Tag Archives: Cincinnati Arts Association

THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY
April 1, 2026
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

[Cincinnati, OH] – Relive the magic of the legendary folk-rock duo! The internationally acclaimed hit, The Simon & Garfunkel Story, returns to the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 7:30 PM for one show only. The immersive concert-style tribute show, complete with nostalgia-inducing, unforgettable hits, will recreate the magic and authenticity of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel live on stage and chronicles the amazing journey of the iconic, Grammy Award-winning act. The event is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2025-26 Season.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], or the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For group sales (10 or more), call (513) 977-4155. Prices include all applicable fees and taxes and are subject to change.

Fans aren’t the only ones blown away by The Simon & Garfunkel Story. Earlier this year, immediately following a performance in Long Island, Art Garfunkel himself rushed the stage, grabbed the microphone, and declared, “What a great f—— show!” before leaving the audience in awe once again. If the legend himself is a fan, you know this is a tour you won’t want to miss.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story covers the duo’s humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60s, as well as their dramatic split in 1970. The Simon & Garfunkel Story culminates with the pair’s famous “The Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981 which had more than half a million fans in attendance. The show features a set list of nearly thirty songs and uses state-of-the-art video projection, photos, and original film footage. A full live band will perform all the hits including “Mrs. Robinson,” “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound,” and many more, complete with the unmistakably perfect harmonies that will transport audiences down memory lane.

With more than 100 million album sales since 1965, Simon & Garfunkel’s unforgettable songs and poetic lyrics poignantly captured the times and made them one of the most successful folk-rock duos of all time. Over the years, they won ten Grammy Awards and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1977, the Brit Awards honored their “Bridge Over Troubled Water” album with Best International Album. In 2003, Simon & Garfunkel were awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the following year saw their “The Sound of Silence” awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

For tour dates, tickets and more information about The Simon & Garfunkel Story, visit www.thesimonandgarfunkelstory.com.

ABOUT RUCKUS ENTERTAINMENT (Producers)
Ruckus Entertainment, based in Los Angeles and formed in 2022, brings together veteran entertainment producers Alison Spiriti, Justin Sudds, Dean Elliott, and Ralph Schmidtke who are collectively responsible for producing over 100 touring productions seen by millions around the world. Their burgeoning production company brings audiences world-class concerts and live events and is focused on celebrating the history and music behind iconic, globally recognized musical artists. Current productions include The Simon & Garfunkel Story, The Life and Music of George Michael, and The British Invasion.

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), MIAMI UNIVERSITY, ARTSWAVE, LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRIHEALTH

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, altafiber, Bahl & Gaynor, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Summerfair Cincinnati

media ParTNer:  103.5 wgrr-FM

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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:             The Simon & Garfunkel Story

WHEN:            Wednesday, April 1, 2026 – 7:30 PM

WHERE:             Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

PRICE:                Ticket prices start at $52.50, inclusive of all fees.

INFO:               This immersive, concert-style theater show chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60s to their dramatic split in 1970. It culminates with the famous “The Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981 with more than half-a-million fans in attendance.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale now

• www.CincinnatiArts.org
• (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
• Aronoff Center Ticket Office
• Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4155

TOMORROW’S STARS

FINALS COMPETITION and AWARDS CEREMONY
March 14, 2026
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

Tickets on sale now

[CINCINNATI, OH] – The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is proud to present the 2026 Overture Awards Finals Competition. The Overture Awards provides $4,000 to six area high school students for education and training expenses, with eighteen finalists each winning $1,500. The program also includes an Arts Educator Award for Excellence in Arts Instruction totaling $2,000.

The Overture Awards Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Winners will be announced immediately following the competition. The Visual Art Finalists Exhibition will be showcased in the Aronoff Center’s Center Stage Room (adjacent to the Weston Art Gallery on 7th Street) from Tuesday, March 10 – Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

This year, 189 students applied to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12. It also provides students an opportunity to share their talents and interests among their peers in a supportive environment outside of their individual schools. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Final, and Final.

The Overture Awards Regional Competitions were held virtually in January 2026. The top twenty to thirty percent of competitors in each discipline advanced to the Semi-Finals, which were held at the Aronoff Center from February 5-12. Twenty-four finalists will compete in the Finals Competition at the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater on March 14.

