Tag Archives: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

Broadway Smash Hit Coming to the Playhouse THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME starts Oct. 14

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Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

CINCINNATI—Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park brings another Broadway hit to Cincinnati this fall with THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. A winner of five Tony Awards, the production puts you inside the brilliant mind of a boy who sees the world as most of us can only imagine.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Mark Haddon. The story introduces us to Christopher Boone, a brilliant and sweet 15-year-old who excels in mathematics and problem-solving. This heroic story is told through his perspective, which is especially unique, as he has certain sensitivities to social interactions and relationships.

“This hopeful and compelling drama is about relationships, difference and the importance of understanding,” says Blake Robison, artistic director. “It’s also a thrilling play solving a mystery within a mystery. When Christopher takes on his own investigation of a neighborhood crime, he discovers secrets in his own life that he never could have imagined.”

This production will be directed by Tony Award-nominated, Broadway director Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who most recently directed The Secret Garden at the Playhouse in 2015.

“In our production, the cast and creative team will utilize the techniques of cunning stagecraft and heightened behavior to bring the story to vivid life,” Dodge says in her notes on the production. “No high-tech approach for this production, but rather an approach that will allow these seemingly ordinary characters to make their relationships with Christopher meaningful and fulfilling, however complicated and messy. Everyone who connects with Christopher will begin to see the world in unexpected and enlightening ways.”

The stage adaptation made its world premiere at the Royal National Theatre in London in 2012, its West End debut in 2013 and its Broadway debut in 2014. An overwhelming success, the show won five Olivier Awards and five Tony Awards including Best Play.

“THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME is a breathtaking theatrical experience that will fill you with hope,” Robison added.

The production opens with previews on Oct. 14 (official opening Oct. 19) and runs through Nov. 11, 2017

TICKETS
Prices for THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME start at $35 depending on seat location and performance day. Tickets for teens and students are $30. Prices subject to change. Student tickets are just $15 on the day of the show. Plus, Sunday is College Night, with tickets to all 7 p.m. performances just $10. In addition to calling the Box Office, tickets can also be purchased by visiting the Playhouse website at www.cincyplay.com.

SPONSORS
Production sponsors are Sallie and Randolph Wadsworth and Moe and Jack Rouse. Artist Sponsors are Barbara and Bill Weyand. The Robert S. Marx Theatre Season is presented by Schueler Group. Season Sponsor of New Work is The Rosenthal Foundation and Marx Theatre Season Design Sponsor is Macy’s.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of more than 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 and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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SPECIAL EVENTS
Page-to-Stage Book Club
Oct. 16 & Nov. 13, 7 p.m.
Joseph Beth Booksellers Rookwood

This season, the Playhouse is thrilled to continue our partnership with Joseph-Beth Booksellers with a book club for audience members interested in better understanding the process of adapting a book from the page to the stage.

  • Oct. 16: Explore Haddon’s novel about a brilliant teenager with social sensitivities who finds himself in the center of a murder-mystery plot surrounding his neighbor’s dog.
  • Nov. 13: After you’ve had a chance to see the Playhouse’s interpretation of the Tony Award-winning play, come discuss the artistic choices of the actors and production team with a member of the artistic staff.

All Playhouse book club events take place at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers’ Rookwood location. Books can be purchased or ordered through Joseph-Beth. Discussion events are free but registration is required in advance through the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888.

Playhouse Perspectives: Discussion on Autism
Oct. 30, 7 p.m.  at the Playhouse

Much of the discussion in popular culture that surrounds The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NIGHT-TIME includes the social sensitivities and challenges that the protagonist faces. Many readers have interpreted that Christopher displays symptoms which are present on the autism spectrum. Though author Mark Haddon has consistently explained that the story is about differences and understanding and not about Christopher’s dispositions, audiences have nevertheless engaged in critical discussions about the story’s representation of autism.

To gain a deeper understanding of this important conversation, the Playhouse is hosting a discussion with parents, experts and friends to discuss autism in the Greater Cincinnati area on Monday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Playhouse. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by calling the Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888.

The Playhouse Perspectives series is supported by a generous grant from Roderick and Barbara Barr.

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CMC’s Insights Lecture Series: COSTUMES, COSMETICS, AND CONTEXT CLUES: BRINGING A CHARACTER TO LIFE on Sept. 19

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With Melanie Mortimore, Costume Designer at Playhouse in the Park, Miranda McGee, Associate Artist and Residential Ensemble Member at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Amber Johnson, Educator and Make-Up FX Artist at the Art Academy of Cincinnati

7pm on Tue, Sept. 19, 2017 at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

This is a FREE lecture, but reservations are required at http://www.cincymuseum.org/content/insights-lecture-series

How do theatres create original characters and communicate their personalities to the audience, or take iconic roles and make them their own? Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is working in conjunction with Cincinnati Museum Center’s Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume and Shakespeare and the Queen City exhibitions, to provide a unique glimpse behind the curtain and the unique development processes that are used to bring new and beloved tales to life.

