Category Archives: Press Releases

September 11, 2017 · 7:13 pm

Playhouse Off the Hill Tour Begins with a Flash Sept. 30

THE LAST FIREFLY Helps Children Find the Courage Within

PIP_The Last Firefly

Promotional photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

CINCINNATI—Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s popular Off the Hill touring series returns Sept. 30 with THE LAST FIREFLY. The fantastical story combining Japanese fairy tales and folklore runs through Oct. 29 at community centers and schools across the region, from Burlington to Price Hill to Mariemont and at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.

THE LAST FIREFLY is the mythical story of Boom, the son of Thunder, who sets out to discover his true self. After his stepfather forces Boom from his home, he begins a search for his real father, which takes him on a journey of self-discovery, where he must courageously battle forces of nature.

“This show is a fun adventure that will engage the imaginations of children and parents alike,” says DaunielleTraditionally, kabuki theatre explores themes of good and evil through nature and spirituality. Characters include Lightning, Monkey,

Noted playwright Naomi Iizuka’s script is an evocative and kabuki-influenced play geared towards young audiences. Kabuki theatre is a Japanese form of stage drama that is characterized by elaborate costumes, lively storytelling, music, movement, and dancing.

Rasmussen, director of education and community engagement at the Playhouse.Tree and Spider, and Boom must also battle fierce elements of nature. These fantastical characteristics call for an especially innovative approach to set design, props, and costume, all of which are crafted by Playhouse artisans.

THE LAST FIREFLY is performed by members of the 2017-18 Bruce E. Coyle Acting Intern Company, under the direction of Playhouse Associate Artist Timothy Douglas. As Associate Artist, Douglas has directed many productions for the Marx and Shelterhouse stages, including Jitney, Buzzer, Clybourne Park, The North Pool, Mothers and Sons and the world premiere of Safe House. THE LAST FIREFLY marks his first production for the Playhouse in which he directs young and emerging artists for children’s theatre.

“We are very fortunate to have a director of Timothy’s caliber working with us on the first tour of the season,” says Rasmussen. “I can’t think of a better craftsman and storyteller to put together the story of Boom’s journey.”

Other upcoming Off the Hill touring plays include PINOCCHIO, Jan. 21 to Feb. 11, 2018. The much-loved tale about a wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy is packed with magical characters, cartwheels, circus antics and dollops of fun for the whole family starting at age 6 and up. RAPUNZEL, recommended for ages 4 and up, premieres April 5, 2018, and runs to May 20. Young Rapunzel lives in a tower, curious about the outside until she meets a local boy who finally gives her the courage to be free.

Find a full list of public performances here.

Directed by Timothy Douglas and choreographed by Daunielle Rasmussen, the cast includes Hannah Jones, Marco Adriel Munoz, Psacoya Guinn & JT Stocks.

Off the Hill is supported by The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation and John C. Griswold Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of more than 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 and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Leave a comment

Filed under Events, Family-Friendly, Press Releases

Tagged as

September 11, 2017 · 4:19 pm

Cincinnati Ballet Presents THE KAPLAN NEW WORK SERIES

CB_New Works 2017 logoThe annual series returns to the Aronoff Center’s intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater this fall

Celebrating its 13th year, The Kaplan New Work Series opens Cincinnati Ballet’s groundbreaking 2017-2018 Season September 14-24 at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater. The series offers an up-close experience with a variety of exciting World Premieres by today’s most innovative choreographers. This year’s program includes special guest Travis Wall, best known for his work on the hit TV show, So You Think You Can Dance, and brand new works from Heather Britt, Penny Saunders, and Johanna Bernstein Wilt. A solo piece choreographed by Victoria Morgan will also receive its regional premiere, danced to “Black Coffee” by k.d. Lang.

