Tag Archives: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

CINCINNATI (Jan. 16, 2025) – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will begin the second half of its 2024-25 season with PRIMARY TRUST, a recent off-Broadway hit that won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Presented by Moe & Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth, the production begins Feb. 1 and runs through Feb. 23. Opening night is Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

PRIMARY TRUST tells the story of friendship and connection through Kenneth, a shy, Black 38-year-old man who sells books by day and drinks Mai tais with his best friend Bert by night. When Kenneth is suddenly laid off from his job, the walls of his comfortable, predictable life start to crumble until he finds kindness and friendship in unlikely places.

Critics hailed PRIMARY TRUST as “utterly absorbing” (The Daily Beast) and “wonderfully vivid” (The New York Times). The Los Angeles Times wrote the play was, “As tenderhearted as it is spryly comic and as poignant as it is ultimately uplifting.”

Fan-favorite Timothy Douglas returns to direct the Playhouse production of a play that captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike when it premiered off-Broadway at the Roundabout Theatre Company in 2023. It’s currently the most-produced play in the US.

Douglas said, “…the play’s humanistic, often humorous, and equally contemplative journey is a wholly inviting one. On a fundamental level the play reflects an ongoing reassessment of having to navigate one’s priorities in a post-pandemic America. Although packed with incident, the gentle way in which the storytelling unfolds, perhaps provides a meditative balance to other playgoing experiences that may demand more intense rigor from its audience.”

Ultimately, PRIMARY TRUST is a testament to the enduring power of human connection. As Kenneth navigates unexpected changes and forges new bonds, audiences are invited to reflect on their own lives and the connections that shape their experiences.

“The antidote (to loneliness) for me has been really feeling connected and seen by other people. It sounds so Mickey Mouse, but we need each other, and I think that’s important, and to be able to let people in is crucial,” said Playwright Eboni Booth.

CAST (in speaking order)

• Kenneth – DeShawn Harold Mitchell*
• Bert – Shane Taylor*
• Wally’s Waiter/Bank Customers – Lilian Oben*
• Clay/Sam/Le Pousselet Bartender – Peter Bisgaier*

PRODUCTION

• Playwright – Eboni Booth
• Director – Timothy Douglas
• Set Designer – Tony Cisek
• Costume Designer – Trevor Bowen
• Lighting Designer – Peter Maradudin
• Sound Designer – Melanie Chen Cole
• Dramaturg – Tatiana Godfrey
• Associate Director – Martavius Parrish
• Casting Director – Stephanie Klapper, CSA
• Stage Manager – Brandon T. Holmes*
• Assistant Stage Managers – Andrea L. Shell*, Madison Stone*

Co-produced with McCarter Theatre Center, Sarah Rasmussen, Artistic Director; Martin Miller Executive Director.

 *Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

TICKETS
Tickets begin at $35.00. Prices vary depending on performance. Preview performances take place Feb. 1, Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Regular performances will take place on Tuesday-Fridays at 7 :30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. A weekday matinee will take place Feb. 19 at 1 p.m.  An audio-described performance is offered on Feb 22 at 2 p.m. and a signed ASL performance will take place Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. 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, deaf-blind or speech disabled: dial 711 to connect to the Box Office via Ohio Relay Services.

DISCOUNTED PERFORMANCES
Community members will have the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets for $10 Tuesday on Feb. 11, “Pay What You Can” performances on Feb. 12 and 19 and Preview Performances Feb. 1, 4 and 5.

PREVIEW PERFORMANCES
Be among the first to see the show before opening night and save! Preview performance tickets are discounted.

• Sat., Feb 1 at 7:30 p.m.
• Tue., Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
• Wed., Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

$10 TUESDAY!
A minimum of 100 $10 tickets with balcony seating will be available for purchase in-person at the Playhouse Box Office beginning at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 11 for that evening’s 7:30 p.m. performance. Limit two per person. No advance reservations or choice of seating. Subject to availability.

• Tue., Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

PAY WHAT YOU CAN
Pay What You Can performances are an additional way we try to make live theatre accessible to those who otherwise might not be able to attend our shows. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 513-421-3888 or in person beginning at noon, day of the performance only. Tickets are subject to availability.

• Wed., Feb 12 at 7:30 p.m.
• Wed., Feb 19 at 1 p.m. (Tickets available for purchase at 11 a.m.)

