Tag Archives: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

(Cincinnati, OH) They’re back! Cinderella, the stepsisters, and more return to the stage for Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s world premiere, family-friendly musical Cinderella: After Ever After, by local playwright Joseph McDonough with lyrics by David Kisor and music by Fitz Patton. In this exciting new chapter of the classic tale, Cinderella and her prince are making preparations for their royal wedding, but when their eclectic family, some animal friends, and magic are thrown into the mix, pandemonium erupts throughout the palace. With a new musical score and enchanting comedy, Cinderella: After Ever After promises to delight audiences of all ages this holiday season. Playing November 30-December 30, 2016. Directed by D. Lynn Meyers. Premiere Sponsor is Macy’s.

This sequel to last year’s runaway hit continues the story about what happens following “happily ever after.” What happens when Prince Freddy and Cinderella move into the palace with her diva stepmother and her fabulously self-absorbed stepsisters in tow? Change can be hard, and when Gwendolyn The Well Wisher tries to bring peace to the royal kingdom, she inadvertently sets off a series of chaotic events.

Each season, ETC produces a magical fairy tale musical written with families in mind. As a theatre that also seeks to nurture new audiences, ETC takes classic fairy tales and gives them a fresh, modern spin with contemporary cultural references to make the shows’ message accessible for the next generation of arts patrons. Following the success of recent holiday musicals, ETC’s performance schedule has over 30 chances to see this exciting production with many family-friendly show times including 2:00 pm weekend matinees, early 6:00 pm Sunday evening shows, and 7:00 pm evening shows throughout the holiday season.

“Cinderella: After Ever After was created decidedly with Ensemble Theatre audiences in mind,” says ETC’s Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “So often fairy tales are about happily ever after, but as we all know life isn’t that easy. This show is very much about taking life slowly and simply each day at a time. There’s an adorable recap of last season’s Cinderella at the top of the show, so no one should feel like they missed anything. It’s the same book, but a new chapter.”

About the Cast
Brooke Steele (Cinderella) returns to ETC, having last appeared as Violet in last season’s production of Violet and Cinderella in Cinderella. Her other performances include the three incarnations of The Marvelous Wonderettes,  Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Monstrous Beauty, Northern Kentucky University; The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!), Showboat Majestic; and the title role in Peter Pan, Covedale Center. She studied theatre at NKU and was received an Acclaim Rising Star award in 2011.
Patrick E. Philips (Prince Frederick) is a graduate of Xavier University where he received his B.A. in Theatre and English. His previous Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati credits include Luna Gale, Violet, Love and Information, and Sleeping Beauty. Other regional theatre credits include The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre; Henry VI, Part I, Cincinnati Shakespeare; and Saint Joan and Relatively Speaking, Diogenes Theatre.

Deb G. Girdler (Brunhilda) has appeared numerous times on ETC’s stage, often as the villain in the holiday shows. Her ETC credits include Cinderella, Hands on a Hardbody, Around the World in 80 Days, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and The Frog Princess. Ms. Girdler has appeared at the Olney Theatre as the Fairy Godmother in the now-official version of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella as well as in La Cage Aux Folles at the Gateway Playhouse in New Jersey. She can be seen in the feature films Carol and First Kill. A CCM graduate, she began her career on the Showboat Majestic and has worked off-Broadway, in regional theatre, and in summer stock for over thirty years.

Michael G. Bath (King Frederick) returns to ETC’s stage, marking this year as his twentieth consecutive holiday show with Ensemble Theatre. He most recently appeared in ETC’s productions of The Legend of Georgia McBride, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hands on a Hardbody, Around the World in 80 Days, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, Next Fall, Becky’s New Car, and My Name is Asher Lev. Other regional credits include Superior Donuts with The Clifton Players and Angels in America at Know Theatre. Mr. Bath has also performed with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Children’s Theatre, the Performance Gallery, Showboat Majestic, and Stage First Cincinnati.

Darnell Pierre Benjamin (Gaston) has appeared at ETC in The Legend of Georgia McBride, Cinderella, Detroit ’67, and Around the World in 80 Days. His other past productions include: Titus Andronicus, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cock, Angels in America, Othello, Taming of the Shrew, and A Raisin in the Sun, all at theaters in the region. In 2013, he won Michigan’s Wilde Award, “Best of the Bard,” for his performance as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre. Along with being a member of Pones, Inc. and Queen City Queer Theatre Collective, Mr. Benjamin spends his time off-stage teaching Shakespeare and dance to students in the Tri-state area.

