Tag Archives: Know Theatre of Cincinnati

KTC Presents BULL by Mike Bartlett

Know Theatre of Cincinnati presents Bull by Mike Bartlett
Running with the bulls, nice guys get gored.

KTC_BullKnow Theatre of Cincinnati is thrilled to announce its fall show, BULL by Mike Bartlett. Bull will open November 1, 2013 and run through November 30, 2013. BULL is the companion piece to COCK, also by Mike Bartlett, produced by Know Theatre in the spring of 2013. The cast is comprised of Kate Glasheen, Dylan Shelton, and Jay Stratton*, and George Alexander and is directed by Brian Robertson with lighting and scenic design by Andrew Hungerford, sound design by Doug Borntrager, and costume design by Noelle Wedig.

The hazards of corporate office life in a cut-throat economy are explored in this brutally funny play by Mike Bartlett. The show features a stripped down aesthetic allowing for an intense focus on the text, the characters, and the relationships, similarly to COCK. Three mid-level executives are pitted against each other while competing for just two positions in their department. Alliances are formed and the weak are rooted out. There is no room for mercy in a world driven by profit and success.

“We are thrilled to be the first theatre in the country to produce both COCK and  BULL,” says Eric Vosmeier, Producing Artistic Director. “We first heard about Bull while we were rehearsing our production of COCK. When I heard, I immediately starting inquiring about performance rights and we were able to lock them in. Bartlett’s writing is concise and the style of these shows leaves a great deal in the minds of the audiences to fill in. We love this kind of simple but challenging work. ”

Tickets for this performance are $15 in advance and $20 on the week of the show, beginning Mondays at noon. Purchase a flex-pass to Know Theatre of Cincinnati for $90 and enjoy tickets for this production and many others at your leisure guaranteed at the advance price! All tickets, flex-passes, and gift certificates can be purchased at knowtheatre.com or by calling 513.300.5669(KNOW).

Cast

  • George Alexander – Carter
  • Kate Glasheen – Isobel
  • Dylan Shelton – Thomas
  • Jay Stratton* – Tony 

Production Team

  • Director – Brian Robertson
  • Scenic & Lighting Design – Andrew Hungerford
  • Costume Design – Noelle Wedig
  • Sound Design – Doug Borntrager
  • Technical Director – Nick Koehlke
  • Dialect Coach – Rocco dal Vera
  • Stage Manager – Kristen Ruthemeyer 

Production Dates
8pm: November 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, & 30

3pm: Sunday November 17

Additional Information
George Alexander (Carter) is returning for his sixth production with The Know, his previous roles being F in COCK, Joe in When the Rain Stops Falling, Bob in Aliens with Extraordinary Skills, the Priest in Bare and Carnes in Oklahoma! (collaboration with Jersey Productions).

Mike Bartlett (Playwright) is currently Associate Playwright at Paines Plough. In 2011 he was writer-in-residence at The National Theatre, and in 2007 he was Pearson Playwright in Residence at the Royal Court Theatre. His play LOVE,LOVE,LOVE won Best New Play in the 2011 Theatre Awards UK, and his play COCK won an Olivier Award in 2010 for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre; he won the Writer’s Guild Tinniswood and Imison prizes for NOT TALKING and the Old Vic New Voices Awards for ARTEFACTS. Theatre credits include: LOVE,LOVE,LOVE, 13 (National Theatre), DECADE (co-writer), EARTHQUAKES IN LONDON, COCK, CONTRACTIONS, ARTEFACTS, and MY CHILD. Radio credits include: “The Core,” “Heart,” “Liam,” “The Steps,” “Love Contract,” “Not Talking,” and “The Family Man,” all on BBC. Screen credits include “Earthquakes in London” and “Hometown.” Directing credits include HONEST by DC Moore. He is currently under commission from Headlong Theatre, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Hampstead Theatre, and The Royal Court Theatre.

Kate Glasheen (Isobel) is an actor, choreographer, and dialect coach. She is a graduate of The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, England, and an Adjunct Professor at CCM Drama. She also serves as Associate Editor for the Voice and Speech Trainers Association’s scholarly journal The Voice and Speech Review. Selected Credits: Jeannie – Fat Pig, Vera Claythorne – And Then There Were None, Alice – You Can’t Take It With You, Jetta – Angry Housewives, Steph – One Good Marriage, The Girl – The Seven Year Itch, Gloria – Thoroughly Modern Millie, Lenny – Crimes of the Heart.

