Tag Archives: Cincinnati Arts Association

SEASON SIXTEEN

(CINCINNATI, OH) – Who will be voted Cincinnati’s best celebrity dancer?  Which stars have the right moves to rule the dance floor?  Find out on Saturday, April 20, 2024 when the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) celebrates season sixteen of its annual fundraiser Dancing for the Stars at the Music Hall Ballroom to benefit CAA’s Overture Awards – the nation’s largest locally run high school arts scholarship competition – and Arts Education Programs. 

Inspired by the hit ABC-TV show Dancing with the Stars, Dancing for the Stars will feature six Cincinnati celebrities paired with some of the area’s finest professional dancers in a competition program at which the audience will vote for their favorite celebrity dancer. The competitive dance theme will be Broadway and each dance pair will have ninety seconds to woo the crowd and the judges.

In addition, Dancing for the Stars will feature:

• Dance music by guest on-air DJ “JD Hughes,” 103.5 WGRR-FM
• Pre-event reception
• Open dancing before and after the competition
• Lite bites provided by some of Cincinnati’s finest restaurants and caterers
• Cash bar

In addition to the winner of the dance competition, Dancing for the Stars will crown a Fundraising Champion – the celebrity dancer who raises the most revenue toward the event’s fundraising goal through table/ticket sales and donations. Fans may add a donation under their favorite celebrity’s name at the time of ticket purchase, or simply donate if they cannot attend the event. These direct donations (outside of the event ticket price) will help one of the fans’ favorite celebrities win the Dancing for the Stars Fundraising Champion award (which will be announced the evening of the event) and are 100% tax deductible.

Tickets are currently on sale at the following levels (a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible):

• $150 – Patron (pre-event reception and two drink tickets)
• $200­ – Premium (pre-event reception and open bar)
• $1,500 – Corporate Table (ten Patron level tickets and a half-page program ad)
• $2,000 – Celebrity Circle Table (ten Premium level tickets, full-page program ad, event signage, and seating within the first two rows)

RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION:

• www.cincinnatiarts.org/dfts2024
•  (513) 977-4188 

THE STARS:

• Scott Allgyer (Owner, Studio 900)
• Alex Johns (Real Estate Agent, Coldwell Banker)
• Dr. Hali Jungers (Veterinarian, Newport Aquarium)
• Dr. Magdalena Kerschner (Board certified Anesthesiologist and Aesthetic Medicine Physician;  Founder, Victory Wellness and Medspa – Cincinnati, OH and Naples, FL)
• Deb Schubert (Health Care Professional Marketing, Procter & Gamble)
• Zack Thornton (Director, Advisory Services, Fidelity Investments) 

THE PROS (WITH STAR PAIRING):  

• James Branham (Arthur Murray Dance Studio — West Chester) – Deb Schubert
• Bonita Brockert (Independent Dance Instructor) – Alex Johns
  Maura Garuccio (Independent Dance Instructor) – Scott Allgyer
  Jeremy Mainous (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati) – Dr. Magdalena Kerschner
  Josh Tilford (Dance Manor) – Dr. Hali Junger
  Melissa Vaughn (Arthur Murray Dance Studio – Cincinnati) – Zack Thornton 

THE HOSTS:  Chris O’Brien & Janeen Coyle 

THE JUDGES:   

• Douglas Beal (Independent Dance Instructor)
• Sebastian Castillo (General Manager, Prime Cincinnati; Dancing for the Stars 2022 Dance Champion)
• Bret Schneider (Owner, WOW Windowboxes; Dancing for the Stars 2022 Fundraising Champion)
• Britton Spitler as Brock Leah Spears (Project Manager – ADM; Dancing for the Stars 2023 Dance Champion)

EVENT COMMITTEE:  Doreen Beatrice, Michael Betz, Amal Daoud, Terry Foster, Jill Jansen, Ginger Loftin, Rosemary Schlachter, and Dr. Tracey Skale

EVENT SPONSORS:  TriHealth (Presenting Sponsor), Arthur Murray – Cincinnati, Arthur Murray – West Chester, Bonita Brockert, Maura Garuccio, Josh Tilford 

FIFTEEN SEASONS OF DANCING FOR THE STARS WINNERS:

• 2007:    Dr. O’dell Owens (former Hamilton County Coroner)
• 2008:    Jenell Walton (former WCPO-TV9 Anchor and Reporter)
• 2009:    Phil Schworer (past President, Cincinnati Bar Association; Environmental Lawyer, Frost, Brown and Todd)
• 2010:    Donna Speigel (Owner, The Snooty Fox)
• 2011:    Dr. Tracey Skale (Chief Medical Officer, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services)
• 2012:    Regina Russo (former Director of Marketing and Communications, Cincinnati Art Museum)
• 2013:    Chris Seelbach (Cincinnati City Councilman)
• 2014:    Neal Schulte (Founder & President, Schulte Financial Group, LLC)
• 2015:    Johnny Chu (Owner, AmerAsia Kungfood Restaurant)
• 2016:    Jay Lame (Financial Analyst, Lenox Wealth Management)
• 2017:    Rohan Hemani (Procter & Gamble Fabric Care Intrapenuer)
• 2018:    Dr. Marcia Bowling (Gynecologic Oncology, Oncology Hematology Care, Inc.)
• 2019:    Halle Quinn (Community Volunteer)
• 2022:    Sebastian Castillo (General Manager, Prime Cincinnati)
• 2023:    Britton Spitler as Brock Leah Spears (Project Manager – ADM)

NOTE:  There was no event in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION’S ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS
CAA’s Education Department promotes life-long learning through its programs, which are diverse, multidisciplinary, and accessible to all ages and cultural groups. SchoolTime presents a series of programs that feature nationally recognized artists at CAA’s two venues (the Aronoff Center and Music Hall), and Artists on Tour brings the finest local artists in the region to Tri-state schools for interactive arts experiences aligned with the curriculum.

The Overture Awards Scholarship Competition is the largest locally run arts scholarship competition in the country. The program annually provides a $3,000 scholarship to six area high school students for education and training, with eighteen finalists each winning a $1,000 scholarship. Each year, students from across the Tri-state region are nominated by their schools to compete in one of six artistic disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Instrumental Music, Theater, Visual Art, or Vocal Music. There are three levels of competition: Regional, Semi-Finals, and Final.

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.  Now in its 28^th year, The Overture Awards was launched in 1996 by the Cinergy Foundation and Leadership Cincinnati (a Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce program).

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 more than 600,000 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, including Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Symphony/Pops Orchestras, May Festival, and Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati, presented by TriHealth. Since the inception of its acclaimed arts education programs in 1995, CAA has reached more than million students.

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10^TH ANNIVERSARY EVOLUTION TOUR 2024
RETURNS TO THE ARONOFF CENTER

APRIL 5 – 7, 2024

Tickets On sale Friday, January 19 at 10:00 AM 

(Cincinnati, OH) – Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Off-Broadway sensation, Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus LIVE! This uproarious one-man show, a seamless blend of theater and stand-up, has been revamped for 2024. Expect a delightful, light-hearted comedy inspired by John Gray’s New York Times #1 best-selling book. Eric Coble, the original writer, and director Mindy Cooper are back to inject new life into the script, ensuring its relevance and resonance with today’s audiences. This popular show returns to the Aronoff Center’s intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater for four performances only, April 7-9, 2024 (see full schedule below).

Prices: $63.00 | 10%-off groups of ten or more.

Tickets go on sale Friday, January 19 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For groups of ten or more, call (513) 977-4157. Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change. 

Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus LIVE! is more than just the book. Beginning in Paris in 2007, the show has been seen by more than one million people around Europe. It debuted in the United States in February 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina and has played to hundreds of audiences around the United States and Canada.

This hysterical show will have couples elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Sexy and fast paced, this show is definitely for adults, but will leave audiences laughing and giggling like little kids!

When Mars and Venus collide, the adventures are earth-shatteringly funny. It’s a great recipe for a night out: a little storytelling blended with some comedy and a dash of sage wisdom from the book… a delicious evening of entertainment!

AMADEO FUSCA (Bio)
Starring in this one-man theatrical comedy is AMADEO FUSCA. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Amadeo has performed Men Are From Mars – Women Are From Venus LIVE! in over 60 cities, across 30+ states, and for 75,000 people and counting.

In 2013, he won the legendary Friars Club “So You Think You Can Roast?” competition, beating out 55 other comedians roasting ‘80s child star Ricky Schroeder and NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. As the winner, Amadeo joined the dais to roast Jack Black, along with comic legends such as “Roastmaster” General Jeff Ross, Sarah Silverman, Amy Schumer, Bob Saget, Jerry Lewis, and more!

In addition to his theatrical comedy, Amadeo can also be seen in various television and film productions including Princess Cut on HBO MAX, NCIS on CBS, That Damn Michael Che on HBO MAX, Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix, Boardwalk Empire on HBO, The Holiday Dating Guide on Lifetime, Almost Family on FOX, and As the World Turns on CBS. Upcoming in 2024, you can catch him as Lucky Luciano in the new Robert De Niro film Alto Knights directed by Barry Levinson.

He’s currently been performing his infamous character World Renowned Conductor Salvatore Giovanni across the globe to roaring reactions in the world’s greatest variety show run by Zach Zucker called Stamptown.

For more information, please visit his website at www.amadeofusca.com.

Since being published in 1992, John Gray’s Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, exploring the differences between the sexes, has sold in excess of fifty-million copies, been translated into forty different languages and is one of the most recognizable titles in the world. Gray has written seventeen books and become one of the most trusted relationship authors today, appearing on the national lecture circuit and on such TV shows as Good Morning America, Oprah, and Larry King Live.

The show’s producer, St. Louis based Emery Entertainment, has produced and promoted thousands of events around the globe, including superstar attractions Blue Man Group, David Copperfield, and James Taylor.

The talented team assembled for this production continues with the award-winning playwright Eric Coble, direction by Broadway veteran Mindy Cooper, and animation & video production by the talented animators at Bazillion Productions.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

• Friday, April 5 @ 7:30 PM
• Saturday, April 6 @ 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM
• Sunday, April 7 @ 2:00 PM

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION SPONSORS 

SEASON SPONSORS:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRI-STATE CHEVY DEALERS 

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSORS:  21C Museum Hotel, Cincinnati Herald, CityBeat, Fairfield Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University Area, Harlan Graphics, Heidelberg Distributing, Kinley Cincinnati, Pepsi, Skyline Chili, TriHealth

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Second Annual Cincy Black Wine Fest
to Celebrate Wine and Culture

Saturday, February 17, 2024
Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom

[Cincinnati, OH] – Lush Life Brands is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of the Cincy Black Wine Fest on February 17, 2024, at the historic Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom. Following the success of its inaugural event in 2023, the festival promises to be even more exceptional in year two, offering an elevated experience for wine enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Cincy Black Wine Fest 2024 will bring together more than thirty-five exceptional wine brands from across the country, celebrating the rich diversity and artistry of Black winemakers. The festival will be a journey through wine, featuring pairings provided by festival partners Lucius Q, Murray’s Cheese, GFI, Sweet Petite’s, and more.

During the festival, guests will be transported to the idyllic landscapes of Napa Valley through immersive activations and experiences that are designed to make this event truly unforgettable. To further enhance the experience, the 2024 festival will introduce two premium liquor brands, offering a diverse range of spirits for attendees to savor. Guests will also have the opportunity to indulge in a cigar lounge, adding an extra layer of sophistication to the event.

Cincy Black Wine Fest 2024 will feature two sessions to accommodate all attendees:

• DAY SESSION: 1:00 – 4:00 PM
• NIGHT SESSION: 6:30 – 9:30 PM

Tickets are currently on sale at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Applicable services fees may apply.

There are two ticket options:

• VIP: $125 – This exclusive ticket provides access to two private festival lounges, one sponsored by Uncle Nearest in addition to The Lush Lounge sponsored by Yelp. VIP guests will have the opportunity to explore elevated wine and cuisine, conversational lounge seating, additional Uncle Nearest cocktails and tastings, and more sponsored activities.
• GENERAL ADMISSION: $85 – General admission tickets will grant access to one of the two fantastic sessions, unlimited tasting samples, access to multiple activations, and additional festival activities.

For businesses and organizations looking to support this year’s event, sponsorship opportunities are still available and offer a unique chance to align their brand with a diverse audience. For more information about sponsorship opportunities or the Cincy Black Wine Fest, visit www.lushlifebrands.net.

About Lush Life Brands
Lush Life Brands is a company dedicated to celebrating diversity and culture through the world of wine and spirits. The Cincy Black Wine Fest is just one of the ways in which Lush Life Brands strives to create memorable experiences that bring people together through a shared love of fine libations and delicious cuisine. www.lushlifebrands.net

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