Tag Archives: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

CSC’s Phillips Named ‘Forty Under 40’ Winner

Cincinnati Shakespeare’s Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips named one of Business Courier’s Forty Under 40 Winners

The Business Courier has announced this year’s class of Forty Under 40 winners!

Brian Isaac Phillips.

Brian Isaac Phillips.

CINCINNATI,— August 6, 2014— Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to announce the nomination of their Producing Artistic Director, Brian Isaac Phillips as a member of the Business Courier’s Forty Under 40 class. The program recognizes Greater Cincinnati’s next generation of young leaders and innovators — people who have already made a mark professionally and in the community.  The Forty Under 40 winners, along with this year’s Second Act honorees, will be recognized at a luncheon Sept. 30 at Music Hall, 1241 Elm St. downtown Cincinnati.

Producing Artistic Director, Brian Isaac Phillips, has been with the company for sixteen seasons.  He also just celebrated his 11th season of artistic leadership of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.  He was named Producing Artistic Director in 2010 after being Artistic Director since 2003. Prior to these responsibilities, he served with the organization as Associate Artistic Director for one season, as well as four seasons as a member of the acting company. He is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and the Stage Director’s and Choreographer’s Society. Mr. Phillips, originally from Pittsburgh, is a graduate of Morehead State University and has been a resident of Cincinnati for sixteen years. In that time he has worked for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, The Children’s Theatre, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, New Stage Collective, as well as over 100 productions with CSC. He also has worked regionally at theatres in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Northern Ohio. Most recent credits include The Two Noble Kinsmen, Henry IV pts. 1 and 2, Hamlet, The 39 Steps, Measure for Measure, Richard II, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Grapes of Wrath, Henry VIII: All is True, Macbeth, A Man for All Seasons, Bedroom Farce, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Handmaid’s Tale (world premiere), The Life and Death of King John, Dracula, Blithe Spirit, Krapp’s Last Tape,  Amadeus, Timon of Athens, The Seagull, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, King Lear, and Cymbeline. He upcoming credits includeThe Great Gatsby, The Birds, Waiting for Godot and Henry V, all appearing on CSC’s stage this season.

Outside of CSC, Mr. Phillips has recently been seen onstage in Collapse at Know Theatre, Porgy and Bess at Cincinnati Opera, as well as The Seafarer and Dead Man’s Cell Phone at Ensemble Theatre. Mr. Phillips will also appear in the film Miles Ahead featuring Don Cheadle and Ewan McGregor which will be released in 2015.  He staged Know Theatre’s recent productions of When the Rain Stops Falling and Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, directed the Xavier University/CSC collaboration of The Crucible and served as dramaturg on Cincinnati Ballet’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In addition to this 2014 nomination, he was named a finalist for the 2013 class of Forty Under 40 and a finalist for the Ohio Governors’ Arts Awards. On May 3, 2013, Mr. Phillips was recognized by Mayor Mark Mallory and the City of Cincinnati for his decade of achievement and service at CSC.  Mr. Phillips is honored that CSC was named as a finalist the past three years for Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce’s Non Profit of the Year Award and was named Best of 2013 by the Cincinnati Enquirer. He is thrilled to have led CSC to becoming one of the first five theatres in the United States to have produced Shakespeare’s complete 38 play canon and to have personally completed the canon as well. The completion of the canon and CSC’s 20th Anniversary milestone were recognized by Mayor John Cranley and the City of Cincinnati on April 23, 2014 when that day was proclaimed Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Day.

Brian lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Corinne Mohlenhoff and their two children, Holden & Annabel.

For additional information or for interviews, contact Jeanna Vella, Director of Education and Communications as jeanna.vella@cincyshakes.com or 513.381.2273 ext. 3202.

###

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 2014-2015 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 production of “Henry V” is 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.

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases

THE GREAT GATSBY Runs Sept. 5-Oct. 4

 Jared Joplin as Gatsby and Sara Clark as Daisy. By J. Sheldon Photo.

