QUEEN
by Madhuri Shekar
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. – Helen Keller
The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation proudly supports the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati as it explores themes of tenacity and resilience.
D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director
QUEEN by MADHURI SHEKAR Directed by BRIDGET LEAK†
February 19 – March 19, 2022 Set & Lighting Designer BRIAN c . MEHRING
Costume Designer NIKI HERNANDEZ-ADAMS
Intimacy Choreographer ERIN CARR
Technical Director JACK MURPHY
Production Manager MATTHEW HOLLSTEGGE
Sound Designer MATT CALLAHAN
Projection Designer SAM WOMELSDORF
Properties Master/Design Assistant SHANNON RAE LUTZ
Production Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager MARGOT WHITNEY* 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.
QUEEN is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. www.concordtheatricals.com World Premiere produced by Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago, IL; Chay Yew, Artistic Director; Erica Daniels, Managing Director QUEEN was produced in New York at Astoria Performing Arts Center, Astoria, NY; Jesse Marchese, Executive Director; Dev Bondarin, Artistic Director; directed by J. Mehr Kaur in February 2019. Developed by Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago, IL, Chay Yew, Artistic Director; Chris Mannelli, Managing Director; As part of Ignition 2015. Developed in The Blank Theatre's Living Room Series (Daniel Henning, Founding Artistic Director) in Hollywood, CA. QUEEN received developmental support at the Hedgebrook Women Playwrights Festival, Whidbey Island.
*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.
†
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2021–2022 SPONSORS
Photo by Ryan Kurtz
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
SEASON FUNDER
OPERATING SUPPORT
FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSORS
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 College Hill Coffee Co. & Casual Gourmet LPK OMS Photography Suder’s Art Store
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2021–2022 sponsors
SEASON TICKET SPONSOR
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSOR
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation In Honor of Marilyn F. Hill Emily Hodges & Charles Spencer Betty Huck Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation Jennifer Verkamp The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund
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.
©2021 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC CON PDF 0618-0106
2021–2022 sponsors
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CAST & CREW LIST CAST Dr. Philip Hayes........................................................................................ RYAN WESLEY GILREATH* Sanam Shah...................................................................................................................SHONITA JOSHI* Arvind Patel...................................................................................................................SAIYAM KUMAR Ariel Spiegel...................................................................................................... JORDAN TROVILLION
RUNNING CREW Assistant Stage Manager............................................................................................... LEXI MULLER* 2nd Assistant Stage Manager.................................................................................MALYSSA QUINN Sound Operator/Running Crew Swing......................................................................ABBY PALEN Runing Crew................................................................RACHEL BARKALOW, CHRISTIAN HALL, BREAUNA MARIE JURKOWSKI, ADRIAN DEVAUGHN SUMMERS Wardrobe Crew................................................................ RANDOLPH GEERS, MALYSSA QUINN
PRODUCTION TEAM Scenic Charge Artist/Production Assistant.................................................................RAE KUHN Costume Supervisor.............................................................................................. BROOKE ARTHUR Lighting & Sound Supervisor..........................................................................LYSS CUNNINGHAM Shop Carpenter............................................................................................................... IVY ASHWELL DEIA Consultant........................................................................................... NICHOLAS TSANGARIS Cultural Consultant...................................................................................................... SUJATA GHATE
UNDERSTUDIES Ariel Spiegel........................................................................................................RACHEL BARKALOW Dr. Philip Hayes...................................................................................................... RANDOLPH GEERS
SETTING Santa Cruz, California; 2016.
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS BrianBKelly, LLC
*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.
This production will be performed in one act with NO intermission. Approximate running time is 1 hour, 40 minutes.
PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES. NO TEXTING. 6 |
cast & crew list
FOR MINDS OF ALL KINDS Materials inspired by Queen, courtesy of The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.
Visit CinLib.org/queen-ensemble for more! BOOKS 1001 Bees
by Joanna Rzezak
The Music of Bees
GRAPHIC NOVELS Women Discoverers: Top Women in Science by Marie Moinard
by Eileen Garvin
A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings: A Year of Keeping Bees by Helen Jukes
Below the Edge of Darkness by Edith Widder
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Folklorn
by Angela Mi Young Hur
MOVIES Nature: My Garden of the Thousand Bees
MUSIC Finding Wildflowers by Tom Petty
Borrow these materials online or at your nearest library branch.
Help your child build technical skills, create new friendships and become more confident with iSPACE! It is an experience of a lifetime! Summer Camp registration is open now. Check out our camp page for more information.
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THE POWER OF THE ARTS IS IN OUR HANDS
Whatever happens in our world, the arts give us a place to recharge, connect and awaken. We need the arts — and they need us too. It takes a community to build the arts. One + one equals so much more. Are you in?
GIVE TODAY artswave.org
etc essentials A FREE conversation series with local scholars and community members that explores the themes and context of our productions.
Queen BEE PART OF THE SOLUTION | MARCH 13, 2022 @ 12:00 PM In this online discussion, learn from local environmental activists and beekeepers about efforts to strengthen the pollinator population in Cincinnati and how you can help from home. NOTE: This event will take place virtually.
I Shall Not Be Moved / Your Negro Tour Guide HISTORY WE'VE IGNORED | MAY 1, 2022 @ 1:00 PM Hear from local historians and activists as they explore Cincinnati’s own history of Black activism, from Cincinnati’s Black Brigade to the local Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter.
Tiny Beautiful Things REMEMBERING ALL THE THINGS | JUNE 5, 2022 @ 1:00 PM
Join local writers for a conversation on memoir writing, inspired by author Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things, and discover how to start chronicling your important memories: tiny, beautiful, and otherwise.
Admission is FREE but reservations are required! Limited space | Reserve through the ETC Box Office | 9
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.
(513) 421–3555 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 www.ensemblecincinnati.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Kathy DeLaura, Chair Jeffrey Schloemer, President Kathy Burklow, Vice President Dennis Geiger, Vice President Mike Schueler, Treasurer Meggan Thompson, Secretary DIRECTORS Holly Brians Ragusa Otto M. Budig, Jr. Tom Carothers Sue Friedlander Charles H. Gerhardt, III Linda Holthaus Stephen M. King Shekhar Mitra Nilesh Patel Darryl A. Peal Richard L. Postler Leah Quortrup Jackie Reau Alex Schutte Mary Stagaman DIRECTORS EMERITI Skip Hickenlooper Edward G. Marks FOUNDERS' CIRCLE Ruth D. & John Sawyer Ken & Mary "Murph" Mahler Dr. Charles O. Carothers Mitchell S. Meyers
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. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre.
INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? Contact our team at Cincinnati Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau.
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Magazine for information: advertise@CincinnatiMagazine.com
ABOUT ETC
OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP
D. Lynn Meyers, The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler Producing Artistic Director
FINANCE
Michael R. Zimmer, CPA CGMA, Director of Fiscal Operations
ARTISTIC
Brian c. Mehring, Resident Set & Lighting Designer Shannon Rae Lutz, Properties Master, Design Assistant, & Director of Apprentice Programming Rae Kuhn, Scenic Charge Artist & Production Assistant Professional Acting Apprentices: Rachel Barkalow • Randolph Geers • Christian Hall Breauna Marie Jurkowski • Abby Palen Malyssa Quinn • Adrian Devaughn Summers
DEVELOPMENT
Josh Neumeyer, Finance & Grants Manager
EDUCATION
Victoria Aslanides, Director of Education Becca Howell, Education Associate Teaching Artists: Brianna Bernard • Zoe Davidson Henry Howland • Julie Locker Daniela Nenova • Adrian Devaughn Summers
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: Sean Miller-Jones • Emmy Rice Kathleen Riemenschneider • Sharisse Santos
PRODUCTION
Matthew Hollstegge, Production Manager Jack Murphy, Technical Director Brooke Arthur, Costume Supervisor Lyss Cunningham, Lighting & Sound Supervisor Ivy Ashwell, Shop Carpenter
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Margot Whitney, Production Stage Manager Lexi Muller, Assistant Stage Manager
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT 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.
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SAVE $25
ON ALL REGISTRATIONS
BEFORE MARCH 31
ETC SUMMEr camps 2022 Junior Summer Camp JULY 11–22, 2022 | Ages 7–15
Technical Theatre Intensive JULY 18–22, 2020 | Ages 13–18
High School Intensive JULY 25–29, 2022 | Ages 13–18
REGISTER: www.ensemblecincinnati.org or (513) 421-3555 For COVID-19 safety information, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org/health-safety
The closest funeral home to our cemetery is at our cemetery.
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SHOW-BUZZ Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) This mysterious phenomenon refers to the mass disappearance of most worker bees from their colony, leaving behind the queen, the brood, a few nurse bees, and a large food supply. Notably, few if any dead bees are found near the hive; instead, they seem to have simply disappeared or abandoned the hive. Unfortunately, the loss of a colony’s worker bees leads to catastrophe for the rest of the hive. The first appearance of CCD in the United States occurred in the winter of 2006–2007. Although beekeepers usually experience a loss of bees over winter, the reported losses jumped from an average of 15% to 30–90% with no clear cause. Many theories have floated around, but an overlap of potential factors has made it nearly impossible to isolate one primary cause. The four biggest suspects are parasites and pests (like the varroa mite), new bee diseases, stress caused by poor nutrition and environmental changes, and sublethal exposure to pesticides.
Neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics) Neonic pesticides are a systemic pesticide, which differ from the spray insecticides that usually come to mind. Instead, these pesticides are applied to the seed or the soil so that the plant fully absorbs it. Thus, the pesticide is part of the plant’s whole life and makes the plant itself, including its dead leaves, toxic to its primary target: insects. Neonics are chemically related to nicotine and designed to be more toxic to invertebrates than birds or mammals. A neurotoxic insecticide, they work by attacking and binding to an insect’s nerve cells, leading to overstimulation, paralysis, and death. Neonics were first introduced in the 1990s and grew increasingly popular throughout the 2000s. The European Union banned the biggest three for field use in 2018, but they’re the most used insecticide in the United States today.
The Saving America’s Pollinators Act (SAPA) This bill was first introduced to the House of Representatives in 2013 as a response to the declining populations of the United States’ pollinators, recognizing the vital and massive role they play in our diet. It has been regularly updated and reintroduced since then. The latest version, from June of 2021, calls for the EPA to cancel the registration of all neonics and for neonics to be removed from the market. More recent iterations of the bill also include establishing a Pollinator Protection Board comprised of beekeepers, farmers, scientists, and conservationists to independently evaluate pesticides and their toxicity to pollinators. The bill also requires several agencies to monitor and report on the health and population of native bees. No iteration of the bill has been passed.
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show-buzz
Monsanto Known most for their weedkiller and genetically modified seeds, Monsanto was the face of industrial agriculture. Though founded in 1901 to make artificial sweetener, the company's focus shifted to agriculture and chemical products in the 1980s. They were bought by pharmaceutical company Bayer in 2018 and folded into Bayer CropScience, the manufacturer of two of the neonics banned by the European Union. Although the company Monsanto technically no longer exists, many of its products are still sold under Bayer. Monsanto (and now Bayer CropScience) has been involved in countless controversies and lawsuits regarding their products.
Statistical significance Because scientific studies use a sample instead of an entire population, researchers must calculate the probability of a sampling error. To do this, they check for statistical significance, which measures the likelihood that the results happened due to chance rather than a specific cause. Mathematicians express statistical significance as the p-value, and the smaller the p-value, the less likely the results happened due to coincidence alone and the more reliable the results are. The p-value ranges from 0 (0% chance the results happened randomly) to 1 (100% chance the results happened randomly). Most scientific studies must get a p-value of 0.05 or less to be deemed statistically significant and for the results to be thus attributed to the cause they’re studying rather than chance. More specifically, the p-value measures whether the study would have gotten the same results without the subjects being exposed to the variable being tested (in the case of Queen, that’s bees being exposed to neonic pesticides). A p-value of 0.05 means there is only a 5% chance that researchers would have gotten the same results without the bees being exposed to neonics or that there is 95% chance the study would not have yielded the same results without pesticides. Statistical significance tests whether researchers got lucky with their samples or whether they can fairly and with validity claim that their results are from a specific cause.
show-buzz
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MARCH 15 - 27, 2022 Aronoff Center I CincinnatiArts.org | 513.621.ARTS
SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE Louis Langrée conductor
MAR 25-27 | Music Hall
cincinnatisymphony.org TICKETS FROM $15 Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP
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CAST BIOS RYAN WESLEY GILREATH (Dr. Philip Hayes) is ecstatic to return to his home theatre for this production. He was seen in the film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, starring Zac Efron, and in The Food that Built America for The History Channel. His other TV and film credits include TURN: Washington’s Spies, AMC; American Genius, National Geographic; Gold Fever, Discovery Channel; and the pilot Guilty, Fox. His theatre credits include eight seasons as Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, Playhouse in the Park; Burning Desire, Seven Angels Theatre; Ripcord, Tribes, Other Desert Cities, Next Fall, 33 Variations, and Mary’s Wedding, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; the national tour of Echoes of Ireland; Ears on a Beatle, Human Race Theatre; and Deathtrap, Florida Repertory Theatre. Big thanks to his wonderful family, the cast and crew, and to Lynn Meyers for being AWESOME! SHONITA JOSHI (Sanam Shah) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production! She is an Indian actor, born and brought up in Pune, India. Prior to moving to the US, she worked for three years in Mumbai in the Indian film industry (lovingly called Bollywood) and two years at Google India before realizing that her love for theatre is more than just a hobby—it’s a necessity. Shonita has a Master’s in Journalism and graduated from Stella Adler School of Acting in 2019. Some of her recent credits include Antony & Cleopatra and Twelfth Night with Hip to Hip Theater Company in NYC and A Christmas Carol, Stuart Little, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. SAIYAM KUMAR (Arvind Patel) is thrilled to be visiting Cincinnati and making his Ensemble Theatre debut! Saiyam is a graduate of NYU and an actor based in New York City. He’s appeared on several television shows such as The Sinner, Blue Bloods, FBI: Most Wanted, and The Hunt with John Walsh and has worked on many short films. Saiyam is also a dancer with a background in hip-hop, Bollywood fusion, and bhangra. He’s passionate about diverse storytelling that highlights the voices of immigrants and people of color. JORDAN TROVILLION (Ariel Spiegel) is an actor based in Covington, Kentucky—the endpoint of her southerly drift from her home state of Michigan. Her recent theatre credits include All’s Faire (Johnson) and The Absentee (The Operator) with Know Theatre of Cincinnati and You Will Live Under the Sea with Queen City Flash at the 2021 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Some of her favorite credits include Puffs (Susie Bones track), Know Theatre; Zoinks! (Nolan), Queen City Flash; and Baskerville (Actress), Falcon Theater. Jordan is a member of SAG/AFTRA and has performed in various films and television shows, such as The Old Man and the Gun, My Days of Mercy, and Comedy Central’s Detroiters. She is one half of the pair of proprietors of a mysterious magic shop in Covington, is a freelance illustrator, and used to be in a cover band.
Cast Bios
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COMING SOON WORLD PREMIERE DRAMA
REVAMPED REGIONAL PREMIERE
I SHALL NOT BE MOVED
YOUR NEGRO TOUR GUIDE
by Isaiah Reaves
by Kathy Y. Wilson adapted by Jeff Griffin & Torie Wiggins
Written by Isaiah Reaves
Starring Samantha Russell
Written by Kathy Y. Wilson
Starring Torie Wiggins
DOUBLE BILL | APRIL 9 – MAY 7
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PLAYWRIGHT BIO MADHURI SHEKAR (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter. She was born in California, grew up in India, and is currently based in Jersey City. She is an alum of the Juilliard Playwriting program, a fellow at New Dramatists, and the 2020 winner of the Lanford Wilson Playwriting Award. Her audio play Evil Eye debuted on the Audible Best Sellers list in May 2019 and won the 2020 Audie Award for Best Original Work. Her play House of Joy received its world premiere at Cal Shakes in August 2019. Her new play Dhaba on Devon Avenue was slated to premiere at Victory Gardens in April 2020 and is postponed until we emerge into a new post-pandemic life. Her other plays include Queen (2019 New York Innovative Theatre Awards, Outstanding Original Full Length Script; Edgerton New Play Award), In Love and Warcraft (Kendeda Graduate Playwriting Award), A Nice Indian Boy, Antigone: Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine’s and the TYA play Bucket of Blessings (Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Original Work–TYA). Her plays have also been developed or showcased at Center Theatre Group, the Old Globe, the Kennedy Center, the Hedgebrook Playwrights Festival, South Coast Repertory, the Movement Theater Company, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ma-Yi Theatre, NY Stage & Film, and Juilliard. She has an MFA in Dramatic Writing from USC, and a dual Master’s degree in Global Media and Communications from the London School of Economics and USC. She is an alumna of the Ma-Yi writers lab and the Center Theatre Group Writers Workshop, and a cocreator of the Shakespearean web series, Titus and Dronicus. She was a staff writer for the HBO show The Nevers. She wrote the feature film adaptation of Evil Eye, produced by Blumhouse, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
DIRECTOR BIO BRIDGET LEAK (Director) is thrilled to be making her Ensemble Theatre directing debut! Her previous Cincinnati directing credits include Actually with Playhouse in the Park, Playhouse's Off the Hill Series, and both digital and live productions for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Bridget is a 2019 People's Liberty Grant recipient and a Cincinnati Arts Ambassador Fellow. Her production Slut Shaming—commissioned by NYC's The Culture Project—was produced by Xavier University in coordination with their Title IX and Interpersonal Violence Response Office and was awarded the Ignatian Medal for Outstanding Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice. She received her MFA in directing from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. She lives in East Price Hill with her husband, playwright-composer Trey Tatum, their infant Wilder, and pups Pocket and Lint. bridgetleak.com
PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR BIOS
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PRODUCTION BIOS BRIAN c. MEHRING (Set & Lighting Designer) has designed more than 100 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. Mr. Mehring’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. NIKI HERNANDEZ-ADAMS (Costume Designer) is a costume designer for theatre and dance. Her recent theatre designs include The House on Mango Street, Bless Me Ultima, and Blood Wedding, Cara Mía Theatre Company; WET: A DACAmented Journey, Cara Mía Theatre & Ignite/Arts Dallas; Deferred Action, Dallas Theatre Center/Cara Mía Theatre; Elliot: A Soldier’s Fugue, Water Tower Theatre; Seven Spots on the Sun, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Rosmersholm, Pearl Theatre Company; The Glass Menagerie and Mere Mortals, Two River Theatre. Her past assisting credits include The Little Mermaid on Broadway, Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, and Jack Goes Boating at The Public Theatre. Her dance design credits include several years of collaborative work with Peter Kyle Dance, as well as projects with Theatre Lila. SAM WOMELSDORF (Projection Designer) is a drama graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. He appeared at Ensemble Theatre in Side Man, The Maids, and all productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and he did the video design for brownsville song (b-side for tray). A long-time contributor to Cincinnati’s original music scene, past bands of his include Staggering Statistics, Loveland, and Throneberry. He currently plays in Culture Queer. His film credits include Jodie Foster’s Little Man Tate and the locally produced Three Barbecues. Sam is a broadcast video producer and director at The PPS Group. MATT CALLAHAN (Sound Designer) was the Resident Sound Designer for Actors Theatre of Louisville for seven seasons. Some of his most recent designs for Ensemble Theatre include Fortune, Fun Home, and Ripcord. 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 Master/Design Assistant) earned her Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music in 1996 and became Properties Master 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 essential ensemble: The Professional Acting 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.
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Production Bios
PRODUCTION BIOS JACK MURPHY (Technical Director) 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 Illiad, 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) is thrilled to be a part of the Ensemble Theatre family 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 Theatre, 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-College Conservatory of Music. She would like to send her love and thanks to family and friends! LEXI MULLER (Assistant Stage Manager) 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) is in their fifth 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.
LET’S THEATRE TOGETHER
#EtcQueen Production Bios
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WAYS HEADER A 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!
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Register your Kroger Plus Card at www.kroger.com and select ETC–organization BM374.
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ways to give
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 2, 2021 and February 2, 2022.
PLAYWRIGHTS ($20,000+) Anonymous (2) ArtsWave Gale & Dave Beckett The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation The City of Cincinnati Burton & Susan Closson The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc. Friedlander Family Fund Greater Cincinnati Foundation The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./ US Bank Foundation Hamilton County, Ohio LKC Foundation The Mitchell S. & Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation Ohio Arts Council P&G Fund* Palmer/Graber Family Fund The Schueler Group The Sittenfeld Family The Shubert Foundation, Inc. State of Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission State of Ohio Development Services Agency US Small Business Administration
PRODUCERS ($10,000-$19,999) Denise & Martin Chambers Dinsmore & Shohl LLP John & Gloria Goering Family Gift Fund The Donald C. & Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation* In Memory of James A. Markley, Jr. Diane & Dave Moccia PNC Foundation Alis Rule Robinson Dudley S. Taft Foundation Dale Uetrecht
DIRECTORS ($5,000-$9,999) Marcia Banker & Jeff Schloemer Dan Collopy Corky & Rick Family Foundation Crosset Family Fund* Geiger Family Foundation Betty Huck Kenneth T. & Molly M. Mahler Caroline Richards George & Caroll Roden Moe & Jack Rouse Elizabeth Sawyer Selnick Fund* Kate Spencer & Doug Morriss
DESIGNERS ($2,500-$4,999) Anonymous (3) Nicholas Apanius Susan Cohen & Robert Schmuelling Fencl Family Fund* Dr. Robert & Suzanne Hasl Fund Marilyn P. & Joseph W. Hirschhorn Fund* Linda Holthaus & Richard Zinicola† Johnson Investment Counsel Messer Construction Stephen King & Lynne Miller Overbeck Charitable Fund Neal Patel & Dr. Avani Modi† David & Judith Morgan Fund* PNC Foundation Digi & Mike Schueler Sprout Insight LLC Mary Stagaman & Ron Kull
STAGE MANAGERS ($1,000-$2,499) Anonymous (2) Americana Arts Foundation William P. Anderson Foundation Bank of America Charitable Foundation Judith & Louis Belli Malcolm A. & Glenda Bernstein Michael Berry & Melanie Garner Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard 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* Mark Dauner† Kathy DeLaura & Ron Steinhoff† Ehrsam Family Fund* Bob & Mary Fitzpatrick In Memory of Kathy Fuller Jonathan & Kristine Garrett Rita & Dennis Geiger Gilman Family Fund* Dr. & Mrs. Richard Glaser Linda Greenberg Fund* Debra Hartsell & Michael James Marilyn F. Hill Emily M. Hodges & Charles H. Spencer Florette Hoffheimer William & Mary Jane James Robert Keith & Kathleen Thornton Keith Ginny & Rick Kuertz * A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation † Sustaining Donor
Please bring any errors or omissions to our attention by contacting Josh Neumeyer: jneumeyer@ensemblecincinnati.org or (513) 421-3555 x2104.
