Tag Archives: Know Theatre of Cincinnati

THE MAN-BEAST Runs Oct. 19-Nov. 10

KTC_The Man-Beast logoTHE MAN-BEAST
Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Oct. 19-Nov. 10
[Over-the-Rhine]

Directed by by Brant Russell

Featuring: Jen Joplin & Jim Hopkins

In the late 18th century, the wilds of France are stalked by the fearsome Beast of Gévaudan, which has claimed over one-hundred victims in three years. King Louis has offered a rich reward to the hunter who kills the beast, and hunters have come from all over the country to take it down.

But an outcast forester and a strange woods-witch are crafting their own plans to claim the prize.

  • Fri-Sat, Oct. 19-20 at 8pm
  • Sun, Oct. 21 at 3pm
  • Wed-Sat, Oct. 24-27 at 8pm
  • Sun, Oct. 28 at 3pm
  • Wed-Sat, Oct. 31-Nov. 3 at 8pm
  • Sun, Nov. 4 at 3pm
  • Wed-Sat, Nov. 7-10 at 8pm

Official page |

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MARY’S MONSTER Runs Sept. 14-23

KTC_Marys Monster logoMARY’S MONSTER
Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Sept. 14-23
[Over-the-Rhine]

Written and performed by Maggie Lou Rader
Directed by Jen Joplin

On a dark night near the end of her life, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrestles with ghosts: her dead children, her sister, her famous husband, her mother, and Frankenstein, her most famous creation. Death has loomed over her entire life, and now, shovel in hand, she will reckon with it, one way or another.

  • Fri-Sat, Sept. 14-15 at 8pm
  • Sun, Sept. 16 at 3pm
  • Wed-Sat, Sept. 19-22 at 8pm
  • Sun, Sept. 23 at 3pm

Official page |

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Know Theatre continues our 21st Season FEAR ITSELF with a SecondStage World Premiere: MARY’S MONSTER

KTC_Marys Monster logoMARY’S MONSTER
Written and performed by Maggie Lou Rader
September 14-23, 2018

The dead can come back to us.
But they don’t always come back nice.

On a dark night near the end of her life, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrestles with ghosts: her dead children, her family, her famous husband Percy, her mother, and Frankenstein, her most famous creation. Death has loomed over her entire life, and now, shovel in hand, she will make peace with it, one way or another.

Exploring the complicated biography of the woman who redefined horror, this new play written by and starring Maggie Lou Rader (Marian, Pulp, Silent Sky, Hearts Like Fists, and Know’s Education Director) takes the stage for 8 performances only from September 14-23, 2018.

Taking the helm as director is acclaimed local actor and director Jen Joplin. Know’s Producing Artistic Director, Andrew Hungerford, takes on scenic, lighting, and sound design duties, with costumes by Know’s Resident Costume Designer, Noelle Wedig Johnston.

Says Andrew,

One of my favorite things is shepherding new work from page to stage. At the Know we’re a pretty nimble organization and can get the ball rolling quickly. It’s thrilling to be able to take a work from conception to audiences in just a few short months, and it’s our fantastic group of artistic collaborators that make it possible.

Why a play about Mary Shelley, and why now?  Here’s what writer and performer Maggie Lou Rader has to say,

This is a woman who wrote the first Science Fiction novel, and, for me, epitomizes the Gothic Horror genre. Without Mary Shelley, how many of our favorite stories and fandoms simply wouldn’t exist? And yet, she was forced to fight for authorship of her most famous work her entire life, not for the fame, but simply for the funds to provide for her son. It would be fabulous to say we’ve grown, changed, learned from the sexism of our past. We haven’t. We refuse to be allocated to the romance section, because there’s more to our narrative than serving as a love interest, and our stories don’t end at marriage.

A woman invented contemporary Science Fiction. A woman epitomized the genre of Gothic Horror. History and pop culture bastardized her creation. This is me giving them back to her, because, it’s Mary Shelley’s turn.

