Category Archives: Press Releases

October 25, 2023 · 6:03 pm

ON CUE Newsletter

ACT_logoON CUE

The electronic newsletter of the Association of Community Theatres of Greater Cincinnati
Conference Wrap Up  September 1-4, 2023

What a weekend. What a conference. The Southwest knows how to have a good time.

As co-chair of the conference, Peggy Kenney did an excellent job with keeping the whole thing in motion. Unfortunately, Robert Weidle, the other co-chair had some medical issues that took him away from his assistance, but he is on the mend and hopefully he will continue to get stronger.

As in the past, there was an activity scheduled for anyone to take part in. Each day, there was a different activity that allowed people to collect stars for prizes. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, there were hotel stays donated by various hotels in the area and each had an activity associated with it. All of the daily winners were still eligible to win the grand prize which was a 3-night stay in Gatlinburg, which was given by an anonymous donor. The winner of that stay was Ruth Crowley.

The attendance this year was not as high as it has usually been for our region, but considering the state of theatre these past few years, it wasn’t bad. There were 226 people who registered for the full package, 95 for Saturday, 44 for Sunday, and 18 musicians. Out of these, there were 152 first time attendees. Sharon Buchtman and Judy Berrens had plenty of activities for them to participate in with one person winning a basket of goodies. It is hoped that a lot of them will return next year, even if they are not in an excerpt.

Besides all of the excerpts, there were workshops scheduled on all aspects of theatre from acting, to technical elements, stage combat, and the administrative side of theatre. There were also workshops on how to write a play. One of the highlights of the weekend was a workshop by Richard Oberacker who not only gave a highlight of how a musical comes together but also a Musical Theatre Master Class. He worked with several individuals and offered in-depth advice and specific techniques on elevating the performance of a song into a unique expression of character. All who attended this workshop benefited from his expertise.

So, for those of you who don’t know, our region had 4 excerpts at the OCTA conference. In case you didn’t hear, here is the list of awards handed out to our groups. Congratulations to everyone on the awards.

 JOHN MICHAEL DURNIL MERIT IN ACTING AS GEORGE KINKY BOOTS
THE CAST MERIT IN ENSEMBLE KINKY BOOTS
THE ORCHESTRA EXCELLENCE IN MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT KINKY BOOTS
ROBERT BRESLIN OUTSTANDING IN MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE AS CHARLIE PRICE KINKY BOOTS
GARRETT KLAAS OUTSTANDING IN MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE AS LOLA/SIMON KINKY BOOTS
REBECCA WALL OUTSTANDING IN MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE AS LAUREN KINKY BOOTS
CHAD BRINKMAN OUTSTANDING IN DIRECTING A GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
ALAN MASTERS OUTSTANDING IN MUSICAL DIRECTING A GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
AMANDA MARASCH OUTSTANDING IN CHOREOGRAPHY A GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
THE CAST OUTSTANDING IN ENSEMBLE A GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
THE CAST OUTSTANDING IN VOCAL ENSEMBLE A GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER
WAYNE WRIGHT OUTSTANDING IN VARIETY PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION A GENTLEMEN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER

THE GODS OF COMEDY

DOUG BERLON EXCELLENCE IN SOUND DESIGN
JENNIFER DAY OUTSTANDING IN DIRECTING
THE CAST OUTSTANDING IN ENSEMBLE

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

ELLIS QUINNE MERIT IN ACTING AS RODOLPHO
BURT MCCOLLOM MERIT IN ACTING AS ALFIERI
BRIANA KENNEDY EXCELLENCE IN ACTING AS CATHERINE
TOM PETERS OUTSTANDING IN DIRECTION
JONN BACA OUTSTANDING IN FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
KEITH CASSIDY OUTSTANDING IN ACTING AS EDDIE CARBONE
MARY STONE OUTSTANDING IN ACTING AS BEATRICE CARBONE

Each year, OCTA inducts people or theatre groups into the Hall of Fame. These nominations are for a lifetime of commitment to promoting theatre. It is an honor to announce that Burt McCollom was chosen to be inducted into the OCTA Hall of Fame. Those of you who have had the pleasure of either having him for a teacher, a director, or a fellow actor on stage, know that he is most deserving of this honor. Congratulations Burt.

