Tag Archives: The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati

Single tickets go on sale to the public TODAY!

Cincinnati – Single tickets to all productions in the 2018-2019 Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati MainStage season at the Taft Theatre are available starting TODAY, Wednesday, August 22.  Single ticket prices start at $10 plus fees. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s 94^th MainStage season will take audiences “up, up and away” with a SUPER season opener for Tri-State students and families at the Taft Theatre.

TCT MainStage at the Taft season:

• SUPERMAN™ (October 6-15, 2018)
• SANTA CLAUS: THE MUSICAL (December 8-17, 2018)
• DISNEY’S THE JUNGLE BOOK KIDS (February 16-25, 2019)
• SLEEPING BEAUTY (April 27-May 6, 2019)

“We are 94 years young – and we still haven’t grown up!” said Producing Artistic Director, Roderick Justice.  “Our lineup has something for everyone, while enhancing our mission (To educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming). After two years in the making, we are thrilled to kick off our season with an exciting collaboration.”

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s creative team, theatrical licensing agent Tams-Witmark, and DC Comics have joined forces to adapt and premier a TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) version of the 1966 musical It’s A Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman (SUPERMAN™)

President of Tams-Witmark, Sargent Aborn, states, “The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati had this wonderful idea to create a TYA version of “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman“. Tams-Witmark and the authors of the show are excited to see the results.”

Along with SUPERMAN™, Season 94 brings to life a regional-premiere holiday musical (Santa Claus: The Musical); a new creative vision in store for Mowgli and his friends (Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS); and another world-premiere musical with Ken Jones (Sleeping Beauty).

About the MainStage at the Taft Season:

SUPERMAN™
October 6-15, 2018

Book by David Newman and Robert Benton. Based upon the comic strip “Superman.” Music by Charles Strouse. Lyrics by Lee Adams. Broadway production produced by Harold Prince. In association with Ruth Mitchell. Directed for the Broadway stage by Harold Prince. Adapted for Tams-Witmark by The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati. Script Adaption: Eric Byrd, Associate Artistic Director. Musical Arrangements: Brian Hoffman, Music Director. Roderick Justice, Producing Artistic Director

SUPERMAN™ is the tale of Superman’s efforts to defeat a vengeful scientist, the new villain Dr. Abner Sedgwick, who seeks to destroy the world’s symbol of good. In this premiere adaptation of the 1966 musical, It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman, this brand-new version is a comic book come-to-life. Geared to young audiences, this musical will be sure to soar up, up and away into the hearts of all children and the young at heart. 

SANTA CLAUS: THE MUSICAL
December 8-17, 2018

Book by Noah Putterman. Music & Lyrics by David Christensen & Luke Holloway.

After 1,000 years of faithful service, Santa Claus has decided to retire. But not all the elves in Santa’s Workshop are too thrilled about his chosen replacement. With the help of his tech-savvy daughter, Beatrice, website designer Nick is in for the adventure of his life as he prepares to take over the reins to Santa’s sleigh…before the next Christmas! Jam-packed with a sleigh-full of fun, energetic and original Christmas music, Santa Claus: The Musical will be sure to put you and your entire family in the holiday spirit! 

DISNEY’S THE JUNGLE BOOK KIDS
February 16-25, 2019

Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman and Terry Gilkyson.  Book Adapted and Additional Lyrics by Marcy Heisler.  Music Adapted and Arranged by Bryan Louiselle.  Based on the Screenplay by Larry Clemmons.  Based on the Novel, “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling.

The jungle is jumpin’ with a jazzy beat in Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS. Specially adapted from the classic Disney animated film, this musical features a host of colorful characters and your favorite songs from the animated movie.  Based on the works of Rudyard Kipling, the “Man-Cub” Mowgli, bounds through the jungle and learns what it means to be human.  You won’t want to miss this culturally-infused and spectacular Disney classic!

SLEEPING BEAUTY
April 27-May 6, 2019

Story and book by Ken Jones, music by Jamey Strawn and lyrics by Christine Jones.

A clever take on the classic fairy tale, this new rock musical comedy is packed with humor, heart and a powerful message!

