Category Archives: Staged Reading

THE OPPOSITE OF FAILURE
Cincinnati Playwright Initiative
Sept. 15
Fifth Third Bank Theatre [Downtown]

A full-length play by Nancy Robinson Crist
Martie has been trying to get back on her feet ever since her thirty-year marriage ended. Crippled by chronic depression, she has tried, without success, to find a treatment that works. But just when she thinks her life won’t get better, hope arrives in the form of a philosophical teen, a flaky coworker, an innovative doctor, and a “flustrated” nephew. Martie learns that, while it’s important for her to help herself, it’s just as important to accept help from the other people sharing her corner of the world.

About the Playwright
Nancy Robinson Crist’s first play, Everything’s Relative, was published by Dramatic Publishing in 1990. Over the next eight years she wrote The Case of the Disappearing Drumsticks, a children’s play; Murder in Mayberry, a comedy; Soul Survivors, a comedy-drama that received a staged reading at Lincoln Center and productions in Chicago and New York; and Jack the Chipper, a musical written with composer Mark Hollmann and produced in Chicago. She was hijacked by life for twenty-eight years before returning to her passion in 2026, writing The Opposite of Failure. She lives in Greendale, Indiana, with her cat and confidante, Javy

• Tue, Sept. 15 at 7:30pm

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Martha’s Will
Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative
April 14
Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater [Downtown]

Written by Susan and Doug Decatur

In September 1919, wealthy Cincinnatian Martha dies. Her lawyer gathers potential heirs to participate in parlor games reminiscent of the early 20th century. The historical events of the time add layers of intrigue that foreshadow how Martha’s “will” is imposed, showing that things aren’t always as they seem to be.

Playwright Bios:
Susan and Doug Decatur became a writing team after their marriage in 2018. They’ve co-written two full-length plays, including Unfinished Business, an Austin Film Festival selection and Screencraft finalist. They also collaborated on Lovestruck, a compilation of eight 10-minute plays inspired by their own love story. Both plays were performed at the Aronoff.

• Tue, April 14 at 7:30pm

Official page |

AN EVENING OF THEATER (5 Staged Readings)
Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative
Feb. 10
Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater [Downtown]

WELCOMING ECHOES
Written by Paul Bergman
Welcoming Echoes follows John Lewis from his youthful days to his gradual “justice-awakening” and full embrace of the “Beloved Community.” The words of Lewis, the power of his commitment to Civil rights and non-violence, the poignancy of painful reversals, and the glory of his later years entwine in a tapestry of a dynamic life.

Playwright Bio:
Paul is a retired professional who has long had a fascination with history and how certain people were pivotal in shaping it. In particular, the struggle for human rights rings its bell with a clarion call to awareness.  Paul believes stories from the past can instruct us, provide a sense of the “Why?” and inspire us to act.

NEXT TRAIN TO PLATFORM 22
Written by Roger Collins
Two strangers, two journeys, two very different destinations.

MUST BE THE MUSIC
Written by Roger Collins
Music: the medium of emotion, and desire, and hope.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH CAFE
Written by Roger Collins
A good cup of coffee with the right music…you’re ready for (almost) anything!

THE HOLY TERRORS
Written by Roger Collins
This brand of paintball takes teamwork, tactics, and a dose of theology.

Playwright Bio:
Roger Collins is professor emeritus at the University of Cincinnati where he received the Cohen Award for Excellence in Teaching. He has published short stories and drama in literary journals, and his short plays have been produced locally and in New York, Florida, and California. His sci-fi novel, Cities of Glass, was published in 2022.

• Tue, Feb. 10 at 7:30pm

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