Category Archives: Press Releases

August 20, 2024 · 5:58 pm

The Footlighters, Inc., Kicks Off Its 2024-2025 Season with the Hilarious Musical Comedy THE DROWSY CHAPERONE

NEWPORT, KY — The Footlighters, Inc., is proud to present a bubbly love letter to the Golden Age of musical theater, a show that sparkles with mayhem, mix-ups, and a wedding (or four!): The Drowsy Chaperone.

To chase his blues away, a reclusive musical theater addict shares his favorite Broadway cast album with the audience. Magically, the 1928 musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone bursts to life in his apartment as he delivers a running commentary about the show. The musical tells the hilarious tale of a wedding between a popular Broadway starlet and a handsome, tap-dancing millionaire. But will the wedding take place? With a forgetful best man, a scheming ex-producer, two gangsters in disguise, and a perpetually inebriated chaperone, what could possibly go wrong?

Award-winning actor and published playwright Eric Thomas makes his musical theater and Footlighters debut as the show’s narrator, “Man in Chair.” After catching the theater bug watching his niece and nephew perform, Eric made his Cincinnati community theater debut in Village Players of Fort Thomas’ Almost Maine in 2014. He has been an onstage fixture at numerous groups over the last 10 years, including Mariemont Players, Village Players, and The Drama Workshop. Eric has served as The Drama Workshop’s President for four years and produces its Home Brew Theatre, an annual festival of short plays of local authors. He’s an engineer for Toyota by day, and community theater has allowed him to try his hand at new skills such as directing, producing, set building, light designing, and even tap dancing! He is the proud recipient of the Outstanding Performer award from the Kentucky Theater Association festival and the Kentucky Playwright’s Workshop award for Best Monologue.

Performances:

  • Thursday – Saturday, September 19 – 21 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday – Saturday, September 26 – 28 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, September 29 at 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday – Saturday, October 3 – 5 at 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 6 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25 each and available online at footlighters.org/tickets or by contacting the box office via text or phone call at (859) 652-3849 or FootlightersTickets@gmail.com.

The Footlighters, Inc., has been producing quality community theater shows in Greater Cincinnati for over 60 years. The group was established in 1963 by a small group of community theater volunteers who wanted to bring theater opportunities to the west side of Cincinnati.

In 1987, the group bought the Salem United Methodist Church in Newport and transformed it into The Stained Glass Theatre. The theater is on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated a Kentucky landmark. In September of 2021, Footlighters completed the third and final phase of their accessibility project by adding ADA-compliant seating in their theater to complement the ADA ramp and elevator installed in 2017 and 2018, allowing access for all patrons with limited mobility.

For more information, please visit footlighters.org or like The Footlighters, Inc., on Facebook.

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August 19, 2024 · 7:09 pm

THE PRINCESS BRIDE: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes | Sat., Feb. 1, 2025 | Aronoff Center

THE PRINCESS BRIDE:
AN INCONCEIVABLE EVENING WITH CARY ELWESARONOFF CENTER – PROCTER & GAMBLE HALL
FEBRUARY 1, 2025

Tickets on sale Friday, August 23 at 10:00 AM

[Cincinnati, OH] – The Princess Bride, the cult classic that has captured the hearts of moviegoers for nearly four decades, will play the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 8:00 PM. After the screening, join actor Cary Elwes (Westley) for a behind-the-scenes look at life on and off the set of the classic film. This much-anticipated event is part of CAA’s 2024-25 Season.

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes goes on sale Friday, August 23 at 10:00 AM.  Ticket prices start at $45 and are available at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For Group Sales (10 or more), call (513) 977-4155. Applicable services fees may apply. Ticket prices/fees subject to change.

A limited number of VIP Packages are available that include the best seats in the house, a meet-and-greet with Cary Elwes, and a signed copy of his best-selling book, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride.

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes will include a screening of the popular film followed by a moderated discussion with Elwes, who will reveal never-before-shared secrets and tales of inconceivable antics! Journey back to the lands of Florin and Guilder in an adventure filled with fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, miracles, and, of course, true love.

