An American Love Story

Apr 18, 2024

Russell Florence Jr.

Up next in the Shelterhouse: VIETGONE. An all-American love story about two very new Americans.

Authentic. Captivating. Resilient.

Mar 1, 2024

Russell Florence Jr.

STEW by Zora Howard is an intimate story about mothers, daughters and the ties that bind.

5 Questions with Gamal Chasten

Mar 5, 2020

Natalie Clare

Gamal plays Emmitt Weatherman/Crawfish/Ensemble in the world premiere production of americUS, written and performed by Universes performance ensemble.

ACTUALLY: Playwright's Notes by Anna Ziegler

Mar 5, 2020

Natalie Clare

The writer shares important context for Actually, a new play about gender, race and consent on a college campus.

Beyond the Stage: Raise Your Voice, Cincinnati

Mar 2, 2020

Rachel Kazee

Inspired by americUS? Learn more about arts organizations in Cincinnati with similar art forms and missions.

Examining Complicated Truths

Feb 27, 2020

Natalie Clare

Director Bridget Leak sheds light on her artistic perspective of Anna Ziegler’s new play, Actually.

One Night on a College Campus

Feb 26, 2020

Natalie Clare

Actually is a thought-provoking new play that grapples with the deep complexities of gender, race and consent.

Breaking Bounds

Jan 14, 2020

Natalie Clare

Take a closer look at Universes, the theatre company that's using poetry, music and dance to bring their world premiere americUS to life on the Rosenthal Shelterhouse stage.

Right here. Right now.

Jan 9, 2020

Natalie Clare

Universes performance ensemble fuses theatre, poetry, dance and music to create a compelling theatrical collage of contemporary America that will challenge, move and entertain you.

Beyond the Stage: 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS

Jan 2, 2020

Gigi Relic

Stay engaged with the entertaining musical comedy by learning piano basics, attending local events and venues, and checking out musical apps.

Thoughts from the Creators of 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS

Nov 15, 2019

Gigi Relic

Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt reflect on the success of 2 Pianos, 4 Hands and what has made it connect to over two million audience members worldwide.

ALIAS GRACE: A Breakdown of True Events

Oct 30, 2019

Gigi Relic

Here are the true facts about the chilling double-homicide depicted in the Playhouse’s stage adaptation of Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace.

Tickling the Ivories — and Your Funny Bone

Oct 28, 2019

Erica Reid

Director/Music Director Tom Frey tells us about bringing together piano wizardry and laugh-out-loud comedy in 2 Pianos, 4 Hands.

Beyond the Stage: Margaret Atwood's ALIAS GRACE

Oct 25, 2019

Gigi Relic

Stay engaged with the story by checking our recommendations of books, podcasts, television shows and films.

5 Questions With Annie Fitzpatrick

Oct 21, 2019

Natalie Clare

Annie plays Mrs. Lavell in Jennifer Blackmer's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace.

5 Questions With R. Ward Duffy

Oct 21, 2019

Natalie Clare

Ward plays Jeremiah/Dr. Jerome Dupont in Jennifer Blackmer’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace.

Embracing New Rehearsal Techniques in ALIAS GRACE

Oct 17, 2019

Natalie Clare

Movement and Intimacy Coach Casey Sams gives us an inside look at the growing field of intimacy choreography in theatre, film and television.

Music in the Key of Comedy

Oct 16, 2019

Erica Reid

In 2 Pianos, 4 Hands, piano wizardry and laugh-out-loud comedy come together to tell the story of Richard and Ted’s life-long pursuit of becoming concert pianist superstars.

Becoming Grace: A Q&A With Caroline Hewitt

Oct 9, 2019

Natalie Clare

Caroline Hewitt tells us more about bringing Margaret Atwood's mysterious heroine Grace Marks to life in the theatrical rendering of Alias Grace.

Spotlight on Margaret Atwood

Oct 1, 2019

Natalie Clare

Margaret Atwood is one of the most prolific storytellers of our time. In her 1996 novel Alias Grace, Atwood revisits one of the most notorious true crimes in Canadian history.

