THE WEDDING SINGER
Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Mystery Theatre: THE ADVENTURERS’ CLUB
Oct. 20-21
BOEING, BOEING
Jan. 12-14
Mystery Theatre: WHO’S KILLING THE GREAT CHEFS?
Feb. 9-10
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA
April 12-21
PUFFS or Sever Increasingly Eventful Yeras at a Certain School of Magic and Magic
June 14-16
Filed under Season Announcements
PROOF
Catherine has inherited her late father’s mathematical brilliance, but she is haunted by the fear that she might also share his debilitating mental illness. She has spent years caring for her now-deceased father, and upon his death, she feels left alone to pick up the pieces of her life without him. Caught between a new-found connection with Hal, one of her father’s former students, and the reappearance of her sister, Claire, Catherine finds both her world and her mind growing increasingly unstable. Then Hal discovers a groundbreaking proof among the 103 notebooks Catherine’s father left behind, and Catherine is forced to further question how much of her father’s genius or madness will she inherit. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, David Auburn’s Proof is a passionate, intelligent story about fathers and daughters, the nature of genius, and the power of love.
TIMELESS: A Musical Revue
Neil Simon’s GOD’S FAVORITE
Successful businessman Joe Benjamin has admittedly had a wonderful life. He has a successful business selling boxes while living with his family in their beautiful Long Island mansion. Joe, being a devout religious man, attributes all of his success and happiness to the big “G” himself: God. But when an eccentric messenger from God visits Joe all hell breaks loose! Joe, God’s favorite servant, is being put to the test; he must either renounce his faith in God or suffer severe consequences. The jokes and tests of faith fly fast and furious as Neil Simon spins a contemporary morality tale like no other in this hilarious comedy.
SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE!
Tom is a nervous school teacher about to start his first day of teaching. He tries to relax with a little TV when various characters representing facets of his personality materialize from the television set. Tom is hesitant at first to accept their help, but with a little friendly prodding, they help Tom see how great a teacher he has been all along! Reviving the catchy, playful Saturday morning hits of the 70s, Schoolhouse Rock Live! is both educational and enjoyable for everyone!
Agatha Christie’s THE MOUSETRAP
A timeless tale of “whodunnit,” Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap strands seven strangers at Monkswell Manor during a blizzard. But a police sergeant unexpectedly arrives, worried that a murderer-at-large is among the guests of the Manor. Before he can investigate, one of the guests is killed, starting an investigation into the lives and histories of everyone there. One of them is the killer, and another one of them may be next. Will the police be able to solve the case before another “mouse” falls? The world’s longest continuously running play for over 60 years, The Mousetrap continues to delight and intrigue mystery lovers of all ages.
Filed under Season Announcements
Fairfield Footlighters is happy to announce our 2023-2024 season!
THE TEMPEST
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Kate Brauer-Bell
September 22nd-24th, 2023
Putting romance onstage, The Tempest gives us a magician, Prospero, a former duke of Milan who was displaced by his treacherous brother, Antonio. Prospero is exiled on an island, where his only companions are his daughter, Miranda, the spirit Ariel, and the monster Caliban. When his enemies are among those caught in a storm near the island, Prospero turns his power upon them through Ariel and other spirits.
AMATEURS
By Tom Griffin
Directed by Abby James
November 10th-12th, 2023
Amateurs is a full-length comedy by Tom Griffin. The tangled desires and hopes of the guests at an opening night party of a New England community theatre group are examined in this bittersweet and touching comedy about the rambunctious world of “show people,” and the highs and lows of the dramatic business we call show!
