Tag Archives: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

Best-selling MISERY comes to life with dark humor and edge-of-your-seat suspense

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will begin the 2018-2019 season with an adaptation of the Stephen King thriller MISERY in the Marx Theatre on Sept. 1. The production will run through Sept. 29, with opening night on Sept. 6.

Written by the celebrated screenwriter William Goldman, screenwriter of both the film and play adaptations, and directed by Playhouse’s artistic director Blake Robison, true-life becomes stranger than fiction when an acclaimed romance novelist, Paul Sheldon, wakes up in the home of his “Number One Fan.” This spine-tingling stage adaptation of Stephen King’s best-selling novel benefits from the immediacy of the theatre and traps you in a tense cat-and-mouse game that will grip you until the very end.

The Marx Theatre lends an intimate setting for the tightly packed, darkly humorous adaptation of the world-renowned novel. Working with Broadway’s best team for stage combat and effects, the most riveting moments of the book and film will be recreated on stage in a thrilling but not gruesome way.

“The Marx is perfect for this sort of intimate, psychological standoff,” says Robison. “The proximity between actor and audience heightens the tension. You’ll feel that you’re right there in the room with them. The novel’s descriptive passages about the house and the environment are translated into scenic design. Lighting and sound create dramatic tension. You can feel it all around you. Like the film, our stage version places full focus on the characters. Their tense psychological dance is the heart of MISERY.”

MISERY stars Barbara Chisholm as the deranged Annie Wilkes and David Whalen as the captive Paul Sheldon. Chisholm was last seen at the Playhouse portraying Erma Bombeck in the hit comedy, Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End in 2017, and audiences will recognize Whalen from his charismatic role as Ned Alleyn in last season’s Shakespeare in Love and as Dan Needham in A Prayer for Owen Meany.

“Barbara and Dave are two of my favorite actors,” says Robison. “This play will allow our audiences to see the incredible range that they have. If you saw Erma Bombeck, you know that Barbara can be chipper and playful. Annie spends much of the play that way, until we see her dark side emerge. Likewise, we’ve seen David as a swashbuckling leading man in Shakespeare in Love, but now he’ll be stuck in a bed for much of the play.”

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ohio’s only two-time Tony Award-winning theatre, boasts productions that are both nationally recognized and locally crafted. The 2018-2019 season includes productions featuring actors, directors, and designers who regularly work on and off Broadway and at other leading professional theatres across the country. All productions are presented at the Playhouse’s iconic Eden Park setting.

CAST
Barbara Chisholm (Annie Wilkes); David Whalen (Paul Sheldon); Kenneth Early (Buster)

PRODUCTION
Blake Robison (Director/Artistic Director); Paul Shortt (Set Designer); Kathleen Geldard (Costume Designer); Xavier Pierce (Lighting Designer); Matthew M. Nielson (Sound Designer/Composer); Sordelet Ink: Rick Sordelet and Christian Kelly-Sordelet (Fight Choreographers/Special Effects Coordinators); Jenifer Morrow (Production Stage Manager); Brooke Redler (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. 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 $45, depending on show and seat location.

SPECIAL EVENTS
PAGE TO STAGE BOOK CLUB
The Playhouse begins its page-to-stage book club series this season with a deep dive into Stephen King’s suspense-filled novel, Misery.

Participants are invited to attend two special discussion events:

• At the first discussion on Aug. 27, we’ll talk about the book and the film: the plot and characters, the overarching themes, how you might imagine it translates to a theatrical setting and even the challenges you see in adapting the story.
• Our second discussion will take place on Sept. 24, after you’ve seen the play, to discuss what excited and surprised you, and to learn from a member of the production team how they approached the show.

Playhouse book club events take place at 7 p.m. at The Mercantile Library, located at 414 Walnut St., #1100. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by calling the Box Office at 513-421-3888.

MISERY BOURBON TASTINGS
Fridays, Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28 | 6:30 p.m. at the Playhouse | Cost: $35

Join us before Friday evening performances of MISERY for a special bourbon tasting accompanied by a three-course meal catered by The Littlefield. Cost does not include a ticket to the show. Reservations are required by the Monday before the tasting and can be made through the Box Office at 513-421-3888 or online at cincyplay.com/events.

STEPHEN KING MURDER MYSTERY PUB CRAWL
Thursday, Sept. 13 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. in Mt. Adams | Cost: $10

As part of our Off the Grid Bar Series, The Stephen King Murder Mystery Pub Crawl will engage teams of participants in an interactive mystery inspired by the works of Stephen King. The event is a combination of performance, trivia and board game. Register by calling the Box Office at 513-421-3888.

WRITING SUSPENSEFUL FICTION: ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP
Saturday, Sept. 22 | 10 a.m. – noon at the Playhouse | Cost: $50
Do you have a suspenseful, thrilling story that’s begging to be written? In this adult enrichment workshop, learn the fundamentals of crafting a gripping, fictional story that will keep your readers on the edge of their seat. Registration for this event is required by calling the Box Office at 513-421-3888 or by registering online at cincyplay.com.

