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And the CEA nominees are ...
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Photo By Sandy Underwood
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Tim Altmeyer portrays Kyle, a famous television actor,
in the Playhouse's world premiere production of
Joseph McDonough's One.
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I'd love to tell you my favorite performances from the 2002-2003 theater season. But since another critic in town already imposes her own judgments on you, I'd prefer to point you to the nominees for the 2003 CINCINNATI ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS and ask you to tell me what you think. The CEAs are the only local theater recognition program selected by a panel of theater critics. Eight working critics and other theatergoers gathered in mid-August to consider the season, picking four nominees for 13 categories. So which shows and actors impressed you? Use the ballot to vote or go to www.citybeat.com and click on the button for the CEAs. Awards will be presented on Nov. 24 at Old Saint George. ...
Usually when JOE MCDONOUGH is mentioned in this column, it's to describe one of his familiar and popular children's shows at Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (this year's Alice in Wonderland at ETC is a restaging of a script he wrote with composer David Kisor in 1998). But he's at the Cincinnati Playhouse these days, where his drama, ONE, is receiving its world premiere, opening Thursday. One is being staged by Producing Artistic Director Ed Stern, who picked it to lead off his Shelterhouse season. One consists of three monologues, stories of self-discovery that interrelate in unexpected ways. Emily, a troubled young woman; Kyle, an actor who's never known love; and Jill, a woman suffering from a heartbreaking loss find their lives brought together by a series of love letters from a Civil War soldier. McDonough is the first local playwright to have a work staged by the Playhouse since 1988. Through Oct. 26. Tickets: 513-421-3888. ...
Cincinnati is blessed with a bounty of excellent actresses, and six of them will be onstage together for A VOICE OF MY OWN, the opening production for the sixth season of OVATION THEATRE COMPANY (Friday through Oct. 11). Performing in two dozen roles spanning 2,500 years of women's voices, from ancient Greece to the present, will be LISA HALL BREITHAUPT, BURGESS BYRD, SUNSHINE CAPPELLETTI, KRISTIN CLIPPARD, LEANNE GREENBERG and BARBARA KAROL. The 1979 play, with music by Elinor Jones, portrays women from Sappho to Virginia Woolf, from Jane Austen to Toni Morrison. It's an exploration of women's triumph, rejection and perseverance in a profession dominated by men. At the Aronoff Center's Fifth Third Bank Theater, downtown. Tickets: 513-241-7469. ...
It's great to have actress MARNI PENNING back in town as Katherine in the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival's Taming of the Shrew through Oct. 12. Want to see her in something non-Shakespearean? She'll read several roles in THREE BIRDS ALIGHTING ON A FIELD by Timberlake Wertenbaker on Monday evening at 7 p.m. on CSF's stage (719 Race St., Downtown). Before moving to New York City, Penning and a group of women involved in Cincinnati theater brainstormed the idea for the Janus Project, which has become the Women's Theatre Initiative. WTI annually auditions an array of scripts by and about women, then mounts one in a full production the following summer. Information: 513-604-8545
Mini Reviews
CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL's Taming of the Shrew offers an unusual interpretation, revealing Katherine's wounded vulnerability. The success of this approach hinges on CSF founder Marni Penning's subtle acting and on Matt Johnson's ability to provide a counter-balance in a Petruchio who's funny, but also a tad uncertain. If you enjoy rollicking Shakespearean comedy with a contemporary perspective, this is a show you'll want to see. (RICK PENDER)
Grade: A-
CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE's My Fair Lady shows how to remake a 50-year musical by going back to the basics: Two grand pianos and 10 actors return us to the musical's inspiration, Shaw's play Pygmalion. Christa Moore is a sprightly, waif-like Eliza; Neal Benari is a bit too subdued as the irascible Higgins. Nevertheless, this is a fine, classic musical. (RICK PENDER)
Grade: B
E-mail Rick Pender
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Previously in Curtain Call
Curtain Call: Theaters, Actors, Etc. Curtain Up as Michael Burnham prepares to be honored
By Rick Pender
(September 24, 2003)
Curtain Call: Theaters, Actors, Etc. CSF alum Marni Penning returns to tame a shrew
By Rick Pender
(September 17, 2003)
Curtain Call: Theaters, Actors, Etc. Interns join the club at ETC
By Rick Pender
(September 10, 2003)
more...
Other articles by Rick Pender
Behind the Mask CSF's Shrew has a new perspective for modern audiences (September 24, 2003)
Disposophobia The Dazzle in Dayton will amuse and disconcert you (September 17, 2003)
Fine Tuning Pianist Jonathan Biss brings bliss to Mendelssohn String Quartet (September 17, 2003)
more...
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