Tag Archives: Know Theatre of Cincinnati

(CINCINNATI) — Unswaddling secrets. Terminating shame. Bearing witness. Fostering community. These are THE STORK FILES: TRUE STORIES OF ADOPTION, ABORTION, AND HAVING NO CHOICE, a “play in gestation” by Julie Coppens, performing in a one-night stand at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, 6:45 p.m. Thursday, June 8, at Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson Street.

“My birth was a covert operation; my adoption, a comedy of errors,” says Cincinnati-based journalist/theatremaker Julie Coppens (pronounced COPE-ens). “With THE STORK FILES, I hope to inspire the kind of personal truth-telling that cuts through political rhetoric, deepening our understanding of these complex social phenomena that have such profound impacts on our lives and communities.“

Part of the 2023 Fringe Development lineup, THE STORK FILES is a funny, provocative, and poignant work-in-progress, featuring local favorite actors Sara Mackie and Victoria Hawley in various roles inspired by some of Coppens’ real-life sheroes. The script is evolving through research and collaborations with Adoption Network Cleveland, Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Ohio, the Museum of Motherhood in St. Petersburg, Florida, and other organizational allies. Individuals can share their own experiences of adoption, abortion, m/othering and more via a free “Sew’n’Tell” crafting/storytelling workshop, 5:30 p.m. April 30 at Know Theatre; at open rehearsals with talkbacks, TBA; and on June 8, an interactive lobby gallery display, “recording womb” podcast booth, and post-performance panel discussion. An interactive website (www.thestorkfiles.org) is also in the works.

“Like any expectant mother, I’m slightly terrified—but ready for this baby to live and breathe and reveal what it wants to be,” says Coppens, who originally conceived THE STORK FILES as a magazine article, “Who Am I?,” published in Dramatics in 2016, tracing the adoption theme through time. “These stories are deep. These stories are powerful. It matters how they are told, and who gets to tell them. For us, now, in 2023 in the United States,” she adds, “it matters a lot.”

THE STORK FILES synopsis:
In the summer of 1972, a suburban Cincinnati mom brought home a new wig… and an adopted baby. Five decades (and a few Supreme Court decisions) later, one journalist/theatremaker considers her unlikely “life” story, amidst the reproductive-rights tug-of-war—and invites others to share their truths—with this funny, poignant work-in-progress.

About the creator:
Like a lot of adoptees, Julie Coppens is a shape-shifter, having played many roles over a long career in theatre, journalism, nonprofit leadership, and parenting. She produced the student podcast Democracy & Z and the “What Does Justice Look Like?” YouTube series for Cincinnati Public Radio; previously she served on the national publications staff of the Educational Theatre Association, as an editor of Dramatics magazine and director of the Thespian Playworks program for high school writers. In between came a seven-year stint in Alaska, where she led youth programming and communications at Perseverance Theatre, among other creative projects. Offstage, Julie’s a longtime volunteer and current Board President of Ski for Light, Inc., which introduces the sport of cross-country skiing to adults with visual or mobility impairments.

In May, Julie will be featured in the Adoption Network Cleveland’s Monday Evening Speaker Series, 8-9 p.m. Monday, May 15, on Zoom (register in advance at www.adoptionnetwork.org).

Show info

THE STORK FILES: TRUE STORIES OF ADOPTION, ABORTION, AND HAVING NO CHOICE
A “play in gestation” by Julie Coppens 

Performs at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, one night only!
6:45 p.m. Thursday, June 8
Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson Street, Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Show runs about 40 minutes, with talkback immediately following.

Advance reservations recommended. Tickets are $18-$20, or use a multi-show Fringe Festival pass, available at cincyfringe.com, by calling 513-300-5669, or at Fringe Headquarters, 1120 Jackson Street.

https://cincyfringe.com/the-stork-files/

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Come get a cure fer what ails you in a Cincinnati premiere of a new solo musical show, GRANNY’S FIXIT, by Dawn Larsen at 2023 Cincy Fringe

CINCINNATI OHIO – Granny women were healers/midwives/seers found in rural Appalachia and the Ozarks.  As a little girl, Dawn knew one. She finds these women fascinating, so she took the stories of five real Ozark granny women and created a character who, according to one audience member, “tells the story of all women.” You might be surprised at how relevant Granny’s issues are today. Join Granny June 3-10 at various times at the Cincy Fringe. Come git a cure fer what ails you…

