Tag Archives: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

Steven Sapp by Arthur Cohen; Mildred Ruiz-Sapp by Mildred Ruiz-Sapp; Gamal Abdel Chasten by Lawrence Turner.

americUS fuses theatre, jazz, poetry and hip hop to weave together experiences of modern life

CINCINNATI – The award-winning, multi-cultural performance ensemble Universes will bring its groundbreaking style of live storytelling to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park with the world premiere of americUS. With support from The Rosenthal Family Foundation, this infusion of slam poetry, music, dance and theatre runs from Feb. 1 through March 8, with opening night on Feb. 6 at the Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre.

The Universes ensemble originated in The Bronx in 1995, inspired by the urban music and poetry scene that took over New York City in the ‘90s. Having performed off-Broadway, internationally and at major stages across the country, Universes has been praised by critics for their singular and unforgettable performance style. The production of americUS, which was commissioned by the Playhouse, brings Universes to Cincinnati for the first time.

“When I first saw Universes perform, I was simply blown away by their performance style, the variety of what they do, and the depth of feeling and thought that they can engender within the audience,” says Blake Robison, artistic director. “This show promises to be unlike anything seen before on Playhouse stages.”

An unfiltered, honest portrait of contemporary America, americUS is directed by Joan Herrington, who has worked with Universes in past productions, and will feature an ensemble cast including Universes’ co-founders Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz-Sapp as well as Gamal Chasten and Asia Mark.

“americUS is an exploration of what it means to be in America at this time — what our joys are, what our challenges are and how we find our way in the midst of some very crazy days,” says Herrington. “Everything Universes does has contemporary relevance and this piece is no different.”

Sapp and Ruiz-Sapp are excited to engage with the community and hope that audiences take something away and feel empowered to open a dialogue about the issues presented in the show.

“It’s exciting because it’s a new audience, it’s new grounds to walk through, new people to meet and interact with,” says Ruiz-Sapp. “We’re going to walk into it like we’ve been there before, like it’s family, like these are the people that we’re living with and the people that are us. No differences, no barriers, no boundaries, no borders.”

For more information on americUS, visit cincyplay.com.

CAST
Gamal Chasten, Asia Mark, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp and Steven Sapp

PRODUCTION
Joan Herrington (Director); Misha Kachman (Set/Costume Designer); Mike Durst (Lighting Designer); Broken Chord (Sound Designers)

TICKETS
To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.

Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Individual tickets start at just $35. Tickets to all performances of americUS are priced at just $10 for college students with a valid school ID. Discounted ticket prices for teens are available for $30 to $50, depending on seat location.

americUS is suitable for adult and older teenage audiences. Universes performance ensemble presents an insightful and hard-hitting social commentary on contemporary America while discussing race, class and social inequality. The show covers these topics through powerful poetry, original music and dance movement, but it also contains some strong language.

EVENTS
ADULT ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP: PERSONAL STORYTELLING
Saturday, Jan. 15 | 10 a.m. to noon at the Playhouse | Cost: $50
This class will teach you how to write your own story and perform it in front of others. Learn the essentials of oral storytelling that will engage listeners, initiate discussion and create a sense of community. Share your story — we’d love to hear it!

MEET THE ARTISTS
Sundays, Feb. 9 and Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. | Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m. | Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m.
Stick around after the performances listed above for a special Q&A with the americUS company. Learn about their craft, creative process and what inspires their storytelling and performance.

POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS
Following every performance, excluding the dates of Meet the Artists Q&As.
Engage with the artists of americUS in in-depth conversations about the themes and ideas represented in the play. These discussions provide an opportunity for patrons to dive deeper into the show’s subject matter and connect with other audience members about their interpretations.

CINCINNATI VOICES PROJECT
Saturdays, Feb. 15, Feb. 22, and Feb. 29
In recent years, the Playhouse has developed important relationships with diverse groups throughout the region, hosting special discussions and facilitating creative workshops. Inspired by the artistic vision of Universes performance ensemble, the Playhouse has partnered with the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition and the Holocaust & Humanity Center to create the Cincinnati Voices Project. Individuals from these groups and others will perform original personal monologues between the 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances of americUS on select Saturdays. Performances are free and open to the public. For details and to learn more about the performance schedule, visit cincyplay.com, or call the Box Office at 513-421-3888.

