Category Archives: Season Announcements

April 16, 2018 · 10:53 am

Know Theatre Invites You to Summon Your Courage for Season 21: FEAR ITSELF

KTC_logoFear manifests itself in many ways: the monsters around us, monsters inside of us, in
the darkness on the periphery of our vision, in difficult truths, in confessions, in honesty,
in deceit, in times of change.

In our 21st season, Know Theatre takes a journey through our fears: how we face them,
how they consume us, and how we conquer them.

The season features two world premieres (one a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere), two second productions, and two regional premieres. We’re presenting new works by fan favorite playwrights Joseph Zettelmaier and Steve Yockey , and introducing playwrights Reina Hardy and Darcy Parker Bruce to Cincinnati audiences.

In our MainStage season, Know maintains our commitment to gender parity in the playwrights we produce, as well as in our onstage roles and creative teams. And this season we’re taking it even further, with women filling nearly two-thirds of total onstage roles, as well. Says Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford:

“We’re so excited by the lineup for the coming season: the new voices we get to share with our community, the opportunities for collaboration with our local artists, and the way in which the themes of these shows interact with the world around us. From the fantastical to the socially aware, the simple to the epic, this season has a little bit of everything I love about live theatre.”

MainStage

TBA by TBA
Regional Premiere
Directed by TBA
July 27-August 18, 2018

We cannot wait to tell you what this show will be… but we’re going to have to, since we still have to confirm the licensing agreement.

10 words or less: Trust us, it’s gonna be so cool.
Rated: Probably PG.

THE MAN-BEAST by Joseph Zettelmaier
Directed by Brant Russell
Second Production!
October 19-November 10, 2018

In the late 18th century, the wilds of France are stalked by the fearsome Beast of Gévaudan, which has claimed over one-hundred victims in three years. King Louis has offered a rich reward to the hunter who kills the beast, and hunters have come from all over the country to take it down.

But an outcast forester and a strange woods-witch are crafting their own plans to claim the prize.

From the playwright of Know fan favorites Pulp and All Childish Things comes a class conscious tale of mystery, passion, and suspense…all inspired by a French legend of a werewolf.

10 words or less: There are wolves in the woods.
Rated: PG-13.

SUSAN SWAYNE AND THE BEWILDERED BRIDE by Reina Hardy
Directed by Tamara Winters
Second Production!
November 23-December 15, 2018

Meet Susan Swayne and the Society of Lady Detectives – aside from their interest in swordplay, they’re all perfectly proper Victorian women. Or are they? When the distraught Isabelle Fontaine-Kite insists that a member of the S.o.L.D. is actually her missing husband, Eric, Susan Swayne is on the case! Cross-dressing, double-crosses, opium and topless fencing make for a period action farce with “sass and ovaries of steel.” ( Chicago Now )

Know is thrilled to bring the work of playwright Reina Hardy to Cincinnati with this swashbuckling adventure story that explores questions of identity and ambition within the social constraints of Victorian society.

10 words or less: Mary Poppins meets the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Rated: PG.

RED BIKE by Caridad Svich
National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere
January 11-February 2, 2019

What kind of future will you have living in these here United States? Remember when you were eleven years old and you had a bike, one that made you dream about a world bigger than the one in which you live? This is that memory. Except it is now.

RED BIKE is a story of changing cities and the fears we face on the precipice of the big wide world. Know is the third stop in this National New Play Network Rolling world premiere, joining productions by Pygmalion Productions (Salt Lake City), Simpatico Theatre (Philadelphia), and The Wilbury Theatre Group (Providence).

10 words or less: Cities change. People change. Get on the bike and ride.
Rated: PG.

ALWAYS PLENTY OF LIGHT AT THE STARLIGHT ALL NIGHT DINER by Darcy Parker Bruce
Directed by Alice Flanders
World Premiere!
February 22-March 16, 2019 

When an asteroid threatens the earth, the logical escape is your favorite diner, especially when that diner just might be a Time Machine. Always Plenty of Light… is a SUPER queer time travel adventure about finding hope and connection in the face of insurmountable odds. With Dinosaurs. A cross between Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and Fried Green Tomatoes.

10 words or less: A SUPER queer time travel adventure. Lesbians! Dinosaurs! Danger!
Rated: PG-13.