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
By George S. Kaufman
Directed by Mark Lunsford
February 23rd-25th, 2024
The family of Martin Vanderhof lives “just around the corner from Columbia University — but don’t go looking for it.” Grandpa, as Martin is more commonly known, is the paterfamilias of a large and extended family of charming eccentrics. His granddaughter, Alice, is an attractive and loving girl who is still embarrassed by her family’s idiosyncrasies. When Alice falls for her boss, Tony, a handsome scion of Wall Street, she fears that their two families – so unlike in manner, politics and finances – will never come together. But why be obsessed by money? After all, you can’t take it with you…
FOUR OLD BROADS
Leslie Kimbell
Directed by John Vanderplough
May 24th-26th, 2024
Retired burlesque queen Beatrice Shelton desperately needs a vacation – and NOT another trip up to Helen, Georgia to see that “precious little German village for the umpteenth time.” A Sassy Seniors Cruise through the Caribbean may be just the ticket if she can just convince her best friend, Eaddy Mae Clayton, to stop praying and go with her. Unfortunately, things have not been very pleasant at Magnolia Place Assisted Living since Nurse Pat Jones began working there. The newest resident, Imogene Fletcher, is suddenly losing her memory. Maude Jenkins is obsessed with her favorite soap opera and planning her own funeral. Sam Smith, retired Elvis impersonator, keeps trying to bed every woman in the building. A mystery unfolds with laughter as the gals try to outsmart the evil Nurse Pat Jones and figure out why so many residents have been moved to “the dark side,” what exactly IS that mysterious pill, and what happened to Doctor Head? Hilarity ensues as Imogene goes undercover and Maude enters the Miss Magnolia Senior Citizen Pageant to throw Pat off their trail. If they can solve the mystery, they may make it to the cruise ship after all.
We can’t wait to see you all as our new season of shows debut!
Filed under Press Releases, Season Announcements
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati ANNOUNCES 2023-2024 season
(Cincinnati, OH) Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC), the region’s premiere theatre, is delighted to announce its 2023-2024 season, which features a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a world premiere comedy, an autobiographical tour-de-force, and the revival of a unique rock musical. Along with this compelling lineup, next season also features the world premiere holiday musical about Cincinnati’s larger-than-life hippo heroine.
“Come together right now at ETC,” says Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “We live in a country that is shattered and fragmented in many ways, so it’s time for us to come back together and share our thoughts and different views in a safe and welcoming place, such as Ensemble Theatre. The shows for the 2023-2024 season are deliberately diverse, deliberately open to your own interpretation. This season will present two world premieres, two musicals, and the opportunity to view life in America through many different lenses.”
About the Plays
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati opens its 38th year with the Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck, September 9–October 1, 2023. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human new play, she embodies her teenage self in order to trace the founding document’s profound impact on not just her own life, but the past four generations of women in her family, starting with the first to set foot in America: a mail-order bride. This boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.
For the holidays, everyone’s favorite hippo makes her musical debut in the world premiere of Fiona: The Musical from Cincinnati native Zina Camblin and ETC composer David Kisor, November 29–December 29, 2023. Based on the true story of the hippo that captured the world’s heart, this story follows Fiona’s journey from a premature baby to a larger-than-life heroine! When Fiona is born two months early at only 29 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 just give Fiona the strength she needs. This touching story reminds us of the power of perseverance, compassion, and never giving up on the underdogs—or underhippos!
Written and originally performed by playwriting legend August Wilson himself, ETC presents the regional premiere drama How I Learned What I Learned, which will run February 17–March 10, 2024. This autobiographical tour-de-force chronicles Wilson’s days as a struggling young writer. In this intimate one-person play, experience his first jobs; his first loves; a stint in jail; his encounters with racism, violence, and music; and how the people of Pittsburgh’s Hill District inspired his celebrated cycle of plays. Following his rise from a young poet to the literary giant we honor today, this timeless and heartfelt memoir charts one man’s journey of self-discovery and what it means to be a Black artist in America.
Next, ETC is thrilled to present the commissioned world premiere of The Match Game by Steven Strafford, April 13–May 5, 2024. Steph has typical mid-life woes on her plate: a precocious daughter about to graduate high school and an absentee father who just moved in, who may or may not be faking dementia. Oh, and did we mention she has a little bit of cancer? Steph has ulterior motives for letting in her dad and a grand scheme to pull it off. When the family gathers for a birthday party with a hidden agenda, they’re forced to confront the truths they’ve been too afraid to acknowledge. The 2022 winner of the Jackie Demaline playwriting competition, this world premiere comedy hilariously reflects on how families aren’t always well matched.
