Category Archives: Press Releases

June 18, 2024 · 5:18 pm

Cirque Dreams HOLIDAZE | Dec. 6-7 | Aronoff Center 

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE
IS SET TO ILLUMINATE CINCINNATI!CAA_Cirque Dreams HolidazeARONOFF CENTER – PROCTER & GAMBLE HALL
DECEMBER 6-7, 2024

Tickets on sale Friday, June 21 at 10:00 AM

[Cincinnati, OH] – CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE will be dazzling audiences in Cincinnati during its six-week, sixty-city U.S. tour this holiday season with a much-anticipated stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Friday, December 6 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, December 7 at 11:00 AM & 3:00 PM. The show is part of CAA’s 2024-25 Season.

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE is affordably priced with tickets starting at $39.50. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 21 at 10:00 AM 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.

Audiences from coast to coast will be captivated by this brilliant and whimsical holiday spectacular. As the nation’s premiere family holiday tradition, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE will convey the magic of the season with a Broadway-style production infused with contemporary circus arts.

As lights dim and the music swells, a fantastical cast of holiday storybook characters come to life. Both critics and audiences agree that CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDZAZE is “a show for all ages to enjoy where families can make Christmas memories together.” And Broadway World exclaims, “Lose yourself for 90 minutes and go back to those wonderful dreams you had as a kid.”

Imaginative and fun for children to seniors and everyone in between, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE features a world-renowned cast of performers accompanied by an ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, breath-catching acrobatics, and much more.  An original music score includes new twists on seasonal favorites such as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Carol of the Bells.” Singers, dancers, penguins, toy soldiers, and reindeer evoke the dreams behind a child’s eye on the most magical of nights. Amidst a backdrop of new sets, scenery, and storylines, this family-friendly production is sure to put a twinkle in your eye!

About Cirque Dreams 
The Cirque Dreams franchise is a globally recognized entertainment brand that has produced a wide array of live stage performances for Broadway, casinos, theme parks, resorts, cruise lines, and theatrical venues worldwide. Since 1993, millions of people have experienced Cirque Dreams productions across the globe. Combining the world’s finest contemporary circus artists with dynamic choreography and whimsical storytelling, Cirque Dreams has captured the hearts and imaginations of both audiences and critics alike.  Cirque Dreams is a VStar Entertainment Group Company.

For more information, visit https://cirquedreams.com/.

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:                CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE

WHEN:                Friday, December 6, 2024 @ 7:00 PM

                             Saturday, December 7, 2024 @ 11:00 AM & 3:00 PM

WHERE:              Aronoff Center for the Arts – Procter & Gamble Hall

PRICE:                 Ticket prices start at $39.50. Applicable services fees may apply. Ticket prices/fees subject to change.

INFO:                   As the nation’s premiere family holiday tradition, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE will convey the magic of the holiday season through a Broadway-style production infused with contemporary circus arts. The show features a world-renowned ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, breath-catching acrobatics, and much more, accompanied by an original music score that includes new twists on seasonal favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” 

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, June 21 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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June 18, 2024 · 6:11 am

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Artistic Director Receives Tony Award Nod

TCTC_RoderickRoderick Justice received the recognition of Honorable Mention in this year’s Excellence in Theatre Education Award, presented by the Tony Awards 

CINCINNATI:  The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT), the Nation’s oldest theater for young audiences, is excited to announce Artistic Director Roderick Justice has received an honorable mention for Excellence in Theatre Education from the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon University. TCT, the only professional theater in the region that devotes its entire MainStage season to children, is a beacon of arts education and entertainment. This recognition further solidifies TCT’s position as a leader in the field.

The winner and honorable mentions for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award are selected through a rigorous process. A panel of judges, including the American Theatre Wing, The Broadway League, Carnegie Mellon University, and other leaders from the theater industry, carefully review the candidates submitted by members of the public. These are teachers who play a crucial role in shaping the next generation of theater artists. They identify talented students, nurture them, inspire them, and set them off on a lifelong journey as theater supporters and professionals.

The 2024 Award was presented to CJay Philip, a Baltimore-based actor, educator, choreographer, and Broadway veteran who has created arts opportunities for everyone from kindergartners to senior citizens. The founder and artistic director of the multidisciplinary ensemble Dance & Bmore received the 2024 Excellence in Theatre Education Award on June 16 at the Tony Awards in New York City, which was telecast on CBS.