MERCURY by Steve Yockey
Directed by Andrew Hungerford
Regional Premiere: Third Production Ever!
April 19-May 11, 2019

Three stories cross outside of Portland, OR in a pitch black comedy with an illicit affair, a couple hanging on by a thread, bears at the window, the worst curiosity shop on the west coast, and an adorable missing dog named Mr. Bundles. No one’s happy, people stop being nice, and blood spills. This mash-up of myth, missing empathy, and “good neighbors” explores what happens when the mercury rises.

This delightfully dark play from Steve Yockey, the author of Heavier Than… and The Fisherman’s Wife, is the second of his planetary plays, a followup to 2013’s Pluto.

10 words or less : Revenge is a dish best served bloody.
Rated: R.

SecondStage

The Fourth Annual Cincinnati One Minute Play Festival
1MPF invites local writers and community members into their unique playmaking
process. Writers are asked to consider the world around them, their cities, their
communities, and the ways in which they view the world, before writing topical moments that say something about the world as it is in the here and now. Local directors, actors, and community members are tapped to stage, and shape these moments (usually
around 60-70) with a unique local flavor.
Dates TBA

Serials!
SERIALS! 9: Thunderdome
Cincinnati’s Monday Night Theatre Party returns in Winter of 2019!

SERIALS! BINGGEWATCH
We’ll be bringing back one (or more) Serials! Favorites reassembled into full length one acts throughout the season!

PLAY(UNDER)GROUND
Know continues its unique post-show programming in a series of collaborations with local artists to be announced throughout the season. Offered free of charge following MainStage performances, PLAY(UNDER)GROUND provides a chance for artists and audiences to interact in a casual setting that breaks the fourth wall: playing games, singing songs, and creating together in Know’s Underground bar.

AND MORE TO COME.

THE 16TH ANNUAL CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL
May 28 – June 9, 2019
Fringe just keeps getting bigger, better, and weirder. And, as usual, we’ll have some special surprises up our sleeves.

Education

KNOW TO GO!
Education Programming WE bring to YOU.

THE INVENTIVE PRICESS OF FLORALEE
(created for grades K-5)

This original, two-person, interactive, 45-minute fairy tale will have your students “thinking like scientists” as they follow the Princess of Floralee on the adventure of a lifetime, searching for the kidnapped king kept in the clutches of a viciously vile and wrathfully wicked witch. Along the way, young audience members will help the princess solve a variety of math, engineering, science, and even dance challenges as she uses her brains, wit, and sound judgment to find her father in the land Scalenfell. Audiences will laugh and cheer as they meet characters like a figure-skating dragon, a Platypus-saving Pirate, a gate with a flair for the dramatic, and a witch (that they may recognize)! This unique educational opportunity unites science and art by giving kids a chance to laugh, dance, and think critically about topics rooted in STEM.

ALICE IN NEVERLAND

This interactive adventure will have your students on the edge of their seats as they join Alice, the best detective in Wonderland, who takes the case when Peter Pan goes missing! Alice is hired by Peter’s distraught shadow and a fretful Tinkerbell as Neverland is on its head and time is no longer suspended without its beloved Peter! This mashup of everyone’s favorite childhood stories will have your students laughing, cheering, and using critical thinking skills to help Alice decipher clues and crack the case. Will Alice find Peter before he grows up? Will time be restored in Neverland? Will Captain Hook ever be picked for the hockey team? Join us for Alice in Neverland to find out.

Made possible through grants from The Charles H. Dater Foundation, the P&G Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trusts, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee.

BYSTANDER TRAINING: How to be an Advocate
(created for middle and high schools, but is customizable for all groups and ages)

Our bystander training tools and techniques empower anyone by giving them safe and simple steps to “Stand Up” and “Stand By” potential victims of intolerance, abuse, and violence. We customize each presentation to you and use techniques used in theatre to empower potential bystanders and victims of harassment through education and practical application in a real time, improvised scenarios so groups can put these tools to work in a safe situation. This program created in collaboration with Spotlight Training.

GO TO KNOW!
Education programming that brings YOU to US.

