Watch CCM’s 2020 Musical Theatre Senior Showcase

Although the theaters and concert halls at UC’s nationally ranked and internationally renowned College-Conservatory of Music are temporarily silent, audiences can still experience world-class performances through the CCMONSTAGE Online video series. This week’s release features the CCM Musical Theatre Class of 2020’s Senior Showcase, which was performed on March 12, 2020, in Patricia Corbett Theater.

Featuring hit songs from Broadway, Off-Broadway and pop music, the Senior Showcase was created by CCM’s Musical Theatre Class of 2020 under the supervision of faculty. This year’s showcase was directed by CCM Musical Theatre alumnus Justin Bohon and advised by Rachel Hoffman. The showcase was associate directed by Katie Johannigman and produced by Diane Lala and Denton Yockey. Musical direction by Julie Spangler. The showcase also features an original song by CCM Acting alumnus Todd Almond.

Receive updates on future CCMONSTAGE Online performances by subscribing to our mailing list.

Get to know the graduating seniors by reading their professional summaries! 

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Get to know CCM Musical Theatre’s Class of 2020

Andrew Alstat: Originally from Pomona, Illinois. Regional credits: Chuck Cranston in Footloose (The Muny), Albert in Newsies (Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts), Emmett in Legally Blonde, Billy Crocker in AnythingGoes (McLeod Summer Playhouse). CCM credits: Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show, Frederick in TheHunchback of Notre Dame, Angie the Ox in Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar. Proud member of AEA. For more, visit andrewalstat.com and follow @a12tat on Instagram.

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Nick Berninger:Originally from Wayne, New Jersey. Regional credits: A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder (The D’Ysquith Family), Cabaret (Emcee), The Little Mermaid (Scuttle/Chef Louis) at Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, New Jersey Regional premier of School of Rock (Dewey Finn) at Union County PAC, South Pacific (Billis), Cats (Bustopher/Gus) at Interlakes Summer Theatre. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson), Mack and Mabel (Fatty Arbuckle) Seussical (Horton u/s) and The Secret Garden (Ben). Workshops/Readings: Home Street Home (Big John), Nasha America (Uncle Vadim) and Rocket Science (Doyle) with the CCM Musical Theatre Incubator Project. Proud member of the AEA. For more, visit nickberninger.com and follow @nick_berninger on Instagram. 

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Kurtis Bradley Brown: Originally from Louisville, Kentucky. Regional credits: 42nd Street at Bucks County Playhouse, Sondheim on Sondheim, Newsies and Legally Blonde at the Lexington Theatre Company in the Euan Morton track, as the Crutchie understudy and as “Kiki, the colorist” (fierce!), respectively. CCM Credits: Dickon in The Secret Garden and many more. Currently training at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. For more, visit kurtisbradleybrown.com and follow @kurtisbradleybrown on Instagram.

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Michael Canu: Originally from Rochester, Michigan. Regional credits: A Chorus Line (Mark) at the Cape Playhouse, Mamma Mia! (Sky) and West Side Story (Snowboy) at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, Footloose (Ren McCormack) and Newsies (Albert, Jack u/s) at the Clinton Showboat Theatre and The Nutcracker (Russian Soloist) with Michigan Ballet Theatre. He was also apart of the first symphonic version of Children of Eden (Adam) with Rochester Summer Music Theatre. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Andy Lee), Jesus Christ Superstar and Guys and Dolls (Harry The Horse). Michael won the Battaglia Scholarship Award for performance excellence in a musical. For more visit, michaelcanu.com and follow @michael_canu on Instagram.

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Matt Copley: Originally from Detroit, Michigan. Regional credits: Grease and Oklahoma! at Pittsburgh CLO. Footloose (Ren) and Newsies at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. Hockey: The Musical! (World Premiere) at City Theatre Detroit. Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy) at Riverbank Theatre. CCM credits: Guys and Dolls (Nathan Detroit), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Jesus Christ Superstar. Additional credits: Writer, Composer and Creator of blueprint the musical, Niko in Home Street Home workshop. Proud member of AEA. For more, visit matt-copley.com and follow @matt_copley on Instagram.

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Madison Deadman: Originally from Ann Arbor, MI. Regional credits: Rock of Ages (Young Groupie) at PCLO, Cabaret (Sally Bowles) at Clinton Area Showboat Theatre, Les Miserables (Eponine), Joseph… Dreamcoat (Narrator) and Little Women (Amy) at Encore Musical Theatre Company, The Addams Family (Wednesday) at Thunder Bay Theatre. CCM credits: Godspell (Jesus), Theory of Relativity (Caroline). Workshops: Home Street Home (Mom) with Kevin McCollum, Jeff Marx and NOFX; Rocket Science (Jenny Ryerson) with Richard Israel. Television: PBS special: SciEngiMathePloration. Film: A Girl Like Her (Emily Sailler). Print: model for Kotex UBY. For more, visit madisondeadman.com and follow @mjdeadman on Instagram.

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Bailee Endebrock: Originally from Herrin, Illinois. Regional credits: Mamma Mia (Sophie), Singin’ in the Rain (Kathy Selden), Oklahoma! (Dance Captain) at Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts. A Chorus Line (Maggie) and Sondheim on Sondheim (Leslie Kritzer Track) at The Lexington Theatre Company. The Sound of Music (Liesl) and Bring it On (Campbell) at McLeod Summer Playhouse. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer), The Secret Garden (Dance Captain/Alice), Yeast Nation (Jan-the-Sweet), Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Girl). For more, visit baileeendebrock.com and follow @bailee_endebrock on Instagram.

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Zoë Grolnick: Originally fromBoulder, Colorado. Regional credits: Rock of Ages at Lake Dillon Theatre Company, Godspell at Center Stage Theatre Company. CCM credits: 42nd Street (Anytime Annie), Guys and Dolls (Hot Box Chick), Theory of Relativity (Jenny), A Chorus Line (Vicki/Swing), Hunchback of Notre Dame and Seussical. For more, visit zoegrolnick.com and follow @zoegrolnick on Instagram.

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Delaney Guyer: Originally from Seattle, Washington. Delaney studied Meisner at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in New York for two months following her sophomore year. She has performed in regional theatres across the country including the 5th Avenue Theatre of Seattle, Village Theatre of Issaquah, Washington, the Lexington Theatre Company in Kentucky, the KNOW Theatre of Cincinnati and Sound Theatre Company of Seattle. CCM credits: The Rocky Horror Show (Magenta)and Yeast Nation (Jan The Sly) Secret Garden (Lily), Gruesome Playground Injuries (Kayleen). For more, visit delaneyguyer.com and follow @delaneyguyer on Instagram.

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Madison Hagler: Originally from Rainsville, Alabama. Regional credits: Gabe in Next to Normal (Porthouse Theatre), Pastor Olgethorpe in Smoke on the Mountain and Ensemble/Brother in Joseph…Dreamcoat (Totem Pole Playhouse). CCM credits: Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden, Judas/John the Baptist in Godspell, Annas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Tap Ensemble in 42nd Street, Gargoyle/ King Louis XI in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Seussical the Musical, Children of Eden and Lewinsky in Rocket Science, a new musical workshop. As an expert magician, Madison has toured the southeast with his grand illusion show, and has appeared as Magic Consultant for shows such as Pippin, Godspell, Big Fish and The Bartered Bride. For more, visit madisonhagler.com or follow @MadisonAdamsHagler on Instagram. 

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Elijah Lee King:Originally from Arlington, Virginia. Regional credits: Man of La Mancha (Pedro) and Music Man at Porthouse Theatre, Mamma Mia! at Totem Pole Playhouse and Joseph…Dreamcoat (Joseph) at City of Fairfax Theatre Co. CCM credtis: The Secret Garden (Ian Shaw), 42nd Street (Assistant Director), Yeast Nation (The Youngest), Guys and Dolls (Big Jule), Jesus Christ Superstar (Solider), The Little Mermaid Ballet (King Triton), Mack and Mabel (Ensemble). TV/Film: Power (STARZ), I Was Possessed (Lifetime), Copycat Killers (REELZ) and Evil Kin (Discovery ID). For more, visit elijahleeking.com and follow @Elijah_Lee_King on Instagram.

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Kylie Liya Page:Originally adopted from China, from New York. Broadway credits: 2006 revival Les Miserables (Young Cosette/ Eponine) at the Broadhurst Theater. National Tours credits: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Annie Who/ u.s. Cindy Lou), Les Miserables (Young Cosette/ Eponine) at Theater of the Stars. Readings/Workshops: The Nightingale by Duncan Shiek/Steven Sadar (Nightingale) NYSAF with James Lapine and at Vassar College with Moises Kaufman. Nasha America (Jackie) at CCM. Film/TV: Friends From College (Teenager) Netflix, Gossip Girl (Constance Girl) CW Network/ Netflix, Ninja Assassin (Young Kariko) Warner Bros., Step Up 3D (Ice Cream Truck Girl) Disney. Off Broadway: Carousel (Louise) NAAP at the Peter J. Sharp Theater. CCM credits: (Dance Ensemble) in Jesus Christ Superstar, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 42nd Street at CCM. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. For more, visit kylieliya.com and follow @kylieliya on Instagram. 

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Sam Pickart: Originally from Wisconsin. Regional credits: Anything Goes (Billy Crocker) and Saturday Night Fever (Gus) at Mac-Haydn Theatre, Mamma Mia (Sam Carmichael) and Bonnie & Clyde (Bob Alcorn) at Summer Repertory Theatre, Parade (Frankie Epps) at Greendale Theatre. CCM credits: The Secret Garden (Dr. Neville Craven), Guys and Dolls (Benny Southstreet), Theory of Relativity (Paul), 42nd Street (Pat Denning), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Tribunal/Gargoyle). For more, visit sampickart.com and follow @sampickart on Instagram.

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Erich W. Schleck: Originally from Seattle, Washington. Regional credits: Jesus Christ Superstar (Peter) and Newsies (Finch) at NCC Summer Theatre, Spring Awakening (Melchior) and Cabaret (Emcee) at Ballyhoo Theatre and the Original Cast Recording of A Christmas Story: The Musical with the 5th Avenue Theatre. CCM credits: The Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff), Yeast Nation (Jan-the-Wise), Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Sondheim on Sondheim, Children of Eden and the CCM Musical Theatre Incubator of Rocket Science (Heston). He originated the role of Rodrich in Nasha America in Cincinnati and NYC with Alchemation. Erich is also a choreographer with work that includes Big Fish (Village Theatre), Spring Awakening, Wizard of Oz, RENT and Once on this Island (5th Avenue Award Recipient). His original dance show This Moment premiered at CCM during a workshop in Spring 2019. For more, visit erichschleck.com and follow @erichschleck on Instagram.

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Hank von Kolnitz: Originally from Alexandria, Virginia. Regional credit: West Side Story (Big Deal) at The Lex; Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), Jesus Christ Superstar (Pontius Pilate) at the Clinton Area Showboat. West Side Story (Riff), Chicago and The Drowsy Chaperone at Santa Rosa Summer Rep; Mamma Mia, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at Totem Pole Playhouse. CCM credits: Rocky Horror Picture Show (Eddie/Dr. Scott), Hunchback of Notre Dame (Ensemble), Seussical (Ensemble U/S Wickershams), Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie) and more. For more, visit hankvonkolnitz.com and follow @hankvonko on Instagram.

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About CCM Musical Theatre

The Musical Theatre program at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the oldest in the country and was the first of its kind. A four-year bachelor of fine arts (BFA) program, it was used by the National Association of Schools of Theatre in formulating the guidelines for the accreditation of Musical Theatre programs nationwide.

The program provides professional conservatory training designed to help singers, dancers and actors become accomplished musical theatre performers. Students participate in a number of productions while in residence and create a freshman and a senior showcase, the latter functioning as their New York debut for agents and casting directors. In addition, students undertake courses in English, history, psychology, dramatic literature, social and ethical issues and the humanities.

CCM Musical Theatre is widely recognized for its “triple-threat” approach to training and many of its graduates are following careers as performers and creative artists in every facet of the entertainment industry. CCM Musical Theatre graduates are working on Broadway and throughout the nation in such productions as Anastasia, Hamilton, Waitress, Moulin Rouge, The Phantom of the Opera, The Book of Mormon, Pippin, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, Kinky Boots, Big Fish, Newsies and The Lion King. Students represent CCM in national and international touring productions, in dinner theatres and theme parks, on cruise ships, on television, in talent agencies, as producers and in many of the related entertainment fields.

The Musical Theatre program is part of a larger academic division known as TAPAA: Theatre Arts, Production and Arts Administration. At the time of its establishment in 1991, the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre at CCM was the only academic chair of its kind in the United States, the American equivalent of the Chair in Musical Theatre endowed by Cameron Macintosh in honor of Stephen Sondheim at Oxford one year later.

Learn more about CCM’s BFA Musical Theatre program.

CCM Announces Initial 2019-20 Performance Lineup, New Subscription Offerings

Area arts lovers have a new destination for world-class performances in 2019-20. The largest single-source of performing and media arts events in the state of Ohio, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music has assembled all of its public performances under the new banner of CCMONSTAGE and the new online portal ccmonstage.universitytickets.com, making it easier than ever for audiences to experience the immense talent of the college’s student and faculty artists.

“Before they appear on the world stage, tomorrow’s arts leaders and luminaries get their start on the CCM stage,” says CCM Dean Stanley E. Romanstein, PhD. “CCM is already synonymous with excellence in performing arts education. Beginning this fall, CCMONSTAGE will become synonymous with opportunities for the general public to experience this excellence for themselves.”

This new name and online home for CCM’s wide array of public events is being accompanied by all-new subscription packages, digital sales options and much more. “From our patrons’ first point of contact with the CCM Box Office to the program booklets that they receive when they arrive at each major performance, we are enhancing every aspect of the audience experience with CCMONSTAGE,” says Romanstein.

“Before they appear on the world stage, tomorrow’s arts leaders and luminaries get their start on the CCM stage” – Stanley E. Romanstein

New Subscription Packages

For the first time ever, subscribers get priority access to the spectacular theatre arts productions presented on all of CCM’s stages. In place of CCM’s conventional Mainstage subscriptions, each genre-specific CCMONSTAGE subscription package is designed to let audiences experience more of what they love most.

CCMONSTAGE’s 2019-20 theatre arts subscription series includes three operas (The Bartered Bride, Partenope and The Magic Flute), four musicals (42^nd Street, The Rocky Horror Show, The Secret Garden and Bright Star), four plays (Lady Windermere’s Fan, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Clybourne Park and Punk Rock) and three dance programs (The Art of Motion, Student Choreographers’ Showcase and Serenade + The Rite of Spring).

These offerings take the place of CCM’s previous “Mainstage Series” and “Studio Series” designations. The CCMONSTAGE operas, musicals, plays and dance productions staged in the Cohen Family Studio Theater will require paid admission and are now included in CCMONSTAGE subscription packages, allowing patrons to secure their seats in advance for these intimate and adventurous productions.

CCMONSTAGE’s concert subscription offerings include a five-part orchestra series featuring the CCM Philharmonia collaborating with special guests like Louis Langrée and Leslie Dunner, a five-part big band series with the incomparable CCM Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab Band and a four-part chamber music series featuring CCM resident artists the Ariel Quartet performing with visiting artists including Alexander Fiterstein and Anton Nel. Patrons can now reserve their seats for all CCMONSTAGE concert subscription offerings.

CCM’s full 2019-20 concert schedule will be announced later this summer and flex concert packages will again be available for purchase.

Patrons now have the option of subscribing to each genre-specific series of events, guaranteeing the best seats in the house at the season’s lowest prices.

Subscriptions and single tickets go on sale to the general public at noon on Monday, Aug. 19, 2019.

Patrons who purchased CCM Mainstage or Ariel Quartet subscriptions in 2018-19 will receive a Pre-Sale Code, which grants them exclusive access to CCM’s new subscriptions before the general on sale date. Pre-Sale Codes are being mailed and emailed to all 2018-19 subscribers.

Subscription packages can be purchased online at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com, over the phone at 513-556-4183 or in person at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts.

“Whether it’s exhilarating concerts or breathtaking theatre,” says Romanstein, “the artistry that you love lives at CCM. We hope you will join us for an incredible season of CCMONSTAGE.”

Full performance details are listed below. Performance dates and details subject to change. For the most current information, visit the new CCMONSTAGE portal at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com.

Be the first to know about future ticket on-sale dates and more: sign up for our email list at ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/subscribe.

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CCMONSTAGE 2019-20 Subscription Series

Opera (Three Productions)

The Bartered Bride

Music by Bedřich Smetana
Libretto by Karel Sabina
German adaptation by Max Kalbeck
New German translation by Walter Felsenstein
UPDATE: Sung in English with a new English singing libretto by CCM Opera faculty member Kathleen Kelly

Levi Hammer, conductor
Audrey Chait, director

Part bubbly operetta and part Bohemian folk pageant, The Bartered Bride is a romantic comedy set in a Czech community in Texas in 1948. Marenka is arranged to marry the son of a rich landowner, but she is in love with someone else. Defiantly, Marenka vows before her parents that she will only accept her love, Jeník, as her husband. As her parents and the matchmaker fight for the arranged marriage, the young lovers fight against tradition in order to be together.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21
7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24
Patricia Corbett Theater 

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
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Partenope

Music by George Frideric Handel
Libretto by Silvio Stampiglia

Caleb Glickman, conductor
Greg Eldridge, director

Four rival suitors must navigate their way through mistaken identities, cross-dressing and declarations of war as they vie for Queen Partenope’s hand in marriage. Written in 1730, Handel’s witty romantic comedy features gorgeous arias and captivating music.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23
Cohen Family Studio Theater
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The Magic Flute

Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder

Mark Gibson, conductor
Robin Guarino, director

Mozart composed this beloved opera for the person who wants everything: a hero and heroine questing for true love, evil villains, a comical sidekick and – to add to the lunacy – a whole range of beastly creatures. Director Robin Guarino presents a unique, contemporary spin on this all-time classic.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4
2 p.m. Sunday, April 5
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s

CCMONSTAGE Opera Three-Show Subscription Package: $89
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

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Orchestra (Five Concerts)

Season-Opening Concert

CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor
Featuring faculty artist Giora Schmidt, violin

DVOŘÁK: Slavonic Dance in C Major, Op. 46, No. 1
DVOŘÁK: Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53, feat. Giora Schmidt
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73

7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20
Corbett Auditorium
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Pride of Russia

CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor
Featuring faculty artist Dror Biran, piano

RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Russian Easter Overture
SHOSTAKOVICH: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 102
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 100

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3
Corbett Auditorium
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CSI: Halloween: Post-Mortem

CCM Philharmonia and Chamber Orchestra
Mark Gibson, music director
Featuring guest artist Leslie B. Dunner, guest conductor and chief medical examiner

LISZT: Totentanz
SAINT-SAËNS: Carnival of the “Dead” Animals
BRITTEN: “Dead” Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1
Corbett Auditorium
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The Long Goodbye

CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director and conductor

BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, “Les Adieux”
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9 in D Major

7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31
Corbett Auditorium
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Welcome to CCM, Maestro Langrée

CCM Philharmonia
Mark Gibson, music director
Louis Langrée, conductor

DEBUSSY: Prélude à L’après-midi d’un faune
RAVEL: Piano Concerto
BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
Corbett Auditorium

CCMONSTAGE Orchestra Five-Concert Subscription Package: $99
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

Additional concert performances will be offered outside of this new five-part series. CCM will announce its full schedule of 2019-20 choral, jazz, orchestral and winds concerts later this summer.

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Musicals (Four Productions)

42nd Street

Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble
Based on the Novel by Bradford Ropes
Original Direction and Dances by Gower Champion
Originally Produced on Broadway by David Merrick
The use of all songs is by arrangement with Warner Bros., the owner of music publishers’ rights

Diane Lala, director and co-choreographer
Katie Johannigman, co-choreographer
Roger Grodsky, musical director

The ultimate show-biz musical, 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square and the people who make the magic of musical theatre. Aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. But just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star? The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” “Dames,” “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “Forty-Second Street.”

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27
Corbett Auditorium 

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
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Richard O’Brien’s

The Rocky Horror Show

Book, Music and Lyrics by Richard O’Brien

Vincent DeGeorge, director and choreographer
Stephen Goers, musical director

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named Rocky. Celebrate Halloween with this deliberately kitschy rock ‘n’ roll sci-fi Gothic musical, which features popular hits such as “Science Fiction – Double Feature,” “Time Warp” and “Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul).” For mature audiences.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31
7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1
2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3
Second Week Just Added:
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov 7
7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov 8
2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9
2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10
Cohen Family Studio Theater

The Rocky Horror Show is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
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CCMONSTAGE Presents

The Secret Garden

Book and lyrics by Marsha Norman
Music by Lucy Simon
Based on the Novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Connor Gallagher, director and choreographer
Jeremy Robin Lyons, musical director

This enchanting classic of children’s literature is reimagined in musical style by composer Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of ‘Night Mother. Orphaned in India, 11-year-old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his ailing son Colin. The estate’s many wonders include a magic garden which beckons the children with haunting melodies and the “Dreamers,” spirits from Mary’s past who guide her through her new life, dramatizing The Secret Garden‘s compelling tale of forgiveness and renewal.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5
7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6
2 p.m. Saturday, March 7
7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7
2 p.m. Sunday, March 8
Corbett Auditorium

The Secret Gardenis presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
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Bright Star

Inspired by a True Story
Music, Book and Story by Steve Martin
Music, Lyrics and Story by Edie Brickell
Produced by Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Zebulon LLC, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Len Blavatnik, James L. Nederlander, Carson & Joseph Gleberman, Balboa Park Productions, The Shubert Organization, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler/Cricket Jiranek
In Association with Rodger Hess, A.C. Orange International, Broadway Across America, Sally Jacobs & Warren Baker, Diana DiMenna, Exeter Capital, Agnes Gund, True Love Productions and The Old Globe

Katie Johannigman, director and choreographer
Stephen Goers, musical director

Inspired by a real event and featuring the Grammy-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Broadway’s Bright Star tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and ’40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past – and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. Propelled by an ensemble of onstage musicians and dancers, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion, beautiful melodies and powerfully moving performances.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 3
2 p.m. Saturday, April 4
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 4
2 p.m. Sunday, April 5
Cohen Family Studio Theater

Bright Star is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York NY 10036. 866-378-9758 www.theatericalrights.com

CCMONSTAGE Musicals Four-Show Subscription Package: $119
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

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Jazz (Five Concerts)

Swinging with Woody Herman: The Inaugural John Von Ohlen Memorial Scholarship Concert

CCM Jazz Orchestra
Scott Belck, music director

Hot off their Summer 2019 tour with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the CCM Jazz Orchestra celebrates the legacy of Cincinnati jazz legend John Von Ohlen, who drummed with Stan Kenton and Woody Herman before joining CCM’s jazz faculty. This memorial concert raises scholarship funds in Von Ohlen’s honor.

7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Corbett Auditorium
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The Music of Stevie Wonder

CCM Jazz Lab Band
Craig Bailey, music director
Featuring guest artist Tyshawn Colquitt, vocals

The groove is guaranteed to be “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” in this musical tribute to one of Motown’s brightest stars! Hear the hits of Stevie Wonder brought to life by the CCM Jazz Lab Band and Cincinnati native Tyshawn Colquitt, a seven-time winner of Showtime at the Apollo and recent contestant on NBC’s The Voice singing competition.

7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3
Corbett Auditorium
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Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite

CCM Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab Band
Featuring CCM Musical Theatre students
Scott Belck, music director
Diane Lala, choreographer

Enjoy our original retelling of Ellington’s remarkable adaptation of The Nutcracker Suite, brought to life with stunning choreography from CCM Musical Theatre’s stars of tomorrow.

4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24
Corbett Auditorium
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Essentially Ellington Festival: Gala Concert

CCM Jazz Orchestra
Scott Belck, music director

CCM’s Essentially Ellington Festival, sponsored by Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center, returns in full swing! The daylong event features the region’s top high school jazz ensembles, and the gala concert will feature the CCM Jazz Orchestra with a special guest artist from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22
Corbett Auditorium
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The Music of Frank Sinatra

CCM Jazz Orchestra
Scott Belck, music director
Featuring guest artist Steve Lippia, vocals

Critically acclaimed jazz vocalist Steve Lippia joins CCM’s Big Band for a hard-swinging tribute to the legendary Frank Sinatra. Experience the romance of an evening filled with the hits of “Old Blue Eyes.”

7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11
Corbett Auditorium

CCMONSTAGE Jazz Five-Concert Subscription Package: $99
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

Additional concert performances will be offered outside of this new five-part series. CCM will announce its full schedule of 2019-20 choral, jazz, orchestral and winds concerts later this summer.

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Plays (Four Productions)

Lady Windermere’s Fan

By Oscar Wilde

Susan Felder, director

Infidelity, blackmail, a birthday ball and a fan are at the center of this 19^th-century satire set in London. Lady Windermere suspects that her husband is having an affair with a mysterious woman. Will she exact her revenge and find comfort in another man? What is the true identity of the mysterious Mrs. Erlynne — and why is Lord Windermere secretly giving her money? A witty evaluation of marriage, sex and gender politics, this classic by Oscar Wilde gave the world the iconic line: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4
2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Based on the novel by Mark Haddon
Adapted by Simon Stephens

Richard E. Hess, director

In this 2015 Tony Award winning Best Play, 15-year-old Christopher uses his extraordinary brain to navigate everyday life. He is exceptional at mathematics but has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road. He detests being touched and he distrusts strangers, overwhelmed by sensory overload. When Christopher finds his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, he becomes determined to solve the mystery of who murdered the dog. His detective work takes him on a thrilling journey through London that overturns his entire world.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17
7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18
2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19
2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20
Cohen Family Studio Theater
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Clybourne Park

By Bruce Norris

Richard E. Hess, director

Clybourne Park was awarded the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play. Inspired by Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959), the play explodes in two high powered acts set 50 years apart. It imagines events in a racially charged America and reveals that underneath a house in a typical neighborhood, racial fault lines run deep and wide. This production contains strong language.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14
2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
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Punk Rock

By Simon Stephens

Brant Russell, director

In the library of a British high school, William and his fellow classmates prepare for their final exams while navigating the pressures of teenage life. They are educated and aspirational young people, but the savagery and combustibility of their world infects them. For mature audiences.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24
2 p.m. Saturday, April 25
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25
2 p.m. Sunday, April 26
Cohen Family Studio Theater

CCMONSTAGE Plays Four-Show Subscription Package: $89
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

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Ariel Quartet (Four Concerts)

Darkness and Light

HAYDN: String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 76, No. 2, “Fifths”
DUN: Eight Colors for String Quartet (1986)
SCHUBERT: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden”

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
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The Fugue

This concert of fugues features Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 with its original final movement, the Grosse Fugue, which is often performed on its own as Beethoven’s Opus 133.

MOZART: Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, K. 546
BARTÓK: String Quartet No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 7
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 and 133

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
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A World Premiere

Featuring guest artist Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet

The Ariel Quartet continues its 2019-20 concert series with a world premiere by Christopher Theofanidis, commissioned by the Manchester Music Festival and written for the Ariel Quartet with guest artist Alexander Fiterstein.

BEETHOVEN: String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127
THEOFANIDIS: Clarinet Quintet
MOZART: Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall
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Hungary

Featuring guest artist and CCM alumnus Anton Nel, piano

HAYDN: String Quartet No. 62 in C Major, Op. 76, No. 3, “Emperor”
BRAHMS: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25
DOHNÁNYI: Piano Quintet No. 2 in E-flat Minor, Op. 26

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10
Robert J. Werner Recital Hall

The Ariel Quartet’s 2019-20 CCM concert series is made possible by the generous contributions of an anonymous donor, The Estate of Mr. William A. Friedlander, Mrs. William A. Friedlander, Dr. Randolph L. Wadsworth, Mr. & Mrs. J. David Rosenberg, Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Santen, Elizabeth C. B. & Paul G. Sittenfeld, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman, Dr. & Mrs. Theodore W. Striker and Mrs. Harry M. Hoffheimer

CCMONSTAGE Ariel Quartet Four-Concert Subscription Package: $79
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

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Dance (Three Productions)

The Art of Motion

Deirdre Carberry, director

CCM Dance showcases an array of classic and contemporary works restaged and choreographed by CCM Dance faculty members.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8
Patricia Corbett Theater

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s
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Student Choreographers’ Showcase

Michael Tevlin, director

Come experience the next generation of emerging choreographers as CCM dance majors take the stage with exciting and diverse new works.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5
7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6
7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7
2 p.m. Sunday, March 8
Cohen Family Studio Theater
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Serenade + The Rite of Spring

Jiang Qi, director
Mark Gibson, conductor

CCM Dance and the CCM Philharmonia present two ballets set to music by two master composers. The first original ballet created by George Balanchine in America, Serenade is set to romantic music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who also composed Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. Set to music by Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring was one of the first examples of modern music and dance when the ballet first premiered in Paris in 1913. Although a riot broke out at the premiere, the legendary work is now regarded as one of the most important ballets of the 20^thcentury. CCM’s production of The Rite of Spring features new choreography by Jiang Qi.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23
7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25
2 p.m. Sunday, April 26
Corbett Auditorium

The performance of Serenade, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangements with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

CCMONSTAGE Production Sponsor: Macy’s

CCMONSTAGE Dance Three-Show Subscription Package: $59
Pricing is inclusive of all fees. All performances are reserved seating.

View subscription package details.

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CCMONSTAGE Subscription Benefits

THE BEST SEATS: CCMONSTAGE subscribers can guarantee their favorite seats for all of their favorite performances in CCM’s Corbett Auditorium, Patricia Corbett Theater and Cohen Family Studio Theater.

THE BEST PRICES: CCMONSTAGE subscribers can save as much as 25% off of single ticket prices. All CCMONSTAGE subscription prices are inclusive of all fees.

GUARANTEED PARKING: CCMONSTAGE subscribers can order prepaid parking at $8 each for every performance selected. Parking in the CCM Garage for a performance or special event is usually available for $8-$15.

Purchasing Your CCMONSTAGE Subscriptions

Subscription renewals are on sale now; renewal information will be mailed and emailed to current subscribers. New subscriptions and single tickets go on sale Monday, Aug. 19, 2019.

Subscription packages can be ordered:

• ONLINE at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com
• OVER THE PHONE at 513-556-4183
• IN PERSON at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts

Our Box Office staff is always ready to answer your questions by phone at 513-556-4183 or by email at boxoff@uc.edu.

Be the first to know about future ticket on-sale dates and more: sign up for our email list at ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/subscribe.

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A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

Broadway Alumni Present Cabaret to Mark CCM Musical Theatre’s 50th Anniversary

Join CCM Musical Theatre alumni from the past five decades and current students in a cabaret of songs from Broadway, Off-Broadway and the Great American Songbook on Sept. 16, 2018.

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music celebrates the 50^th anniversary of its legendary Musical Theatre program with a Birthday Cabaret at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 in Patricia Corbett Theater. Featuring the program’s first graduate Pamela Myers, our newest stars of tomorrow and star performers from Broadway and beyond, the Birthday Cabaret promises to be a tuneful and invigorating tribute to 50 years of CCM Musical Theatre excellence.

Devised and directed by CCM Musical Theatre Chair Aubrey Berg and musical theatre alumnus Scott Coulter (BFA, 1993), with musical direction by Julie Spangler, the Birthday Cabaret offers Cincinnati audiences an unforgettable performance that showcases nearly a dozen alumni who represent five decades of CCM Musical Theatre. The program includes songs from Broadway, Off-Broadway and the Great American Songbook.

Alumni guest artists include Tony Award winners and nominees, stars who have appeared on Broadway and in regional theatres, and artists who have performed with renowned orchestras in concert halls throughout the country — all of whom studied at CCM before launching careers on the world’s stage. A full list of alumni guest artists can be found below.

CCM’s newest stars of tomorrow, the Musical Theatre class of 2019, will also perform a new song, which was written by composer and lyricist Andre Catrini (BFA Musical Theatre, 2011) to mark the program’s golden anniversary.

CCM conferred the United States’ first BFA in Musical Theatre to Pamela Myers in 1969. The first program of its kind in the country, CCM Musical Theatre was used by the National Association of Schools of Theatre in formulating the guidelines for the accreditation of Musical Theatre programs nationwide. Fifty years later, graduates continue to work on Broadway and throughout the nation in such productions as Anastasia, Hamilton, Waitress, The Book of Mormon, Pippin, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, Kinky Boots, Big Fish, Newsies and The Lion King. During the 2017-18 season, CCM again took the No. 2 spot in Playbill Magazine’s list of “10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway,” coming behind only New York University. CCM Musical Theatre is widely recognized for its “triple-threat” approach to training. Graduates represent CCM in national and international touring productions, in dinner theatres and theme parks, on cruise ships, on television, in talent agencies, and as producers and creative artists in every facet of the entertainment industry.

Tickets for CCM Musical Theatre’s Birthday Cabaret are on sale now! Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online through our e-Box Office. Complete event information is below.
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BIRTHDAY CABARET GUEST ARTISTS

Pamela Myers (BFA, 1969) made her Broadway debut as Marta in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Company, introducing the show-stopping number “Another Hundred People.” She was nominated at the 1971 Tony awards for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Myers has appeared with Marvin Hamlisch and Jerry Herman on In Performance At The White House on PBS and guest starred on numerous TV shows. Myers has also guest starred with the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Carnegie Hall Tribute to Judy Garland.

Faith Prince (BFA, 1979) established herself as a Broadway star with her portrayal of Miss Adelaide in the much-acclaimed 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls, for which she won both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards as Best Actress in a Musical. In 2001, she was again nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her portrayal of Ella Peterson in the 2001 revival of Bells Are Ringing. She was also featured in the 2008 Broadway musical A Catered Affair, for which she received Tony and Drama Desk nominations.

Jan Horvath (BFA, 1980) was in the original Broadway company of Hal Prince’s The Phantom of the Opera. Broadway credits include The Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Oliver! and Stardust. Internationally, she starred as Queen Isabella in the world premiere of Encounter 500 at La Sistina in Italy, and was featured in Bernstein’s Mass at the Vatican as part of the Jubilee Celebration. She made her Carnegie Hall debut singing in Bernstein’s Mass in 2002 and also appeared there with the New York Pops in “The Three Broadway Divas” concert.

Jessica Hendy (BFA, 1993) made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Cats in 1999. She has also performed in Aida and Amour on Broadway and in the national tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Regional credits include Next to Normal, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Miss Saigon and The Gift of the Magi, among others. Hendy has also appeared as a guest soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Modesto Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony and Kentucky Symphony Orchestra.

Scott Coulter (BFA, 1993), one of New York’s most honored vocalists, has received five Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) Awards, five Bistro Awards and two Nightlight Awards for Outstanding Vocalist. He spent a record-setting eight months Feinstein’s at The Regency performing the revue 11 O’clock Numbers at 11 O’clock, which he also co-created, directed and musically arranged. Scott was director and star of A Christmas Carol: The Symphonic Concert in its world premiere with the Baltimore Symphony and reprised his performance in the Emmy-nominated PBS production.

Lisa Howard (BFA, 1997) has starred on Broadway in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 9 to 5, the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, for which she won a Drama Desk Award. She has performed in Spot-On Entertainment Co.’s “Broadway Today,” the Kaufman Center’s Broadway Close-up Series “Stephen Schwartz: Magic to Do” and William Finn’s “More Infinite Joy” and “Even More Infinite Joy” at Merkin Hall. She has sung with the Cincinnati Symphony and with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops.

Kristy Cates (BFA, 1999) made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Wicked, which won three Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and the original cast album received a Grammy Award. Cates is perhaps best known for her role as Elphaba in Chicago’s production of Wicked. She also appeared in Princess Ida and in the Off-Broadway production of Boobs! The Musical. In 2016 she portrayed Ms. Basset in Broadway’s Finding Neverland. She most recently played the role of Grandma Josephine in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Liz Pearce (BFA, 2000) is an actor, singer and dancer who currently lives in New York City. She has performed on Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall, in London’s West End, in National and International tours and at countless regional theatres across the country. Her Broadway credits include roles in the original casts of Billy Elliot and Metropolis. She has also appeared in national tours of Little Shop of Horrors, Seussical, Chicago, Scooby Doo in Stage Fright and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Ashley Brown (BFA, 2004) originated the title role in Broadway’s Mary Poppins for which she received Outer Critics, Drama League and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actress. Brown starred as Mary Poppins in the musical’s national tour, where she received a 2010 Garland award for “Best Performance in a Musical.” Other Broadway credits include Belle in The Beauty and The Beast. She previously played Magnolia in Francesca Zembello’s Showboat at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and recently returned to star in the role of Laurey in Oklahoma.

Katie Johannigman (BFA, 2012) began her career when she was only in the eighth grade by joining the national tour of Oliver!. Her other professional credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie, Pirates!, The Light in the Piazza, Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, Company, Cats and Chicago. Her work as a choreographer has appeared at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre, The Human Race Theatre and the Broadway Method Academy, where she served as Artistic Director. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Musical theatre at CCM.

Raven Thomas (BFA, 2016) started her professional career in the performing arts shortly after graduating from CCM by joining the national tour of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, which won 11 Tony Awards in 2016. Cincinnati audiences may recognize her from CCM’s 2015 Mainstage production of Carousel, where she played the role of Mrs. Mullin. Thomas also played the role of Pilar in CCM’s 2014 Mainstage production of Legally Blonde.
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PERFORMANCE TIME
6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018

Please note: Please note that the start time for CCM Musical Theatre’s 50th Anniversary Birthday Cabaret has changed due to a scheduling conflict with an FC Cincinnati game occurring in UC’s Nippert Stadium earlier in the day.

LOCATION
Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

PURCHASING TICKETS
Tickets for CCM Musical Theatre’s Birthday Cabaret are $20 general, $15 non-UC students, and FREE for UC students with a valid ID.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online through our e-Box Office! Visit ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice for CCM Box Office hours and location.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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Musical Theatre Birthday Cabaret Sponsors: J. Brett Offenberger & Douglas E. Duckett and Cincinnati Dreams Come True Inc.

CCM 2018-19 Mainstage Series Subscriptions On Sale Now!

New subscription packages are now on sale for CCM’s 2018-19 Mainstage Series of Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera Productions. With CCM’s streamlined subscriptions, it has never been easier to get the best seats at the best prices. Arts lovers can simply mix and match the shows they want to see with customizable eight, six, four or three-show packages. Subscription orders placed before Sept. 10 will get seated before any single ticket buyers!

About CCM’s 2018-19 Mainstage Series
CCM was recently declared “Best of Cincinnati” in CityBeat‘s annual readers’ choice poll, but the best is yet to come with CCM’s 2018-19 Mainstage Series! From October 2018 through April 2019, CCM presents eight masterworks spanning the spectrum of theatrical arts, including:

• the best of comedic and dramatic acting with The Government Inspector and Our Country’s Good,
• classic and contemporary musicals with Guys and Dolls and The Hunchback of Notre Dame,
• great operas from master composers with Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito,
• and innovative dance programs with Birthday Variations and Cinderella!

Last season, single ticket buyers missed out on sold-out performances of Hamlet, Seussical (voted the year’s “Best Play” by CityBeat readers), Candide and Jesus Christ Superstar. Subscribers have a guaranteed seat to see the phenomenal talent and polished professionalism of CCM’s young performers. Download CCM’s 2018-19 Mainstage Subscription Brochure to learn even more about our upcoming productions!

Ordering Your Subscriptions
CCM’s customizable subscription packages range in price from $81-$192. Download our 2018-19 Mainstage Subscription price sheet, seating chart and order form for complete details. Then choose your shows and select whether you want seats in Section A (the best views) or Section B (the lowest prices). To pay by check, simply return your order form by mail or drop it off at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of CCM’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts. For credit card transactions, call the Box Office.

The CCM Box Office staff is always ready to answer your questions by phone at 513-556-4183 or by email at boxoff@uc.edu.

Don’t wait to get the best seats at the best prices!
Single tickets go on sale Sept. 10, 2018.

CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

CCM Mainstage Season Production Sponsor: Macy’s

Musical Theatre Meets Physics in CCM’s “The Theory of Relativity”

Art and science unite in the next Studio Musical Theatre Series production at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Using Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity as a beautiful and thought-provoking metaphor, The Theory of Relativity offers a crash course in physics while telling the story of a group of interconnected people who are searching for love.

The cast of “The Theory of Relativity.” Photo by Kaelin Butts.

The musical runs Thursday, March 29 through Saturday, March 31, 2018, at CCM’s Cohen Family Studio Theater. Admission is free but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 26 through the CCM Box Office.

From Drama Desk Award nominees Neil Bartram and Brian Hill, The Theory of Relativity presents an array of characters experiencing life’s joys and heartbreaks and the inevitability and wonder of human connection.

The physics metaphors are expressed through lyrics, formulas and movement on stage, says CCM Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre Katie Johannigman, director and choreographer of The Theory of Relativity.

CCM’s production invited Dr. Richard Gass, Undergraduate Director of UC’s Physics Department, to give the cast a crash course on General Relativity to prepare for the show. What was planned as a 30-minute lesson turned into an over two-hour interactive lesson about light cones, Newton’s laws, The Theory of Relativity and more, Johannigman says.

“Our students became enraptured by the physics and it launched a huge discussion about technology usage in our generation, perceptions people try to maintain through social media and how important our every action is during our time here on Earth.”

Gass listened to the musical and applied all of the physics lessons through the lyrics in the songs. He later brought ten of his students to watch a rehearsal of the show and had a discussion with the cast of CCM Musical Theatre students about how art and science overlap. Johannigman and The Theory of Relativity cast are grateful for Gass’ help, she says.

“We sing about the cosmos and our insatiable need to connect with each other through witty and contemporary lyrics that often reference Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein’s findings,” Johannigman adds. “The Theory of Relativity is funny, sad, heart-warming and familiar — a whirl of stars figuring out where we fit into every expanding universe.”
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THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY
Music and Lyrics by Neil Bartram
Book by Brian Hill
Katie Johannigman, director and choreographer
Stephen Goers, musical director

CAST LIST
Delaney Guyer as Amy
Madison Deadman as Caroline
Camila Paquet as Catherine
Zoe Grolnick as Jenny
Kendall McCarthy as Julie
Mikayla Renthrow as Mira
Bailee Endebrock as Sara
Zach Triska as Adam
Dylan Mulvaney as Anthony
Dylan Dougal as Oliver
Jack Brewer as Mike
Sam Pickart as Paul
Frankie Thams as Ryan
Swings: Eli Goykham, Elle Zambarano 

PERFORMANCE TIMES

• 8 p.m. Thursday, March 29
• 8 p.m. Friday, March 30
• 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 31

LOCATION
Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

ADMISSION
Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 26. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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 CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Theory of Relativity is presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. http://www.MTIShows.com

CCM Announces 2018-19 Mainstage Series of Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera

Photography from CCM’s Fall 2017 Mainstage Series production of ‘Seussical’ by Mark Lyons.

The best is yet to come with CCM’s eight-part series of theatre arts productions! With new streamlined subscription packages, it’s never been easier to get the best tickets at the season’s best prices.

CCM will present eight masterworks spanning the spectrum of the theatre arts during its 2018-19 Mainstage Series of Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera. Running from October 2018 through April 2019, these productions will showcase the phenomenal talent and polished professionalism of CCM’s young performing, design and media artists.

This season’s Mainstage Series includes classic and contemporary musicals with Frank Loesser, Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling’s Guys and Dolls and Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz and Peter Parnell’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the best of comedic and dramatic acting with Nikolai Gogol’s The Government Inspector and Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good, great operas from master composers with Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and W.A. Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, and innovative dance programs that include a mixed repertoire concert of Birthday Variations and a fully-staged story ballet production of Prokofiev’s Cinderella.

The complete 2018-19 Mainstage Series lineup is listed below. Titles and dates are subject to change – rights pending. For the most current calendar of events, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.
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CCM’S 2018-19 MAINSTAGE SERIES
Acting, Musical Theatre, Opera, Dance

THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Nikolai Gogol
Richard E. Hess, director

When the locals in a small Russian hamlet learn that an undercover government inspector is coming for a surprise visit, a case of mistaken identity sends the whole village spiraling into a world of panic and greed. Part farce, part slapstick and wholly entertaining, this timely and spirited adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s classic play exposes the corruption of a provincial town with biting hilarity.

Performance Dates: Oct. 3 (preview), Oct. 4-7, 2018
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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GUYS AND DOLLS
Book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Based on The Idyll of Sarah Brown and characters by Damon Runyon
Diane Lala, director and choreographer
Roger Grodsky, musical director

Set in Damon Runyon’s mythical New York City, Guys and Dolls is the perfect musical comedy. Nathan Detroit is a gambler trying to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck. Meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they’ve been engaged for 14 years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler Sky Masterson for the dough, and Sky ends up chasing straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown as a result. Guys and Dolls takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafés of Havana, Cuba and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.

Performance Dates: Oct. 19 and 21, Oct. 26-27, 2018
Note: A special gala performance of Guys and Dolls will be presented on Saturday, Oct. 20, in honor of CCM Musical Theatre’s 50^th anniversary; special pricing applies.
Location: Corbett Auditorium

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THE TURN OF THE SCREW
Music by Benjamin Britten
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper, after a story by Henry James
Aik Khai Pung, conductor
Vince DeGeorge, director

Based on Henry James’ classic ghost-story novella, Britten’s compelling chamber opera presents the story of a governess charged with the care of two orphaned children at their absentee uncle’s country estate, where the ghosts of a former valet and his lover haunt the grounds. With a blend of 12-tone techniques, arresting motifs and stirring lyricism, the action moves with incredible fluidity, creating a chilling tale of sexual repression and the corruption of innocence. For mature audiences.

Performance Dates: Nov. 15-18, 2018
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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BIRTHDAY VARIATIONS
Jiang Qi, director

CCM Dance showcases an array of classic and contemporary works restaged and choreographed by CCM Dance faculty members. The thrilling highlight of the evening is Birthday Variations, originally choreographed by Gerald Arpino, former Artistic Director of the Joffrey Ballet, to music by Giuseppe Verdi. Birthday Variations is presented by arrangement with the Gerald Arpino and Robert Joffrey Foundation.

Performance Dates: Dec. 6-9, 2018
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD
By Timberlake Wertenbaker
Based on the novel The Playmaker by Thomas Keneally
Susan Felder, director

Set in Botany Bay in 1789, Our Country’s Good is a darkly comedic tale based on the true story of Australia’s first theatrical performance. A marine lieutenant decides to put on a play to celebrate the king’s birthday. He casts the play with convicts who populate an Australian prison camp. Few of them can read, let alone act, and the play is produced against a background of food shortages and barbaric prison punishments. Our Country’s Good is as an inspiring tribute to the transforming power of drama. For mature audiences.

Performance Dates: Feb. 13 (preview), Feb. 14-17, 2019
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Peter Parnell
Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney film
Originally developed by Disney Theatrical Productions
Aubrey Berg, director
Stephen Goers, musical director
Katie Johannigman, choreographer

Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame begins as bells sound through the famed cathedral in fifteenth-century Paris. Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer, observes all of Paris reveling in the Feast of Fools, but he is held captive by his devious caretaker, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo. He escapes for the day and joins the boisterous crowd, only to be treated cruelly by all but the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Quasimodo isn’t the only one captivated by her free spirit, though — the handsome Captain Phoebus and Frollo are equally enthralled. As the three vie for her attention, Frollo embarks on a mission to destroy the gypsies and it’s up to Quasimodo to save them all. Parental discretion is advised. Victor Hugo’s novel contains mature themes and situations, which may be distressing for young viewers.

Performance Dates: March 7-10, 2019
Location: Corbett Auditorium

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LA CLEMENZA DI TITO
(THE CLEMENCY OF TITUS)
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Caterino Mazzolà
Jiannan Cheng, conductor
Robin Guarino, director

Mozart’s last opera seria displays some of his most memorable and marvelous arias! The story centers on Roman emperor Titus (Tito) who must choose a wife, but is unable to find a suitable match. In his search for an empress, Tito narrowly avoids an assassination plot instigated by his best friend Sesto and the former emperor’s daughter, Vitellia, who wants the throne for herself. Caught between his duty and his heart, the emperor must choose whether to rule with mercy or with an iron fist.

Performance Dates: April 12-14, 2019
Location: Corbett Auditorium

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CINDERELLA
Jiang Qi, director

Celebrate spring’s arrival with a fully staged fairytale ballet. A poor girl wishes to escape the authoritarian rule of her evil stepmother and stepsisters, so her fairy godmother gives her a ticket to the ball! The girl meets Prince Charming and they fall in love, but she vanishes when the clock strikes midnight. Set to music by Sergei Prokofiev, Cinderella is known for its jubilant melodies, lush scenery and graceful retelling of the timeless romance by Charles Perrault.

Performance Dates: April 26-28, 2019
Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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Mainstage Series Subscriptions
The 2018-19 CCM Mainstage Series of Acting, Musical Theatre, Opera and Dance productions includes subscription packages for combinations of Eight Shows, Six Shows, Four Shows or Three Shows. Newly streamlined subscription packages make this process easier than ever before. Simply choose your shows and select whether you want seats in Section A (the best views) or Section B (the lowest prices)!

Renewal subscriptions are on sale now with packages ranging in price from $78-$176. Subscribers to CCM’s 2017-18 Mainstage Series can receive priority access to seating by renewing their subscriptions by May 1, 2018.

Subscription packages for new subscribers go on sale May 2, 2018, with packages ranging in price from $81-$192.

Single tickets go on sale beginning Sept. 10, 2018, but subscribing is the only way to guarantee your seats and your savings for CCM’s Mainstage Series!

To order subscriptions, contact the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183 or boxoff@uc.edu.

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2018-19 MAINSTAGE SERIES PERFORMANCE TIMES

THE GOVERNEMENT INSPECTOR Performance Times: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 (preview) 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7 Location: Patricia Corbett Theater GUYS AND DOLLS Performance Times: 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 (CCM Musical Theatre 50th Anniversary gala performance; special pricing applies) 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 Location: Corbett Auditorium THE TURN OF THE SCREW Performance Times: 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18 Location: Patricia Corbett Theater BIRTHDAY VARIATIONS Performance Times: 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD Performance Times: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13 (preview) 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17 Location: Patricia Corbett Theater THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME Performance Times: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 7 8 p.m. Friday, March 8 2 p.m. Saturday, March 9 8 p.m. Saturday, March 9 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10 Location: Corbett Auditorium LA CLEMENZA DI TITO Performance Times: 8 p.m. Friday, April 12 8 p.m. Saturday, April 13 2 p.m. Sunday, April 14 Location: Corbett Auditorium CINDERELLA Performance Times: 8 p.m. Friday, April 26 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27 8 p.m. Saturday, April 27 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28 Location: Patricia Corbett Theater

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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Mainstage Season Production Sponsor: Macy’s

CCM Studio Series Presents a Musical Celebration of Stephen Sondheim

CCM’s Musical Theatre department stages Sondheim on Sondheim, a documentary-meets-musical-revue, on Thursday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 7. Admission is free but reservations are required; tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 2.

CCM opens its Sesquicentennial Studio Series with Sondheim on Sondheim, a musical revue of Stephen Sondheim’s most beloved works, on Thursday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 7 in the Cohen Family Studio Theater. The performance paints an intimate portrait of the songwriter, told through his music and through video clips of Sondheim himself.

Stephen Sondheim.

“Sondheim’s comments are amazingly candid, giving a unique and personal insight into the stories behind the songs, as well as the personal battles he has faced with his family, producers and fame,” says CCM Musical Theatre Professor and Department Chairman Aubrey Berg, director of the show.

Eight singers from CCM’s Musical Theatre program will perform some of Sondheim’s most popular tunes without amplification and accompanied only by piano. Audiences will recognize featured songs in the revue, such as “Comedy Tonight” from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, “Something’s Comin’” from West Side Story and “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music.

The show also includes excerpts from Passion, Assassins and Bounce, as well as a brand-new song written just for Sondheim on Sondheim.

“The strength of the show comes from the brilliance of the music and lyrics and the accomplishments of the performers in interpreting the songs of the modern master of musical theatre,” Berg says.

CCM Musical Theatre has a long history with Sondheim musicals; the department has staged almost all of Sondheim’s major works over the years.

“His songs can be witty and ironic, but also heartfelt and deeply emotional,” Berg says. “They provide a tremendous challenge to young performers and serve as excellent training for our more advanced students.”

With this show, CCM Musical Theatre also welcomes the return of Katie Johannigman (BFA Musical Theatre, 2012) as a Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre. Johannigman choreographs Sondheim on Sondheim, which features music direction and accompaniment by Stephen Goers.

“I have watched Katie grow up and remember her as a star-struck little girl attending productions at CCM,” Berg says. “The last performance she gave here was as Cinderella in Into the Woods (a favorite Sondheim work). I am delighted that she is visiting us this year as a teacher, choreographer and director. It gives us a wonderful sense of continuity.”

You can see Johannigman’s choreography in Sondheim on Sondheim in CCM’s Cohen Family Studio Theater from Oct.5-7. Admission is free, but reservations are required; tickets become available at noon on Monday, October 2. They often sell out quickly, so visit our guide to Studio Series tickets for tips and tricks to secure your seats.
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SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Conceived and directed on Broadway by James Lapine

Production Team

• Aubrey Berg, director
• Stephen Goers, music director and accompanist
• Katie Johannigman, choreographer
• Nicholas Smith, lighting designer
• Margo Leist, stage manager

Cast list

• Bryce Baxter
• Aria Braswell
• Emily Fink
• Ciara Harris
• Phillip Johnson
• Alex Stone
• Keaton Whittaker
• Gabe Wrobel

Performance Times

• 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5
• 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6
• 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7

Location
Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village,
University of Cincinnati

Tickets
Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 2. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the campus of the University of Cincinnati. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.

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Sondheim on Sondheim is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI www.MTIShows.com.

CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Studio Series Sponsors: Dr. & Mrs. Carl G. Fischer, Ms. Margaret L. Straub & Mr. Neil R. Artman
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Story by CCM graduate student Alexandra Doyle

CCM Announces Sesquicentennial Studio Series of Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera

CCM presents nine eclectic and electrifying productions as part of its 150th Anniversary Studio Series of Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera. This annual series of performing and media arts events features CCM’s acclaimed “stars of tomorrow” in a collection of scaled-down stagings set in the Cohen Family Studio Theater and other intimate performance spaces.

Composer, lyricist, playwright and CCM alumnus Todd Almond.

The 2017-18 series opens in October with the musical revue Sondheim on Sondheim, which showcases the songs of legendary musical theatre composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim. In November, CCM proudly presents The Earth is Flat, a touching coming-of-age story written by CCM alumnus Todd Almond (BM, 1999) and set in UC’s Calhoun Hall. November also sees the return of the 48-Hour Film Festival, which showcases 10 student-created short films produced over the course of a single weekend.

The series continues in early 2018 with productions of the operas Trouble in Tahiti, The Telephone, Tale for a Deaf Ear and Ariodante. CCM’s popular Dance Student Choreographers’ Showcase and TRANSMIGRATION Festival of Student-Created New Works both return in March. The 150th Anniversary Studio Series concludes in Spring 2018 with the unconventional and moving musical drama The Theory of Relativity (directed and choreographed by CCM alumna Katie Johannigman) and the debut of an original 60-minute play created by CCM Acting for the 71st Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Studio Series is just one part of the yearlong CCM Sesquicentennial Celebration, which includes world premieres, guest artist performances, a series of off-campus concerts and a one-of-a-kind alumni showcase event. For an initial overview of CCM’s 150th anniversary programming, please visit ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/notations-ovations/sesquicentennial-celebration.

The complete 2017-18 Studio Series lineup is listed below. Titles and dates are subject to change.

Tickets and Parking Information
All Studio Series performances are free and open to the general public, but reservations are required and seating is limited. Reservations can be made the week of each show by visiting the CCM Box Office in UC’s Corbett Center for the Performing Arts or by calling 513-556-4183.

Unless otherwise noted, all Studio Series productions take place in CCM’s intimate and versatile “black box” performance space, the Cohen Family Studio Theater.

Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates. For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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CCM’s 150TH ANNIVERSARY STUDIO SERIES
Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre, Opera

8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5
8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7
• Studio Musical Theatre Series •
SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Conceived and originally directed by James Lapine
Aubrey Berg, director
Stephen Goers, music director
Katie Johannigman, choreographer

A “revelatory revue full of wonderful moments,” Sondheim on Sondheim is an intimate portrait of the famed songwriter in his own words… and music. Ranging from the beloved to the obscure, the songs are interspersed with in-depth video interviews, delving into Sondheim’s personal life and artistic process. Far from the typical song cycle, Sondheim on Sondheim has massive theatrical potency, as well as inarguable staying power. A “funny, affectionate and revealing tribute to musical theater’s greatest living composer and lyricist” and a wonderful showcase for CCM’s Musical Theatre stars of tomorrow.

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 2. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.
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8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2
8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4
• Studio Acting Series •
THE EARTH IS FLAT
Written by Todd Almond
Richard E. Hess, director

The CCM Sesquicentennial celebrates the work of accomplished alumnus Todd Almond! A love letter to the University of Cincinnati written by Almond, The Earth is Flat explores the universal awkwardness of the American college experience. The search for identity by those least prepared with answers resonates with unexpected comedy in this new play commissioned by CCM Acting as part of the Cincinnati Playwrights Conference in 2016. A coming-of-age story set in Calhoun Hall, The Earth is Flat follows purple-haired Ethan as he takes his first tentative steps toward self-knowledge.

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 30. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Acting Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman and Margaret Straub
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7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 19
• Studio Acting/Digital Media Collaborative/E-Media Series •
FOURTH ANNUAL 48-HOUR FILM FESTIVAL
Richard E. Hess and John Owens, producers

Join us for our annual celebration of original film work by students. After random team placement, student authors, actors, directors, editors, and composers have 48 hours from 7 p.m. on Friday night to 7 p.m. on Sunday night to create finished original short films. All UC students are invited to participate.

Location: MainStreet Cinema, Tangeman University Center
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are not required, but space may be limited.
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8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2
8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4
• CCM at 150 Celebrates Bernstein at 100/Opera d’arte Series •
TROUBLE IN TAHITI + THE TELEPHONE + TALE FOR A DEAF EAR
Music and libretto by Leonard Bernstein/Music and words by Gian Carlo Menotti/Music and lyrics by Mark Bucci
Brett Scott, conductor
Amy Johnson, director and co-producer
Kenneth Shaw, co-producer
Gabriela Sam, assistant director

The CCM Opera d’arte Series of undergraduate productions proudly presents a triple bill of one-act American operas! Featured works include Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, a one-act opera that candidly portrays the troubled marriage of a young suburban couple. Written between Bernstein’s biggest Broadway successes, Trouble in Tahiti draws upon popular song styles to deliver an uncompromising critique of Mid-century American marriage. The triple bill also includes Gian Carlo Menotti’s bit of froth, The Telephone, and Mark Bucci’s rarely produced, but haunting Tale for a Deaf Ear. Taken together, Opera d’arte’s triple bill offers three vastly contrasting views into the extremes of human relationships.

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Jan. 29. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit
two tickets per order.
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8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16
8 p.m. Saturday, Feb 17
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18
• Studio Opera Series •
ARIODANTE
Music by George Frideric Handel
Libretto based on a work by Antonio Salvi
Aik Khai Pung, conductor
Robin Guarino, director

Hailed as one of Handel’s finest operas, Ariodante presents a tale of royal intrigue and betrayal set in the remote Scottish Highlands. The daughter of the King of Scotland is happily engaged to Prince Ariodante, but the scheming Duke Polinesso plots to take the princess’ hand in marriage and seize the throne for himself. Intrigue ensues in this celebrated opera seria, but true love wins the day!

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Feb. 12. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Opera Department Sponsor: Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Rosenthal
Opera Production Sponsor: Genevieve Smith
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8 p.m. Thursday, March 1
8 p.m. Friday, March 2
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 3
• Studio Dance Series •
DANCE STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE
André Megerdichian, director

Come experience the next generation of emerging choreographers as CCM dance majors take the stage with exciting and diverse new works.

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Feb. 26. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.
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7 p.m. Wednesday, March 7
7 p.m. Thursday, March 8
7 p.m. Friday, March 9
• Studio Acting Series •
TRANSMIGRATION 2018
A Festival of Student-Created New Works
Richard E. Hess and Brant Russell, producers

TRANSMIGRATION, so named for “the movement from one place to another” or “the transition from one state of being to another,” is a festival of new works created by the students in CCM Acting. Six teams of actors craft and perform six original 30-minute shows. Performed simultaneously in different locations throughout CCM Village, this 10th Anniversary Edition of TRANSMIGRATION will allow the audience to sample four different new works of their choosing in one spectacular evening. “Thanks to the [Acting] program at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music, theatre fans were offer a jolt of onstage vitality,” observed CityBeat’s Rick Pender.

Location: CCM Village
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 5. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Acting Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman and Margaret Straub
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8 p.m. Thursday, March 29
8 p.m. Friday, March 30
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 31
• Studio Musical Theatre Series •
THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY
Music and lyrics by Neil Bartram
Book by Brian Hill
Katie Johannigman, director and choreographer
Stephen Goers, musical director

From Drama Desk Award nominees Neil Bartram and Brian Hill (The Story of My Life), The Theory of Relativity is a joyous and moving look at our surprisingly interconnected lives. Whether you’re allergic to cats, in love for the first or tenth time, a child of divorce, a germophobe or simply a unique individual, audience members and actors alike are sure to find themselves in this fresh new musical. Created using the real-life experiences and struggles of Millennials, The Theory of Relativity introduces a compelling array of characters experiencing the joys and heartbreaks, liaisons and losses, the inevitability and the wonder of human connection.

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 26. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.
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8 p.m. Thursday, April 19
8 p.m. Friday, April 20
2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 21
• Studio Acting Series •
EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL PROJECT
Susan Felder and Richard E. Hess, directors

Every year thousands of performers take to hundreds of stages all over Edinburgh, Scotland for the largest arts festival in the world. For the first time, CCM Acting will present an original 60-minute piece in August of 2018 in the 71st Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Join us at CCM in April as we present our original creation for Cincinnati audiences.

Location: Cohen Family Studio Theater
Admission: Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, April 16. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Acting Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman and Margaret Straub
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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation
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A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, CCM is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at ccm.uc.edu.

This is our story. This is your season. Join us for a celebration 150 years in the making…

Alumna Katie Johannigman Returns to CCM as Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre

CCM Interim Dean bruce d. mcclung welcomes alumna Katie Johannigman (BFA Musical Theatre, 2012) to the college’s illustrious faculty. As Visiting Adjunct Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre, Johannigman will choreograph three of CCM’s 2017-18 productions, and teach tap and jazz dance to students.

Johannigman’s connection to CCM spans three generations of her family. Her grandmother and father took piano lessons at the college, and her sister was enrolled in ballet classes through CCM Preparatory for her entire childhood. Johannigman says she started watching her sister’s dance classes at CCM when she was 9 months old and didn’t leave the college until she graduated with her BFA.

“I am extremely honored and excited to return home to the school where I learned to walk, and eventually sing, dance and act,” Johannigman says. “I am thrilled to pass on my experiences as a professional to the next generation of artists in whatever way I can. In my 20 years of training at CCM, an array of wonderful and patient teachers generously shared their time, energy and knowledge. I am so grateful for this opportunity to join their ranks.”

Johannigman began her performing career when she was in the eighth grade by joining the National Tour of Oliver!. As a CCM student, she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and studied at the Second City Training Center in Chicago. After graduating, Johannigman served as Artistic Director at the Broadway Method Academy in Connecticut.

Her professional credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie and Pirates! at the Muny, The Light in the Piazza and Anything Goes at Lincolnshire Marriott, Mary Poppins at Kansas City Straight Theatre, Company at the Gallery Players, and Cats and Chicago at the West Virginia Public Theatre.

As a choreographer, Johannigman’s work has appeared at the Connecticut Repertory Theater, The Human Race Theater and the Broadway Method Academy. At CCM she choreographed the Musical Theatre Studio Series productions of They Were You in 2016 and Out of This World in 2011.

This fall, Johannigman will choreograph the Studio Series production of Sondheim on Sondheim (October 5-7) and the Mainstage production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide (November 16-19). In the spring, she will direct and choreograph the Studio Series production of The Theory of Relativity (March 29-31).

Please join us in welcoming Professor Johannigman to the CCM family!

Learn more about CCM’s illustrious faculty by visiting ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/faculty.

World Premiere of CCM’s “They Were You” Gets Rave Reviews

CCM presents THEY WERE YOU. Photo by Adam Zeek.

Critics praised CCM’s world premiere of They Were You, a musical revue of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt songs, which ran Oct. 5-9 in the Cohen Family Studio Theater. Devised and directed by Aubrey Berg, the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre at CCM, They Were You featured musical arrangements by CCM faculty member Stephen Goers and choreography by alumna Katie Johannigman (BFA Musical Theatre, 2012).

In his review for The Sappy Critic, Kirk Sheppard called CCM’s They Were You “a magical night of theater.” He praised Berg’s direction, the “excellent” cast, Johannigman’s “fun, logical” choreography and Goers’ “beyond beautiful” musical arrangements. 

“There’s no need to single out any one of the six outrageously gifted young artists in the cast,” said Rafael de Acha in his review of the production on Rafael’s Music Notes. “Let me merely give you their names and entreat you to make mental note of them, with the assurance that, sooner than you think, you will be hearing these names: Gabe Wrobel, Emily Fink, Stavros Koumbaros, Aria Brasswell, Karl Amundsen and Michelle Coben.”

CCM presents THEY WERE YOU. Photo by Adam Zeek.

Teddy Gumbleton of the League of Cincinnati Theatres wrote that each of the six student performers sang “like a dream, navigating the lush harmonies and infusing each song with the necessary depth and wit. Together they work flawlessly as an ensemble, infusing the rich music with tremendous character.”

In a review for Talkin’ Broadway, Scott Cain said CCM’s Jones and Schmidt revue “revealed a thoughtful, varied and pleasant journey through pair’s exemplary work, and showcased some fine performances and design.” Cain praised the production’s “beautiful, night-sky mural” backdrop designed by CCM faculty member Thomas Umfrid. He also proposed that They Were You “will hopefully be licensed and made available for other theater companies to perform.”

CCM’s 2016-17 season continues with a production of Broadway hit, A Chorus Line, Oct. 20-30 in Patricia Corbett Theater. Tickets are on sale now.
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They Were You photos by Adam Zeek, http://www.zeekcreative.com/