Brian Robertson (Director) currently teaches in the Theatre and Dance Department at Northern Kentucky University and is the co-founder of Cincinnati’s Performance Gallery. Brian most recently directed Mike Bartlett’s COCK at Know Theatre in the spring of 2013. Over the past 25 years, Brian has had an extensive career in film, television, theatre, and opera. From 1998-2002, he was the principal stage director for Cincinnati Opera’s education department, production credits include: La cenerentola, Operacadabra, an original production, which he co-created, and Hans Krasa’s Brundibar. He has been a guest director at Miami University (Oxford), University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, New Edgecliff Theatre, and Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati. He worked at the Des Moines Metro Opera, Bayview Music Festival, and Sarasota Opera. Most recently he directed Camelot at the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center and Lucia di Lammermoor for Sarasota Opera. He was also the stage director for a new production of A Flowering Tree at Cincinnati Opera and wrote and directed new adaptations of la boheme and The Magic Flute for the Cincinnati Opera education department.

Dylan Shelton (Thomas) graduated from Wilmington College with a BA in Theatre and then earned an MFA in Acting from Ohio University. Dylan has performed at the La Mirada Theatre in Los Angeles, the Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod, and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Dylan began his career at Madcap as an actor in 2002 and spent a year as the interim Artistic Director in 2005. Since then, Dylan has been the Creative Director at Madcap Puppet Productions where he writes, directs, and designs puppet performances. Dylan is also a founding member of Know Theatre’s house improv troupe, OTRi. Dylan is delighted to return to Know’s stage where was in Sideways Stories from Wayside School and The Dragon.

Jay Stratton* (Tony) is delighted to be making his Know theatre debut! In Cincinnati, Jay has worked at the Playhouse in the Park in The Pavilion, Reckless, and A Christmas Carol. A New York based actor, Jay has worked in television and film, Off-Broadway, and at regional theatres around the country. In New York, Jay has worked with theatres like Peccadillo, 59E59, The Pearl, and Red Bull. Regionally, some of Jay’s favorite projects include Venus and Fur and Bug at Rep Theatre of St. Louis; Oedipus at the Pittsburgh Public; Pride and Prejudice with the Denver Center; Stones in His Pockets at Hudson Stage Company; Philadelphia Story and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead at Pioneer Theatre Company; and Caesar and Cleopatra at Playmakers Rep. Currently, Jay is a Visiting Professor of acting at Miami Ohio.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

Know Theatre of Cincinnati is supported, 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 supported by the National Theatre Company Grant from The American Theatre Wing, dedicated to supporting the most promising emerging theatre companies from around the country. Know Theatre of Cincinnati also receives support from The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation.

Our mission is to create evocative and explosive live entertainment.

We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow.

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KTC Presents THE HOPELESS THROWMANTICS On Oct. 16

Know Theatre of Cincinnati presents The Hopeless Throwmantics One Night Only!
World Class Jugglers from St. Louis visit Cincinnati to perform for the first time

KTC_Hopeless ThrowmanticsGet ready to pick up your jaw off the floor! Get set to marvel the strength of their biceps and the power of their friendship! Prepare to smile and delight at their impressive displays of stupidity and verbal acrobatics! Award winning jugglers Curt Carlyle and Thom Wall are visiting Cincinnati to astonish you with their full-length variety show that combines thought-provoking humor, presented with an old-school vaudeville twist. Join us on October 16, 2013 at 8pm for a unique juggling show that is best appreciated by adults, but perfect for all ages!

In this full-length program, you’ll see eggs juggled, shaker cups manipulated, knives thrown, and more. With numerous awards from the International Jugglers’ Association, several degrees from accredited universities, and a handful of valuable life experiences, this dynamic duo is the most exciting Vaudeville revival show on the scene today.

“The Throwmantics are a pair of world class jugglers – they are actually ranked internationally – and we’re thrilled to be able to present them at Know Theatre,” says Eric Vosmeier, Producing Artistic Director. “This is a unique kind of event for us and we’re excited to be able to expand our family friendly offerings this season with what promises to be a great time. We’re also pleased to have been able to foster a collaboration with True Theatre and The Throwmantics – they’ll be telling a story at trueOOPS! a few days before the performance – and we’re also working on creating some free juggling workshops for Circus Mojo’s students.”