SPONSORS
Sponsored by Andrea and Dr. Edward Herzig. Design sponsor is Geiler. Additional support provided by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. americUS was commissioned through the Playhouse’s Jerome Fey Endowment. The season is sponsored by Heidelberg Distributing Company. Season Sponsor of New Work is the Rosenthal Family Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

ACCESS
The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs, and complete wheelchair access are available.

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Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

Jukebox Musical Memoir Coming to Cincinnati on Jan. 18

CINCINNATI – Everyday, it’s a getting; closer to Jan. 18, when BUDDY HOLLY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY begins previews at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. The original jukebox musical featuring 20 of Holly’s timeless hits runs through Feb. 16. The official opening night is Jan. 23.

Written by Alan Janes, BUDDY HOLLY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY chronicles Holly’s meteoric 18-month journey to fame as one of the pioneers of rock and roll, who influenced The Beatles, Brice Springsteen, Elton John and countless others. The energetic cast portrays Holly in all of his stages: from his country roots in Texas to his songwriting in the 1950s, and his final concert before the plane ride that took his life, “the day the music died.”

Seven musician-actors will perform Holly’s own hits to help tell the story, with live performances of familiar tunes like “It’s So Easy to Fall in Love,” “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day,” “Not Fade Away,” “Oh Boy!” and “Everyday,” as well as Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” and The Big Bopper’s “Chantilly Lace.” The result is an experience that’s half-theatre, half-electrifying rock concert. In the words of the Chicago Tribune, the show “sends people out of the theatre on an unstoppable high.”

Tony Award-nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge will bring her prior direction of BUDDY HOLLY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY and will build on that experience in the Playhouse production.

“We are referencing the original recordings as much as possible,” says Dodge. “Andy Christopher, who plays Buddy and also serves as our Music Director, and I are devoted to making the show sound as authentic as possible.”

Dodge plans to keep the focus of the musical on Holly’s incredible story and legendary songs. She explains, “I wanted to get to the music quickly, so we are always living in Buddy’s artistry.”

CAST 
Andy Christopher (Buddy Holly/Guitar); Joe Cosmo Cogen (Jerry Allison/Drums); Jayson Elliott (Hipockets Duncan/The Big Bopper and others/Guitar/Harmonica/Bass); Ryan Jagru (Tommy Allsop/Ritchie Valens and others/Guitar); Shayna Nicole Small (Apollo Headliner/Maria Elena Santiago and others/Keyboard): Byron St. Cyr (Apollo Headliner and others/Saxaphone and Guiro); Spiff Wiegand (Joe B. Maudlin/Bass and Brass);

PRODUCTION
Alan Janes (Playwright); Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Director); Andy Christopher (Music Director); Christian Boy (Set Designer); Tracy Christensen (Costume Designer); Rob Denton (Lighting Designer); Matt Kraus (Sound Designer); Stephanie Klapper, CSA (Casting Director); Andrea Shell (Stage Manager); Jenifer Morrow (Second Stage Manager)

TICKETS
To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Patrons who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deafblind or speech disabled dial 711 to connect to our Box Office via Ohio Relay services.
Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Individual tickets start at $35, depending on seat location and performance day. Tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances are priced at just $10 for college students with a valid school ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances. Discounted ticket prices for children and teens are available for all productions and are $30 to $50, depending on show and seat location.

CONTENT ADVISORY
BUDDY HOLLY: THE BUDDY HOLLY story is recommended for ages 12 and up. Buddy’s thick-framed glasses may seem nerdy and innocent today, but his songs about teenage romance, lust and heartbreak were edgy for their time period. Lyrics contain mild sexual innuendo, and there are other mature themes.