The impulsive but courageous Princess Aurora (who prefers to be called Rory) defies the age-old tradition of attending ‘Princess School’, and sets out on her own to discover all the Kingdom has to offer. But along the way, she encounters her evil Fairy Godmother, the magnificent Magnilda, who placed a curse on Aurora when she was a child, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. This sleeping beauty will awaken only with a kiss from her true love. Once she is fully awake and ready to rock, the feisty Princess Rory begins a whirlwind quest to defeat Magnilda and restore order to the Kingdom.

The creators of Sleeping Beauty previously wrote TCT’s 2016 production of Snow White and the Dancing Dwarfs, and TCT’s 2013 holiday production of The Day Before Christmas as well as other successful shows including:  Burgertown, CHURCH GIRLS Umatilla USA, and A. LINCOLN: A Pioneer Tale.

Important to note:  The Children’s Theatre’s four Broadway-style MainStage productions will continue to be performed in the historic Taft Theatre in downtown Cincinnati.

Subscriptions for all four productions are still available and range from $43 to $103.  For information, to download an order form, or to order online visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the generosity of almost 40,000 contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.  The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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Violet Rae Webster.

CINCINNATI:  Violet Rae Webster, Sales Manager for The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati has been appointed to the Board of the Ohio Arts Professional Network (OAPN).

In 2016, Violet Rae joined the professional staff of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati as Sales Manager for TCT On Tour, the organization’s touring division. Her focus is booking that division into schools, libraries, performance venues and theatres throughout the tri-state and beyond to present live educational productions that explore historical events, celebrate cultural heritage and new takes on literary favorites.

OAPN, founded in 1960, is a professional association that provides a forum for developing business relationships, partnerships, and cooperative ventures among organizations that present arts and entertainment programming as well as performers, arts service organizations and artist management agencies doing business in Ohio and nearby states. Their purpose is to provide programs and services that strengthen the quality and scope of the performing arts in Ohio.

Prior to The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, Violet enjoyed a 30+-year career in sales and marketing management for major special events, attractions and a convention & visitor’s bureau.  Her experience offers the foundation and skills to direct a team and create strategic initiatives to support a successful sales campaign. Violet said, “I believe that people buy from people and that it is important to stay viable and connected with the community.”

In her immediate past position, she represented Cincinnati Museum Center and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center at major travel & tourism sales conferences such as NTA (National Tour Association), ABA (American Bus Association), Heartland Travel Showcase and to the local tourism and hospitality community. She has served on the board of the Ohio Travel Association and continues to serve on the Membership Committee and is currently on the board of the Tourism Council of Greater Cincinnati where she has held every office including Chairman. In her current position she represents The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati at Arts Midwest and is a member of OAPN where she is looking forward to serving on the board this term.

Violet Rae lives in Cold Spring, KY.  She has BA in Communications with Emphasis in Theatre from Morehead State University, professional sales and sales management training and some post baccalaureate credits in photography and design. She is a graduate of the Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy (OTLA) and a Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA).

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Season Tickets go on sale to the public TODAY!

Cincinnati – New subscriptions to the 2018-2019 Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati MainStage season at the Taft Theatre will be available starting today, Monday, June 4, 2018.  Subscriptions range from $43 to $103 for all four productions.  Single tickets go on sale August 31.  For information or to download an order form visit www.thechildrenstheatre.com.

The Man of Steel, The Man in Red, a “Man-Cub” and a sleepy (but spunky) princess will inspire and entertain audiences both young and old.

TCT MainStage at the Taft season:

• SUPERMAN™ (October 6-15, 2018)
• SANTA CLAUS: THE MUSICAL (December 8-17, 2018)
• DISNEY’S THE JUNGLE BOOK KIDS (February 16-25, 2019)
• SLEEPING BEAUTY (April 27-May 6, 2019)

Subscriber benefits include:

• SAME SEATS FOR ALL SHOWS
  Subscribers receive the same seats for all four shows on the same performance day.
• SUBSCRIBER APPRECIATION WEEKS
  From August 1-15, purchase extra MainStage tickets at the subscriber discounted rate before they go on sale to the public. (Convenience fees will apply. Single tickets go on sale August 22, 2018. Tickets will not be discounted after this time.)
• FREE TICKET EXCHANGE PRIVILEGES
• FREE PARKING
  Upon availability and while supplies last!
• PRIORITY SEATING
• POST-SHOW AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS & Q&A
• LIMITED-EDITION SEASON POSTERS
• 10% OFF TCT ACADEMY CLASSES
• TICKET INSURANCE
• PRIORITY TCT CROWN CLUB REGISTRATION

Subscription levels include:

• Orchestra – Price Level 1 – SOLD OUT
• Box—Price Level 1 — $103 per subscription (limited availability)
• Orchestra – Price Level 2 — $83 per subscription
• Balcony – Price Level 3 — $75 per subscription
• Balcony – Price Level 4 — $63 per subscription
• Balcony – Price Level 5 — $43 per subscription

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s 94^th MainStage season will take audiences “up, up and away” with a SUPER season opener for Tri-State students and families at the Taft Theatre.

“We are 94 years young – and we still haven’t grown up!” said Producing Artistic Director, Roderick Justice.  “Our lineup will have something for everyone, while enhancing our mission (To educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming). After two years in the making, we are thrilled to kick off our season with an exciting collaboration.”

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s creative team, theatrical licensing agent Tams-Witmark, and DC Comics have joined forces to adapt and premier a TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) version of the 1966 musical It’s A Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman (SUPERMAN™)

President of Tams-Witmark, Sargent Aborn, states, “The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati had this wonderful idea to create a TYA version of “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman“. Tams-Witmark and the authors of the show are excited to see the results.”

Along with SUPERMAN™, the season 94 brings to life a regional-premiere holiday musical (Santa Claus: The Musical); a new creative vision in store for Mowgli and his friends (Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS); and another world-premiere musical with Ken Jones (Sleeping Beauty).”

About the MainStage at the Taft Season: 

SUPERMAN™
October 6-15, 2018
Composed by Charles Strouse, with lyrics by Lee Adams and book by David Newman and Robert Benton.  Based on the comic book character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics.

SUPERMAN™ is the tale of Superman’s efforts to defeat a vengeful scientist, the new villain Dr. Abner Sedgwick, who seeks to destroy the world’s symbol of good. In this premiere adaptation of the 1966 musical, It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman, this brand-new version is a comic book come-to-life. Geared to young audiences, this musical will be sure to soar up, up and away into the hearts of all children and the young at heart. 

SANTA CLAUS: THE MUSICAL
December 8-17, 2018
Book by Noah Putterman. Music & Lyrics by David Christensen & Luke Holloway.

After 1,000 years of faithful service, Santa Claus has decided to retire. But not all the elves in Santa’s Workshop are too thrilled about his chosen replacement. With the help of his tech-savvy daughter, Beatrice, website designer Nick is in for the adventure of his life as he prepares to take over the reins to Santa’s sleigh…before the next Christmas! Jam-packed with a sleigh-full of fun, energetic and original Christmas music, Santa Claus: The Musical will be sure to put you and your entire family in the holiday spirit!

DISNEY’S THE JUNGLE BOOK KIDS
February 16-25, 2019
Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman and Terry Gilkyson.  Book Adapted and Additional Lyrics by Marcy Heisler.  Music Adapted and Arranged by Bryan Louiselle.  Based on the Screenplay by Larry Clemmons.  Based on the Novel, “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling.

The jungle is jumpin’ with a jazzy beat in Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS. Specially adapted from the classic Disney animated film, this musical features a host of colorful characters and your favorite songs from the animated movie.  Based on the works of Rudyard Kipling, the “Man-Cub” Mowgli, bounds through the jungle and learns what it means to be human.  You won’t want to miss this culturally-infused and spectacular Disney classic!

SLEEPING BEAUTY
April 27-May 6, 2019
Story and book by Ken Jones, music by Jamey Strawn and lyrics by Christine Jones.

A clever take on the classic fairy tale, this new rock musical comedy is packed with humor, heart and a powerful message!