When: Wednesday October 16, 2013 @ 8pm

Where: Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

How Much: All tickets for this performance are $12. Tickets can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or by calling the box office at 513.300.KNOW (5669). Advance reservations are encouraged.

About the Performers:
Thom Wall
is a consecutive two-time world champion three ball juggler, silver medal winner at the International Jugglers’ Association 2012 Senior Stage Competitions, and a fixture on Luke Burrage’s annual “Top 40 Jugglers of the Year” list online. His organic style has been cultivated through training with renowned juggler Stefan Sing, intense modern dance study with Donlin Marsh of the Martha Graham Dance Company, as well as acrobatic and theatrical training with Ringling Brothers’ Clown College graduates at the New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro, Vermont. Today, Thom can be found performing at venues all across North America, for clients such as The Boeing Company, the United States National Guard, the YMCA, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, and Aveda.

With a style all his own, Curtis Carlyle fuses world class juggling skills and fresh, innovative comedy. A featured performer with the nationally touring Do Jump! Extremely Physical Theatre, Curtis now performs at corporate & community events, colleges, comedy clubs, fairs and festivals as well as television appearances and goofing around in the backyard. An award winning juggler (at the International Jugglers’ Association competition), a snappy dresser (well, that part isn’t as well documented yet), and an all-around nice guy … we have to agree with Mike D. of The Beasty Boys who said of Curtis Carlyle “That kid has the funky moves.”

Know Theatre of Cincinnati is supported, 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 supported by the National Theatre Company Grant from The American Theatre Wing, dedicated to supporting the most promising emerging theatre companies from around the country. Know Theatre of Cincinnati also receives support from The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation.

Our mission is to create evocative and explosive live entertainment.
We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow.

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BULL Runs Nov. 1-30

George Alexander as Carter, Kate Glasheen as Isobel, Dylan Shelton as Thomas & Jay Stratton as Tony

George Alexander as Carter, Kate Glasheen as Isobel, Dylan Shelton as Thomas & Jay Stratton as Tony

BULL
Presented by Know Theatre of Cincinnati
Nov. 1-30
Over-the-Rhine

Reviews: Behind the Curtain | CityBeat | Enquirer

Directed by Brian Robertson

Cast: George Alexander as Carter, Kate Glasheen as Isobel, Dylan Shelton as Thomas & Jay Stratton as Tony

Running with the bulls, nice guys get gored.
The hazards of office life in a cut-throat economy are explored in this brutally funny play.  Three mid-level executives are pitted against each other competing for just two positions in their department. Alliances are formed and the weak are rooted out. There is no room for mercy in a world driven by profit and success.

  • Fri-Sat, Nov. 1-2 at 8pm
  • Thu-Sat, Nov. 7-9 at 8pm
  • Thu-Sat, Nov. 14-16 at 8pm
  • Sun, Nov. 17 at 3pm
  • Thu-Sat, Nov. 21-23 at 8pm
  • Thu-Sat, Nov. 28-30 at 8pm

Official page |

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KTC Producing Artistic Director Resigns

Know Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director Eric Vosmeier Resigns
Andrew Hungerford is named as the next leader of Know Theatre

Eric Vosmeier.

Eric Vosmeier.

Producing Artistic Director, Eric Vosmeier has tendered his resignation to Know Theatre’s Board of Directors. His last day at the helm of the organization will be June 30, 2014, just after the 11th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival and at the end of the company’s 13-14 fiscal year.

Board President Matthew Lafkas says, “Eric has been an asset to Know Theatre and the Board of Directors is grateful for his years of service and dedication. During his time at Know Theatre, he has been a thought leader for the larger theatrical community and the proof can be seen in what he’s programed and created for Know Theatre such as: Calculus: The Musical!, FringeNext, and the Jackson Street Market.”

Vosmeier sums up his reasons, “It’s simply time to move on and make way for someone else to take the reigns at Know Theatre. I believe this place demands a fresh perspective and new ways of thinking. The best way to accomplish this is to step down and allow those different voices the opportunity. I have been absolutely honored to be a part of this phenomenal staff for nearly 8 years, but the time has come to hand the reigns over to someone who can guide the theatre to its next evolution.”

Andrew Hungerford

Andrew Hungerford

To that end, Vosmeier and Know Theatre’s Board of Directors have hired long-time resident scenic and lighting designer, Andrew Hungerford as the next producing artistic director for Know Theatre. Andrew has been with the company since 2007 and has been instrumental in not only the ongoing increases in the quality of our production department, but has been a sounding board for many of the company’s projects, as well as a partner to Eric in selecting programming over the past several seasons.

