Category Archives: Press Releases

August 7, 2014 · 9:36 am

Flash Mob-Style Theater Comes to Cincinnati

QCF_The Complete Tom(CINCINNATI) – Queen City Flash, a new Flash Mob-style theater company, debuts with THE COMPLETE TOM: 1. ADVENTURES, based on the works of Mark Twain and adapted by Trey Tatum, Aug. 20 through 28, 2014. Directed by Cincinnati Art Ambassador Fellow Bridget Leak, this production is funded by the City of Cincinnati.  

An expanded look at the works of Mark Twain, THE COMPLETE TOM combines all his writings on Tom Sawyer, including his famed novels, little known sequels, cut chapters, personal correspondence and autobiographical materials. The four installments (1. ADVENTURES, 2. HUCKLEBERRY, 3. ABROAD and 4. DETECTIVE) take us further into Tom and Huck’s journey from being boys of the leading White Society and show us a glimpse of the men they will become.

The show features an ensemble of local actors, including Travis Black, Brandon Holcomb, Sam Rueff, Erin Ward and Tara Williams. The design team includes Trey Tatum (set designer), Tara Williams (costume designer) and Sara Leah Miller (puppet designer).

For Flash Mob-style Performances, tickets can be reserved based on the date and time of your choice. At 4:00 p.m. the day of the show, an email will be sent with a map and parking instructions to the secret location. Tickets can be reserved for both Flash Mob-style and full-disclosure Community Center Performances atwww.QueenCityFlash.com. Tickets are free to the public and funded by the City of Cincinnati through the Cincinnati Art Ambassador Fellowships Program.

Flash Mob-style Performances are Wed., Aug. 20 at 8:00 p.m.; Fri., Aug. 22 at 8:00 p.m.; Sat. Aug. 23 at 8:00 p.m.; and Thursday, Aug. 28 at 8:00 p.m. Community Center Performances are Thurs., Aug. 21 at 6:00 p.m. at Westwood Town Hall and Wed., Aug. 27 at 8:00 p.m. at Assumption Gallery in Walnut Hills. Details and accessibility information for each performance can be found at www.QueenCityFlash.com.

The Cincinnati Art Ambassador Fellowships Program is a competitive endeavor and affirms the City’s desire to encourage the creation of works of art in the City. Goals of the program are to celebrate contributions Cincinnati artists make to the city and to enrich quality of life for Cincinnatians by encouraging artists and arts/cultural organizations to provide a broad spectrum of cultural experiences.

Queen City Flash is a new theater company dedicated to open access to the arts and expanding audiences’ sense of theatricality by untethering the arts from physical space, prohibitive costs and traditional notions. Through flash mob-style theater, artists and communities combine to transform environments and unite over stories, picnics and sunsets.

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August 6, 2014 · 2:33 pm

Untethered and Clifton Players Announce 2014-2015 Season

Announcing the 2014-2015 season from Untethered Theater and The Clifton Players


THE RIVERSIDE
September 11-27
Written & directed by Kevin Crowley

Certainly, 1989 was a seminal year: Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall and, in Cincinnati, icon Pete Rose was permanently banned from the game of baseball. As the denizens of the Riverside bar in Cincinnati closely follow the Rose saga, other big changes are afoot and decisions regarding the future of this family owned bar will irrevocably change the family and its patrons. Featuring Michael Shooner, Mike Dennis, Christine Dye, Buz Davis, Daniel Britt, Mindy Heithaus and many more.

ALL NEW PEOPLE
November 7-30
Written by Zach Braff, directed by Jared Doren

Charlie’s birthday first goes wrong when Emma stumbles in, disrupting his suicide attempt. Taking this as divine intervention, Emma demands that she, Milton — a firefighter with some interesting extra-curriculars — and the bubbly Kim throw Charlie a party to convince him to keep living. Throughout the course of the night, aided by flashbacks, the group learns that everyone is running from something, but in the end, life is what you make it.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Winter 2015, dates TBA
Written by Tracy Letts, directed by Buz Davis

The funeral of patriarch Beverly brings the large Weston family back to their Oklahoman homestead. But what’s being buried is nothing compared to what’s dug up. Incendiary family secrets, generational conflict and repressed truths explode in this portrait one of the most dysfunctional families the stage has ever seen. Hilarious, taut and truthful.

THREE DAYS OF RAIN
May 1-24, 2015
Written by Richard Greenberg, directed by Leah Strasser

Walker, Nan and their childhood friend Pip meet for reading of their father’s will, where an unexpected bequeathment triggers a rift in their friendship. Three Days of Rain takes us from the lives of these friends to the formative years of their parents, exposing secrets that would come to be buried under decades of expectation, estrangement, mental illness. A heartbreaking, unexpectedly romantic family story.

