Tag Archives: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

June 29, 2015 · 9:41 am

Cincinnati Shakespeare Lovingly Lampoons the Land of Liberty in THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED)

Cincinnati Shakespeare’s 2015-2016 begins with this hilarious production!

Miranda McGee, Geoffrey Barnes & Justin McCombs. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Miranda McGee, Geoffrey Barnes & Justin McCombs. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

CINCINNATI, June 26, 2015— Cincinnati Shakespeare Company begins its 2015-2016 season with the hilarious “The Complete History of America (abridged)” playing July 24- August 15, 2015. This production is directed by CSC Producing Artistic Associate, Jeremy Dubin and features Cincinnati Shakespeare Resident Ensemble members Miranda McGee, Justin McCombs and Geoffrey Barnes! The costume design is generously sponsored by Johnson Investment Council.

The brilliant (and deranged) minds that reduced all of 38 of Shakespeare’s plays into one madcap evening of theater do it again, this time reducing centuries of American history! In “The Complete History of America (abridged)” watch as three actors, who may or may not have passed their high school History class, take you on a whirlwind historical tour sending up many of our nation’s greatest hits and misses. Audiences raved about the hilarious “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” and are sure to rave again as we lovingly lampoon the land of liberty.

Performances of “The Complete History of America (abridged)” are scheduled from July 24-August 15, 2015 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. There is no performances on Sunday July 26. Preview performances are on Wednesday July 22 and Thursday July 23 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 on July 22 and 23 for $25. If available, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased 30 minutes before a show with a valid student ID. 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 at www.cincyshakes.com.

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June 24, 2015 · 1:24 pm

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA [ABRIDGED] Runs July 24-Aug. 15

Miranda McGee, Geoffrey Barnes & Justin McCombs. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Miranda McGee, Geoffrey Barnes & Justin McCombs. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA [ABRIDGED]
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
July 24-Aug. 15
Downtown

Directed by Jeremy Dubin

Cast: Miranda McGee, Justin McCombs & Geoffrey Barnes

The brilliant (and deranged) minds that reduced all of 38 of Shakespeare’s plays into one madcap evening of theater do it again, this time reducing centuries of American history! In THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA [ABRIDGED] watch as three actors, who may or may not have passed their high school History class, take you on a whirlwind historical tour sending up many of our nation’s greatest hits and misses. Audiences raved about the hilarious The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) and are sure to rave again as we lovingly lampoon the land of liberty.

  • In preview, Wed-Thu, July 22-23 at 7:30pm. All seats $25.
  • Fri-Sat, July 24-25 at 7:30pm
  • Thu-Sat July 30-Aug. 1 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Aug. 2 at 2pm
  • Thu-Fri, Aug. 6-7 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Aug. 8 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Aug. 9 at 2pm
  • Thu-Fri, Aug. 13-14 at 7:30pm
  • Sat, Aug. 15 at 2pm & 7:30pm
  • Sun, Aug. 16 at 2pm
    *added performances

Official page |

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June 22, 2015 · 6:26 pm

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS Review

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

Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company through July 5. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening night performance.

Cincy Shakes closes out their very strong 2014-2015 season with this outrageous and funny farce.

Matthew Lewis Johnson returns to the CSC stage in the role of Francis Henshall, the titular “one man.” Johnson does well in making Henshall a lovable buffoon. He has great comic-timing and builds a fun rapport with the audience. I enjoyed the high energy and the physicality he brought to the character. I wouldn’t have minded seeing the character a bit more grounded and perhaps, literally eating the scenery may have been pushing a bit. 🙂

Cary Davenport as Alan Dangle & Courtney Lucien as Pauline Clench. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Cary Davenport as Alan Dangle & Courtney Lucien as Pauline Clench. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Also turning in a great comic character is Jeremy Dubin as poor, mistreated Alfie. Visually, I immediately thought of Tim Conway’s classic “old man” character, but Dubin gives Alfie a great personality of his own.

Other favorites included Carry Davenport as wanna-be actor Alan Dangle, (who does double-duty as a leading member of the show’s house-band, The Shakes), Courtney Lucien as his clueless fiance Pauline Clench and Justin McCombs as [Guvnor] Stanley Stubbers. The audience participation was also a highlight and a fun surprise.

