Category Archives: Press Releases

September 1, 2015 · 1:11 pm

Shaping Sound | Sun., November 8 | Aronoff Center

COMMERCIAL DANCE UNPLUGGED

CAA_Shaping Sound promo

WITH TODAY’S HOTTEST DANCE STARS 

COMING TO THE ARONOFF CENTER

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
FOR ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY 

(Cincinnati, OH – August 31, 2015) — BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS is pleased to announce that North America’s hottest new dance show – SHAPING SOUND – will perform one night only at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Sunday, November 8, 2015 at 4:00 PM. Tickets goon sale Wednesday, September 2 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Experience the exhilarating collaboration of North America’s newest dance visionaries as they mash-up music genres and dance styles in an explosive dance theater experience that is perfect for all ages.

The dance company SHAPING SOUND was established in Los Angeles in 2012 with a focus on contemporary dance and choreographic artistry. Under the artistic direction of TRAVIS WALL, and co-created with NICK LAZZARINI, TEDDY FORANCE and KYLE ROBINSON, the company is an evocative collaboration by diverse artists who describe themselves as ‘visual musicians,’ i.e. their dance gives shape and form to sound. The four dancers broke into public awareness in a big way with the debut of the reality television series “All The Right Moves” on the Oxygen channel.  The popular series followed these lifelong friends and roommates in their quest to launch their own dance company – the company that is now the enormously successful SHAPING SOUND.  

SHAPING SOUND’s movement style provides its audience access to, and a greater understanding of, contemporary dance through a unique fusion of jazz, modern and hip-hop choreography. With a dynamic mix of energy, emotion and athleticism, the ensemble brings tremendous musicality of movement to each performance. Lauded by the commercial dance world and immensely popular with audiences of all ages, the company members have been showcased on all of America’s popular primetime dance, awards, entertainment and music shows including: “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing With The Stars,” “Glee,” “American Idol,” “The Voice” and “The 2013 Prime Time Emmy Awards” to name a few. They have toured internationally with an impressive array of the world’s top recording artists, and with award-winning dance companies.

Respected by both critics of dance and by the entertainment industry in general, SHAPING SOUND has quickly built an important critical resume and an impressively large fan base. BroadwayWorld.com described the show as:  “Electrifying and stunning … Aficionados of contemporary dance should do everything in their power to attend SHAPING SOUND.” And The Advocate said: “Once in a generation there is a group of artists who changes the trajectory of a genre.” After a Dallas-area performance, Theatre Jones stated:  “The choreography creates a visual effect that is mesmerizing.”

The combined resumes of the founding members show an impressive foray into the top echelon of the American entertainment industry:

TRAVIS WALL was the runner-up in Season Two of the Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and went on to become a resident choreographer and now holds the pivotal role of ‘Mentor’ to the Team Stage dancers in the show’s 12th season.  His work has been nominated for five consecutive Emmy© Awards for ‘Outstanding Choreography’.  He choreographed Carrie Underwood’s music video “Something In The Water” which received the 2015 CMT Award for ‘Best Music Video’.  The video was danced by the SHAPING SOUND company.  Travis assisted with the choreography of the “The 82nd Academy Awards,” and with Drake for “The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards” and has worked with Florence and the Machine, Chelsea Handler, Eminem and Rihanna. Travis also choreographed the contemporary numbers for the feature film, Step Up Revolution. Currently, he teaches on tour with NUVO Dance Convention.

NICK LAZZARINI is the season one winner of the Fox reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and he has been featured in countless publications, including three covers of Dance Sprit Magazine.  He was nominated for an Emmy with Shaping Sound for their performance on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2012. He has performed on “The Emmy Awards,” “The Oscars,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “American Music Awards,” “The MTV Video Music Awards,” and multiple other television appearances. He has been featured in musical numbers with several recording artists including Carrie Underwood, Adele, Kelly Clarkson, and Florence and the Machine. Currently, he teaches on tour for JUMP Dance Convention.

TEDDY FORANCE is a fourth generation dancer with his family’s dance studio, the Hackworth School of Performing Arts in Massachusetts. He turned professional by the age of 17 travelling throughout Greece as a dancer for the international pop star Anna Vissi. He has partnered with many esteemed choreographers including Mia Michaels – where he assisted the “Celine Dion Taking Chances” tour and performed as a lead dancer in Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium. He is well-known for his work in seasons two and three of the Fox television reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” for which he received an honorary Emmy© Award nomination. He is a featured performer on “Dancing with the Stars” and works as a choreographer for Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald. He has performed with an array of award-winning artists including Lady Gaga performing on “American Idol,” Usher at “The American Music Awards,” Florence and the Machine at “The MTV Video Music Awards” and choreographed for Kelly Clarkson on “The American Music Awards.” He recently performed on “The 2013 Emmy Awards.” Currently, he teaches internationally for JUMP Dance Convention.

KYLE ROBINSON began dancing when he was eleven years old and quickly mastered all movements and forms of the art. By the age of eighteen, he was awarded the ‘Gold Award in Modern Dance’ from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA). It was during this time that he met legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov who has served as Kyle’s mentor since. He trained at the Julliard School, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.  Throughout college he worked as a freelance dancer with Aszure & Artists and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company.  He played ‘Diesel’ in the recent, highly-reviewed first national tour of West Side Story.  Kyle recently performed on “The 2013 Emmy Awards,” “X Factor” and this past season in “Glee.” He mentors and dances with SHAPING SOUND and independently.