DRINK AND PLAY: Adult Summer Camp (created for ages 21 and up)

Imagine your favorite childhood summer camp. Pretty great right? What could have made it better? A fully stocked bar, perhaps? Come join us July 10th-13th for Drink and Play: Adult Summer Camp. During camp, you’ll experience a great blend of your favorite summer camp activities and the collaborative experience of creating a 10 minute play as a cohort — all with a beer in your hand. Join Camp Counselor Dave Powell and other special guests for Capture the Flag, stage combat, trivia night, improv, water balloons, arts & crafts, and playmaking 101.
Each camper receives:

  • Camp T-shirt
  • 1 free daily drink (with discounted “artist prices” on additional drinks)
  • Discounts on Know Season 21 Flex Pass
  • Great stories to tell their friends when they go back to “school”

And keep on the lookout for updates on other adult classes offered throughout the year.

About Know Theatre
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./U.S. Bank 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.

The Know’s educational tours, The Inventive Princess of Floralee and Alice in Neverland , is made possible in part by a grant from The Charles H. Dater Foundation and Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trusts, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate member of the National New Play Network.

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April 6, 2018 · 12:00 pm

2018-2019 Season Announced by Human Race Theatre Company

HRTC_new logo

32nd season is “History in the Making” for Dayton’s Official Theatre Company with a powerful mix of drama, comedy, adventure and music.

(Dayton, OH) — The Human Race Theatre Company (HRTC) is proud to introduce the lineup for its 2018-2019 Eichelberger Loft Series – a five-show collection of works that examines specific moments in history—real and imaginary, corrects ancient history and revisits a part of the company’s own history. The season, featuring one fierce musical and four engaging plays, begins September 6, 2018. In addition to the fully-produced works on the Loft Series, HRTC is launching a new Monday Night Playreading Series with the table readings of three diverse, crowd-pleasing scripts.

The 2018–2019 Eichelberger Loft Series opens with the world premiere about the 1989 battle of wills between Pete Rose and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti – Patricia O’Hara’sBanned from Baseball (September 6 – 23, 2018); followed by an eye-opening, gut-busting visit from The Almighty Herself, An Act of God (November 1 – 18, 2018) by David Javerbaum; 2019 begins with a globetrotting adventure for the whole family in Mark Brown’s adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days (February 28 – March 17, 2019); spring sees the return of a delightful hit from The Human Race’s 1996–1997 season, Sylvia (April 25 – May 12, 2019), A.R. Gurney’s comedy about love and marriage…and a dog; and the season closes with a daring rock musical that tells the tale of what happened when “Lizzie Borden took an ax…,” Lizzie (June 13 – 30, 2019) by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt and Tim Maner.

“While looking at this season a theme became very apparent,” says Human Race President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore. “Each show has a sense of history surrounding it. Whether that be history made or history being made, fictional history or even a piece of Human Race history,  each fit our mission of sharing stories that show our humanity. These are stories to share with your friends, your family and loved ones. Next season, history will thrill us, puzzle us, make us laugh and maybe even cry. You don’t want to miss it.”

The five plays perform in the Loft Theatre, The Human Race’s intimate 212-seat downtown performance space, located in the Metropolitan Arts Center at 126 North Main Street. Throughout the productions’ scheduled three-week runs are a number of associated special events: a Thursday night preview performance, preceded by the “Inside Track” discussion with the director; Friday Opening Night with a free post-show party with the cast; Lite Fare at the Loft, a Tuesday night pre-show dining in the Loft Lobby, with food items provided by Citilites Restaurant; a “While We’re on the Subject” talkback following a Sunday matinee; and a Saturday night signed and audio-described performance opportunity.

The 2018-2019 Eichelberger Loft Series Lineup

BANNED FROM BASEBALL
by Patricia O’Hara
World Premiere
September 6 – 23, 2018

It’s 1989 and a battle for the soul of Major League Baseball is brewing between Commissioner Bart Giamatti and Pete Rose, the reigning Hit King and manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Rose is accused of betting on baseball—even on his own team—an allegation he denies despite the mounting evidence. The intellectual Giamatti wants Rose’s confession, while the larger-than-life Rose wants the Commissioner to believe his denials. This collision of wills comes to a head as they meet face to face. If the charge proves to be true, “Charlie Hustle” could be banned from the game—for life—leaving a black mark on the sport both men love and forever tarnishing a living legend.
Tickets on sale summer 2018.

