Category Archives: Press Releases

April 25, 2018 · 9:10 am

Mariemont Players Announces THE OUTGOING TIDE

MPI_Outgoing Tide 2

Barbara Karol as Peg, Michael Ireland as Jack & Harold Murphy as Gunner. Photo by KPIX Photography – http://www.kpixpro.com

Mariemont Players presents The Outgoing Tide at the Walton Creek Theater, 4101 Walton Creek Road (just East of Mariemont), May 11th to May 27th.

In a summer cottage on Chesapeake Bay, Gunner has hatched an unorthodox plan to secure his family’s future but meets with resistance from his wife and son. As winter approaches, the three must quickly find common ground and come to an understanding – before the tide goes out.

The Outgoing Tide is directed by Dan Maloney, and features the talents of Harold Murphy, Barbara Karol, and Michael Ireland.

Come visit our beautifully renovated auditorium complete with more comfortable seating, center aisle seats, new carpeting, fresh paint, aisle lighting, and a sound induction loop for those with hearing aid T switches and head sets for those with low hearing issues.

Performances will be:

  • 8 PM Friday, May 11th (Post-Show Opening Night Reception)
  • 8 PM Saturday, May 12th
  • 2 PM Sunday, May 13th
  • 7:30 PM Thursday, May 17th
  • 8 PM Friday, May 18th
  • 8 PM Saturday, May 19th
  • 2 PM Sunday, May 20th
  • 7 PM Sunday, May 20th
  • 7:30 PM Thursday, May 24th
  • 8 PM Friday, May 25th
  • 3 PM Saturday, May 26th
  • 8 PM Saturday, May 26th
  • 2 PM Sunday, May 27th

To order tickets for The Outgoing Tide, call Betsy at 513-684-1236 OR order online at www.mariemontplayers.com. All seats are reserved and $20 each.

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April 25, 2018 · 8:42 am

New York Times Correspondents to Host Special 52 PLACES TO GO Event at CSC’s New Theater

CSC_Jada at Times Building

Jada Yuan.

New York Times Correspondents to Host Special
“52 Places To Go” Event at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s
New Theater on May 9, 2018  

Join The New York Times’s inaugural 52 Places Traveler Jada Yuan for a conversation with National Correspondent John Eligon that could only happen in Cincinnati, with a view from the road at the event “Destination Cincinnati – And Beyond”.

CINCINNATI, OH – APRIL 25, 2018 at 7:30am – In January, Cincinnati was selected by the New York Times for its prestigious “52 Places To Go” annual feature, a list of must-see locations around the world that inspire its readers’ wanderlust. For the first time ever, the nation’s largest daily newspaper has also selected a “52 Places Traveler” who will report from the road as she visits each and every location on the list throughout 2018. The Cincinnati stop is planned for May when the 52 Places Traveler Jada Yuan will join New York Times veteran reporter John Eligon for a one-night-only special event, Wednesday, May 9 titled “Destination Cincinnati- And Beyond”. Cincinnati is the first city to host an exclusive event in conjunction with the 52 Places designation honor.

Titled “Destination Cincinnati – And Beyond,” the event will be held at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company where Yuan and Eligon will take the stage for an interview-style dialogue.  Logging almost four months of travel on her mission to visit each location on The Times’s 52 Places to Go in 2018 list, Ms. Yuan will first share practical travel tips and observations from the first 14 stops on her trip. She will be joined by Kansas City Bureau Chief and National Correspondent John Eligon, who has relocated to the Midwest from New York City, and traveled to Australia last year to report on its indigenous communities. The two Times journalists will discuss their journeys, the ever-evolving city of Cincinnati, and more at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s brand new theater, a cultural landmark mentioned in the 52 Place To Go article where it was reported that the seats, “none more than 20 feet from the stage, guarantee theatrical immersion” at this event!

CSC_New Theater outside at night“Over the last year, our region has earned not one, but six major stories in the New York Times showcasing our people and places. The first was a major travel feature in their popular ’36 Hours In…’ series and it culminated with earning a Top 10 spot on their coveted 2018 list of 52 Places to Go,” said Julie Calvert, executive director of Source Cincinnati, an organization that pursues positive national media coverage for the region. “This recognition is a definitive statement to the world that it’s time to experience all that the Cincinnati region offers.”