ETC’s 2023-2024 season closes with the regional musical revival of the fan favorite Hands on A Hardbody, taking the stage June 8–30, 2024. Based on the 1997 documentary film of the same name, Hands on a Hardbody garnered three Tony Award nominations and features a brilliant score from Amanda Green and Trey Anastasio (front man for the band Phish), along with a masterful story by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Grey Gardens). For 10 hard-luck Texans, a new lease on life is so close they can touch it. Under a scorching sun for days on end, armed with nothing but hope, humor, and ambition, they’ll fight to keep at least one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it. Inspired by true events and infused with a “fresh roots-rock vibe,” this is the hilarious, hard-fought contest where only one winner can drive away with the American dream. Featuring a catchy combination of blues, rock and roll, and country songs, this musical is a peek into the lives of everyday, ordinary Americans struggling to survive against the backdrop of a broken and beaten working middle class.
Subscriptions On Sale Now
Subscriptions to the 2023-2024 Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati season are on sale now. 4-Show Preview subscriptions are $136 (excludes holiday production); Regular and FlexPass subscriptions range from $215 to $240. ETC will continue its deeply discounted subscription options for students, with packages just $100 for Teen Scene subscribers and just $125 for Student subscriptions.
Single Tickets On Sale July 24, 2023
Single tickets for most productions in the 2023-2024 season go on sale to the general public starting at 10:00 am on Monday, July 24, 2023.
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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.
Filed under Press Releases, Season Announcements
FALCON THEATRE ANNOUNCES 2023 – 2024 SEASON
Plays Focused on Identity, Perception and Humanity
(Newport, KY) — Falcon Theatre Producing Artistic Director, Ted J. Weil, announces Falcon Theatre’s 2023-24 Season, presenting a mix of contemporary works and regional U.S. premieres. This season mark’s Falcon’s 20th anniversary in Newport, KY!
The regional premiere of Two Point OH by Jeffrey Jackson brings the world of artificial intelligence to the stage in a way that is both haunting and exhilarating.
Two Point OH feels like science fiction one moment and today’s news the next. A pioneering software mogul dies and a virtual simulation of him begins appearing to his business partners and his widow. What follows is a timely exploration of what it means to be alive…asking the questions our society must be addressing now as we stand on the brink of a world where AI is everywhere.
Another regional premier, Home, I’m Darling by Laura Wade takes a uniquely fascinating view of domestic life.
In her dark comedy about choosing the life you want to live, Laura Wade’s characters discover that it isn’t easy to turn back the clock to a simpler time. The characters’ choices make them question everything from sex to careers to their very relationship with each other and everyone around them.
Written and originally performed by Leonard Nimoy at the Guthrie Theatre, Vincent explores the life of Vincent Van Gogh in a way that transcends a simple biography.
Artists are traditionally seen as tortured souls and Vincent Van Gogh is one of the world’s most famously tormented artists. This story, told by Vincent’s brother, delves deeply into Vincent’s early obsession with religion, salvation and love…all while using the artist’s paintings and drawings as a backdrop to stunningly crystalize his soul on stage.
The Other Place by Sharr White tells a deeply personal account of losing one’s identity.
When Juliana Smithton takes the stage, it appears we’re watching her give one more of a long string of sales pitches for a breakthrough new drug. Her commentary to the audience provides a window to her inner monologue as she rattles through her presentation. But as her comments veer further and further from the lecture hall, we discover a much darker and painful truth. This play is an unforgettable journey through the human mind.
Breaking The Code by Hugh Whitemore tells the story of Alan Turing, the mathematician who cracked the Nazi code during World War II, saving countless lives from German U-Boats.
Breaking The Code tells us much about Turing’s work with British intelligence during the war, but it tells us far more about the man himself and the persecution he endured after. A brilliant mathematician, Turing was also a gay man living in England in the 1940s…a time when homosexuality was still a crime. His life and personal struggles were as complicated as the wartime codes he eventually cracked, and they proved far more difficult to unravel.
Ted J. Weil, Producing Artistic Director, says, “There’s never been a more important time to examine our own personal identities. Social media, artificial intelligence and the degradation of truth in news have all created a world where our personal challenges to find ourselves are of utmost importance. I’m thrilled with our upcoming season of plays and I believe this is one of the most timely and important seasons we’ve ever assembled.”
The Falcon Theatre 2023 – 2024 Season dates, creative teams, and ticket purchasing information will be available online at falcontheater.net.
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Filed under Press Releases, Season Announcements
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 