Love theatre? Browse these stories about our favorite art form and how it's made! Topics include actors, costumes, sets and props, playwrights, directors, music, things to do and about the Playhouse. Or, view all of our blogs in order.
What's New
Playhouse Partners with New Play Commission Initiative and Derek J. Snow
Cincinnati artist Derek J. Snow has been named one of five recipients of The Breath Project’s New Play Commission Initiative. The Playhouse is proud to continue our participation in The Breath Project as the partner theatre for Derek’s new work
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Immersive Stories Designed for Today
This season, the Playhouse commissioned artists to pursue new forms of storytelling for our audiences. One of those forms is the pod play: an audio-based story that users can download and listen through their cell phone or tablet. They’re designed specifically for your ears, unfolding like the popular radio dramas of the 1930s and ‘40s.
A Q&A with Buzz Ward
Managing Director Buzz Ward has had an unprecedented and incredible 29-year tenure leading Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. As the longest serving executive in the Playhouse’s history, much of the theatre’s ongoing success can be credited to him — having managed it for nearly half its 61 years.
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New Play Commissions Guide an Eventual Return to the Theatre
Among the more than 80 world premieres the Playhouse has produced are plays that have been commissioned. Meet our five currently commissioned playwrights and preview the stories we are prepping for the stage.
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Embracing the Wonder and Joy of Everyday Life
The Snowy Day was the first illustrated
children’s book to have a Black main character. It was awarded the
Caldecott Medal in 1963, and Keats would go on to write six more books
featuring Peter.
Staging a Show for Film
We produced The Wind in the Willows designed specifically to adhere to pandemic-related protocols and for students and families to stream from home. Here’s how we did it.
ReadActors
Gamal Chasten
Gamal is a poet, playwright and composer who appeared in the world premiere of americUS at the Playhouse.
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Barbara Chisholm
Barbara Chisholm played Annie Wilkes in Misery and Erma Bombeck in Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End.
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Yassmin Alers
Yassmin played Abuela Claudia in In the Heights, and most recently appeared as Hortencia Del Rio in Destiny of Desire.
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Debra Walton
Debra played Charlaine in Ain’t Misbehavin’, Tina Turner in Beehive and as all the characters in the one-woman show, Mr. Joy.
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Nick Cearley
Nick played Linus in and is the co-conceiver and dance captain of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. He also starred as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors.
Annie Fitzpatrick
Annie has appeared in Alias Grace, A Prayer for Owen Meany, To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice; Hank Williams: Lost Highway and six seasons of A Christmas Carol.
Stephanie Gomérez
Stephanie played Vanessa in our 2019 production of In the Heights. "Theatre is life and life is colorful!"
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Frank Britton
Frank played Hambone in our 2019 production of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running.
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Nick LaMedica
Nick describes the experience of creating his character, Christopher Boone, in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
ReadYou can view all Playhouse blogs featuring actors here.
Costumes
Outfitting August Wilson
Kara Harmon shares her insight as the costume designer for August Wilson’s Two Trains Running.
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Recreating the 1970s
We asked Jitney costume designer Tracy Dorman about creating the clothing for the cast of the production.
ReadYou can view all Playhouse blogs featuring costumes here.
Sets and Props
Nationally Recognized. Locally Crafted.
Since 1960, our local staff has worked together with a national network of designers, directors and performers to craft shows for the stage.
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Making Audrey II
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to bring this plant to life for the co-production between Portland Center Stage and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
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Building the Voyage to Treasure Island
See how our craftsmen and artisans built the elements that brought this extravagant world to life on the Marx stage.
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Found Objects
Get a look at the process and experience of building the set of Be Here Now with Playhouse artisans and craftsmen.
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Bringing Mr. Joy's Shoe Shop to the Shelterhouse
Get artistic insight into the highly detailed and realistic scenery that brought the world of Mr. Joy to the Shelterhouse stage.
ReadYou can view all Playhouse blogs featuring sets and props here.
Playwrights
Cincinnati Artist Feature
Hear from two Cincinnati-based artists, Candice Handy and Derek J. Snow, who were selected to premiere their works in The Breath Project Festival.
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Karen Zacarías
Hear from Associate Artist Karen Zacarías about Destiny of Desire. She also penned The Book Club Play and the Playhouse world premiere of Native Gardens, which helped put Cincinnati on the map.
Larissa FastHorse
The Thanksgiving Play playwright provides her notes below on crafting this fresh, satirical comedy.
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Audrey Cefaly
The playwright of The Last Wide Open talks about writing lyrics and collaborating with composer/sound designer Matthew Nielson.
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August Wilson
The man who loved words is perhaps best illuminated by revisiting some of his own.
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Universes
Learn about the Universes — a multi-cultural, multi-disciplined collective of artists and poets — who devised the world premiere production of americUS, and have been devising work together for 24 years.
You can view all Playhouse blogs featuring playwrights here.
Directors
KJ Sanchez
Read about the world premiere of Cincinnati King from the perspective of Director and Playwright KJ Sanchez, who has also directed Jane Eyre, Sex With Strangers, Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club, Seven Spots on the Sun and Venus in Fur at the Playhouse.