AN ACT OF GOD
by David Javerbaum
November 1 – 18, 2018

Thou shalt laugh! Get ready for an audience with The Almighty that will have you holy rolling in the aisles. God is here—in human form—and She wants to set the record straight with a new set of Commandments. Joined by Her faithful angels, Michael and Gabriel, She’s ready to clear up a few misconceptions, share a few secrets and answer the big questions that have baffled mankind since Creation itself. The comedy’s divine in the hottest show since the burning bush.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
by Mark Brown
adapted from the novel by Jules Verne
February 28 – March 17, 2019

Jules Verne’s classic tale springs to life in this clever, fast-paced comedy for the whole family. Proper gentleman Phileas Fogg strikes a wager and sets off on a race that puts his fortune and life at risk. With his faithful servant at his side, he has just 80 days to circle the globe—an inconceivable feat in the year 1872! Fierce natives, furious typhoons, runaway trains, a damsel in distress and a dogged detective threaten to delay him at every step in this delightful, whirlwind odyssey that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to unexpected end.

SYLVIA
by A.R. Gurney
April 25 – May 12, 2019

Middle-aged Greg brings home a dog he found—or rather, one that found him—in the park. With no other identification other than “Sylvia” on her nametag, she’s a street-smart mutt with a mind of her own and no shortage of opinions. Sylvia quickly becomes a major bone of contention between Greg and his wife, Kate. To him, she’s a welcome escape from an unhappy job and a loss of purpose. To Kate, Sylvia’s a slobbering, hairy rival for her husband’s affection. This ingenious take on a twisted love triangle leads to plenty of laughs and revelations on love and marriage…and a dog.

LIZZIE
music by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Alan Stevens Hewitt
lyrics by Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer and Tim Maner
book by Tim Maner
June 13 – 30, 2019

“Lizzie Borden took an ax…” And we know what happened next. Or, do we? It’s a powerhouse rock-show retelling of the sensational—and bloody—double murder that shocked New England in the summer of 1892, as told through the fierce performances of four stellar actresses. What starts as the abuse and despair of a troubled woman results in a shocking act of revenge when she takes a hatchet to her oppressive father and stepmother. Charged with the killing of her parents, Lizzie becomes a media sensation even as the trial takes its toll on the relationships with those dearest to her.

The 2018-2019 Monday Night Playreading Series Lineup

SWEAT
by Lynn Nottage
Monday, November 12, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this fiery story explores identity, racial tension and economic politics in the industrial, blue-collar world of the American labor force. Set in hard-hit Reading, Pennsylvania, much of the action unfolds in a local bar where factory coworkers congregate to laugh and commiserate as layoffs loom in the new economy that no longer values things made with human labor – with sweat.

HAND TO GOD
by Robert Askins
Monday, March 11, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

Mischief is at hand when a possessed Christian-ministry puppet named Tyrone and his awkward teen puppeteer, Jason, wreak havoc on their small Texas town. Jason’s mom is preparing the church puppet club to perform after Pastor Greg’s Sunday sermon, but foulmouthed Tyrone has different plans. It’s a struggle between good and evil suitable for adults only that’s so ridiculously raunchy, irreverent and funny, you’re bound to be sore from laughing.

FALLEN ANGELS
by Noël Coward
Monday, May 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

From one of England’s wittiest writers comes a farcical 1920s romantic romp turned titillating treat. Best friends Julia and Jane are both in stable—but sometimes boring—marriages. Their lives are turned upside down when a past lover of both ladies plans a visit. Should they be good wives, or give over to remembered passion? Nerves, alcohol and jealousy make for a hysterical reunion reminiscent of the hijinks of “Lucy and Ethel.”

Monday Night Playreading Series Tickets

Tickets to each reading are $20, with $15 discounted tickets on sale now to Loft Series subscribers. Single tickets go on sale to the general public this summer. Seating is general admission.

More ticketing and performance information on The Human Race Theatre Company’s 2018–2019 and 2017–2018 seasons are available online at http://www.humanracetheatre.org or by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630, and at the Schuster Center box office.

Productions, artists, performance dates and prices subject to change.