SHAPING SOUND is produced by BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS, LLC, Executive Producer Gil Stroming and Producer Nikole Vallins, and is considered one of the world’s preeminent dance entertainment companies today. In addition to touring theatrical productions, they produce dance conventions in 75 cities throughout the year which encompass dance workshops, dance competitions, photo and video production, corporate events and apparel.  With a broad range of business prospects and a reach of over 250,000 dancers annually, BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS is largely responsible for the transformation of dance entertainment.

BREAK THE FLOOR PRODUCTIONS is pleased to bring SHAPING SOUND to Cincinnati for one show only at the Aronoff Center on Sunday, November 8 at 4:00 PM.  Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 2 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

For more information visit www.SHAPINGSOUNDCO.COM

facebook symbol /SHAPINGSOUNDCO     image008.jpg@01D0DFF8.F5810060 @SHAPINGSOUNDCO and  image009.jpg@01D0DFF8.F5810060 SHAPINGSOUNDDANCECO

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August 31, 2015 · 1:13 pm

Witty, Provocative SEX WITH STRANGERS Opens Playhouse in the Park’s Shelterhouse Season, Sept. 26-Oct. 25

WITTY, PROVOCATIVE SEX WITH STRANGERS OPENS
CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK’S THOMPSON SHELTERHOUSE SEASON,
SEPT. 26 – OCT. 25, 2015

PIP_Sex with Strangers promo(CINCINNATI) – Laura Eason’s sexy, funny grown-up fling SEX WITH STRANGERS heats up the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s 2015-16 season with both sexual and intellectual tensions. The provocative new play runs Sept. 26 through Oct. 25 on the Playhouse’s intimate Thompson Shelterhouse stage.

SEX WITH STRANGERS is an enticing exploration of identity and intimacy in the digital age. Little-known novelist Olivia and hyper-famous blogger Ethan could not be on farther ends of the literary spectrum. Ethan’s scandalous blog-turned-book, titled Sex with Strangers, has graced The New York Times bestseller list for three years and has a high-profile movie adaptation in the works. The blog — based on a dare to pick up women in bars in order to have one-time, casual sexual encounters — has created a persona for Ethan that he would now prefer to leave behind. In spite of his early success (he is only 27), Ethan aspires to write with the literary merit of novelists like Olivia. Her first novel, praised by her peers, never received the public attention it deserved. Now a teacher and self-proclaimed “hobbyist” author at 39, she meets Ethan when they become snowbound at a cozy bed-and-breakfast in Michigan, and their mutual passion for words sparks a heated passion for each other. As they become entwined in each other’s careers, their literary and generational differences begin to clash, and complications emerge that test their relationship.

“Ethan is cocky and confident, yet able to be vulnerable and allow himself to get hurt,” says Playhouse Associate Artist and SEX WITH STRANGERS director KJ Sanchez (Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club, Venus in Fur, Seven Spots on the Sun). “Olivia loves books and, although she is more reserved than Ethan, she is not prudish. She is as confident as he is, just choosing to live her life in a very different way.

“They are fully realized, multi-dimensional characters that are always surprising us. Just when we think we know who’s in control and who has the power, Laura Eason reveals other aspects to these people that surprise us all.”

Eason, who garnered acclaim writing for Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning drama House of Cards, is no stranger to writing strong characters. “The spark of the play actually came from an interest in exploring the exchange that takes place in any intimate relationship,” she told The Brooklyn Rail last year. “I heightened the situation by having both of them be writers of ambition who each want something from the other, personally and professionally.”

The SEX WITH STRANGERS cast features Nancy Lemenager (Broadway’s Chicago, Movin’ Out, Never Gonna Dance, Kiss Me Kate, Dream, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Guys and Dolls), making her Playhouse debut as Olivia, and Nicholas Carrière, who appeared in the Playhouse’s world premiere of Abigail/1702, as Ethan. The creative team, in addition to Sanchez, includes set and costume designer Misha Kachman, lighting designer Brian J. Lilienthal and sound designer Matthew M. Nielson. Andrea L. Shell is the stage manager.

SEX WITH STRANGERS is sponsored by Schueler Group.

Ticket prices for SEX WITH STRANGERS start at $35. Prices are subject to change, and patrons are encouraged to buy early for the best seats at the best prices. The show is appropriate for adult and older teenage audiences.

Returning this season is the popular Sunday College Night, with tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances (not including A Christmas Carol) priced at just $10 with a valid student ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances.

Discounted ticket prices for teens and students are available in advance for all productions for $30 and $45, depending on seat location.

Previews for SEX WITH STRANGERS are at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26; 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. The official opening night is Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays.

Free Meet the Artists programs that allow audiences to interact with the cast and others associated with the production will be held after the following performances: 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.

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

Tickets to SEX WITH STRANGERS are on sale now. 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 2015-16 Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre Series is presented by the Heidelberg Distributing Company, and the Thompson Shelterhouse season design sponsor is the Allan Berliant and Jennie Rosenthal Berliant Family Fund. The season sponsor of new work is The Lois and Richard Rosenthal Foundation.  

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of the community contributors to the ArtsWave 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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August 26, 2015 · 2:34 pm

CCM Announces 2015-16 Studio Series of Opera, Musical Theatre, Drama & Dance‏

CCM_logoAll-time favorites and daring new works receive equal billing during CCM’s 2015-16 Studio Series. This year’s 12-part series of performing and media arts events features an eclectic mix of opera, musical theatre, drama and dance productions, all featuring CCM’s acclaimed “stars-of-tomorrow.”

Season highlights include an irreverent comedy co-produced with Know Theatre of Cincinnati, a world-premiere produced in partnership with Cincinnati Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and two film collaborations with CCM’s Division of Electronic Media.

This year’s lineup also includes six free productions held in CCM’s intimate and versatile “black box” space, the Cohen Family Studio Theater, which provides audiences with an unparalleled “up-close-and-personal” performing arts experience.