“I am blessed to work with a dynamite group of collaborators at TCT and am incredibly honored to receive this honorable mention from the selection committee. I would also like to send a huge congratulations to CJay Philip, who is doing tremendous work in Baltimore. It is my belief that theatre educators are vital to the development of young minds. We exercise the imagination in ways that grow empathy, foster creative expression, and build confidence. I hope everyone can join in a celebration of all arts educators around the globe who are passionate about inspiring creativity and are working diligently to provide the next generation with the artistic tools needed to change the world.” 

This year, Roderick celebrates 19 seasons with The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Since assuming the role of Artistic Director in 2015, he’s launched over 20 world-premiere original works and adaptations of theatre for young audiences (TYA). Roderick’s work is a testament to his unwavering dedication and passion for storytelling, childhood development through arts, and the transformative power of live theatre in fostering empathy and making our world a better place.

Roderick is an award-winning director, choreographer, actor, designer, educator, Broadway producer (How to Dance in Ohio), and mentor to hundreds of young performers. Recognized by Cincinnati Business Courier’s Forty Under 40 and as the Arts Educator of the Decade by BroadwayWorld in 2021 for his work at TCT and his work as a guest artist for many local and national organizations, he is proudly involved with many non-profit boards and loves to collaborate with community partners. Closest to his heart is Cincinnati’s “Men Wear Pink Campaign,” where, for the past eight years, he’s helped to raise well over a million dollars for the American Cancer Society. A Member of TYA/USA, the Nation’s leader in Theatre for Youth, Roderick also serves on several Artistic Leadership committees/affinity groups.

Originally from eastern Kentucky, Roderick obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre from Northern Kentucky University. He has trained and worked in cities throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe but proudly calls Cincinnati his home.

Roderick began his involvement with TCT in 2006 as an independent artist. Through his dedication to the company and a strong artistic vision, he was recruited to join the TCT staff as the company’s first full-time Associate Artistic Director in 2008. In 2010, Roderick was promoted to Associate Artistic Director of TCT’s MainStage and became the company’s STAR Program director, the renowned musical theatre intensive. In 2015, Roderick was promoted to TCT’s artistic leadership position. Since then, TCT’s staff and annual operating budget have nearly doubled to almost $4 million. In 2016, he launched the TCT Script Development Division, which has now produced over 20 new TYA works, including a popular musical mash-up of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass, which is now licensed around the globe. Other Script Development Division projects of note include a collaboration with Charles Strouse, Concord Theatricals, and DC Comics in a TYA-adaption of It’s A Bird… It’s A Plane… It’s Superman and a partnership with NBC Universal for the TYA stage adaptation of Casper, The Friendly Musical.

Beyond TCT, Roderick has guest directed and choreographed for a number of educational institutions and organizations such as the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), The Carnegie Center for the Performing Arts, The Commonwealth Theatre Company, The Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre, Town Hall Theatre, The Showboat Majestic, Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts (SOTA), The Lincoln Amphitheatre in Lincoln City, Indiana. He has toured productions internationally to places like Sibiu, Romania, for the International Theatre Festival.

Under Artistic Leadership at TCT: Arts Educator of the Decade, 2021 BroadwayWorld. Sara Spencer Child Drama Award Southeastern Theatre Conference, 2020. Theatre for All Award. Cincinnati Magazine, 2019. Theatre of the Year, Broadway World Awards, 2018, 2019.  The Best Place to Launch a Kid’s Career in Theatre, City Beat Magazine, 2019. Social Venture Partner’s Fast Pitch Winner of the Interact for Health Award, 2018.

Celebrating 105 years this season, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is the oldest children’s theatre in the country and the only professional theater in the region that devotes its entire MainStage season to children. Its mission is to educate, entertain, and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming. Its vision is to awaken a lifelong love of theater in children and the young at heart. Today, the Children’s Theatre brings art to life for audiences through three key programs:  TCT MainStage at the Taft Theatre, TCT on Tour, and TCT Academy. TCT strives to reach more than 200,000 people each season in the Cincinnati region. For more information, visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

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June 12, 2024 · 4:25 pm

Encore, Encore! 3 Shows Honored With Encore Performances at Cincy Fringe

Here’s what the Fringe community cheered into additional time on stage 

The 21st Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival has showcased jaw-dropping talent and artistic innovation from across North America in all of its 36 productions, but the artists, critics, and Festival producers were given a chance to vote three Primary Lineup shows into one additional performance at the Know Theatre MainStage on the Festival’s closing day, June 15.

