Morning Sun Playbill

MORNING SUN

by Simon Stephens

The arts reveal what matters most.

PNC is proud to support Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. The arts make us think, make us feel, and make us wonder. Thank you for helping to make our community a beautiful place.

D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director

MORNING SUN

by SIMON STEPHENS

Directed by D. LYNN MEYERS†

February 25 – March 19, 2023

Scenic & Lighting Designer BRIAN c . MEHRING

Properties Curator/Design Assistant

SHANNON RAE LUTZ

Production Stage Manager MARGOT WHITNEY*

Costume Designer BROOKE ARTHUR

Sound Designer MATT CALLAHAN

Technical Director JACK MURPHY

Assistant Stage Manager LEXI MULLER*

THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION IS A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW AND AN ACTIONABLE FEDERAL OFFENSE.

MORNING SUN is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

Originally commissioned by and the world premiere produced in October 2021 by the Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Director)

Song to a Seagull by Joni Mitchell used with special permission.

*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. This theatre operates under an agreement between Actors’ Equity Association, Professional Actors, and Stage Managers in the United States. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

PREMIERE SPONSOR

Mike & Digi Schueler

2022–2023 SPONSORS

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR

SEASON FUNDER OPERATING SUPPORT

SEASON TICKET SPONSOR

FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSORS

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSOR

SEASON SUPPORT

City of Cincinnati

Susan Friedlander

Hamilton County

Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation

Mitchell S. and Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation

The Shubert Foundation

IN-KIND SUPPORT

Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, Interpreter Training Program

Suder’s Art Store

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT

Anonymous (2)

Arts Midwest

William P. Anderson Foundation

Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation

Betty Huck

Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia

The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation

Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation

The Thaman Family Fund

Jennifer Verkamp

The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund

Photo by Ryan Kurtz

STRONGER ARTS FOR A STRONGER REGION

The growth of Cincinnati and its arts is inseparable. Creating a thriving region starts with each of us giving what we can to the arts. How can you help set the stage for the future of the region we all love?

Give today at artswave.org.

CAST & CREW

CAST

Claudette McBride & Others CHRISTINE DYE*

Charley McBride ................................................................................................ ANNIE FITZPATRICK*

Tessa McBride & Others BECCA HOWELL*

RUNNING CREW

2nd Assistant Stage Manager/Wardrobe Apprentice EMILY MISALI

Assistant Director/Assistant House Manager/Crew Swing ANDREA BEASLEY

Sound Board Operator ............................................................................................ ELEXIS SELMON

Running Crew TIMOTHY BELTON

Wardrobe Crew CAROLINE MARINO, EMMY RICE

Light Board Operators CHRISTOPHER BENJAMIN, CHANELLE DAU PINO, MATTHEW POWERS

PRODUCTION TEAM

Assistant Stage Manager LEXI MULLER*

Associate Technical Director ................................................................................ JACOB DOWELL

Intimacy Choreographer ERIN CARR

Scenic Charge Artist/Production Assistant RAE KUHN

Costume Supervisor BROOKE ARTHUR

Production Master Electrician .............................................................................. CHRIS LIPSTREU

Sound Technician NICK KOEHLKE

UNDERSTUDIES

Claudette McBride & Others...........................................................................CAROLINE MARINO

Charley McBride CONNAN MORRISSEY*

Tessa McBride & Others EMMY RICE

SETTING

Fifth floor walk-up in the West Village, New York, and other settings.

This production will be performed in one act with NO intermission. Approximate running time is 1 hour, 45 minutes.

PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES. NO TEXTING.

*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

Bonbonerie Ens Winter 2022/23.indd 2

ABOUT US

OUR MISSION

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences.

OUR HISTORY

From its founding in 1986, ETC has focused on providing an artistic home for local theatre professionals, including serving as a training ground for young artists. Each season, ETC produces a lineup devoted to the newest in contemporary theatre that attracts a diverse audience of 30,000 to more than 220 performances. Our work also includes education and engagement programs centered on introducing the performing arts to students from under-resourced schools and children with disabilities. Combined, our productions and educational programs strive to fulfill ETC’s vision of creating an urban arts district that is accessible to all.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

Kathy DeLaura, Chair

Jeffrey Schloemer, President

Kathy Burklow, Vice President

Linda Holthaus, Vice President

Mike Schueler, Treasurer

Meggan Thompson, Secretary

DIRECTORS

Erica Bock

Holly Brians Ragusa

Otto M. Budig, Jr.