There were several theatres who were recognized for technical awards. Footlighters Inc., Loveland Stage Company and Village Players of Fort Thomas all received awards for their newsletters and Footlighters, Inc. also received awards for their website. There were no submissions from our region for set design or costumes, so if your theatre wishes to be considered for any of these competitions, check the OCTA website for information on what the requirements are for entering. We have some great technical work on our shows, so all you technical people, look into entering for 2024.

Speaking of the 2024 conference, the theme was announced at the Monday brunch. The OCTA board are conference chairs and the theme is Thinking Outside the Box. Next year’s conference will be held at the Midland Theatre and Cherry Valley once again the hotel. Also at the 2024 conference, if you wish to be considered for the 2025 AACTfest, you MUST submit your theatre at this conference. Rules and regulations are/will be available on both the AACT and OCTA websites.

ACT held their first meeting September 26 at St Rita’s. Rivertown Players in Lawrenceburg, Indiana was voted in as the newest theatre member. Welcome and know that we are all happy to have you. ACT meets the 4th Tuesday of each month except for December, July and August. Urge your ACT rep/alt to attend and make your theatre voice heard.

The board approved the proposed budget presented by Jon Scheiding for the 2023-24 season. Jon is also working to get every board position a google email address and to move all to business to google workspace to provide continuity when new people assume the various positions.

The bylaws are still being updated by John Wesseling and Joy Sharp with a few submitted each meeting for approval by the member theatres. It is an ongoing process and John and Joy are doing a great job of updating them.

ACT 1st VP, Amanda Emmons Shumate is looking into moving the ACT-OCTAFest from Parrish Auditorium. At this time, the person we have dealt with is retiring at the end of the year and the college is not signing any contracts until after January 1st.  Amanda is looking for a new venue that won’t be as far away for some of our groups to travel. Also, if this change comes about, she is also looking at hotels that will be large enough to host our annual banquet. Even though the Embassy Suites has been a good hotel, ACT has pretty much outgrown the facility. Hopefully she will have answers by the October meeting.

2nd VP, Mark Culp reported on the number of shows that took place over the summer as well as those shows that are scheduled to open by the end of the year. He is placing responders with these shows and is always on the hunt for new people to train. If you or someone you know is interested in being a responder, submit your name. With the number of theatre and shows, this is a much-needed job. The bylaws state that each theatre must provide a responder candidate for each show they perform over the season.

Amy Waldfogle is working on the annual awards and stated that Fairfield Footlighters, MERIT Theatre, Beechmont Players, and Mason Community Players on deck for committee. She is also chairing the education committee and has added Doug Bruening and Denise Schneiders to that committee. The idea behind this is to pair someone who wants to learn a skill, e.g., lighting, with a person who has that skill set. This is a valuable tool for everyone to become more educated on the various skills.

Arlene Balzco who is working on the annual Scholarships has set the 1st Saturday in February as the date for the auditions with the 2nd Saturday as a snow date. More information will be coming. These scholarships are open to any student who is pursuing a college degree in theatre.

Mary Stone has been doing an excellent job at marketing ACT. If you have been seeing a Show of the Week on Facebook, this is due to her. She is also keeping the website current and full of information. Be sure and check all of these out.

ACT will be celebrating its 70th year in 2024-25.  When ACT celebrated 50 years, there was an updated history of ACT member groups. This is something that needs updating. So, please send a history of what has happened to your group in the past 20 years along with any pertinent information you want included. Send those histories to Linda Roll at llroll69@hotmail.com. This document will then be added to the website and kept with the history logs. There are also some missing years of history, so anything your group can add will be greatly appreciated. Just as an FYI, ACT was started in order to have a calendar so that there wouldn’t be more than one group presenting a show at any given time. Easy to do when there are only 13 groups doing one or two shows a season. Not so easy now with the number of theatres and shows that are being done.