Let’s meet the winners!

CFF24_ Songs without WordsAt 5 PM on June 15, we begin with Songs Without Words (or, the Mendelssohn Play) from Jennifer Vosters out of Chicago, IL. Songs Without Words is the humorous, heartbreaking true story of one artistic soul inhabiting two very different artists. Solo performer Vosters brings composers Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn to life with a tour-de-force performance that wrestles gender and genius, family and fame, siblinghood and the power of art.

18th-century composer Fanny Mendelssohn is having a moment. She’s the subject of a recent documentary (Fanny: The Other Mendelssohn) plus a West End world-premiere comedy simply titled Fanny. Songs Without Words offers an intimate portrait of her, her famous brother Felix, and their very different destinies. Vosters was awarded the 2024 American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) Osborn Award for the script.

CFF24_The Last Witch in IrelandNext on the schedule at 6:45 is The Last Witch in Ireland: The Story of Bridget Cleary, from InBocca Performance out of Cincinnati, OH. In 1895, Michael Cleary declared his wife had been replaced by a changeling whom he’d burned and buried as he waited for his real wife to be returned. Who was Bridget Cleary, the last witch burned in Ireland? Who are we women – the wife or the changeling?

Bridget was a woman whose autonomy was stolen from her by the person she should have been able to trust above all others. In 2024, when so many communities are having their rights to physical autonomy stripped away, this story of power and legacy is both important history and deeply of-the-moment. InBocca Performance is a Cincinnati company with a celebrated history of innovative, collaborative multidisciplinary art, and Cincy Fringe audiences hail this show as “stunning” and “badass.”

CFF24_1-Man No-ShowThe final encore performance of the 2024 festival is 1-Man No Show, from Isaac Kessler out of Toronto, ON, at 8:30. This riotously funny solo clown-show-meets-performance-art piece is described by Kessler himself as “the most theatrically anti-theatre show you’ve ever seen.”

Kessler is a 4-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee, and one half of the award-winning ClownProv juggernaut 2-Man No-Show alongside Ken Hall. Kessler says of his work that “the art of Clown & Bouffon unifies us in joyous rebellion, striking down hate with love,” while Cincy Fringe audiences have described 1-Man No-Show as “the funniest thing I’ve seen in years” and “I didn’t stop laughing the whole time – I laughed until I cried.”

Visit cincyfringe.com for more details and to purchase tickets, or phone the box office at 513-300-5669.

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

The 19th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbors, the Art Academy of Cincinnati and 3CDC.

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 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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June 12, 2024 · 4:19 pm

KSO’s 2024 Free Summer Park Series Begins July 6

KSO_logo30th Summer in the Parks

The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra rolls out its popular summer concert series to outdoor amphitheaters in Devou Park (Covington) and Tower Park (Fort Thomas) touting free, nostalgic, family-friendly regional gatherings with appreciative audiences, great musicians and a variety of fabulous music.

Summer 2024 marks the orchestra’s 30th consecutive summer series of concerts in the parks. Though free to attend, these performances are not free to produce. Volunteers at donation boxes around the concert bowls accept contributions from attendees to sustain this memory-making tradition. Audiences are encouraged to register at kyso.org for weather and information updates.

LET’S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN: Seven Decades of Your Pop Music

  • 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 6 at Devou Park
  • 7:45 p.m. Sunday, July 7 at Tower Park

Escape today’s insanity and time-travel with music that elicits fond, youthful memories courtesy of the KSO. From the King (1950s Elvis) to the Queen (2020s Taylor Swift), the KSO has your generation’s music covered with nostalgic hits performed by the KSO’s Boogie Band (studio orchestra and vocals). Sing along and dance to favorites by Queen, Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Cold Play, Black Eyed Peas and 15 other super acts. 