“We are so thrilled to have Dawn Larsen back in the Fringe fold – not just because she’s an incredible storyteller, but OMG that singing voice! Have you heard this singing voice? She is MESMERIZING, especially if you’re a fan of roots/folk traditions, and her songs carry weight and wisdom that seem to come from deep in the soil.” – Atlanta Fringe 2022 (Critics’ Choice award winner)

“I felt like I had just walked into her house and was given something delicious and got totally lost in her story. The music was beautiful and totally transported me to those mountains. I was genuinely subconsciously worried that mosquitos were gonna start biting me.” – Atlanta Fringe 2022 judge comment

WHAT: Granny’s FixIt: An Ozarks Guide to Healing the Body and Soul
WHO: Dawn Larsen

WHEN:
2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 3
8:45 p.m. Sunday, June 4
7:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 6
7:00 p.m. Friday, June 9
4:15 p.m. Saturday, June 10
WHERE: Art Academy, Room 204, 1212 Jackson St., Cincinnati OH,
HOW MUCH: $18 or all access pass for $300
RUNNING TIME: 55 minutes
TICKETS: https://cincyfringe.com/box-office/

SHOW WEBSITE: https://www.dawnlarsenmusic.com/cincy23.html

BIO – Singer-songwriter/storyteller/actor/director, Dawn Larsen, grew up in the Ozarks amid lots of mountain music, arts, storytelling, beautiful hills and rivers. Her third solo show, Granny’s FixIt, features traditional songs and original music from her second CD, Hillbillyland. She has been described as “part Patty Griffin… part Todd Snider…part Linda Ronstadt…” ALL honest, soulful lyrics combining Americana, alt-Country, Blues, and Folk musical styles. She’s currently touring three original solo shows: Granny’s FixIt: An Ozarks Guide to Healing the Heart and Soul, a companion to CD Hillbillyland; The Vicious Hillbilly or Dating in the Deep South, a companion piece to The Vicious Hillbilly CD; and Corn Under Canvas: An Evening with a Tent Show Actress.  Her day job is as a professor of theatre at Francis Marion University in South Carolina. She founded and operated the last traveling Toby tent show in the country and researches and publishes about that and tent theatre.

Celebrating 20 Years of Experimental Performance in Over-the-Rhine

Announcing this year’s extraordinary Primary Lineup

Know Theatre proudly presents The 20th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival – the region’s largest and longest-running annual performing arts festival – June 2-17, 2023! A 14-day celebration featuring hundreds of live performances from independent local, national, and international artists, the Cincy Fringe is Cincinnati’s Summer Theatre Party.

This year we continue to carry the torch of creative community care and radical self-expression forward with:

• 31 Primary Lineup Performances
• 40+ Productions (Including 3 FringeDevelopment projects and several Special Events) to entertain at 6 venues across Over-the-Rhine: Know Theatre, Art Academy of Cincinnati, Gabriel’s Corner, and with space provided by our neighborhood sponsor, 3CDC.
• Free All Ages Performances on Weekend Afternoons!
• Free Nightly After Hours Events!
• And the Grand Reopening of the beloved Know Underground Bar!

Come Celebrate With Us!
Join us on May 1 for a cabaret bash celebrating 25 Years of Know Theatre and 20 Years of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival! Enjoy live performances, a delicious dinner-by-the-bite, fantastic drinks from Knox Joseph Distillery, and a silent auction as we toast the history and ensure the future of Cincinnati’s most adventurous live theatre community.

TICKETING INFORMATION

• 50% of all Box Office revenue is given to the Performance Fringe artists.
• Single tickets to the 2023 Cincy Fringe are $18.
• The All-Access Pass ($300) is good for one entry into as many productions as one person can see.
• Our 6-ticket Voyeur Pass ($90) can be used in any combination of shows and is transferable among individuals.
• All passes are currently on sale at www.cincyfringe.com

Primary Lineup Details
This year’s Primary Lineup totals 31 productions (30 in-person and 1 online) and features new work from 15 local creators, 14 productions from across the country, and 2 international artists from Japan and Australia.

With 16 world premieres, 15 regional premieres and 15 producing companies that have never-been-seen-before in Cincinnati, audiences are guaranteed to experience something extraordinary!

The 2023 Cincy Fringe Festival Primary Lineup

1nce Upon a Lie: Paul Strickland
Paul Strickland Presents
Covington, Kentucky

Paul Strickland’s NEW collection of HILARIOUS, HEARTFELT STORIES and SONGS!

Anatomica
Amica Hunter
Portland, Oregon

What’s THE BEST skeleton? Get in loser, we’re finding out.

Anchorette
Jane Carver
Cincinnati, Ohio

An abandoned baby, a ship’s crew, and an ancient superstition…

Bloodline
Paris Crayton III
Los Angeles, California

The multi-generational love story of three men with the same name.

