Category Archives: Press Releases

February 24, 2015 · 3:30 pm

CCM Snags the Award-Winning Punk Rock Musical AMERICAN IDIOT for an Exciting and Eclectic 2015-2016 Mainstage Series

CCM SNAGS THE AWARD-WINNING PUNK ROCK MUSICAL ‘AMERICAN IDIOT’ FOR AN EXCITING AND ECLECTIC 2015-16 MAINSTAGE SERIES

Based on the iconic Green Day album and featuring the unrivaled talent of CCM’s stars-of-tomorrow, ‘American Idiot’ will have the entire University of Cincinnati campus rocking out next March. CCM’s performances will be the first local production of the hit musical.

CCM graduating seniors Eric Geil, Thomas Knapp, Dallas Padoven and Nate Irvin rehearsing “Holiday” from AMERICAN IDIOT. This song is also featured in CCM's Musical Theatre Showcases next month. Photo by Dallas Padoven.

CCM graduating seniors Eric Geil, Thomas Knapp, Dallas Padoven and Nate Irvin rehearsing “Holiday” from AMERICAN IDIOT. This song is also featured in CCM’s Musical Theatre Showcases next month. Photo by Dallas Padoven.

CINCINNATI, OH—The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) has secured the rights to present the Tony Award-winning musical blockbuster AMERICAN IDIOT as part of its 2015-16 Mainstage Series. Running March 3 – 13, 2016, in CCM’s Patricia Corbett Theater, this will be the first local production of the acclaimed rock opera.

A critical smash on Broadway and in London, American Idiot is based on the Grammy Award-winning album of the same name by American punk rock band Green Day. The two-time Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of three disillusioned youths who are forced to choose between freedom and the safety of suburbia.

Inspired in part by such classic concept albums as The Who’s Tommy, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Jesus Christ Superstar, AMERICAN IDIOT premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2009 and finished its most recent national tour in May 2014. With a raucous and exhilarating punk rock score, American Idiot boldly takes musical theatre where it has never gone before. For both the students and the faculty members at CCM, the boundary-pushing nature of this contemporary musical perfectly complements the college’s educational mission.

“Our production philosophy in the Musical Theatre program is simple,” explains Aubrey Berg, CCM’s Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre and the director of this upcoming production. “During the four years a student spends with us, they will be exposed to every kind of musical theatre work. In the last few years, we have undertaken shows as varied as the groundbreaking Oklahoma!, the fancy foot-work of Singin’ in the Rain, the moving spectacle of Les Misérables and the beloved childhood fantasy of Peter Pan. And that does not include our Studio Series, which features such cutting-edge works as Carrie and Blood Brothers. Forgotten musicals are also well represented in our Musicals Redux Series, which digs into the great storehouse of musical theatre history to find some lost gems.” Chairman of CCM’s Department of Musical Theatre since 1987, Berg received the League of Cincinnati Theatres Continuing Achievement Award and was inducted into the CEA Hall of Fame in 2010.

CCM Adjunct Instructor Stephen Goers will join Berg as musical director for this production. The two have frequently collaborated on such musical productions as Into the Woods, Carrie and, most recently, Les Misérables. Over the years, their work together has garnered a large number of local arts awards, including Best Direction, Best Musical Direction and Best Musical.

Taking on a 21st century musical is already proving to be an exciting prospect for students at CCM, many of whom grew up with the original American Idiot concept album, which was released in 2004.

“I think it’s so special to be part of a program that embraces new musicals as well as the classics, in order to provide the most well rounded education possible for its students,” says third-year musical theatre major Tom Meglio. “AMERICAN IDIOT already has everyone in CCM’s Division of Theatre Arts rocking out and ready for some Junior High nostalgia!”

Classmate Taylor Alexander agrees: “The original Green Day album was a groundbreaking staple to our generation with its unique view on youth in America. The whole campus is going to be pumped to hear music we all grew up listening to!”

Described by the New York Times as “invigorating, moving and thrilling… a true rock opera,” AMERICAN IDIOT features a book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer, lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong and music by the band Green Day. The score features the hits “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “21 Guns,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday” and the iconic title track.

CCM will announce its entire 2015-16 Mainstage Series lineup in March of 2015. Running from October of 2015 through April of 2016, the series will include two operas, two musicals, two dramas and one story ballet.

Details on subscription packages and single ticket sales will be announced this summer. Visit ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/subscribe to register for CCM’s mailing list, and the Box Office will provide you with additional information on this year’s subscription options.

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

Mainstage Season Production Sponsor: Macy’s

Community Partner: ArtsWave

American Idiot is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 | Phone: 212-541-4684 | Fax: 212-397-4684 | www.MTIShows.com

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.

Titles and dates are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events,

please visit us online at http://ccm.uc.edu.

UC’s College-Conservatory of Music: The Season is Yours – Get Swept Away!

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February 23, 2015 · 1:48 pm

Sunset Players Announces Its 36th Season

SSP_logoCINCINNATI, OH – February 23, 2015 —Sunset Players is pleased to announce its 36th season of performances at the Arts Center at Dunham.

“Sunset Players is excited to unveil its next season, which includes a Cincinnati theater premiere of the musical Bonnie and Clyde and a regional community theater premiere of American Idiot,” said Mike Burke, president of Sunset Players. “We’re thrilled to perform these plays and our entire season for our audience.”

The 2015-2016 Sunset Players season line-up is:

Bonnie and Clyde
Book by Ivan Menchell, Lyrics by Don Black, Music by Frank Wildhorn
Performances in October 2015.
A Cincinnati theater premiere, Bonnie and Clyde is an electrifying story of love, adventure and crime that captured the attention of an entire country. When Bonnie and Clyde meet, their mutual cravings for excitement and fame immediately set them on a mission to chase their dreams. Their bold behavior turns into a downward spiral and puts the lovers and their loved ones in trouble with the law. As the infamous duo’s fame grows bigger, their inevitable end draws nearer.

Dorothy Meets Alice
by Joseph Robinette
Performances in December 2015.
The annual holiday children’s show brings two of literature’s most famous young ladies together when a young man puts off a book report until the last minute, then suddenly finds himself in a strange place somewhere between Oz and Wonderland. It becomes his responsibility to unscramble the stories and steer the familiar characters to their ultimate destinations while avoiding the Wicked Witch and the Red Queen.

Alive and Kicking
by Jules Tasca
Performances in February 2016
When Gloria’s last child announces he got married, she panics and decides her life is over. She tries to sell the house out from under her easygoing husband, John, because she decides that her life is over and it would be more comfortable to die in a small apartment located near a funeral home. This humorous play centers on the serious subject of adjusting to the life’s constant changes.

Duck Hunter Shoots Angel
by Mitch Albom
Performances in May 2016
This uproarious story centers on two bumbling Alabama brothers who think they shot an angel while duck hunting. As they lament their fates, they are chased by a cynical tabloid journalist and a reluctant photographer who don’t believe any of it—until feathers, wings and a tiara are discovered. The play interweaves a love story, sibling rivalry, tawdry media, race relations and cultural stereotypes as the chase ensues to find the angel in the swamp.

American Idiot
Book and Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong, Book by Michael Mayer, Music and Lyrics by Green Day
Performances in July 2016
A regional community theater premiere, a trio of friends, Johnny, Tunny and Will, struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world. When the disgruntled men flee the constraints of their hometown for the thrills of city life, their paths quickly diverge. Tunny enters the armed forces, Michael is called back home to manage family responsibilities, and Johnny’s attention becomes divided by a seductive love interest and a hazardous new friendship. The energy-fueled rock opera features little dialogue and, instead, relies on the lyrics from Green Day’s groundbreaking album to execute the story line.

Sign language interpreters from Cincinnati State will continue to sign for select shows throughout the season.