CCM’s Studio Series runs from Oct. 8, 2015, through April 23, 2016. Please see below for full production and ticketing details.

CCM 2015-16 STUDIO SERIES
Opera, Musical Theatre, Drama and Dance

BIG RIVER: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN
Music and lyrics by Roger Miller
Book by William Hauptmann
Vince DeGeorge, director
Steve Goers, musical director
Patti James, choreographer

Meet Mark Twain’s Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer in an irrepressible adaptation of a timeless novel. With a foot-stompin’ country score by Roger Miller, Big River brings to life all the favorite characters from the original – Widow Douglas, the King and Duke, Pap Finn, Mary Jane Wilkes and, of course, the Royal Nonesuch. A dazzling, heartwarming slice of Americana and the crowning achievement of one of country music’s most celebrated careers, Big River is a Tony-Award winning musical for all ages.

Performance Dates: Oct. 8 – 10, 2015
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 5. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
____

THE HUNCHBACK OF SEVILLE
A co-production between Know Theatre of Cincinnati and CCM’s Division of Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration
Written by Charise Castro Smith
Brant Russell, director

An absurdist play amped to the max, The Hunchback of Seville delves into the lives of the monarchy and citizens of 15th-century Spain: the infamous Queen Isabella, the spoiled Infanta Juana (the future Queen of Spain), and the Muslim Talib who is desperately attempting to avoid persecution at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition. All of this revolves around Maxima, a mathematical genius and adopted royal family member who is locked away in a tower and pines for Talib’s love. Smith’s play uses this dark, comedic plot both for laughs and as a serious means to examine sanitized history and human rights injustices both in Spain and the new world that Columbus “discovered.” This exciting collaboration brings CCM drama students to Know Theatre’s stage for a history lesson you won’t get in college!

Performance Dates: Oct. 9 – 24, 2015
Location: Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Admission: Tickets available through the Know Theatre Box Office by calling 513-300-5669 or online at http://knowtheatre.com.

Drama Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman & Margaret Straub

____

SHALIMAR THE CLOWN
A collaboration between CCM Opera, Cincinnati Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Co-artistic directors Robin Guarino and Marcus Küchle
Music by Jack Perla
Libretto by Rajiv Joseph
Directed by James Robinson

Funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, CCM Opera and Cincinnati Opera present a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an original work. An opera based on the novel of the same name by Salman Rushdie, Shalimar the Clownrevolves around a child named India who loses her father—a United States diplomat to India’s namesake country—to assassination at the hands of his former chauffeur Shalimar. The reasons that led the former clown to murder India’s father tell of the fragility of human life and love, detailing how complicated and non-simplistic our stories are, how large the consequences of our actions can loom, and how great joys can turn into unbearable sadness and senseless tragedy.

Performance Date: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015
Location: TBA
Admission: For ticket details and location for the public reading of Shalimar the Clown, please contact the Cincinnati Opera box office at 513-241-2742.

____

WILLIAM BOLCOM: CABARET SONGS
Lydia Brown, music director and piano
Robin Guarino and Marcus Shields, stage directors

William Bolcom’s career is storied: famed pianist, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, Ragtime revivalist and acclaimed professor at the University of Michigan. Arnold Weinstein, a self-proclaimed “theatre poet,” won acclaim as a lyricist for famed musicals such as Metamorphoses. Brought together by Darius Milhaud, the duo had a prolific partnership from 1964 until Weinstein’s death in 2005. Their collaborations included famed operas such as McTeague, A Wedding and others. Among these works were four sets of cabaret songs written between the 1970s and 1990s. CCM Opera is proud to present the first complete performance of all 24 of these cabaret songs.

Performance Dates: Oct. 23 – 25, 2015
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 19. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

____

SECOND ANNUAL CCM 48-HOUR FILM FESTIVAL
Co-produced with CCM’s Division of Electronic Media
Richard E. Hess and John Owens, producers

You are invited to a celebration of original film work by CCM students. After random team placement, student authors, actors, directors, editors and composers have 48 hours to create finished original short films. The general public is invited to a screening of these works at the end of the 48-hour project time! Six teams, six short films, plus six guest artists from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya will surprise and delight.

Screening Time: 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015
Location: MainStreet Cinema, UC’s Tangeman University Center
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are not required.

____

IL SIGNOR BRUSCHINO
Music by Giachino Rossini
Libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa
Frances Rabalais, director

A brilliant one-act operatic farce based upon the play Le fils par hasard, ou ruse et folieby Alissan de Chazet and E.T.M. Ourry, Il Signor Bruschino features the traditional hallmarks of opera buffa: mistaken identity, star-crossed lovers, betrothed confusion, and an ending that ties up all the loose ends. Relax your mind and enjoy a playful romp in a French castle!

Performance Dates: Feb. 19 – 21, 2016
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Feb. 15. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

____

DANCE STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHER’S SHOWCASE
Andre Megerdichian, director

Come experience the next generation of emerging choreographers as CCM dance majors take the stage with exciting and diverse new works.

Performance Dates: March 3 – 5, 2016
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Feb. 29. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

The Dance Department gratefully acknowledges the support of the Corbett Endowment at CCM.
____

TRANSMIGRATION 2016
A Festival of Student-Created New Works
Richard E. Hess, coordinator
Brant Russell, producer

TRANSMIGRATION, so named for “the movement from one place to another” or “the transition from one state of being to another,” is a festival of new works created by the acting students in CCM Drama. Six teams of actors craft and perform five original 30-minute shows. Performed simultaneously in different locations throughout CCM Village, TRANSMIGRATION will allow the audience to sample four different new works of their choosing in one spectacular evening. “Thanks to the drama program at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music,” observed CityBeat’s Rick Pender, “theater fans were offered a jolt of onstage vitality.”