SPONSORS
Production Co-Sponsors are JRA and BHDP Architecture. Artist Sponsor is Wesbanco. The Robert S. Marx Theatre Season is presented by Schueler Group. Season Sponsor of New Work is The Rosenthal Family Foundation and Marx Theatre Season Design Sponsor is Macy’s.

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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Single Tickets Available for Blockbuster Musicals, Contemporary Comedies and World Premieres at Ohio’s Only Two-Time Tony Award-Winning Theatre

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will begin selling single tickets for the 2018-2019 season on Monday, July 16. Single tickets will be available for all of 12 the season’s productions, including the highly anticipated world premiere of CINCINNATI KING, a musical about Cincinnati’s historic King Records, and the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit from the creator of Hamilton, IN THE HEIGHTS. The season will open with a thrilling production of Stephen King’s MISERY on Sept. 1.

“The unmatched variety of our new season is sure to delight and entertain audiences of all ages,” states Robison. “From a huge Broadway musical like IN THE HEIGHTS to an intimate and romantic world premiere, the 2018-19 season showcases the range, scale and quality of theatre as only the Playhouse can produce for Cincinnati.”

Robison continues, “I’m especially proud of our world premiere of CINCINNATI KING. It is the culmination of a home-grown project that we’ve had in development with our Associate Artist KJ Sanchez since 2013 and is truly a celebration of our city.”

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ohio’s only two-time, Tony Award-winning theatre, boasts productions that are both nationally recognized and locally crafted. The 2018-2019 season includes productions featuring actors, directors and designers who regularly work on and off Broadway and at other leading professional theatres across the country. All productions are presented at in the two intimate theatres located in Playhouse’s iconic Eden Park setting.

The Robert S. Marx Theatre Season
Presented by Schueler Group
Season Sponsor of New Work: The Rosenthal Family Foundation
Marx Season Design Sponsor: Macy’s

MISERY
By William Goldman
Based on the novel by Stephen King
Directed by Blake Robison
Sept. 1 – 29, 2018
Opening Night: Sept. 6

True life becomes stranger than fiction when an acclaimed romance novelist wakes up in the home of his “Number One Fan.” This spine-tingling stage adaptation of Stephen King’s terrifying novel traps you in a tense cat-and-mouse game that will grip you until the very end. MISERY stars Barbara Chisholm as Annie Wilkes and David Whalen as Paul Sheldon. Chisholm was last seen at the Playhouse portraying Erma Bombeck in the hit comedy, Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End in 2017, and Whalen portrayed Ned Alleyn in Shakespeare in Love. Sponsored by JRA and BHDP Architecture.

Leading Ladies presents
MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEY
By Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon
Directed by Eleanor Holdridge
Oct. 13 – Nov. 10, 2018
Opening Night: Oct. 18

Middle sister Mary finally takes center stage in this charming and clever sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that promises to captivate long-time fans of Jane Austen and newcomers alike. The Playhouse previously staged the world premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists, directed by Eleanor Holdridge, in 2016. Gunderson is the most produced playwright in America for the 2017-18 season.

IN THE HEIGHTS
Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Directed by May Adrales
Jan. 19 – Feb. 17, 2019
Opening Night: Jan. 24

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway smash hit and winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical is set to a hip-hop and Latin-flavored score and features high-energy choreography. IN THE HEIGHTS captures the vibrant spirit of a tight-knit, New York community as they navigate their hopes and dreams, loves and losses, fortunes and fates. IN THE HEIGHTS is a co-production with Seattle Repertory Theatre and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Sponsored by U.S. Bank.

First Financial Bank presents
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Howard Dallin
Directed by Michael Evan Haney
Nov. 21 – Dec. 29, 2018
Opening Night: Nov. 23

This joyous, time-honored production returns for its 28th season with a cast of nearly 30 actors, elaborate costumes and thrilling special effects. A CHRISTMAS CAROL is not part of the season subscription, but subscribers get early access and special discounts on tickets.

August Wilson’s
TWO TRAINS RUNNING
Presented by Moe and Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth
Directed by Timothy Douglas, Associate Artist
March 2 – 30, 2019
Opening Night: March 7

In August Wilson’s masterpiece, history unfolds around everyday lives against the backdrop of the civil rights movement. Part of Wilson’s trailblazing American Century Cycle, TWO TRAINS RUNNING paints a compassionate and unforgettable portrait of ordinary people in the midst of transformation.

Playhouse Associate Artist Timothy Douglas is one of the foremost directors of August Wilson. Most recently for the Playhouse main stage, he directed Wilson’s Jitney in 2016. TWO TRAINS RUNNING is a co-production with Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
Based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz
Book, Musicand Lyrics by Clark Gesner
Directed by Bill Fennelly
April 20 – May 18, 2019
Opening Night: April 25

The Peanuts gang comes to life onstage in this whimsical and witty musical. You’ll fall in love all over again with Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty and Snoopy as they deal with the joys and frustrations of kites, school, baseball and first love. Featuring a new musical arrangement with actors playing their own instruments, delightful numbers like “My Blanket and Me,” “The Book Report” and “Happiness” abound with joy.

