(CINCINNATI, FEB. 8, 2012)– Annie Fitzpatrick has earned an award as leading actress in a play from the League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) for her role as Hannah in Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s regional premiere of Allison Moore’s COLLAPSE.
Fitzpatrick portrays a woman whose life is falling apart following the 2007 Mississippi River Bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Her husband, who drove off the bridge, is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and Hannah finds herself on the brink of losing her job, unable to get pregnant and struggling with a visit by her flaky sister. Know Theatre describes the show as “an uncomfortably funny exploration of the crumbling structures that under-gird our bridges, our economy and our most intimate relationships.”
LCT panelists called Fitzpatrick’s portrayal “fine tuned, nuanced and believable.” According to one panelist, “Fitzpatrick was high strung and collapsing right in front of us. I’m still hyped up from her performance two hours later.”
A fixture on local stages, Fitzpatrick is making her Know Theatre debut in COLLAPSE. She recently appeared in SNOW-WHITE and GHOST-WRITER at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati and in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. She has worked regionally at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva Theatre, Florida Stage, Florida Studio, CATCO, New Edgecliff Theatre, Human Race Theatre Co. and Porthouse Theatre.
COLLAPSE continues through March 3. Ticket information is available at www.knowtheatre.com.
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.info.
“The Farnsworth Invention proves that it takes time and perseverance for miracles to happen.” – Sophomore Katharine Moser, Pem Farnsworth
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s Department of Theatre and Dance presents THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION, directed by Michael Hatton and written by Academy Award winning writer, Aaron Sorkin. The production runs from February 16th through February26th in the Fine Arts Building’s Corbett Theatre.
THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION tells the story of Philo Farnsworth, a boy genius from Rigby, Idaho who, at age 22, invented television only to become involved in an all-or-nothing legal battle with David Sarnoff, the young president of RCA and America‘s first communications mogul who claims electronic television falls under the generic claims of an earlier patent which RCA owns.
In this classic tale of little guy versus the corporate machine, Farnsworth not only fights for his rights but for his slice of the American Dream. “The interactions between the two men intrigue you about their stories and provide an interesting insight into their lives,” says sophomore Matthew Krieg, David Sarnoff. We, as Americans, love a good David and Goliath story where the underdog is up against a huge opponent and playwright Aaron Sorkin truly delivers a fascinating version of this classic scenario. “The play is very timely; In the news we hear of class warfare, rich versus poor… and with the idea that ‘corporations are people too’ we wonder how much influence these companies truly have over the political and judicial systems in order to get what they want,” Hatton says, “What does it mean for American society when such an imbalance occurs? How can anyone overcome such a towering monolith? It’s a very interesting dynamic that we explore in the play.”
Bringing a twist to the “historic” play, Aaron Sorkin, writer of The Social Network, Moneyball, Charlie Wilson’s War, The West Wing, and A Few Good Men, doesn’t necessarily stay true to the historical facts and uses artistic license to punch up certain dramatic moments. For example, Sorkin portrays Farnsworth as an alcoholic, an interesting choice as there are conflicting historical reports as to the extent of his alcohol use. Farnsworth was Mormon and so we don’t often get to talk about associating those two dynamics. The fact that those issues are brought together adds to the dramatic tension of the play. The story itself is told from the somewhat cloudy memories of both Farnsworth and Sarnoff who both act as omniscient narrators. Sorkin plays up the idea that through the haze of time memories change and often become completely different in our minds than what actually happened.
With the belief that radio and television would have enormous power and influence in the world, both men spoke often on how important these mediums would be and how they could potentiallyend illiteracy, stop war, and make the world a better place. Both Farnsworth and Sarnoff believed in the potential of this incredible technology. They would become enemies, however, because Sarnoff wanted to control how it was utilized. THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION is an exhilarating experience and one that leaves you in a rich mood. Backed by an incredibly talented cast with freshman Wes Carman as Philo Farnsworth, come and see these two intellectually stimulating men battle and witness history come to life before your very eyes.
THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION runs Feb 16-Feb 26 in NKU’s Corbett Theatre.
Show Times:
8pm Tuesday-Saturday
3pm Sunday
There are NO Monday performances
Tickets:
Single ticket prices are as follows: Adult $14, Faculty/Staff/Alumni $13, Senior Citizen $11, Students (with valid ID from any school) $8.