Travis Wall rose to fame as the runner-up in Season two for the hit Fox TV show, So You Think You Can Dance, and is currently a resident choreographer for the show. Wall was the winner of the 2015 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography, and has been nominated for an Emmy six times. He has choreographed for popular musicians including Carrie Underwood, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lovato. His other TV and film choreographing credits including the 82nd Academy Awards, Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary Special, the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, and the feature film, Step Up Revolution. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of Shaping Sound, the contemporary dance group he co-created with Nick Lazzarini, Teddy Forance, and Kyle Robinson. The Kaplan New Works Series is Wall’s first collaboration with Cincinnati Ballet, and it will also be only his second experience working with a professional ballet company (he choreographed a piece for Los Angeles Ballet in 2010).

“I think Travis will be a good fit for Cincinnati Ballet because of his strong and diverse dance background,” says Artistic Director, Victoria Morgan. “His choreography is full of energy and unexpected twists and accents, and our dancers are facile when it comes to bringing strong ballet technique and pointe work to contemporary movement. We are thrilled to have him join our program, and can’t wait to see what transpires!”

Heather Britt, a Cincinnati-based choreographer and founder of the wildly popular DANCEFIX classes, presents her ninth World Premiere for Cincinnati Ballet. Most recently, she wowed audiences with the World Premiere of “Karass” in the 2016-2017 New Works. In 2015-2016’s Director’s Choice, Britt presented the sensual duet entitled “Habitual” to rave reviews. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, “Britt and her dancers infuse the work with a level of intimacy we rarely see onstage.”

Britt graduated from the School for Creative and Performing Arts before going on to enjoy a modern dance career in California. Upon returning to Cincinnati, Britt founded HBDC (Heather Britt Dance collective) which encompasses DANCEFIX.  As a choreographer, her work has been featured several times in The Kaplan New Works Series, as well as with Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company, Northern Kentucky University, ArtsWave, Playhouse in the Park, The Constella Festival, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, and Concert:Nova.

Penny Saunders presents a World Premiere, in her first collaboration with Cincinnati Ballet, inspired by the story of Maria Anna Mozart. “She was said to be as talented a musician and composer as her brother, Wolfgang,” says Saunders, “but was not permitted to continue her carer in music because she was a woman.”

Saunders began her professional career with The American Repertory Ballet under the direction of Septime Webre. She went on to dance with Ballet Arizona, MOMIX Dance Theater, Cedar Lake Ensemble, and in 2004 she joined Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In 2011, Saunders won the International Commissioning Project which launched her choreographic career, creating pieces for Hubbard Streets’ main and second company, Whim W’Him, SFDanceworks, Neos Dance Theater, Owen Cox Dance Group, and The Nexus Project. Saunders is the choreographer in residence at The Grand Rapids Ballet, receiving support from The New York City Ballet Choreographic Commissions Initiative, and  the recipient of the 2016 Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship.

Johanna Bernstein Wilt, Cincinnati Ballet’s Ballet Master, will be presenting a World Premiere piece entitled, “The Dance Will Set You Free,” focusing on the creative process and the enigmatic spirit of dance. The 2017-2018 Season is Bernstein Wilt’s 36th year at Cincinnati Ballet, and she is thrilled to be creating her fourth ballet for New Works. Wilt joined as a dancer in 1981 and performed for 11 seasons before joining the artistic team in 1992. Throughout her career, she has staged ballets for notable choreographers such as Septime Webre, Kirk Peterson, David Nixon, Peter Anastos, Val Caniparoli, William Whitener and Jessica Lang.

Her choreographic credits include “Everyday Is a New Beginning,” for Cincinnati Ballet’s New Works during the 2008-2009 Season, and “A Hero’s Prayer” for the 2011-2012 New Works to commemorate her 30 years of work at Cincinnati Ballet. She also choreographed the Elgar Pas de Deux for Lumenocity (2014) and Life (is complicated) (2016) for Cincinnati Ballet’s Second Company.

Victoria Morgan presents “Black Coffee,” with music by k.d. Lang. The expressive solo is one of the first pieces Morgan choreographed after retiring from the stage, and it will be re-worked for its regional premiere in New Works. “The words and the mood of this piece felt like my inner story at the time,” says Morgan. “I have always wanted to revisit this piece,  and I’m interested to see how it can evolve as I have evolved.”