Performance Dates: March 10 – 12, 2016
Location: Various locations throughout CCM Village, including Corbett Center rooms 3705, 4735 and 4755
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 7. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Drama Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman & Margaret Straub

____

MARIA STUARDA
CCM’s Opera d’Arte Undergraduate Opera Series
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto by Giuseppe Bardari
Brett Scott, music director and conductor
Amy Johnson, Stage Director
Kenneth Shaw, Co-producer

One of the hallmarks of bel canto opera, Maria Stuarda is a story of intrigue, confrontation and tragedy loosely based upon the lives of Mary, Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart) and her cousin Queen Elizabeth I.

Performance Dates: March 11 – 13, 2016
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 7. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

____

BINARY
Co-produced with CCM’s Division of Electronic Media
Screenplay by Owen Alderson
Richard E. Hess and John Owens, producers

Set in a Massachusetts private boarding school, Binary is a coming of age story following one student’s journey to embrace a new identity in the face of peer adversity. Winner of the first-ever CCM screen-writing contest, this original short film with screenplay by CCM Drama major Owen Alderson will be jointly produced by the CCM E-Media and Drama Departments.

Screening Time: 7 p.m. Saturday, April 2, 2016
Location: MainStreet Cinema, UC’s Tangeman University Center
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are not required.

____

LYSISTRATA JONES
Lyrics and Music by Lewis Flinn
Book by Douglas Carter Beane
Emma Griffin, director
Danny White, musical director
Patti James, choreographer

The Athens University basketball team hasn’t won a game in 30 years. But when spunky transfer student Lysistrata Jones dares the squad’s fed-up girlfriends to stop “giving it up” to their boyfriends until they win a game, their legendary losing streak could finally come to an end. Adapted from Lysistrata, Aristophanes’ classic Greek comedy,Lysistrata Jones takes student activism to a whole new level and celebrates the journey of discovering and embracing your true self.

Performance Dates: April 7 – 9, 2016
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, April 4. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

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THE GREAT MAJORITY
Written by Grace Gardner
Brant Russell, director

Join us for a staged reading of an in-progress play by rising New York star Grace Gardner. Sarah Nehal was murdered while working as a correspondent in New Delhi while her college friends were at home in the U.S. streaming TV on the internet and peddling their esoteric skill sets. One year after her funeral, Sarah’s friends meet for their annual Fourth of July reunion. The play explores entitlement and how its effects are visited upon the disenfranchised as well as the privileged. It’s also about how we can live responsibly in an irresponsible universe. The Great Majority is the inaugural production of CCM Drama’s new play-commissioning initiative: plays that speak to the unique experience of being young in America; plays that are written for and about our students; plays that will go on to be produced by educational institutions and professional theatre companies all over the country; plays that will involve a new generation of artists and audiences… and you will be able to say you were there when it all started.

Performance Dates: April 12 – 23, 2016
Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, April 18. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Drama Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman and Margaret Straub

____________________

Reserving Tickets
All Studio Series performances held in CCM’s Cohen Family Studio Theater are free and open to the general public, but reservations are required. Reservations can be made the Monday before each show by visiting the CCM Box Office in person or calling 513-556-4183. Limit two tickets per order.

For additional information on reserving tickets for CCM’s Studio Series, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/did-you-know/how-to-studio-series.

Some off-campus Studio Series productions require paid admission or reservations through a partner organization’s box office. Please refer to individual production listings for more information.

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

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

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

____________________

University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
2015-16 Studio Series: Opera, Musical Theatre, Drama and Dance

FALL 2015 
BIG RIVER: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8
  • 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9
  • 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

THE HUNCHBACK OF SEVILLE

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9
  • 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10
  • 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11
  • 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14
  • 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15
  • 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16
  • 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17
  • 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18
  • 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21
  • 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22
  • 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23
  • 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24

Location: Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

OPERA FUSION: NEW WORKS – SHALIMAR THE CLOWN

Performance Date:

  • Saturday, Oct. 17

Location: To Be Announced

WILLIAM BOLCOM: CABARET SONGS

Performance Time:

  • 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23
  • 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24
  • 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

CCM’S 48-HOUR FILM FESTIVAL

Screening Time:

  • 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8

Location: MainStreet Cinema,
Tangeman University Center

IL SIGNOR BRUSCHINO

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Friday, February 19
  • 8 p.m. Saturday, February 20
  • 2 p.m. Sunday, February 21

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

DANCE STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHER SHOWCASE

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Thursday, March 3
  • 8 p.m. Friday, March 4
  • 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, March 5

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

TRANSMIGRATION 2016

Performance Times:

  • 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10
  • 7 p.m. Friday, March 11
  • 2 & 7 p.m. Saturday, March 12

Location: Corbett Center room 3705, 4735 & 4755

MARIA STUARDA

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Friday, March 11
  • 8 p.m. Saturday, March 12
  • 2 p.m. Sunday, March 13

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

 BINARY

Screening Time:

  • 7 p.m. Saturday, April 2

Location: MainStreet Cinema, Tangeman University Center

LYSISTRATA JONES

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Thursday, April 7
  • 8 p.m. Friday, April 8
  • 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, April 9

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

THE GREAT MAJORITY

Performance Times:

  • 8 p.m. Thursday, April 21
  • 8 p.m. Friday, April 22
  • 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, April 23

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater

CCM Season Presenting Sponsor & Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Drama Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman and Margaret Straub

A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

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August 25, 2015 · 2:11 pm

OTRimprov Presents Second Annual Improv Festival of Cincinnati

OTRimprov presents the 2nd Annual Improv Festival of Cincinnati (IF Cincy)
Features headliner Kevin McDonald of ‘Kids in the Hall’

Kevin McDonald

Kevin McDonald

Cincinnati based OTRimprov is proud to present the 2ndAnnual Improv Festival of Cincinnati (IF Cincy). The 2nd year will feature improv talent from Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland (OR), Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and special guest headliner Kevin McDonald from the hit sketch comedy group Kids in the Hall. The festival takes place September 10-13, 2015 at Know Theatre of Cincinnati in Over-the-Rhine.