Yuan was chosen for the yearlong trek around the world from among 13,000 applicants. She has spent the last decade at New York magazine, covering celebrities, film festivals and presidential conventions. She grew up in northern New Mexico, has a degree in history from Yale University and currently lives in Brooklyn. In his 11 years at The Times, Eligon has covered a variety of topics ranging from sports to courts to politics. His work has taken him to South Africa to cover the death of Nelson Mandela and Turin to cover the Winter Olympics. As a national correspondent, John was in Cincinnati last June to cover the National Underground Railroad Freedom’s Center new Implicit Bias Lab for a Facebook Live event for more than 100,000 viewers.

The event will begin with networking and refreshments in the theater lobby at 6:00pm, followed by the conversation at 7pm on the main stage with a reception following. Seating is limited and is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased for $25 at https://cincyshakes.com/on-stage/new-york-times-event or by calling 513-381-2273. The New York Times selected the new CSC theater for this exclusive event because of its intimate environment, with no seat more than 20 feet from the stage. The Otto M. Budig Theater is located at 1195 Elm Street in downtown Cincinnati.  Valet parking is available for purchase.

“We were honored to be one of the featured venues that helped Cincinnati earn its place on the New York Times 2018 list,” said Jay Woffington, Executive Director of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. “It’s icing on the cake to be asked to host this special event on May 9, and we can’t wait to welcome Jada and John. Cincinnatians have always said we’d gladly put our arts and culture scene up against any in the world. It’s gratifying to see The Times give so many people around the globe a glimpse of Cincinnati and invite them to experience our region for themselves.”

To follow Jada Yuan’s trip, follow her at nytimes.com/column/the-52-places-traveler and on Instagram @alphajada; on Twitter @JadaBird; and on Facebook, facebook.com/JadaYuan.

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About Source Cincinnati
Source Cincinnati was launched in 2014 to capture and tell the Cincinnati story via national press coverage and social media engagement. Source elevates the region’s global reputation by positioning its economic vibrancy, innovative thinkers and leaders, thriving arts and culture, and smart approaches to growth. The resulting national media coverage has reached more than 1.5 billion sets of eyes around the world, helping attract talent, visitors, attention and investment to the Cincinnati region like never before. Source Cincinnati is funded jointly by a regional civic and business coalition, led by the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and the Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI Cincinnati). To learn more, visit www.thecincinnatiexperience.com.

About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for audiences of all ages.  In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in OTR. CSC’s repertoire is made up of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, and contemporary classics.  CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of the Theater Communications Group and the Shakespeare Theater Association.  Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach over 50,000 young people and underserved community members each season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions.  In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the classics!

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April 24, 2018 · 7:00 pm

Find Fantastic Feats and Fabulous Fabulists at the 15TH ANNUAL CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL

CFF18_logoFind fantastic feats and fabulous fabulists at Know Theatre’s funky, fabled flagship
THE 15TH ANNUAL CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL!
 May 29 – June 10, 2018

Has it been 15 years already? Wow… (Well, technically, it’s only been 14 because you don’t count the first Festival as a calendar year, and then you have to divide by the square root of — you know what? It doesn’t matter!) Know Theatre is once again patently hysterical to offer something for everyone at the region’s largest and longest annual theatre and arts festival — that’s renowned for being “kinda WEIRD. like YOU!”

Hundreds of indie artists, musicians, and performance groups from near and far will converge for 13 jubilant days to present over 45 live theatre, music, and dance productions with a Cincy Fringe record 250+ performances, as well as visual art experiences, free Family Friendly offerings, film screenings, unique special events, nightly after-parties, and everything between. All of which takes place at over a dozen venues in the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, with Know Theatre serving as Fringe HQ. This year’s 15th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival has more of what you (didn’t know you already) love than ever before, including Anniversary celebrations and reminiscences as icing on the cake! (Mmm…Fringe cake…)

“While the first Cincy Fringe still feels like it was yesterday,” says Fringe Producer Chris Wesselman [Ed. Note: It definitely wasn’t yesterday. It was in 2004. Chris is in denial that he’s getting older.] “Preparations to celebrate the big 1-5 took us on a journey into Fringe history that highlighted the staggering number of artists, audience members, sponsors, volunteers, and staff we’ve pARTied with over the years. Fringe has had such a monumental impact on Cincinnati arts and entertainment, and I — along with the rest of the team at Know Theatre —absolutely cannot wait to welcome everyone to the boldest and BIGGEST Cincy Fringe yet!”

Read on to discover a little more about each of this year’s programming components and follow provided links for additional information and available marketing materials. While some Cincy Fringe programming and details won’t be finalized until 5/16 — when the Official Fringe Guide is distributed by our Media Partner, Cincinnati CityBeat — there’s still pah-lenty for you to pour over now, so let’s get crackin’!