Since creating the first iteration of “Black Coffee,” Morgan has added extensively to her choreography credits, including full-length ballets such as Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet, The New Nutcracker, and King Arthur’s Camelot. She has also choreographed several contemporary works such as “Fractured Glass,” “Patriotic Pas,” and “Somewhere Close to Happiness.”

PERFORMANCE DATES AND INFORMATION

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet

World Premiere
Choreography: Heather Britt

Black Coffee
Choreography: Victoria Morgan

World Premiere
Choreography: Penny Saunders

World Premiere
Choreography: Travis Wall

World Premiere
Choreography: Johanna Bernstein Wilt

WHAT: THE KAPLAN NEW WORK SERIES

WHEN:

  • Thursday, September 14 – 7:30 pm
  • Friday, September 15 – 8:00 pm
  • Saturday, September 16 – 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm
  • Tuesday, September 19 – 7:30 pm
  • Wednesday, September 20 – 7:30 pm
  • Thursday, September 21 – 7:30 pm
  • Friday, September 22 – 8:00 pm
  • Saturday, September 23 – 2:00 & 8:00 pm
  • Sunday, September 24 – 1:00 & 6:30 pm

WHERE:
Aronoff Center for the Arts
650 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Ohio  45202

HOW:
Call 513.621.5282, visit cballet.org or visit the Cincinnati Ballet Box Office at 1555 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45212

About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to inspire hope and joy in our community and beyond through the power and passion of dance, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, extensive education outreach programs and offers top level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

CONNECT: READ / WATCH / LISTEN / LEARN / ENJOY at cballet.org  

Cincinnati Ballet 2017-2018 Season Sponsors: ArtsWave, Rhonda & Larry Sheakley, PNC Bank, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Ohio Arts Council, Mercy Health, Frisch’s Big Boy, Austin E. Knowlton Foundation, The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Leave a comment

Filed under Events, Press Releases

Tagged as

September 6, 2017 · 3:26 pm

Cincinnati Ballet Launches New Annual Family Series with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

CB_BeautyandtheBeastThe beloved story comes to life in April, 2018, and includes a sensory-friendly performance

CINCINNATI. (September 6, 2017) – Cincinnati Ballet is proud to announce a new, annual Family Series, with an inaugural production of Beauty and the Beast, featuring the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company, with dancers from the new Professional Training Division, and students from Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy. Beauty and the Beast comes to the Aronoff Center, with six performances April 6-8, and a sensory-friendly performance April 8 at 10:30 am.

The new series is a perfect introduction to ballet for audiences of all ages, with dazzling costumes and sets, and guided narration, so that even the youngest members of the audience can comprehend the story on stage. The Cincinnati Ballet Family Series will continue as an ongoing, annual production in the seasons ahead, allowing patrons the opportunity to create lasting ballet traditions with family and friends.

Cincinnati Ballet is proud to continue our sensory-friendly offerings with Beauty and the Beast. The 10:30 am sensory-friendly performance on April 8 is designed to create an experience that is welcoming and inviting to any patron or child with sensory sensitivities or specific needs. Accommodations include gentle lighting and sound, increased staffing with on-hand specialists, and a flexible, open-door theater environment with designated spaces where you and your child can take a break from the performance.

The whimsical and timeless Beauty and the Beast ballet is based on the original fairy tale, as told in the late 18th century by Charles Perrault. It follows Beauty and her tragic Beast in a legendary fable of promise, friendship, and love, and is appropriate for any age. The beloved tale is performed in one hour and fifteen minutes with choreography by Pamela Robinson-Harris and Peggy Dolkas, bright and beautiful costumes by Costume Production Director at Ballet West, David Heuvel, and immense and engulfing sets designed by Ballet West Vice President of Artistic and Production Operations, Michael Currey.

Tickets start at just $20. Tickets for the sensory-friendly performance are only available via phone. To request admission or additional details, please call 513.621.5282.