Originally from Metro Detroit, Andrew Hungerford has spent the last ten years involved with Cincinnati’s theatre scene. After attending graduate school at UC College Conservatory of Music, he quickly became a frequent designer on Cincinnati’s stages. He has been resident scenic and lighting designer for Know Theatre of Cincinnati since 2007 and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company since 2010.

Hungerford says, “I’ve spent most of my professional career as part of the Cincinnati Theatre scene, and given a lot of my life over the last seven years to Know Theatre. When the opportunity arose to lead Know into its next phase, it just made sense as the next step for both the company and me. There was no way I could turn down the opportunity. As someone who cares deeply about contemporary Theatre, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to the regional and national dialogue with a company that I love, in the amazingly supportive artistic community of Cincinnati.”

Along with his design work, Hungerford is a playwright, director, producer, and (infrequently) an actor. He has taken shows to the Edinburgh Fringe on three occasions, and produced work as part of the Cincinnati and Hollywood Fringes. Despite all this time on the road, Hungerford considers Cincinnati as his artistic home.

Vosmeier says, “Andrew is the best person I can imagine handing the reigns over to. He’s been part of the company longer than I have and he’s a superb choice to take what we’ve created during my tenure and to continue to build upon it. I have always valued his opinions, many of which have helped informed mine. I have more confidence in his first day at artistic director than I had in mine, so I think that’s a good sign.”

Lafkas adds, “The Board of Directors and I are simply wowed by Andrew’s talent and his passion for Know Theatre. He has a great vision for the theatre’s future and we’re anxious that he’ll be the next artistic leader. We have great faith that he’ll be able to take what Jay and Jason and Eric have created over the past 15 years and continue to build upon it.”

About Eric Vosmeier:
Eric Vosmeier joined Know Theatre of Cincinnati in 2007 as the Associate Artistic Director charged with producing the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, programming and operations for the Underground bar, and directing for the mainstage season. After a short time Eric was made Managing Director, a position he held for a little over two years. When the previous leadership departed, Eric was offered the position of Producing Artistic Director by the Board and accepted. He has been in this position since October 2009.

During Eric’s tenure as producer of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, attendance has nearly doubled, seeing increases from 4500 theatregoers in 2007 to 8500 in 2013. Eric’s approach to the festival has been artist-centric from the beginning. The approach has distinguished the Cincinnati Fringe, which has become an integral part of the our national reputation among artists. By focusing on creating the best possible for festival for Fringe artists, he was able to steadily increase the quality and quantity of applications and the audience responded in kind. The 2013 Festival broke every single previous sales record.

Eric also created a cadre of new programming for the company as a whole:

– Early on as managing director, Eric inked a deal with the creators of Calculus: The Musical! for the exclusive North American touring rights for the show. Since that time, Calculus has proved to be an amazing asset for Know Theatre, currently accounting for over 10% of it’s operating revenue.

– FringeNext was launched in 2010 for the purpose of creating a high-school artist version of the Festival. The success of FringeNext has driven some of the growth in recent years.

– Also in 2010, Know Theatre launched the Jackson Street Market – an artist service initiative designed to leverage Know Theatre’s resources on behalf of the local artist community with the goal of providing opportunity for local artists to stay local and create work for Cincinnati audiences. Over the years, JSM has served a number of organizations and individuals such as: Pones, INC Laboratory of Dance, Art on the Streets, Higher Level Art, The Requiem Project, and more. It has also incubated and helped launch the perpetually successful True Theatre and Over-the-Rhine Improv, which still regularly perform at Know Theatre.

– Several improvements/capital investments to Know Theatre’s facility have occurred under Eric’s watch, including the addition of the marquee onto the building’s façade, new seats and seating risers in the theatre, new LED theatrical lighting, a new sound system, and within the next month some renovations to the Underground lobby/bar space.

– Finally, Eric invested in the future of the organization by continually pressing for increases in staff salaries, the addition of health insurance to staff compensation packages, and by creating a first draft of a strategic plan which lays a path for Know Theatre’s continued artistic growth.

– Mainstage productions during his tenure have included: 4 world premiere works; dozens of CEA/Acclaim/LCT awards for shows such as Angels in America, Adding Machine: A Musical, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, When the Rain Stops Falling, Skin Tights Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson, and many more.