EVENTS

OPENING NIGHT
Share the excitement of the opening performance!

• Thurs., Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

HUES COMMUNITY NIGHT
Join Black influencers, leaders and tastemakers for an incredible evening of entertainment that highlights Black voices and stories. Gather pre-show for conversation from 6 – 7 p.m. and enjoy an ArtTalk with members of the artistic team after the performance. The evening recognizes The DAD Initiative (dadinitiative.com) for its important work in the community. Cash bar. Open to all with tickets to that evening’s performance.

• Fri., Feb. 7

SOLO NIGHT
Attend the theatre solo, but not alone! Join us for our SOLO NIGHT at Primary Trust, a play that celebrates friendship and connection. It’s a meet-up with others who share a love of theatre but may not always have a friend or partner with the same passion to come along. Enjoy HALF-PRICE on your single seat to the show on Thursday, Feb. 20, and join us from 6 – 7 p.m. in the Kaplan Lobby for a pre-show meet-up with other solos that include drink specials and light snacks. Come as strangers, leave as friends!

• Meet-up from 6 – 7 p.m., Performance at 7:30 p.m.

PRE-PERFORMANCE TALKS
Come early and hear about the themes and background of the show from Literary Manager Tatiana Godfrey. The pre-performance talks are free and last approximately 20 minutes in the Kaplan Lobby. No reservation or additional ticket is required.

• Tue., Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m.
• Tue., Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.
• Tue., Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m.

ART TALKS
(Formerly Meet the Artists), stay after select performances for a behind-the-scenes discussion with members of the artistic team.

• Sun., Feb. 9 at 2 p.m.
• Thu., Feb 13 at 7:30 p.m.
• Wed., Feb 19. at 7:30 p.m.

ADVISORYPRIMARY TRUST is recommended for older teenage and adult audiences. The characters navigate life’s complexities with very strong adult language and mature themes including childhood trauma, alcohol use and mental health issues.

SPONSORS
Presenting Sponsors are Moe and Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth. Honorary Producers are Julie and Steven J. Shifman. Design Sponsors are John and Jennifer Stein. Artist Sponsor – Timothy Douglas is Marty C. Tomb. The 2024-2025 season is presented by the Schueler Group. Season Design Sponsor is Kerry Automotive.

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.

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CINCINNATI (Nov. 19, 2024) – The timeless tradition of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens returns to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park beginning Nov. 22 in Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre with the official opening performance on Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. and a new sensory friendly/relaxed performance on Dec. 27. Presented by First Financial Bank, the show runs through Dec. 29.

Talkin’ Broadway called the premiere production in 2023, which sold out all shows, “a showcase of local talent, a demonstration of the possibilities of the Playhouse’s new mainstage and a welcome addition that’s likely to become part of Cincinnati’s holiday tradition for years to come. No humbug – just joy to the world!” The Cincinnati Enquirer said it was “gorgeous” and “there is much to love in this celebratory production.”

A CHRISTMAS CAROL takes full advantage of The Rouse Theatre’s state-of-the-art capabilities, with a dazzling set, costumes and lighting and sound designs that recreate Victorian London. Towering above the set is a working clock tower that is an exact replica of London’s Big Ben, and at 20 feet wide and 12 feet long, is just three feet smaller than the actual clock.

“This is our 32nd year telling Dickens’ classic tale about the curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge. It is one of the world’s most celebrated stories, and our production at the Playhouse is no exception,” stated Blake Robison, Osborn Family Producing Artistic Director, who adapted and originally directed the new production. “It reminds us to look at the world around us and understand the needs and struggles of others. It inspires me to open my heart just a little bit wider, and that it’s never too late for a meaningful act of kindness.”

The new production is true to Dickens’ story, with famous lines audiences will remember as well as new scenes from the original novella. According to Bridget Leak, this season’s director of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, “Dickens’ text is timeless because its message is so simple and enduring. It’s a story about redemption, a lesson: it’s never too late. And that message resonates as profoundly whether it’s coming from Albert Finney or Fozzie Bear. Our family traditions are a shorthand for love. They anchor and center us.”