Produced in partnership with Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s Jackson Street Market, IF Cincy makes its home at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. IF Cincy will take place around the five-year anniversary of the founding of OTRimprov, a group of experienced improvisers who set out to create a strong improv community in Cincinnati.

OTR_IF Cincy 2015In its second year, IF Cincy has added a night of performances, focusing one evening on improv perfomers from right here in Cincinnati. Local troupes performing are The Basement Dwellers, Highly Improvable, and Ain’t No Mango. National groups traveling to perform are Dudesical (Indianapolis, IN), B&B (Portland, OR), Human Amusements (Detroit, MI), Mission: IMPROVable (Los Angeles, CA), ManBaby (Chicago, IL), BillyHawk (Los Angeles, CA), and Kevin McDonald, headline performer.

“We’re so excited to welcome some incredible improv talent to Cincinnati,” said Kat Smith, OTRimrpov’s Managing Director. “Last year’s festival was not only hugely successful for us, but we think it really got our audiences excited about improv in general. Many cities have thriving improv communities, and we want to be one of them. This year, IF Cincy features more public workshops where you can learn the craft of improv from some world-class performers and instructors, and we added one more evening to the festival to accommodate demand for performances. It’s going to be an incredible weekend to explore improv right here in Cincinnati!”

Many of the performers taking the stage in the evening will also be hosting workshops over the weekend, giving Cincinnatians a rare opportunity to take classes from the impressive visiting national talent. Workshops will be offered by Kevin McDonald, Aaron Krebs (Mission: IMPROVable), Jon Colby (Dudesical), Brian James O’Connell (BillyHawk), and Mike Betette (Mission: IMPROVable) and range from beginner to intermediate skill level.

Passes are available for taking in multiple evenings of improve, whether you want one, two, or three evenings! The All Access Pass allows entry to all three evenings of performances Thursday – Saturday for $75, the Weekend Pass allows entry on Friday and Saturday evening’s performances for $65, and a One Night Pass is available for entry on either Friday or Saturday evening for $35.

Single tickets are $15 each for the locals night performances and $20 each for all performances on Friday and Saturday night. The Basics:

  • Who: OTRimprov presents
  • What: Improv Festival of Cincinnati (IF Cincy)
  • Where: Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
  • Featuring: improv talent from Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland (OR), Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and special guest headliner Kevin McDonald from the hit sketch comedy group Kids in the Hall.
  • Tickets: http://www.ifcincy.com
  • How Much: Single tickets (Thursday): $15, Single Tickets (Friday & Saturday) $20, All Access Pass:$75, Weekend Pass: $65, One Night Pass: $35 (Friday & Saturday).

Performance Schedule

Thursday September 10
7pm – Know Theatre Underground LOCALS NIGHT featuring:
The Basement Dwellers
Highly Improvable Ain’t No Mango

Friday September 11
7pm – Know Theatre Underground
Dudesical (Indianapolis) B&B (Portland)

9pm – Know Theatre Mainstage
Human Amusements (Detroit)
Mission: IMPROVable (Los Angeles)

Saturday September 12
7pm – Know Theatre Underground
ComedySportz National All Stars
ManBaby (Chicago)
BillyHawk (Los Angeles)

9pm – Know Theatre Mainstage
Kevin McDonald (of Kids in the Hall)
The Sketch Show
OTRimprov
Star Jam featuring our headlining troupes

Workshop Schedule

Let the Scene Find You with Aaron Krebs
Saturday September 12th
10am – 1pm
This workshop is about playing the organic truth of the scene that you are naturally creating versus forcing the scene you want it to be. Using exercises in Listening and Observation, you will learn to follow the organic path of the scene. We’ll focus on keeping these scenes real and grounded and spending less time worrying about who thinks you’re funny. This workshop is about getting to the heart of what’s going on honestly and efficiently, thus allowing us more time to play with each other in the scene.
Level: Intermediate – improv experience required

Telling a Story in 4 Minutes or Less with Jon Colby
Saturday September 12
10am – 1pm
Do you remember the six points of plot structure from your 8th grade English class? It’s okay. Most people don’t. If you’ve never done improv before or if you’ve ever been in a scene that felt like it had nowhere to go, this workshop will help! In two hours, you’ll be refreshed on what makes a good story and how to “write” one on the fly in a short form improv scene. Level: Beginner – some improv experience recommended, but not required

Improv Sketch Writing with Kevin McDonald
Saturday September 12
10am – 5pm
Join Kevin McDonald from “The Kids in the Hall” for his one day master class in improv and sketch writing, the “Kids in the Hall” way. After warming up with a period of improvisation, McDonald will guide students into writing scenes from their improvised work, with the goal being to workshop their pieces throughout the day for performance that night on Know Theatre’s Mainstage. McDonald will work with each group to create their final stage-ready pieces, helping students learn how valuable strong improv skills can become nuanced sketch writing.
Class size is limited, and some improv and writing experience is highly recommended.
Don’t miss your chance to study with one of the greatest sketch writers of our time!