Costumer Designer Melanie Mortimer will discuss her work with Playhouse in the Park and how clothing choice relates to personality, identity, and communication. She will highlight the use of fabrication to inform audience perception of characters and their complexity. Art Academy of Cincinnati educator Amber Johnson will use her experiences as a Make-Up FX artist to examine how such (special) effects aid viewers in determining the good guys from the bad, and actors in defining who their characters are and sharing their stories. The Art Academy will also provide a live make-up demonstration as a Jedi and Sith are transformed right before your eyes. Finally, how does the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company use context clues to ascertain the directions William Shakespeare envisioned? From iambic pentameter to punctuation, antithesis to alliteration, Associate Artist and Resident Ensemble Member Miranda McGee will examine how they “unlock” Shakespeare’s texts to develop their characters the way they believe he intended.

In collaboration with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Playhouse in the Park, and the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

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Playhouse Off the Hill Tour Begins with a Flash Sept. 30

THE LAST FIREFLY Helps Children Find the Courage Within

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Promotional photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

CINCINNATI—Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s popular Off the Hill touring series returns Sept. 30 with THE LAST FIREFLY. The fantastical story combining Japanese fairy tales and folklore runs through Oct. 29 at community centers and schools across the region, from Burlington to Price Hill to Mariemont and at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.

THE LAST FIREFLY is the mythical story of Boom, the son of Thunder, who sets out to discover his true self. After his stepfather forces Boom from his home, he begins a search for his real father, which takes him on a journey of self-discovery, where he must courageously battle forces of nature.

“This show is a fun adventure that will engage the imaginations of children and parents alike,” says DaunielleTraditionally, kabuki theatre explores themes of good and evil through nature and spirituality. Characters include Lightning, Monkey,

Noted playwright Naomi Iizuka’s script is an evocative and kabuki-influenced play geared towards young audiences. Kabuki theatre is a Japanese form of stage drama that is characterized by elaborate costumes, lively storytelling, music, movement, and dancing.

Rasmussen, director of education and community engagement at the Playhouse.Tree and Spider, and Boom must also battle fierce elements of nature. These fantastical characteristics call for an especially innovative approach to set design, props, and costume, all of which are crafted by Playhouse artisans.

THE LAST FIREFLY is performed by members of the 2017-18 Bruce E. Coyle Acting Intern Company, under the direction of Playhouse Associate Artist Timothy Douglas. As Associate Artist, Douglas has directed many productions for the Marx and Shelterhouse stages, including Jitney, Buzzer, Clybourne Park, The North Pool, Mothers and Sons and the world premiere of Safe House. THE LAST FIREFLY marks his first production for the Playhouse in which he directs young and emerging artists for children’s theatre.

“We are very fortunate to have a director of Timothy’s caliber working with us on the first tour of the season,” says Rasmussen. “I can’t think of a better craftsman and storyteller to put together the story of Boom’s journey.”

Other upcoming Off the Hill touring plays include PINOCCHIO, Jan. 21 to Feb. 11, 2018. The much-loved tale about a wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy is packed with magical characters, cartwheels, circus antics and dollops of fun for the whole family starting at age 6 and up. RAPUNZEL, recommended for ages 4 and up, premieres April 5, 2018, and runs to May 20. Young Rapunzel lives in a tower, curious about the outside until she meets a local boy who finally gives her the courage to be free.

Find a full list of public performances here.

Directed by Timothy Douglas and choreographed by Daunielle Rasmussen, the cast includes Hannah Jones, Marco Adriel Munoz, Psacoya Guinn & JT Stocks.

Off the Hill is supported by The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation and John C. Griswold Foundation.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of more than 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 and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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MR. JOY Runs Sept. 23-Oct. 22

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Photo by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

MR. JOY
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Shelterhouse Theatre [Eden Park]

Directed by Nicole A . Watson

Performed by Debra Walton

What happened to Mr. Joy? A Harlem community is shaken when Mr. Joy, a Chinese immigrant whose shoe repair shop has been a neighborhood pillar for decades, is the victim of a sudden and violent attack. Through the lens of nine of Mr. Joy’s customers – all brought to life by one actress – we learn the subtly profound and unassuming impact the shop owner has had on each of their lives. Poignant, thoughtful and stirring, Mr. Joy invites you to celebrate the power of the invisible ties that bind us all. Written by Playhouse favorite and Dayton native Daniel Beaty! MR. JOY is appropriate for adults and older teenagers. The show is a depiction of individual hardships in an inner-city community of Harlem, New York, and contains adult language and realistic narratives describing violence.