Thank you for being a part of Greater Cincinnati Theatre.
Any errors, mistakes or omissions are not intentional.

Linda Roll, editor
llroll69@hotmail.com

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October 25, 2023 · 6:03 pm

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Presents World Premiere Musical FINONA: The Musical, Nov. 29–Dec. 29

ETC_Fiona(Cincinnati, OH) Everyone’s favorite hippo makes her musical debut! Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is thrilled to present Fiona: The Musical, written by Cincinnati native Zina Camblin and ETC composer David Kisor. This touching story reminds us of the power of perseverance, compassion, and never giving up on the underdogs—or underhippos! Playing November 29 – December 29, 2023, this world premiere musical is holiday fun for the entire family! Directed by D. Lynn Meyers. Premiere Sponsor is Schueler Group. Opening Night Sponsors are Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and The Grant & Ross Family in honor of Fred & Sondra Ross.

When Fiona is born two months early at only twenty-nine pounds, the odds are stacked against her. But when a determined team of zookeepers and doctors refuses to give up on the little hippo that could, the beautiful friendships that form might be just the thing to give Fiona the strength she needs.

“Fiona’s story had a very rocky beginning and was a stressful time that, thanks to a great animal care team, had a happy ending,” says Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard. “It was hard for me to imagine how that could be captured in a musical, but I’m confident that the creative team at ETC will make it fun.”

“Her story, her battle, her strength; it’s irresistible,” says ETC’s Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “It’s an amazing story about never giving up. Fiona: The Musical is about something that seemed impossible and instead became reality. This production helps us celebrate Ensemble’s own underdog story and unlikely journey of survival. It’s not only a love letter to the zoo, but also a celebration of extraordinary possibility.”

About the Cast

Michael G. Bath (Lesser Kudu/Dudley) returns for his 26th consecutive holiday show with Ensemble Theatre, where he was last seen in The Dancing Princesses and Tiny Beautiful Things, as well as Crabble in Fly By Night, Eddie in The Legend of Georgia McBride, Ian Smithton in The Other Place, and Adam in Next Fall. He also played Duke Salinus and Dr. Pinch in The Comedy of Errors at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

Darnell Pierre Benjamin (Giraffe/Dr. Cornelius) is a creative, educator, and community builder from southern Louisiana. He earned his MFA from the University of Houston’s Professional Actor Training Program. He was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in The Dancing Princesses and Cinderella. Some of his other credits include Wrecking Ball and The Importance of Being Earnest with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Darnell is also a professor in the arts programs at Northern Kentucky University, Xavier University, and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. 

Sara Mackie (Bibi) is an alumna of the Wright State Acting BFA Program. She performed with Ensemble Theatre most recently in The Dancing Princesses, Cinderella, The Frog Princess, Fun Home, and many other productions since 1999, including Hands on a Hardbody, all three Wonderette iterations, Rabbit Hole, and Mauritius, among others. Some of her regional credits include This is Tom Jones!, An Act of God, and Family Ties, Human Race Theatre; Pump Boys and Dinettes, The Carnegie; Wrecking Ball, The Taming of the Shrew, and Pride and Prejudice, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, New Edgecliff Theatre. You can also catch her briefly in the feature films The Bikeriders, The Public, and Dark Waters.

Andrew Maloney (Pelican/Zander) was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in The Dancing Princess (2022 and 2017), Alice in Wonderland, and First Date. His other ETC credits include Violet, Around the World in 80 Days, and Snow White. Internationally, he appeared in the Ecuadorian premiere of West Side Story at the Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador. His recent credits include Rent, Assassins, The Little Mermaid, and A Chorus Line.

