Tag Archives: The Carnegie

The high-heeled hit struts onto The Carnegie stage June 30–August 19

COVINGTON, Ky. (June 8, 2023) – This summer, The Carnegie invites audiences to the “Land of Lola” with its production of KINKY BOOTS. Performances run June 30 through August 19, 2023.

KINKY BOOTS, the winner of six Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, is a huge-hearted, high-heeled hit featuring music and lyrics by pop legend Cyndi Lauper. Factory owner Charlie is struggling to save his business when he meets Lola, a drag queen with a wildly exciting idea that just might save the day. Inspired by true events, KINKY BOOTS tells the story of a mismatched pair of friends who together learn that sometimes, the best way to fit in… is to stand out!

Director Lindsey Augusta Mercer returns to The Carnegie after previously helming an acclaimed production of THE LAST FIVE YEARS in 2016. Julia Schick supplies high-energy choreography and Steve Goers is the production’s music director. Popular Cincinnati drag queen, Kora Sline, will ensure the cast is runway ready as the drag consultant and wig and makeup designer.

“KINKY BOOTS offers a path forward that embraces our differences to build a brighter future. It celebrates the transformative power of drag: the gift of seeing the world not just as it is but as it might be,” said Director of Theatre, Tyler Gabbard. “I can’t imagine a better team to bring this bold vison to life at The Carnegie.”

New Orleans-based actor and Cincinnati native Montez O. Jenkins Copeland returns home to star as Lola/Simon, a London drag queen in need of a quick fix for a broken boot. University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) student Tomi Newman plays Charlie Price. Also joining the cast are Sujaya Sunkara (Nicola), Monique Churchill (Lauren), Jathan Briscoe (Don), Andres Martinez (George), Dylan Van Camp (Mr. Price), Kyle Taylor (Harry), Regan Utrup (Pat), Caroline Bowers (Trish), and Eliza Levy (Marge). The Angels, Lola’s fellow drag queens, are played by Kyle Angel, Anthony Contreras, Anderson Rothwell, and Zach Van Camp.

Rounding out the creative team are Tyler Gabbard (scenic designer), Erin Donnelly (costume designer), Alaina Pizzoferrato (lighting designer), and Avery Reynolds (sound designer). Diane Senffner is the dialect coach and Carissa Gandenberger is the production stage manager.

Tickets to KINKY BOOTS may be purchased by calling (859) 957-1940 or by visiting thecarnegie.com.

The Carnegie season continues this summer with LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL and GUYS AND DOLLS:

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL is a riveting portrait of Billie Holiday and the songs that made her famous. In a captivating evening of story and song, audiences will be transported to the gritty Philadelphia bar where the legendary jazz singer gave one of her final public performances in 1959. The hard-hitting musical chronicles the singer’s life story and celebrates the music she gave the world including “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do.”

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL runs July 15 – August 20, 2023. Tickets may be purchased by calling (859) 957-1940 or by visiting thecarnegie.com.

GUYS AND DOLLS, A Musical Fable of Broadway is musical theatre at its show-stopping best! Hailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this colorful classic follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers and showgirls in a wild game of chance and love. Set in bustling 1950s Manhattan, GUYS AND DOLLS features some of the most memorable showtunes of all time, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and the irrepressible anthem “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

GUYS AND DOLLS runs July 29 – August 18, 2023. Tickets may be purchased by calling (859) 957-1940 or by visiting thecarnegie.com.

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About The Carnegie
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center. More information about The Carnegie is available at www.thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030.

The Carnegie is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from the Kentucky Arts Council, City of Covington, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Cincinnati International Wine Festival.

After 9+ Years as The Carnegie’s Exhibitions Director, Distel will undertake a new role as the organization’s leader

COVINGTON, Ky. (April 27, 2023) – The Carnegie has announced the appointment of Matt Distel as its next Executive Director.

An accomplished curator and arts administrator, Matt Distel brings nearly 30 years of experience to the Executive Director position. Distel is stepping into this new role with a long history at The Carnegie and a decorated career leading community-centered arts organizations.

Distel first joined The Carnegie staff as its Exhibitions Director in 2013 and has been organizing exhibitions since 1994—with a particular focus on artists from the region. Prior to joining The Carnegie, Distel held curatorial roles at the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center as well as served as Executive Director of Visionaries + Voices in Cincinnati and HVCCA in Peekskill, NY. He was also the co-founder and director of Country Club, a commercial gallery based in Cincinnati and Los Angeles.

Notably, Distel has curated and organized numerous exhibitions and installations including projects with SIMPARCH, Kendell Geers, Temporary Services, The Yes Men, Beth Campbell, Alexis Rockman, Jay Bolotin, Future Retrieval, Terry Berlier, Design 99, Courttney Cooper, Ryan McGinness, Ellen Berkenblit, Edie Harper, Tom Wesselmann and Atlas Group.

“We feel very fortunate that Matt will be our next Executive Director,” said Jamie Horn, Carnegie Board President. “We have an exceptionally strong team at The Carnegie—and Matt has been a foundational member of the staff for nearly a decade. I am certain The Carnegie will thrive under Matt’s leadership and believe he will usher in a dynamic era for the organization.”

The Carnegie is a three-tiered organization and Distel’s new role as Executive Director oversees each department: Gallery, Education and Theatre. Under his direction as Exhibitions Director, The Carnegie Galleries expanded its mission while deepening local relationships. In an effort to generate opportunities for regional artists, Distel experimented with several exhibition models that nurtured connections between guest curators, writers, gallerists and fellow artists. The Carnegie’s most recent FotoFocus exhibition These Things Are Connected beautifully illustrates Distel’s philosophy: he brought together five curators working inside and outside of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region to select and develop projects based on linking artists across different geographies. In the same way, The Carnegie Galleries prioritizes connecting artists with a range of curatorial voices that provides new contexts for their work—an effort that subsequently nurtures the region’s vibrant and growing art community.

“Since my very first experiences in the art world nearly 30 years ago, I have always worked to amplify regional voices of both the performing and visual artists—and believe that a vibrant art community’s impact reaches beyond a single studio, stage or classroom.” Distel added “I’m honored to continue building upon the successes established by previous Executive Directors Kim Best and Katie Brass. Thanks to my predecessors, especially Kim’s Capital Campaign initiative, The Carnegie will continue to connect artists to each other and communities beyond our region.”

Distel’s appointment follows some major milestones for the organization, including The Carnegie’s inaugural Summer Theatre Series and the successful production of Singin’ in the Rain. The Theatre’s new season format led by Tyler Gabbard produced significant growth in audience and record sales for the organization. Under the guidance of Alissa Paasch, The Carnegie’s Education department has also seen a notable expansion in recent years, facilitating in-school arts integration programming in Covington school systems and beyond—plus on-site programming in their Eva G. Farris Education Center.

In conjunction with Matt Distel’s appointment, The Carnegie will also be announcing their search for a Development Director. This position will be pivotal in securing ongoing financial support and facilitating organizational growth.

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About The Carnegie 
The Carnegie is Northern Kentucky’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue providing theatre events, educational programs and art exhibitions to the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati community. The Carnegie facility is home to The Carnegie Galleries, the Otto M. Budig Theatre, and the Eva G. Farris Education Center. More information about The Carnegie is available at http://www.thecarnegie.com or by calling (859) 491-2030.

The Carnegie is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. The Carnegie receives ongoing operating support from the Kentucky Arts Council, City of Covington, Kenton County Fiscal Courts, Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Cincinnati International Wine Festival.