This production also re-unites the director and star of Playhouse’s 2017 production of Little Shop of Horrors. Bill Fennelly returns to direct and Nick Cearley (Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors) plays Linus. Sponsored by Johnson Investment Counsel and Clark, Schaeffer, Hackett & Co.

THE 2018-2019 SHELTERHOUSE THEATRE SEASON
 Presented by Heidelberg Distributing Company
Season Sponsor of New Work: The Rosenthal Family Foundation
Shelterhouse Season Design Sponsor: Allan Berliant and Jennie Rosenthal Berliant
Family Fund

THE ROOMMATE
By Jen Silverman
Directed by Tracy Brigden
Sept. 21 – Oct. 21, 2018
Opening Night: Sept. 27

The Odd Couple meets Breaking Bad in this wickedly funny comedy. Fifty-something Sharon finds a roommate in Robyn, who needs a place to hide and the chance to start over. When Sharon begins to uncover Robyn’s secrets, she takes a leap towards the dark side. THE ROOMMATE hilariously examines what happens when the wheels come off.

Playwright Jen Silverman’s All the Roads Home made its world premiere at the Playhouse in 2017, and THE ROOMMATE received its world premiere during the 2015 Humana Festival of New Plays at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. Sponsored by Digi and Mike Schueler.

CINCINNATI KING
Written and Directed by KJ Sanchez, Associate Artist
Nov. 3 – Dec. 23, 2018
Opening Night: Nov. 8

Celebrate Cincinnati’s rich music history in this world premiere musical about King Records. Based on hundreds of interviews, the story traces the groundbreaking rise of music pioneer Syd Nathan and the artists he produced, the music he created and the enemies he made along the way. The show shares behind-the-scenes tales of King Records hits including “The Twist,” “Blues Stay Away From Me,” “Fever” and “Need Your Love So Bad.” CINCINNATI KING shines a spotlight on this revolutionary music label and its Queen City roots.

Playhouse Associate Artist KJ Sanchez is founder and CEO of American Records, a company devoted to making theatre that chronicles our time. She most recently directed the Playhouse production of Jane Eyre in 2017. A staged concert reading of CINCINNATI KING was performed in Washington Park in May of 2015 as part of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival and 3CDC’s OTR Performs Series. Sponsored by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.

THE SECOND CITY – IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME
Jan. 10 – 27, 2019

The Second City has been laughing at love and its various side effects for decades. THE SECOND CITY – IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME takes shots at heartbreak, missed connections and the mire of human relationships, as seen through the eyes of the next generation of comic writers and performers. Your friends, parents and blind date will all find something achingly familiar to laugh at.

This booked-in, limited run is not part of any season subscription package, although subscribers do receive early buying opportunities.

THE LAST WIDE OPEN
By Audrey Cefaly
Directed by Blake Robison
Feb. 9 – March 10, 2019
Opening Night: Feb. 14

Fate plays its hand in this wondrous and romantic world premiere. Lina, a young waitress, and Roberto, an Italian immigrant, have been working together for years but rarely talk. If they do, it’s from a distance or gets lost in translation. But when a late-night thunderstorm finds them alone in the restaurant at closing time, they find their lives intersecting in surprising and mystical ways. Over wine and conversation, they test the waters of happiness and intimacy. A love song in three movements, THE LAST WIDE OPEN imagines how the universe conspires to bring us together. Sponsored by Bartlett Wealth Management.

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY
By Larissa FastHorse
Directed by Lisa Portes
March 23 – April 21, 2019
Opening Night: March 28

Watch as a group of liberal artists walk the fine line of political correctness in this fresh, satirical comedy. Armed with progressive lingo and questionably good intentions, they attempt to devise a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving play for local elementary schools. Slowly but surely, the well-meaning plans dissolve into an outrageous sendup of PC behavior. THE THANKSGIVING PLAY treads the minefields of appropriation to inject some laughter into activism, apathy and all the assumptions in between.

This production marks the first time the Playhouse has produced a play by a Native American playwright. Lisa Portes directed the 2016-17 season Playhouse production of Disgraced.

TINY HOUSES
By Chelsea Marcantel
Directed by Laura Kepley
May 4 – June 2, 2019
Opening Night: May 9

Can tiny equal happy? Four young, lovable, eccentric adults are determined to build a 200-square-foot tiny house in Oregon with the hope of finding minimalist contentment. Instead, the project devolves into a series of amusingly awkward missteps. Will their relationships survive the construction project? Will living small be a huge mistake? This endearing comedy explores what happens when our world begins to shrink, and delves into the universal longing for home and family. TINY HOUSES is a co-production with Cleveland Play House, where the play’s director Laura Kepley is Artistic Director.

Ticket Information
Playhouse 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 for all shows start at just $35 for all shows, except A Christmas Carol and The Second City, which start at $40. Tickets to all 7 p.m. Sunday performances (not including A Christmas Carol) 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 $45, depending on show and seat location. Visit the Playhouse website for content and age advisories for each show.

Patrons also can subscribe to all five Marx Theatre or five Thompson Shelterhouse productions for as little as $157.50 or build their own series of four or more shows from either theatre.

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.

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

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.