Tag Archives: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

February 7, 2020 · 11:21 am

PIPELINE Runs March 7-April 4

ETC_Pipeline logoPIPELINE
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
March 7-April 4
[Over-the-Rhine]

Nya, an inner-city public high school teacher, is committed to her students but desperate to give her only son, Omari, opportunities they’ll never have. But when an explosive incident at his prestigious private school threatens to get him expelled, will all her efforts be lost? A compelling, must-see portrait of parenthood, education, and the experience of young black men in America, PIPELINE brings an urgent conversation powerfully to the forefront. This production contains mature language and content and may not be suitable for all audiences.

  • In preview Sat, March 7 at 7pm
  • In preview Tue, March 10 at 7pm
  • Wed-Thu, March 11-12 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, March 13 at 8pm
  • Sat, March 14 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, March 15 at 2pm & 7pm
  • Tue-Thu, March 17-19 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, March 20 at 8pm
  • Sat, March 21 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, March 22 at 2pm & 7pm
  • Tue-Thu, March 24-26 at 7:30pm
  • Fri, March 27 at 8pm
  • Sat, March 28 at 2pm & 8pm
  • Sun, March 29 at 2pm

Official page | Facebook event |

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January 23, 2020 · 3:29 pm

FORTUNE Quick Review

FORTUNE presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati through Feb. 15. I attended the opening night performance. 

ETC_Fortune1

Jeremy Dubin as Jeremy & Kelly Mengelkoch as Maude. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

With Valentine’s day only a few weeks away, it’s not surprising to see a romantic comedy or two pop up on local stages. Such is the case with FORTUNE at ETC which features real life husband and wife Jeremy Dubin and Kelly Mengelkoch. As with any good rom-com, the story isn’t as much about “if” they will get together, but the journey of “how” they get together.

ETC_Fortune3

Kelly Mengelkoch as Maude & Jeremy Dubin as Jeremy. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

Under the direction of Brian Robertson, Dubin and Mengelkoch easily win over the audience as two lonely souls who can’t seem to get out of their own way to find happiness. Their chemistry together is readily apparent and very enjoyable to watch.

Brian c. Mehring’s detailed set design is divided into two play areas. Madame Rosa’s (Maude’s) aged, fortune-telling apartment beautifully appointed by Shannon Rae Lutz on stage right is opposed by a wonderful, visually deceptive promenade. Amanda McGee’s costume design nicely defines the characters and their various permutations as the story progresses.

ETC_Fortune2

Jeremy Dubin as Jeremy & Kelly Mengelkoch as Maude. Photo by Ryan Kurtz.

On opening night, the first act was a little uneven as if the actors hadn’t fully found their footing. The second act built a good momentum, culminating in a satisfying conclusion. For me, there were moments when the silliness of the promenade scenes was pushed a little too hard. There was also an issue with the sound effects drowning out Madame Rosa’s first reading. These are minor complaints that I’m sure will quickly resolve themselves.

Overall a funny, enjoyable beginning to a love story, perfect for a date night.

My rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Click here for more information on the production.

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January 17, 2020 · 11:31 am

Broadening Perceptions Within 10 Minutes, ETC Presents 10-MINUTE CONNECTIONS: JUSTICE on Feb. 10

ETC_10 Minute Justice

(Cincinnati, OH) Justice is getting served at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati as the 2019-2020 Studio Series continues with 10-minute Connections: Justice on February 10 at 7 pm. In preparation for Ensemble’s next mainstage play, Dominique Morriseau’s Pipeline, five 10-minute plays, coupled with Morriseau’s short play, Night Vision, will be presented as staged readings and center around the theme of justice.

After an open call for submissions from local playwrights, the plays were narrowed down by Joe McDonough and Ensemble staff members to the five that will be presented on February 10. Each play gives a closer look at the meaning of justice both on a national and local scale in society today.

“Understanding can only be achieved by listening to other people’s points of view,” says Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “Hopefully, we will hear someone else’s point of view of what is valuable to them. I want to broaden our perceptions and other people’s beliefs so that we can be a little more of a harmonious society. It’s a lofty goal, but if we can do it 10 minutes at a time, that’s awesome.” 

About the Plays

WAKE UP, CHILD!
By Isaiah Reaves
Roberta, a black mother of the 21st century, grieves a devastating loss alongside a black mother of the 20th century. But the lines of reality blur as Roberta realizes that she’s talking to the mother of Emmett Till.

WE HAVE AN OPENING FOR A FURY
By Liz Coley
Three aggrieved women answer an unusual invitation to elevate their influence to mythic proportions.

FALSEWORK
By Victoria Hawley
A lunchtime conversation on a construction site tests the rapport and egos of three men, while asking the question, “Do men talk about women like this? Why not?”