Tom Carothers

Charles H. Gerhardt, III

Beverly A. Grant

Stephen M. King

Anthony McNamara

D. Lynn Meyers, ex officio

Shekhar Mitra

Nilesh Patel

Darryl A. Peal

Richard L. Postler

Leah Quortrup

Maura Schilling

Alex Schutte

Mary Stagaman

Torie Wiggins

Ashlee Young

Erica Zaretsky

DIRECTORS EMERITI

Skip Hickenlooper

Edward G. Marks

FOUNDERS' CIRCLE

Ruth D. & John Sawyer

Ken & Mary "Murph" Mahler

Dr. Charles O. Carothers

Mitchell S. Meyers

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a member of

INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING?

Contact our team at Cincinnati Magazine for information:

advertise@CincinnatiMagazine.com

This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre.

OUR STAFF

LEADERSHIP

D. Lynn Meyers, The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler

Producing Artistic Director & Chief Executive Officer

Michael R. Zimmer, CPA, CGMA, Chief Financial & Operations Officer

Josh Neumeyer, Managing Director

ARTISTIC

Brian c. Mehring, Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer

Shannon Rae Lutz, Properties Curator & Design Assistant

Rae Kuhn, Scenic Charge Artist & Production Assistant

Professional Apprentice Program

Shannon Rae Lutz, Director of Apprentice Programming

Torie Wiggins, Apprentice Program Associate

Professional Apprentices:

Andrea Beasley • Timothy Belton

Caroline Marino • Emily Misali

Emmy Rice • Elexis Selmon

DEVELOPMENT

Jennifer Joplin, Director of Development

EDUCATION

Victoria Aslanides, Director of Education

Emily Bush, Education Associate

Daniela Nenova, Education Associate

Teaching Artists:

Becca Howell • Julie Locker

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Jocelyn Meyer, Director of Marketing & Communications

Amy J. Barbian, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications

Rachel Kazee, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Becca Schall, Creative Media Producer

OPERATIONS

Jared D. Doren, Programming & Events Manager

Nick Ligon, Head of Security

Anna Sheridan, Administrative Coordinator

PATRON SERVICES

Amy Weinstock, Box Office Manager

Box Office Associates/House Managers:

Melody Lindner • Sharisse Santos • Becca Schall

Bartenders:

Carter Bratton • Burgess Byrd • Jacob Dowell

Lori Hiltenbeitel • Wyn Jones • John Simpson

PRODUCTION

Jack Murphy, Technical Director

Jacob Dowell, Associate Technical Director

Brooke Arthur, Costume Supervisor

STAGE MANAGEMENT

Margot Whitney, Production Stage Manager

Lexi Muller, Assistant Stage Manager

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati acknowledges that we gather on the unceded and stolen territories of the Hopewell, Adena, Myaamia (Miami), Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee), and Wazhazhe Ma'zha' (Osage) peoples. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it since time immemorial.

It is rare that I am at a lack for words when trying to articulate why I chose a particular play to produce here at Ensemble. It’s even rarer that I’m at a lack for words when explaining why I chose to direct a play. Morning Sun exemplifies that rarity, having an inarticulate hold on me even before I saw or read it.

While flipping through the New York Times, I saw an ad of a rather simple photograph highlighting three marvelous actresses, three women who are the definition of honesty in their work on stage and in their powerful contributions to this industry. I was so intrigued by this simple photo that in December of 2021, I flew fully masked to New York one Wednesday morning to see the matinee, then flew back that night. It’s uncommon that I have the opportunity to see a show before we produce it rather than just reading it. And this show . . . This show. This show. This show.

This show captured me. I was caught completely. Three daring roles for wonderful performers to sink their teeth into; a love letter to New York and yet a universal look at time that reaches beyond just that city—it was a play that could not be ignored.

Upon receiving this script, Annie Fitzpatrick, Becca Howell, and Christine Dye bravely accepted the gauntlet. This play is poetry served on a pointed sword.

Directing this show has felt like one extended moment in time, which is, after all, what this play is: one moment in time expanding and encompassing a life. Each and every life has those excruciating, extended seconds that make us who we are.

I ask you not to watch this show and wonder. Instead, let it come to you, the same way a stranger’s shoulder may touch yours as you come together in the lobby.

When thinking about this play, I can’t help but think of It’s a Wonderful Life, which is more than just an iconic film we watch at Christmas. It’s a mantra we (and these characters) must choose to live by. Wonderful, painful, shocking, loving moments, with a distant cry of a seagull as an underscore. My heart hopes yours will embrace this play as I hope you embrace the morning sun, even on days then clouds may put it out of view.

—D. Lynn Meyers

Becca Howell & Annie Fitzpatrick

Becca Howell

Christine Dye, Becca Howell, & Annie Fitzpatrick.

Christine Dye

PLAY IN PROGRESS

Becca Howell, Christine Dye, & Annie Fitzpatrick.

