Category Archives: Press Releases

May 15, 2024 · 10:32 am

2024-2025 Season Announced by Fairfield Footlighters

fflBLITHE SPIRIT
September 27-29, 2024
Directed by Kate Brauer-Bell

A smash comedy hit on London and Broadway stages, this much-revived classic from the playwright of “Private Lives” offers wit, conflict and big laughs as a fussy, cantankerous novelist finds himself haunted by the ghost of his late first wife.

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE
November 15-17, 2024
Directed by Cameron DeVille

Cut off from the outside world by its remote location and shunned by all who know its forbidding and sinister reputation, Hill House has remained empty and silent except for the daily visits of its grumbling caretaker, Mrs. Dudley. Its isolation is broken by the arrival of Dr. Montague, an investigator of supernatural phenomena who has been granted a short lease by the present owner. His mission is to delve into the morbid history of the house and to come to grips with the occult forces that have made it uninhabitable for many years. Visitors too are absorbed by the supernatural, but their approach is via direct communication with the departed spirits—a type of psychic research which is regarded fearfully by Dr. Montague and which, as subsequent events bear out, brings on a crisis in which the evil forces of Hill House are goaded to a new and, for one of those present, fatal fury.

GODSPELL
February 21-23, 2025
Directed by Anna Schindler Brown

A small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus’ life dances across the stage. Dissolving hauntingly into the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Jesus’ messages of kindness, tolerance and love come vibrantly to life. A masterful retelling of the original sensation, injected with contemporary references and dazzling new arrangements is sure to entertain audiences.

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID
May 23-25, 2025
Directed by Ginny Johnson

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID is the rollicking tale of four loyal and determined women who definitively answer the question, “Just how far are you willing to go to keep a promise to a friend?” If you’ve ever elbowed a stranger out of the way to catch a bride’s bouquet, seriously questioned the mental stability of the duo saying “I do”, or been forced to wear the world’s ugliest bridesmaid dress, this deliriously funny JONES HOPE WOOTEN COMEDY is definitely for you…and your dearly beloved!

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May 15, 2024 · 10:30 am

Please Help Us Keep the Proscenium Lights on at Memorial Hall

MEMO_Lights OnIn a recent visit to Memorial Hall’s beloved Anderson Theater, you may have noticed that the light bulbs on the proscenium (the plaster arches over the stage) have been increasingly going dark. It’s complicated! And we need your help!

Please consider a gift to help keep the proscenium Lights On at Memorial Hall! Even a small gift will go a long way to ensuring that our treasured venue looks as fantastic as the day it opened nearly 120 years ago.

Learn more about the plastering, electrical work and theatrical technology needed to update the 116-year-old wiring in the proscenium.

Donate today to help keep the proscenium lights on!

To make a contribution:

  • Online: CLICK HERE and make a donation via credit card.
  • Phone: call the Memorial Hall Box Office at 513.977.8838 (Tu – Fr, 1pm – 6pm)
  • Mail: Mail a check payable to the “Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society” to 1225 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Please include ‘lighting’ in the memo line.

A collaboration of the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society, 3CDC, and Hamilton County. © Memorial Hall OTR

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May 15, 2024 · 10:28 am

Cincinnati Opera Presents CREATORS FORUM, a Discussion on the Development of New Opera

On June 18, the company hosts a conversation with the creative teams behind two inspiring new works, Lalovavi and Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, both of which will receive their world premieres at Cincinnati Opera

CINCINNATI (May 14, 2024)—On June 18, 2024, Cincinnati Opera will host Creators Forum, a rare and insightful conversation with the creative teams behind two operas that the company has commissioned as part of its groundbreaking artistic initiative, The Black Opera Project. The first program of its kind, The Black Opera Project seeks to illuminate the resilient spirit and vibrant heritage of the Black American experience through the development of three new operas by Black artists.

The featured works to be discussed at the Creators Forum include the previously announced Lalovavi, an Afrofuturist opera that will receive its world premiere at Cincinnati Opera in June 2025, and Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, inspired by the life of American civil rights leader and politician John Lewis, premiering at Cincinnati Opera in 2026.

Participating artists from Lalovavi include composer Kevin Day, librettist Tifara Brown, stage director and dramaturg Kimille Howard, and conductor Kevin Miller, and from Good Trouble: The Boy from Troy, composer Maria Thompson Corley, librettist Diana Solomon-Glover, and stage director and dramaturg Timothy Douglas. Evans Mirageas, the company’s Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, will moderate.

Creators Forum takes place at 5 p.m. in Music Hall’s Corbett Tower (1241 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). Admission is free, though reservations are required. To reserve, visit cincinnatiopera.org or call 513-241-2742.

CO_Creators Forum

About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.

Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The company also receives support from the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Black Opera Project receives generous funding from the Mellon Foundation. Lead funder for Lalovavi is the David C. Herriman Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust, and the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, along with general season and project support from many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a proud member of OPERA America. Learn more at cincinnatiopera.org.