Elwes has been in a multitude of films and TV shows, including Robin Hood: Men in Tights; Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Saw; Twister; Liar, Liar; Stranger Things; and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. He has recently starred in Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre; Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One with Tom Cruise; Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon; and his latest movie, Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, based on the true story of the first British secret mission during World War II. Now Elwes is hitting the road to share with fans the personal stories behind the making of this piece of cinematic history.

Don’t be a Humperdinck; make haste to see The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes for a night you will always “tweasure.”

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), ARTSWAVE, FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, TriHealth

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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes
WHEN:                Saturday, February 1, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
WHERE:              Aronoff Center for the Arts – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICE:                 Ticket prices start at $45. Applicable services fees may apply. Ticket prices/fees subject to change.
INFO:                   A screening of The Princess Bride, the cult classic that has captured the hearts of moviegoers for nearly four decades, will be followed by a moderated discussion with Cary Elwes, who will reveal never-before-shared secrets and tales of inconceivable antics!

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, August 23 at 10:00 AM

  • www.CincinnatiArts.org
  • (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
  • Aronoff Center Ticket Office
  • Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4155

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August 19, 2024 · 6:51 pm

2024-2025 Season Announced by Northern Kentucky University

Howard Crabtree’s WHEN PIGS FLY
Sept. 27 – Oct. 6, 2024
5/3 Bank Theatre – Aronoff Center

When Pigs Fly  follows Howard, who struggles to put on a lavish musical revue over numerous obstacles, including the near-mutiny of his cast and the nagging memory of his evil high school guidance counselor, who told him he’d succeed only “when pigs fly.” Filled with gorgeous gowns, sappy torch songs, and toe-tapping music, this campy musical revue will have you laughing till the cows… er, pigs come home!

THE WOLVES
5/3 Bank Theatre – Aronoff Center
Oct. 24 – Nov. 3, 2024

From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, The Wolves follows a team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. The Wolves is a portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals.

ANYTHING GOES
Corbett Theatre
Nov. 15 – 23, 2024

Anything Goes is set aboard the ocean liner S. S. American, where nightclub singer/evangelist Reno Sweeney is en route from New York to England. Her pal Billy Crocker has stowed away to be near his love, Hope Harcourt, but the problem is Hope is engaged to the wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Joining this love triangle on board the luxury liner are Public Enemy #13, Moonface Martin and his sidekick-in-crime Erma. With the help of some elaborate disguises, tap-dancing sailors and good old fashioned blackmail, Reno and Martin join forces to help Billy in his quest to win Hope’s heart.

HENRY V
Strauss Theatre
Feb. 13 – 23, 2025

After an insult from the French Dauphin, King Henry V of England invades France to claim the throne he believes should be his. Henry stops an assassination plot, gives powerful speeches, and wins battles against the odds. In the end, he woos and marries the Princess of France, linking the two nations.

DANCE ’25: HOMECOMING
Corbett Theatre
Feb. 28 – Mar. 2, 2025

A moving evening of world-premiere choreography, this year’s concert, under the talented guidance of Professor Jeri Gatch, strikes a more familial tone with its theme: Homecoming. What could be more appropriate after a year-and-a-half of touring productions to off-site venues due to the renovation of NKU School of the Art’s theatres, than welcoming us back to campus and creating a stellar line-up of guest choreographers who include NKU dance alumni. With styles ranging from ballet to street dance, African dance to musical theatre, this concert has something for everyone to enjoy.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Corbett Theatre
Apr. 25 – May. 4, 2025

Jesus Christ Superstar, based on the Gospels, depicts the last seven days of Jesus’ life. Apostle Judas Iscariot fears Jesus’ followers will attract Roman ire. Priests Caiaphas and Annas plan to crush Jesus’ movement. In Jerusalem, Jesus finds the temple overrun by merchants and tells people to heal themselves, calmed by Mary Magdalene. Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, leading Roman soldiers to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is sent to Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate, and King Herod, who condemns him to death on the cross.

Official page |

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August 15, 2024 · 5:15 pm

KSO Summer Series Finale Aug. 31 & Sept. 1

POPS, Inc.
(Faves of Anderson, Hayman & Mancini)

7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 31, 2024 
Devou Park Band Shell, Covington, KY 

7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024
Tower Park Amphitheatre, Ft. Thomas, KY

In the late 1930s through the 1970s, the Boston Pops under Arthur Fielder began playing and recording light classics and novelty numbers which fostered a universal popularity for symphonic gatherings called “Pops” concerts (Erich Kunzel soon followed and took this format to its zenith locally with the Cincinnati Pops.). The short, peppy standards, sometimes zany sounding pieces all had something in common — the fine composers / arrangers that wrote them. The lead “pops” writers of this era were Leroy Anderson, Richard Hayman and Henry Mancini.