So grab a shovel, and let’s see what we can dig up this September in Mary’s Monster.

Cast
Maggie Lou Rader* as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, appearing under a Special Appearance Contract.

Production Team

  • Director – Jen Joplin
  • Scenic, Lighting, & Sound Design – Andrew J. Hungerford
  • Costume Design – Noelle Wedig Johnston

Season Design sponsorship provided by Travis McElroy

Calendar Listing

MARY’S MONSTER by Maggie Lou Rader

  • 8:00 pm  September 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22
  • 3:00 pm  September 16 & 23

Know Theatre of Cincinnati. 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. In historic Over-the-Rhine.

Tickets

  • $15 regular price tickets
  • $25 “Living Wage” tickets, supporting working artists in Cincinnati
  • FREE walk-up tickets are available on Wednesdays, as part of Know’s Welcome Experiment.
  • Advance reservations to Welcome Experiment performances are $5.00.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669 (KNOW).

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.

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 Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and 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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The ONE MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL Returns to Cincinnati

KTC_1mpf_logoTHE 4th ANNUAL CINCINNATI ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL:
August 5th, 6th, & 7th at Know Theatre

CINCINNATI – The CINCINNATI ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) returns to Know Theatre for its fourth year. The marathon evening of one-minute plays by nearly 40 of Cincinnati’s established and emerging playwrights and directors plays three nights only, Monday, August 5th, Tuesday August 6th, & Wednesday August 7th at Know Theatre (1120 Jackson St, Cincinnati, OH, 45202). Tickets, priced at $20, are currently available at

https://knowtheatre.vbotickets.com/event/The_4th_Annual_Cincinnati_OneMinute_Play_Festival/28907

The 4TH ANNUAL CINCINNATI ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL will feature brand new one-minute plays by 35 Cincinnati Playwrights: James Allen, John Bromels, Clint Bramkamp, Burgess Byrd, Geoffrey Barnes, Roger Collins, Nick Carmine, Erin Carr, Liz Coley, Bekka Eaton, Kate Fine, Serenity Fisher,  Angela Forbes, Teri Foltz, Tracy Hoida, Landon Horton, Alan Jozwiak, David Loehr, Robert Macke, Karson McCall, Joe McDonagh, Eric Pfeffinger, Isaiah-Mikal Reeves, Brant Russell, Derek Snow, Paul Shortt, R Deandre Smith, Ryan Ruff Smith, Ariel Mary Ann Shaw, Nathan Singer, Eileen Tull, Chris Wesselman, & Torie Wiggins

Directed by Burgess Byrd, Laura Berkemeier, Merritt Beischel, Lauren Carr, Jared Doren, Ian Forsgren, Patrick Phillips, Robert Mackie & Chris Wessleman

“We’ve reached 4 years of 1MPF in Cincinnati, at a cultural and political moment in our nation that is full of strife, uncertainty, and a feeling that we are more divided than ever,” says Dominic D’Andrea, Producing Artistic Director of 1MPF. “Unsurprisingly, it’s also a moment when we’ve seen a huge uptick of participation of artists and community members in Cincinnati for 1MPF, looking for a space to express themselves and commune with others. Making theatre and holding space for the community is an act of love and a political act in and of itself—more now that ever before.”

“Know Theatre loves hosting this Festival; we relish any opportunity to be a catalyst for new works, and we especially love how many local artists get to come and play when we play with the One-Minute Play Festival,” says Know Theatre Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters. “Each year we have worked with 1MPF, our local artistic community has come out swinging, creating some truly unforgettable moments and surprising artistry – it’s one of the highlights of the summer theatre season, and we’re delighted to bring it to Cincinnati again this year!”

