Category Archives: Press Releases

New Edgecliff Theatre: New Season, New Digs

Former St. Patrick’s Church in Northside.

CINCINNATI, OH – August 25, 2014 – After a two year search for a new home, New Edgecliff Theatre is moving to Northside for their 2014-15 Season: The Rest of the Story. The season will open with Douglas Carter Beane’s The Little Dog Laughed performed at The Hoffner Lodge (4120 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45223) and will continue with The 12 Dates of Christmas by Ginna Hoben and Race by David Mamet at their new home, the old St Patrick Church at 1662 Blue Rock St. “We’re very excited to be a part of what promises to be a vital new arts venue in the Northside community,” says Producing Artistic Director Jim Stump. “Plans for the facility we are moving into include a brew pub, music lounge and eventually a restaurant in the former rectory building.”

THE HOFFNER LODGE: Site of several theatrical productions, the Hoffner Lodge is the perfect entree to the Northside arts scene. According to Stump, “Our new venue still has some construction to be done and we wanted to perform our entire season in our new community home. The historic feel of the Hoffner Lodge is a great fit for New Edgecliff.”

The Hoffner Lodge is in the heart of the business and entertainment district of Northside, and is one of the many historic treasures designed by Cincinnati architect, Samuel Hannaford. More information on the Hoffner Lodge can be found at www.hoffnerlodge.com

NEW VENUE: Grayscale Cincinnati has been working since the summer of 2012 to create a multi-use performing arts facility and craft brewery in Cincinnati. Their efforts led them to Northside and redeveloping the former St. Patrick’s Church (1662 Blue Rock St, Cincinnati OH 45223) into a new music venue, creative live theater, bar/lobby, and craft brewery.

One of the key elements of this project is the historic rehabilitation of a former center of community life and its architecture to its return as a new, vibrant cultural center for the community. They are honored to be part of the stewardship of such a fantastic piece of history. The fact that they’re adding new cultural and entertainment facilities in this location is also a primary factor. With a heavy focus on enhancing the urbanism of the city and by helping to reestablish central neighborhoods in Cincinnati, such as Northside, and creating density in appropriate locations, the hope is to continue to build the entire region in a natural and sustainable manner. The goal is to make Northside and Cincinnati a destination for culture and brewing tourism. More information on Grayscale can be found at http://www.grayscalecincinnati.com

THE 2014-15 SEASON: THE REST OF THE STORY

Last season featured stories that led characters in directions they did not expect. This season features storylines that defy the expectations of the audience – endings that not only surprise, but entice the audience to rethink their biases.

September 25–October 11, 2014 The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane, directed by Lindsey Mercer: Can modern love survive in the face of our tabloid driven age? Where big stars jump around like heartsick schoolboys, audiences don’t care about true love. What we really love is all that dish! The players here include a hard-driving Hollywood agent, her budding screen idol client who could hit big if it weren’t for one teensy-weensy problem – she can’t seem to keep him in the closet or away from the cute rent boy who’s caught his eye and the rent boy’s girlfriend (wait, the rent boy has a girlfriend?). Will there be a happy ending as the final credits roll?

December 4-20, 2014 The 12 Dates of Christmas by Ginna Hoben, directed by Jim Stump: After seeing her fiancé kiss another woman at the televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary’s life falls apart – just in time for the holidays. Over the next year, she stumbles back into the dating world, where “romance” ranges from weird and creepy to absurd and comical. It seems nothing can help Mary’s growing cynicism, until the charm and innocence of a five-year-old boy unexpectedly brings a new outlook on life and love. This heartwarming one-woman play offers a hilarious and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season.

April 9-25, 2015 Race by David Mamet, directed by Daryl Harris: Multiple award-winning playwright/director David Mamet tackles America’s most controversial topic in this provocative new tale of sex, guilt and bold accusations. Two lawyers, one black and one white, find themselves defending a wealthy white executive charged with raping a black woman. When a new legal assistant gets involved in the case, the opinions that boil beneath explode to the surface. When the spotlight is turned on what we think but can’t say, dangerous truths are revealed, and no punches are spared. Select performances will feature a talk back/discussion session about the show.

About New Edgecliff Theatre:
The mission of New Edgecliff Theatre is to create a powerful artistic experience utilizing local professionals and stressing the fundamental communion between actor and audience.

Established by Michael Shooner in 1998, New Edgecliff Theatre is built on a concept of locally-produced professional educational theater that was the hallmark of the theatre department at the former Edgecliff College in the 1970s. Highlights have included American Buffalo, I Stand Before You Naked, Square One, Death of a Salesman, Equus, The Night of the Iguana, Proof and Bus Stop.

Jim Stump took over as Artistic Director at the 13th Season, putting together ambitious line-ups each season, directing and reviving New Edgecliff Theatre’s participation in the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Last season, he assumed the role of Producing Artistic Director. More information about New Edgecliff Theatre can be found at www.newedgecliff.com