Tom Coiner and Kristin Yancy. Photo by Mikki Schaffner
Patrick Hamilton’s “Gaslight” adapted by Steven Dietz and produced in partnership with Massachusetts theater company, Merrimack Repertory Theatre opens Sep. 8
Cincinnati, September 7, 2023 – The official start of the 30th Anniversary Season at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company opens with a World Premiere: Patrick Hamilton’s Gaslight in a new version for the stage by Steven Dietz and produced in partnership with Merrimack Repertory Theatre. Directed by Courtney Sale, Gaslight sees it World Premiere on CSC’s stage September 8-24, 2023 before moving to Lowell, MA. The design of Gaslight is generously sponsored by President H. James Williams and First Lady Carole Campbell Williams of Mount St. Joseph University, Theater Arts Department.
The sanctity of marriage is threatened when sanity is at stake. Strange things start to happen to the newlyweds Bella and Jack in this turn of the century Victorian thriller as their seemingly perfect marriage devolves into something sinister. Why is the attic door locked? Whose footsteps wander the halls at night? And is that gaslight flickering… or not? Bella’s reality is twisted, forcing her to question both the truth and her husband’s intentions in this haunting thriller based on the acclaimed play and classic film and the story that gave rise to 2022’s word of the year: Gaslight.
A play originally written in the 1930s by Patrick Hamilton, and known for the 1944 film adaptation that reigns beside other film noirs like The Maltese Falcon and Double Idemnity, Gaslight’s newest revamp takes the stage. Steven Dietz, the playwright behind CSC’s fan favorite production of Dracula, is thrilled to be “the latest writer to take a crack at [Gaslight].”
“The enduring appeal of Gaslight is that there are secrets in our lives,” says Dietz. “These can be delicious or dangerous secrets. In his 1930s play, Patrick Hamilton put that in a pot boiler atmosphere where the secrets are dangerous and urgent, seeking to unsettle and entertain at the same time.”
This thriller will play in Cincinnati September 8 – 24, 2023 before the entire production, cast, and crew transfer to Lowell, MA, near Boston, for a run there as a part of this rolling world premiere. Merrimack Repertory Theater (MRT) will celebrate 43 years this season as the Merrimack Valley’s professional theatre. Under the leadership of the Nancy L. Donahue Executive Artistic Director Courtney Sale, MRT strives to fulfill its mission to “create remarkable new and contemporary plays that bring joy to our art form while engaging, entertaining and enriching our community.”
Gaslight ensemble features CSC fan favorites such as Jim Hopkins and Candice Handy, while welcoming Jack Bausch and Christian Hall along with visiting actors Tom Coiner, Karen MacDonald, and Kristin Yancy to the stage. Tom Coiner and Kristin Yancy play Jack and Bella, the couple at the center of the thrilling and suspenseful plot.
The creative team tackles the world of this Victorian thriller directed by Courtney Sale. Scenic and costume designs by Samantha Reno and Rainy Edwards, respectively, with Laura Glover as Lighting Designer. Sound design and properties design by Robert Carlton Stimmel and Kara Eble Trusty. Fight choreography is by Gina Cerimele-Mechley.
Gaslight runs from September 8-24, 2023. Performances of Gaslight are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with two Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM on September 17 and 24, and two Saturday matinees at 2:00 PM on September 16 and 23. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. The final Sunday matinee on September 24 is Sign Language Interpreted and Audio Description service is available.
Tickets are on sale now. Discounts are available for students, seniors, local residents, and community partners, as access to all is important to CSC. Each performance night has a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets in the Upper Gallery and Stage Gallery. These can be purchased in advance by going online or calling the Box Office. And starting 1 hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets may be available as a discounted Rush Ticket to anyone, not just students. These tickets are only $12 and could be located anywhere in the house, depending on that evening’s availability. These cannot be reserved more than 1 hour before a show and must be purchased in person in the Box Office. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees apply. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at http://www.cincyshakes.com.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park. Many parking spaces are available on the street and in nearby lots and garages- for more information, visit http://www.otrchamber.com/pages/WheretoPark.
CSC also offers Valet Parking for every performance! Make reservations for $25 in advance when purchasing tickets, or visit www.cincyshakes.com/parking. Purchasing in advance guarantees a spot. Valet is available right at the corner of 12th and Elm Street in front of the theater and begins approx. 1.5 hours before a performance. Cars can be picked up for up to one hour following a performance. (After one hour, you will need to arrange pick up with the valet service directly.) After purchasing, the valet will have your name on the list— it’s that easy!
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Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 30th Anniversary 2023-2023 Season is generously sponsored by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr Foundation; along with our Education Season Sponsors, Debby and Jim Mason; and our Operating Support Partners, The Ohio Arts Council, The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source of arts funding.
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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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Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 