EVENT DETAILS

Title: THE 4TH ANNUAL CINCINNATI ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL
Dates: August 5th, 6th, & 7th
Times: 8 pm

Tickets: $20. Tickets are currently available at https://knowtheatre.vbotickets.com/event/The_4th_Annual_Cincinnati_OneMinute_Play_Festival/28907

About THE ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL
THE ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) is America’s largest and longest running grass roots theatre company, founded by Producing Artistic Director, Dominic D’Andrea . #1MPF is a social barometer project, which investigates the zeitgeist of different communities through dialogue, consensus building and a performance of 50-100 short moments generated by each community. #1MPF works in partnership with theatres and/or social organizations sharing playwright, educational or community-specific missions across the country. The aim is to create locally sourced playwright-focused community events, with the goal of promoting the spirit of radical inclusion. #1MPF represents playwrights of different age, gender, race, cultures, and points of career. The work attempts to reflect the theatrical landscape of local artistic communities by creating a dialogue between the collective conscious and the individual voice.

In each city, #1MPF works with partnering organizations to identify programs or initiatives in each community to support with the proceeds from ticket sales. The goal is to find ways give directly back to the artists in each community. Supported programs have ranged from educational programming, youth poetry projects, theatre program in prisons, playwright residencies and memberships, playwrights salaried commissions, community access projects, arts workshops and other social and artistic initiatives.

Annual partnerships have been created with theaters in over 20 cities including: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Trenton, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Indianapolis, Anchorage, Honolulu, St. Louis and more, with partnering institutions including Primary Stages, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, New Georges at New York City Center, Z-Space, A.C.T., Trinity Rep, Victory Gardens Theater, Cornerstone Theatre Company, The Playwrights Foundation, Boston Playwrights Theatre, Actor’s Express, InterAct Theatre, Mixed Blood, Walking Shadow Theatre, Passage Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Kitchen Dog Theatre, Salvage Vanguard & ScriptWorks,  ACT Seattle, Perseverance Theatre, Round House Theatre, Honolulu Theatre For Youth and others.

Notable #1MPF contributors have included: David Henry Hwang, Lynn Nottage, Neil LaBute, Tina Howe, Donald Margulies, Nilaja Sun, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Robert Schenkkan, Lydia Diamond, Phillip Kan Gotanda, Kristoffer Diaz, Rajiv Joseph, Samuel D. Hunter, Karen Hartman, Robert Askins, Colman Domingo, José Rivera, Craig Lucas, Mike Daisey, Greg Kotis, Michael John Garcés and over to 1400 celebrated, emerging, and midcareer playwrights.  For more information visit: www.oneminuteplayfestival.com

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.

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 Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and 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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Know Theatre Kicks Off 21st Anniversary Season with WHISPER HOUSE

KTC_Whisper House logoMusic & lyrics by Duncan Sheik
Book & lyrics by Kyle Jarrow

July 27 – August 19 

We all have ghosts. Some of them are real. 

Along the rocky coast of Maine, in the shadow of World War II, a young boy is sent to live among strangers…and ghosts.

​With music & lyrics by Duncan Sheik, the Tony-winning composer of Spring Awakening, this daring new pop rock musical unfolds in 1942, in and around a remote lighthouse on the coast of Maine.

Amid the threat of U-Boats patrolling the shoreline and the nation’s rising suspicion toward foreigners, a young boy named Christopher is sent to live with an aunt he’s never met, after his father is shot down over the Pacific. 

His aunt Lily is a reclusive lighthouse-keeper, unaccustomed to the company of children and harboring more than a few secrets in her isolated home.

Surrounded by strangers on a forbidding rocky shore, Christopher becomes entangled in a web of intrigue between the hard-nosed and patriotic Sheriff Charles; Lily’s Japanese handyman, Yasuhiro; and a pair of singing ghosts who may or may not be entirely real. 

The Know is thrilled to present the third ever full production of this new musical, and the first US production of the current version of the show.  Says Know Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford,

“I’ve been following WHISPER HOUSE since its world premiere in San Diego and the release of the original concept album, waiting for the opportunity to get my hands on the script. In Spring of 2017, I had the chance to catch the London premiere. It confirmed for me what a great, and increasingly timely, show it would be for the Know. Through the magic of Twitter, I was able connect with Duncan Sheik, and here we are.”

