for Houston Grand Opera; and Spears and Walat’s first opera, Paul’s Case, described as a “masterpiece” and a “gem” (New York Observer) with “ravishing music” (The New York Times). Paul’s Case will be recorded for commercial release this summer. Spears recently completed the soundtrack for the British feature film Macbeth (Kit Monkman, director). His music is published by Schott Music and Schott PSNY.

Tracy K. Smith was born in Massachusetts and raised in northern California. She earned a BA from Harvard University and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. From 1997 to 1999 she held a Stegner fellowship at Stanford University. Smith is the author of four books of poetry: The Body’s Question (2003), which won the Cave Canem prize for the best first book by an African American poet; Duende (2007), winner of the James Laughlin Award and the Essense Literary Award; and Life on Mars (2011), winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Her latest collection, published in April 2018, is Wade in the Water; wrote The New York Times, “Smith’s new book is scorching in both its steady cognizance of America’s original racial sins…and apprehension about history’s direction… These historical poems have a homely, unvarnished sort of grace.” She has also written a memoir, Ordinary Light (2015), which was a finalist for the National Book Award in nonfiction.

Smith was the Literature protégé in the 2009-2011 cycle of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.In 2014 she was awarded the Academy of American Poets fellowship. She has also received a Rona Jaffee Award and a Whiting Award. In June 2017 she was named the 22nd U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry by the Library of Congress, and in March 2018 she was re-appointed to a second term for 2018-19.

ABOUT CINCINNATI OPERA
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 2018 Summer Festival continues through July 31 and features the United States premiere of Another Brick in the Wall, based on the Pink Floyd album The Wall, and Laura Kaminsky’s As One. Cincinnati Opera’s 2018 Season Presenting Sponsor is PNC. The 2018 season is also made possible with support from ArtsWave, Ohio Arts Council, 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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July 10, 2018 · 4:27 pm

THE FUN SHOW WITH CAT AND NAT | Thu., Sept. 25 | Music Hall Ballroom

CAA_The Fun Show promo

September 25, 2018
Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom

Tickets on sale Friday, July 13 at 10:00 AM

CINCINNATI, OH – Cat & Nat, the mom duo most well known for their viral #MOMTRUTHS videos and hilarious weekly Facebook Live Shows are hitting the road and bringing their FUN SHOW WITH CAT & NAT to the Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom for one night only on Tuesday, September 25 at 8:00 PM. The show is part of Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2018-19 Presenting Season.

Tickets go on sale Friday, July 13 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center and Music Hall Ticket Offices. Group discount tickets for ten or more are available by calling (513) 977-4157.

These ladies are notoriously known for talking about all the things moms are thinking but never saying in an honest, hilarious, and candid way. With the focus on community and uniting women (and men, yes some men come and learn a thing or two!), this show offers a little something for everyone.

Join Cat & Nat as they give you a behind the scenes look into how they came to be; sit in for a “Chit Chat with Cat & Nat” Show; and join them for a party where there is sure to be games, impromptu dance parties, and ya’ll know they’ll be having cocktails!

THEIR MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BRING LAUGHTER AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY TO WOMEN AND MOMS

With seven kids between the two of them, Cat & Nat know just how lonely and isolating motherhood can be. So, they set out on a mission to bring women and moms together by hosting dinner parties and events – with wine and without babies. The events garnered huge success in Toronto and were talked about all over, leading Cat & Nat to take things to the next level and break into the online world to reach more people and connect women and moms everywhere.

Cat & Nat’s rapidly-exploding community of like-minded moms tune in every day to watch them rewrite the paradigm of “the perfect mom.” With honesty and humor, Cat & Nat dismantle the unrealistic portrayals of motherhood that are often presented throughout social and traditional medias. Through their virally famous #MOMTRUTHS, which have garnered hundreds of millions of views around the world, and their daily Facebook Live show, Cat & Nat share everything moms think but are too afraid to talk about.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), CINCINNATI-NORTHERN KENTUCKY HONDA DEALERS, FURNITURE FAIR, LOCAL12 WKRC, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Courtyard Marriott & Residence Inn-Rookwood, Heidelberg Distributing, Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, Hyatt Regency-Cincinnati, Macy’s, Pepsi, Prosource, Skyline Chili, TriHealth, Ultimate Air Shuttle, Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.

Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management 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 600,000 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 1.6 million students. For more information, visit www.CincinnatiArts.org.

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July 10, 2018 · 4:20 pm

Single Tickets for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park 2018-2019 Season on Sale July 16

PIP_Misery promo

Barbara Chisholm as Annie Wilkes in MISERY. Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

Single Tickets Available for Blockbuster Musicals, Contemporary Comedies and World Premieres at Ohio’s Only Two-Time Tony Award-Winning Theatre

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will begin selling single tickets for the 2018-2019 season on Monday, July 16. Single tickets will be available for all of 12 the season’s productions, including the highly anticipated world premiere of CINCINNATI KING, a musical about Cincinnati’s historic King Records, and the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit from the creator of Hamilton, IN THE HEIGHTS. The season will open with a thrilling production of Stephen King’s MISERY on Sept. 1.