Vosmeier adds, “I look back on what we’ve done with a great deal of pride. But while that work has strengthened Know Theatre and solidified our place in the regional arts scene, I am most proud of the staff we gathered to run this place. Alex, Doug, Kristen, and Nick (and everyone who has been on staff in the past 8 years) have made possible everything that we have accomplished. I am very proud of them and the work they make for our audiences. They are the reason that Know Theatre has survived economic hardships. They are the reason for the Festival’s success. They are the reason that we’ve been able to continue growing and getting better – because they keep growing and getting better. They are my friends and my family and I don’t imagine I’ll ever have the luck of having such dynamic individuals working with me again.”

Eric will remain in his position of producing artistic director until June 30, 2014. This will allow him to see through one more Fringe Festival and complete a transitional process with Andrew during the first half of 2014. Eric says, “The last transition of leadership was a little rocky and I think held Know Theatre back from its potential as we played catch-up immediately following. Andrew and I hope to avoid any such pitfalls this time around by creating a longer transition period and allowing for a holistic approach to this process. I want to ensure that we’re able to appropriately transition our institutional memory, internal best practices, and community relationships.”

Eric does not yet have plans for what he’s doing next, but he’s excited about what his future holds. “I’ve got a few ideas cooking and I’m working on possible projects for the short term. But at the moment I’m focused on making sure this transition process is a successful one and working to ensure that we’re executing everything we need to through the end of the season. I look forward to seeing this process through and handing Andrew an organization that has forward momentum from his first day in this position. Transitions are a great opportunity to evaluate, improve, and build capacity and that’s what I’m focusing on just now.”

More about our next producing artistic director, Andrew Hungerford:
Andrew holds a B.A. in Theatre and a B.S. in Astrophysics from Michigan State University. He received his MFA in Lighting Design from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Andrew’s writing and performance experience round out an approach to design that aims to serve the theatrical experience as a whole. If the lighting isn’t helping the story be told, for example, he feels that he isn’t doing his job.

Andrew was the 2006 recipient of the USITT Lighting Design Award sponsored by Barbizon. His lighting design for the opera Ariodante was included in the 2007 US entry to the Prague Quadrennial. Andrew was a 2009 finalist for the TCG*NEA Career Development Grant for Designers. Other awards include: • 2013: LCT Awards– Lighting & Scenic Design, When the Rain Stops Falling. Know Theatre • 2012: LCT Award–Projection Design, Gruesome Playground Injuries (w/ Doug Borntrager). Know Theatre. • 2011: Acclaim Award–Production Design (lighting, scenery, and puppets), The Dragon. Know Theatre. • 2010: Wilde Award–Lighting Design, K2. Performance Network Theatre.

Andrew is in his seventh season as scenic and lighting designer at Know Theatre of Cincinnati and fourth season as scenic and lighting designer for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. He also spent eight seasons as lighting designer for The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Other credits include: Portland Stage Company (Portland, ME); Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison, NJ); The Flea Theater (New York, NY); The Theatre @ Boston Court (Pasadena, CA); Stanford Summer Theatre (Palo Alto, CA); Performance Network Theatre (Ann Arbor, MI); and The Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca (Italy).

Know Theatre of Cincinnati is supported, 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 supported by the National Theatre Company Grant from The American Theatre Wing, dedicated to supporting the most promising emerging theatre companies from around the country. Know Theatre of Cincinnati also receives support from The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation. Our mission is to create evocative and explosive live entertainment.

We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow.

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AIN’T TRUE AND UNCLE FALSE Runs Oct. 11-12

CFF_Aint TrueAIN’T TRUE AND UNCLE FALSE
Presented by Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Oct. 11-12
Over-the-Rhine

A Cincinnati Fringe Festival 2013 Encore
[Read my review of the 2013 Fringe performance.]

Step right up!!! Hear the story of how Pangea Park broke up into all the different types of parks we have today (including trailer-park!!) Learn how they make black-eyed peas by punching green peas!!! Hear a story about siamese twins who aren’t the same age!!! How about a the tale of a wall of taxidermied, mounted goldfish?!? Step right up!! Nationally acclaimed comedian, storyteller and musician Paul Strickland’s AIN’T TRUE AND UNCLE FALSE is a one man trailer park fantasy (with songs), as told to his dead grandfather for your enjoyment.

  • Fri-Sat, Oct. 11-12 at 8pm

Official page |

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