Tickets remain on sale for the remaining 2014-2015 Season. Performances include:

  • A Nice Family Gathering by Phil Olson. Remaining show dates: February 27, 28, March 1, 5, 6 & 7.

This ghostly love story is about a man who loved his wife so much, he almost told her before he died. Now he’s a ghost on a mission, and his son is the unlikely messenger on Thanksgiving Day.

  • Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott and Patrick Barlow and John Buchan. Show dates: May 1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, and 16.

The thriller revolves around a blind housewife who becomes the target of three con-men who are searching for heroin hidden in a doll, which her husband innocently transported from Canada as a favor to a strange woman. When the woman is murdered, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues.

  • Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris. Show dates: July 10, 11, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24 & 25. Winner of 2011 Pulitzer Prize and 2012 Tony Award, Clybourne Park explores race, real estate and communication in two acts set 50 years apart.

Shows begin at 8pm, except a Sunday matinee at 2pm.

To learn more or reserve tickets, call 513-588-4988 or visit www.sunsetplayers.org.

Sunset Players, Inc. is a community theater group located on the west side of Cincinnati. Founded in 1979, the group performs at the Arts Center at Dunham and has produced more than 120 plays. Its mission is to bring a smile, and its plays include comedies, farces, dramatic comedies and musical comedies—as long as there is some “comedy” in the performance somewhere. For more information, visit our website at www.sunsetplayers.org or like us on Facebook.

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February 22, 2015 · 9:44 am

Off-Broadway Success STOP KISS Gets Stripped-Down Treatment on Local Stage‏

QCQTC_Stop Kiss logoQueen City Queer Theatre Collective proudly announces the March 9 production of STOP KISS, starring Mia Vera, Linnea Bond, Billy Chase, and Jared Hudson. Extended three times off-Broadway in 1998, STOP KISS follows the touching love story of two women who are brutally attacked after their first kiss.

This will be the fifth production of QCQTC made possible through the support of Nigel Cotterill and Absolute Vodka’s ongoing sponsorship. This production will feature young actors from Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company stages, as well as Abby Rowold playing the part of Mrs. Winsley and the Nurse.

Ms. Vera, playing the news reporter who finds herself falling for a new friend, has been a part of the collective from it’s inception six months ago. Of her personal connection the play, she says, “Even before I came out, I was drawn to Diana Son’s writing… So often we have to dig to find others like us, and that glorious moment when you can go, ‘look, they’re just like me!’ is the moment of community we live for. The feeling of sameness after a lifetime of Other. STOP KISS was and is that play for me. The characters leapt out at me, the tragedy and the romance seduced me, and now I feel like I know why.”

The Queen City Queer Theatre Collective seeks to be a safe space for LGBTQ stories and conversation. Actors perform readings monthly on the second Monday at 7:30 pm in the Cabaret space at Below Zero Lounge. Tickets are free, with $5 suggested donation.

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February 20, 2015 · 4:05 pm

Playhouse’s Provocative Production of BUZZER Pushes Timely Hot Buttons, March 21-April 19, 2015

CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK’S PROVOCATIVE PRODUCTION OF TRACEY SCOTT WILSON’S BUZZER PUSHES TIMELY HOT BUTTONS , MARCH 21 – APRIL 19, 2015

PIP_Buzzer(CINCINNATI) – Tracey Scott Wilson’s provocative new play BUZZER, set in a gentrifying neighborhood, takes up residence in the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre March 21 through April 19. By turns darkly funny and heartbreaking, BUZZER pushes many timely hot buttons of race, class, sex and real estate.

Wilson brings three longtime friends together to live in an apartment in a rapidly changing community: Jackson, a successful black attorney who grew up in the neighborhood and views acquiring the upscale apartment as his triumphal return “home”; Suzy, his white girlfriend, who teaches at an inner-city school; and Don, Jackson’s white prep-school friend, who squandered his birthright of wealth and privilege on a drug habit he’s trying to overcome. For Jackson, it’s a complicated homecoming to a neighborhood that’s only partially familiar. For Suzy, the location’s tensions shadow its potential charm. And for Don, whose addiction immersed him in the neighborhood’s dangerous past, it’s a balancing act that leaves him tottering.