PRIMARY LINEUP
35 productions by artists and performance groups from near and far create this core component of Cincy Fringe programming, accounting for over 200 of this year’s record 250+ performances. Curated by over 40 of Cincinnati’s most passionate theatre professionals, journalists, and educators — along with some historical Fringe folk — the Primary Lineup features a gobsmacking variety of genres, styles, subject matters, and skill sets, ensuring that anyone and everyone — including families — can find their perfect cup of tea.

These are also the productions that vie for one of our 6 Pick of the Fringe Awards, which grant recipients an additional Encore performance on the final day of Fringe (6/10)!

OF SPECIAL NOTE: This year we’ve increased the number of performances assigned to shows in venues under 60 seats, meaning there are more chances to see everything you want and an increased number of paths to See-It-All!

For more information on this year’s Primary Lineup, including complete
production information and associated marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Primary-Lineup

FRINGE NEXT
For the past 8 Festivals, Cincy Fringe has offered slots to local high school-aged artists to create, direct, design, perform in, produce, and otherwise entirely control their very own productions. Technically part of the Primary Lineup, we think these up-and-comers deserve special recognition and encouragement; they are the voices of the future, after all!

For more information on this year’s Fringe Next programming, including complete
production information and associates marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Fringe-Next

FRINGE DEVELOPMENT
From workshops of brand new productions to artist-led Master Classes, Fringe Development is all about using the critical mass of creativity at the Festival to fuel the growth and evolution of shows and individuals.

OF SPECIAL NOTE: This year we’re helping a group of students from CCM (led by Richard Hess) prepare for a trip to the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, the mother of all Fringes!

For more information on this year’s Fringe Development programming, including complete
production and class information, and associates marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Fringe-Development

VISUAL FRINGE
Fringe isn’t just about live performance, it’s about ALL artistic endeavors, including visual art. From galleries to interactive installations, from painting to photography, Visual Fringe is a feast for the eyes across all corners of the Festival!

For more information on this year’s Visual Fringe programming
and associated marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Visual-Fringe

FILM FRINGE
From 2005-2012 Cincy Fringe included film offerings to celebrate the “kinda WEIRD” in the world of celluloid, and this year it’s back! We’re presenting 5 nights of original, independent programming (shorts and feature-lengths), all thanks to an amazing partnership with Main Street’s award-winning Mini Microcinema!

OF SPECIAL NOTE: Film Fringe includes the world premiere of a new feature-length work from Cincy Fringe favorite Kevin Thornton!

For more information on Film Fringe programming,
Mini Microcinema, and associated marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Film-Fringe

FAMILY FRIENDLY FRINGE
While we pride the wide variety of offerings at the Festival for containing something for everyone, including Family Friendly productions in our Primary Lineup, we want to ensure that plentiful opportunities exist for parents and children to Fringe with us, so this year we have special, free offerings that give families a chance to get kinda weird, too!

For more information on Family Friendly Fringe
and associated marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Family-Fringe

FRINGE ON THE STREETS
In 2017, Cincy Fringe teamed up with Art on the Streets to encourage any and all artists to take their creativity out of our venues and straight to the general public by street performing and busking during the Festival. Our partnership continues this year to help bathe Cincinnati in even more arts and entertainment during Fringe.

For more information on Fringe on the Streets,
along with details on how artists can participate, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/Fringe-On-The-Streets 

SPECIAL EVENTS
Paint with Vincent Van Gogh, get surrounded by sound in a giant inflatable igloo, re-live a Fringe favorite from the past, AND MORE with our lineup of Special Event presentations that round out performance offerings and finally break you, causing puzzled exclamations like, “OMG, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SEE EVERYTHING AT FRINGE IN JUST 13 DAYS?!”

For more information on this year’s Special Event programming
and associated marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Fringe-Special-Events

FRINGE BAR SERIES
As if it all wasn’t enough, after shows are over each night we invite everyone back to Fringe HQ (Know Theatre) to wet their whistle, converse about experiences, and otherwise continue the merriment at our Fringe Bar Series. Featuring special themes, events, and concerts, the party keeps rolling until 1am every single evening!

OF SPECIAL NOTE: Fringe Bar Series involves more local bands and musicians this year than ever before! Heck YEAH, live music belongs at Fringe!

