Tag Archives: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

Holiday Humor Abounds in AS YOU LIKE IT Opening at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

Cincinnati Shakespeare’s 2015-2016 Shakespeare Season Opener is “As You Like It”, Nov. 20-Dec. 12, 2015

Sara Clark as Rosalind.

Sara Clark as Rosalind.

Cincinnati, OH, November 3, 2015— Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues their 2015-2016 mainstage season with Shakespeare’s beloved comedy “As You Like It” playing November 20- December 12, 2015.  This production is directed by CSC Artistic Associate Jeremy Dubin and features the entire Cincinnati Shakespeare Resident Ensemble including Sara Clark, Geoffrey Barnes, Paul Riopelle, and Billy Chace. The production is generously sponsored by AARP, the ensemble sponsor is PNC, costume design sponsor is Macy’s, and the properties design sponsor is Towne Properties.

Banished to the Forest of Arden with only her cousin and a fool for company, the clever Rosalind (Sara Clark) dresses as a man for protection. Once in the woods, she is shocked to discover the trees are covered with love poems written to her! She is further shocked when she discovers that their author is none other than the handsome Orlando (Geoffrey Barnes), who recently captured her heart. Hiding behind her boyish disguise, she puts Orlando’s love for her to the test, while juggling the affairs of courtiers and country bumpkins alike. Featuring a hilarious cast of characters, delightful music, and warm-hearted romance, “As You Like It” will be the perfect choice for a cold winter’s night.

Artistic Associate and audience favorite Sara Clark will be featured as Rosalind. Now in her 10th season as a member of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Resident Ensemble, Sara has recently appeared at CSC as Daisy in “The Great Gatsby”, Ophelia in “Hamlet”, Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet”, and Abagail Williams in “The Crucible” as well as appearing in “Every Christmas Story Ever Told” for the last 9 years.  She says that “‘As You Like It’ is an exquisitely verbal comedy, and at its center lies one of the great roles in English drama. One that I am now lucky enough to undertake.”  She continues to say “Rosalind is a joy to play because she has the intelligence of Beatrice without her cynicism (from “Much Ado About Nothing”), the heart of Viola without her melancholy (from “Twelfth Night”), the cleverness of Cleopatra without her volatility (from “Antony and Cleopatra”), and the lovesick giddiness of Juliet without her tragic end (from “Romeo and Juliet”).”

Performances of “As You Like It” are scheduled from November 20- December 12, 2015 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. No show on Thanksgiving Nov. 27, show added Saturday Nov. 28 at 2 p.m.  There is no performance on Sunday Nov. 22.  Preview performances are on Wednesday Nov. 18 and Thursday Nov. 19 at 7:30pm and tickets are $25.

The theater is located at 719 Race Street, downtown Cincinnati, two blocks west of the Aronoff Center.  Single ticket prices range from $22-$35 on Thursdays and Sundays and from $26-$39 on Fridays and Saturdays.  Previews are $25.  If available, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased 30 minutes before a show with a valid student ID.  This production is a part of this season’s subscription package. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted.  Ticketing fees may apply.  Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups as well as AAA members.  To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for audiences of all ages.  Located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, CSC produces a dozen mainstage productions each season.  The repertoire is made up of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of the Theater Communications Group and the Shakespeare Theater Association.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reached nearly 30,000 young people and underserved community members last season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions at its home on Race Street.  Last season, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the classics!

About the 2015-2016 Season:
This season is generously sponsored by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company receives operating support from The Ohio Arts Council, the Shubert Foundation and is supported, in part, by the generosity of thousands of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s productions of “Julius Caesar” and “Antony and Cleopatra” are part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.  The season design sponsor is Mark & Sue Ann Painter.  The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program/organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Production dates and information on the season are available online atwww.cincyshakes.com.

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AS YOU LIKE IT Runs Nov. 20-Dec. 12

Sara Clark as Rosalind.

Sara Clark as Rosalind.