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May 15, 2024 · 10:27 am

Gideon Productions Presents NO PASSENGERS World Premiere as Part of Cincy Fringe Festival

CFF24_No PassengersGIDEON PRODUCTIONS
PRESENTS
NO PASSENGERS

WORLD PREMIERE AS PART OF THE CINCY FRINGE FESTIVAL
WRITTEN BY MAC ROGERS
DIRECTED BY JORDANA WILLIAMS

JUNE 2 – 9 @ THE KNOW THEATRE

Gideon Productions, the company behind the Cincy Fringe hits God Of Obsidian (2017 Linda Bowen Full Frontal Pick) Musical Chairs (2018 Critic’s Pick Award), This House Will Never Let Us Go (2019 Critic’s Pick Award), and Be My Thief (2022) will present the World Premiere of playwright Mac Rogers’ (The Honeycomb Trilogy; the global hit podcasts The Message, LifeAfter and Steal The Stars) horror-inflected marital drama NO PASSENGERS, running from June 2-9 at The Know Theatre as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. The production will be directed by Jordana Williams (Witness and Are You Afraid of the Dark on Audible; The Honeycomb Trilogy; Steal the Stars) and will feature Rebecca Comtois (Viral; Crystal Skillman’s Geek! with Vampire Cowboys), Mac Rogers (NYIT Outstanding Lead Actor Nominee for The Adventures of Nervous-Boy with Nosedive Productions), and Kristen Vaughan (Frankenstein Upstairs, The Honeycomb Trilogy, NYIT Outstanding Lead Actress Winner for Benefactors).

What are the proper condolences when a guy’s ex-wife just died but he’s standing next to his current one?

It seems impossible that Maddie Cardinal–literary giant and inveterate provocateur–is gone. Her ex Alan certainly isn’t handling the news well. He blows up his life, career, and second marriage to Diane, whose research into an obscure 19th Century spiritualist and medium may offer his only chance at clarity and closure. NO PASSENGERS is a haunted, darkly funny marital drama about the lengths people will go to resurrect the past.

NO PASSENGERS will run June 2 at 4pm, June 5 at 6:45pm, June 6 at 6:45pm, June 8 at 2:15pm and June 9 at 4pm, as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival at The Know Theatre (1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH). Tickets ($18) may be purchased online at www.cincyfringe.com. The show will run 60 minutes with no intermission.

MAC ROGERS (Playwright and Alan) is an award-winning playwright and audio dramatist. His sci-fi thriller podcasts The Message, Steal The Stars, and LifeAfter were downloaded over 7 million times.  He recently co-wrote Quiet Part Loud for Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw, and adapted the Harrison Ford classic Witness for Paramount and Audible.  His feature film First Time Caller (available now on Tubi) was praised in the New York Times. His plays God of Obsidian, Musical Chairs, and This House Will Never Let Us Go were all Cincy Fringe award-winners. His plays include The Honeycomb Trilogy (New York Times and Backstage Critics Picks and winner of the NYIT Award for Best Premiere Production), Viral (winner of Outstanding Play at FringeNYC 2009), and Universal Robots (nominated for four New York Innovative Theatre awards). Mac’s plays have earned acclaim from The New York Times, The Guardian, Time Out New York, The New York Post, and many others. 

JORDANA WILLIAMS (Director) has directed many plays by Mac Rogers, including CityBeat Critic’s Picks This House Will Never Let Us Go, God Of Obsidian, Musical Chairs, and Ligature Marks, as well as The Honeycomb Trilogy (NY Times and Time Out NY Critics’ Picks), Universal Robots and Viral. She also directed Mac’s podcast thrillers Steal the Stars, a 2018 Audie Award finalist, Give Me Away, and The Earth Moves, as well as Witness for Paramount/Audible and Are You Afraid of the Dark? for Nickelodeon/Audible (2024 Webby winner). Other favorite directing work includes Kill Shakespeare at NY Comic Con, Sean Williams’ Almelem, Vince Gatton’s Alexandria, and The Particulars at FringeNYC.

REBECCA COMTOIS (Diane) previously worked with Mac Rogers and Jordana Williams on the Cincy Fringe award-winners This House Will Never Let Us Go, God Of Obsidian, Musical Chairs, and Ligature Marks, as well as Viral (Winner of FringeNYC’s Outstanding Production of a Play) and The Honeycomb Trilogy (NY Times and Time Out NY Critics’ Picks).  Other roles with Gideon Media include Patty in Steal the Stars, Liz/Robin in Give Me Away and Rebecca in Ask You Father.