For more information on this year’s Fringe Bar Series programming
and associated marketing materials, please visit
https://tinyurl.com/2018-Bar-Series

TICKETING and BOX OFFICE INFORMATION
Cincy Fringe shares 50% of all box office revenue with individual productions, meaning your attendance supports not only the Festival and Know Theatre but hundreds of independent artists, as well!

Ticket and Pass sales/reservations are now live at www.cincyfringe.com or by calling the Know Theatre Box Office at 513-300-5669. The Know Theatre/Fringe Box Office is open between the hours of 11:00am and 6:00pm, Monday-Friday during regular operations (until 5/28/18) and 11:00am to 9:30pm everyday during the Festival (5/29-6/10).

Ticket and pass purchases, along with pass reservations, can also be made at individual venues during Fringe starting 30 minutes prior to showtimes, but we STRONGLY recommend purchasing/reserving in advance to avoid the painful sting of regret that comes with sellouts, which are common at Fringe, especially in smaller venues.

See the following page for details on all admission options.

Single Tickets ($15)
Single tickets are $15 and are good for (surprise!) single admission to a single performance.

Full Frontal All-Access Pass ($250)
Want to take in as much Fringe as humanly possible? The Full Frontal All-Access Pass gives a patron the ability to reserve a single ticket for 99.63%* of all productions at the Festival. After 17 shows, you’re basically seeing things for free!

Full Frontal Passholders also receive sweet perks, like discounts on Fringe swag and artist price drinks at the Fringe HQ bar. Plus, they get to vote for their very own Pick of the Fringe award!

*Certain Special Events and all Encore performances have unique ticket prices or passes 

Voyeur Pass ($75)
The Voyeur is a 6-tickets-for-the-price-of-5 flex pass that can be used in any combination of patrons and performances, and also allows advanced reservations or walk-up admission* (don’t dooo iiit…reserve in advance!) Voyeur Passes are great for groups, or if you can only commit to seeing a lot of shows but not ALL OF THEM. 

*Certain Special Events and all Encore performances have unique ticket prices or passes. 

Encore Pass ($75)
New this year and only available for purchase during the Festival, the Encore Pass is good only for the 6 Encore performances on 6/10. Purchase of this pass automatically reserves patrons a single ticket to each of the 6 Encore performances, for the price of 5 tickets.

Patrons are not permitted to move, combine, or otherwise reallocate tickets. Other than Single Ticket purchases (beginning the evening of 6/9), the Encore Pass is the only way to guarantee seats at Encore performances.

Free Walk-Up Tickets for Volunteers
If you’re tight on cash but still want to Fringe, Volunteer at the Festival! By donating your time to help us run this behemoth of an event, you get free tickets good for walk-up admission to shows! For more info on volunteering, visit http://www.cincyfringe.com/get-involved/volunteer/. 

For more information on tickets and passes, or to make a purchase, visit https://www.cincyfringe.com!  

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.  

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. 

Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. 

 Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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April 19, 2018 · 12:01 pm

Miami University Theatre Presents Molière’s TARTUFFE, May 2–6

MU_Tartuffe promoby Molière, translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur

Directed by Lewis Magruder

May 2–5, 7:30 p.m. | May 6, 2:00 p.m.

Location: Gates-Abegglen Theatre, Center for Performing Arts, Oxford, OH 45056
Tickets: $12 Adult, $9 Senior, $8 Student

Miami University Department of Theatre presents the famous theatrical comedy by Molière, Tartuffe.

The production was originally written by Molière and later translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur. It is being directed by Lewis Magruder, associate professor of theatre at Miami.

Molière wrote Tartuffe in 1664 and it was first performed in front of King Louis XIV at his home, the Palace of Versailles. Quickly following its first performance, the play was banned by the king due to complaints from influential church leaders, as they believed the play attacked the foundations of religion. The play depicts a holy man as a fraud.

Tartuffe is the central figure in this classic farce. When Orgon falls for Tartuffe’s charms, his wife and family hatch a plan to save the family fortune before it’s too late. They must expose Tartuffe for the hypocrite he is! Quick banter, physical comedy, and just a dash of deception rule the day as the scoundrel gets his just desserts.

“The play resonates with what we experience in today’s culture – Orgon as an American power-broker with influence in business and politics and Tartuffe as a televangelist with a winning smile and a smooth demeanor,” said Lewis Magruder. “The language carries a contemporary sound, and the farcical nature of the action gives it a dark, ironic edge that audiences today will recognize as ‘now.’”