  • In preview, Sat, Sept. 23 at 8pm & Sun, Sept. 24 at 7pm
  • In preview Tue-Wed, Sept. 26-27 at 7:30pm
  • Thu, Sept. 28 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, Sept. 29 at 8pm
  • Sat, Sept. 30 at 4pm & 8pm
  • Sun, Oct. 1 at 2pm & 7pm
  • Tue-Thu, Oct. 3-5 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, Oct. 6 at 8pm
  • Sat, Oct. 7 at 4pm & 8pm
  • Sun, Oct. 8 at 2pm & 7pm
  • Tue-Thu, Oct. 10-12 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, Oct. 13 at 8pm
  • Sat, Oct. 14 at 4pm & 8pm
  • Sun, Oct. 15 at 2pm & 7pm
  • Tue, Oct. 17 at 7:30pm
  • Wed, Oct. 18 at 1pm & 7:30pm
  • Thu, Oct. 19 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, Oct. 20 at 8pm
  • Sat, Oct. 21 at 4pm & 8pm
  • Sun, Oct. 11 at 2pm

Official page |

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Playhouse in the Park Selects BHDP to Lead Design of Capital Renovation 

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President and CEO of Messer Construction Co. Tom Keckeis; Playhouse Artistic Director Blake Robison; Playhouse Capital Campaign Chairman Woody Taft; BHDP Architecture CEO Mike Habel; and Playhouse Managing Director Buzz Ward.

Messer, TriVersity named as construction partners

CINCINNATI (Aug. 31, 2017)—Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s board of trustees approved today the selection of BHDP Architecture as the architectural firm to design the new, state-of-the-art Mainstage Theatre complex, which is the centerpiece of the Playhouse’s major capital renovation. Construction is expected to begin in spring of 2019 and be completed for opening in the fall of 2020. Officials also announced Messer Construction Co. and TriVersity Construction as construction partners for the project.

“After reviewing the qualifications of architectural firms throughout the country, BHDP was the clear choice to lead the future design of the Playhouse,” stated Blake Robison, artistic director. “They have the capabilities and the creativity to provide an imaginative and memorable design that will integrate the space with our iconic location in the park and provide a state-of-the-art theatre that brings an intimate experience to our audiences.”

BHDP is an award-winning international architectural firm headquartered in Cincinnati with offices in Columbus, OH; Atlanta, GA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Raleigh, NC. They are recognized for intelligent, innovative and inspiring solutions in architecture, planning, interior design, project management, strategic consulting and facilities management.

“BHDP is pleased to be selected to design such a high-profile project as Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park. Our goals are to honor Eden Park’s historic Shelterhouse Theatre and connect with the unique Mt. Adams hillside neighborhood while creating an inspiring and memorable experience for all the Playhouse patrons, company members, and staff,” said Mike Habel, BHDP’s CEO.

The Playhouse previously chose Messer and TriVersity as the construction firms to complete the project.

“The design firms in this city are second to none, so while this was a difficult choice to make, BHDP impressed everyone with their artistic vision and solutions-focused approach,” said Tom Keckeis, president and CEO, Messer Construction Co.

In the last five years, Messer has built and renovated world-class performing arts facilities in Cincinnati valued at more than $100 million and a combined 330,000 square feet of space, emerging as the local leader in performing arts construction management. Messer brings to the table a focus on safety, quality, cost control, and inclusion, as well as an award-winning project team, which includes project management personnel from TriVersity, a long-time partner of Messer.

“We’re pleased to add our project management expertise and commitment to safety, quality and diversity to the Playhouse partnership with Messer and to support such an important cultural asset,” TriVersity CEO Mel Gravely added.

The Playhouse announced a capital campaign earlier this year to replace the current Marx Theatre with a brand-new Mainstage Theatre complex, including improved production support spaces and enhanced patron amenities. It is phase one of a Facility Master Plan with future phases to include additional capacity for increased initiatives in community engagement and educational outreach across the region.

“One of BHDP’s strengths was their ability to envision a space where we could make significant facility improvements in the first phase of construction, with seamless additions to the design in future phases as part of a facilities master plan,” explained Buzz Ward/Woody Taft.

The capital campaign itself remains in the quiet stage; an exact fundraising goal along with designs for the future spaces will be announced in early 2018.

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About Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
Winner of two Tony awards, the Playhouse is the region’s preeminent professional theatre with unequaled access to the nation’s finest actors, directors, and designers.

The Playhouse is supported by the generosity of more than 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 and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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