SEE ME
By Torie Wiggins
A young man in the neighborhood is rendered invisible. A random neighbor has been granted the power to see the invisible, and sees him for the first time. But it may be too late…

WIND KILL FACTOR
By Derek Snow
Most of us use “freezing to death” as a figure of speech. What happens when it becomes an everyday possibility; when the stakes are life or death? Wind Kill Factor looks into the complicated relationship between justice and vengeance.

Performance Information
This one-night-only staged reading is on Monday, February 10, at 7 pm in ETC’s rehearsal hall.

Ticket Prices
Tickets are $15 for subscribers or $20 for non-subscribers and may be purchased by phone or in person at the box office at (513) 421-3555. For more information, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org.

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2019-2020 Season Presenting Sponsor is the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support provided PNC.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich and inspire our audiences.

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January 3, 2020 · 3:12 pm

Laughter is in Your Future! ETC Presents Regional Premiere Comedy FORTURE, Jan. 18-Feb. 15, 2020

ETC_Fortune logo

(Cincinnati, OH) Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati kicks off the new year with the mystifying regional premiere comedy Fortune by Deborah Zoe Laufer, coming to the stage January 18-February 15, 2020. Sure to spark warmth this winter, this quirky comedy is about finding love, whether it’s in the cards or not. The Ithaca Times calls this play “charming and off-beat…the laughter is constant and the romance is sweet in this fine concoction.” Directed by Brian Robertson. Production Sponsor is John Goering.

Maude, aka Madame Rosa, is not your average fortune teller. A true clairvoyant with a bluntness that won’t quit, she often scares her customers away with the truth of what their futures hold. However, when love-hungry accountant Jeremy stumbles into her parlor with death in his imminent future, Maude tells a little white lie triggering supernatural consequences and changing both their destinies. In hilarious rom-com style, Fortune sweetly affirms the benefits of the unpredictability of life.

“We chose this play to start the New Year off with a lot of hope and joy. Fortune captures the idea that you think you know what’s coming your way, but you never do,” says Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “It demonstrates that life is a great adventure, and unexpected romance brings highs and lows. This play follows the journey of two people who start out with a great deal of pessimism but work towards hope, which is what I wish we all find in 2020.” 

About the Cast
Kelly Mengelkoch (Maude) returns to Ensemble Theatre where she has also been seen in Tribes, The Other Place, This Random World, and Red Velvet. She is an Associate Artist at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and has also appeared at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, New Stage Collective, The Human Race Theatre Company, Xavier University Theatre, and, most recently, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Her film credits include Dark Waters, The Old Man and the Gun, A Kind of Murder, Perception, Over-the-Rhine, and CSA: The Confederate States of America.  

Jeremy Dubin (Jeremy) returns to the Ensemble Theatre stage after his last appearance in Lolita Chakrabarti’s Red Velvet. Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jeremy has called Cincinnati home for the past twenty years. He is the Director of Creative Education and a longtime ensemble member with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, where he works as an actor, director, educator, and other miscellaneous roles.

Production team: Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic and Lighting Designer), Amanda McGee (Costume Designer), Matt Callahan (Sound Designer), Julia Guichard (Dialect Coach), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Master & Design Assistant), Matthew Hollstegge (Production Manager), and Jack Murphy (Technical Director). Production Stage Manager is Brandon T. Holmes. Assistant Stage Manager is Lexi Muller.

Performance Information
Performances Tuesday-Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday-Saturday at 8:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 pm; Sunday at 7:00 pm. Performances vary. A complete calendar of performances is available online at www.ensemblecincinnati.org.

Ticket Prices
Tickets start at $40 for adults; student tickets are $28; and children are $24. Half-Price Rush Tickets: All remaining tickets for the current day’s performance(s) are available two hours prior to each show time for half-price (discount only applies to adult tickets) when purchasing by phone or in person. $15 Student Rush Tickets: Students may purchase up to two $15 student rush tickets two hours prior to show time with valid student I.D. Available in person only.

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2019-2020 Season Presenting Sponsor is the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support provided PNC.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich and inspire our audiences.

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January 3, 2020 · 2:12 pm

Cast Announced for FORTUNE at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

ETC_Fortune castETC has announced the cast for their first production of 2020.

In FORTUNE, Maude, aka Madame Rosa (played by Kelly Mengelkoch), is not your average fortune teller. A true clairvoyant with a bluntness that won’t quit, she often scares her customers away with the truth of what their futures hold. However, when love-hungry accountant Jeremy (played by Jeremy Dubin) stumbles into her parlor with death in his imminent future, Maude tells a little white lie triggering supernatural consequences and changing both their destinies. In hilarious rom-com style, Fortune sweetly affirms the benefits of the unpredictability of life.

Performances run Jan. 18-Feb. 15.

For tickets or additional information visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org/shows/fortune.

 

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