Tag Archives: Cincinnati Arts Association

WILD KRATTS® LIVE! 2.0 – Activate Creature Power®! | Sat., April 5, 2025 | Aronoff Center

Wild Kratts® LIVE! announces a NEW tour and
an
ALL-NEW show – and it’s coming to Cincinnati!

April 5, 2025
1pm & 5pm

Tickets On Sale Friday, September 27 at 10:00 AM

[Cincinnati, OH] – Tristate audiences love Wild Kratts!  DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND during the show’s initial presale, a second performance of Wild Kratts® LIVE 2.0 – Activate Creature Power! has been added on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM in addition to the previously announced 1:00 PM performance on April 5. Both performance times go on sale Friday, September 27 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.

Get ready to dive into another classic Wild Kratts adventure with the Kratt brothers as they combine live action and animation with Martin and Chris LIVE on stage and the rest of the Wild Kratts team on screen at the Tortuga HQ. Which creature powers will they activate and what new and amazing “WOW!” facts will you learn? Experience, live-on-stage, the electrifying excitement and the inspiring quest of the Kratt Brothers that make the hit PBS KIDS television series Wild Kratts® a family favorite time and time again!

Wild Kratts® LIVE 2.0 will be at the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM. Fans can go to www.wildkrattslive.com to register for a pre-sale code that will give them early access to tickets.

Tickets go on sale Friday, September 27 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for this pre-sale. Each VIP ticket includes a premium seat at the show, a meet-and-greet with Chris and Martin Kratt, a personally autographed color photo, and a photo with the brothers that is taken with a personal camera.

Since 2014, Wild Kratts® LIVE! has performed over 225 shows for hundreds of thousands of fans in over 135 cities across North America. It was created for the stage by the imaginative minds of Martin and Chris Kratt from Zoboomafoo, Kratt’s Creatures, and Kratt Bros. Be the Creature.

The PBS KIDS TV show, Wild Kratts®, was created and developed by brothers and zoologists Martin and Chris Kratt and is currently in its sixth season. The series follows the animated versions of the Kratt brothers and their friends on hilarious expeditions with wild animals from around the world, complete with animal-inspired gadgets and awesome Creature Power Suits that enable the adventurers to get close to the creatures. The real-life Chris and Martin introduce each Wild Kratts® episode with a live-action segment that imagines what it would be like to experience a never-before-seen wildlife occurrence, and asks, “What if…?” to set the story in motion.

Wild Kratts® has been nominated for six Daytime Emmy Awards, including a 2018 nomination for Best Children’s Animated Program. The series is a co-production of the Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Entertainment.

About Wild Kratts Live!
www.facebook.com/wildkrattsofficial
www.wildkrattslive.com 

About Kratt Brothers Company
www.krattbrothers.com 

CALENDAR INFORMATION 

WHAT:                Wild Kratts® LIVE! 2.0 – Activate Creature Power®!

WHEN:                Saturday, April 5, 2025 – 1:00 PM & 5:00 PM

WHERE:              Aronoff Center for the Arts – Procter & Gamble Hall

PRICE:                 Starts at $25 (ticket prices/fees subject to change

$150 VIP:  includes one premium seating location, a post-show meet & greet with Chris and Martin Kratt, a personally autographed color photo, and a photo with the brothers taken with a personal camera.

INFO:                   Get ready to dive into another classic Wild Kratts adventure with the Kratt brothers as they combine live action and animation with Martin and Chris LIVE on stage and the rest of the Wild Kratts team on screen at the Tortuga HQ. Experience, live-on-stage, the electrifying excitement and the inspiring quest of the Kratt Brothers that make the hit PBS KIDS television series Wild Kratts® a family favorite time and time again!

TICKET INFORMATION – on September 27 at 10:00 AM

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

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), ARTSWAVEFIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, TRIHEALTH

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

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Bridget Benton Appointed Cincinnati Arts Association’s Chief Operating Office

[Cincinnati, OH]  The Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bridget Benton as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). Bridget previously worked for CAA as the General Manager of the Aronoff Center for the Arts from September 2022 – August 2024.