Christine Dye & Annie Fitzpatrick

Annie Fitzpatrick

Becca Howell & Christine Dye

Cities and Skies: The Solitary World of Edward Hopper

In a mostly empty bedroom, a woman sits, gently holding her legs as she stares out a soaring window. On the wall beside her, the rising sun’s warm light streaks into the room in a boxy shape, contrasting with the otherwise cool room. Identical windows in a neighboring building line the sky outside. Bathed in the morning glow, the woman points her gaze forward, though whether focused on the morning view or perhaps glossed over in thought is unclear. Is she forlorn in her solitude? Is she sad? Is she lonely? Or is she thrilled? Is she at peace? Is she merely lost in the groggy thoughts of morning? Much like the reason behind Mona Lisa’s smile, that’s up to you.

Edward Hopper’s Morning Sun, one of the inspirations for the title of Simon Stephens’s play, follows the lead of his other paintings, using light and shadows to create moody worlds with isolated subjects in busy cities. If Hopper’s world of work could be summed up in one word, that would be it: isolation.

Take his most famous painting, Nighthawks, for example. Three patrons in an almost empty diner, communicating neither with each other nor the lone server. Fluorescent light floods the empty street outside, giving the painting an eerie and almost disquieting feel. Each subject is lost in their own thoughts, in their own solitude despite being amongst others.

Though Morning Sun and Nighthawks are opposites in almost every way (a single subject versus multiple, natural light versus artificial, morning versus night, private versus public, the sky versus the street), they both epitomize the common themes and tools of Hopper’s art and the world he both saw and created.

Contrast and Conflict

Hopper explored the contrast between our inner and outer worlds, like living in a bustling city yet being met with stillness and solitude. Most of his work is set in New York City, where he lived in the same Greenwich Village apartment for decades (just like the characters in our play). The streets and restaurants of his paintings should be

Morning Sun, 1952

“If you could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” –Edward Hopper

full of people, but instead, they reflect the stillness of the artist’s and the subjects’ states of mind. Even in his earlier work focusing on the light and architecture of New England, homes are painted by themselves, enshrouded in silence, rather than surrounded by neighboring houses and streets.

It's rare to see Hopper’s figures engaged with each other. Even in pieces with multiple subjects, they’re disconnected, absorbed in their own worlds. In some pieces, like Nighthawks, this feels incredibly lonely. In others, it could be interpreted as a respite. In either case, Hopper painted the alienation of industrialization and living in urban areas. Though isolation is the recurring motif of Hopper’s work, he himself said that “the loneliness thing is overdone,” meaning we can’t quite equate the two. Instead, at least some of the alienation of Hopper’s world is a source of contemplative peace.

Nighthawks, 1942

Hopper is also celebrated for evoking the moods of different times of day through his use of light. Whether featuring natural light or the artificial glow of fluorescent interiors, you can expect to find harsh shadows that add a certain desperation to both his scenes and their subjects. His cropped compositions add to the emptiness of his spaces—the door to the diner in Nighthawks has been cut out, and we only glimpse a fraction of what the woman sees through her window in Morning Sun

If isolation is the theme of Hopper’s work, contrast and conflict are how he achieves it: the contrast between light and dark; the old and the new; progress and tradition; alienation and urbanization; the outer and the inner. Even Hopper’s style served as a sort of contrast to the world around him. His realism directly contradicted the abstract art movements of the 1940s and ‘50s, and he offered a sort of cynicism and eeriness that challenged the optimism of postwar America.

Looking through the window

So what do you see through Hopper’s windows? Is our subject in pink reveling in a morning city view? Is she at peace in a rare moment of quiet and calm? Is she overwhelmed by the loneliness of a big city? Or is she simply lost in thoughts we’ll never know?

CHRISTINE DYE (Claudette McBride & Others) (she/her) is delighted to be back at Ensemble Theatre after an absence of four years, having last appeared in A Doll’s House, Part 2. She has added three film credits to her résumé in that time and continues to be the spokesperson for Miami Valley Gaming. Christine would like to extend her gratitude to D. Lynn Meyers, who is not only instrumental in her successes in film, but also for this chance to perform on stage again. She extends love and admiration to her castmates Annie and Becca and to the beautiful words of playwright Simon Stephens.

ANNIE FITZPATRICK (Charley McBride) (she/her) last appeared at Ensemble Theatre in The Wolves, and some of her favorite credits include Luna Gale, Hands on a Hardbody, Next Fall, Rabbit Hole, and String of Pearls. She recently appeared in Steel Magnolias at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Indiana Repertory Theatre. She has worked with various regional theatres including American Stage, Indiana Repertory Theater, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva Theatre, Florida Stage, and Florida Studio. Her TV and film credits include Chicago P.D., Those Who Kill, Army Wives, White Noise, Dark Waters, The Old Man and the Gun, Fun Size, and Milk Money. She is deeply grateful to her family, friends, the Cincinnati theater community, and her Secret Support System for helping her through a difficult year.