This new Family Series is being announced as Cincinnati Ballet unveils plans to implement a number of exciting initiatives in the 2017-2018 season as part of a long-term strategy for sustained growth and advancement. The “new” Cincinnati Ballet also encompasses an eye-catching, refreshed logo and brand identity for the Company, the launch of the Otto M. Budig Academy’s Professional Training Division, the Company’s return to Music Hall for three productions, and a groundbreaking partnership with Ballet West to co-present a World Premiere production.

PERFORMANCE DATES AND INFORMATION

WHO:        Cincinnati Ballet Second Company, Professional Training Division Dancers, Otto M. Budig Academy Students

Choreography: Pamela Robinson-Harris and Peggy Dolkas

WHAT:     Beauty and the Beast

WHEN:      

  • Friday, April 6 – 8:00 pm
  • Saturday, April 7 – 10:30 am, 2:00 pm, & 5:30 pm
  • Sunday, April 8 – 10:30 am**, 1:30 pm & 4:30 pm
    **Sensory-friendly Performance

WHERE:   Procter & Gamble Hall

Aronoff Center for the Arts

650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio  45202

HOW:        Call 513.621.5282, visit cballet.org, or

visit the Cincinnati Ballet Box Office at 1555 Central Parkway

###

About Cincinnati Ballet

Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Under the artistic direction of Victoria Morgan, Cincinnati Ballet has become a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world premiere works and exploring unique collaborations with artists as diverse as Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton and popular, Ohio-based band Over the Rhine. With a mission to inspire hope and joy in our community and beyond through the power and passion of dance, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, extensive education outreach programs and offers top level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.

CONNECT: READ / WATCH / LISTEN / LEARN / ENJOY at cballet.org

Cincinnati Ballet 2017-2018 Season Sponsors: Artswave, Mercy Health, PNC Bank, Ohio Arts Council, Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Frisch’s Big Boy, Rhonda & Larry

Leave a comment

Filed under Events, Family-Friendly, Press Releases

Tagged as

September 6, 2017 · 3:08 pm

WICKED Announces In-Person Lottery for $25 Seats

BIC_Wicked logoPERFORMANCES BEGIN SEPTEMBER 13 AT THE ARONOFF CENTER

A day-of-performance in-person lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held for WICKED, which is returning to the Aronoff Center with performances from September 13 – October 15, 2017.  Two and one-half hours prior to each performance, people who present themselves at the Aronoff Center box office will have their names placed in a lottery drum; thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of orchestra seats at $25 each, cash only.  This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person.  Lottery participants must have a valid photo ID when submitting their entry form and, if chosen, when purchasing tickets.

The surprising tale of an unlikely friendship between two women in the Land of Oz, WICKED tells the untold story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, long before Dorothy drops in.  Elphaba, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. Glinda is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.  The remarkable odyssey of how these unexpected friends changed each other’s lives for good has made WICKED one of the world’s most popular musicals.

Based on the best-selling 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED is the winner of over 100 international major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Godspell, Academy Award®-winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), WICKED is directed by two-time Tony® Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony® Award winnerWayne Cilento (Aida, The Who’s Tommy, How To Succeed…).

WICKED has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly.  WICKED has been performed in over 100 cities in 14 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, Mexico and Brazil) and has thus far been translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese.

WICKED will play the Aronoff Center from September 13 – October 15, 2017: Tuesday – Thursday at 7:30PM, Thursday September 14 at 1:00PM, Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM, Sunday at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets start at $42.50. They are available at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown at 650 Walnut Street, online at CincinnatiArts.org or by phone at 513.621.ARTS. For groups of 15 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit www.BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

#     #     #

Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Tri-State, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals in Cincinnati since 1987. For over twenty years, Broadway in Cincinnati has presented all shows at the Aronoff Center.  The Broadway in Cincinnati series brings more than 185,000 people downtown to the Aronoff Center each year, and contributes an average of $30 million to the local economy each season. Broadway in Cincinnati is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and The Broadway League. Fifth Third Bank is the sponsor of the Cincinnati 16/17 Season and the season is presented by TriHealth. LOCAL 12 is the official television station of the 16/17 Cincinnati Season.

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA is part of The John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com and The Broadway Channel.  Led by 9 time Tony-winning producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 41 markets with over 270,000 subscribers. Current and past productions include Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Fiddler on the Roof, Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Quartet, Hairspray, On Your Feet!, School of Rock and The Producers. Broadway.com is the premier theater website for news, exclusive content and ticket sales. For more information please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com and Broadway.com.

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases, Ticket Deals

Tagged as

September 5, 2017 · 4:25 pm

Popular Vocal Jazz Ensemble Going (Nearly!) Viral, Offering Restored Memorial Hall’s First All-A Cappella Concert

MISC_No Promises Vocal Band

Back row: Joshua Steele & Adam Wheeler. Middle row: Charlie Harper, Matt Croy & Jeff Grooms. Front row: David Baum, Noah Berry & Ken Holdt. Photo by Leslie Goddard.

CINCINNATI, OH – Within a week of its recent release, NO PROMISES’ a cappella rendition of the Alicia Keys classic “If I Ain’t Got You” had been watched more than 28,000 times. The popular local ensemble hopes for one half of one percent of those music lovers to attend and sell out their next show.

NO PROMISES Vocal Band offers the first all-a cappella concert at restored Memorial Hall (1225 Elm Street, Over-the-Rhine) on Wednesday, September 27 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 and are available at MemorialHallOTR.com. Seating is limited, and a capacity crowd is expected.

Performing in the Memorial Hall Green Room, where cabaret-style seating and a full cash bar await patrons, NO PROMISES will offer their signature variety of jazz, Motown and pop selections. Listeners will enjoy unique arrangements of tunes by Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, The Jackson 5, Manhattan Transfer, Huey Lewis, and even Taylor Swift.

About NO PROMISES
NO PROMISES is a professional a cappella ensemble bringing exhilarating vocals and breathtaking harmonizations to popular favorites of jazz, Motown and pop music. Hailing from across Ohio, the men of No Promises are Broadway veterans, theatre producers, touring musicians, hair stylists and dads, with a passion for fine a cappella singing.

With repertoire ranging from classics by Manhattan Transfer and the Gaither Vocal Band to surprising treatments of Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift, No Promises has delighted audiences at concert series throughout the region.

The ensemble’s annual Christmas tours are stocking-stuffed with jazz and pop arrangements of beloved holiday favorites. Ten such tinselly tunes are featured on the group’s 2016 debut album, A NO PROMISES CHRISTMAS, including Vince Guaraldi’s “Skating,” Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” and the cherished ballad “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” The album was mixed by engineer Ed Boyer, who has been responsible for the studio sound of NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” Universal Pictures’ “Pitch Perfect” and groups including Pentatonix and Home Free. A NO PROMISES CHRISTMAS is available on iTunes and other digital distributors.

NO PROMISES is led by tenor and arranger Joshua Steele, who founded the ensemble in 2015 with high school chum David Baum; the pair sang together in a strolling barbershop quartet at Cincinnati’s Kings Island theme park. Baum went on to a sparkling stage and screen career in New York City, including the Broadway productions of A CHORUS LINE and MARY POPPINS, and has since returned to the area as a practicing clinical psychologist. NO PROMISES debuted with a 2015 Christmas tour, drawing 2,000
patrons to venues across Cincinnati and Dayton. Quickly assembling a docket of performances including concert series, festivals, weddings, school performances and clubs, NO PROMISES has developed an indelible sound, a dynamic repertoire, and a unique repartee that ensures an entertaining and memorable experience.

NO PROMISES is:

  • Joshua Steele (tenor), Cincinnati
  • Charlie Harper (tenor / baritone), Cincinnati
  • Adam Wheeler (tenor), Dayton
  • David Baum (baritone), Cincinnati
  • Jeff Grooms (baritone / bass), Cold Spring, KY
  • Matt Croy, (bass), Findlay, OH

with current special guests:

  • Noah Berry, (tenor) Cincinnati
  • Ken Holdt, (baritone) Cincinnati

Full singer bios available at www.nopromisesvocalband.com/lineup.

# # #

Leave a comment

Filed under Events, Press Releases

Tagged as ,