As COO, Bridget plays a pivotal role in steering one of the Greater Cincinnati region’s premier performing arts organizations and oversees the operations of the Aronoff Center and Music Hall. With a career steeped in arts management and operational excellence, Bridget brings a wealth of experience to her position, combining strategic oversight with a passion for community engagement and artistic innovation.

“We are delighted to welcome Bridget to her newest role with the Cincinnati Arts Association family,” said Steve Loftin, CAA President. “Her previous experience with CAA, combined with her sensitivity, wisdom, creativity, and exceptional work ethic, will be a great asset to our team. As COO, she will bring her abundant talents and focus on the guest experience to our entire operation.”

Bridget grew up in Northern Kentucky and spent many years building her professional career outside of Greater Cincinnati. She spent ten years in Utah, where she served as an assistant dean at Brigham Young University, overseeing the operations of the Harris Fine Arts Center and curating its BRAVO! Professional Performing Arts Series and the Listen Up! Series. She returned to the region in August 2022 to join the Cincinnati Arts Association as the General Manager of the Aronoff Center.

Bridget completed her undergraduate studies at Hanover College and holds an MFA degree in Stage Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is an active member of the International Association of Venue Managers and the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.

“The opportunity to return to Cincinnati has been incredibly special to me,” said Bridget. “This is a community that I love and am eager to continue to serve. The region has a rich cultural ecosystem and is poised to continue an upward trajectory, and I am excited to play a role in that growth and progress.”

CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION
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, Visit Cincinnati (formerly 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 the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce.

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THE PRINCESS BRIDE: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes | Sat., Feb. 1, 2025 | Aronoff Center

THE PRINCESS BRIDE:
AN INCONCEIVABLE EVENING WITH CARY ELWESARONOFF CENTER – PROCTER & GAMBLE HALL
FEBRUARY 1, 2025

Tickets on sale Friday, August 23 at 10:00 AM

[Cincinnati, OH] – The Princess Bride, the cult classic that has captured the hearts of moviegoers for nearly four decades, will play the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 8:00 PM. After the screening, join actor Cary Elwes (Westley) for a behind-the-scenes look at life on and off the set of the classic film. This much-anticipated event is part of CAA’s 2024-25 Season.

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes goes on sale Friday, August 23 at 10:00 AM.  Ticket prices start at $45 and are available at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-2787 [ARTS], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. For Group Sales (10 or more), call (513) 977-4155. Applicable services fees may apply. Ticket prices/fees subject to change.

A limited number of VIP Packages are available that include the best seats in the house, a meet-and-greet with Cary Elwes, and a signed copy of his best-selling book, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride.

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes will include a screening of the popular film followed by a moderated discussion with Elwes, who will reveal never-before-shared secrets and tales of inconceivable antics! Journey back to the lands of Florin and Guilder in an adventure filled with fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, miracles, and, of course, true love.

Elwes has been in a multitude of films and TV shows, including Robin Hood: Men in Tights; Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Saw; Twister; Liar, Liar; Stranger Things; and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. He has recently starred in Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre; Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One with Tom Cruise; Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon; and his latest movie, Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, based on the true story of the first British secret mission during World War II. Now Elwes is hitting the road to share with fans the personal stories behind the making of this piece of cinematic history.

Don’t be a Humperdinck; make haste to see The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes for a night you will always “tweasure.”

Cincinnati Arts Association SPONSORS

The Cincinnati Arts Association is supported [in part] by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Season Sponsors:  AMERITAS (Founding Season Sponsor), ARTSWAVE, FIFTH THIRD BANK (Lifetime Endowment Partner), LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV, The P&G FUND of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

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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CALENDAR INFORMATION

WHAT:                The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes
WHEN:                Saturday, February 1, 2024 @ 8:00 PM
WHERE:              Aronoff Center for the Arts – Procter & Gamble Hall
PRICE:                 Ticket prices start at $45. Applicable services fees may apply. Ticket prices/fees subject to change.
INFO:                   A screening of The Princess Bride, the cult classic that has captured the hearts of moviegoers for nearly four decades, will be followed by a moderated discussion with Cary Elwes, who will reveal never-before-shared secrets and tales of inconceivable antics!