Sara Mackie (Priscilla) is a graduate of Wright State’s Acting B.F.A. program. She has appeared at ETC in all three Wonderette iterations as well as in Violet, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hands on a Hardbody, Other Desert Cities, Rabbit Hole, Mauritius, and Alice in Wonderland, among others since 1999. Her Human Race Theatre Company credits include Olivia in Twelfth Night and the premiere staged readings of three new musical works: Guarding Gold Street, The Trimble Wars, and Red Blooded All-American Man. She has performed with the Carnegie Theatre in Camelot in Concert, Pump Boys and Dinettes, and the staged reading of The Sandman. She appeared in the Hallmark Channel Original Movie The Christmas Spirit.

Torie Wiggins (Clarissa) has appeared in ETC’s productions of Violet, Cinderella, The Mountaintop, and Black Pearl Sings!. She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music with a B.F.A. in Dramatic Performance. She created three one-woman shows: Everywhere You Look, Everywhere Else You Look, and Torie on Ice. She co-adapted and performed another one-woman show, Your Negro Tour Guide, at various venues in Cincinnati and across the country. She has appeared on All My Children, the feature film Love Me Through It and her voice can be heard on numerous national television and radio commercials. She recently appeared in Pluto at Know Theatre of Cincinnati; her other credits there Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party, Collapse, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. She also appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Crucible at Cincinnati Shakespeare.

Kate Wilford (Gwendolyn) has appeared in ETC’s productions of Violet, Cinderella, Luna Gale, Hands on a Hardbody, and Sleeping Beauty, Becky’s New Car, Good People, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, The Women of Lockerbie, as well as the world premieres of the musicals Snow White, Don’t Make Me Pull This Show Over, and Wayfarer’s Rest. She has appeared at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in Romeo And Juliet, The Cherry Orchard, All My Sons, and Bedroom Farce. Regionally, she has also worked at The Lyceum Theatre, Beef N Boards, Westgate Theatre, The Kenley Players, and was a founding member of The Troupe, here in Cincinnati, as well as directed at Xavier University, Thomas More College, and for three years at Cincinnati Children’s Theatre.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are ETC 2016-2017 Acting Apprentices Griff Bludworth (Plato the Toad), Maya Farhat (Aristotle the Crow), and Samantha Russell (Socrates the Spider).

Production team includes Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer), Jack Murphy (Technical Director), Matthew Hollstegge (Production Manager & Master Electrician), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Master & Design Assistant), Matt Callahan (Sound Designer), Scot Woolley (Musical Director), Dee Anne Bryll (Choreographer), Reba Senske (Costume Designer). Production Stage Manager is Brandon T. Holmes. Assistant Stage Manager is Elizabeth Freyman.

Performance Information
Runs November 30-December 30, 2016. 7:00 p.m. performances Fri.; 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. performances Sat. and select weeknights; 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. No performances on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. A complete calendar of performances is available online at http://www.ensemblecincinnati.org

Ticket Prices
Ticket prices are $44 for adults; advance student tickets are $25; and children are $18. For the 2016-2017 season, ETC continues its popular $15 student and half-price rush tickets for all performances, which are available two hours prior to show time and may be purchased by phone or in person at the box office.

Available Discounts
Military, Educator, ArtsWave ArtsPass, AAA, and Enjoy the Arts discounts available; tickets and seating are subject to availability.

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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 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.

2016-2017 Season Presenting Sponsor is the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support provided by Garfield Suites Hotel, the Shubert Foundation, and PNC.

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.

(Cincinnati, OH) Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati shines a light on the reality of violence and the beauty of forgiveness with the regional premiere of brownsville song (b-side for tray), a powerful new drama by Kimber Lee. This lyrical play tells a tale of resilience in the face of tragedy when a young man’s life is taken and his family is left without answers. Lee’s brownsville song (b-side for tray) delivers a message of hope that will challenge and move audiences. Playing October 11-30, 2016. Directed by D. Lynn Meyers.