“The unmatched variety of our new season is sure to delight and entertain audiences of all ages,” states Robison. “From a huge Broadway musical like IN THE HEIGHTS to an intimate and romantic world premiere, the 2018-19 season showcases the range, scale and quality of theatre as only the Playhouse can produce for Cincinnati.”

Robison continues, “I’m especially proud of our world premiere of CINCINNATI KING. It is the culmination of a home-grown project that we’ve had in development with our Associate Artist KJ Sanchez since 2013 and is truly a celebration of our city.”

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ohio’s only two-time, Tony Award-winning theatre, boasts productions that are both nationally recognized and locally crafted. The 2018-2019 season includes productions featuring actors, directors and designers who regularly work on and off Broadway and at other leading professional theatres across the country. All productions are presented at in the two intimate theatres located in Playhouse’s iconic Eden Park setting.

The Robert S. Marx Theatre Season
Presented by Schueler Group
Season Sponsor of New Work: The Rosenthal Family Foundation
Marx Season Design Sponsor: Macy’s

MISERY
By William Goldman
Based on the novel by Stephen King
Directed by Blake Robison
Sept. 1 – 29, 2018
Opening Night: Sept. 6

True life becomes stranger than fiction when an acclaimed romance novelist wakes up in the home of his “Number One Fan.” This spine-tingling stage adaptation of Stephen King’s terrifying novel traps you in a tense cat-and-mouse game that will grip you until the very end. MISERY stars Barbara Chisholm as Annie Wilkes and David Whalen as Paul Sheldon. Chisholm was last seen at the Playhouse portraying Erma Bombeck in the hit comedy, Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End in 2017, and Whalen portrayed Ned Alleyn in Shakespeare in Love. Sponsored by JRA and BHDP Architecture.

Leading Ladies presents
MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY
By Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon
Directed by Eleanor Holdridge
Oct. 13 – Nov. 10, 2018
Opening Night: Oct. 18

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that promises to captivate long-time fans of Jane Austen and newcomers alike. The Playhouse previously staged the world premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists, directed by Eleanor Holdridge, in 2016. Gunderson is the most produced playwright in America for the 2017-18 season.

IN THE HEIGHTS
Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Directed by May Adrales
Jan. 19 – Feb. 17, 2019
Opening Night: Jan. 24

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway smash hit and winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical is set to a hip-hop and Latin-flavored score and features high-energy choreography. IN THE HEIGHTS captures the vibrant spirit of a tight-knit, New York community as they navigate their hopes and dreams, loves and losses, fortunes and fates. IN THE HEIGHTS is a co-production with Seattle Repertory Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Sponsored by U.S. Bank.

First Financial Bank presents
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Howard Dallin
Directed by Michael Evan Haney
Nov. 21 – Dec. 29, 2018
Opening Night: Nov. 23

This joyous, time-honored production returns for its 28th season with a cast of nearly 30 actors, elaborate costumes and thrilling special effects. A CHRISTMAS CAROL is not part of the season subscription, but subscribers get early access and special discounts on tickets.

August Wilson’s
TWO TRAINS RUNNING
Presented by Moe and Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth
Directed by Timothy Douglas, Associate Artist
March 2 – 30, 2019
Opening Night: March 7

In August Wilson’s masterpiece, history unfolds around everyday lives against the backdrop of the civil rights movement. Part of Wilson’s trailblazing American Century Cycle, TWO TRAINS RUNNING paints a compassionate and unforgettable portrait of ordinary people in the midst of transformation.

Playhouse Associate Artist Timothy Douglas is one of the foremost directors of August Wilson. Most recently for the Playhouse main stage, he directed Wilson’s Jitney in 2016. TWO TRAINS RUNNING is a co-production with Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
Based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz
Book, Musicand Lyrics by Clark Gesner
Directed by Bill Fennelly
April 20 – May 18, 2019
Opening Night: April 25

The Peanuts gang comes to life onstage in this whimsical and witty musical. You’ll fall in love all over again with Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty and Snoopy as they deal with the joys and frustrations of kites, school, baseball and first love. Featuring a new musical arrangement with actors playing their own instruments, delightful numbers like “My Blanket and Me,” “The Book Report” and “Happiness” abound with joy.

This production also re-unites the director and star of Playhouse’s 2017 production of Little Shop of Horrors. Bill Fennelly returns to direct and Nick Cearley (Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors) plays Linus. Sponsored by Johnson Investment Counsel and Clark, Schaeffer, Hackett & Co.