BUZZER’S triangle of 20-somethings — who have grown up in a multicultural world that is sometimes declared to be “post-racial” — have a different experience of race relations from previous generations, but it quickly becomes apparent that they still haven’t figured out how to handle them openly. Their apartment is an uneasy sanctuary, and the perils of the neighborhood soon come through the door despite the barriers set up to keep them out.

“Any three individuals who share a complicated history and who are living in close quarters are bound to reignite the prickly, unresolved issues among them … that’s just human nature,” says Playhouse Associate Artist Timothy Douglas, who is directing BUZZER. “Add to

that BUZZER’S scrutinizing look across the lines of marriage, culture and class — and the result is a real-time example of the well-made play.”

BUZZER was commissioned by Pillsbury House Theatre, where it debuted in 2012, and Guthrie Theater, where it ran in 2013. BUZZER will make its off-Broadway debut this spring at The Public Theater. Wilson’s other works include The Story, The Good Negro, Order My Steps, Exhibit #9 and Leader of the People. She has also worked as a television writer, on the FX spy drama The Americans and NBC’s Do No Harm.

“BUZZER is my first directing encounter with Tracey Scott Wilson’s work,” says Douglas, “though I was an immediate fan when I saw the New York productions of her plays The Story and The Good Negro. What most attracts me to Ms. Wilson’s work is its ability to distill the innumerable angles and often confounding conversations surrounding issues of race in America in a progressive and clarifying way.”

The BUZZER cast features Cincinnati native Eric Lynch as Jackson, Alec Shaw as Don and Carly Zien as Suzy. The creative team, in addition to Douglas, includes set designer/costume designer Junghyun Georgia Lee, lighting designer Peter Maradudin and sound designer Matthew M. Nielson. Jenifer Morrow is the production stage manager.

BUZZER is sponsored by Sallie and Randolph Wadsworth. TriVersity Construction is the design sponsor. The honorary producer is The Crawford Family Foundation.

Ticket prices for BUZZER start at $30. Prices are subject to change, and patrons are encouraged to buy early for the best seats at the best prices. The show is recommended for adult audiences.

New for the 2014-15 season is Sunday College Night, with tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances priced at just $10 with a valid student ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances. In advance, student tickets are $30.

Previews for BUZZER are at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 21; 7 p.m. Sunday, March 22; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 24; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25. The official opening night is Thursday, March 26, at 8 p.m. Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sundays. Because BUZZER is a show that is designed to foster discussion, the Playhouse will host talkback sessions after each performance. There will also be a Playhouse Perspectives event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28, which is free and open to the public. Participants will include Timothy Douglas as well as representatives from HOME (Housing Opportunities Made Equal), a Greater Cincinnati fair housing organization. Playhouse Perspectives is supported by Roderick and Barbara Barr.

Additionally, 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, March 29; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 5; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8; and 8 p.m. Thursday, April 16.

The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs and complete wheelchair access are available. Tickets to BUZZER 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 2014-15 Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre Series is presented by the Heidelberg Distributing Company, and Humana is the Thompson Shelterhouse season design sponsor. 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 and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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February 19, 2015 · 9:18 am

Cincy Ballet Presents Return of MOZART’S REQUIEM and Family-Friendly BALLET TOYBOX

CINCINNATI BALLET PRESENTS THE RETURN OF THE POPULAR MOZART’S REQUIEM
FAMILY FRIENDLY BALLET TOYBOX FEATURES SECOND COMPANY IN ONE DAY ONLY PERFORMANCE

CB_logoCINCINNATI, OH. The visually stunning MOZART’S REQUIEM, with choreography by Cincinnati Ballet Resident Choreographer Adam Hougland, comes to the Aronoff Center, Friday March 20 at 8pm and Saturday March 21 at 2pm and 8pm. Wolfgang Amadeaus Mozart’s powerful Requiem Mass is performed by the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Carmon DeLeone, and features the Xavier University Concert Choir. A family favorite, BALLET TOYBOX returns for one performance only on Sunday, March 22 at 2pm at the Aronoff Center.