The impulsive but courageous Princess Aurora (who prefers to be called Rory) defies the age-old tradition of attending ‘Princess School’, and sets out on her own to discover all the Kingdom has to offer. But along the way, she encounters her evil Fairy Godmother, the magnificent Magnilda, who placed a curse on Aurora when she was a child, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. This sleeping beauty will awaken only with a kiss from her true love. Once she is fully awake and ready to rock, the feisty Princess Rory begins a whirlwind quest to defeat Magnilda and restore order to the Kingdom.

The creators of Sleeping Beauty previously wrote TCT’s 2016 production of Snow White and the Dancing Dwarfs, and TCT’s 2013 holiday production of The Day Before Christmas as well as other successful shows including:  Burgertown, CHURCH GIRLS Umatilla USA, and A. LINCOLN: A Pioneer Tale.

Important to note:  The Children’s Theatre’s four Broadway-style MainStage productions will continue to be performed in the historic Taft Theatre in downtown Cincinnati.

The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the thousands of people who give generously to the ArtsWave Community Campaign.  The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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Ken Jones.

Cincinnati, OH:  The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is proud to roll out the red carpet and welcome Ken Jones and the brand-new Theatre Training Institute to TCT’s Red Bank Road location.

The Theatre Training Institute (TTI) serves as a bridge between performing arts, university or conservatory-level training and the professional theatre and film industry.

Rooted in developing a performer’s craft, individual process and confidence as well as personal and business management, TTI will offer a unique and professional environment with classes taught by Master’s level teachers and working professionals, providing intense preparation for a life in this highly-competitive field.

“Today’s professional theatre field is extremely competitive, saturated with many different options and extreme challenges. Recent graduates from performing arts, university, or conservatory programs interested in a professional career in stage or screen, often do not know how to move beyond the limits of their hometown to the competitive markets of the larger cities which tend to be the centers of the dramatic arts,” says Ken Jones, Director of the Theatre Training Institute.  “Our vision is to be a game-changer, helping those enrolled to focus the process, build confidence and understand how to manage the business.”

“We are excited to create and host the Theatre Training Institute at our facility on Red Bank Road,” said Kim Kern, Managing Director and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati.  “The addition is a natural next step for our TCT Academy that currently provides performing arts instruction for children ages 2-18 and shares a common goal of helping our next generation of artists reach their full potential.  Where can a young person go to find answers and help in preparing for the next step? Where can a person learn how to apply their arts training into real-world application? Where can an emerging artist learn the business of the ‘show business’? Where can a person gain the confidence needed to win the audition before they move to New York or Los Angeles?  With TTI, now they have that place.”

There are a very limited number of programs that provide such specialized training in the nation, and most are located on the coast.  Not only will TCT’s Theatre Training Institute give Acting Fellows a solid foundation, but also provide them with a bridge to either a professional career or further education, meeting a geographic need for such programming in the Midwest.

Although the primary focus of the Theatre Training Institute is theatre training, the skills acquired in the program could lead to many allied areas of the industry. In addition to theatre and film, graduates could find work in television, cinema, video production, the cruise ship industry, advertising, retail design and fashion companies.  In addition, TTI graduates would be exposed to the opportunity of continuing their education at a university level either in pursuit of a BFA or MFA degree.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Theatre Training Institute features multi-faceted programs, including:  Comprehensive, Summer Intensive and Performing Arts Audition and Application Seminar. 

TTI Comprehensive Program:
The Comprehensive Program is designed solely for high school and college graduates. The Theatre Training Institute student must audition for the 28-week program, and should have a high level of theatre experience and skills.  This two-semester program is intended for those who are employed and require a flexible schedule and includes 28 Saturday programs each 4-hours (112 hours total). Once accepted into the program, students (known as “Fellows”) will meet on weekends to allow the opportunity to maintain jobs and financially prepare for an eventual move to the theatre/film business in a larger city. The Comprehensive Program counts toward a certificate at program completion and an audition experience in New York City.

The TTI Comprehensive Program begins in September 2018.  Jones and staff are currently scouting talent to enroll 12-16 students in this exclusive program.

TTI Summer Intensive:
The TTI Summer Intensive is designed for the person who has just graduated from a performing arts school/ art academy or high school and plans to attend a university or conservatory program in the fall and hopes to gain more audition experience and knowledge of the intensity of collegiate arts programs.  This three-week course begins in July 2019, and will run four days a week, five hours a day, for a total of 75 hours of class time. The Summer Intensive Program counts toward a certificate at program completion.