*We also provide a group rate to parties of 10 or more at $10 per ticket.
To get more information and to buy tickets call the NKU Theatre & Dance Dept.’s Box Office @ 859.572.5464 OR online at http://theatre.nku.edu/boxoffice.
Box Office hours are Monday through Friday, 12-5pm.
Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s Whipping Man
Earns Three League of Cincinnati Theatres Awards for Acting, Design
Ken Early & Jarred Baugh in ETC's THE WHIPPING MAN. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.
(CINCINNATI, FEB. 1, 2012)– Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s (ETC) production of Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Man has earned three awards from the League of Cincinnati Theatres for its design and acting ensemble. The Civil War-era drama, winner of a 2011 Outer Critics Circle Award, is making its regional premiere at ETC.
Set during Passover in 1865, at the end of the war, the play is the story of a wounded Confederate soldier who returns from battle to find his Virginia family home in ruins, abandoned except for the presence of two former slaves, who were raised as Jews in the home. The play’s twists and turns find the three men grappling with their complicated history and with long-buried family secrets.
The cast for the show, described as “pitch perfect” by one LCT panelist, includes Jarred Baugh, Ken Early and Mark St. Cyr. “The production was a true ensemble piece with each actor supporting the other.”
ETC’s resident designer Brian c. Mehring earned two awards for his scenic and lighting work. According to one panelist, “I absolutely believed I was looking into the ruins of a Southern mansion during the Civil War. The set was solid and functional, and it set the mood as soon as the audience entered the theatre.”
The Whipping Man continues through Feb. 12. [Please note, extended through Feb. 18 -Rob] Details and ticket information are available at www.cincyetc.com.
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.info.
Tom Durkin, Joe Jones, Patrick Phillips, Dave Woellert, Henry Farfsing, Jeff Tuttle, Mike Sherman, Rob Bucher, Mike Dennis, director Greg Procaccino, Brandon Wentz, Mackenzie Durham Smith, Bob Allen, Justin Baldwin, Brett Bowling, Jim Stump, Jeff Groh & Mike Nalley. Photo by Holly Yurchison.
(CINCINNATI, FEB. 1, 2012)– The League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) has awarded Covedale Center for the Performing Arts’ production of THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIALl with two performance awards. Jeff Groh was singled out for his role as Lt. Barry Greenwald, while the entire ensemble also was recognized for their contributions to the show.
Based on his own Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Herman Wouk’s CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL tells the story of a young World War II Naval lieutenant accused of mutiny. In the midst of a typhoon, he relieved his ship’s captain of command under the belief that the man’s erratic and paranoid behavior placed the crew in grave danger.
As the trial’s reluctant defense attorney, Groh earned his award as leading actor in a play. LCT panelists described his performance as outstanding. “His performance … rose to the top of the ensemble in its professionalism,” said one panelist.
The rest of the show’s ensemble similarly was recognized, described as being “particularly strong, as each person taking the stand brought something memorable.” The cast includes Brandon Wentz, Mackenzie Durham Smith, Justin Baldwin, Bob Allen, Brett Bowling, Patrick Phillips, Mike Sherman, Joe Jones, Mike Dennis, Jim Stump, Dave Woellert, Mike Nalley, Rob Bucher, Henry Farfsing, Tom Durkin and Jeff Tuttle.
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.info.
(Wellington, Fla.)— Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC) of Ohio was named the grand prize winner Jan. 31 of the LED Source® LEDko Challenge, and will receive a complete LED lighting makeover worth $20,000. CSC was chosen among dozens of staging, education, studio, installation, and theater professionals throughout North America who participated in the contest by submitting a video of their lackluster lighting systems to be considered for a complete LED lighting upgrade. As the grand prize winner, CSC—which employs a resident ensemble of actors that put on nine main stage productions seen by more than 25,000 audience members each year—will have their aging, energy-draining stage lighting replaced with eight Reflection LEDko fixtures by Coemar, the sponsor of the contest.
The LEDko Challenge, which launched in October 2011, was created by LED Source in celebration of the launch of the new Reflection LEDko series by Italy-based Coemar—a world leader in lighting for the entertainment industry. As the exclusive distributor of Coemar LED products in North America, LED Source wanted to get the word out about the launch and award a deserving organization with the latest in LED profile technology.
“Although we received several outstanding video submissions, the group at CSC went above and beyond,” says Marcel Fairbairn, president and CEO of LED Source. “We can’t wait to deliver the new Reflection LEDko fixtures this month and show what a difference the right lighting can make in this setting.”