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2017–2018 marks the 31st season for The Human Race Theatre Company, “Dayton’s Official Professional Theatre Company.” Founded in 1986, The Human Race moved into the Metropolitan Arts Center in 1991, taking up residence in its current home, the 212-seat Loft Theatre. In addition to the Eichelberger Loft Season, The Human Race produces new works development and special event programming. Under the direction of President and Artistic Director Kevin Moore, the company also maintains education and outreach programs for children, teens and adults, as well as artist residencies in area schools and a summer youth program. Human Race organizational support is provided by the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District, Culture Works, the Shubert Foundation, the Erma R. Catterton Trust Fund, the Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation and the Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The 2017–2018 Sustainability Sponsors are the ELM Foundation, Anne F. Johnson, Steve and Lou Mason, and Morris Home. The 2017–2018 Loft season sponsor is the Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation of the Dayton Foundation, with additional support from Premier Health, Heidelberg Distributing Company and Buckeye Vodka.

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March 30, 2018 · 11:08 am

CBC: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Explores ‘What’s Next’ with 2018-2019 Season

A version of this article was originally published March 30, 2018

CBC_logo
By Rob Bucher

ETC_D Lynn Meyers

D. Lynn Meyers, Artistic Director.

Each year, Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers asks her season subscribers to take a leap of faith and renew their subscriptions prior to the season announcement. The reason: Meyers’ dogged pursuit of regional and world premieres that can delay the announcement until the 11th hour. She jokes, “The ink isn’t even dry on some of these contracts. They are confirmed, but the paperwork is in the mail.” She must be doing something right as 80% of this season’s record high 2,655 subscribers have already renewed their subscriptions prior to this announcement.

“I only go after plays if I care deeply about the value,” confides Meyers. When possible, she uses ETC’s long history with so many writers to approach the playwrights themselves. “Being able to go directly to a writer and tell them how much you loved the script is always my first line if I can.” ETC also enjoys good relationships with theatrical publishing and licensing houses Dramatists Play Service and Samuel French, Inc. “They know us, they know our work, and they know the number of seats we’re selling.”

Each year Meyers chooses a unifying theme for the season. For 2018-2019, Meyers wanted scripts that “talk about people being placed in difficult moments in their lives and how they determine ‘what’s next,’ coming off an accomplishment or a disappointment.” This is exactly the position ETC finds itself in today, “because we’re not talking about building the building anymore. We did that. It’s pretty cool…but where do we go?”

Meyers is referring to the October 2017 completion of the $6M expansion and renovation of ETC’s Vine Street home. The theatre proper boasts new and larger seats, additional hand rails, and a new elevator which also allows access to seating from the top of the audience. Patrons can now enjoy an expanded, spacious lobby; a new bar and lounge area; and additional restrooms. Other changes include larger administrative offices and the addition of a spacious rehearsal hall.

The 33rd season opens with “Fly By Night,” a darkly comic rock-fable musical. This ode to young love is set during the Northeast blackout of 1965. A gypsy prophecy propels a melancholy sandwich-maker and two bewitching sisters through a star-crossed journey of love and connection. Winner of the 2011 Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award and nominated for four Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, performances of “Night” run Sept. 1-29.

ETC_Alice in Wonderland2

Deb G. Girdler as The Queen of Hearts in ETC’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

For their annual holiday, family-friendly musical, “Alice in Wonderland” returns Nov. 29-Dec. 30. From the local creative team of Joseph McDonough and David Kisor, join Alice and her bubbly friends for an unforgettable tea party. This production features an updated score from Kisor and exuberant, colorful costumes.

In “Ripcord,” a sunny room on an upper floor of the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility becomes the battleground in a dangerous game of one-upmanship between two tenacious golden girls. When cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with happy-go-lucky Marilyn, she has no choice but to get rid of the infuriatingly chipper woman by any means necessary. This wickedly funny and deliciously inappropriate comedy by Pulitzer prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire runs Jan. 19-Feb. 16.

March brings the regional premiere of the wildly inventive American comedy “A Doll’s House, Part 2” to Cincinnati. Nominated for eight Tony awards, including Best Play, this unauthorized sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 groundbreaking classic takes place 15 years after iconic heroine Nora famously slammed the door on her marriage, leaving her husband and children behind. In “Part 2,” Nora returns a changed woman with an incredibly awkward favor to ask of the family she abandoned.

ETC_Detroit67 03web

Bryant Bentley as Lank & Burgess Byrd as Bunny. (background) Leslie Goddard as Caroline in DETROIT ’67. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

Meyers describes “Skeleton Crew” as “one of the best plays I’ve read in ten years.” Penned by acclaimed, rising star playwright Dominique Morisseau, the funny, tough and tender American drama follows a tight knit group of employees facing the realities of big business bureaucracy in one of Detroit’s last-standing auto plants during the 2008 Great Recession. Morisseau’s “Detroit ’67” was part of ETC’s 2014-2015 season. “Skeleton Crew” runs April 13-May 11.

