FRINGE REVIEW: Cincinnati King
KJ Sanchez’s CINCINNATI KING is now in the second draft phase or so – and the folks at Washington Park were treated to a staged reading by some of the finest actors in Cincinnati. For free.
Brian Isaac Phillips, Kevin Crowley, Michael Bath, Piper Davis, Burgess Bird, Regina Pugh, Curtis D. Shepard, Kenneth Early, and recent CCM graduate Dallas Padoven all took the stage to share in the story of the music of this underrated recording studio. It’s an interesting story and with more time, revisions, and the addition of more music, this piece will be fantastic.
Highlights for me were the songs, especially those sung by Padoven, Early, and Byrd. Piper Davis, though, brought the proverbial house down with her closing number – bringing some in the relaxed park audience to their feet.
I’m anxious to see where playwright Sanchez goes next with this commissioned docudrama. People need to know, remember, and learn the history of King Records – and this story will be the vehicle to do all of that.