CSC was chosen as the winner among the top five finalists for their submission of a creative and humorous video demonstrating their “ancient” lighting system, which theater employees said often caused blackouts and delays during rehearsals and performances.
“Our current lights are basically the SUV’s of the lighting world,” said Brian Phillips, producing artistic director of the CSC. “We are so grateful for this opportunity, as it will change our lives and our art in a profound and meaningful way. The unique challenges of our theater space make CSC, LED Source and Coemar a perfect fit.”
Finalists were selected by a panel of experts made up of both LED Source and Coemar senior management, and the grand prize winner was chosen by fans on the Reflection LEDko Facebook page through a voting process. As the contest winner, power outages and outdated stage lighting will be a thing of the past for CSC, which has been producing classic Shakespeare performances since 1993 and educates more than 20,000 theater students annually through its educational outreach programs. LED lighting will allow CSC, which produces classic multi-scene adventure plays, to seamlessly transition from a battle scene to a banquet in the blink of an eye.
Reflection LEDko is a revolutionary new LED fixture and the first LED profile delivering both Soft Profile and Hard Edge Profile using mix and match optics. With this new technology, Coemar has created the first LED profile capable of projecting soft-edged profile light that can be used in the same way as traditional profiles and can obtain any color tone, shade and white light.
Applying the Reflection LED technology as a retrofit makes it possible to reduce energy consumption from 500-650 Watts to 150 Watts. The LED lamps last up to 50,000 hours without loss of brightness, thus eliminating maintenance costs associated with traditional profiles.
Because LEDs do not emit heat, Reflection LEDko is capable of utilizing images or gobos created with any standard printer and a transparency sheet. This technology allows users to project any image quickly and without cost, while also eliminating the entire gobo buying process, which was previously dependant on glass or metal patterns.
Reflection LEDko is one fixture that can virtually eliminate or significantly reduce all costs related to lamps, dimmers, scrollers, gel filters, heat, cabling, electricity and manpower. All LEDko series fixtures feature electronic 16-bit dimming, flicker-free operation with DMX controllable LED frequency from 500 to 5000 Hz and a bi-directional DMX512.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide the CSC with the revolutionary Reflection LEDko LED profile fixtures, which enhance the stage experience by providing an energy and space-efficient lighting solution,” said Fausto Orsatti, vice president of sales and marketing at Coemar. “LED lighting will allow for more lighting versatility and no dimmers, resulting in a more streamlined stage production.”
The Reflection LEDko fixtures will debut on the CSC stage in time for either the late winter production of “Sense and Sensibility” or an early spring performance of “The Grapes of Wrath”. This is CSC’s first lighting upgrade in five years.
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About LED Source®: Founded in August 2005 by Marcel Fairbairn, LED Source® is a national and international supplier of LED lighting that specializes in full-scale evaluations and retrofits through its Retrofit Division, in addition to providing consultation all the way through to supply on new projects within their Architectural and Entertainment Divisions. Additionally, the company launched a franchise program in October 2009 and expects to have a network of 150 franchise offices throughout North America within three years. For more information, please visit http://www.ledsource.com or the company’s blog at http://getleducated.wordpress.com
About Coemar: Established in 1933 and based in Castel Goffredo, Italy, Coemar Spa is a world leader in lighting for the entertainment industry. The company also develops, manufactures and sells its products for architectural and commercial applications and guarantees pre-sale and after-sales services. At an international level, the company operates in five continents with a network of over 50 distributors. http://www.coemar.com
About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for audiences of all ages. Located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, CSC produces eight main stage productions each season at its home on Race Street. CSC employs a resident company of actors and artists who live and work in Cincinnati year-round, and performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with Actors’ Equity Association. CSC’s current season is generously sponsored by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company receives operating support from The Ohio Arts Council and is supported, in part, by the generosity of thousands of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave, formerly the Fine Arts Fund. The season design sponsor is Judge Mark Painter. Creative Services are provided by Possible Worldwide. CSC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible. For more information visit http://www.cincyshakes.com
(CINCINNATI, FEB. 8, 2012)– Annie Fitzpatrick has earned an award as leading actress in a play from the League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) for her role as Hannah in Know Theatre of Cincinnati’s regional premiere of Allison Moore’s COLLAPSE.