Cary Davenport as Alan Dangle, Courtney Lucien as Pauline Clench, Nicholas Rose as CharlieClench, Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall, Geoffrey Barnes as Lloyd Boateng & Miranda McGee as Dolly. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Cary Davenport as Alan Dangle, Courtney Lucien as Pauline Clench, Nicholas Rose as Charlie Clench, Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall, Geoffrey Barnes as Lloyd Boateng & Miranda McGee as Dolly. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

A strong ensemble rounds out the cast. Thanks to them and director Brian Isaax Phillips, fun bits and zany character choices abound. From Charlie Clench’s laugh (courtesy of Nick Rose) to Miranda McGee’s no-nonsense Dolly with her questionable taste in men.

With so many locations to depict, set designer Sarah Beth Hall does a great job of creating a versatile set to meet those demands. I was a bit confused by the choices made in the painting the set. It didn’t seem to evoke the time-period of the show very well for me.  It was very smart to use The Shakes to keep the show’s momentum and energy up during the scene changes.

The house band “The Shakes” performs throughout the production: Jeremy Dubin, Kelly Mengelkoch, Cary Davenport & Josh Katawick. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The house band “The Shakes” performs throughout the production: Jeremy Dubin, Kelly Mengelkoch, Cary Davenport & Josh Katawick. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

Overall, over-the-top and laugh-out-loud fun. Strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. Ticket sales were so strong, that the addition of two matinees was announced opening night. If there are any tickets available, Sat, June 27 at 2pm is probably your best shot.

My rating: 4.25 out of 5

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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June 17, 2015 · 10:07 am

LCT Review of ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

LCT_VThis review has been reposted courtesy of the League of Cincinnati Theatres. For more LCT reviews click here to visit their reviews page.

I have been looking forward all year to see the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s regional premier of One Man, Two Guv’nors, after having seen the original version on the London Stage. The play, based on Italian Commedia Dell’Arte with a good dash of vaudeville, Monty Python, and audience participation thrown in, requires tremendous energy and comic flair; as usual, CSC did not disappoint, providing an uproarious production every bit as entertaining as the original.

One Man, Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall (center) tries to serve his two “guvnors”, Justin McCombs as Stanley Stubbers & Caitlin McWethy as Rachel Crabbe. Photo by Cal Harris.

One Man, Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall (center) tries to serve his two “guvnors”, Justin McCombs as Stanley Stubbers & Caitlin McWethy as Rachel Crabbe. Photo by Cal Harris.

Key to success is a charming and both physically and verbally gifted leading man to play Francis Henshall, our everyman protagonist who juggles the demands of two bosses while simultaneously looking for a good meal and a good…woman. Matthew Lewis Johnson, who wowed theatre-goers last year as Falstaff in CSC’s Henry IV, was perfectly cast and once again demonstrated his impeccable comic timing and connection with the audience. He was backed up by CSC’s outstanding stable of character actors, highlighted by the eternally reliable Justin Combs, Miranda McGee, and especially Jeremy Dubin as the nonagenarian waiter, Alfie. Certainly not to be forgotten are “The Shakes”, the jazzy/bluesy skiffle band who provide entertaining musical interludes throughout the show, led by Kelly Mengelkoch, Cary Davenport and other CSC regulars who for a change of pace got to show off their musical talents. Finally, kudos to director Brian Isaac Phillips who nailed the pace and timing of this non-stop foolishness.

One Man Two Guv’nors may not be high art—maybe not even high comedy. But it’s an irreverent homage to the art of comedy itself that breaks down the fourth wall of theater and never fails to surprise and amuse. Tickets are almost sold out, although two shows have recently been added, so don’t miss this production. I hope CSC continues to take similar opportunities to produce fresh, contemporary productions with enough of a classical twist to fit into their otherwise traditional repertoire.

For more information on the production, click here.

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June 11, 2015 · 1:08 pm

Video Trailer for ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

One Man, Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall (center) tries to serve his two “guvnors”, Justin McCombs as Stanley Stubbers & Caitlin McWethy as Rachel Crabbe. Photo by Cal Harris.

One Man, Matthew Lewis Johnson as Francis Henshall (center) tries to serve his two “guvnors”, Justin McCombs as Stanley Stubbers & Caitlin McWethy as Rachel Crabbe. Photo by Cal Harris.

Fast-talking Francis Henshall finds himself in a sticky predicament when, in his constant quest for a quick buck and a bite to eat, he ends up simultaneously working for two rival masters. Can he prevent his bosses from meeting face-to-face, or has Francis bitten off more than he can chew? This raucous new adaptation of Goldoni’s classic Italian comedy, Servant of Two Masters is filled with improvisation, audience interaction, and even a real live skiffle band.

Performances run June 12-July 5. For more information and the cast list, click here.

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