Dave Clemmons (center) and the cast of CCM’s Studio Series production of ‘The Civil War.’
Take a trip back in time with the CCM Studio Series production of Frank Wildhorn’s unique musical The Civil War. Premiering on Broadway in 1999, this musical tells the story of the American Civil War through the viewpoints of all involved – Confederate, Union and slave alike – by way of musical numbers spanning the gamut of genres from gospel, folk and country to R&B and rock.
Directed by Jason Podplesky with musical direction by Ryan Shirar, The Civil War runs May 10 – 12 in the Cohen Family Studio Theater on the University of Cincinnati campus. Tickets to The Civil War are free, but reservations are required.
The Civil War‘s show-stopping musical numbers and poignant topic earned it two Tony nominations, including Best Musical. The production’s uncommon mix of genres of music is clearly demonstrated by the voices included on the original studio cast album, which included Broadway stars Linda Eder and Betty Buckley, American poet Maya Angelou, actor James Garner, rock band Hootie & the Blowfish, country singer Travis Tritt and eclectic singer-songwriter Dr. John.
CCM’s production of The Civil War includes never-before-seen edits to the original book and music straight from Dave Clemmons, a frequent collaborator of Wildhorn’s who coached the original Broadway production and national tour of The Civil War, as well as productions in Washington, D.C., and at Gettysburg. Clemmons was in residence at CCM this spring, working with the cast.
Sophomore Blaine Krauss. In 2010, Krauss was selected as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, performing in Washington, DC, for President Obama.
“It was so exciting to work with someone who was instrumental in the creation of the original production. Inspiring, really,” explains sophomore Musical Theatre major and The Civil War cast member Blaine Krauss. “Dave brought a great sense of professionalism to the rehearsals. He treated us in the same way he would a group of actors at a Broadway rehearsal. He expected us to be focused and prepared at all times. He expected results quickly. It was like a taste of New York in Cincinnati. I felt really good at the end of two exhausting days when he told us how excited he was to hear us bring the original arrangements to life. It was a very emotional moment for the entire cast – and you could see that Dave was also moved,” Krauss continues.
“At heart, The Civil War is not about a historical event; it is about the people – the wives, mothers, sisters, fathers and brothers, the great community of America – who fought for their beliefs. It is our challenge as performers to bring these characters to life. It is an important story, more than ever today, when the country is again so divided,” Krauss says.
Performance Times
- 8 p.m. Thursday, May 10
- 8 p.m. Friday, May 11
- 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, May 12
Location
Cohen Family Studio Theater, College-Conservatory of Music
University of Cincinnati
Tickets & Parking Information
Tickets to The Civil War are free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at 12 noon on Monday, May 7. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (at the base of Corry Boulevard off of Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. For complete ticket and parking information, visit ccm.uc.edu or call the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183.
The Civil War Cast List
- Collin Kessler (Sophomore from Overland Park, KS) as Lochran
- Matthew Amira (Junior from Manhattan, NY) as Pierce
- Max Clayton (Sophomore from Manchester, NH) as Union Captain
- Julian Decker (Sophomore from Erie, PA) as Confederate Captain
- Josh S. Smith (Junior from New Orleans, LA) as Sam Taylor
- David (DJ) Plunkett (Freshman from Lynn, MA) as Nathanial Taylor
- Josh T. Smith (Junior from Pittsburgh, PA) as Bill
- Lauren Roesner (Junior from Wheaton, IL) and Stephanie Cain (Sophomore from Overland Park, KS) as Sarah
- Blaine Krauss (Sophomore from St. Petersburg, FL) as Frederick Douglass
- Noah Ricketts (Sophomore from Louisville, KY) as Clayton Toler
- Kimber Sprawl (Sophomore from Cincinnati, OH) as Bessie Toler
- Trey Wright (Freshman from Louisville, KY) as Exeter
- Erica Vlahinos (Sophomore from Castle Rock, CO) as Harriet
- Charlie Meredith (Freshman from Overland Park, KS) as Barksdale
- Thomas Knapp (Freshman from New Orleans, LA) as Beauregard Anderson
- Kevin Brown (Junior from Simi Valley, CA) as Henry Stewart
- Greg Kamp (Junior from Manlius, NY) as Cyrus Stevens
- Christopher Morrissey (Freshman from Westfield, NJ) as Virgil/Autolycus
- Dane Becker (Sophomore from Sarasota, FL) as Horatio
- Dallas Padoven (Freshman from Durango, CO) as Spencer
- Eric Geil (Freshman from Kansas City, MO) as Richardson
- Tyler Huckstep (Freshman from Crawfordsville, IN) as McEwen
- Conner Deane (Sophomore from Orange, CT) as Patrick
- Nathaniel Irvin (Freshman from Maple Grove, MN) as Union Private
- Hannah Freeman (Sophomore from Northampton, MA) as Nurse/Mourner 1
- Adrienne Tang (Sophomore from Hornsby, New South Wales, Australia) as Nurse/Mourner 2
- Lauren Roesner (Junior from Wheaton, IL) and Stephanie Cain (Sophomore from Overland Park, KS) as Nurse/Mourner 3
- Ensemble: Jordon DeLeon, John McGill, Dylan Shubert, Alexandria Howley, Jennifer Hickman, Emily Schexnaydre
CCM Season Presenting Sponsor and Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
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