Tag Archives: Northern Kentucky University

July 19, 2018 · 11:50 am

Submit Your Play for NKU’s 2019 Y.E.S. Festival

NKU_YES Festival logoAttention playwrights! Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts is once again calling for submissions for its award-winning, 19th Biennial Year End Series Festival of New Plays – THE Y.E.S. FESTIVAL, running April 4–14, 2019. The submission deadline is September 30, 2018. The selected playwrights will each receive a cash prize of $400 and an expense-paid (travel and accommodations) visit to NKU to see their plays in production. Selected plays will receive a full production.

WHAT TO SUBMIT:

  • Full-length plays are eligible. All rights must be fully owned by the author.
  • No children’s theatre, one-acts, or reader’s theatre pieces will be considered.
  • Adaptations will be considered only if the adapted work is in the public domain.
  • A submitted play may not have had a previous professional or university production.
  • In deciding which play to submit, a writer should know the festival will be cast with undergraduate student actors. Plays with larger casts are looked upon favorably in the selection process.
  • Scripts must be standard sized, legibly typed, and bound. Standard Dramatists Guild format is preferred.
  • Submissions (ONE per playwright) should include a one-page synopsis and a cast list with brief character descriptions.

HOW TO SUBMIT:

  • An entry form must accompany a submitted script (visit nku.edu/theatre for downloadable form or email mking@nku.edu).
  • Enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard if you wish the project director to acknowledge receipt of your script.
  • Scripts are not returnable unless specifically requested and accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Returnable scripts will be mailed back after the selected playwrights have been notified.

Submissions, accompanied by an entry form, should be mailed to:

Michael King
NKU School of the Arts
Nunn Drive, FA 205
Highland Heights, KY 41099

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

  • Selected playwrights will be notified no later than December 31, 2018.
  • Selected playwrights must be available to visit the festival about one week before opening so their visit can be arranged to include late rehearsals and the premiere of their play. Festival dates are April 4–14, 2019. The visiting dates are at the discretion of the festival. The cost of travel and accommodations will be covered by NKU. Selected playwrights will receive a cash prize of $400.
  • Playwrights and directors of their plays will participate in one post-show question-and-answer session with the audience.

For more information or questions, please contact Michael King at mking@nku.edu or (859) 572-5647, or visit nku.edu/theatre.

### NKU ###

Leave a comment

Filed under Casting Call

Tagged as

June 27, 2018 · 12:34 pm

Commonwealth Theatre at NKU Presents THE ODD COUPLE

CTC_The Odd Couple promo

Ken Jones as Felix & George Alexander as Oscar. Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Back by popular demand, Neil Simon’s THE ODD COUPLE returns to Commonwealth Theatre Company (CTC), Northern Kentucky University’s own professional theatre, running July 6–22, 2018 at NKU’s Stauss Theatre.

This timeless comedy classic features Ken Jones as Felix Unger and George Alexander as Oscar Madison. When Felix moves in with recently divorced Oscar after his own marriage ends, it quickly becomes apparent that the roommates are complete opposites in their habits and lifestyles. Oscar is a sports writer who enjoys junk food and takes a certain pride in his sloppiness. Felix is a neat-freak photographer who cooks gourmet meals and is obsessed with removing each and every bit of dirt and disorder from Oscar’s apartment. Hilarity ensues as the two drive each other crazy – will their friendship survive in spite of their differences?

Mike King, director of THE ODD COUPLE, wanted a chance to work on a great script with a phenomenal cast. “Neil Simon is the greatest comic playwright of the last 50 years, and this is his greatest, most enduring play,” said King. “His craftsmanship with the structure of a comic line is unparalleled, but he is also capable of creating vivid characters that affect us.”