Position Play with Brian James O’Connell
Saturday September 12
1:30pm – 4:30pm
There are four primary scene types that all scenes can be broken down into – this workshop will help you with nailing your scene quicker so you can then play. Most scenes that unfold poorly start to go bad in the first ten seconds, this workshop will help prevent that.
Level: Beginner – some improv experience recommended, but not required

Full schedule, tickets, workshops, and more are available at www.ifcincy.com

About the Artists

Dudesical (Indianapolis, IN)
Jon Colby and Will Pfaffenberger have a combined 30 years of improv experience and a passion for music that can’t be measured in years. With Chris Dobbs providing accompaniment, these two dudes will weave scenes and songs together in a delightful manner which is guaranteed to include at least a few harmonies alone the way. Every performance is the opening and closing night of a new Dudesical!

B&B (Portland, OR)
Betse Green and Bill Cernansky are longtime veterans of the Portland improv scene, but they’ve been married even longer–since 1989. They are both members of Portland ComedySportz as well as long form supergroup Peachy Chicken. They have played at festivals around the country with several improv troupes. Bill and Betse are patient improvisers who trust each other completely, and it shows. Playing as a duo, B&B focus on what they know best: relationships. Their signature been established. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye*. It’s still all fun and games after that.

Human Amusements (Detroit, MI)
A unique blend of character-driven long form, instructional-video riffing, and parade of weird wigs has been entertaining Metro Detroit audiences weekly for the last year, winning Go Comedy’s “Best Late Night” award for 2013. This past spring they also had a successful run of their critically acclaimed sketch show “Better Living Through Human Amusements”. You might meet a friendly policeman, cable access psychics, “health” “professionals,” or anything else they come up with. Expect to come away from each show a little wiser, and pleasantly confused.

Mission: IMPROVable (Los Angeles, CA)
MI is performing The Grind, their character explorative long form set. MI has performed at over 1,000 colleges over the last 15 years. They are 2 time winners of the Comedy Act of the Year on the NACA market (College) in 2012 and 2014, as well as 2013 Entertainers of the Year in the same market. MI has performed for Disney Cruise lines, produced six live various National Tour shows, performed with The Lollapalooza Rock Festival on the alternative stage, performed in all 50 states and 10 different countries. They are owners of the Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, and are currently producing media for TV and internet. Members have been seen on shows such as Modern Family, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Family Guy, Jane the Virgin, as well as created Epic Rap Battles of History (the most downloaded series in the history of the internet at 2 billion series views).

ComedySportz
Founded in Milwaukee in 1984, ComedySportz now has teams in over 20 cities across the US as well as international troupes in Manchester and Berlin. Every summer these troupes come together to compete in the ComedySportz World Championships. For IF Cincy CSz has brought together a group of All-Stars that have graced the rosters of Portland, Chicago, Indianapolis, Houston and Philadelphia.

ManBaby
Formed in 2012, ManBaby has been one of Chicago’s most tolerated independent long-form improv teams. In addition to our hot yet cool looks and friendly demeanor, ManBaby comes with years of improv experience featuring grads of The Second City Conservatory, iO Chicago, and The Annoyance Theater in Chicago; as well as performers on house teams at iO Chicago, CIC Theater, The PlayGround Theater, Second City, and more! ManBaby is one half of Man Bites Dog, the hottest independent improv showcase in the country which goes up every Thursday at CIC Theater in Chicago. Over the last year we have shared that stage with the likes of TJ Jagodowski, Frank Caeti, Rich and Rebecca Sohn, and other hot Improv All-Stars! ManBaby starts each set with a bit of poetry before exploring the intricacies of life through wildly hilarious scenes made up on the spot.

BillyHawk (Los Angeles, CA)
Billy Hawk are Brian O’Connell (the Billy of the name, but you’ll have to ask him) and Jeff Hawkins, two improvisers from IO West in Hollywood CA. They first met as members of the Deconstruction group, The Happy Time Rainbow Bunny Squad, directed by Miles Stroth. They’ve performed as a duo for festivals in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Toronto, Denver, Philadelphia, Austin and North Carolina. Brian O’Connell is originally from North Carolina.

In 2009 he was voted coach of the year by IO West. He wrote and directed the feature Killer View and is currently in production on the animated Zombie Grandma, and can be seen in the upcoming feature Red Dirt Rising. He currently performs regularly with the Armando Diaz Experience and Hootenanny and Dr. God. He’s also the bar manager, go in and say hi.

Jeff Hawkins is originally from Virginia. He was on Comedy Central back when it showed nothing but stand-up, was hired and fired by a top 10 sitcom, and has had a professional wrestler tell him “I don’t think my character would do that.” He’s written for basic cable shows that never made it past 6 episodes, and currently writes commercials. He is the producer of IO West’s experimental improv night, The Friday Night Frankenstein. He also coaches at IO West.

Kevin McDonald
Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded “The Kids in the Hall” with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City. In the troupe’s television series (which ran from 1988-1995) and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring characters, such as the King of Empty Promises, Sir Simon Milligan, and Jerry Sizzler. McDonald went on to appear in a variety of films including “Boy Meets Girl,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Lilo & Stitch: The Series”, and “Epic Movie.” On television, he has appeared on “The Martin Short Show,” “Ellen,” “That ’70s Show,” “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “NewsRadio,” “MADtv,” “Arrested Development,” and “Corner Gas.” McDonald has also done voice work for various animated series, including Nickelodeon’s “Invader Zim,” “The Angry Beavers,” “Catscratch,” and “Clerks: The Animated Series.” He also played an imaginary friend named Ivan in the episode ‘Sight For Sore Eyes’ on “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends,” appeared in the music video for “Roses” by Outkast, and made an appearance in “Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show.” In 2006, McDonald hosted a CBC Television special, featuring several of Canada’s best-known sketch comedy troupes. “Sketch with Kevin McDonald” won a Canadian Comedy Award (Best Taped Live Performance – The Minnesota Wrecking Crew). He was recently at the Just for Laughs Festival with the reunion of Kids in the Hall, and also with his show “Hammy and the Kids” with Craig Northey, based on his two dysfunctional families, his father (“Hammy”) and the Kids in the Hall, as well as “Death Comes to Town” on CBC.