BECCA HOWELL (Tessa McBride & Others) (she/her) is delighted to return to the Ensemble Theatre stage, where she was last seen in The Wolves, as well as Red Velvet, The Humans, and Bloomsday. After receiving her BFA from Northern Kentucky University, she completed ETC’s Professional Acting Internship Program. She has also performed locally in Macbeth with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Poor Behavior, Yankee Tavern, and Prelude to a Kiss with Falcon Theatre. Becca would like to thank her wonderful friends and family for their constant love and encouragement. Thank you for being here!

FOR DREAMS OF ALL KINDS

Materials inspired by Morning Sun courtesy of The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. Visit CinLib.org/morning-sun for more!

BOOKS

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

by Mark Haddon

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez

by Claire Jimenez

MUSIC Court and Spark

by Joni Mitchell

MOVIES

Postcards from the Edge

The Joy Luck Club

The Sweet Spot by

Amy Poeppel

I Almost Forgot About You

by Terry McMillan

Borrow these materials online or at your nearest library branch.

etc essentials

A FREE conversation series with local scholars and community members that explores the themes and our productions.

MORNING SUN | MARCH 12, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

Art has the mysterious power to transport us across worlds and generate nostalgia and empathy. Why have some paintings, such as Edward Hopper’s Morning Sun, resonated with generation after generation? Join visual artists to discuss how art can be used to reflect the universal human experience in a raw and beautiful way.

WHO ALL OVER THERE? | APRIL 23, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

Relationships can be complicated, even on stage. As our society progresses, new roles are being established in the theatre community to address cultural nuances and physical and emotional safety on stage. Learn from local intimacy coaches and cultural consultants about their role in the theatre and why it is so vital.

MAYTAG VIRGIN | JUNE 11, 2023 @ 1:00 PM

With the rise of social media, dating apps, and online communication, we have begun to lose the power of the love letter. Learn from local writers and love experts about the art of the written “woo-rd” and how to compose love letters for the special people in your life.

CREATIVE TEAM

SIMON STEPHENS (Playwright) is an English playwright whose plays include Fortune, Light Falls, Maria, Fatherland, Rage, Heisenberg, Nuclear War, Song from Far Away, Birdland, Carmen Disruption, Blindsided, Morning, Three Kingdoms, Wastwater, Punk Rock, The Trial of Ubu, Marine Parade, Sea Wall, Harper Regan, Pornography, Motortown, On the Shore of the Wide World, One Minute, Country Music, Christmas, Port, Herons, and Bluebird. He has written English language versions of Jon Fosse’s I Am the Wind; Odon Von Horvath’s Kasimir and Karoline (titled The Funfair); Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House; Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and The Seagull; and Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s Threepenny Opera. He has presented three series of the Royal Court Playwright’s Podcast. His book A Working Diary is published by Methuen. His adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Play. He is currently an Associate Artist at the Lyric Hammersmith, a Professor of Scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University, and an Associate Professor at the Danish National School of the Performing Arts, Copenhagen.

D. LYNN MEYERS (Director) (she/her) has been with Ensemble Theatre for over twenty-five years, having directed more than a hundred world and regional premieres, including Fun Home, The Wolves, Ripcord, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Hands on a Hardbody, I Am My Own Wife, Next to Normal, Tiny Beautiful Things, and the world premiere of The Dancing Princesses She began her career as the Associate Artistic Director at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has directed off-Broadway at the York Theatre, and has directed extensively throughout the US and Canada. As a member of the Casting Society of America, Lynn's recent feature credits include Carol, The Old Man & the Gun, and The Public, in addition to serving as the Location Casting Director for The Shawshank Redemption. Lynn recently directed the world premiere of Fierce for the Cincinnati Opera. She was named a finalist for the Zelda Fichandler National Award in 2011, is a past recipient of the YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award, and received the 2018 Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize for her regional arts impact and leadership.

For more content about this production, including behindthe-scenes photos, videos, interviews and more, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org

PRODUCTION TEAM

BRIAN c. MEHRING (Scenic & Lighting Designer) (he/him) has designed more than one hundred productions at Ensemble Theatre. His favorite productions include Thom Pain (based on nothing), Next to Normal, 33 Variations, Freud's Last Session, and I Am My Own Wife. Brian’s regional favorites for set design include The Last 5 Years and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Henry IV, Part 1, The Georgia Shakespeare Festival; and I Am My Own Wife, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Peterborough Players, and Florida Studio Theatre.

BROOKE ARTHUR (Costume Designer) (she/her) is Ensemble Theatre’s Costume Supervisor. Her past design credits include Stupid F**king Bird, Ensemble Theatre; Fidelio, Queen City Opera; and Twelfth Night, Every Brilliant Thing, and Bulletproof Backpack, Florida Repertory Theatre. She has worked in varying costume roles with Florida Repertory Theatre, Arizona Opera, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, Shakespeare & Co., and Illinois Shakespeare Festival. She is a graduate from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music.

MATT CALLAHAN (Sound Designer) (he/him) was the Resident Sound Designer for Actors Theatre of Louisville for seven seasons. Some of his recent designs for Ensemble Theatre include Queen, Cinderella, and Pipeline He was also a co-creator/designer of Rock n’ Roll: The Reunion Tour. He spent two seasons as the Resident Sound Designer at The Eugene O’Neil Center for their National Playwrights Conference. He was formerly the sound engineer for Steppenwolf Theatre, the Assistant Engineer for Blue Man Chicago, and a member of the disbanded Defiant Theatre. He received a Jeff Citation for Red Dragon, a nomination for Fortinbras, and a Kevin Kline nomination for Sherlock Holmes

SHANNON RAE LUTZ (Properties Curator/Design Assistant) (she/her) earned her Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music in 1996 and became Properties Curator at Ensemble Theatre. Trained as a performer, she first appeared on ETC’s stage during the 1988-1989 New Works Festival. In 1991, she was granted an ETC internship. Now the Director of Apprentice Programming, she is honored to guide ETC’s Professional Apprentice Company. Shannon would like to thank D. Lynn Meyers, Ruth Sawyer, and the Cincinnati theatre community and patrons for their generous, supportive, and tenacious spirit.

PRODUCTION TEAM

JACK MURPHY (Technical Director) (he/him) is excited to be part of another season at Ensemble Theatre! He grew up in the Cincinnati area and studied technical theatre at Hanover College. While there, he spent his summers at several different summer stock theatres as a carpenter. After graduation, he moved to Bellport, NY, to work for The Gateway Playhouse as a carpenter and rigger and went on to work for Norwegian Cruise Line. After another summer at the Janiec Opera Company as the Assistant Technical Director, he came full circle and returned home to Cincinnati. In 2013, Jack joined the team at ETC, where his favorite productions include An Iliad, Grounded, and Fun Home. He is eager to continue to do the cutting edge work for which ETC is known.

MARGOT WHITNEY (Production Stage Manager) (she/her) is thrilled to be back at Ensemble Theatre this season! Her previous credits include Sweat on Broadway and the first national tours of Mean Girls, Come From Away, Bright Star, The King & I, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and War Horse. She has worked with The Public Theater, Signature Theatre Company, New York Stage and Film, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, La Jolla Playhouse, Virginia Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati during the 2012-2013 Season, and Cincinnati Ballet. Margot received her BFA from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. She would like to send her love and thanks to family and friends!

LEXI MULLER (Assistant Stage Manager) (she/her) is delighted to be back at Ensemble Theatre, where some of her credits include Fun Home, The Wolves, Skeleton Crew, and Fly By Night. Other regional credits include Sex with Strangers, The House, and 26 Pebbles with The Human Race Theatre Company. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and a graduate of Wright State University, where she received her BFA in Stage Management. Lexi would like to thank her friends, family, and her extraordinary mother for supporting her every step of the way.

RAE KUHN (Scenic Charge Artist/Production Assistant) (any/all) is in their sixth season at Ensemble Theatre. Rae graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Multidisciplinary degree focusing on fine arts, creative writing, and neuropsychology; however, technical theatre has been a hobby since high school. Rae is a former scenic artist for 3DX and has worked in stage management, sound engineering, and special effects makeup for organizations including New Edgecliff Theatre, Falcon Theatre, and Cincinnati Landmark Productions. Rae began painting backdrops for ETC's Education Department, which led to their current position at ETC, where their favorite credits are Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Bloomsday, and When We Were Young and Unafraid

by Torie Wiggins

by Audrey Cefaly

WAYS TO GIVE

From playwrights to apprentices, and every role in between, your tax-deductible gift to ETC enables us to enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire audiences, as well as create a thriving urban arts community accessible to all through our world and regional premiere productions and award-winning Education, Engagement, and Inclusion programs. Become a member of our Ensemble today!

DONATE TODAY

The box office will be happy to accept your gift via cash, check, or credit card during intermission or after the show.

DONATE ONLINE

To make your gift online, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org/ support.

DONATE WITH STOCK

For instructions on stock transfers, email development@ensemblecincinnati.org

DONATE BY PHONE

Please call (513) 421–3555 and select option 4 to speak with Josh.

DONATE BY MAIL

Send a check made out to Ensemble Theatre with "donation" in the memo line to:

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati

Attn: Development 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

BECOME AN ENSEMBLE SUSTAINING DONOR

Join an essential group of donors who contribute on a recurring basis throughout the year, providing a steady and predictable stream of income to support programming and operations. Most choose monthly amounts charged to a credit card, but options can be customized to meet your giving goals and needs. Email development@ensemblecincinnati.org to become a Sustaining Donor today.

GIVE WHILE YOU SHOP

Before you fill your shopping cart, whether in person or online, designate ETC as your nonprofit beneficiary through the Kroger Community Rewards program. It's easy: you shop and Kroger donates a portion of your purchase amount directly to ETC!

Register your Kroger Plus Card at www.kroger.com and select ETC–organization BM374

THE PREMIERE SOCIETY

The Premiere Society recognizes the extraordinary individuals, families, and organizations whose generosity makes it possible for ETC to present world-class new works and awardwinning education, engagement, and inclusion programming for our community. The following list includes donors whose gifts were received between February 10, 2022–February 10, 2023.

PLAYWRIGHTS

($20,000+)

ArtsWave

Gale & Dave Beckett

Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard

The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

The City of Cincinnati

Burton & Susan Closson

The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc.

Friedlander Family Fund

The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation

Hamilton County, Ohio

The Donald C. & Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation*

LKC Foundation

The Mitchell S. & Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation

Ohio Arts Council

State of Ohio through the Cultural Facilities Commission

PNC Foundation

The John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust, PNC Bank, Trustee

Mike & Digi Schueler

The Schueler Group

The Shubert Foundation, Inc.

Louise Taft Semple Foundation

Dale Uetrecht

US Small Business Administration

PRODUCERS

($10,000-$19,999)

Arts Midwest

Denise & Martin Chambers

John & Gloria Goering Family Gift Fund

Betty Huck

Diane & Dave Moccia

Palmer/Graber Family Fund

Robert & Adele Schiff Family Foundation

Dudley S. Taft Foundation

DIRECTORS

($5,000-$9,999)

William J. Baude - Maurice E. Oshry Fund*

Marcia Banker & Jeff Schloemer†

Tom & Annette Carothers

Dan Collopy

Corky & Rick Family Foundation

Crosset Family Fund*

William & Mary Jane James

Johnson Investment Counsel

Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation

In Memory of James A. Markley, Jr.

Barbara W. Robb

The Sittenfeld Family

Mary Stagaman & Ron Kull

Thaman Family Fund*

DESIGNERS

($2,500-$4,999)

Anonymous (2)

Gordon Allen & Linda Baas

William P. Anderson Foundation

Michael Cioffi & Rachael Rowe Family Foundation

Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Susan Cohen & Robert Schmuelling

Ehrsam Family Fund*

Jane & Chip Gerhardt

Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Marilyn P. & Joseph W. Hirschhorn Fund*

Linda Holthaus & Richard Zinicola

Anu & Shekhar Mitra

Neal Patel & Dr. Avani Modi†

Damon & Holly Ragusa

Sprout Insight LLC

Vinkolet Winery

Jo Ann Wieghaus

STAGE MANAGERS

($1,000-$2,499)

Anonymous (3)

Americana Arts Foundation

Nicholas Apanius

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Bank Of America Employee Giving Campaign

Judith & Louis Belli

Malcolm A. & Glenda Bernstein*

Michael Berry & Melanie Garner

Bryson Family Charitable Fund

Jeff & Gay Bullock

Barbara Carr & Bren Blaine

Cissell Family Fund*

Philip Clayton

Kathy Collins & Joseph Giglia

Meredythe G. & Clayton C. Daley, Jr. Family Fund*

Rick & Allison Edwards

Bob & Mary Fitzpatrick

Gilman Family Fund*

Dr. & Mrs. Richard Glaser

Karen Grass

Dr. Robert & Suzanne Hasl Fund

JBVS LLC

Robert Keith & Kathleen Thornton Keith

Chris Lewis & Alicia Bond-Lewis

Sophia McAllister

Please bring any errors or omissions to our attention by contacting Josh Neumeyer: jneumeyer@ensemblecincinnati.org or (513) 421-3555 x2103.

* A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation † Sustaining Donor

STAGE MANAGERS CONT.

Anthony & Emily McNamara†

Messer Construction

Jill & Bruce Mitchell

Molly North

Marilyn & Jack Osborn

Joyce Rich

Mr. & Mrs. Gates T. Richards

Charles Scott Riley III Foundation

Blake Robison & Connan Morrissey

Jessica Ruebusch

Jane Ruwet Hopson & Larry Pytlinski

Alex & Kim Schutte

Marvin & Betsy Schwartz Fund*

Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund

Norma Skoog

Richard & Kathleen Strenk

Glenda Suttman

Meggan Thompson

Bob & Sue Trusty

Jennifer Verkamp Charitable Fund

Woodward Family Charitable Foundation

The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund

CAST

($500-$999)

Christine Adams

Laura Atkinson

Wilma & Herbert Beigel

Walter Blair

Richard M. Block Family Foundation

David Brashear

Dawn & Doug Bruestle

Brian & Elizabeth Coley

Philip K. & Anne Lilly Cone Fund*

Craft Family Fund

David Crotty & Joan von Handorf

Mark Dauner†

Kelly M. Dehan

Kathy DeLaura & Ron Steinhoff†

Jan Denton

Sandi Gans†

Rita & Dennis Geiger

Bob Gerding

Daniel Hurley

Keith & Patti James Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies

Matching Gifts Program

Amy Katz & Robert Cohen

Anita & Ed Marks

Joseph & Lori McDonough

Carol Miller Meibers

John & Deborah Moffatt

Patti Myers & Alan Flaherty

Overbeck Charitable Fund

Whitney Owens & David Eslinger Family Fund

Alice Perlman

Presidential Plaza Associates, LTD

Hera G. Reines

Steven & Carol Reubel

Peggy Robinson

Alis Rule Robinson

Ann Santen Fund*

Kenneth & Kathleen Skau

Susan & David Smith

Kate Spencer & Doug Morriss

Dr. Joseph & Mrs. Nancy Stratman

Maureen & Larry Vignola

Sonia Wagener

Karen & Barry Webb

Kathryn Wright

Wuerdeman Family Fund*

RUNNING CREW

($250-$499)

Anonymous (2)

AmazonSmile Foundation

Tricia & Michael G. Bath

Mary Ann Bender

David & Elaine Billmire

Erica Bock†

Mark Bowen†

Cassandra Brissette

Peg & John Bruggeman

Ann & Lee Bulger

Denny & Mindy Burger

Nancy Cisneros

Carol C. Cole

John & Cynthia Cozad

Paul & Bev Diamond†

Elaine Drakos

Dennis & Catherine Dunwoodie†

Keith Faber

Barbara Feldmann

William Groneman & Maureen Flanagan

Charitable Fund

The Gumbleton Family

Judy & Alan Guttman

Len & Jakki Haussler

Bob & Judy Heaton

Richard & Lauren Hess

James & Robin Huizenga

Pinky & Sam Kocoshis

Carmen & Rich Kovarsky

Kroger Community Rewards Program

Warren Leight

Carol Leslie†

Limestone Fund*

John & Kathy Lorenz

Jackie Mack & Ted Silberstein

Richard & Barbara Males

Charles & Jennifer Margolis

David L. Martin

The McCready-Shore Family

Anil Menon

Dr. Ralph R. Meyer

Steven & Jacqueline Miller Family Foundation

The Honorable Norbert & Linnea Nadel

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Neda & Bruce Nutley

Paul & Mary Ann Odegard

Brett Offenberger & Douglas Duckett

Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce

Darryl Peal

David M. Piatt Fund*

Caroline Richards

Holly Riffe & Sue Roth†

Al Roane†

Jerri Roberts & Jim Thomas

Marianne R. Rowe

J.R. Rulon†

Dick & Chris Russell

Maria Saldivar

Alfred & Stephanie Sassler

Maura Schilling

Martha & Lee Schimberg

Jane Bogart Sellers†

Arnie & Ina Shayne

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS!

To join our family of contributors with a donation of any size, please contact Josh Neumeyer: (513) 421-3555 x2103

Eli E. Shupe, Jr. & Toby Ruben†

Michael Siegrist

John & Martha Spiess

Fred & Anne Straus Charitable Fund

Linda Tache

Scott & Sally Tieke

Marty C. Tomb

Anita Trotta

Alan & Margie Ullman

Ellen & Ray van der Horst

Rosalie P. van Nuis

Priscilla S. Walford

Scott & Vicki Walker

Buzz Ward

Ann & Victor Warner

Pann & Terry Webb†

Ronna & James Willis

Dr. David & Cynthia Zink

Nora Zorich & Thomas Filardo Family Fund*

APPRENTICES ($125-$249)

Anonymous (12)

Jim & Janice Amatulli

Henrietta Barlag

Barbara & Wayne Beimesch

Bill & Janet Berger

The Bloch Family Fund

Rosemary Bloom Gifting Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Michele & Kevin Cain†

Angela Chong & Harold Schuck

College Hill Coffee Co & Casual Gourmet

Jean Crocker-Lakness

Barbara Cummins

Charles & Lois Deitschel

Rick & Tracy Diehl

Marianne Doll

Emilie & David Dressler Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Igor & Jane Dumbadze