TTI Performing Arts Audition and Application Seminar:
The two-week Performing Arts Audition and Application Seminar is intended for the high school junior and their family to prepare and better understand the application and audition process for entry into a university, college, conservatory or internship in a performing arts program.  The Seminar will run three days a week for a two-week period (typically from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM) for a total of 12 hours of class time.  The Seminar will be held multiple times each year starting in May 2019. 

ABOUT KEN JONES
Ken Jones is currently the Rosenthal Distinguished Professor at Northern Kentucky University.  He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Acting/Directing from the University of Florida, a Master of Fine Arts degree in Playwriting from the University of Virginia and continued on to graduate in Playwriting from the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. Jones has had 27 plays produced with 10 published, nine musicals, four CDs of original soundtrack scores and listings in several anthologies and monologue books.

Jones began his playwriting career with the Off-Broadway production of his play, A RED EAGLE FALLING, produced at the Writer’s Theatre in New York City by the Project III Ensemble. His play, DARKSIDE, was chosen as TIME Magazine’s Critic Choice and was also recognized as one of the Best Plays of the 1980s.

Jones was a member of the prestigious Warner Bros. Television Writer’s Workshop and went on to serve as the Head of Development for Lightpoint Entertainment at Disney/MGM Studios for the development and creation of content for animation, television and film.

As a performer, Jones performed in the workshop productions of the Broadway musicals FINDING NEVERLAND and STEEL.  He has appeared in productions at regional theatres including the American Repertory Theatre, Heritage Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Company and The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, and he has voiced many characters for animated national television series.

He has received a Telly Award, a Communicator’s Award, the Post-Corbett award for Best Literary Artist, a Delauney Playwriting Award, the Kentucky Playwright’s Award, the Trailblazer Educator’s Award, seven Acclaim Awards, two Emmy nominations and six international awards for screenwriting and filmmaking.

Ken Jones is an active member of the Dramatist Guild of America, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and a member of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Ken is the Rosenthal Distinguished Professor of Theatre and a Regent’s Professor at Northern Kentucky University, where he served as the Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance for 11 years and was the Founding Director of the Northern Kentucky University School of the Arts.

Faculty and Guest Artists
Through his experience and industry network, Ken Jones has already secured commitments from the following individuals to serve as faculty and guest artists for TTI (list subject to change):

JAMEY STRAWN, (Musical Theatre) University of Pennsylvania, College Conservatory of Music- UC- Pianist for National Broadway Shows, Composer with nine musicals and over 50 productions.

CHRISTINE JONES, (Acting) Florida State University, University of Virginia. National Stage, film and television. Lyricist with nine musicals and over 50 productions.

STEPHANIE BRUMMER (Dance) Northern Kentucky University, St. Mary’s College of California. Professional dancer and choreographer.

DEE ANNE BRYLL (Musical Theatre/Dance) Baldwin-Wallace College, Kent State University. Nationally-recognized Arts Educator. Director and Choreographer.

CORRIE DANIELEY (Alexander Technique) Hannibal-Lagrange College, Illinois State university. Certified Master Teacher for Alexander Technique. Actress in Motion Pictures.

Guest Artists:

Allan Knee – Broadway Playwright, Shows Written – Little Women, Syncopation and Finding Neverland

Aaron LaVigne – Broadway Actor, Shows – Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Rent, Civil Wars

Dale Brown – Broadway Casting Director, Shows Cast – Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot, A Little Night Music, Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar

Suzanne Fitzpatrick – Screenwriter/Supervising Producer – Shows- 7th Heaven, The Nanny, Heavens to Betsy, For the People

Maggie Murphy – Television/Movie Director, Shows & Movies – The Deuce, Smash, The Bourne Legacy, Enchanted, Mad Men, Zoolander, Runaway Bride

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Theatre Training Institute is being funded in part by the Louise Taft Semple Foundation.

For questions or additional information visit www.theatreti.com or email A. James Jones, TTI Assistant and Registrar, at james.jones@tctcincinnati.com, or call 513-569-8080 x87.

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