It’s been such an exciting time for your Playhouse in the Park. Our first full season in our new mainstage theatre complex, featuring Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre, brought our community together in so many enriching ways. We’re proud to highlight the talented work of artists around the country and from right here in our own community. Now, let’s set our eyes towards the future to continue those experiences!
Our 2024-25 season is full of variety that showcases the best of American theatre to entertain and inspire you. The lineup truly embodies the Playhouse’s mission to bring diverse, engaging works of great artistry to our community and to put Cincinnati's artistic excellence in the national spotlight.
Season presented by Schueler Group
Season Design Sponsor: Kerry Automotive
Aug. 17 – Sept. 15, 2024
Murder and malice take center stage in a fresh adaptation of an iconic thriller! The setting is midcentury London. It’s been a year since Margot ended her affair with her lover, Maxine, and returned to life as usual with her husband, Tony — or so she thinks. Tony, in fact, knows about the affair and spins an intricate web of suspicion and deception. When his plan goes terribly awry, it sets in motion a series of deadly, unexpected twists threatening everyone involved. Best known for the 1954 film by Alfred Hitchcock, this masterful murder mystery receives a clever and fast-paced new treatment for the stage.
Sponsored by U.S. BANK
MC & TOM BRENNAN, LINDA & GARY GREENBERG and THE LEMMERMAN FAMILY present
Oct. 13 – Nov. 10, 2024
You’ll never forget her name. A powerful indie-rock musical makes its world premiere in Cincinnati to launch its path to Broadway. Rutka’s world is consumed by the usual teen concerns, like friendships, gossip, a new haircut and the flickers of first love — all of which she documents in her diary. But the world at large is far from usual. It’s 1943 in war-torn Poland, as Rutka and her friends are trying to live life as normally as possible while confined in the Jewish Ghetto. With their futures and fates uncertain, they reach for hope, resilience and resistance. This all-new musical is a compelling drama based on Rutka’s Notebook — a publication of the real diary left behind by 14-year-old Rutka Laskier, and a shining example of how even one small voice can make a difference in the world. Rutka is brought to life by an extraordinary ensemble of young performers and with a raw and emotional sound, promising an unforgettable musical experience.
FIRST FINANCIAL BANK presents
Nov. 22 – Dec. 29, 2024
The holiday story you love unfolds in spectacular fashion with a brand-new production specially designed for Moe and Jack’s Place – The Rouse Theatre! In Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy curmudgeon who finds his heart changing when three spirits and the ghost of a long-lost friend show him the errors of his ways. Across one fateful Christmas Eve night, Scrooge recalls the warmth and generosity of past loved ones, learns the value of kindness through Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family and glimpses a terrifying future should his heart remain the same. Featuring dazzling new set, costume and lighting designs, A Christmas Carol promises a magical holiday experience for your family like never before!
SEASON EXTRA! Subscribers get first access to tickets before the general public!
Moe & Jack Rouse and Randolph Wadsworth present
Feb. 1 – 23, 2025
Written with profound affection for the hero at its center, Primary Trust is an achingly beautiful, modern-day tale that will restore your faith in others. Meet Kenneth, a shy, Black 38-year-old man who sells books by day and drinks mai tais with his best friend Bert by night. When Kenneth is suddenly laid off from his job, the walls of his comfortable, predictable life start to crumble. The transformation gives way to remarkable revelations as Kenneth finds kindness and friendship in unlikely places. Hailed by critics as “utterly absorbing” (The Daily Beast) and “wonderfully vivid” (The New York Times), this recent off-Broadway hit paints a heartening portrait of a life that’s far from simple.
Leading Ladies presents
March 22 – April 20, 2025
A comedy about books and the people who love them. When the members of a devoted book club become the subjects of a documentary filmmaker, their intimate discussions of life and literature take on new meaning with the camera rolling. Add in the unexpected arrival of a provocative new member and the sudden inclusion of some questionable titles, and long-standing group dynamics take a hilarious turn. A sold-out hit at theatres across the country, The Book Club Play by Playhouse favorite Karen Zacarías returns! This delightful and engaging play is sprinkled with wit, joy and novels galore.
Sponsored by JOHNSON INVESTMENT COUNSEL and CLARK SCHAEFER HACKETT
Season presented by The Vontz Family
Sept. 7 – Oct. 6, 2024
You’re never too old to learn a thing or two. A struggling actor turns to teaching for a steady paycheck, thinking "how hard could it be?" But as he careens from an urban public school system by day to serious thespian at night, Mr. Parent starts to wonder where he really belongs. Based on personal stories and his own real-life adventures, writer-performer Maurice Emmanuel Parent takes the stage in a deeply felt and hilarious solo performance about crushingly inequitable systems, the brilliance of every kid and how we might all find the space to be ourselves.
Sponsored by DIGI AND MIKE SCHUELER
Oct. 24 – Dec. 22, 2024
Having sold out with every outing at the Playhouse, The Second City is back! Celebrate 65 years of legendary laughs with some all-time favorite songs, sketches and characters written by some of The Second City’s most illustrious alumni, including Catherine O’Hara, Tina Fey, Keegan-Michael Key, Stephen Colbert, Tim Meadows, Bill Murray, Joan Rivers, Eugene Levy and so many more. With material handpicked from their iconic comedy archive and brought to life by the next generation of comedy super stars, see for yourself why The Second City continues to be the world’s most influential name in comedy for 65 years and counting.
Sponsored by Sandy and Dick Manteuffel
ELLEN and Ray van der Horst present
March 1 – 30, 2025
The 2023 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama takes the Playhouse stage! Four Iranian adults gather in a classroom to learn English with the hopes of passing the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). Humor, word games and vulnerability abound as they navigate the mechanics of language and use rom-coms, Shakira and Coca-Cola as cultural touchstones. But as Marjan, their Iranian-born English teacher, abolishes their native tongue from the classroom, questions and conflicts about identity seep slowly into their minds and hearts. Equal parts touching and funny, this new play from Sanaz Toossi offers a revelatory glimpse into the human desire to belong.
April 19 – May 18, 2025
The ingredients for the cake are simple: eggs, butter, sugar, salt. Look closer, though, and you’ll see the essence of life itself. Every year, Ernestine bakes a cake and celebrates with her family on her birthday — a delicious ritual that unfolds onstage across 90 years of birthdays. We meet Ernestine and the people who sweeten her life every year on this day as she grows from 17 to 107 years old. Through glimpses of Ernestine’s life as the years go by, Birthday Candles tenderly explores motherhood, family, love, loss and finding your place in the universe. This charming new play, recently performed on Broadway, will warm the soul.
Season tickets guarantee your seats and to get first access to A CHRISTMAS CAROL (not included in any season ticket package). You’ll also enjoy exclusive benefits like the best prices, easy ticket exchanges, payment installments, discounted parking and more.
The Vontz
Family
Mark and Nancy
Dawes
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