REGIONAL PREMIERE DRAMA
OCTOBER 10 – NOVEMBER 4, 2017
ENSEMBLE THEATRE CINCINNATI ENSEMBLECINCINNATI.ORG 513.421.3555 #THISRANDOMWORLD @ENSEMBLECINCY
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Season ticket holders get select discounts at the restaurants. Hope you can join us! 4 •
ENSEMBLE THEATRE CINCINNATI THE 2017-2018 OTTO M. BUDIG FAMILY FOUNDATION SEASON D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director
Premiere Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Opening Celebration Sponsor: Messer Construction
THIS RANDOM WORLD by Steven Dietz
Directed by D. Lynn Meyers† October 10 – November 4, 2017 Set & Lighting Designer Sound Designer Costume Designer Properties Master & Design Assistant Production Manager & Master Electrician Technical Director Production Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager
Brian c. Mehring Matt Callahan Reba Senske Shannon Rae Lutz Matthew Hollstegge Jack Murphy Brandon T. Holmes* Elizabeth Freyman*
THIS RANDOM WORLD is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. World premiere in the 2016 Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
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. 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. †
*Cast/production 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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Amazing Experiences Start Here. Discover music, dance, theater, museums, festivals, classes and more with the calendar at CincyArtsGuide.com.
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Gratefully acknowledges our 2017–2018 Season sponsors SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
SEASON FUNDER
OPERATING SUPPORT
SEASON SUPPORTERS
Lucille Carothers Susan Friedlander Mitchell & Jackie Meyers
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH SUPPORTERS
Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation The Charles H. Dater Foundation ETC Fairy Godparent Guild P&G Fund Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation
FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSOR
OUTREACH SPONSOR
CAFFEINATED CONVERSATIONS SPONSOR
GBBN
IN-KIND CONTRIBUTORS
Chet Cavaliere Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, Interpreter Training Program College Hill Coffee Co. & Casual Gourmet LPK OMS Photography Saint Plastering Systems, Inc. Suder’s Art Store Trader Joe's
2017-2018 RESTAURANT PARTNERS We are pleased to partner with the following local restaurants this season in offering our subscribers exclusive discounts:
Macaron bar $5 off a 12-piece box P L AT T E
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Limit one coupon per customer per visit. Coupon must be surrendered at time of purchase. Coupon may not be reproduced, copied, traded or sold. This coupon has no cash value. Good at any Macaron Bar location. Valid: September 1, 2016 - April 30, 2017
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Congratulations Congratulations on youropening opening on your celebrations! weekend celebrations! Messer Construction Co. is honored
Messer Construction Co. is honored to be the builder of choice for to be the builder of choice for EnsembleTheatre Theatre Cincinnati’s Ensemble Cincinnati's expansionand andrenovation. renovation. expansion
Building Better Lives for Our Customers, Communities and Each Other In the last five years, Messer has built and renovated world-class performing arts facilities in Cincinnati valued at more than $100 million with a combined 330,000 square feet of space, emerging as the local leader in performing arts construction management.