Brooke Steele (Colobus Monkey/Diana) has appeared numerous times at Ensemble Theatre, where some of her favorite credits Cinderella in Cinderella, Vasilisa in The Frog Princess, Miriam in Fly By Night, Violet in Violet, and Suzy Simpson in The Marvelous Wonderettes.

Kate Wilford (Red Oxpecker/Pam) was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in The Dancing Princesses (2022), and other holiday productions such as Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. Some of her favorite ETC credits include Good People, Becky’s New Car, Hands on a Hardbody, and Women of Lockerbie. She has worked at every professional theater here in Cincinnati and has taught theater arts for over thirty years.

Brandi La’Sherrill (Zoe) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. Her most recent credits include the jazz icon Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin) at The Carnegie and Dorothy in The Wiz Jr. (directed by Broadway’s Zhailon Levingston) at The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. In 2024, she will tour Harriet Tubman: Straight Up Outta’ the Underground, a one-person interactive storytelling experience she wrote.

Erin McCamley (Fiona) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. Erin is a multifaceted performer, music director, singer/songwriter, and educator who believes strongly in the healing, transformative power of the arts. Some of her favorite credits include Lizard Boy and All One, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; As You Like It, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Rumpelstiltskin, Clearstage; [title of show], Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre; And Baby Makes Seven, Queer Theatre Collective; SALTY, The Tank NYC; The Cherry Orchard, Columbia NYC; and more. Erin is the co-creator and performer of She’s Crazy, which has toured for seven years.

DeAndré Smith (Henry) makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. In addition to performing locally, he has performed both nationally and internationally with companies based in Indiana, Montana, Ohio, and Virginia. His favorite credits include Once on This Island, A Wrinkle in Time, Bat Boy: The Musical, All-One! The Dr. Bronner’s Play, Jerry Springer: The Opera, and I Have a Dream: The Life and Times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are last season’s acting apprentices Emmy Rice (Ostrich/Teen) and Elexis Selmon (Yellow Oxpecker/Sam), as well as this season’s acting apprentices Hannah Beaven (Annie), TaShauna Ajoi Jenkins (Bearcat/Wanda), Maddi O’Connell (Cal), KG Rucker (DJ), and Jordan Whittaker (Cris).

Production team: Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer), Steve Goers (Music Director), Dee Anne Bryll (Choreographer), Darnell Pierre Benjamin (Choreographer), Maria Fernanda Ortiz Lopez (Costume Designer), Emily Porter (Sound Designer), Mia Catherine Teboe (Associate Sound Designer), Kelly Yurko (Wig & Makeup Designer), Becca Schall (Projection Designer), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Curator & Design Assistant), Jacob Dowell (Technical Director), and Chris Lipstreu (Associate Production Manager). Production Stage Manager is Margot Whitney. Assistant Stage Manager is Lexi Muller. 

Performance Information
Performances are Wednesday-Saturday at 7:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Performances vary. A complete calendar of performances is available at www.ensemblecincinnati.org.

Ticket Prices
Tickets for adults start at $35 with ETC’s 30 for $35 discount; student tickets are $28; and children are $24. Half-Price Rush Tickets: All remaining tickets for the current day’s performance(s) are available two hours prior to each show time for half-price (discount only applies to adult tickets) when purchasing by phone or in person. 30 for $35: For every mainstage performance, thirty tickets will be available for $35 each with the promo code 30F35. These are first come, first serve, and the promo code will not apply the discount if all tickets have already been claimed. $15 Student Rush Tickets: Students may purchase up to two $15 student rush tickets two hours prior to show time with valid student I.D. Available in person only.

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2023-2024 Season Presenting Sponsor is the LKC Foundation.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences.

 

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October 20, 2023 · 1:27 pm

BLERDS Postponed at Know Theatre

KTC_BlerbsAfter careful consideration, Know Theatre of Cincinnati has elected to postpone our holiday production of BLERDS, by J. Corey Buckner, to 2024. Amended dates for the run will be announced at a later time.