Playwright's Notes by Jennifer Blackmer

Sep 13, 2019

Natalie Clare

Blackmer reveals her artistic perspective on adapting Margaret Atwood's spine-tingling, best-selling novel Alias Grace.

A Legacy of New Work

Sep 11, 2019

Natalie Clare

From dramas to comedies to musicals, the American theatre has benefited greatly from the vision and craftsmanship now synonymous with the Playhouse.

Unlocking the Memory

Sep 5, 2019

Natalie Clare

Director Blake Robison shares his perspective on Margaret Atwood’s mind-bending thriller Alias Grace.

A Closer Look at the Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre Remodel

Aug 30, 2019

Natalie Clare

Over the summer, the Playhouse underwent renovations to the newly renamed Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre. Capital Projects Manager Phil Rundle offers historical information, project details and additional insight on the remodel.

A Mystery of the Mind

Aug 29, 2019

Natalie Clare

Based on the novel by master storyteller Margaret Atwood, the spine-tingling mystery of Alias Grace will chill you to the bone.

Nationally Recognized. Locally Crafted.

Sep 26, 2018

Aly Michaud

For each Playhouse production, a team of nationally recognized designers partners with our resident crew at the Gilbert Avenue Scene Shop to bring to life the world of the story as envisioned by the director.

ICYMI: College Students Save Big

Aug 3, 2018

Natalie Clare

You don’t need to hop a Megabus to New York to experience some of the very best of American theatre. The two-time Tony Award-winning Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park invites college students to check out top-notch theatre at seriously affordable prices.

The Feminine Mystique Through Erma Bombeck's Lens

Jun 28, 2017

Aly Michaud

In 1963, suburban housewives rushed out of their homes to purchase what would quickly become one of the most subversive books of the decade: "The Feminine Mystique," written by feminist author and activist Betty Friedan.

Erma Bombeck Book Club, Featuring Playwrights Allison Engel and Margaret Engel

Jun 28, 2017

Aly Michaud

It’s likely no surprise that theatre fans are often avid readers. A good story is a good story, after all. This year some of the best stories in the Playhouse season — from A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY and JANE EYRE to ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END — were all inspired by great books.

In Conversation with Playwright Ayad Akhtar

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Linda Lombardi, Arena Stage production dramaturg, interviews DISGRACED playwright Ayad Akhtar about the cultural and personal significance of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Free Playhouse Perspectives Events Enhance DISGRACED Performances

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Audiences across the country have reacted strongly and emotionally to Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize winner DISGRACED. Artistic Director Blake Robison chose to include the show in the Playhouse’s 2016-17 season because of the important conversation it inspires.

The Essential Ayad Akhtar

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Playwright Ayad Akhtar has known he wanted to be a writer for years, but it took him time to find his voice. Once he did, he’s been prolific, winning significant acclaim and the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for DISGRACED, which opens the Playhouse’s 2016-17 Thompson Shelterhouse season.

Challenging Assumptions

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

DISGRACED director Lisa Portes reveals what excites her about this story.

5 Questions with Amin El Gamal

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Amin El Gamal makes his Playhouse debut as Abe in the timely Pulitzer Prize-winning play DISGRACED. Meet Amin, and find out what he enjoys most about being an actor, his all-time favorite roles and what excites him about working on DISGRACED.

5 Questions with Maury Ginsberg

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Actor Maury Ginsberg makes his Playhouse debut this season as Isaac in DISGRACED. Learn about his favorite roles, how he started acting and what he loves most about being on stage.

Artistic References in DISGRACED

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Discussions of art inform and illuminate the rich tapestry of Ayad Ahktar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama DISGRACED, which continues through Oct. 23 in the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre.

5 Questions with Krystel Lucas

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Meet Krystel Lucas, who makes her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut as Jory in the Shelterhouse season opener Disgraced. Find out why she became an actor, what role she’s been dying to play and what she enjoys most about working on DISGRACED.

The Second City Cast Talks Improv

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

The cast of The Second City's HOLIDAZED & CONFUSED REVUE are masters of sketch comedy and improvisational performance. We asked them a few questions to find out about their favorite games and craziest improv memories.