KSO1

 

SWING REVIVAL VS ELECTRO SWING: 1990s Swing Revival Meets 2020s Electro Swing

  • 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 3 at Devou Park
  • 7:30 p.m. Sunday, August 4 as Tower Park

Swing as a musical style is 90 years old and the young of every generation seem to adopt it as their own. The Swing revival of the 1990s fueled bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Royal Crown Revue. Across Europe in the 2010s-20s, EDM (electronic dance music), hip-hop and rap, infused with swing for a popular following across Europe. The KSO’s Devou-Doo Daddies brings these high-energy swing band sounds together (Cut Capers, Parov Stelar) for an explosive swing reaction. Do you have the energy and the moves to keep up? 

KSO2

 

POPS, INC.: Faves of Anderson, Hayman & Mancini

  • 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 31 at Devou Park
  • 7:30 p.m. Sunday, September 1 at Tower Park
  • 7:00 p.m. Monday, September 2 at Woodside Arboretum, Middletown, OH

Without the notes on the page, orchestras have little to offer an audience. Top composers and arrangers provide a magical soundscape through lines and dots that musicians and conductors translate into the music that touches a range of human emotions. Three such composer/ arrangers — Leroy Anderson, Richard Hayman and Henry Mancini — from 1930-1979 made the Boston Pops a household name, while inspiring the formation of “Pops” orchestras across the globe. 

KSO3

The KSO is thrilled to continue serving its unique brand of culture and entertainment to NKY & Greater Cincinnati audiences. For those who wish to avoid outdoor crowds, dress rehearsals on Saturday mornings, (7/6, 8/3 & 8/31) at 10 a.m. in Devou Park (Covington), are open to anyone. Sunday evening programs will be live streamed from Tower Park (Ft. Thomas).

The KSO appreciates the generous support of The H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, The Milburn Family, Wohlgemuth-Herschede, The Charles & Ruth Seligmann Family Foundations, Matinée Musicale Cincinnati along with local corporate sponsors: St. Elizabeth Health Care, Network for Hope, Schneller Knochelmann Heating and Air Fischer Homes, and Regal Maid, and the cities of Covington and Fort Thomas for hosting the KSO’s 2023 summer series.

Concessions and food trucks will be on-site at both Devou and Tower Parks. Bring blankets, picnics or lawn chairs. For more information, registration (for weather updates) and directions, visit the KSO at kyso.org or call (859) 431-6216. $5 (per person) suggested donation. Free parking. TANK Shuttles are running from Cov Cath parking lot to the Devou band shell for $1 each way.

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June 11, 2024 · 6:19 pm

CANCELLED – TONY BENNETT: The Official Musical Celebration | Thu., Oct. 10, 2024 | Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

8/6/24 – [Cincinnati, OH] – Tony Bennett- The Official Musical Celebration, scheduled for October 10, 2024 at the Aronoff Center, has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances with the tour. Please remove this event from any calendar listings.

Purchases made by credit card will be automatically refunded in full to ticketholders’ original card.  A Cincinnati Arts Association ticket services representative will contact ticketholders who paid by cash/check.  

For more information, contact the Aronoff Center Ticket Office at (513) 621-2787 [ARTS] or ticketing@cincinnatiarts.org.

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CAA_Tony BennettTONY BENNETT:
THE OFFICIAL MUSICAL CELEBRATION

October 10, 2024
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

Tickets on sale Friday, June 14

[Cincinnati, OH] – Experience the enchantment of Tony Bennett: The Official Musical Celebration – a brand-new production brought to you by the Tony Bennett Estate, TCG Entertainment, and Iconoclast. The national tour makes a much-anticipated stop at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 7:30 PM. Join us for an extraordinary multi-media event celebrating the music and life of this legendary artist, featuring a stellar cast of vocalists, a dynamic big band orchestra, and never-before-seen footage of the life and legacy of the one-and-only Tony Bennett. The show is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2024-25 Season.

Tickets start at $60.00 and go on sale Friday, June 14 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4155. Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change.

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:                Tony Bennett: The Official Musical Celebration

WHEN:                Thursday, October 10, 2024 @ 7:30 PM

WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

PRICES:               Start at $60.00. 10%-off groups of ten or more. Additional service fees may apply. Prices subject to change.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, June 14 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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