Now in its 30th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation (now Duke Energy) and Leadership Cincinnati (a program of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber). The Overture Awards is funded and administered by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which operates and manages the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. The Overture Awards also relies on hundreds of volunteers from the community who help raise funds, adjudicate, manage the competitions, and nurture the program. 

The Overture Awards are endowed by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

THANK YOU to the following generous supporters of the Overture Awards and Dancing for the Stars (CAA’s annual fundraiser which benefits the Awards):

Accent on Cincinnati, Ryan Anderson, Arthur Murray-Cincinnati, Arthur Murray -West Chester, Baru, Douglas Beal, Doreen Beatrice, Karla Boldery,  James Branham, Bonita Brockert, Carri Chandler, Bill Chappie, Dance Manor, DelightMore, eat well celebrations & feasts, Maura Garuccio, Heidelberg Distributing Company, KungFood AmerAsia, Lasting Impressions Event Rentals, Desiree Mainous, Erin Mignano, Moerlein Lager House, Dylan Morton, Jozsef Parragh, The Party Source, Pepsi, Prime Cincinnati, Punky’s Pixel’s,  Stacy Sims, Sebastian Bakehouse, Street City Pub, Skyline, Josh Tilford, Alyenendrov Tsorokean, Vintage on Race, Willow Run Custom Bourbons

Chris O’Brien and Janeen Coyle (former hosts of “Married with Microphones,” 103.5 WGRR-FM), JD Hughes (popular DJ and 103.5 WGRR-FM personality)

Overture Scholarship Sponsors: The Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee; Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc.; Otto M. Budig Family Foundation; Summerfair Cincinnati; TriHealth

Printing Sponsor:  Harlan Graphics 

2026 Overture Awards Finalists 

CREATIVE WRITING

• Lauren Ashelman, grade 12, Springboro High School
• Devi Kool, grade 11, Wyoming High School
• Olivia Landry, grade 11, Villa Madonna Academy
• Angela Tang, grade 11, William Mason High School

DANCE

• Brinkli Cox, grade 10, Homeschool/Studies with Hairston School of Dance
• Nora Doyle, grade 11, School for Creative and Performing Arts/Studies with Just Off Broadway
• Easton Gliebe, grade 11, Ohio Virtual Academy/Studies with Just Off Broadway
• Riley Neugebauer, grade 12, Turpin High School/Studies with Just Off Broadway 

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

• Autumn Rinaldi, grade 11, Cincinnati Country Day School/Studies with Dr. Sarah Kim
• Sophia Suwiryo, grade 11, Summit Country Day School/Studies with Professor Alvin Chow
• Mario Agustín Ynga Orellana, grade 10, Walnut Hills High School/Studies with Dr. Laura Sabo
• Grace Yu, grade 12, Indian Hill High School/Studies with Joyce Grabell

THEATER

• Maeve Bachman, grade 12, Sycamore High School/Studies with Andrea Davies
• Avery Fox, grade 12, Homeschool/Northern Kentucky University/Studies with Xan Jeffery
• Elliot Martin, grade 11, Highlands High School
• Jai’Den Pritchett, grade 11, Sycamore High School/Studies with Musical Arts Center 

VISUAL ART

• Edie Anderson, grade 12, School for Creative and Performing Arts
• Jinming Gu, grade 11, Indian Hill High School/Studies with Yinyan Studio
• Riley Judd, grade 12, School for Creative and Performing Arts
• Ronan Wolfer, grade 12, Loveland High School

VOCAL MUSIC  

• Genevieve Howard, grade 12, Newport Central Catholic High School/Studies with Talia Zoll Studio of Music
• Ray Muenzer, grade 12, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy/Studies with Musical Arts Center
• Sahana Siddharth, grade 10, Seven Hills School/Studies with Allison Highland
• William Wittekind, grade 12, Saint Xavier High School/Studies with Musical Arts Center

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Founded in 1992, the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the programming and management of two of the Tri-state’s finest performing arts venues – the Aronoff Center for the Arts and Music Hall – and is dedicated to supporting performing and visual arts. Each year, CAA presents a diverse schedule of events; serves upwards of 700,000 people in its venues; features the work of talented local, regional, and national artists in the Weston Art Gallery (located in the Aronoff Center); and supports the work of more than one dozen resident companies. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than two million students and adults.

