Category Archives: Press Releases

AN EVENING WITH PETE ROSE Benefit on March 30

AN EVENING WITH PETE ROSE to Benefit the Incline Theater Project in East Price Hill
Sunday, March 30 at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts

Pete Rose.

Pete Rose.

Get ready for Opening Day in style with a special evening with Western Hills’s favorite son, Pete Rose.

On the eve of Cincinnati’s historic Opening Day, hear classic stories from the Hit King’s career, tales of growing up on the west side – including his connection with the Covedale Center building – and more at “An Evening with Pete Rose – A Benefit Fundraiser for the Incline Theater Project.”

“I am thrilled to death to be back on the West Side at the Covedale Theater where I have memories of going to the cinema as a kid,” Rose said. “Close to West High and Price Hill Chili, the Covedale was the place to be on many nights.”

So it will be on March 30 at 8 p.m. when Rose takes the stage at the Covedale. Attendees will hear Rose speak about his favorite baseball memories, some stories from his days at West Hi and even his thoughts on the 2014 baseball season, just hours before the first pitch of the season. Rose will also take questions from the audience.

“An Evening with Pete Rose” is presented by Driehaus Insurance Group, and Doug and Cathie Ridenour.

Every attendee will receive an autographed copy of the acclaimed 2010 documentary, 4192: The Crowning of the Hit King. Three ticket levels are available:

  • “VIP” tickets – $125 each, includes a seat in the reserved premium section in the first four rows, two drink tickets and admittance to a special pre-event meet-and-greet reception with Pete.
  • “Charlie Hustle” tickets – $80 each, includes two drink tickets and a standard seat in the theater, as well as the autographed DVD.
  • “Value” tickets – $65 each, includes a seat in the back section of the theater, as well as the autographed DVD. 

All proceeds from the evening will go toward Cincinnati Landmark Productions’ Incline Theater Project. The proposed 220-seat theater and parking garage in the Incline District in East Price Hill is a $5.6 million project with plans of breaking ground later this spring – pending final fundraising.

Once open, the Incline Theater would be programmed year-round by Cincinnati Landmark Productions to create an estimated 112 “show nights” in the new space, including a subscription season designed to complement the season at the Covedale Center, a short “summer fare” season and one-night concerts, comedy events and cabarets.

“The Incline District is a neighborhood on the rise,” said CLP Executive Artistic Director Tim Perrino. “It’s exactly the place a growing arts organization wants to be.”

CLP has seen first-hand the impact the Covedale Center has made in West Price Hill. Since opening in 2002, the arts center quadrupled its subscribers from 804 the first year to over 3,700 for the current season. Attendance ballooned from 13,990 in the 2002-03 season to over 36,000 (representing 336 zip codes) in the 2012-13 season.

Donor programs, naming rights and sponsorships for the new venue are available. For more information about the Incline Theater Project, visit www.inclinetheater.com or call (513) 241-6550.

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Sunset Players Announces Its 35th Season

SSP_logoCINCINNATI, OH – February 10, 2014 —Sunset Players is pleased to announce its 35th season of performances at the Arts Center at Dunham.

“For our 35th season, we will feature a mix of shows, including a musical, comedy and mystery to entertain our audience,” said John Wesseling, president of Sunset Players. “Sunset Players will continue its special summer production with the award-winning dark comedy, Clybourne Park.”

The 2014-2015 Sunset Players season line-up is:

Addams Family – A New Musical, book by Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice, music/lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Performances in October 2014.
In its regional community theater premiere, the musical is a creepy, spooky and kooky love story—Addams Family style. As Wednesday Addams is all grown up and falls in love with a normal young man from a respectable family. Chaos ensues as the Addams Family tries to host a normal dinner for the young man’s family. Join Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester and the whole Addams Family in this hilarious, finger snapping good show.

Aladdin, by William Glennon. Performances in December 2014.
The annual holiday children’s show goes to a faraway land in the East where we meet Aladdin and his friends, all of whom have an eye for adventure. Filled with spells, potions and reversals of fortune, Aladdin discovers the magic of the lamp and his love for the Princess!

A Nice Family Gathering, by Phil Olson. Performances in February 2015.
Funny and touching, A Nice Family Gathering is a ghostly love story 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 Carl is the unlikely messenger on Thanksgiving Day. When a date for Mom arrives for dinner, bombshell announcements are made, hormones are out of whack, and hilarity ensues.

