Cincinnati’s own Zina Camblin pens this World Premiere new comedy, commissioned by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company!
Cincinnati, October 11, 2023 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to presents its latest World Premiere: Wrecking Ball A New Comedy by Zina Camblin. This caustic contemporary story delves into the chaos and creativity of a group of Hollywood screenwriters and was commissioned by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Wrecking Ball spotlights television actor Victoria Cartagena of Manifest, YOU, and Gotham as Abby alongside CSC Ensemble favorites including Jeremy Dubin, Dale Hodges, Darnell Pierre Benjamin, Burgess Byrd, Sara Mackie, and Patrick Earl Phillips. Wrecking Ball is on stage October 13 – 28, 2023. The production is supported by New Play Development Sponsor, The McElroy Family and Design Sponsors, Judge Mark and Sue Anne Painter.
A Hollywood writers’ room becomes tense when drama spills beyond scripts and screens into the real world. A team of screenwriters get together to adapt a beloved, yet controversial, classic play, The Hot L Baltimore by Lanford Wilson, for a new television series, but production halts when a shocking truth is revealed. The “Wrecking Ball” demolishes the pristine façade of Hollywood, and this cast of characters must find a way to rebuild in this caustic contemporary comedy that will have you talking the whole ride home.
Amidst laughter, Wrecking Ball prompts us to question the industry’s values, the creative process, and the sacrifices writers make for their art. Playwright Zina Camblin has expertly woven modern relevance into the fabric of the story, ensuring that the laughs are as insightful as they are uproarious. “In a sense, the writers’ room becomes a microcosm of our society,” Camblin says. “Many individuals each representing a different identity, who are trapped in a room together for more than eight hours a day, trying to reach a common goal. To make a great show.”
Zina Camblin is a playwright and television writer/producer. Her most recent TV writing credits include WU-TANG : An American Saga (Hulu), Almost Family (FOX), The Right Stuff (Disney Plus) Big Sky (ABC), and Dear Edward (AppleTV). Her mission as a queer writer of color is to make sure these underrepresented stories are showcased and authentically told through the characters she advocates for and creates. She is an alum of Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts, got her MFA from UC San Diego, and was a fellow at The Juilliard School under Marsha Norman and Christopher Durang, as part of the Juilliard Playwriting Fellowship. Her play, “ And Her Hair Went With Her,” a comedy about black women and hair, was optioned for a New York production when it caught the attention of actress Whoopi Goldberg. In addition, “And Her Hair Went With Her,” has been produced by theaters around the country including, The Phoenix Theater in Indianapolis, New Jersey Repertory Theater, Horizon Theater in Atlanta, The Fountain Theater in Los Angeles, and the Unicorn Theater in Kansas City.
Audiences can expect a top-notch cast delivering razor-sharp wit, hilarious one-liners, and a rollercoaster of emotions as they navigate the world of Hollywood. Wrecking Ball is excited to welcome Hollywood star Victoria Cartagena, known for her appearances on critically acclaimed tv series, including: Manifest, YOU, and Jessica Jones on Netflix; FOX’s Gotham and Batwoman on the CW; and M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant on AppleTV. Fellow hit ensemble members include CSC favorites: Jeremy Dubin, Dale Hodges, Darnell Pierre Benjamin, Burgess Byrd, Sara Mackie, and Patrick Earl Phillips.
Behind the production is a team of talented designers who bring the world of the play to life. Sarah Lambert has transformed the stage into a vibrant and chaotic writer’s room while Daryl Harris has crafted costumes that are as witty as the characters themselves. Jessica Drayton, Robert Carlton Stimmel, Zack Bennett, Lighting, Projections, and Sound Designers, respectively, have woven the atmospheric details and soundscape to amplify the dynamic space. As Properties Designer, Kara Eble Trusty has curated the props and objects to enrich the world of a Hollywood screenwriter’s room.
Wrecking Ball was commissioned by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips says “CSC believes its purpose lies in not just presenting the Classics, but also actively contributing to the new classical canon. As globally conscious theater makers, it is our responsibility to find and nurture new voices and to activate the Otto M. Budig Theater as a catalyst for new works. Thus, five years ago CSC began commissioning new plays from exciting new voices in the American Theatre. One of these voices is Cincinnati native, Zina Camblin. Camblin has long sought to work with a theater in her hometown, and CSC is delighted for this partnership and to have commissioned this new play, Wrecking Ball.”
Wrecking Ball runs from October 13 – 28, 2023. Performances of Wrecking Ball are on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM, with one Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM on October 22, and two Saturday matinees at 2:00 PM on October 21 and 28. CSC offers performances with accessibility resources. The final Sunday matinee on October 28 is Sign Language Interpreted and Audio Description service is available. Audiences are asked to note the Content Advisory as this production contains adult language, descriptions of sexual abuse, and a prop gun. Please contact the Box Office for additional information.
Tickets are on sale now. Preview performances are on Wednesday, October 11, and Thursday, October 12, with tickets at $45. Young Professionals are invited to YP Preview Night on Wednesday, October 11, with discounted tickets at $25, including a free drink and post-show talkback. Discounts are available for students, seniors, local residents, and community partners, as access to all is important to CSC. Each performance night has a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets. These can be purchased in advance by going online or calling the Box Office. And starting 1 hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets may be available as a discounted Rush Ticket to anyone, not just students. These tickets are only $12 and could be located anywhere in the house, depending on that evening’s availability. These cannot be reserved more than 1 hour before a show and must be purchased in person in the Box Office. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees apply. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at http://www.cincyshakes.com.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park. Many parking spaces are available on the street and in nearby lots and garages- for more information, visit http://www.otrchamber.com/pages/WheretoPark.
CSC also offers Valet Parking for every performance! Make reservations for $25 in advance when purchasing tickets, or visit www.cincyshakes.com/parking. Purchasing in advance guarantees a spot. Valet is available right at the corner of 12th and Elm Street in front of the theater and begins approx. 1.5 hours before a performance. Cars can be picked up for up to one hour following a performance. (After one hour, you will need to arrange pick up with the valet service directly.) After purchasing, the valet will have your name on the list— it’s that easy!
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s 30th Anniversary 2023-2023 Season is generously sponsored by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr Foundation; along with our Education Season Sponsors, Debby and Jim Mason; and our Operating Support Partners, The Ohio Arts Council, The Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Lightborne, and the tens of thousands of people who give generously to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source of arts funding.
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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 all. In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. CSC’s repertoire is composed of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations, world premieres, and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with the Actors’ Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of Theater Communications Group and Shakespeare Theatre Association. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Education and Outreach Programs reach more than 50,000 young people and community members by meeting audiences where they are. This includes sharing programming in schools, parks, community centers and hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, 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!
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