THE 2018-2019 SHELTERHOUSE THEATRE SEASON
 Presented by Heidelberg Distributing Company
Season Sponsor of New Work: The Rosenthal Family Foundation
Shelterhouse Season Design Sponsor: Allan Berliant and Jennie Rosenthal Berliant
Family Fund

THE ROOMMATE
By Jen Silverman
Directed by Tracy Brigden
Sept. 21 – Oct. 21, 2018
Opening Night: Sept. 27

The Odd Couple meets Breaking Bad in this wickedly funny comedy. Fifty-something Sharon finds a roommate in Robyn, who needs a place to hide and the chance to start over. When Sharon begins to uncover Robyn’s secrets, she takes a leap towards the dark side. THE ROOMMATE hilariously examines what happens when the wheels come off.

Playwright Jen Silverman’s All the Roads Home made its world premiere at the Playhouse in 2017, and THE ROOMMATE received its world premiere during the 2015 Humana Festival of New Plays at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. Sponsored by Digi and Mike Schueler.

CINCINNATI KING
Written and Directed by KJ Sanchez, Associate Artist
Nov. 3 – Dec. 23, 2018
Opening Night: Nov. 8

Celebrate Cincinnati’s rich music history in this world premiere musical about King Records. Based on hundreds of interviews, the story traces the groundbreaking rise of music pioneer Syd Nathan and the artists he produced, the music he created and the enemies he made along the way. The show shares behind-the-scenes tales of King Records hits including “The Twist,” “Blues Stay Away From Me,” “Fever” and “Need Your Love So Bad.” CINCINNATI KING shines a spotlight on this revolutionary music label and its Queen City roots.

Playhouse Associate Artist KJ Sanchez is founder and CEO of American Records, a company devoted to making theatre that chronicles our time. She most recently directed the Playhouse production of Jane Eyre in 2017. A staged concert reading of CINCINNATI KING was performed in Washington Park in May of 2015 as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival and 3CDC’s OTR Performs Series. Sponsored by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.

THE SECOND CITY – IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME
Jan. 10 – 27, 2019

The Second City has been laughing at love and its various side effects for decades. THE SECOND CITY – IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME takes shots at heartbreak, missed connections and the mire of human relationships, as seen through the eyes of the next generation of comic writers and performers. Your friends, parents and blind date will all find something achingly familiar to laugh at.

This booked-in, limited run is not part of any season subscription package, although subscribers do receive early buying opportunities.

THE LAST WIDE OPEN
By Audrey Cefaly
Directed by Blake Robison
Feb. 9 – March 10, 2019
Opening Night: Feb. 14

Fate plays its hand in this wondrous and romantic world premiere. Lina, a young waitress, and Roberto, an Italian immigrant, have been working together for years but rarely talk. If they do, it’s from a distance or gets lost in translation. But when a late-night thunderstorm finds them alone in the restaurant at closing time, they find their lives intersecting in surprising and mystical ways. Over wine and conversation, they test the waters of happiness and intimacy. A love song in three movements, THE LAST WIDE OPEN imagines how the universe conspires to bring us together. Sponsored by Bartlett Wealth Management.

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY
By Larissa FastHorse
Directed by Lisa Portes
March 23 – April 21, 2019
Opening Night: March 28

Watch as a group of liberal artists walk the fine line of political correctness in this fresh, satirical comedy. Armed with progressive lingo and questionably good intentions, they attempt to devise a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving play for local elementary schools. Slowly but surely, the well-meaning plans dissolve into an outrageous sendup of PC behavior. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY treads the minefields of appropriation to inject some laughter into activism, apathy and all the assumptions in between.

This production marks the first time the Playhouse has produced a play by a Native American playwright. Lisa Portes directed the 2016-17 season Playhouse production of Disgraced.

TINY HOUSES
By Chelsea Marcantel
Directed by Laura Kepley
May 4 – June 2, 2019
Opening Night: May 9

Can tiny equal happy? Four young, lovable, eccentric adults are determined to build a 200-square-foot tiny house in Oregon with the hope of finding minimalist contentment. Instead, the project devolves into a series of amusingly awkward missteps. Will their relationships survive the construction project? Will living small be a huge mistake? This endearing comedy explores what happens when our world begins to shrink, and delves into the universal longing for home and family. TINY HOUSES is a co-production with Cleveland Play House, where the play’s director Laura Kepley is Artistic Director.

Ticket Information
Playhouse 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.

Individual tickets for all shows start at just $35 for all shows, except A Christmas Carol and The Second City, which start at $40. Tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances (not including A Christmas Carol) are priced at just $10 for college students with a valid school ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances.

Discounted ticket prices for children and teens are available for all productions and are $30 to $45, depending on show and seat location. Visit the Playhouse website for content and age advisories for each show.

Patrons also can subscribe to all five Marx Theatre or five Thompson Shelterhouse productions for as little as $157.50 or build their own series of four or more shows from either theatre.

To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.

The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available.

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

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