An Interview with Director Andel Sudik

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Director Andel Sudik took a moment during the rehearsal process to discuss The Second City’s HOLIDAZED & CONFUSED REVUE.

SUMMERLAND Workshop

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

This summer, playwright Arlitia Jones visited the Playhouse with Associate Artist Michael Evan Haney for a weeklong workshop of her play SUMMERLAND, which will have its world premiere in the Thompson Shelterhouse in February 2017.

Echoes from Another World

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

In April 1869, when William H. Mumler entered a New York City courtroom charged with two counts of felony fraud for asserting that he could provide his clients with images of their ghostly loved ones — a story that takes center stage in Arlitia Jones’ world premiere play SUMMERLAND — it wasn’t just his controversial spirit photography business at stake.

5 Questions with Whitney Maris Brown

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Whitney Maris Brown makes her Playhouse debut this season as Mrs. Mumler in SUMMERLAND. She has traveled all across America throughout her regional career, and with SUMMERLAND she's able to check Cincinnati off her list.

5 Questions with Michael Rothhaar

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Michael Rothhaar returns to the Playhouse, where he most recently appeared in the 2006 production of WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. He now takes the stage as William H. Mumler in the world premiere production of SUMMERLAND.

5 Questions with Billy Finn

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Billy Finn, who appeared in last season's MAD RIVER RISING, returns to Cincinnati to portray Joseph Tooker in the world premiere production of Arlitia Jones' SUMMERLAND.

A Humble Instrument

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

In the mid-19th century, spirit photographer William H. Mumler was the subject of widespread national and even international attention, pitting believers against skeptics in judging whether Mumler’s haunting images were the stuff of miracle or deception.

A Most Wicked Fraud

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

In today’s world of digital photography, we’ve become so accustomed to modifications that we’re often more surprised to see unaltered images. With this cynical perspective, it can be difficult to imagine the world illuminated in Arlitia Jones’ world premiere SUMMERLAND and the fierce debate William H. Mumler’s spirit

Looking Across Generations

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

ALL THE ROADS HOME playwright Jen Silverman took time before the show went into rehearsal to talk about her inspiration for the story, the script’s unique structure and when she knew she’d be a writer.

5 Questions with Libby Winters

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Meet Libby Winters, who makes her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut in the world premiere production of Jen Silverman's ALL THE ROADS HOME.

5 Questions with Tina Chilip

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Meet Tina Chilip, who makes her debut at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in Jen Silverman's ALL THE ROADS HOME.

American Culture from the Glamour of the 1950s to the Community of the 2000s

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Through Madeleine, Max and Nix, Silverman takes the audience from the 1950s, 1970s and into today. Each of the characters offers a glimpse into how the culture of each time period led them to the life choices they made and, ultimately, their destinies.

5 Questions with Tramell Tillman

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Meet Tramell Tillman, who makes his Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut in the world premiere of ALL THE ROADS HOME.

5 Questions with Rebecca S’manga Frank

Jun 20, 2017

Natalie Clare

Meet Rebecca S’manga Frank, who makes her Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut in the world premiere of Jen Silverman's ALL THE ROADS HOME.

Erma Bombeck Reading List

Jun 12, 2017

Natalie Clare

Did you leave ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END laughing, reminiscing on your own household comedy hours or feeling an urge to fight for the Equal Rights Amendment? We’ve compiled a list of books in case you’re still wanting more daily life amusement, or if you’re curious about the feminist movement of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Mommy Bloggers: Writers, Humorists and the Columnists of Today

May 22, 2017

Aly Michaud

“Mommy bloggers,” as they call themselves, make up an online community that sheds light on the world of parenting and motherhood. While some of these blogs focus on new and different ways to care for one’s family, others poke fun at their own misadventures using humor and sarcasm—much like Bombeck did with her columns.

Humor and Grit: Capturing Erma Bombeck

May 2, 2017

Playhouse General User

Barbara Chisholm, who plays Erma Bombeck in Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END sheds light into her character development of this trailblazing woman.