CAA is proud to be a member of Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Greater Cincinnati Alliance for Arts Education, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce.

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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:          2026 Overture Awards – Finals Competition and Awards Ceremony

WHERE:        Aronoff Center – Jarson-Kaplan Theater

WHEN:          Saturday, March 14, 2026 – 1:00 PM

TICKETS:       $15 • $10

INFO:            The 2026 Overture Awards Competition provides $4,000 to six area high school students for education and training expenses with eighteen finalists each winning $1,500. Students compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, and Vocal Music. The program also includes Arts Educator Awards for Excellence in Arts Instruction totaling $2,000. The Overture Awards was developed to recognize, encourage, and reward excellence in the arts among Tri-state students in grades 9-12.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale now

• www.CincinnatiArts.org
• (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
• Aronoff Center Ticket Office

“Quite simply put, absolutely wonderful.” – BroadwayWorld

Complexions Contemporary Ballet:
STAR DUST

A transfixing tribute to the life and music of David Bowie,
full of glitter and glam.

March 19, 2026
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

[Cincinnati, OH] – The acclaimed Complexions Contemporary Ballet, under the artistic leadership of co-founders Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, will perform its transfixing tribute to the life and music of David Bowie on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall. The event is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2025-26 CAA PRESENTS! Season.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], or the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For group sales (10 or more), call (513) 977-4155. A special 50%-OFF Family Four Pack offer is available for purchases of four or more tickets. Prices include all applicable fees and taxes and are subject to change.

Led by dance icons Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet has awakened audiences to a new, exciting genre with their singular approach of reinventing dance and contemporary ballet. Armed with a rich Alvin Ailey lineage and a cadre of sixteen stunning dancers, Complexions has been hailed as a “matchless American dance company” by the Philadelphia Inquirer and “game changing” by London’s The Guardian.

The program opens with favorites from Retro-Suite, a series of short works celebrating 30 years as a company. The second half is STAR DUST, an utterly transfixing tribute to the life and music of David Bowie, full of glitter and glam. This ballet takes an array of his hits and lays a visual imprint, inspired by his unique personas and his restless invention artistically, to create a Rock Opera-style production in his honor. With Bowie’s 40+ year career and 25 albums that stretch across musical borders, STAR DUST pays homage to the iconic and chameleonic spirit of what can only be described as… BOWIE.  Get ready to witness the raw power and diversity of Complexions as they redefine what ballet can be.

“Companies like Complexions are game-changing: they’re forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it historically has been.” – The Guardian

“If there is one thing that Complexions knows how to do well (and, let’s be honest, they do many things quite well), it’s their choreographic exploration of rock ‘n’ roll and popular music.” – Hollywood Soapbox

“The genius of legendary Co-Founders, Co-Artistic Directors Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden cannot be underestimated.” – BroadwayWorld

Dwight Rhoden (Co-Founding Artistic Director / Principal Choreographer)
A native of Dayton, OH, Rhoden has established a remarkably wide-ranging career, earning distinction from The New York Times as “one of the most sought out choreographers of the day.” Rhoden began dancing at age seventeen, and performed with Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz De Montreal, and as a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

In 1994, alongside Desmond Richardson, he founded Complexions Contemporary Ballet, bringing their unique brand of contemporary ballet to the world, forging a center for innovation and cutting-edge programming. Rhoden’s choreography has been the lynchpin of the company’s repertory development. In three decades, he has created over 100 ballets for Complexions, as well as for numerous other companies, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Arizona Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, BalletMet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Joffrey Ballet, Miami City Ballet, New York City Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, PHILADANCO!, Mariinsky Ballet, Zenon Dance Company, The Washington Ballet, The Houston Ballet, and The San Francisco Ballet, among many others.

Rhoden has also choreographed for So You Think You Can Dance, E! Entertainment’s Tribute to Style, AMICI, Cirque Du Soleil’s Zumanity, and Mozart Her Story, and collaborated with artists including Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Paul Simon, Nina Simone, and many more. He is the recipient of The New York Foundation for the Arts Award, The Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, The Ailey School’s Apex Award, and an Honorary Doctorate from the Boston Conservatory in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of dance.

Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor at Howard University and Artistic Professor of Dance at Chapman University.