Wait Until Dark, by Frederick Knott. Performances in May 2015.
Three sinister con men meet their match as they search for a mysterious doll, in the Greenwich Village apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy. Sam unknowingly transported the doll across the Canadian border, not knowing what was sewn inside. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues with Susy turning to her one advantage, the darkness, to outmaneuver everyone until the game ends.

Clybourne Park, by Bruce Norris. Performances in July 2015.
Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and the 2012 Tony Award, Clybourne Park is a satirical play about race, real estate and communication set in two acts that are fifty years apart. Act one takes place in 1959 with nervous community leaders trying to stop the sale of a home to a black family. Act Two is set in the same house in the present day in a now predominantly African-American neighborhood that is battling to hold its ground in the face of gentrification.

Tickets remain on sale for the remaining 2013-2014 season. Performance include:

– The Hallelujah Girls by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. Show Dates: February 21, 22, 28, March 1, 2, 6, 7 & 8.

When the feisty women friends of Eden Falls, Georgia, decide to shake up their lives after the loss of a dear friend, comedy ensues.

– The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow and John Buchan. Show dates: May 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16 & 17.

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel and a dash of Monty Python and you have the hysterical thriller that will keep you in your seat and in stitches.

– Next to Normal by Tom Kitt, Book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. Show dates: July 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25 & 26.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical explores how one suburban family copes with crisis and mental illness.

All shows begin at 8pm except Sunday performances that begin 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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CCM’s METAMORPHOSES Earns 4 Star LCT Rating

Senior rama major Madeline McKenzie. Photography by Stirling Shelton.

Senior rama major Madeline McKenzie. Photography by Stirling Shelton.

Panelists for the League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) have recognized the College Conservatory of Music Drama Department’s Metamorphoses with a 4 Star Rating.

From a simple, rippling pool of water, Metamorphoses conjures Ovid’s myths into gorgeous theatrical imagery, provocative moments and magic. The winner of two Drama Desk Awards and one Tony Award after its Broadway run in 2002, this entrancing series of vignettes offers breathtaking storytelling and an escape from the ordinary that dares to brush with the divine.

Panelists praised Metamorphoses as “a rare, exemplary experience to behold in a theater. The pool, lighting, use of space, direction, transitions, performances and the stories–Myths of Ovid–were compelling, touching, sad, hopeful and even risky.” D. Lynn Meyers was commended for her direction: “In her hands, Ovid’s dreams “were magically realized and lushly furnished with a vision as tender as it was daring.” Dana Hall, for scenic design, and Wes Richter, for lighting design, were singled out for designs that were “beautifully evocative, integral to the story-telling, and well-executed”. Finally, the entire ensemble was lauded for their work: “Bravo to the cast who cast a spell upon this audience member.”

Metamorphoses continues through Sunday, February 9th. Tickets can be obtained at the CCM Box office, http://ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice.html

League of Cincinnati Theatre panelists evaluate productions on a 5 star scale and recommend shows at either a 4 star or 5 star level. Nominations for LCT awards will be determined and announced at the end of the season and winners awarded at the annual LCT gala in the spring.

The League of Cincinnati Theatres was founded in 1999 to strengthen, nurture and promote Cincinnati’s theatre community. LCT provides its member companies and individual members with education, resources and services to enhance the quality and exposure of the theatre community in Cincinnati and increase community awareness, attendance and involvement. More information about the League can be found at www.leagueofcincytheatres.com.

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ACTUP Announces Cast of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

Acting Up is proud to announce our cast for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS

ACTUP_Once Upon a MattressBefore Anna was Frozen, Rapunzel got tangled, before Belle tamed the beast, there was….Princess Winnifred! Watch as Princess Winnifred swims the moat to reach Prince Dauntless the Drab! Will the Evil Queen keep these two lovebirds apart? Will a small pea hidden below twenty mattresses cause the Princess a sleepless night? Acting Up’s production of this Broadway favorite – which launched the career of a young Carol Burnett – will provide a fresh, contemporary spin on this popular tale. Perfect for the entire family…and you’ll never look at fairy tales quite the same way again.

