MONDAY MATINEE: This Week in Cincinnati Theatre – April 2, 2018
I’m excited that with a recent job change I should have more time to write. That means the return of the Monday Matinee, highlighting the goings on in Cincinnati theatre! And this week – it’s a whole lot of classics.
First up: Northern Kentucky University will present TICK, TICK…BOOM! and SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD in rep opening Tuesday. From modern composers Jonathan Larsen and Jason Robert Brown respectively, these 90s era musicals are sure to please the always-full NKU theatre crowd. Click here for more information about these shows.
Opening Thursday is the classic OKLAHOMA! at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts. The Covedale is known for its big, old-school musicals and this will likely be as popular as ever. Tickets and more information can be found here. Stop by Price Hill Chili (I’m a huge fan of their homemade home fries) for a classic Westside dinner to match the vibe of the show.
Thursday night will also see the opening of BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS at Human Race Theatre in downtown Dayton. Directed by Wright State professor Maryah Spring Cordes, this classic American play should be excellent. Click here for more information.
L-R starting with the back row: Stavros Koumbaros, Emily Fink, Emily Royer, EJ Dohring, Phillip Johnson-Richardson, Donelvan Thigpen, Christopher Kelley, Keaton Whittaker, Ciara Harris, Daniel Marhelko, Gabe Wrobel, Emily Meredith, Kyle Pollak, Marissa Hecker, Areo Keller, Derek Kastner
Friday I’m thrilled to see yet another CCM Senior Musical Theatre Showcase. The class of 2018 will present their agent showcase to Cincinnati audiences three times. The first – on Wednesday – is a CCMPower fundraiser while Friday and Saturday are free but tickets are required. Click here for more information on these future stars.
Finally – and the one I’m most looking forward to – is Cincinnati Shakespeare’s CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. The synopsis: “It is ‘Big Daddy’ Pollitt’s 65th birthday, and the rumors of his declining health have his predatory family on the prowl. As all scheme to secure the largest piece of his vast estate, relationships are tested, lies are exposed, and long-buried secrets at last come to light. This searing family drama by a true American master remains a potent exploration of the ties that bind, and sometimes strangle.” Directed by local legend Michael Evan Haney and featuring all stars Maggie Lou Rader, Jim Hopkins, Justin McCombs, Kelly Mengelkoch and newer company member, Grant Niezgodski, this Tennessee Williams classic will surely sell out. Get your tickets now by clicking here. I’ll be there on Saturday night. Say hello if you see me!
I’ll be back next Monday to talk about more shows opening next week: at the Aronoff Center for the Arts is the national tour of THE KING AND I, ADA AND THE ENGINE at Know Theatre, CABARET at Xavier University, and A LIFE IN THE THEATRE from New Edgecliff.
For more information about all the upcoming shows in the area, go to the amazing Rob Bucher’s BEHIND THE CURTAIN CINCINNATI.