KRISTEN VAUGHAN (Maddie) is a three-time New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominee for Lead Actress, winning for Jane in Benefactors (Retro Productions). This is Kristen’s fourth Cincy with Gideon Productions, and with Gideon in NYC she was Amelia Cooke in The Honeycomb Trilogy and Victoria Frankenstein in Frankenstein Upstairs.  www.kristenvaughan.com

Critical acclaim for Gideon Productions:

“Television is where you find complicated storytelling. Film is the home of epic sci-fi trilogies. Giant aliens are expensive. Mac Rogers’s “Honeycomb Trilogy,” a titanic story about humanity in crisis wedged into a small theater in Queens, laid waste to these truisms, and provided giddy, cerebral fun along the way.” The New York Times 

“With a minimal but imaginative set, two very talented actors, and a powerful passionate script, God Of Obsidian is not to be missed.”  The Sappy Critic

“A sexy, subtle, and startling exploration of apathy versus desire.” CityBeat on This House Will Never Let Us Go 

GIDEON PRODUCTIONS crafts gripping plays that explore what’s strange about being human and what’s human about being strange, using familiar genres and cultural touchstones as a springboard to something wholly unexpected.

www.gideonth.com
www.cincyfringe.com

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May 13, 2024 · 5:15 pm

To Park or Not to Park: Cincy Shakes Brings FREE Performances of Hamlet to Over 30 Parks!

CSC_Hamlet

Beasley as Hamlet. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

The annual Cincinnati tradition continues this summer with an accessible and vibrant production of “Hamlet,” kicking off PROJECT Hamlet—a trio of productions presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company celebrating Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy

Cincinnati, May 10, 2024 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC) is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated schedule of this summer’s FREE Shakespeare in the Park tour, featuring the timeless tragedy of “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare.  Between July 12 and September 1, 2024, over 30 parks across the tri-state area will host free performances of “Hamlet,” including Cincinnati, Fairfield, Glendale, Lebanon, Madeira, Mason, Oxford, Portsmouth, and West Chester in Ohio; Covington and Erlanger in Kentucky; and Lawrenceburg and Richmond in Indiana – and more!

The complete schedule can be viewed online here.

While grappling with the grief of his father’s murder, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is thrust into a web of deceit, betrayal, and impending war. Not only has his mother married his father’s brother, but his uncle is the murderer. This summer, become immersed in the intrigue of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” — a riveting blend of passion, ghosts, and royal drama that promises to heat up your summer nights with gripping intensity.

This season, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company launches PROJECT Hamlet, a trio of productions that delve into the depths of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy. The series kicks off with this FREE production of “Hamlet” in parks across the region.  The tour is followed by the Cincinnati premiere of James Ijames’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Fat Ham,” offering a fresh take on “Hamlet” set in a backyard BBQ in the South. The series culminates with the World Premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s “A Room in the Castle,” a play commissioned by CSC in collaboration with the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, focusing on the women of “Hamlet.”

Starring in the titular role of “Hamlet” is the talented Beasley, known for their captivating performances in previous FREE Shakespeare in the Park productions such as last summer’s “The Comedy of Errors” and CSC’s mainstage productions of “The Amen Corner” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” where they recently dazzled audiences as Don Pedro.

This production of “Hamlet” is helmed by CSC’s Candice Handy, who recently led this season’s critically praised mainstage production of James Baldwin’s “The Amen Corner,” as well as CSC’s 2022 unforgettable staging of August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” As an artistic leader at CSC, Handy is known for her ability to foster community through engaging storytelling. Her vision for “Hamlet” promises to make it an accessible and vibrant production for all.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s FREE! Shakespeare in the Park brings the excitement of Shakespeare’s plays directly to the community, with outdoor performances staged in various parks across the tri-state area. These productions, featuring one of Shakespeare’s classic plays, are open to all, with no tickets or RSVP required. Audiences can simply bring blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of entertainment under the stars. For questions regarding a specific location’s policies on parking, outside food and drink, etc., please contact the venue directly.

This annual tradition reflects CSC’s commitment to making the arts accessible to everyone, providing an opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the power of live theater in a casual and welcoming environment. Because of this CSC offers audio described and sign language interpreted performances of FREE! Shakespeare in the Park:

  • Audio Descriptions available at Keehner Park (West Chester Township) on Saturday, July 13, 2024 – 7:00 PM
  • Sign Language Interpreted performances will be available. Dates TBD.

Explore the impact this program has on the community:

  • 73% have more pride in their community because of the park tour.
  • 97% feel their neighborhoods are positively impacted through this program.
  • 86% of audiences report that their community needs more arts opportunities
  • 89% of audiences report that this is the easiest and most accessible way to attend live theatre

FREE! Shakespeare in the Park is sponsored by Western & Southern Financial Group; was financially assisted by the Eleanora C. U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank; and is supported by generous donors to the FREE Shakespeare in the Park Fund.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 2023-2024 Season is generously presented by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Season Funder: ArtsWave; Education Season Sponsor: Debby and Jim Mason; and Operating Support Partners: The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Lightborne, and 1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for all.  In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the Classics!

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