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Timothy Douglas
Director Timothy Douglas talks about the significance of revisiting August Wilson's work in Two Trains Running. He also directed Jitney, Mothers and Sons, Buzzer, Safe House, The North Pool, Clybourne Park and The Trip to Bountiful at the Playhouse.
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Wendy C. Goldberg
A Playhouse Associate Artist, Wendy has directed Doubt, Durango, Leveling Up and Circle Mirror Transformation, as well as the recent production of The Lifespan of a Fact.
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Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Director Marcia Milgrom Dodge gives us a closer look at her work on Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. You can also read about her work on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
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Robert Barry Fleming
Director and Choreographer Robert Barry Fleming, who is also the Artistic Director at Actors Theatre of Louisville, takes us behind the scenes of the epic musical Once on This Island.
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Eleanor Holdridge
A Q&A with the director of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson. Eleanor was also at the helm of our 2016 world premiere of Lauren's play The Revolutionists.
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Lisa Portes
A Q&A with the director of The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse. You can also read about her direction of our 2016 production
of Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar.
Portia Krieger
Portia, who directed Be Here Now, is a New York-based theatre director who mostly works on new plays and musicals.
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Blake Robison
Playhouse Artistic Director Blake Robison shares his perspective on directing Margaret Atwood’s mind-bending thriller Alias Grace.
ReadYou can view all Playhouse blogs featuring directors here.
Music
The Music of Mad River Rising
When sound designer Matthew M. Neilson found out that he had permission to access folk singer and Hadestown creator Anaïs Mitchell’s entire catalog of songs for Mad River Rising, he was thrilled and a bit star struck.
The Music and Language of In the Heights
Take a deeper dive into the acclaimed music and language of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first smash hit. “It’s enormous fun to write in two languages," says Lin of the show, which combines rap, hip-hop, musical theatre, latin music, soul and R&B.
Composer's Notes
Sound Designer/Composer Matthew M. Nielson provided his notes in the early stages of rehearsal about composing The Last Wide Open's original music and working with playwright Audrey Cefaly, who wrote the lyrics.
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The Evolution of African American Gospel Music
Marie and Rosetta tells the story of gospel singers Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight. Learn how their collaboration reflects the evolution of African American gospel music, from its roots in spirituals to the rock and roll we know today.
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Musical Stylings
Here’s a look at the genres that Little Shop of Horrors uses to create a satirical, musical treat.
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Music Director's Notes
Hear from Richard Livingston Huntley, the music director and drummer for the world premiere of Cincinnati King.
ReadYou can view all Playhouse blogs featuring music here.
Things to Do
Bruce Cromer Reads A Christmas Carol
Our spirits needed a lift! May the final chapter of A Christmas Carol — as read by our long-time Scrooge, Bruce Cromer — bring you some hope and joy today.
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World Book Day
We love a great story. To celebrate World Book Day, we're sharing a list of Kindle and audiobook editions of recent Playhouse shows.
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You can play!
Discover tutorials, apps and news stories that celebrate the classical music stylings of 2 Pianos, 4 Hands!
DiscoverYou can view all Playhouse blogs featuring things to do here.
About the Playhouse
Lights Up for a Cause
The
Playhouse joined We Make Events North America by "going red" for the 12
million people out of work due to COVID-19. Read more about the project, and how you can help.
Clearing the Way for the New Building
Site work for the Playhouse’s new Mainstage Theatre Complex is underway!
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A Closer Look
Learn about the first phase of our building project and the historic gems we found during the remodel of our Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre.
A Legacy of New Work
Learn about the new works produced by the Playhouse over the years and the individuals who have helped make many of them a reality.
Multigenerational Gems
“It’s absolutely a delight to see a grandparent, a parent and a kid all enjoying the story in their own way. Like a really good Pixar film, these stories work on all levels,” says Artistic Director Blake Robison.
Meet the Associate Artists
Nicole A. Watson and Karen Zacarías to join Wendy C. Goldberg as this season’s Associate Artists. Previous Associate Artists include Timothy Douglas, KJ Sanchez, Eric Ting and Michael Evan Haney.
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Embracing New Rehearsal Techniques
Director Blake Robison brought in Movement and Intimacy Coach Casey Sams to work on the play’s most physically demanding scenes — many of which involve intimate moments between characters.
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Cheers to Heidelberg and the Vontz Family!
Heidelberg's steadfast and enthusiastic support has helped us bring world premieres and theatrical favorites to Cincinnati audiences, contributing to the unmatched variety the Playhouse offers year after year. Read
You can view all blogs about the Playhouse here.
Playhouse Love Stories
Rehearsal to Romance
We love a good love story. Read about three couples who came to Cincinnati to perform in Playhouse productions and left with life-changing relationships.
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First Dates
We’re honored to be a part of these love stories, which all begin with an evening at the Playhouse. Read on for romance!
Love Stories: A Christmas Carol
See how this magical holiday favorite played a meaningful role in the love stories of these wonderful couples!
Set for Romance
Hear from couples whose date nights at the Playhouse have continued to set the scene for their romance.
Happily Ever After
Read about
couples who got engaged right here at the Playhouse, and see how they
each started a new chapter of their love stories!
Marry Me a Little
“I do” may be the most romantic lines ever spoken on our stages! See how couples in the past have sealed their love with their wedding at the theatre.
ReadYou can view all Playhouse Love Stories here.