  • MINSTREL………………..Dane Morey
  • MINSTREL’S APPRENTICE…….Von Eric Huhn
  • PRINCESS WINNIFRED………..Autumn Carter
  • PRINCE DAUNTLESS……………Cole Hankins
  • LADY LARKEN………………..Erin Speno
  • SIR HARRY………………..Eric Camerer
  • QUEEN AGGRAVAIN……….Emily Meinerding
  • KING SEXTIMUS……………Michael Kaper
  • JESTER………………..Ally Peebles
  • WIZARD………………..Spencer Walsh
  • SIR STUDLEY………………..Connor Hart
  • SIR LUCE………………..Lucas Meinerding
  • SIR HAROLD………………..Adam Schirmer
  • 1st KNIGHT………………..Hayden Johnson
  • 2nd KNIGHT………………..Joseph Hamzy
  • 3rd KNIGHT………………..Conner Japikse
  • SQUIRES…..Charlie Stauffer,Andrew Hackler,Luke Misleh, Noah Carras
  • LADY BEATRICE/ FEATURED DANCER………Megan Ledford
  • LADY ROWENA……….Tess Hogan
  • LADY MERRILL…………Veronica Turner
  • LADY LUCILLE………….Ruby Cimmarusti
  • LADY MABELLE………….Madeline Straub
  • PRINCESS NO. 12/FEATURED DANCER……Cammi Caldwell
  • CHAMBERMAID…………..Leah Major
  • EMILY……………….Kalya Stroud
  • NIGHTINGALE………………..Mariah Faith Reynolds
  • WIZARD’S MINIONS…Allison Jackson, Katie Kenniston, Abby Fair, Kacey Kopak
  • ATTENDANTS/ FEATURED DANCERS…. Erin Gilliland, Jamie Peterson, Alyssa Hart, Claire Northcut, Katelyn Moore, Ava Frizzell, Paige Peacock, Sara Kearney,
  • SCROLL HOLDER………….Kat Crouse
  • HERALD………………..Emma Miller
  • CHEF/STAGE CREW……..Danny Stauffer
  • ROYAL ENSEMBLE………Sara Black, Kara Coffey, Catie Cumings, Annie Elliott, Paige Galberg, Megan Grill, Sydney Grill, Lily Huhn, Maria Luiso, Faith Schirmer, Olivia Stroud, Vanessa Stroud, Brooke Tartar, Maggie Walker, Annie Wesner
  • YOUNG APPRENTICES……Elizabeth Cain, Claire Connell, Sarah Goecke, Carson Gril, Rachel Kearney, Owen Kearney, Alina Koenig, Danny Kopak, Kaia Owens, Mia Ridenour, Olivia Scalfaro, Will Schirmer, Casey Simone Smith. Chloe Isabella Smith, Ellie Toadvine

The show is directed by Joel Saeks, music direction by Jeanne Bilyeu and choreography by Emily Brinkman.

Four performances are:

  • Friday March 21 at 7:30 pm;
  • Saturday March 22 at 3:00 pm (sign language interpreter provided);
  • Saturday March 22 at 7:30 pm; and
  • Sunday March 23 at 3:00 pm. 

at the Mason Middle School Theater, 6370 Mason Montgomery Rd, Mason, OH 45040

Special presale tickets are only $10 before March 3rd; and $12 after March 3 and at the door. For tickets and more information, see www.ActingUp.com.

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CCPA Present I LEFT MY HEART – A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett

February 27 – March 23, 2014
Created by David Grapes and Todd Olson

Tom Highley, Deondra Kamau Means, Brian Wylie & Mark Magistrelli.

Tom Highley, Deondra Kamau Means, Brian Wylie & Mark Magistrelli.

I LEFT MY HEART sports a thrilling score of 40 standards all recorded by Bennett, including “Because Of You,” “Stranger In Paradise,” “Top Hat, White Tie And Tails,” “The Best Is Yet To Come,” “On Green Dolphin Street,” “When Will The Bells Ring For Me,” “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams,” “I Wanna Be Around,” “The Good Life,” “Rags To Riches,” and his best-known hit, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

Dan Doerger, Director; Mark Magistrelli, Music Director; Greg Underwood, Choreographer; Jenny Lutes, Production Stage Manager

The Cast includes: Tom Highley, Deondra Kamau Means and Brian Wylie

I LEFT MY HEART – A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett

(Performances February – March, 2014)

  • Thurs. Feb. 27 – Fri. Feb. 28 – Sat. Mar. 1 – Mar. 2
  • Thurs. Mar. 6 – Fri. Mar. 7 – Sat. Mar. 8 – Sun. Mar. 9
  • Thurs. Mar. 13 – Fri. Mar. 14 – Sat. Mar. 15 – Sun. Mar. 16
  • Thurs. Mar. 20 – Fri. Mar. 21 – Sat. Mar. 22 – Sun. Mar. 23 

Where: Covedale Center for the Performing Arts – 4990 Glenway Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45233

Tickets: $24.00 for Adults, $21.00 for Seniors/Students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com or by calling the box office at 513 241 6550.

For more information, contact the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts, (513) 241 – 6550.

Check us out on the web @ www.cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com.

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