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STAGE MANAGERS CONT. Chris Lewis & Alicia Bond-Lewis Cindy Mason Sophia McAllister Jill & Bruce Mitchell Anu & Shekhar Mitra Molly North Morris & Patricia Passer Family Fund* Pepper Family Fund* Richard Postler & Manuel Hernandez Mr. & Mrs. Gates T. Richards Charles Scott Riley III Foundation Jessica Ruebusch Jane Ruwet Hopson & Larry Pytlinski Alex & Kim Schutte Marvin & Betsy Schwartz Fund* Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund Norma Skoog Richard & Kathleen Strenk Sonia Wagener Jo Ann Wieghaus Woodward Family Charitable Foundation The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund Andrea Levenson Young Charitable Fund, a Donor Advised Fund of Renaissance Charitable Foundation
CAST ($500-$999) Anonymous Actors' Equity Foundation, Inc. Christine Adams Todd & Ann Bailey The Blatt Family Fund David Brashear Carol Buschur Brian & Elizabeth Coley Andrew F. Cone Margaret & Joseph Conway Jennifer Cook David Crotty & Joan von Handorf Jan Denton Rachel & Bernard Foster Sandi Gans† Bob Gerding Donn Goebel & Cathy McLeod† Hirt Family Charitable Fund Daniel Hurley Keith & Patti James Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Matching Gifts Program Amy Katz & Robert Cohen Dick & Mona Kerstine Beverly Kinney & Edward Cloughessy Sandra Kohn Kroger Community Rewards Program Limestone Fund* Jacqueline Mervis Mack Philanthropic Fund* Aymie Majerski John & Deborah Moffatt Bill & Ruth Morley Patti Myers & Alan Flaherty Neda & Bruce Nutley Tory Parlin Adam Parrish Alice Perlman Thomas & Marianne Phillips Presidential Plaza Associates, LTD Irene & Daniel Randolph Donor Advised Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation Hera G. Reines Steven & Carol Reubel Becky & Ted Richards Stephen & Helen Rindsberg George & Caroll Roden Susan & Clint Schertzer
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the premiere society
Arnie & Ina Shayne Kenneth & Kathleen Skau Susan & David Smith Steven & Sue Steller Elizabeth Stites & Kevin Randall Catherine Northcutt Stratman Charitable Foundation Ellen & Ray van der Horst Jennifer Verkamp Charitable Fund Karen & Barry Webb Pann & Terry Webb† Wuerdeman Family Fund* Dr. David & Cynthia Zink
RUNNING CREW ($250-$499) Anonymous (5) AmazonSmile Foundation Bob Amott & Janice Flanagan Evelyn Banzhaf Jane & Larry Bennett Teresa & Gordon Benson David & Elaine Billmire Richard Block Dawn & Doug Bruestle† Denny & Mindy Burger† Kathy Burklow & John Berlier James & Diane Byerly Patricia & Robert Clary Susannah Davids & Steve Myer† Kelly M. Dehan Steve & Daina Dennis Paul & Bev Diamond† Rick & Tracy Diehl Emilie & David Dressler Fund* Dennis & Catherine Dunwoodie† Barbara Feldmann Larry Freeman Mary Friel Julie Grady Heard Deborah R. Grayson William Groneman & Maureen Flanagan Charitable Fund The Gumbleton Family Lori Hiltenbeitel Teresa Hoelle & Scott Provancher Doug & Marguerite Katchen Sharon Kerns Greg Kloos Carmen & Rich Kovarsky Mary LaBolt Russell Lascelles & Janet Schultz Warren Leight Carol Leslie† David Logan & Dale Hodges Richard & Barbara Males David L. Martin Dr. Ralph R. Meyer Ric Mierenfeld & Kim Heimbrock Danute Miskinis Norah & Joe Mock Michelle Parsons Nancy L. Phelan David M. Piatt Fund* The Reed Family Foundation Darlene Reifenberger Bartley Reitz Marlene Riess Holly Riffe & Sue Roth† Al Roane† Marianne R. Rowe J.R. Rulon† R. Sapona Martha & Lee Schimberg Digi & Mike Schueler P. Robert Schwetschenau
