The storefront Clifton Performance Theatre is quickly becoming known as a small theatre with BIG talent. The intimate evolving stage at the CPT is home to the critically acclaimed Clifton Players and Untethered Theater. It has been a big year for CPT. Last season alone the CPT performances garnered 7 League of Cincinnati Theater Nominations and 3 honorable mentions. Actor/writer Kevin Crowley’s play Sarge was the Critics Pick of the Fringe and the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. A short written by Crowley and starring actors Carol Brammer and John Lawson won best film for the 48 Hour Disability Film Challenge Film Festival and has been selected for other film festivals. Clifton Players are currently in New York City performing Crowley’s original play, The Monkey’s Paw at the New York City Fringe Festival.
The 2014-2015 season opens with “The Riverside.” It is a play by Kevin Crowley with a talented ensemble cast.
CPT MAIN STAGE SEASON
“The Riverside” written and directed by Kevin Crowley Thurs. Sept. 11 – Sat. Sept. 27, 2014
The play is set in Cincinnati in 1989. It was a seminal year, Tiananmen Square, the fall of the Berlin Wall and in Cincinnati, icon Pete Rose was permanently banned from the game of baseball. As the denizens of the Riverside bar in Cincinnati closely follow the Rose saga, other big changes are afoot and decisions regarding the future of this family owned bar will irrevocably change the family and it’s patrons.
- TH 11 – 8pm
- F 12- 8pm
- Sa 13 – 8pm
- Su 14 – 7pm
- TH 18 – 8pm
- F 19 – 8pm
- Sa 20 – 8pm
- Su 21 – 3pm
- M 22 – 8pm
- TH 25 – 8pm
- F 26 – 8pm
- S 27 – 8pm
“All New People” by Zach Braff, directed by Jared Doren Fri. Nov. 7- Sun. Nov. 30
Charlie’s birthday first goes wrong when Emma stumbles in, disrupting his suicide attempt. Taking this as divine intervention, Emma demands that she, Milton — a firefighter with some interesting extra-curriculars — and the bubbly Kim throw Charlie a party to convince him to keep living. Throughout the course of the night, aided by flashbacks, the group learns that everyone is running from something, but in the end, life is what you make it.
- F 7 – 8pm
- Sa. 8 – 8pm
- Su 9 – 7pm
- TH 13 – 8pm
- F 14 – 8pm
- Sa 15 – 8pm
- Su 16 – 3pm
- M 17 – 8pm
- TH 20 – 8pm
- F 21 – 8pm
- Sa 22 – 8pm
- Su 23 – 3pm
- F 28 – 8pm
- Sa 29 – 8pm
- Su 30 – 7pm
“August: Osage County” by Tracy Letts, directed by Buz Davis Winter 2015 dates TBA
The funeral of patriarch Beverly brings the large Weston family back to their Oklahoman homestead. But what’s being buried is nothing compared to what’s dug up. Incendiary family secrets, generational conflict and repressed truths explode in this portrait one of the most dysfunctional families the stage has ever seen. Hilarious, taut and truthful.
“Three Days of Rain” by Richard Greenberg, directed by Leah Strasser Fri. May 1 – Sun. May 24, 2015
How well can we ever know those around us? Even our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, are they who we think they are?
Walker, Nan and their childhood friend Pip meet for reading of their father’s will, where an unexpected bequeathment triggers a rift in their friendship. THREE DAYS OF RAIN takes us from the lives of these friends to the formative years of their parents, exposing secrets that would come to be buried under decades of expectation, estrangement, mental illness. A heartbreaking, unexpectedly romantic family story.
- F 1 – 8pm
- Sa 2 – 8pm
- Su 3 – 7pm
- TH 7 – 8pm
- F 8 – 8pm
- Sa 9 – 8pm
- Su 10 – 3pm
- M 11 – 8pm
- TH 14 – 8pm
- F 15 – 8pm
- Sa 16 – 8pm
- Su 17 – 3pm
- TH 21 – 8pm
- F 22 – 8pm
- Sa 23 – 8pm
- Su 24 – 7pm
Special Productions (not included with main stage season passes)
October
“Sarge & The Monkey’s Paw” written by Kevin Crowley Fri. Oct 10 – Sun. Oct. 19
- F. 10 – 8pm
- Sa 11- 8pm
- Su 12 – 7pm
- TH 16 – 8pm
- F 17 – 8pm
- Sa 18 – 8pm
- Su 19 – 3pm
Sarge–This one-woman show was the critic’s pick in the 2014 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. David Lyman of the Cincinnati Enquirer described Christine Dye’s performance as “a solid, unflinching portrayal of a woman in a state of crisis, yet trying to hold her life together.” adding that after it’s sold out run in the festival, “I suspect that “Sarge” will be the show that people (will) still (be) talking about. It is that good.” CPT is proud to bring back this remarkable show for a very limited run.
The Monkey’s Paw is a hilarious, surreal look at parenting and marriage. Mike and Tish’s son Tommy is missing. Tish can’t leave their home until he returns and Mike can’t ever get the house clean enough. This short play has been produced in London and NY and returns to Cincinnati for a limited run, in rep, with Sarge.
January
“She’s Crazy” (Mental Health and Other Myths)” written by Sherry McCamley and Cathy Springfield original music by Sherry McCamley
Thurs. Jan. 22 – Sun. Jan. 25
- TH 22 – 8pm
- F 23 – 8pm
- Sa 24 – 8pm
- Su 25 – 3pm
A cabaret-style program exploring how our society treats the subject of mental illness, with the goal of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Using our own stories, music, and interactive media, we hope to entertain as well as inform!
Made possible by a generous grant from the Cincinnati Recreation Commission.
March
“The Irish Curse” Gala fundraiser Weekend
The Boys are back and funnier than ever in this play about a support group for men with “body” issues. The Irish Curse is funny, and endearing.
Fri., Mar 20 and Sat 21 at 8:00pm
- F 20 – 8pm show
- Sa. 21 – 8pm show, band and catered party to follow
Tickets may be purchased for the entire season or individually. You can find out more at
www.cliftonperformancetheatre.com
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 