In addition to directing A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Leak is also newly appointed Producing Artistic Director of Know Theatre and a resident artist at the Playhouse as Co-Founder/Director of Queen City Flash. Andrew May returns as Ebenezer Scrooge, leading 23 cast members with new and familiar faces and six child actors. A CHRISTMAS CAROL is suitable for all general audiences, including children ages 5 and older.

CAST
Andrew May* – Ebenezer Scrooge
Angelique Archer* – Belle, Mrs. Dilber
Jocelyn Baum – Belinda Cratchit and Others
Darnell Pierre Benjamin* – Fred, School Master
Burgess Byrd* – Mrs. Fezziwig
R. Ward Duffy* – Solicitor, Topper, Businessman
Kenneth Early* – Mr. Fezziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present
Annie Fitzpatrick* – Fezziwig Guest, Refugee, Charwoman
Ryan Wesley Gilreath* – Bob Cratchit
Chaarvi Iyengar – Fan and Others
Justin McCombs* – Solicitor, Belle’s Husband, Fred Guest, Businessman
Kelly Mengelkoch* – Mrs. Cratchit, Fezziwig Guest
Dina Monk* – Fezziwig Guest, Fred Guest
Alex Purcell* – Young Scrooge, Undertaker
Maggie Lou Rader* – Ghost of Christmas Past, Young Wife
Jefferson A. Russell* – Jacob Marley, Miner, Old Joe
Aaron Schilling – Dick Wilkins, Miner, Businessman
Seava Sierra King – Martha Cratchit and Others
Rory Sheridan – Fezziwig Guest, Refugee, Debtor Husband
Tess Talbot – Fezziwig Guest, Rose, Poulteress
Rae Thornburg – Peter Cratchit and Others
Hugo Verderame – Tiny Tim
Michael Wood – Boy Scrooge and Others
Ensemble – Henry Prior and Elinor Claire Tepe
Understudies – Kieran Cronin, Jared Earland, Katie Scarlett

PRODUCTION
Blake Robison – Adapter/Original Director
Bridget Leak – Director
Wilson Chen – Set Designer
Bill Black – Costume Designer
Jaymi Lee Smith – Lighting Designer
Matthew M. Nielson – Sound Designer/Composer
Betsy Rosen – Puppetry Director
Daniel Tristan Cupp – Puppet Design and Fabrication
Casey Sams – Choreographer/Intimacy Coordinator
Brooke Redler* – Stage Manager
Brandon T. Holmes* – Assistant Stage Manager
Shelby Scaffidi* – Assistant State Manager

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

TICKETS

Tickets begin at $35.00. Preview performances take place Nov. 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. Prices vary depending on performance. Opening performance is Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. Regular performances will take place on Tuesday-Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23. No performances on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. 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, deaf-blind or speech disabled: dial 711 to connect to the Box Office via Ohio Relay Services.

EVENTS

Preview Performances
Be among the first to see the show before opening night and save! Preview performance tickets are discounted.
Fri., Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 23 at 7 p.m.

Opening Matinee:
Share the excitement of the opening performance!
Sun., Nov 24 at 2 p.m.

Sensory Friendly/Relaxed Performance
Fri., Dec. 27 at 2 p.m.

Our sensory-friendly/relaxed performance is designed for anyone who would benefit from a more sensory-aware and relaxed theatre experience. Although open to all, these performances are offered to accommodate individuals with sensory sensitivities, anxiety, dementia, autism spectrum disorders, learning differences or challenges, and others who need a more accommodating environment.

For more details, go to www.cincyplay.com/visit/accessibility/relaxed-performances.

ADVISORY

A CHRISTMAS CAROL is suitable for all general audiences, including children ages 5 and older. Due to the full-length nature of the show, children younger than 5 cannot be admitted.

SPONSORS
Presented by First Financial Bank. Additional support provided by Harold C. Schott Foundation and from Barbara Fitch and the Stona Fitch Family. Honorary Producer is Barbara M. Weyand. Design Sponsor is Roto Rooter. Artist Sponsor – Tiny Tim is Towne Properties. Artist Sponsor – Ghosts is Frost Brown Todd. Artist Sponsor – Bob Cratchit is Eat Well. The 2024-25 Season is presented by The Scheuler Group. Rouse Season Designer Sponsor is Kerry Automotive.

Media Sponsors are Local 12 WKRC-TV and WARM 98.5.

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.

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