We remain tremendously excited to bring audiences this story of three middle-schoolers on a quest to meet their hero (and the coolest, Blackest Jedi in the galaxy), Samuel L. Jackson. It’s a tribute to the stories that have become our modern mythologies, and to the moments in all our lives where we stood balanced between childlike wonder and adult pragmatism.

BLERDS is a big show, full of adventure, and that means it also has a sizable production budget, most of which goes to pay a living wage to the cast and production team. Planning our seasons is always a careful balance of production expenses across all shows weighed against a combination of projected ticket sales and contributed revenue from individual gifts, corporate giving, and foundation support. It costs us about $80 per ticket issued to make theatre, with an average ticket price of under $20. That means we’re dependent on contributed revenue to make each show possible.

BLERDS was slated to be the most expensive production of the season, and we were unable to find the necessary funding in advance of the scheduled start of rehearsals. We’re taking more time to find the financial support needed to fulfill our mission of keeping ticket prices accessible while paying everyone who works with us a living wage.

We strive for transparency in our finances, and our budget is available for public perusal at knowtheatre.com/budget. We use MIT’s Living Wage Calculator to estimate the value of a living wage in Cincinnati, which for 2023 is put at $15.33 per hour.

American theatre is facing a tough time, with a steep decline in the foundation and charitable giving that makes the work possible, along with continuing trends in reduced attendance since the return to live performances following pandemic shutdowns. According to the National Endowment for the Arts’ Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, from 2017 to 2022 the adults who reported seeing a musical theater production fell from about 17 percent to 10 percent; the number for nonmusical plays dropped from about 9 percent to 5 percent. The last year has seen many theatre companies across the nation forced to shut their doors for good, due to the repercussions of this new reality.

Derek Snow, the director of BLERDS, said this in support of the Know’s decision:

“I fully support this decision to postpone the show until next season. Creating art, particularly Black art, has been increasingly difficult lately. Between the funding climate and continuing low attendance across the national theatre sector, particularly with the closure of one of my favorite theaters in the world, the New Repertory Theatre, I get it. I am very protective of the projects that I choose, as well as the ability to fully honor the playwright’s vision to the best of my ability. Moving the show into next season guarantees that we have the time and resources to create the show that our city deserves. I am grateful to the friends at Know Theatre for fighting for this wonderful show, and we look forward to seeing all of you in the audience this time next year!”

Patrons who have already purchased tickets to BLERDS will be contacted in the coming days about rebooking or refunding their tickets. Anyone who’s contributed to the BLERDS crowdfunding campaign will still see their donations go to funding the production, and all pledge perks will be honored during the run of the show.

To keep Know Theatre bright during the holiday season, the Know’s staff of intrepid artist-administrators are preparing a slate of short-run productions to benefit the Know during November and December. We’re locking down details now – stay tuned for exciting updates shortly! 

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. 

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. 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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October 20, 2023 · 8:00 am

Cincinnati Opera and CCM to Workshop LINCOLN IN THE BARDO, a New Opera by Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, through Opera Fusion: New Works Partnership

Based on George Saunders’s award-winning novel, the work has been commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera and is a co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and Los Angeles Opera

The Opera Fusion: New Works workshop of Lincoln in the Bardo culminates in a free, public presentation of excerpts on Sunday, November 12

CO_Lincoln in the Bardo

CINCINNATI (October 19, 2023)—Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) have announced the next workshop in their groundbreaking joint program, Opera Fusion: New Works.

In collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera, the Cincinnati partners will host a workshop in November 2023 for the new opera Lincoln in the Bardo, with music by Missy Mazzoli and libretto by Royce Vavrek, based on the celebrated novel by George Saunders. Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera and a co-production of the Metropolitan Opera and Los Angeles Opera, Lincoln in the Bardo is slated to receive its world premiere in 2026.

Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is co-directed by Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera, and provides composers and librettists the opportunity to collaborate with singers and creative personnel to refine their works-in-progress. During the November workshop, Mazzoli and Vavrek will work alongside conductor Steven Osgood, stage director Lileana Blain-Cruz, dramaturg Paul Cremo, and a cast of singers including renowned soprano Christine Goerke, to take the opera to its next creative stage.