The production team includes Erin Speno, stage manager; Gion DeFrancesco, scenic design; Meggan Peters, costume design; Cassie Mings, lighting design; and Jason Sebastian, sound design.

Show tickets are $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $8 for students and youth, available at the Miami University box office or online at MiamiOH.edu/boxoffice.

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April 19, 2018 · 11:52 am

DANCING FOR THE STARS 2018 – Winners Announced

Dr. Marcia Bowling
and Dance Pro Jozsef Parragh
Crowned New Dancing for the Stars Champs

Bowling also named ‘Fundraising Champion’

CAA_Dancing for the StarsCINCINNATI, OH – Dr. Marcia Bowling (Gynecologic Oncology, The Christ Hospital Network) and her dance pro Jozsef Parragh (Independent Dance Instructor) received a near-perfect score of 37 (out of 40), taking first place at the Cincinnati Arts Association’s twelfth-annual Dancing for the Stars on Saturday, April 14, at the Music Hall Ballroom. Bowling also took home the ‘Fundraising Champion’ Award, as the celebrity who raised the most money for the event through ticket sales and donations.

Pam Kravetz (nationally-recognized artist, arts educator, and Project Manager for ArtWorks) and Alyenendrov Tsorokean (Dance Instructor; Owner, Phoenix Rising Latin & Ballroom) took second place; and John J. Williams (Attorney; President, Cincinnati Bar Association) and Doreen Beatrice (Independent Dance Instructor)  placed third.

The sold-out event welcomed more than 675 guests.  As CAA’s largest annual fundraiser, it raised $125,000 in support of the organization’s acclaimed arts education programs, including the Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally-run high school arts scholarship competition. 

Dancing for the Stars’ online auction went live two weeks prior to the event to allow fans and supporters to participate whether or not they were at the fundraiser, and bidding at the event was done using smart phones. This new digital approach resulted in the most successful auction in the event’s twelve-year history, raising nearly $30,000.   

The remaining three dance pairs included:

  • Ryan Messer (Regional Business Director, Johnson & Johnson; Board Member, Cincinnati Public Schools) and Desiree Mainous (Dance Instructor; Owner, Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati)
  • Dr. Renu Kotwal (Psychiatry & Neurology, The Christ Hospital Network) and Josh Tilford (Dance Instructor; Owner, Dance Manor)
  • Steve Valerius (President Individual Division, Ameritas Life Insurance) and  Leigh Bradshaw (Dance Instructor; Co-owner, Cincinnati Ballroom Company)

Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars 2018 featured six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program, at which the audience vote and judges scores propelled the winners to victory. The competitive dance for the evening was Swing, and each dance pair had 90 seconds to woo the crowd and the judges.

Event emcees were Chris O’Brien and Janeen Coyle (“Married with Microphones,” 103.5 WGRR-FM). The four competition judges were Douglas Beal (Independent Dance Instructor), Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor), Jeremy Mainous (Dance Instructor; Owner, Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati), and Neal Schulte (2014 Dancing for the Stars Winner & Fundraising Champion; Founder & President, Schulte Financial Group, LLC.)

Currently in its twelfth year, Dancing for the Stars has become one of the most-anticipated (and imitated) fundraising events of the season.  Since the event’s debut in 2007, nearly 90 local notables have ‘danced for a cause’. The impressive list of past champions includes:  2007 – Dr. O’dell Owens (former president, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; former Hamilton County coroner); 2008 – Jenell Walton(former WLWT-TV5 reporter; former reporter, The List; former WCPO-TV9 anchor and reporter); 2009 – Phil Schworer (Attorney, Frost Brown Todd; former president, Cincinnati Bar Association); 2010 – Donna Speigel (owner, The Snooty Fox); 2011 – Dr. Tracey Skale, M.D. (chief medical officer, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral  Health Services), 2012 –  Regina Russo (former chief of communications, Contemporary Arts Center; former director of marketing and communications, Cincinnati Art Museum; former anchor/reporter, WXIX-TV19), 2013 – Chris Seelbach (Cincinnati City Councilman), 2014 – Neal Schulte (founder & president, Schulte Financial Group, LLC), 2015 – Johnny Chu (owner, KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia restaurant),  2016 – Jay Lame (Financial Analyst, Lenox Wealth Management), and 2017 – Rohan Hemani (Procter & Gamble Fabric Care Intrapenuer)

In addition, Dancing for the Stars 2018 featured:

  • Dinner-by-the-bite provided by A Catered Affair, Alfio’s buono cibo, CMX CineBistro, Garnish Catering, Jeff Thomas Catering, Lala’s Blissful Bites, Metropolitan Club, Oriental Wok, Palomino Restaurant & Bar, Prime Cincinnati, Skyline Chili, Stone Creek Dining Company, Vonderhaar’s Catering, Inc., Whole Foods Market
  • Popular DJ and 103.5 WGRR personality Rockin’ Ron Schumacher
  • Pre-event wine tasting compliments of Biltmore Estate Winery (Music Hall’s newest premium wine) and meet-and-greet with the Stars
  • Open dancing before and after the competition

Event highlights included:

  • Entertaining and amazing exhibition dances by Dancing for the Stars talented Pros.
  • An inspiring video about the Overture Awards featuring interviews with many of the student competitors.
  • Two big screens that featured live video of the competition and engaging video introductions of the Stars and Pros (interviews and rehearsal footage) before their dances.
  • Humorous, astute, and supportive comments from the Dancing for the Stars panel of judges.
  • Exceptionally responsive, raucous, and energetic audience reactions, which included large cheering sections holding signs with various messages in support of their favorite Stars.
  • Dance and fundraising champion, Dr. Marcia Bowling, earned the night’s highest score from the judges with an expert swing routine (and a gorgeous dress) with dance Pro Jozsef Parragh.
  • Audience favorite and 2nd-place finisher Pam Kravetz and dance Pro Alyenendrov Tsorokean danced as Mayzie La Bird and the Cat in the Hat to a whimsical tribute to Dr. Seuss.
  • Third-place finisher John J. Williams showed his swagger and confidence in a Blues Brothers-inspired dance with dance Pro Doreen Beatrice.
  • There was some ‘risky business’ on the dance floor when Steve Valerius danced Tom Cruise-style to Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll” with dance Pro Leigh Bradshaw.
  • Ryan Messer, dance Pro Desiree Mainous, and friends danced a timely and touching story about high-school bullying, being yourself, and Gay Pride to “Born This Way” – Lady Gaga’s rousing anthem of individuality.
  • The glamour and fun of Bollywood filled the Music Hall Ballroom as Dr. Renu Kotwal, wearing one of the most beautiful dresses at the event, danced an Indian-inspired Swing with dance Pro Josh Tilford.

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Presenting Sponsor: TriHealth 

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Silent Auction Sponsor: Lenox Wealth Management

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Event Sponsors:  Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Doreen Beatrice, Bonita Brockert, Cincinnati Ballroom Company, Crest Graphics, Dance Manor, Pebble Creek Group, Jozsef Parragh, and Phoenix Rising Latin & Ballroom.

Dancing for the Stars 2018 Event Committee:  Dr. Allison Holzapfel, co-chair (Dancing for the Stars 2017 Fundraising Champion); Jamie Humes, co-chair (Dancing for the Stars 2016 Fundraising Champion); Amal Daoud; Terry Foster; Sue Gilkey; Jim Howland; Ginger Loftin; Joe Rigotti; Rosemary Schlachter; Phil Schworer; and Dr. Tracey Skale. 

CAA’s OVERTURE AWARDS AND ARTS EDUCTION PROGRAMS
Cincinnati Arts Association’s Education & Community Relations programs promote life-long engagement in the arts, while contributing to individual, organizational, and community success. With a mission to educate, inspire, and engage the Tri-state region, these accessible arts programs ignite the imagination of students of all ages.

The Overture Awards is one of several programs ‒ which also include Artists on Tour, SchoolTime, Emerging Arts Leaders, and more ‒ that have served more than 1.6 million children and adults since the inception of CAA’s Education & Community Relations programs two decades ago. CAA is proud of its newest initiative, Arts in Healing, that promotes wellness through the arts.

The Overture Awards – the largest locally-run, high school arts scholarship competition in the country – recognizes, encourages, and rewards excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. Each year, more than 450 students are nominated by their schools to compete, and this year’s competition awarded $42,000 in scholarships for excellence in Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. To date, the Overture Awards has awarded $750,000 to support artistically-talented students in pursuit of their dreams. Now in its 22nd year, the Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation and Leadership Cincinnati (a Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber program).

As part of the Overture Awards, the Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction promotes and rewards excellence in arts instruction throughout the Tri-state region – just one more way to encourage quality arts in Cincinnati USA!

For more information about CAA’s Education & Community Relations programs, visit www.cincinnatiarts.org/education-community. 

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION
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 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies.

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