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OTRimprov is collaborative, simple, and joyful. Our company brings talented performers to the stage who together create consistently interesting, often funny, and always inventive scenes. OTRimprov (OTRi) began in 2010 as a collection of wayward improvisers looking for like-minded performers and a place to play in Cincinnati. After headlining numerous shows for the Little Big Night comedy performances at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, they formed their own partnership with Know Theatre’s Jackson Street Market, a resource sharing program for fledgling companies, and began producing shows independently. This continued partnership allows them to call Know’s Underground space on Jackson St. in Over-the-Rhine home.

The group continues to explore a variety of styles and formats, while developing a strong improv community populated with smart, engaging people and doing work that is collaborative, curious, and sometimes a little bit daring. They also foster new talent through training and a welcome atmosphere where all performers feel inspired to explore and take risks. Members of OTRi have studied and performed with a variety of improv theatres and groups around the US, including Second City, iO, iO West, ACME Comedy Theatre, Mission IMPROVable, SmartyPants, Wit’s End, and Incredulity.

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August 25, 2015 · 11:56 am

Human Race Sheds Its Inhibitions with THE FULL MONTY, Sept. 10-Oct. 4

THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY SHEDS ITS INHIBITIONS WITH THE FULL MONTY: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL

“Rocky meets Magic Mike” musical comedy that dares to bear it all opens The Race’s 29th Season, September 10 – October 4, 2015 at The Loft Theatre.

Jamie Cordes, Richard E. Waits, Christopher deProphetis, Matt Kopec, Josh Kenney and Matt Welsh. Photo by Scott J. Kimmins.

Jamie Cordes, Richard E. Waits, Christopher deProphetis, Matt Kopec, Josh Kenney and Matt Welsh. Photo by Scott J. Kimmins.

(Dayton, OH) — The Human Race proudly launches its 2015-2016 Eichelberger Loft Season with the smash hit The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical. With a book by Tony Award winner Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by Drama Desk Award winner David Yazbek, the hilarious and heartwarming story follows six unemployed Buffalo steelworkers who, in need of quick cash and low on prospects, come up with the outrageous idea to put on a strip act after seeing the local women’s wild enthusiasm for touring Chippendales dancers. Short on time and with little talent or physical appeal, the gang promises their show will be better because they’ll go “the full monty” and bare it all! As they prepare for the big night, they learn to let go of their doubts and insecurities—and their clothes—in this hilarious adaptation of the hit 1997 film from Fox Searchlight Pictures. The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical is directed by Resident Artist, Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre at Wright State University and new Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame inductee Joe Deer, who has also directed Avenue Q, Big River, Lend Me a Tenor and It’s a Wonderful Life for The Human Race. Resident Artist Sean Michael Flowers (HRTC’s Avenue Q and Caroline, or Change) is the production’s music director.

The preview performance of The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical is Thursday, September 10. Opening night is Friday, September 11. This production contains adult language and situations and, as the title implies, a bit of full frontal male nudity. It is definitely for mature audiences only.

Human Race President & Artistic Director Kevin Moore has been enamored with the show since he caught a preview performance before it opened on Broadway in October 2000. “From the minute that overture started,” he exclaims, “I was like, ‘Wow! This is hot. This is fun. This show is amazing. We have to find a way to do this.’” He acknowledges the large size of the show, with its numerous scene locations and set pieces, will be a challenge to stage in the intimate Loft Theatre. “We have a history of taking large musicals—Man of La Mancha, Fiddler on the Roof, Mame—and adapting them to successfully fit the space,” says Moore. “Our audiences love it, we enjoy the challenge and we’ll do it again here with The Full Monty.” Aside from the title-revealing “dare to bare” moment, The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical offers audiences a great deal more than scantily-clad men. Moore praises its overarching subject matter, “It addresses parental devotion in how far a father would go for his son, how to find courage when there’s little to hope for, and the superficiality of body issues (this time, about men), and it does it all with genuine warmth, tremendous sincerity and outrageous humor.”

Joe Deer describes The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical as “an incredibly fun, high energy show. When people ask me what it’s about, I say, it’s like ‘Rocky meets Magic Mike.’” He admires the story about a group of men who are down on their luck, who manage to pull themselves together and redeem themselves and bring everyone up with them. “I love that,” he beams. “I think there is no better show for people in Dayton to experience right now because we know—as a city—what that’s like.” Deer sees the parallels between the personal and community-wide losses caused by the end of Buffalo’s steel industry in The Full Monty and the decades-long  commercial and industrial losses felt by Dayton. “This was a mighty, mighty town and when the economy went south, when so many large businesses left, we were abandoned by people we had stood by.” He likens it to the show’s opening song, “Scrap.” “We felt pretty much abandoned like scrap. But what I love about this show is exactly what’s happening in Dayton right now,” he states. “We are being redeemed and lifting up. We are being revitalized in a whole new way.” Deer feels confident that audiences are going to come away from this show exuberant and recharged by its message and spirit.