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 x2104 Jane Bogart Sellers† Eli E. Shupe, Jr. & Toby Ruben† Michael Siegrist William Slutz Sara & Gunter Storjohann† Linda Tache Paul & Marion Thoms Marty C. Tomb Anne Trauten Alan & Margie Ullman Rosalie P. van Nuis Barbara & Tom Waldron Priscilla S. Walford Buzz Ward Ann & Victor Warner Jan Welsh & Bruce Fairbanks Jay & Kate Wilford Jeff Wysel David Steven Ziegler† Nora Zorich & Thomas Filardo Family Fund*
APPRENTICES ($125-$249) Anonymous (8) Robert & Janet Banks Henrietta Barlag Wilma & Herbert Beigel Barbara & Wayne Beimesch Bill & Janet Berger Joe & Dianne Berger Mike & Juliette Bezold The Bloch Family Fund Mark Bowen† Mark Breitenstein Deanne Brull & Ed Cohen Daniel Burr Edward F. Buyniski Michele & Kevin Cain† Rebecca Campbell Ann Cochran Strasser Carol C. Cole Lee Crooks & Bill Menrath Barbara Cummins Rose Marie Deibel Charles & Lois Deitschel Mary & Scott Donaldson Cheryl Durie Richard & Deirdre Dyson Charles & Harriet Edwards Patricia Enzweiler PJ Fischesser In Memory of Ardyth Flottman† Ray Geiger Melinda Gilbert Debbie Grossblatt Irving Harris Lyle & Jennifer Horvath James & Robin Huizenga Janice Kagermeier Marvin & Gerry Kraus J.B. Lutz Family Charles & Jennifer Margolis Anne McAdams Sherry & Steve McCamley
Dr. & Mrs. Richard A. Meyer Mary Sue Morrow Heide Moser Barbara Myers Shawn & Marilyn Nolan Paul & Mary Ann Odegard Charlotte Otto Ms. Kathleen O'Connell & Dr. H. Kenneth Peterson Suann Pollock & Scott Mettler Charles Powers Laura Proto Lucy Putnam George & Joan Rebeck Ross Royce Richard Ryan Maria Saldivar Sharisse & A Paloma Santos-Maddox Marcia Banker & Jeff Schloemer† Ronald & Ruth Schmiedeker Mark Silbersack & Ruth Schwallie Barbara Seiver Tim & Michelle Selnick Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund Mary Lee & Louie Sirkin Tim Smith & Penny Poirier Jacqueline & Richard Snyder Laurie & Robert Sternberg Fred & Anne Straus Charitable Fund Robert P. Streicher Dennis & Helen Sullivan Ida & John Tergerson Beverly Thomas Thomas Thompson Tom & Torey Torre U.S. Bank Employee Matching Program Dorothy Wakefield Mary Watkins Larry Weber Michael Wheatley Michael & Susan Whitehead† Patricia Wilson Karen Wittenberg† 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 * A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation HORAN Cincinnati Reds † Sustaining Donor
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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, assistive listening devices, and sensory sensitivity items such as noise-canceling headphones and fidgets. SENSORY-FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES Select performances offered for those with 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.
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patron information
1127 Vine Street circa 1927 Image courtesy of Fifth Third Bank archives.
PARKING Patrons may park at the Gateway Garage (accessible via 12th Street) or at the surface lot, both are 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).
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