AS YOU LIKE IT
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Nov. 20-Dec. 12
Downtown

Directed by Jeremy Dubin

Cast: Geoffrey Warren Barnes II, Kyle Brumley, Billy Chance, Sara Clark, Tia Leshaun Davis, Douglas Fries, Jim Hopkins, Josh Katawick, Justin McCombs, Miranda McGee, Lindsey Augusta Mercer, Barry Mulholland, Maggie Lou Rader, Paul Riopelle, Tess Talbot, Brent Vimtrup & Petrea Whittier

Banished to the Forest of Arden with only her cousin and a fool for company, the clever Rosalind dresses as a man for protection. Once in the woods, she is shocked to discover the trees are covered with love poems written to her! She is further shocked when she discovers that their author is none other than the handsome Orlando, who recently captured her heart. Hiding behind her boyish disguise, she puts Orlando’s love for her to the test, while juggling the affairs of courtiers and country bumpkins alike. Featuring a hilarious cast of characters, delightful music, and warm-hearted romance, AS YOU LIKE IT is the perfect choice for a cold winter’s night.

  • In preview, Wed-Thu, Nov. 18-19  at 7:30pm. All seats $25
  • Fri-Sat, Nov. 20-21 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, Nov. 27 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Nov. 28 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Nov. 29 at 2pm
  • Thu-Sat, Dec. 3-5 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Dec. 6 at 2pm
  • Thu-Sat, Dec. 10-12 at 7:30pm

Official page |

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Bruce Cromer Returns to Cincinnati Shakepeare’s Stage as Willy Loman in DEATH OF A SALESMAN

Cincinnati Shakespeare’s 2015-2016 season continues with this much anticipated production

 Bruce Cromer as Willy Loman.

Bruce Cromer as Willy Loman.

Cincinnati, OH, September 24, 2015— Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues their 2015-2016 mainstage season with the award-winning American classic, DEATH OF A SALESMAN by Arthur Miller playing October 16- November 7, 2016.  This production is directed by CSC Producing Artistic Director, Brian Isaac Phillips and features the Cincinnati Shakespeare Resident Ensemble including Bruce Cromer, Annie Fitzpatrick, Justin McCombs, and Jared Joplin.  The ensemble is generously sponsored by Oswald and the costume design is generously sponsored by Fifth Third Bank.

Arthur Miller’s award-winning American classic, DEATH OF A SALESMAN tells the poignant story of a salesman and his quest to make it big. In the land of the free, every man controls his own destiny and the right to try and achieve the elusive American Dream. But as his days grow shorter and the times tougher, can Willy Loman (Bruce Cromer) achieve this long cherished dream for his family? Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, multiple Tony Awards, and deemed one of the greatest plays of the Twentieth Century, Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN is an exploration of failure and success that still resonates today.

Starring as Willy Loman, Bruce Cromer, has been a member of the CSC resident ensemble for 11 seasons.  He was most recently seen on CSC’s stage in the critically-acclaimed sold out 2015 production of “Waiting for Godot”.  In the previous season, he appeared in the also acclaimed CSC productions of “Hamlet” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”.  His previous credits at CSC include Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Thomas More in “A Man for All Seasons”, Benedick in “Much Ado About Nothing”, Salieri in “Amadeus”, Prospero in “The Tempest”, and the title role in “King Lear”.  Bruce has performed with Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Festival of New Jersey, Santa Fe Stages, St. Louis Rep., Milwaukee Rep., Human Race Theatre, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, and more as well as at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, appearing as Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” for the past 12 years.  Bruce has taught Acting and Movement in the BFA Professional Actor Training Program at Wright State University for twenty-five years.

Performances of DEATH OF A SALESMAN are scheduled from October 16- November 7, 2015 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  There is no performance on Sunday Oct. 16.  Preview performances are on Wednesday Oct. 14 and Thursday Oct. 15 at 7:30pm and tickets are $25.

The theater is located at 719 Race Street, downtown Cincinnati, two blocks west of the Aronoff Center.  Single ticket prices range from $22-$35 on Thursdays and Sundays and from $26-$39 on Fridays and Saturdays.  Previews are $25.  If available, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased 30 minutes before a show with a valid student ID.  This production is a part of this season’s subscription package. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted.  Ticketing fees may apply.  Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups as well as AAA members.  To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.

About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for audiences of all ages.  Located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, CSC produces a dozen mainstage productions each season.  The repertoire is made up of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of the Theater Communications Group and the Shakespeare Theater Association.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reached nearly 30,000 young people and underserved community members last season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions at its home on Race Street.  Last season, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to “Complete the Canon” by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati’s stage for the classics!

About the 2015-2016 Season:
This season is generously sponsored by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company receives operating support from The Ohio Arts Council, the Shubert Foundation and is supported, in part, by the generosity of thousands of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave.  Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s productions of “Julius Caesar” and “Antony and Cleopatra” are part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.  The season design sponsor is Mark & Sue Ann Painter.  The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program/organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Production dates and information on the season are available online atwww.cincyshakes.com.