Music director Sean Michael Flowers has worked on a wide of variety musical theatre styles, and has high praise for Yazbek’s score and lyrics and their contribution to The Full Monty’s narrative. “What I love about this show—once you really dive in and look at what’s on the page—is that there is so much craftsmanship.” He commends Yazbek for going above and beyond the current Broadway fare of  pop and rock musicals, where the songs and script often stand apart. “David isn’t just writing tunes, he’s writing stories. He’s really thinking about what the text is saying and reflecting what’s going on in the action.”

Dionysia Williams, a Wright State University graduate and BalletMet Dance Academy faculty member, serves as the choreographer. Having performed in a previous production of The Full Monty, Williams describes her task as creating “character-driven” choreography for the show’s blue collar Buffalo citizens, “In the choreography, you’re going to see that the movement is very authentic as to who these characters are.” When discussing the show’s highly anticipated strip tease dance number, she says, “These guys will be slick. Maybe not Magic Mike slick, but in their own way.”

CAST AND DESIGN TEAM
The Human Race’s production features the talents of 19 gifted actors, many who perform multiple roles. The six down and out steelworkers daring to take it all off are played by Human Race Resident Artist Jamie Cordes (HRTC’s Mame and Man of La Mancha) as “Harold Nichols,” Christopher deProphetis (South Pacific national tour, Rent 10th anniversary cast) as “Jerry Lukowski,” Josh Kenney (HRTC’s Fiddler on the Roof) as “Ethan Girard,” Dayton-area native Matt Kopec (Elf: The Musical and All Shook Up national tours) as “Malcolm MacGregor,” Richard E. Waits (regional productions of Dreamgirls and Ragtime) as “Noah ‘Horse’ T. Simmons” and Matt Welsh (Into the Woods, Assassins) as “Dave Bukatinsky.” The cast also includes performances by Tracey L. Bonner (Director of Dance at Northern Kentucky University) as “Susan,” Human Race Resident Artist Deb Colvin-Tener (HRTC’s Lend Me a Tenor and Dirty Blonde) as “Jeanette Burmeister,” Peanut Edmonson (HRTC’s Mame) as young “Nathan Lukowski,” Leslie Goddard (HRTC’s Mame and Becky’s New Car) as “Georgie Bukatinsky,” Gina Handy (founding artistic director of Magnolia Theatre Company) as “Joanie,” Human Race Resident Artist Scott Hunt (Rent and Les Misérables on Broadway) as “Teddy,” Jillian Jarrett (Legally Blonde: The Musical and Annie national tours) as “Pam Lukowski,” Wright Stage University graduate Richard Jarrett (Legally Blonde: The Musical national tour) as “Keno,” Andréa Morales (Magnolia Theatre’s Parallel Lives and HRTC’s #othello) as “Estelle” and “Molly MacGregor,” Sonia Perez (Carmen and H.M.S. Pinafore national tours) as “Vicki Nichols,” Adam Soniak (HRTC’s Mame, Paper Mill Playhouse’s The Sound of Music) as “Marty,” Human Race Resident Artist Scott Stoney (HRTC’s Mame,Other Desert Cities, Oliver!) as “Reg” and Wright State senior Cassi Mikat (HRTC’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play) as the swing.

Scenic designer Dick Block (Mame, Fiddler on the Roof) returns to tackle the multi-scene set for another large musical on The Loft Theatre stage. Costume designer Janet G. Powell (Family Shots, Avenue Q) clothes each of the 19 actors in numerous outfits, including the revealing uniforms for the show’s big finale. John Rensel is the resident lighting designer and the sound designer is Jay Brunner(Crowns, Taking Shakespeare). 

In addition to his music director duties, Sean Michael Flowers plays lead keyboard and conducts a seven-member band featuring Kevin Anderson (percussion), Matt Anklan (trumpet), Ian Benjamin (second keyboard), Jay Brunner (guitars), Mark Edward Funke(reeds) and Joel Greenberg (bass).

Kay Carver serves as the production stage manager and Preston D. McCarthy is the assistant stage manager.

Biographies on the cast and creative team can be found on The Human Race Theatre Company’s website.

The Human Race Theatre Company’s production of The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical is sponsored by the Schiewetz Foundation, Barbara N. O’Hara, Dr. Robert L. Brandt, Jr., M.D. and Susan S. Kettering. Additional support is provided by Houser Asphalt and Concrete, Beth and Alan Schaeffer and the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center.

PERFORMANCE AND SPECIAL EVENT INFORMATION
Tickets for the preview performance of The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical on September 10 start at $35 for adults, $32 for seniors and $17.50 for students. For all performances September 11  – October 4, single ticket prices start at $40 for adults, $37 for seniors and $20 for students. Prices vary depending on the day of the week and seating location. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. The Human Race is offering a pair of discount ticket opportunities. Side-area seats are available at all performances for $25 each, on sale two weeks prior to performance. The Sunday, September 13 7:00 p.m. performance is “Sawbuck Sunday”, when any available seat can be purchased in person for just $10 at The Loft Theatre box office two hours prior to the show. Discounts are subject to availability and some restrictions apply.

All performances are at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre, located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, Ohio. Show times for The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical are 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Performances on Sunday and Tuesday evenings begin at 7:00 p.m. and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday matinees.

Tickets and performance information on The Full Monty: The Broadway Musical are available at www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office. 

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The Human Race Theatre Company was founded in 1986 and moved into the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence at the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces a summer Festival of New Works and special event programming. Under the direction of President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore, the company also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools, the Muse Machine In-School Tour, and a summer youth program. Human Race organizational support is provided by Culture Works, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 2015-2016 Sustainability Sponsors are the ELM Foundation, Anne F. Johnson and Steve and Lou Mason. The 2015-2016 Loft season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton Foundation, with additional support from Premier Health and Morris Home Furnishings.

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