The season concludes with the regional premiere of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist, “The Wolves.” The widely-acclaimed firecracker of a debut by writer Sarah DeLappe takes the stage from June 1-29. With their undefeated winter season on the line, this pack of elite teenage female athletes are battling their way to the national indoor soccer championships. As the final game of the season approaches, will pressures on—or off—the field prevent the team from reaching their goal? Meyers calls the work “very real, brutally honest, and fiercely contemporary.”

As a bonus to the season, ETC is offering a two week limited run of “St. Nicholas” by Conor McPherson. A jaded theatre critic spins a tale beginning with obsession and ending with a descent into a macabre world of vampires. Is it all a drunken lie? A tantalizing fairy tale? Or is it his own version of a higher truth? This one-man show welcomes back audience favorite Bruce Cromer. “We didn’t get to have [Bruce] on our stage this year due to scheduling conflicts and I didn’t want another year to go by without him.” A perfect fit for Halloween, the show runs Oct. 12-28.

Subscriptions for the 2018-2019 season are now on sale. Individual tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, July 30th at 10 a.m. For more information visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org or call the Box Office at 513.421.3555.

2018-2019 Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Season

  • “Fly by Night,” Sept. 1-29
  • “St. Nicholas,” Oct. 12-28*
  • “Alice in Wonderland,” Nov. 29-Dec. 30
  • “Ripcord,” Jan. 19-Feb. 16
  • “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” March 2-30
  • “Skeleton Crew,” April 13-May 11
  • “The Wolves,” June 1-29

*Season Extra

 

 

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March 27, 2018 · 2:42 pm

Falcon Theatre Announces Its 2018-19 Season Lineup

FT_logoNewport, KY — Falcon Theatre Artistic Director Ted Weil has announced the theater’s slate of plays for its 2018-19 season. The lineup offers a wide range of dramatic genres and styles…from a modern-day classic to a compelling drama that forces the audience to reexamine the horrific events of September 11…from a playful, madcap spoof of a much-beloved murder mystery to a Depression-era story of hopeful dreams in a hopeless time.

 Production dates have not been set, so the slate of titles is in no particular order.

  • Yankee Tavern by Steven Dietz — Just when you thought you’d heard every crazy 9/11 conspiracy theory, a stranger walks into Yankee Tavern, an old neighborhood joint on the ground floor of a decaying New York City hotel. The young proprietor of the bar and his fiancée find themselves caught up in what might be the biggest conspiracy of all. This powerful dramatic thriller leaves audience members wondering until the last minute whether they should be laughing…or horrified.
  • The Lion in Winter by James Goldman — “Well, what shall we hang? The holly or each other?” A tale of sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons set in the middle ages, this dramatic comedy chronicles the story of King Henry II and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, during Christmas of 1183. Eleanor, who has been imprisoned since raising an army against her husband, has been freed just for the holidays. The question of who among their three sons will inherit England’s throne is the focus of the action. The duplicitous machinations and outright power-grabs by the sons, along with witty and razor-sharp dialogue, have made this story an audience favorite for more than fifty years.
  • The Exonerated by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen — This compelling plays presents the hard-hitting and unflinching stories of the real-life experiences of six survivors of death row. Gleaned from interviews, letters, transcripts, case files, and public records, this play is the tale of six individuals convicted of murder but ultimately spared the death penalty by DNA evidence, confessions from the real killers, and cold-case detective work. The strikingly similar experiences of the survivors are interwoven to reveal a pattern that paints a picture of an American justice system that may not always be blind.
  • Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage — In the midst of the Great Depression, the creative spirit of New York’s Harlem Renaissance meets the harsh truths of the real world. Angel, a struggling blues singer and nightclub performer, and Guy, a costume designer who dreams of working for celebrities, live next door to the more serious and political Delia, a social worker with the goal of opening a community family planning clinic. Each must face his or her own challenges head on, but always with hope for a better life close at hand. As they search for a way to keep their dreams of love, career, and service alive in times of economic despair, they learn that the Great Depression can’t destroy the source of their creative spirit.
  • Baskerville by Ken Ludwig — Put on your deerstalker hat! The playwright who gave us Lend Me a Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic The Hound of the Baskervilles into a murderously funny adventure. The male heirs of the Baskerville line are being dispatched one by one. To find their ingenious killer, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must brave the desolate moors before a family curse dooms its newest heir. Our intrepid investigators try to escape a dizzying web of clues, silly accents, disguises, and deceit as five actors deftly portray more than forty characters. Does a wild hellhound prowl the moors of Devonshire? Can our heroes discover the truth in time? Join the fun and see how far from elementary the truth can be.