The KSO taps into a treasure trove of these 3-4 minute selections that have entertained American audiences in parks and on stages for nearly 80 years. Anderson’s “Waltzing Cat,” “Typewritter,” “Syncopated Clock” and “Bugler’s Holiday” allow the orchestra to musically animate everyday items with wit and charm. Hayman’s “Pops Hoe-Down” and arrangements of “Little Brown Jug” and “When the Saints go Marching In” succeed in getting everyone’s toes tapping. Mancini’s film scores have allowed snippets like “Moon River,” Theme to “The Pink Panther” and others to become beloved standards. In addition, Mancini also teamed-up with tenor Lucianno Pavarotti to arrange Neopolitan songs for his recordings. Pedro Barboso, will sing “Chitarra Romana” and “Rondine al Nido” So, pack up the family for a old-fashioned “pops” concert on the lawn in Devou and Tower Parks.

Join the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 31 in Devou Park in Covington, and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 1 at Tower Park in Fort Thomas. The TANK park & ride shuttle from Covington Catholic departs on the half hour starting at 6 p.m. (1$ each way). Concessions are available in Devou Park. Food trucks will be on-site in Tower Park. Bring blankets, picnics or lawn chairs. For more information, registration (for weather updates) and directions, visit the KSO at http://www.kyso.org or call (859) 431-6216. The concert and parking are free, though a $5 (per person) donation to the KSO is suggested.

POPS, Inc.
(Faves of Anderson, Hayman & Mancini)

7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 31, 2024 
Devou Park Band Shell, Covington, KY 

7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024
Tower Park Amphitheatre, Ft. Thomas, KY

Free family-friendly culture & entertainment in the neighborhood.

Leroy Anderson – Belle of the Ball
Anderson – Chicken Reel
Anderson – Syncopated Clock
Anderson – The Typewriter
Richard Hayman – Pops Hoe-Down
Anderson Bugler’s Holiday (ft. trumpet section)
Mancini – Peter Gunn Theme
di Lazzaro / Mancini – “Chitarra Romana” (Pedro Barbosa, tenor)
Mancini – Pie in the Face Polka
Anderson – The Irish Washerwoman

Intermission

Mancini – The Great Waldo Pepper March
Anderson – The Waltzing Cat
Anderson – Classical Jukebox
De Crescenzo/Mancini – “Rondine al Nido” (Pedro Barbosa, tenor)
Anderson – Fiddle-Faddle (ft.violin section)
Hayman – Little Brown Jug
Mancini / Labolt – The Pink Panther
Mancini – Moon River
Willson / Anderson – 76 Trombones
Hayman – When the Saints Go Marching In

Coming Next at the KSO:

Sinister Sonorities (All Hallows Eve meets El Dia de los Muertos)
7:30 November 2 Greaves Concert Hal

Pedro Barbosa, (Tenor)
For over a decade, Brazilian-American tenor Pedro Barbosa has run the gamut of the performing arts: from performing Children’s Theatre in Chicago, to appearing as a featured dancer in the Dance Chicago Festival with the Frasz-Peskov Dance Company, to working with various musical theatre companies across the Midwest. Ultimately, Pedro found his artistic voice in opera. Pedro has performed with the Cincinnati Opera, Tulsa Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, Cincinnati Chamber Opera, Queen City Chamber Opera, Opera Louisiane, Cedar Rapids Opera, and Concert: Nova in Cincinnati. Most recently, Pedro reprised the role of Alfred in Opera Project Columbus’ production of Die Fledermaus, and Don Ramiro in Salt Marsh Opera’s La Cenerentola. Pedro resides in Cincinnati, OH, and is the proud father of two girls with his wife, soprano, Dana Pundt

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August 9, 2024 · 8:10 am

Hello, Gorgeous! FUNNY GIRL Tickets On Sale Friday August 9

HELLO, GORGEOUS! HELLO, CINCINNATI!