Eighteen-year-old Tray is working on his college essay, boxing at the gym, and holding down a part-time job. When he happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, a senseless act ends his life, leaving his family to grapple in the wake of his absence. Pivoting seamlessly between past and present, this shatteringly poetic and compelling drama reveals a family at a powerful crossroads and shines a light on the complex life of a victim lost too young, balancing humor, light, tragedy, and hope with equal weight.

“I felt an obligation and a responsibility as a human being to tell Tray’s story,” explains Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers. “Kimber Lee’s play takes us between the past and the present, so that we get a chance to know Tray, to meet Tray, to know that he’s not just another statistic of another killing. Think of the generations of people that will not exist because these young men and women are dying. This show challenges audiences to empathize and understand.”

About the Cast

Deborah Brock-Blanks (Lena) has appeared in several ETC productions, including Intimate Apparel, Praying for Rain, A Lesson Before Dying, and The Exonerated. Ms. Brock-Blanks has an extensive background as a dancer, choreographer, actress and writer and has directed several regional productions. Her credits include film, stage, and television. She is an early member of Free Theatre, the oldest incorporated black theatre company in Cincinnati. She is a Youth Work Methods Specialist and a Wellness Consultant.

Kameron Richardson (Tray) is a recent graduate of CCM with a BFA in Musical Theatre and makes his Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati debut as Tray in brownsville song (b-side for tray). Regional credits include: Aida and Seussical,  St. Louis Muny; Legally Blonde and Singin’ in the Rain, Pittsburgh CLO; and BlackTop Sky, Know Theatre of Cincinnati. His CCM credits include: Les Misérables, Peter Pan, Legally Blonde, Singin’ in the Rain, and Parade.
Mr. Richardson continues his training at Michael Howard Studios’ One-Year Acting Conservatory in New York. 

Lissa Urriquia Gapultos (Merrell) is making her debut on ETC’s stage with brownsville song (b-side for tray). Ms. Urriquia Gapultos is a past board president of Know Theatre of Cincinnati and a Stage Insights contributor for the League of Cincinnati Theatres. She has also worked onstage with several local theatres. Some of her favorite productions: Pacific Overtures, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Prelude to a Kiss, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, and The Afghan Women’s Writing Project, Know Theatre; and A Piece of My Heart, Drama Workshop. She works as the Senior Manager for Institutional Giving at Cincinnati Opera. 

Ari Elizabeth Johnson (Devine) is a third grader from Mason, Ohio making her ETC debut. Two years ago, at the age of six, she signed with Wings Model Management of Cincinnati, where manager Jake Lang asked her to attend a talent expo in Dallas. At that expo was a Vice President from one of the top childrens talent agencies in Los Angeles, the Osbrink Agency. Osbrink signed both Ari and her brother that summer. Since then, the family splits their time between LA and Cincinnati. After performing in A Christmas Carol with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park last year, she realized her heart is in theatre. 

Chauncey Ragland (Junior/Brooklyn College Student) makes his theatre debut on ETC’s stage with brownsville song (b-side for tray). Mr. Ragland is a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati and is currently undecided, but wants to be an engineer. Mr. Ragland got his first hint of theatre during his junior year of high school when he met Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s Director of Education and Outreach, Ben Raanan, through the theatre’s Prelude Program. Ever since, he has been itching to get on stage again. 

Production team includes Torie Wiggins (Assistant Director), Brian c. Mehring (Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer), Jack Murphy (Technical Director), Matthew Hollstegge (Production Manager & Master Electrician), Shannon Rae Lutz (Properties Master & Design Assistant), Matt Callahan (Sound Designer), Sam Womelsdorf (Video Designer), Darnell Pierre Benjamin (Choreographer), and Reba Senske (Costume Designer). Production Stage Manager is Brandon T. Holmes. Assistant Stage Manager is Elizabeth Freyman. 

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

Ticket Prices
Ticket prices range from $28 to $44 for adults; student tickets are $25; and children are $18. For the 2016-2017 Season, ETC continues its popular $15 student and half-price rush tickets for all performances, which are available two hours prior to show time and may be purchased by phone or in person at the box office.

Available Discounts
Military, Educator, ArtsWave FunCard, AAA, and Enjoy the Arts discounts available; tickets and seating are subject to availability.

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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 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.

2016-2017 Season Presenting Sponsor is the Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Additional support provided by Garfield Suites Hotel, the Shubert Foundation, and PNC. 

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.