Jared Joplin as Gatsby and Sara Clark as Daisy. By J. Sheldon Photo.

THE GREAT GATSBY
Presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Sept. 5-Oct. 4
Downtown

It is the height of prohibition and young Nick Carraway has taken up residence in Long Island’s “West Egg”, home to the nouveau riche. He is soon befriended by his neighbor, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, and drawn into his glitzy, if garish, world of lavish parties and secret speakeasies. But as Gatsby’s secretive past is uncovered and his intentions revealed, Nick finds himself a pawn in a love triangle so scandalous, it threatens to destroy all those around him. This American classic is a poignant examination of America in the early twentieth century, exploring the notions of love, morality, identity and the corruption of the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s best known and most beloved work, The Great Gatsby finally comes to the stage in this exclusive new adaption by Simon Levy.

  • In preview Wed-Thu, Sept. 3-4 at 7:30pm. All seats $21.
  • Fri-Sat, Sept. 5-6 at 7:30pm
  • Thu-Sat, Sept. 11-13 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Sept. 14 at 2pm
  • Thu-Sat, Sept. 18-20 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Sept. 21 at 2pm
  • Thu-Sat, Sept. 25-27 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, Sept. 28 at 2pm
  • Thu-Fri, Oct. 2-3 at 7:3-pm
  • Sat, Oct. 4 at 2pm & 7:30pm

Official page |

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) 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.

Nicholas Rose and Jeremy Dubin. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Nicholas Rose and Jeremy Dubin. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company through Aug. 16. Read the show description.

What happens when you take a 90-ish minute comedic send-up of all of Shakespeare’s works, add CSC veterans Jeremy Dubin, Justin McCombs and Nicholas Rose, and put it all under the direction Sara Clark? It’s not a question of the show being good or funny, but moreso a question of HOW good and HOW funny. The answer to both is “pretty damn.”

The jokes are fast and furious with a loving nod to the Scooby-Doo and Road Runner cartoons. There are more pop culture and movie references than you can shake a lightsaber at, many of which generated quick, knowing glances between my guest and I as they successfully landed. The performance has a great mix of smart verbal, visual and physical bits that add to the experience without bogging down the show. The three actors easily manage (or at least make it look easy) the demands of the show and balancing their interactions with the audience.

Nicholas Rose, Justin McCombs, and Jeremy Dubin. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Nicholas Rose, Justin McCombs, and Jeremy Dubin. Photo by Rich Sofranko.

Excellent support from the production crew and their staff, led by stage manager Alice Flanders and costume designer Abbi Howson, keep this crazy train on track. Solid work from sound designer Doug Borntrager, scenic designer Andrew J. Hungerford and props headed by Travis McElroy & Tenley Pitonzo enhance the fun.

I did feel that there were a couple of places where the pacing slowed a bit. Coming back from intermission, it took a little too long getting the whole gang back together on stage. Things slowed down again during the audience participation segment. Perhaps reversing the order to bring the entire audience in for the fun first would help.

CSC_Complete Works2

Justin McCombs, Jeremy Dubin & Nicholas Rose.

The HAMLET hat-trick at the end of the show is a riot and something I’ll remember fondly for a long time.

As I was leaving the theater opening night, I passed a colleague in the lobby who said, “It must be a good show if you are leaving with a smile on your face.” I certainly can’t argue with that.  “!OOB”

More information |

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.

Leave a comment

Filed under Reviews

CSC’s THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) Earns 4 Stars from LCT

CSC_Complete Works2

Justin McCombs, Jeremy Dubin, & Nick Rose. Photo by Cal Harris.

The League of Cincinnati Theatres awards 4 Stars to the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED), playing now through August 16.

“This is a hilarious sendup of Shakespeare plays and the mystique of Shakespeare. It’s fun to watch the Shakespeare Company spoof its own product,“ says an LCT panelist. “This is clearly an ensemble piece, showing impeccable comic timing and huge energy,” the panelist  continues.