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CYRANO DE BERGERAC Review

Links to all reviews can be found using the REVIEWS link at the top of the any page. Blog postings, links and  more are available on my Facebook fan page. You can also receive updates on Twitter from @BTCincyRob.

Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company through Oct. 3. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening night performance.

Jeremy Dubin gives his strongest performance to date in the demanding title role. Confident and insightful, Dubin is captivating to watch. I enjoyed how De Bergerac’s bravado is played more as a statement of fact than bragging. His devotion to Roxane is complete and selfless.

Caitlin McWethy as Roxane, Grant Niezgodski as Christian, and Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Caitlin McWethy as Roxane, Grant Niezgodski as Christian, and Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Caitlin McWethy’s Roxane is genuine as the women touched to her core by Cyrano’s words. The scenes where she shares her mis-directed love for Christian (Grant Niezgodski), with her distant cousin and confidant, are heartbreaking. Jared Joplin creates a great villain as Comte de Guiche. It is his desire for Roxane’s affection that sets the tragedy in motion. Billy Chance is extremely fun as the baker-patron of poets, Ragueneau.

Caitlin McWethy as Roxane and Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Caitlin McWethy as Roxane and Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Director Brian Isaac Phillips uses every inch of space available to him. The staging is well-focused and dynamic. Designer Andrew J. Hungerford provides a versatile set. It transforms into a theater, a battlefield and a covent, just to name a few of the settings. The platform stage left worked well, but it read more pier than balcony to me.

Kyle Brumley as Carbon de Castel-Jaloux and Caitlin McWethy as Roxane. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Kyle Brumley as Carbon de Castel-Jaloux and Caitlin McWethy as Roxane. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The costumes and wigs are impressive and added to the richness of the production. My favorite was the bold fashion choices of the ill-fated Carbon de Castel-Jaloux (Kyle Brumley).

The nose prosthetic for Cyrano looks very good. From my seat, it appeared natural in its design and application. I did notice that in some of the night scenes, the lighting reflected differently off his face than off the appliance.

Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano and Cadets.  Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Jeremy Dubin as Cyrano and Cadets. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Opening night, the show did break the three-hour mark, but it didn’t seem overly long. The script is strong, and I had not realized that I didn’t know how Cyrano’s story ended. I felt that the pacing was steady, but it struggled to gain some energy, some bounce. This steady pace worked against the final scene, delaying the emotional payoff the audience has been waiting for the entire show.

Dubin’s captivating performance leads a strong cast in this romantic-tragedy of unrequited love.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Cincy Shakes continues their season with another classic, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play DEATH OF A SALESMAN with Bruce Cromer as Willy Loman. I fully expect sell-out run so purchase your tickets early.

I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.

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DEATH OF A SALESMAN Runs Oct. 16-Nov. 7

 Bruce Cromer as Willy Loman.

Bruce Cromer as Willy Loman.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Oct. 16-Nov. 7
Downtown

Directed by  Brian Isaac Phillips

Cast: Kyle Brumley, Billy Chance, Bruce Cromer, Tia Leshaun Davis, Annie Fitzpatrick, Douglas Fries, Jim Hopkins, Jared Joplin, Josh Katawick, Justin McCombs, Kelly Mengelkoch, Barry Mulholland, Tess Talbot & Petrea Whittier

Arthur Miller’s award-winning American classic, DEATH OF A SALESMAN tells the poignant story of a salesman and his quest to make it big. In the land of the free, every man controls his own destiny and the right to try and achieve the elusive American Dream. But as his days grow shorter and the times tougher, can Willy Loman achieve this long cherished dream for his family? Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, multiple Tony Awards, and deemed one of the greatest plays of the Twentieth Century, Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN is an exploration of failure and success that still resonates today.

  • In preview, Wed-Thu, Oct. 14 & 15 at 7:30pm. All seats $25
  • Fri-Sat, Oct. 15-16 at 7:30pm
  • Thu-Sat, Oct. 22-24 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Oct. 25 at 2pm
  • Thu-Sat, Oct. 29-31 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Nov. 1 at 2pm
  • Thu-Fri*, Nov. 5-6 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Nov. 7 at 2pm & 7:30pm*
    *Fri & Sat 7:30pm performances SOLD OUT

Official page |

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