Cry Wulf
Boris Dansberry
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Heroism, blood, absolute evil, puppets; what’s more manly than that?

Cyn of Omission
Sound Body Culture
Cleveland, Ohio

A light hearted neo-noir murder mystery with original music.

Gentrification: The Musical!
Doin’ Too Much Productions
Cincinnati, Ohio

Definitely not a musical about OTR or 3CDC.

Granny’s FixIt: An Ozarks Guide to Healing the Body and Soul
Dawn Larsen
Florence, South Carolina

Let Granny fix it, come git a cure.

Happy Go Lucky
Shoshinz/Yanomi Shoshinz
Tokyo, Japan

A one woman puppetry show from Japan.

Heart Ripped Out Twice And So Can You!
Linnea Bond
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A (mostly) comedy about pain.

Jon Bennett: Dad (hates) Jokes
2Hoots Productions
Adelaide, Australia

Jon Bennett’s Dad is a VERY serious and VERY accident-prone man.

Julie
coyote & co creative studios
Cincinnati, Ohio

Sapphic-picaresque journey of a 17th-century, bi-sexual, gender-bending, sword-wielding woman.

Keeping Our Torch
Pones
Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

A dance-infused performance celebrating diverse stories of intergenerational wisdom.

MADE IN AMERICA
Teruko Nakajima
Los Angeles, California

Teruko and Titi’s Triumph over Tragedy!

Magic for Animals
Liz Toonkel / Los Angeles Performance Practice
Los Angeles, California

A magic show breaking through illusions around agency and consent.

Modern Beings in Search of the Sole
Solasta Theatre Lab
Cincinnati, Ohio

To heel or heal, that is the question.

Mothering & Mourning
Megan Flynn & Teresa VanDenend Sorge
Troy, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Cincinnati, Ohio

Dances of mothering and mourning, because aren’t we all?

One Last Night with Mary MacLane
Nora Bonner and James Cargill
Atlanta, Georgia & Detroit, Michigan

19th century genius’s last gig before she meets the Devil.

plosive!
Performance Gallery
Cincinnati, Ohio
Vocal sounds giving new context to conventional language.

Rappings
InBocca Performance
Cincinnati, Ohio

Communing with the dead isn’t scary; it’s downright unreal.

RUH-Roh!
Queen City Flash
Cincinnati, Ohio

A final, hair-raising adventure for a very meddlesome duo.

Runaway Princess
Mary Goggin
Bronx, New York

A hopeful tale of heroin, hooking, and happiness.

ShMILF Life
Penny: For Your Thoughts
Rochester, New York

Stories about dating when trans and old. HINT: You don’t.

Spank Bank Time Machine
John Michael
Chicago, Illinois
Best friends, poppers, douches, & a time machine fueled by participation.

The Highway Woman
Hannah Gregory
Cincinnati, Ohio

The origin story of Wicked Lady Ferrers, Renaissance highway woman.

The Rembrandt Job
Clifton Players
Cincinnati, Ohio

Historically-accurate, hysterically-funny botched robbery of Rembrandt paintings from Taft in 1973.

Thread and Bone
Lisa Egan Woods
Versailles, Kentucky

Sometimes funny, always honest memoir about grief, heart-surgery, and dressmaking.

Todalv
Maia Morrigan Aoibheil
Cincinnati, Ohio

An Indigenous exploration of identity.

To Spite One’s Face
Zoë Peterson
Cincinnati, Ohio

The VHS from The Ring meets the women of G.L.O.W.

UDFCC (Unambiguously Destructive Family Crushes Community)
The Pajama Playhouse
Cincinnati, Ohio

Two Carls, Barry Larkin, and a banana stroll down Central.

Who’s Afraid of Winnie the Pooh?
Clevername Theatre
Saint Paul, Minnesota

It’s Edward Albee, but Winnie the Pooh.

Stay tuned as we announce the 2023 Cincy Fringe All Ages productions, FringeDevelopment projects, Special Events and Digital Primary Lineup later this month!

Know Theatre is Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. The Know showcases unexpected voices, new works, and plays that embrace the inherent theatricality of the live experience. Know Theatre seeks to be a place where artists and audiences feel welcome to take artistic risks, creating work that is cutting edge and accessible.

The 19th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival is made possible by a generous partnership with our neighbors, the Art Academy of Cincinnati and 3CDC.

Know Theatre’s work is made possible, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

Know Theatre is also supported by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving.

Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate Member of the National New Play Network.

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