Artistic Director Ted Weil: “We’re extremely excited about the year. We strive to build well-rounded seasons, with a balance of classics and newer works, including area premieres. This slate of plays is true to our mission and gives our patrons a slate of productions that will appeal to every taste.”

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March 23, 2018 · 2:01 pm

NKU Announces 2018-2019 Theatre + Dance Season

NKU_SOTA logoHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University | School of the Arts | Program of Theatre and Dance is excited to announce our 2018-19 academic season. An exact schedule of performances will be released in August 2018.

BIG FISH
Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Book by John August
September 27 – October 7, 2018
NKU Corbett Theatre

Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, BIG FISH tells the larger-than-life tale of Edward Bloom, a man who leads a full and fantastical life – according to the stories he tells his family. His adult son, Will, who is getting married and expecting a child of his own, is no longer amused by his father’s extravagant tales and is determined to find his father’s “true” life story, once and for all. Overflowing with heart, humor and beautiful music, BIG FISH is a powerful and magical musical about fathers, sons, and the stories that we use to define our identities.

MARISOL
By José Rivera
October 23 – 28, 2018
NKU Stauss Theatre

Winner of the 1993 Obie Playwriting Award, MARISOL follows a young, book-smart woman named Marisol Perez, who works in Manhattan as a copy editor. After narrowly escaping a vicious attack, she is visited by her guardian angel who informs her that she can no longer serve as Marisol’s protector since she has been called to lead an angelic campaign to dethrone and kill an old and senile God – a struggle which throws the human world into complete chaos. MARISOL is a poetry-infused dark fantasia that grapples with a combination of surreal situations, spiritual and social issues, and political consciousness – a fascinating mix of the gritty and the sublime.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Adapted by Jon Jory
November 29 – December 9, 2018
NKU Corbett Theatre

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is a refreshingly fast-paced and engaging new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel involving manners, courtship and relationships. When the independent-minded Elizabeth Bennet meets the handsome but enigmatic Mr. Darcy, all feelings of attraction are muted by his pride and her prejudice. As their worlds keep colliding, their attraction increases and the sparks begin to fly in directions no one could have predicted.

CABARET
Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred EbbFebruary 14 – 24, 2019
NKU Corbett Theatre

CABARET turns pre-war Berlin of 1931 into a sexually charged haven of decadence. At the seedy Kit Kat Club, a struggling American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, wanders into the club overseen by a garish and gender-bending Master of Ceremonies. There he meets Sally Bowles, a talented cabaret performer who holds her male admirers at a distance, keeping her from developing genuinely deep emotions. They’re all living in a morally ambiguous vacuum of desperate anxiety, determined to keep up appearances as the real world – the world outside the comfortable sanctuary of the cabaret – prepares for the nightmarish chaos of war. CABARET is a finely tuned combination of devastating drama and ebullient entertainment, and the result is one of the most substantial musicals ever made.

THE Y.E.S. FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS
April 4 – 14, 2019
NKU Corbett and Stauss Theatres

Be the first to see world-premiere plays in our 19th Biennial YEAR END SERIES (YES) FESTIVAL. Titles will be announced in January 2019.

SEASON EXTRAS

FIRST YEAR SHOW
November 9 – 11, 2018
NKU Stauss Theatre

This production shows off our talented freshman and transfer students.

DANCE ‘19
April 26 – 28, 2019
NKU Corbett Theatre

Not to be missed, DANCE ‘19 features a company of our best young dance artists. Full of new and innovative works created by faculty, guest artists, and nationally renowned choreographers in creative expressions including theatre dance, contemporary and classical ballet, tap, modern, jazz, and world dance, DANCE ‘18 features something for everyone!

For more information, call the NKU School of the Arts Box Office at (859) 572-5464 or visit nku.edu/sotatickets. Tickets will go on sale in September 2018.

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