The OF:NW workshop for Lincoln in the Bardo will culminate in a public performance of excerpts on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at 2 p.m. (ET) at Cincinnati Opera’s Corbett Opera Center at Music Hall (1243 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). The performance will be followed by a conversation about the opera with Mazzoli, Vavrek, Saunders, Osgood, Cremo, Goerke, and the cast, moderated by Guarino and Mirageas. Admission to the performance and post-performance conversation is free, though seating is limited and reservations are required. Tickets become available on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 12 p.m. (ET) and can be reserved at cincinnatiopera.org or by calling 513-241-2742.

Opera Fusion: New Works is generously funded by the Mellon Foundation.

About Lincoln in the Bardo
Lincoln in the Bardo is a new opera by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by George Saunders, which spins a fantastical and supernatural tale inspired by a true historical event. In the early days of the Civil War, President Lincoln’s beloved 11-year-old son, Willie, dies unexpectedly and is laid to rest at Georgetown Cemetery. A grief-stricken Lincoln returns several times to the crypt to hold his son’s body. Meanwhile, Willie finds himself in a strange purgatory where ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, quarrel, and enact bizarre acts of penance. Within this transitional state—called, in the Tibetan tradition, the bardo—a monumental struggle erupts over Willie’s soul. As in the novel, the opera employs a kaleidoscopic panorama of voices to ask a timeless, profound question: How do we live and love when we know that everything we love must end? (Description adapted from Penguin Random House.)

About Opera Fusion: New Works

Funded through a generous gift from the Mellon Foundation, Opera Fusion: New Works (OF:NW) is a partnership between Cincinnati Opera and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) dedicated to fostering the development of new American operas. This collaboration is jointly led by Robin Guarino, professor of opera at CCM, and Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera. OF:NW offers composers or composer/librettist teams the opportunity to workshop an opera during a residency in Cincinnati. Residencies utilize the facilities, personnel, and talent of both Cincinnati Opera and CCM. The workshops are cast with a combination of CCM students and professional artists, and each workshop concludes with a free public presentation of excerpts followed by an audience Q&A session. For more information, visit ofnw.org.

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. Cincinnati Opera also receives general season support from the Ohio Arts Council, 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.

About CCM
Nationally ranked and internationally renowned, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a preeminent institution for the performing and media arts. The school’s educational roots date back to 1867, and a solid, visionary instruction has been at its core since that time. CCM offers nine degree types (BA, BM, BFA, MFA, MM, MA, AD, DMA, PhD) in nearly 120 possible majors, along with a wide variety of pre-collegiate and post-graduate programs.

Declared a top college vocal program by Backstage Magazine and described as “one of the continent’s major music schools,” by the Toronto Star, CCM’s Departments of Opera and Voice provide one of the most comprehensive training programs for opera singers, coaches, and directors in the United States. CCM offers an international faculty of dedicated educators who are also celebrated professionals in their own right, widely and currently active in their respective fields. Several national opera companies hold auditions at the conservatory, and CCM students frequently advance to the final rounds of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. CCM graduates have performed on the stages of the world’s greatest opera companies, including Cincinnati Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera (London), La Scala (Italy), and more. To learn more, visit ccm.uc.edu.

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October 20, 2023 · 7:58 am

The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department Presents THE LARAMIE CYCLE

WHHS_The Laramie Project

Members of The Tectonic Theatre Project played by Arrow Coker, Adah Mosher, Jonathan Rubin, Charles Burdsall, Clark Sayre, and Nola Stowe. Photo by Mikki Schaffner. Costumes by Diabou Fall.

Cincinnati, OH- Following a fantastic season last year, the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome back audiences to The Rick Steiner Black Box Theater with THE LARAMIE CYCLE.