EVENTS
BUDDY BOURBON TASTING
Fridays, Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, and Feb. 14 | 6:30 p.m. at the Playhouse | Cost: $42 per person
Join us before Friday evening performances of BUDDY HOLLY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY for a special bourbon tasting and a three-course meal. Catered by The Littlefield, dinner will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $42 per person and does not include a ticket to the show. Reservations are required by the Monday before the tasting.

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS!
Fridays, Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, and Feb. 14
Every Friday during the run of BUDDY HOLLY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, we invite audiences to dress up in their favorite retro ensemble inspired by the iconic rocker and his contemporaries. Channel your inner 1950s music fan and don a chiffon party dress, leather jacket and blue jeans, poodle skirt or sport coat!

SPONSORS
Sponsored by U.S. Bank. Design Sponsor is Bahl and Gaynor, and Artist Sponsors are The Utility Group and BHDP. Season Sponsor is Schueler Group. Season Sponsor of New Work is The Rosenthal Family Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

ACCESS
The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs, and complete wheelchair access are available.

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Matthew McGloin as Richard as & Jefferson McDonald as Ted. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Give the gift of experiences this year with the award-winning musical comedy

CINCINNATI–Due to popular demand, 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS, staged in the round at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has been extended to Jan. 12, 2020. Tickets to the added performances are on sale now. The additional shows are Friday, Jan. 10, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 11, 4 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 12, 2 p.m. More shows could be added as needed.

“Audiences love the entertaining combination of comedy and music,” Artistic Director Blake Robison explained. “Add to that a truly relatable story and the incredible talent of our two actor/musicians Matthew McGloin and Jefferson McDonald, and you can see why tickets have been selling quickly.”

The show, which has been called “tears-streaming-down-your-face-funny” by the Ottawa Sun, tells the story of playwrights and performers Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, who shared a childhood dream of growing up to be superstar concert pianists. In the two-person show, we meet semi-autobiographical characters Ted and Richard. In a series of short, rapid-fire scenes, Ted and Richard transform into parents, teachers, coaches and even themselves at various ages. Memories of their music careers come to life onstage, from touching arguments with Richard’s father (who once fancied himself a bit of a pianist as well) to side-splitting glimpses of the characters that helped instruct Ted and Richard at the piano.

At the heart of this production is two men with comedic chemistry telling the story of all our childhood dreams of being a movie star, astronaut, or NFL-quarterback. The musicians bring relatable nostalgia to life as they work to master everything from Bach and Beethoven to Billy Joel.

“Part of what makes 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS so enduring is that in addition to being incredibly entertaining, audiences see themselves in it whether or not they ever wanted to play the piano,” says Tom Frey, who serves as both director and music director for Playhouse’s production.

2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS has been produced on five continents in over 4,000 productions during its 24-year history. The production inspires audiences to think about their passions and reminds us all not to give up on our dreams.

“As a director, I love to watch the audience take in a play and see what seems to resonate with them,” says Frey. “2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS delivers more moments of connection than almost any play I’ve worked on.”

For more information on 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS, visit cincyplay.com.

CAST
Matthew McGloin (Richard); Jefferson McDonald (Ted)

PRODUCTION
Tom Frey (Director and Music Director); Steve Lucas (Scenic Designer); James Sale (Lighting Designer); Dale Brown (Casting Director); Brooke Redler (Stage Manager)

TICKETS
To purchase tickets or for more information, call the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana at 800-582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513-345-2248 for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf accessibility.

Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Individual tickets start at just $35. Tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances are priced at just $10 for college students with a valid school ID. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show for all other performances. Discounted ticket prices for children and teens are available for all productions and are $30 to $50, depending on show and seat location. 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS is suitable for ages 12 and up.

SPONSORS
Production Sponsors are The Carol Ann and Ralph Haile, Jr./ U.S. Bank Foundation. The Steinway Piano Sponsor is the Willis Music Company. The design sponsor is Bartlett Wealth Management. Artist sponsor is provided by BHDP. The Daley Family Foundation is an honorary producer. Season Sponsor is Heidelberg Distributing Company. Season Sponsor of New Work is the Rosenthal Family Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

ACCESS
The Playhouse is fully accessible. Audio enhancement receivers, large print programs, and complete wheelchair access are available.

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