TICKET INFORMATION – on sale Friday, August 23 at 10:00 AM

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

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THE THORN – September 21-22, 2024 – Aronoff Center

The Thorn takes its epic story of God’s love for the world
on a 14-city US tour this Fall

September 21-22, 2024
Aronoff Cetner – Procter & Gamble Hall
Tickets on sale Now

[Cincinnati, OH]  The Thorn, a powerful and popular live theatrical event, seen live by over one million people, will bring the passion of Jesus to life this fall with performances spanning the Northeast and Midwest. This follows a tour in the Spring of 2024, with over fifty performances across the country, including many sold out shows. The show will play the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall for two performances only – Saturday, September 21 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 PM.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, July 25 at 10:00 AM at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office.  Applicable services fees may apply. Prices are subject to change. 

A VIP Package is available as an add-on to any ticket and includes a Q&A session before the show with select members of The Thorn’s cast and crew.

The Thorn offers audiences a unique theatrical experience in a show that has been hailed as “Cirque meets ‘The Passion’” thanks to its compelling mix of drama, music, dance, martial arts, aerial acrobatics, emotionally evocative performances, and timeless spiritual perspectives. The story spans from creation to the formation of the early church.

Author John Bolin created the show more than twenty-five years ago to convey the meaning of Christ’s sacrificial death to a group of young people who knew little about the story of Jesus’ suffering but were familiar with pain through their own practice of cutting and self-harm.

The show has evolved ever since, with the current live version returning to the original format featuring St. John, “the beloved disciple,” recalling his many amazing encounters with Jesus.

“It’s a story full of love, sacrifice, spiritual warfare, and redemption,” said Bolin.

Meet The Thorn creators
The Thorn creator John Bolin says God called him: “to tell stories on the page, stage, and screen,” an assignment he has now completed with the film version of The Thorn. His books include novels (The Eden Project) and Christian growth guides (So Loved, The Two Doors of Heaven, and Life Unlimited).

John’s wife, Sarah Bolin helped create the show and is the Executive Producer, managing the show’s national touring troupes. When asked about why she tours and has participated in The Thorn for so long, Sarah said, “God asked us to trust him and open our hands, and he promised to make something beautiful happen.” Over the years, Sarah has been witness to seeing God move in tangible ways across audience and cast members alike.

Sponsors
The Thorn partners with Compassion International, a child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization, headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, the same town in which The Thorn was created. In an effort to assist in the sustainable development of children living in poverty around the world, Compassion works with the local church to provide food, clothing, education, healthcare, discipleship and more. With a partnership spanning over twelve years, The Thorn is proud to have the touring cast and audiences be participants in seeing thousands of children sponsored and is expectant to see many more sponsored this Spring.

Jesus trending
Although polls show that U.S. church attendance is declining, interest in Jesus is growing. The Chosen, the popular streaming series about Jesus, has racked up over 400-million-episode views.

“As I first saw with my students twenty-five years ago, people who may have jaundiced views of Christians or churches are more open to learning about who the real Jesus was, how he lived, and what he taught,” said Bolin.

While previous incarnations of The Thorn live show have been performed mostly at churches, the new touring model makes the show available to everyone at mainstream performing arts venues and arenas.

“Jesus believes in accessibility,” said Bolin. “He wants everyone to have access to the ultimate story of love and hope. That’s why he came to earth in the first place.”

AUDIENCE REVIEWS

  • “This was breathtaking! Even a month later after seeing it when I think about it, it just takes my breath away. So beautiful!”
  • “I loved the show, it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. I would see it again and again.”
  • “It was Spectacular, moving, beautiful, and truly a gift and blessing to behold!!”
  • “This performance was a truth-based beauty! The elaborate detail, the bold imagery, talented dancers made it a spectacular event!”
  • “This show was one of the most beautiful experiences we have ever had. It was visually stunning as well as emotional and inspiring!”

Fall Tour Dates

  • Hartford, CT
    • The Bushnell Performing Arts Center – William H. Mortensen Hall
    • Sep 10-11, 2024
  • Boston, MA
    • Boch Center – Wang Theatre
    • Sep 14-15, 2024
  • Newark, NJ
    • NJPAC – New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Prudential Hall
    • Sep 18, 2024
  • Cincinnati, OH
    • Aronoff Center for the Arts
    • Sep 21-22, 2024
  • Cleveland, OH
    • KeyBank State Theatre
    • Sep 24-25, 2024
  • Indianapolis, IN
    • Clowes Memorial Hall
    • Sep 27-28, 2024
  • St. Louis, MO
    • Stifel Theatre
    • Oct 1-2, 2024
  • Omaha, NE
    • Orpheum Theater
    • Oct 5-6, 2024
  • Minneapolis, MN
    • Orpheum Theatre
    • Oct 9-10, 2024
  • Milwaukee, WI
    • Miller High Life Theatre
    • Oct 12-13, 2024
  • Chicago, IL
    • Auditorium Theatre
    • Oct 15-16, 2024
  • Rockford, IL
    • Coronado Theatre
    • Oct 18, 2024
  • Detroit, MI
    • Fox Theatre
    • Oct 20-21, 2024
  • Grand Rapids, MI
    • DeVos Performance Hall
    • Oct 23-24, 2024 

Stay up to date with the touring company at thethorn.com.

The feature film version of the show is available to stream and purchase at shop.thethorn.com.

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Michael Goodson Announced as New Director of the Weston Art Gallery

Michael Goodson
Announced as New Director of
the Aronoff Center’s Weston Art Gallery

{Cincinnati, OH]  The Cincinnati Arts Association’s Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art Gallery in the Aronoff Center for the Arts announced the appointment of Michael Goodson (Columbus, OH) as the next Director of the Weston Art Gallery.

“We are delighted and proud to welcome Michael to the CAA family and to our beloved Weston Art Gallery.” said Steve Loftin, President of the Cincinnati Arts Association.  “He is very well positioned to lead the Weston and capitalize on its stellar reputation.”

Current Weston Art Gallery Director Dennis Harrington is retiring at the end of August 2024 after a twenty-nine-year career with the Weston.  Goodson will begin his tenure with the Weston on July 29.

Goodson came to call Ohio home after traveling domestically and abroad throughout his childhood. He holds a BFA from Wright State University (Dayton, OH) and an MFA in Sculpture from Cranbrook Academy of Art (Detroit, MI). Michael was a Professor of Art at Wright State University, where he was Chair of its Sculpture Department. In New York City, Michael was Professor of Art in Sculpture and Art Installation at Hunter College and worked for the James Cohan Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Tribecca, initially as Exhibitions Manager and later as Director of Exhibitions.

Back in Ohio, Michael was the Director of Exhibitions and Visiting Artists and Scholars at Columbus College of Art & Design, the Senior Curator at the Wexner Center for the Arts (Columbus, OH), and Chief Curator and Director of Programs at The Contemporary Dayton.

“The Weston Art Gallery has been foundational in shaping the contours of my thoughts on art,” said Goodson. “It has bolstered and challenged me as an individual, and certainly, the Weston has served this community. Dennis Harrington has given this to me as he did to the region for so many years.  He has respected and held in consistent esteem both artists and the Weston’s audience. I’m honored to follow him.”

In welcoming Goodson to Cincinnati, Harrington states, “Michael brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Weston, and I look forward to working with him during this period of transition to ensure that the Weston will continue to thrive and serve artists and the community well into the future.”

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