WHISPER HOUSE became the perfect way to start our 21st season, entitled “Fear Itself.” Each story this season explores a fresh aspect of what we fear and why, and how we overcome those fears – or what happens when we don’t. Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow’s show kicks things off by taking a lyrical look at our fear of the “other”: what fuels it, and how we confront it.

(Fun fact: Know Theatre previous produced Tony-nominated writer Kyle Jarrow’s A Very Merry (Unauthorized) Scientology Pageant back in 2008!)

Bringing to life the world of WHISPER HOUSE is a fantastic cast of veteran Cincinnati talent and bright new faces:

Leading the cast as Lily the lighthouse-keeper is Kelly Mengelkoch, a beloved regular on the Cincinnati Shakespeare stage now making her Know Theatre MainStage debut. Joining her as Lily’s devoted helper and handyman Yasuhiro in his Cincinnati debut is Adam Tran.

College-Conservatory of Music theatre professor Brant Russell is a familiar face to Know Theatre fans for his work in the director’s chair. But this time he appears onstage as the unbending and nationalistic Sheriff Charles.

And stuck in the middle of it all as young Christopher is newcomer Andrew Ramos, making his professional debut on the Know Theatre stage.

To fill out this ghost story, the Know is proud to welcome back two fan-favorites to add both musicality and the spooky edge to this tale: Erin Ward (last seen in 2017’s The Arsonists) and Cary Davenport (seen in both 2015’s Girlfriend and 2018’s Ada & The Engine) play the ghosts of musicians who perished along the lighthouse’s shore years before…and who now revel in interfering with the affairs of the living.

And at the helm of this adventurous new musical is Dan R. Winters, co-director of one of Know’s most popular shows of all time, 2017’s smash-hit Neverwhere.

Dan brings a love of physical theatre and a sense of playful experimentation to the stage that are a fantastic match for this stirring look at a tumultuous moment in our history – one that looks increasingly like today.

Join us as we dive into the mystery and music of WHISPER HOUSE, running July 27 – August 19  – only at Cincinnati’s Theatrical Playground. 

Cast

  • Kelly Mengelkoch* as Lily
  • Adam Tran as Yasuhiro
  • Erin Ward as Female Ghost
  • Cary Davenport as Male Ghost
  • And introducing Andrew Ramos as Christopher

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, appearing under a Special Appearance Contract.

Production Team

  • Director – Dan R. Winters
  • Music Director – Erin McCamley
  • Scenic & Lighting Designer – Andrew J. Hungerford
  • Scenic Charge & Prop Designer – Sarah Beth Hall
  • Costume Designer – Noelle Johnston
  • Sound Designer – Douglas Borntrager

WHISPER HOUSE is made possible with the generous support of Marilyn Scripps
Season Design sponsorship provided by Travis McElroy

Calendar Listing

  • WHISPER HOUSE by Duncan Sheik and Kyle Jarrow
  • 8:00 pm  July 27, 28; August 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18
    3:00 pm  July 29*; August 5, 12, 19
    *A pre-show brunch is available on this date with purchase of $35 “Brunch + Show” tickets in advance. Deadline for brunch reservation is April 23. Brunch provided by Water Tower Fine Wines.
  • Know Theatre of Cincinnati. 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 in historic Over-the-Rhine.
  • Tickets:
    • $25 regular price tickets
    • $35 “Living Wage” tickets, supporting working artists in Cincinnati
    • $15 Rush tickets at the door 10 minutes prior to curtain (when available).
    • FREE walk-up tickets are available on Wednesdays, as part of Know’s Welcome Experiment. Advance reservations to Welcome Experiment performances are $5.00.
    • Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669 (KNOW).

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.

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 Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and 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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