Ken Jones in his third time playing Felix at CTC believes he and the character share a lot in common. “I like order and structure,” said Jones. “I also like to cook and clean. And sadly, I don’t think I can relax. Oscar says that Felix ‘can’t relax and that he has clenched hair,’ so, in that moment, I feel like Oscar is talking to me as well.” Even with all his problems and issues, Jones thinks Felix is still a very lovable guy. “He carries a certain ‘charm’ within his misery.”

George Alexander, who has portrayed two other characters in past ODD COUPLE productions at CTC, finds Oscar to be relatable. “We’re both a bit messy, and we’re both a bit impatient [but] I’m much less confrontational.” While Alexander appreciates Oscar being upfront with people, he thinks the character can be a bit self-centered. “His world revolves mostly around him, although he clearly cares about his friends.”

The supporting cast of comedy standouts includes Kyle Gaskin (Vinnie), Mindy Heithaus (Gwendolyn), James Jones (Speed), Rachel Perin (Cecily), Charlie Roetting (Murray), and Spenser Smith (Roy). With professional training and experience in improvisation and comedy, each member brings their own special flare to the characters, providing unforgettable moments on stage.

THE ODD COUPLE is considered to be one of the classics of the American canon of theatre history. “Oscar and Felix have become a part of our culture through two stage plays, a movie, and two TV shows,” commented Mike King. “But they still have the ability to surprise us and make us laugh.”

For more information call the NKU School of the Arts Box Office at (859) 572-5464 or visit nku.edu/ctc.

### NKU ###

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases

Tagged as ,

May 11, 2018 · 10:05 am

LIFE COULD BE A DREAM Runs June 8-24

CTC_Life Could Be a DreamLIFE COULD BE A DREAM
Commonwealth Theatre Company
June 8-24
Stauss Theatre [Highland Heights]

Directed by Dee Anne Bryll

SH-BOOM! Take another trip to Springfield and meet Denny and the Dreamers, a fledgling doo-wop singing group preparing to enter the Big Whopper Radio contest to realize their dreams of making it to the big time! Trouble comes in the form of Lois, who arrives to put some polish on the boys. Denny falls in love,
Wally falls in line, Eugene falls apart, and along comes handsome heartthrob Skip to send the whole situation spinning. The ‘60s hits say it all: “Fools Fall in Love,” “Tears on My Pillow,” “Runaround Sue,” “Earth Angel,” “Stay,” “Unchained Melody,” “Lonely Teardrops,” and “The Glory of Love.” Winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Best Musical Award, Life Could Be a Dream will leave you laughing, singing, and cheering. Buffet dinner is served 90 minutes prior to curtain in Corbett Lobby. A limited number of show only tickets are available for this production.

  • Fri-Sat, June 8-9 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 10 at 6:30pm
  • Wed-Sat, June 13-16 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 17 at 6:30pm
  • Thu-Sat, June 21-23 at 8pm
  • Sun, June 24 at 6:30pm

Official page |

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

Tagged as ,

March 23, 2018 · 2:01 pm

NKU Announces 2018-2019 Theatre + Dance Season

NKU_SOTA logoHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University | School of the Arts | Program of Theatre and Dance is excited to announce our 2018-19 academic season. An exact schedule of performances will be released in August 2018.

BIG FISH
Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Book by John August
September 27 – October 7, 2018
NKU Corbett Theatre

Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, BIG FISH tells the larger-than-life tale of Edward Bloom, a man who leads a full and fantastical life – according to the stories he tells his family. His adult son, Will, who is getting married and expecting a child of his own, is no longer amused by his father’s extravagant tales and is determined to find his father’s “true” life story, once and for all. Overflowing with heart, humor and beautiful music, BIG FISH is a powerful and magical musical about fathers, sons, and the stories that we use to define our identities.

MARISOL
By José Rivera
October 23 – 28, 2018
NKU Stauss Theatre

Winner of the 1993 Obie Playwriting Award, MARISOL follows a young, book-smart woman named Marisol Perez, who works in Manhattan as a copy editor. After narrowly escaping a vicious attack, she is visited by her guardian angel who informs her that she can no longer serve as Marisol’s protector since she has been called to lead an angelic campaign to dethrone and kill an old and senile God – a struggle which throws the human world into complete chaos. MARISOL is a poetry-infused dark fantasia that grapples with a combination of surreal situations, spiritual and social issues, and political consciousness – a fascinating mix of the gritty and the sublime.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Adapted by Jon Jory
November 29 – December 9, 2018
NKU Corbett Theatre

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE is a refreshingly fast-paced and engaging new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel involving manners, courtship and relationships. When the independent-minded Elizabeth Bennet meets the handsome but enigmatic Mr. Darcy, all feelings of attraction are muted by his pride and her prejudice. As their worlds keep colliding, their attraction increases and the sparks begin to fly in directions no one could have predicted.

CABARET
Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by John Kander
Lyrics by Fred EbbFebruary 14 – 24, 2019
NKU Corbett Theatre

CABARET turns pre-war Berlin of 1931 into a sexually charged haven of decadence. At the seedy Kit Kat Club, a struggling American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, wanders into the club overseen by a garish and gender-bending Master of Ceremonies. There he meets Sally Bowles, a talented cabaret performer who holds her male admirers at a distance, keeping her from developing genuinely deep emotions. They’re all living in a morally ambiguous vacuum of desperate anxiety, determined to keep up appearances as the real world – the world outside the comfortable sanctuary of the cabaret – prepares for the nightmarish chaos of war. CABARET is a finely tuned combination of devastating drama and ebullient entertainment, and the result is one of the most substantial musicals ever made.

THE Y.E.S. FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS
April 4 – 14, 2019
NKU Corbett and Stauss Theatres

Be the first to see world-premiere plays in our 19th Biennial YEAR END SERIES (YES) FESTIVAL. Titles will be announced in January 2019.

SEASON EXTRAS

FIRST YEAR SHOW
November 9 – 11, 2018
NKU Stauss Theatre

This production shows off our talented freshman and transfer students.

DANCE ‘19
April 26 – 28, 2019
NKU Corbett Theatre

Not to be missed, DANCE ‘19 features a company of our best young dance artists. Full of new and innovative works created by faculty, guest artists, and nationally renowned choreographers in creative expressions including theatre dance, contemporary and classical ballet, tap, modern, jazz, and world dance, DANCE ‘18 features something for everyone!

For more information, call the NKU School of the Arts Box Office at (859) 572-5464 or visit nku.edu/sotatickets. Tickets will go on sale in September 2018.

### NKU ###

Leave a comment

Filed under Press Releases, Season Announcements

Tagged as ,

March 21, 2018 · 10:58 am

KISS ME KATE Runs April 19-29

NKU_Kiss Me Kate logoKISS ME KATE
Northern Kentucky University
April 19-29
Corbett Theatre [Highland Heights]

The Tony Award-winning musical KISS ME, KATE represents the iconic composer-lyricist Cole Porter at his very best. Set both on and off-stage during the production of a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew, KISS ME, KATE revolves around the tempestuous love lives of actor-manager Fred Graham and his leading lady and ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi. Throw in Fred’s new lover, her gambler boyfriend – and a couple of gangsters who somehow get caught up in the show – and the stage is set for a funny and farcical battle of the sexes! A charming homage to the sparkling wit of Shakespeare and an irresistible celebration of the joy and madness of working in theatre, Porter’s witty, jazz-inflected score features hit after hit, with show-stopping numbers including ‘Another Op’nin’ Another Show,’ ‘So in Love,’ ‘Always True to You in My Fashion’ and ‘Too Darn Hot.’

  • Thu-Sat, April 19-21 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, April 22 at 2pm
  • Wed-Sat, April 25-28 at 7:30pm
  • Sun, April 29 at 2pm

Official page | Facebook event |

Leave a comment

Filed under On Stage

Tagged as