Another panelist adds, “the ensemble of Nick Rose, Jeremy Dubin, and, Justin McComb is outstanding, each having moments of brilliance.” Another notes, “The inclusion of rap, the engagement or interaction with the audience, the superb energy of the actors all added up to make it an enjoyable evening.”

Tickets to “Complete Works” can be purchased by calling  513-381-2273 or contacting www.cincyshakes.com.

Nominations for LCT awards will be determined and announced at the end of the season and winners awarded at the annual LCT gala in the spring.  LCT panelists are volunteer representatives from the theatre community and theatre audiences.

The League of Cincinnati Theatres was founded in 1999 to strengthen, nurture and promote Cincinnati’s theatre community. LCT provides its member companies and individual members with education, resources and services to enhance the quality and exposure of the theatre community in Cincinnati and increase community awareness, attendance and involvement. More information about the League can be found at www.leagueofcincytheatres.com.

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases

CSC Presents Audience Favorite THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) in July

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Presents the Audience Favorite Comedy, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)”, Opening in July!
What better way to celebrate the recent completion of the entire Shakespeare canon than by doing it all over again – in one evening!

Justin McCombs, Jeremy Dubin, & Nick Rose. Photo by Cal Harris.

Justin McCombs, Jeremy Dubin, & Nick Rose. Photo by Cal Harris.

CINCINNATI, June 27, 2014 — Cincinnati Shakespeare Company begins gearing up for the 2014-2015 season with the audience favorite of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield. This wacky comedy condenses all thirty-eight of Shakespeare’s plays into just ninety-seven minutes. Featuring Jeremy Dubin, Justin McCombs and Nicholas Rose, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” opens July 25, 2014 and runs through August 16, 2014 and is directed by Artistic Associate, Sara Clark. This show is back by popular demand having not been seen on the CSC stage since 2012!

“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” features three actors on a mission: to bring the entirety of Shakespeare’s canon to the stage in a single evening of theatre. Follow along as they careen wildly through all the comedies, histories and tragedies using a trunkful of props, wigs, and ridiculous costumes. Full of clever quips as well as silly slapstick, the script’s affectionate and irreverent treatment of Shakespeare’s plays has made it one of the most popular shows in America and England. Previous productions at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company have broken box office records and the title is one of the most requested by audience members.

Authors Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield formed The Reduced Shakespeare Company in Los Angeles in 1981 and debuted “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” in 1987 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As they began touring the United States, the RSC and the play gained critical acclaim, praised by The Los Angeles Times as “wildly funny” and in the Montreal Gazette as “the funniest play you are likely to see in your lifetime.” In 1996, after years of touring the United States and abroad, they opened an extended run of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” and “The Complete History of America (Abridged)” at the Criterion Theatre in London’s West End. In 1997, the play was nominated for England’s prestigious Olivier Award for Best Comedy.

This production features long time ensemble members Jeremy Dubin, Justin McCombs and Nicholas Rose. Jeremy Dubin. Fourteenth year company member, Jeremy Dubin is an audience favorite, bringing down the house nightly in comedic roles such as Elyot in “Private Lives”, John Worthing in “The Importance of Being Earnest” and Sherlock Holmes in “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. This will be his first time taking the stage in “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).” He is joined by “Complete Works” veterans, Justin McCombs who delighted audiences all last season as Sir Andrew in “Twelfth Night” and as Justin in “Every Christmas Story Ever Told” and Nicholas Rose who played Richard Hannay in last season’s sold-out hilarious hit, “The 39 Steps”. They are directed by Sara Clark

Performances of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” are scheduled from July 25- August 11, 2014 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Preview performances are on Wednesday July 23 and Thursday July 24 at 7:30pm and tickets are $21. The theater is located at 719 Race Street, downtown Cincinnati, two blocks west of the Aronoff Center. Single ticket prices range from $22-$31 on Thursdays and Sundays and from $26-$35 on Fridays and Saturdays. This this show, subscribers are offered a special price of $20 per ticket. 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 Enjoy the Arts and 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 2014-2015 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 production of “Henry V” is 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.

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases