FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 21, 2003
Contact: Christa Skiles
Public Relations Director
513-345-2242, ext. 232

FAMILY FUN'S THE NAME OF THE GAME FOR THE CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK'S 2003-2004 ROSENTHAL NEXT GENERATION THEATRE SERIES

(CINCINNATI) – Engaging stories, hilarious clowning and fabulous music are the fare for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Rosenthal Next Generation Theatre Series for children. Children of all ages can let their imaginations run wild when the series returns on October 11 for 16 Saturdays of family friendly productions.

The Rosenthal Next Generation Theatre Series celebrates its 10th year this season and it continues to bring the best children’s theatre artists to the Tristate in shows produced specifically for kids and their families. The program is made possible by the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Foundation.

All shows are performed in the Playhouse's Rosenthal Plaza between the Robert S. Marx and Thompson Shelterhouse theatres. Each production is performed twice — at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. All 2:00 p.m. performances are signed for the hearing impaired courtesy of Cincinnati State.

Tickets for all shows go on sale beginning August 22. To ensure the enjoyment of all in attendance, parents are asked not to bring children younger than the ages indicated for each production.

The 2003-2004 schedule includes:

TALES & SCALES presents
THE LITTLE DRAGON
October 11, 2003 — The Little Dragon is a story about courage, self-esteem and the power of the imagination. Four classical musicians use their instruments, voices and bodies to tell the tale of Elizabeth, a young girl who wanders into the forest to see her favorite storyteller. There, she is transported into a story where she meets a dragon being held captive because he cannot breathe fire. When a calamity that only the dragon can solve befalls the kingdom, Elizabeth uses her imagination to teach her timid friend how to believe in himself. For ages four and up.

OUT OF THE BLUE
Conceived and performed by Bob Berky
October 18, 2003 — Out of the Blue is a hilarious performance of clowning and physical comedy packed with plenty of audience interaction. Audiences will fall in love with Berky’s innocent clown, who bravely tackles forces stronger than he is. Bob Berky has performed throughout the world and has been seen on the Disney Channel, PBS and Nickelodeon. He is the winner of an OBIE Award, a Fringe First Award and the Kennedy Center’s 1991 New American Plays Roger L. Stevens Award. The Washington Post said, “The mark of a truly great clown is his ability to be both loved and laughed at. Bob Berky displayed that ability to perfection.” For ages four and up.

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
From the story by C. S. Lewis; Adapted for the stage by Clanche du Rand
Featuring the Skilken/Brown Touring Company of the Cincinnati Playhouse
October 25, 2003 — Travel through a magical wardrobe into the exhilarating fantasy world of Narnia. A heroic tale of good and evil comes to life in this exciting stage adaptation of the C. S. Lewis book. The journey includes the wanderings of four curious children through a snow-laden forest, a battle between the noble lion Aslan and a wicked witch, lunch with the gregarious Mr. Beaver and an unusual encounter with a man who is part goat. These and a whirlwind of other adventures make this timeless story a thrilling theatrical event. For ages five and up.

KEVIN LOCKE AND THE HOOP OF LIFE
November 8, 2003 — A virtuoso solo performance by Kevin Locke, a Native American of the Lakota Nation, The Hoop of Life features traditional flute music, cultural and historical stories and a mesmerizing hoop dance. The show is a breathtaking expression of the oneness of humankind. Kevin Locke has recorded more than a dozen albums of music and stories and is known throughout the world as visionary hoop dancer and a preeminent player of the indigenous Northern Plains flute. He is a past winner of a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Charles Kurault of CBS News described him as, “A dancer of great distinction… a brilliant Lakota artist.” For ages five and up.

MIME OUT LOUD
Featuring Trent Arterberry
November 15, 2003 — Fast paced and funny, Mime Out Loud is a quirky series of comedy sketches skillfully performed by 30-year mime veteran Trent Arterberry. Whether he’s a fidgety couch potato, a scuba diver exploring a magical underwater world or “the world’s greatest dancer,” Mr. Arterberry combines timeless themes, emotive music and quirky sound effects to create stories that are fresh and contemporary. He has performed extensively around the world and trained with Marcel Marceau. Mime Out Loud was named Best Local Production at the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival. The Boston Globe described the performance as “a proven crowd pleaser… speedy as a whiplash.” For ages four and up.

STORYBLAST CONCERT FOR FAMILIES
Performed by Odds Bodkin
November 22, 2003 — With his 12-string guitar, vivid imagination and distinctly rich voice, critically acclaimed performer Odds Bodkin presents three rollicking stories from around the world. An African tale about animals in search of a magical tree, a knee-slapping Italian fairy tale about the adventure of a little shepherd and a sing-a-long story about an Irish hero who outwits the biggest man he’s ever seen make for a high-energy family concert. Winner of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, Mr. Bodkin has been described by The New York Times as “a consummate storyteller” and by Parents Magazine as a “storyteller supreme.” For ages four and up.

THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS BY A. WOLF
Featuring the Paul Mesner Puppets; Based on the book by Jon Scieszka
January 10, 2004 — It’s about time someone told the true story behind all of the huffing and puffing, and there’s no one who knows that story better than Alexander T. Wolf. Mr. Wolf tells the real tale of what happened to those three little houses made of straw, sticks and bricks and the three pigs that lived in them. This hilarious rendition of Jon Scieszka’s popular book incorporates Paul Mesner’s award-winning puppetry, which has been seen at the Henson International Festival of Puppetry and at the 2002 Winter Olympics Cultural Arts Festival. For ages four and up.

CATHY FINK AND MARCY MARXER IN CONCERT
January 17, 2004 — With several Grammy Award nominations and 30 albums to their credit, it’s no wonder that Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer have one of the most entertaining family concerts around. It’s hard not to sing and clap along as they perform great songs, conduct an air guitar contest and even give yodeling lessons to their audiences, all while accompanying themselves on the hammered dulcimer, steel drums, five-string banjo, electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin, spoons and a variety of other instruments. Since 1981, the two have given more than 7,000 performances from the Kennedy Center to New Zealand. Their children’s recordings have won acclaim from Parents Choice Magazine, The American Library Association and the National Association of Independent Record Distributors. For ages four and up.

ANIMAN
Featuring Larry Hunt of the Masque Theatre Company
January 31, 2004 — With a dazzling mask, music and movement theatre performance, Animan takes a playful look at the similarities between animals and humans while emphasizing the importance of respect for all of the Earth’s creatures. Larry Hunt incorporates environmental and historical themes, creating more than 20 original masks for a performance that is part illusion, part magic, often dramatic and sometimes very funny. Masque Theatre Company has performed on four continents and been seen by more than a million people. For ages five and up.

SPEAK!
Conceived and performed by Glenis Redmond
February 7, 2004 — Speak! is a poetry experience, with poems that delight, poems that tickle the funny bone and poems that ignite the smiles and imaginations of young people. With her richly textured voice that is earthy and passionate, Glenis Redmond creates poems that dance with words and evoke vivid images. She has traveled the United States and Europe inspiring audiences young and old. Speak! is certain to excite audiences about poetry, about identity and about life. For ages six and up.

RAPUNZEL
Performed by the Cincinnati Opera Outreach Company
February 21, 2004 — Let your hair down and laugh out loud with this modern retelling of the classic fairy tale. The timeless story of Rapunzel has all the ingredients of a great opera — good overcoming evil, a dashing prince and a damsel in distress with some seriously long locks and the
ability to hit notes as high as her tower. This beautiful production comes to life thanks to the gifted young opera singers of the Cincinnati Opera Outreach Company. For ages six and up.

JOURNEYING — HAND IN HAND
Conceived and performed by LuAnn Adams
February 28, 2004 — History is full of stories about ordinary people reaching out to other ordinary people in times of need—from barn raisings to the Underground Railroad, from communities that send food half a world away to children sharing toys with other children who have none. Award-winning New York storyteller LuAnn Adams returns to the Playhouse with a collection of international folktales about helping others. From a humorous South American Brer Rabbit story and a poignant tale from Nazi-occupied France to a Native American coyote fable, these fables celebrate those who have reached out their hands (and paws!) with compassion and courage. For ages four and up.

THE FROG PRINCE AND PETER AND THE WOLF
Featuring The Frisch Marionette Company
March 6, 2004 — Performing in the traditional style of 18th century marionette theatre, The Frisch Marionette Company brings to new life two classic stories certain to delight families: The Frog Prince and Peter and the Wolf. Based in Cincinnati, Kevin Frisch uses beautifully hand crafted and painted marionettes, each one of which takes on a life and character all its own. All About Kids described the group’s performances as “magical and wonderful.” For ages four and up.

WHY MOSQUITOES BUZZ
A new play based on the book by Verna Aardema; Adapted by Vivian Snipes and Jeremy Kisling
Featuring The Lexington Children’s Theatre
March 13, 2004 — Filled with the pageantry and excitement of African folktales, Why Mosquitoes Buzz is the story of a pesky mosquito that manages to upset an entire forest by telling a lie. Audiences will be amazed at the intertwined lives of the animals of Africa and about the ways that one tiny animal’s actions can impact an entire jungle. The Lexington Children’s Theatre is one of the oldest, continuously operating theatres for young people in the country. For ages five and up.

THE MERRY ANTICIPATION OF DISASTER
Featuring the Truly Remarkable Loon
March 20, 2004 — The Truly Remarkable Loon (yes, that’s his real name) will juggle anything: balls, clubs, tomatoes… and even an occasional machete! In this juggling variety show, audiences will witness fast-paced technical juggling, amazing balancing feats, non-stop comic patter and lots of audience participation. The Truly Remarkable Loon has performed across this country for more than 20 years. For ages four and up.

FOUR WALLS/OPEN SKY
Conceived and performed by David Gonzalez
April 17, 2004 — The opening of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a monumental and historic event for our community. Its concept is a shrine to the very idea of the individual struggle for freedom. The Playhouse invited master storyteller David Gonzalez to come to our area and meet with ethnic and community groups, individuals and historians to find compelling stories about people who came to this part of the country in search of a better life. The result is Four Walls/Open Sky, a one-man play with live music. With compassion and humor, Mr. Gonzalez brings to the stage the powerful real stories of local people’s strivings, sacrifices and dreams. Four Walls/Open Sky is made possible with a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. For ages 12 and up. Children under the age of 12 will not be admitted.

Each performance in the Rosenthal Next Generation Theatre Series lasts 40 to 60 minutes to accommodate younger attention spans. Ticket prices for all shows in the Rosenthal Next Generation Theatre Series are $4 for theatergoers four to 18 and $5 for adults. For reservations, call the Playhouse box office at 513/421-3888 or toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, 800/582-3208. Because many performances sell out in advance, reservations are recommended. Parking is free.

Artists fly to and from Cincinnati on Delta Connection COMAIR, the Playhouse’s official airline.

The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to the Fine Arts Fund.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Playhouse also receives funding from the City of Cincinnati.

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