Special Productions*
But there’s more! In addition to our mainstage shows, we’re bringing you special productions and encores of Fringe Festival shows!

SARGE and THE MONKEY’S PAW
Oct 10-19

SARGE was the critic’s pick in the 2014 Cincinnati Fringe Festival, hailed as “a solid, unflinching portrayal of a woman in a state of crisis, yet trying to hold her life together.”

THE MONKEY’S PAW is a hilarious, surreal look at parenting and marriage. Mike and Tish’s son is missing. Tish can’t leave home until he returns and Mike can’t ever get the house clean enough. This play has been produced in London and NY and will have a limited run with
Sarge. Both are written by Kevin Crowley.

SHE’S CRAZY (MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER MYTHS)
January 22-25

This cabaret-style piece explores how our society approaches mental illness, with the goal of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Features music by Sherry McCamley, stories and interactive media.Written by Cathy Springfield and Sherry McCamley.

THE IRISH CURSE Gala Weekend
March 20-21
This audience and critic favorite returns for one weekend! THE IRISH CURSE chronicles five Irish-American men who meet in a Catholic Church basement at a self-help group for men with small penises, i.e, “The Irish Curse.” March 21st features a band and catered party after the show!

*Season passes cannot be used for special productions 

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August 6, 2014 · 11:35 am

D2D Presents RENT September 5 and 6 at the Victoria Theatre

New Theatre Company Brings Award Winning musical, RENT to Dayton

D2D_Rent
Dare to Defy Productions is thrilled to present the full stage version of Jonathan Larson’s hit musical, RENT. The production hits the stage at 8 pm September 5 and at 2 pm and 8 pm on September 6, 2014 at the beautiful Victoria Theatre 126 N Main St Dayton, OH 45402.Tickets range from $50 to $25. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

RENT is a rock opera with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera, La Boheme. It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of AIDS.  It tells the unforgettable story of a group of young artists learning to survive, falling in love, finding their voices and living for today.

Director JJ Parkey has assembled an amazing cast of actors for Dare to Defy’s ambitious production. BobbyMitchum plays the role of Mark Cohen, a struggling documentary filmmaker and best friend of “Roger Davis”, an HIV-positive musician who is recovering from heroin addiction played by Mark Beyer. Lisa Glover is Mimi Marquez; a sexy HIV-positive stripper and dancer who is also a heroin junkie and Roger’s love interest. 

Paige Dobkins plays a spunky performance artist Maureen Johnson, who is Mark’s ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend of Joanne Jefferson, a tough, headstrong Harvard-educated lawyer played by Shawn Storms. 

Tom Collins, the HIV-positive philosophy teacher, friend and former roommate of Roger, Mark, and Maureen is played by Isaac Tobler. Mike Embree is cast in the role of Angel Schunard, an HIV-positive Drag Queen with a heart of gold and Tom Collins’ love interest. Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III, played by Mathys Herbert is the former friend and landlord of Mark, Roger and Mimi’s apartment. 

The rest of the cast includes: Marcus Bedinger, JamalCann, Haylee Dobkins, Zach King, Danielle Kubasky, TCSChreier and Mackensie Vonderbrink.

Director JJ Parkey exudes enthusiasm as he discusses the relevance of this show for today’s audience. “Making a connection in an isolating age, is more true today than ever before”

The musical was first seen in a sold out, limited three-week workshop run at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1994. This same New York City off-Broadway theatre was also the musical’s initial home following its official January 25, 1996, opening. Tragically, the show’s creator, Jonathan Larson died suddenly the night before the off-Broadway premiere.

RENT, opened at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre, on April 29, 1996. The musical went on to win every major best musical award, including the Tony Award, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for drama. RENT played its final performance at the Nederlander Theatre on September 7, 2008 after playing 5,124 performances and 16 previews. RENT is the seventh longest running show in Broadway history.

RENT has changed Broadway forever and transformed how a generation feels about musical theatre. Whether it’s your 1st time or your 100th time, you won’t want to miss this production of RENT! 

Recommended for Mature Audiences, RENT contains adult language and situations.
 
