Tag Archives: Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative

September 9, 2022 · 8:50 am

THE CAR RIDE On Oct. 11

CPI_The Car Ride logoTHE CAR RIDE By Michael Defrancesco
Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative
Oct. 11
Aronoff Center Fifth-Third Bank Theater [Downtown]

The Car Ride is about a couple taking a trip when suddenly a woman jumps into the back seat of the car. The ensuing journey will have an indelible impact on their lives.

About the Author: 
Michael Defrancesco grew up in Cincinnati and attended a Catholic seminary. Having had a keen interest in theater and after attending a summer drama program at UC, he sought and was awarded a Rockefeller grant to the University of Cincinnati’s Theater Arts program, where he earned an M.A. in Theater Arts. He became more interested in writing than acting, and engaged in that off and on over a number of years. In the past dozen years, he has written four plays: three full length and two as one-acts. His first CPI staged reading was a full-length play, The Circle, held last January. He is married with three children.

  • Tue, Oct. 11 at 7:30pm

Official page |

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

Tagged as

August 2, 2022 · 10:33 am

2022-2023 Season Announced by Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative

CPI_logoCPI Announces 2022/2023 Season

Local Playwriting Group Selects Scripts for Staged Readings

Cincinnati— August 1, 2022 — At its July board meeting, the CPI Board of Directors received the following selections from its Playwriting Selection Committee of scripts to be performed for its 2022/2023 season.

The following members of the Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative (CPI) will have their plays performed as staged readings at the Fifth Third Theater in downtown Cincinnati.

  • October 11, 2022
    THE CAR RIDE by Michael Defrancesco
  • November 15, 2022
    NOT JUST COUSINS by Susan Medure Decatur
  • January 10, 2023
    THE COST OF LIVING by David Hughes
  • February 14, 2023
    LOVEFEST 2: An Evening of 10-Minute Love Stories in celebration of the American Heart Association’s Centennial fundraiser.
    Playwrights to be announced in mid-August
  • March 14, 2023
    SYNAPSE by Mary Beringer
  • April 4, 2023
    SYMONE WITH A Y by Roger Collins

Season Tickets are available for $50 for all 6 shows and can be purchased online at www.cincinnatiarts.org or in person or by calling the Aronoff box office at 513-621-2787.

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases, Season Announcements

Tagged as

May 5, 2022 · 12:29 pm

ROAD LESS TRAVELED On June 7

CPI_logoROAD LESS TRAVELED
Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative
June 7
Aronoff Center Fifth-Third Bank Theatre [Downtown]

CPI New Voices Series presents a reading of ROADS LESS TRAVELED by local playwright Fred Rothzeid.

ROADS LESS TRAVELED
Four plays about love, longing, friendship and revenge

  • WAITING ROOM – He believes he’s waiting to die.  She believes he’s waiting to live.
  • LOVERS ARCH – There are said to be 50 ways to leave your lover.  Now there are 51.
  • CASSIE – What does the future hold?  Sometimes just the opposite of what you expect.
  • ONCE AND FOREVER – How long can love last?  Maybe longer than you think.

About the Author: Fred has been exploring life’s journey in poems, songs, liturgy and plays most of his adult life. ROADS LESS TRAVELED is Fred’s eighth staged play reading with CPI.  When not trying to figure out the universe Fred enjoys working out, gardening, traveling and especially his grandchildren.

  • Tue, June 7 at 7:30pm

Official page |

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

Tagged as

March 21, 2022 · 10:48 am

Auditions Announced for Staged Readings at Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative

CPI_logoThere are 3 ten-minute plays for CPI (https://cincyplaywrights.org/) for a single performance: Tuesday, April 12 from 7:30-9:30P at the Aronoff downtown with Richard Zenk as the director. There are 9 ten-minute plays in total being performed that evening.

Multiple roles for men and women are available.

The plays will be performed with basic blocking and with or without scripts.

There will 2 or 3 one hour Zoom rehearsals in early April (TBD) and a rehearsal before the performance at about 5:30P for each play.

Please read the 3 plays: https://tinyurl.com/32jjkksn

Email richardjoseph@gmail.com with the following information no later than 3/27: 

  1. your acting resume
  2. a recent photo – does not have to be a headshot
  3. the roles are you interested in
  4. any conflicts Monday through Thursday evenings starting at 7pm and weekends starting between 1-5pm between April 1 and the performance date
  5. your bio (50 words or less)

The director will contact you after your email with the next steps.

Leave a comment

Filed under Auditions

Tagged as

March 11, 2022 · 10:43 am

FOOLSFEST: An Evening of Eight 10-Minute Plays On April 12

CPI_logoFOOLSFEST: An Evening of Eight 10-Minute Plays
Cincinnati Playwrights Initiative
April 12
Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater [Downtown]

New Voices Series presents its Spring festival of ten-minute play readings.

  • APRIL IS NOT FOOL by Eric Thomas
    Four suspects. Three weapons. Two languages. One corpse… but who is it?
  • HUMANOID TRAFFIC STOP by Roger Collins
    A routine traffic stop turns into anything but routine as two passengers, two police officers and their humanoid-assistant find themselves on a fantastical road to one foreseeable future.
  • I AM NOT A SHOE by David Hughes
    You clean your toenails with a salad fork.
  • INTERVIEW WITH A FOOL by Teri Foltz
    When a Shakespearean Fool shows up at an employment agency, the Office Manager has trouble finding him a job until he learns of his skill set.
  • MISFIT MANSION by Traci Taylor
    Where it Pays to Be Weird
  • SELF RESPECT: A BURIAL by Roger Brookfield
    Two gravediggers have the unusual but well-paid assignment of burying individual self-respects before they can cause environmental harm.
  • THE FOOL by Sanjay Puligadda
    An absurd comedy examines the travails of human existence through the eyes of the audience
  • THE TASTE TEST by Liz Coley
    For a single winery owner, finding the perfect man is a matter of taste.

3/11/22 – Health and Safety Guidelines

  • Tue, April 12 at 7:30pm

Official page |

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

Tagged as