Part I, The well-known classic THE LARAMIE PROJECT, runs November 2nd-4th, 2023 at 7 p.m. with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, November 4th. Part II, the lesser-known THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER runs December 9 &10, 2023 at 2 p.m. with an additional 7 p.m. performance on Saturday, December 9.

In October 1998, a twenty-one-year-old student at the University of Wyoming was kidnapped, severely beaten, and left tied to a fence in the middle of the prairie outside Laramie, Wyoming. His bloody, bruised, and battered body was not discovered until the next day, and he died several days later in an area hospital. His name was Matthew Shepard, and he was the victim of this assault because he was gay. Moisés Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project made six trips to Laramie over the course of a year and a half, in the aftermath of the beating and during the trial of the two young men accused of killing Shepard. They conducted more than 200 interviews with the people of the town. Some people interviewed were directly connected to the case, while others were citizens of Laramie, and the breadth of the reactions to the crime is fascinating.

Kaufman and Tectonic Theater members have constructed a deeply moving theatrical experience from these interviews and their own experiences in Laramie. THE LARAMIE PROJECT is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable.

Ten years later on September 12th, 2008, five members of Tectonic returned to Laramie to try to understand the long-term effect of the murder. They found a town wrestling with its legacy and its place in history. In addition to revisiting the folks whose words riveted us in the original play, this time around, the company also spoke with the two murderers, McKinney and Henderson, as well as Matthew’s mother, Judy Shepard. THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER is a bold new work, which asks the question, “How does society write its own history?”

“On the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, we are incredibly honored and excited to be the first high school theatre program in the area to do both of these plays as a cycle.” says director Mike Sherman. “Matthew’s murder was a watershed moment for our country that inspired a generation of activists, and we feel these two plays still have many lessons to teach us about how we as a country react to, respond, and view national tragedies like this.”

Tickets are $13 for adults and $11 for students. They are now available, and can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets.

CONTENT WARNING: Verbal descriptions of violence, assault, death and use of sexual orientation slurs.

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by the Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.

THE LARAMIE PROJECT
Featuring cast members Katie Berich, Norah Boehm, Charles Burdsall, Andrew Canter, Nate Caudill, Arrow Coker, Elijah Cook, Aida Doumbia, Kyra Doty, Noa Jaffee, Christian Jordan, Josie Leanza, Caroline Lovelace, Adah Mosher, Hoyt Noble, Larena Peart, Khara Rosebrook, Jonathan Rubin, Clark Sayre, Lauryn Shafer, Jude Shotwell, Wolf Singer, and Nola Stowe.

Directed by Mike Sherman
Assistant Director by Laylah Torain
Technical Direction by Helen A. Raymond-Goers
Production Stage Manager- Abbie Kershner
Assistant Stage Manager- Richie Bell
Costume Designer- Diabou Fall
Hair and Makeup Designer- Lizzy Rebber
Co-Props Designers- AJ Frecker and Oran Wilkins
Props Manager- Oran Wilkins
Lighting Designer- Sophie Glenn
Scenic Designer- Ryan Peerless
Sound Designer- Maya Busche
Mistress Electrician- Maya Busche
Head of Marketing and Publicity- Lizzy Rebber

THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER
Featuring cast members Corrine Adams, Andrew Canter, Theo Davis, Kyra Doty, Morgan Felsburg, Clare Graff, Izzy Lachey, Clark Sayre, and Wolf Singer

Directed by Mike Sherman
Assistant Director- Emma Dalton
Production Stage Manager- Abbie Kershner
Assistant Stage Manager- Maya Busche
Costume Designer- Katie Berich
Costume/Hair and Makeup Assistant Designer- Lizzy Rebber
Hair and Makeup Designer- Corrine Adams
Lighting and Scenic Designer- Ryan Peerless
Mistress Electrician- Maya Busche
Props and Set Decoration- Morgan Felsburg and Wolf Singer
Props Manager- Oran Wilkins
Sound Designer- Oran Wilkins
Head of Marketing and Publicity- Lizzy Rebber

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