RENT
Presented by Dare to Defy Productions, LLC
September 5, 2014 at 8 PM and September 6, 2014 at 2PM and 8 PM  

Victoria Theatre 126 N Main St Dayton OH, 45402                                                        

For Tickets Call (937) 228-3630 or go on-line atwww.ticketcenterstage.com

Director JJ Parkey
Music Director Ian Benjamin
Choreographer Edward Carignan
Stage Manager Dionne Meyer
Technical Director Jason Vogel 

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August 4, 2014 · 5:26 pm

Local Actor Steps Up and Steps Into HARRY Role

LOCAL ACTOR STEPS UP AND STEPS INTO MAINSTAGE ROLE

Know Theatre Casting Update for Opening Weekend of HARRY & THE THIEF

Keisha Kemper

Keisha Kemper

Due to the sudden illness of featured actor Piper Davis, currently playing the role of “Harry” in HARRY & THE THIEF, opening Friday at 8:00 PM, Know Theatre staff members were left searching last weekend for a talented local actor who could fill Piper’s role for the Opening Weekend of performances while Piper recovers.

Know Theatre was fortunate to find Keisha Kemper, whose work ethic and natural talent made her an excellent choice to step into the role of Harry, and after an action-packed tech weekend, Keisha is ready to take the stage. Keisha has most recently been seen on Cincinnati stages during the 2014 Cincy Fringe, as well as appearing as Tituba in last year’s The Crucible at UC-CCM.

Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters says, “Piper has brought such a strong performance to the rehearsal process, and we all look forward to seeing her back in the role of Harry later in the run, when she’s fully recovered. But we want our audience to know that Keisha brings a fantastic and very different take on the character. Keisha’s performance fits in very well with this powerhouse cast; we believe the audience is in for a treat, no matter when they come to see this show.”

HARRY & THE THIEF is an epic summer blockbuster; a socially conscious riot of a play that mashes up Civil-War-era melodrama with an over-the-top action movie to tell a story full of adventure, social relevance, and answering the call of destiny.  Audiences can catch this surprising, funny, and action-packed regional premiere from August 8-30 at Know Theatre.

Since 1997, Know Theatre has been dedicated to creating explosive and evocative live entertainment. We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Know Theatre is also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate member of the National New Play Network.

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August 4, 2014 · 4:43 pm

Brieabi Announces Productions Through March 2016

Brieabi productions is pleased to announce upcoming shows through March of 2016

BAB_LOGODecember 2014 Music of the Night: Holiday Edition. A celebration of Brieabi’s five year anniversary, along with spreading holiday cheer. FREE to the community. $10 presale includes hors d’oeuvres one hour before the show and reserved seating.

March 2015 The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, music and lyrics by William Finn, directed by Joey Schnell. Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless charm and humor. Featuring a fast-paced wildly funny and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin and a truly fresh and vibrant score by William Finn, this bee is one unforgettable experience. An eclectic group of six mid-pubescent’s vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home life, the tweens spell their way through a series of [potentially made-up] words hoping to never hear the soul crushing, pout inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box. A riotous ride complete with audience participation, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is delightful den of comedic genius. The small cast and unit set make this a perfect option for high schools or community theatres. THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a fast-paced crowd pleaser and an instant theatre patron favorite.

August 2015 The Last Five Years, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, directed by Shawn Toadvine. Starring Megan Ainsley Callahan and Zachary Huffman. This modern musical ingeniously chronicles the five year life of a marriage, form meeting to break-up and from break-up to meeting. Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk winner THE LAST FIVE YEARS has been translated into a handful of languages and was named one of Time Magazine’s 10 best shows of 2001. A testament to the show’s longevity and spurred by the show’s regional popularity, THE LAST FIVE YEARS enjoyed an Off-Broadway revival at Second Stage in 2013. A film adaptation is being released in 2014 starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The show’s unconventional structure consists of Cathy, the woman, telling her story backwards while Jamie, the man, tells his story chronologically; the two characters only meet once, at their wedding in the middle of the show.

December 2015 Children of Eden, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, directed by Matthew Wilson. Based on the story of Genesis, the age-old conflict of parents and children takes the stage in this epic, heartfelt Stephen Schwartz musical. From musical theatre greats Stephen Schwartz and John Caird comes a joyous and inspirational musical about parents, children and faith… not to mention centuries of unresolved family business! An expansive and ambitious musical, the original production used a cast of sixty. Adam, Eve, Noah and the “Father” who created them deal with the headstrong, cataclysmic actions of their respective children. The show ultimately delivers a bittersweet but inspiring message: that “the hardest part of love… is letting go.”

March 2016 Barefoot in the Park, by Neil Simon, directed by Brent Alan Burington. Nominated! 1964 Tony Award for Best Play. Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and she’s a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find-too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does. Paul just doesn’t understand Corie, as she sees it. He’s too staid, too boring and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous, running “barefoot in the park” would be a start…

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