Katerina McCrimmon as Fanny Brice in the National Tour of FUNNY GIRL. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

FUNNY GIRL IS COMING TO
CINCINNATI NOVEMBER 19 – DECEMBER 1

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, AUGUST 9

CINCINNATI — Broadway in Cincinnati is excited to present FUNNY GIRL, the sensational musical comedy revival, coming to Cincinnati for a limited two-week engagement from November 19 to December 1 as part of the 24/25 Broadway in Cincinnati Season presented by TriHealth. Tickets will be available starting Friday, August 9 at 10:00 AM online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office, downtown.

Welcome to musical comedy heaven! The “vivacious and delightfully glitzy” (Vogue) Broadway revival features iconic songs, including “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” “I’m the Greatest Star,” and “People.” Breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this bittersweet comedy is the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice. As a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage, everyone told her she’d never be a star, but then something funny happened—she became one of the most beloved performers in history, shining brighter than the brightest lights of Broadway. The Observer describes the revival as “sparkling and explosively entertaining!”

FUNNY GIRL is directed by Tony® Award winner Michael Mayer (Thoroughly Modern Millie) and features the classic score by Tony, Grammy®, and Academy® Award winner Jule Styne and lyrics by Tony Award nominee and Grammy Award winner Bob Merrill, (comprising additional songs from Styne & Merrill). The original book by Isobel Lennart, from an original story by Miss Lennart, is revised by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein (Kinky Boots, Newsies).

FUNNY GIRL features choreography by Ellenore Scott (Falsettos); tap choreography by Ayodele Casel; scenic design by Tony Award winner David Zinn (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical); costume design by Tony Award winner Susan Hilferty (Wicked); lighting design by Tony Award winner Kevin Adams (Hedwig and the Angry Inch); sound design by Tony Award winner Brian Ronan (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) and Cody Spencer; hair and wig design by Campbell Young Associates; music supervision by Emmy Award winner Michael Rafter; casting by Jim Carnahan, CSA, and Jason Thinger, CSA; orchestrations by Chris Walker; dance, vocal, and incidental music arrangements by Alan Williams, and additional arrangements by David Dabbon and Carmel Dean. The associate director is Johanna McKeon; the associate choreographer is Jeffrey Gugliotti; the assistant director is Torya Beard; the assistant tap choreographer is Dre Torres.

The FUNNY GIRL tour stage management team is led by Production Stage Manager Jovon E. Shuck and is supported by Stage Manager Kyle Dannahey  and Assistant Stage Manager Rachael Wilkin. The company management team is led by Company Manager Justin Sweeney with Associate Company Manager Ryan Mayfield. The tour music director/conductor is Elaine Davidson.

The Broadway production of FUNNY GIRL began performances at the August Wilson Theatre on March 22, 2022, with the official opening on April 24, 2022, where it continued its record-breaking run through September 3, 2023. Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis, and David Babani together with Gemini Theatrical, Accidental Jacket, and Sony Masterworks Broadway released FUNNY GIRL – New Broadway Cast Recording, which is now available wherever you stream music. Produced by David Caddick and David Lai and featuring the classic score by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), the album is co-produced by Sonia Friedman, Scott Landis, David Babani, Michael Mayer, Brian Gillet, Huck Walton, Sean Keller, and Marc Levine. The album is executively produced by Evan McGill and the associate producers are Joanna Drowos, Abby Green, and PickleStar Theatricals.

FUNNY GIRL will play the Aronoff Center from November 19 – December 1, 2024: Tuesdays – Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 1:00 AM and 6:30 PM. Please note, because of the holiday week, there will not be a performance Thursday, November 28. In place, there will be a matinee performance on Friday, November 29 at 1:00 PM. Tickets start at $45 and can be found online at CincinnatiArts.org, by phone at 513.621.ARTS or in person at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown. For groups of 10 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 BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

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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. The season is presented by TriHealth.

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office, and Broadway Brands.  Led by 22-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Current productions include &Juliet, Hadestown, Hamilton, Hell’s Kitchen, MJ: The Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Outsiders and Stereophonic.

The John Gore Organization is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 22-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. The company presents shows in 48 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk, and Olivier Awards.  The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

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