Desmond Richardson (Co-Founding Artistic Director)
An iconic American Dance Professional, Richardson is the Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, celebrating its 30th year anniversary; Broadway Tony Award-nominee; TedTalk guest artist and speaker, and So You Think You Can Dance and AMICI (Italy) guest choreographer.

Richardson is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and has graced the covers of various publications; he was the first African American principal dancer of American Ballet Theater, a principal dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Frankfurt Ballet, and a featured guest performer nationally and internationally.

He has received the Capezio, Rosey Roosevelt Thompson, Bessie, and Dance Magazine awards. He is an honorary Doctorate recipient from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Currently, Richardson and his collaborator Dwight Rhoden are working on the Broadway-bound Mozart Her Story with producers Tegan Summer, Patricia Klausner, and Christopher Sepulveda.

Richardson’s character Ted appeared on Season Three of the HBO Max hit series The Other Two.

For more information about Complexions Contemporary Ballet, visit  https://www.complexionscontemporaryballet.org/.

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS 

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), MIAMI UNIVERSITY, ARTSWAVE, LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRIHEALTH 

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, altafiber, Bahl & Gaynor, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Summerfair Cincinnati

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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                Complexions Contemporary Ballet: STAR DUST
WHEN:                Thursday, March 19, 2026 – 7:30 PM
WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICE:                 Ticket prices start at $23, inclusive of all fees. A special 50%-OFF Family Four Pack offer is available for purchases of four or more tickets.
INFO:                 Led by dance icons Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet has awakened audiences to a new, exciting genre with their singular approach of reinventing dance and contemporary ballet. The sixteen-member company will perform STAR DUST, an utterly transfixing tribute to the life and music of David Bowie, full of glitter and glam.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale now

• www.CincinnatiArts.org
• (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
• Aronoff Center Ticket Office
• Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4155

Viral Sensation Lucy Darling is Coming to Cincinnati
in Touring Show SIMPLY DARLING

March 22, 2026
Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall

Tickets on sale Friday, January 9 at 10:00 AM

[Cincinnati, OH] – Carisa Hendrix, the performer behind the glamorous 1940s-style socialite Lucy Darling, is back on tour with her show, Simply Darling, which will make its much-anticipated Cincinnati debut at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The show is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association’s 2025-26 CAA Presents! Season.

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 9 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], or the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For group sales (10 or more), call (513) 977-4155. Prices include all applicable fees and taxes and are subject to change.

Hendrix first captured the world’s attention in December 2024, when one TikTok clip of her improvisational crowd work skyrocketed to twenty-one million views. Since then, thousands have flocked to theaters nationwide to see the award-winning performer and find out what all the fuss is about. From coast to coast, her shows have sold out in record time, proof that Lucy Darling’s blend of wit, sweetness, and old-Hollywood glamour has struck a chord with audiences.

Now, Hendrix is bringing more sharp-tongued charm to the stage in Simply Darling, a touring variety show that is designed to give the fans even more of what they have been craving – the perfect chance to take a break from reality and indulge in the mischief, sarcasm, and wonder that we all deserve.

After a year of sold-out performances across North America, Simply Darling is Lucy’s answer to her fans’ demand for more. The show is part variety spectacular, part cabaret, and part magic show, but always exceptionally darling.

For more information about Carisa Hendrix and Lucy Darling, visit https://www.carisahendrix.com/.

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), MIAMI UNIVERSITY, ARTSWAVE, LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRIHEALTH 

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, altafiber, Bahl & Gaynor, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Summerfair Cincinnati

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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                Lucy Darling: Simply Darling
WHEN:               Sunday, March 22, 2026 – 7:00 PM
WHERE:              Aronoff Center – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICE:                 Ticket prices start at $52.50, inclusive of all fees.
INFO:                  Carisa Hendrix, the performer behind the glamorous 1940s-style socialite Lucy Darling, is back on tour with her show, Simply Darling. After a year of sold-out performances across North America, Simply Darling is Lucy’s answer to her fans’ demand for more. The show is part variety spectacular, part cabaret, part magic show, but always exceptionally darling.

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, January 9 at 10:00 AM

• www.CincinnatiArts.org
• (513) 621-ARTS [2787]
• Aronoff Center Ticket Office
• Group sales (10 or more): (513) 977-4155