Long-time collaborator and Resident Choreographer Adam Hougland has choreographed several world premieres and new pieces in addition to his masterful, full-length MOZART’S REQUIEM. In 2011 he created a brand new production of The Firebird specifically for Cincinnati Ballet, and the same year was named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” A Cincinnati audience favorite, his work is frequently featured in The Kaplan New Works Series. He most recently contributed his talent to the collaborative performance of Over the Rhine Live and a piece in Frampton and Cincinnati Ballet Live, which was also performed in New York City in 2014.

“Adam’s familiarity with our company dancers has earned him their complete devotion,” says Artistic Director & CEO, Victoria Morgan. “Following the dramatic arc of the music, he has melded his trademark passionate and theatrical style to a brand-new creation that reflects the solemnity of life’s cycles and embodies the power and intensity of Mozart’s ultimately uplifting score.”

Hougland’s frequent collaborator Marion Williams, who holds the 2004 Princess Grace award for design, created the spectacular original sets and costume design. Costumes are constructed by Cincinnati Ballet Wardrobe Mistress Diana Vandergriff-Adams and the Cincinnati Ballet Wardrobe Department. Mozart’s moving score features the Xavier University Concert Choir performing the Latin liturgical setting for the Requiem with vocal soloists Lisa Ericksen, Soprano; Catherine Fishlock, Mezzo-Soprano; Cameo Humes, Tenor; and Kenneth Shaw, Bass.

MEET THE ARTISTS
Cincinnati Ballet is pleased to offer Meet the Artists, a pre-performance discussion series where audiences will have the opportunity to meet choreographers, dancers and members of the creative team. This event is free to anyone with a MOZART’S REQUIEM ticket, and will take place Friday, March 20 at 7pm in Procter & Gamble Hall at the Aronoff Center. Attendees must present MOZART’S REQUIEM ticket for admission.

PERFORMANCE DATES AND INFORMATION

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, performed by the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Carmon DeLeone, accompanied by Xavier University Concert Choir • Costume and Scenic Design: Marion Williams • Lighting: Trad A Burns

WHAT: MOZART’S REQUIEM

WHEN:

Friday, March 20 – 8:00 pm
Saturday, March 21 – 2:00 pm
Saturday, March 21 – 8:00 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 45214
Tickets start at $32

BALLET TOYBOX
Returning to the Aronoff Center for a fourth season, Ballet Toybox offers an exciting opportunity to introduce children from ages 3 to 12 to the joy of dance on March 22 at 2pm. An interactive performance featuring the Cincinnati Ballet Second Company in a mix of ballet and storybook classics, Ballet Toybox offers a fun way to experience dance and even learn a few moves of your own! Performances include excerpts from ALICE (in wonderland) and Peter Pan, an exciting contemporary piece by popular choreographer Jennifer Archibald and more. At under an hour and only $20 a ticket, Ballet Toybox is the perfect afternoon event where the whole family can learn about the essential elements that make up the beauty, humor and inspiring discipline of dance.

PERFORMANCE DATES AND INFORMATION

WHO: Cincinnati Ballet Second Company

WHAT: BALLET TOYBOX

WHEN: Sunday, March 22 – 2:00 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 45214
All tickets only $20

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MOZART’S REQUIEM Sponsors: National Endowment for the Arts, James A. Miller, Donald Beck & Lawrence E. Eynon M.D., Julie & Steven Shifman, Frost Brown Todd, Mr. & Mrs. John Boorn

Cincinnati Ballet 2014-2015 Season Sponsors: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation, ArtsWave, The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Rhonda & Larry A. Sheakley Family Foundation, Rosemary & Mark Schlachter, Ohio Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Frisch’s, Cincinnati Enquirer

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

http://www.facebook.com/CincinnatiBallet

http://twitter.com/cincyballet

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