Linda Erpelding

Carl Fiora

Bill & Carol Fisher

Rose & Daniel Gahl

Brenda Ganulin

Alana & Shelly Gerson

Melinda Gilbert

Joanne Glaser

Dr. Irene Hamrick

Thomas Hauer

Rick & Kathleen Hibbard

Ann Hicks

Karlee Hilliard

Florette Hoffheimer

Lyle & Jennifer Horvath

Barbara A. Jennings

Shonita Joshi

Carl Kalota

Lorrence T. & Barbara W. Kellar Fund*

Judith Kenniston

Tim & Grace Kerr

Madelyn Levy

David Logan & Dale Hodges

Audrey Luna & Dan Nelson

Anne McAdams

Ms. Kathleen O'Connell & Dr. H. Kenneth Peterson

Timothy & Joanne Oppelt

Nancy L. Phelan

David & Deborah Pittinger

Jeanne Plunkett

Laura Proto & Tommy Johnston

Ross Royce

Ronald & Ruth Schmiedeker

Barbara Seiver

Lois Shannon

Mark Silbersack & Ruth Schwallie

Mary Lee & Louie Sirkin

Tim Smith & Penny Poirier

Jacqueline & Richard Snyder

Laurie Steele

Robert P. Streicher

Thomas Thompson

U.S. Bank Employee Matching Program

Barbara & Tom Waldron

Lee M. Walsh

Larry Weber

Mary Ann Weiss

Joseph Wessling

Michael Wheatley

Karen Wittenberg†

Fred Yaeger & Lisa Staggenborg

Ensemble Theatre acknowledges the following Partner Companies, Foundations, and their employees who generously participate in the Annual ArtsWave Community Campaign at the $100,000+ level. Your support helps make our community vibrant and connects people all across our region through the arts. Thank you!

P&G

Fifth Third Bank and the Fifth Third Foundation

GE Aviation

Cincinnati Bell

Western & Southern Financial Group

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

The Cincinnati Insurance Companies

City of Cincinnati

Enquirer Media

Great American Insurance Group

Ohio National Financial Services

U.S. Bank

The H.B., E.W., and F. R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank and Narley L. Haley, Co-Trustees

Macy's

Cincinnati Business Courier

The Kroger Co.

PNC

The E.W. Scripps Company and Scripps Howard Foundation

Duke Energy

HORAN

Cincinnati Reds

* A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

† Sustaining Donor

PATRON INFORMATION

ETC BOX OFFICE HOURS

Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm, and 2 hours prior to curtain. Weekend hours vary.

CAMERAS & RECORDING DEVICES

Actors’ Equity Association strictly prohibits the use of cameras or recording devices (including camera phones) in the theatre.

ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS

ETC offers audio-described performances, ASL-interpreted performances, wheelchair accessible seating, large-print programs, Braille programs, assistive listening devices, and sensory sensitivity items such as noisecanceling headphones and fidgets.

RELAXED PERFORMANCES

Select performances offered for those with sensory sensitivities and developmental disabilities and their families to enjoy the production with lighting and sound adjustments and other accommodations.

SALE POLICY

Single-ticket purchases are final sale with no refund. If a patron is a no-show for their reserved performance, ETC is under no obligation to reschedule their tickets.

LATECOMERS & ADMITTANCE

Latecomers are seated at the House Manager’s discretion and may be denied admission depending upon the demands or structure of a particular production. Should you need to leave the theatre during a performance, readmittance is not guaranteed. ETC reserves the right to deny admission and/ or remove any disruptive patrons from the theatre at any time.

TAX CREDITS

If you cannot attend your performance and cannot reschedule for another date, tickets released prior to performances by calling the ETC box office are fully deductible as a charitable contribution.

PARKING

Patrons may park at the Gateway Garage (accessible via 12th Street) or at the surface lot, both conveniently located at the corner of Vine and 12th Streets. Parking is also available at Washington Park Garage and Mercer Commons Garage.

CHILDREN

Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted to productions unless otherwise advertised. Parents with disruptive children will be asked to leave the theatre.

GROUPS & DISCOUNTS

Groups of 8 or more can save on single-ticket prices. Student rates, rush discounts, Public Radio Perks Card, AAA, ArtsWave Pass, and educator and military member discounts are available for select shows (please consult your appropriate membership(s) for details and exclusions).

1127 Vine Street circa 1927 Image courtesy of Fifth Third Bank archives.

State and federal dollars through the Ohio Arts Council supported your arts experience today.

WHERE WILL THE ARTS TAKE YOU NEXT ? VISIT ARTSINOHIO.COM