@messerwearebldg messer.com
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WELCOME TO YOUR PREMIERE THEATRE We are thrilled to share the newly renovated and expanded Ensemble Theatre with you. All of the changes have been made to ensure that your experience at ETC is exceptional. Since you have filled our seats to capacity, it was essential that we give you new seats! What better way to preserve the integrity of ETC’s mission than to preserve three historic buildings, and connect them with a beautiful glass atrium. All too many of us probably can recall the days of bulletproof front doors and the recessed, dark façade of these beautiful buildings. Now, just as we connect with our community from the stage, our buildings are open and inviting. Original bricks from the early 1900s are connected transparently. Our founders' vision to create a professional theatre dedicated to hiring local professionals and have them make this region their home was bold and creative… and it worked. It has taken 32 years to arrive at today, but that journey has been paved with the finest performers we have ever seen work anywhere. To enhance our mission by embracing new works with a social conscience further underscores ETC’s uniqueness. Be assured that you are part of our Ensemble, you are the reason we are here, you are the reason we have a future and a magnificent new home to share with generations of audiences and artists yet to come. Every patron watching every performance has been, and will continue to be, a part of what is unfolding here. Riding the elevator for the first time, entering the theatre from the top of the house, watching the 1125 bar building become our beautiful new bar, uncovering the worn but readable name on the front of the building, seeing the inside of what held the capitals together, looking overhead to see a catwalk that will safely aid our team to hang lights and watch as the cracked plaster became pristine walls again has been thrilling. However, nothing is more exhilarating than this moment when we get to share it all with you. Thank you to those who have come before and to all of you now. Welcome to the future of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, a future you have made possible. D. Lynn Meyers Producing Artistic Director
Chip Gerhardt President of the Board
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CAST & CREW CAST, IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE Beth Ward.................................................................................. Kelly Mengelkoch* Tim Ward..................................................................................... Patrick E. Phillips* Scottie Ward.................................................................................Annie Fitzpatrick* Bernadette.......................................................................................... Burgess Byrd* Gary.............................................................................................. Justin McCombs* Claire ............................................................................................Brianna Bernard Rhonda .............................................................................................Ernaisja Curry RUNNING CREW Assistant Stage Manager.......................................................... Elizabeth Freyman* 2nd Assistant Stage Manager..................................................................Aaron Krick Assistant Director........................................................................... Griff Bludworth Light Board Operator.................................................................Rebecca Wei Hsieh Sound Operator.............................................................................. Maggie Cramer Wardrobe Crew.................................................................................. Dorothy Jolly Video Operator.................................................................................. Katie Mitchell Running Crew........................................................Reginald Hemphill, Eric Minion, Katie Mitchell, Natasia Reinhardt UNDERSTUDIES Beth Ward......................................................................................... Katie Mitchell Tim Ward ...................................................................................Reginald Hemphill Scottie Ward .............................................................................Rebecca Wei Hsieh Bernadette . ....................................................................................... Dorothy Jolly Gary.......................................................................................................Eric Minion Claire.............................................................................................. Maggie Cramer Rhonda....................................................................................... Natasia Reinhardt SETTING The present. Late winter and early spring. An American city. And Kyoto, Japan. Approximate total running time is 90 minutes with no intermission.
#ThisRandomWorld LET’S THEATRE TOGETHER
@ENSEMBLECINCY 10 •
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BOOK FESTIVAL!
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12 •
DIRECTOR'S NOTES So the question is, “Why choose This Random World?” When we were deciding what show should mark the opening of both our newly renovated Theatre Centre and this new chapter for Ensemble Theatre, we were faced with a seemingly endless list of options: Do we do a major musical—go big and shake the newly painted walls? Do we bring something back to our stage that was relevant in our maturation as an organization? The answer settled gently. When I took a deep breath and looked at who ETC is and what it represents, my eyes landed on a photo from our production of Fiction. So the answer seemed to offer itself to me: we needed a play by Steven Dietz, ETC’s most produced playwright. I had admired This Random World and heard great things about its premiere at Actors Theatre of Louisville. When I picked it up and read it again, I found it simply held within it a light. It is a fresh, optimistic, and gentle look at harsh issues, a play filled with possibilities and intricate perceptions. It is beautiful, charming, and thought provoking. Plays illuminate a world that often makes more sense than the world of our own experiences. Something happens, people are thrown into conflict, they make choices that have clear effects, and things are resolved (for better or worse). In This Random World, Mr. Dietz shows us something very different—a world frustratingly like our own. Characters miss connections, some things may never be fixed, and everything is defined as “an accident.” There’s a beauty in that. We try to force the randomness around us to make sense, but sometimes accidents are just that. We can resist them or we can welcome them. That’s why we embrace This Random World. With all the planning, scheduling, and programming over 32 seasons, this newly renovated Ensemble Theatre is the result of a million beautiful accidental encounters. We ended last season with Mr. Deitz's Bloomsday, a play about what might have been, and open with his play This Random World to acknowledge what is happening in this moment in time, one that will never be repeated. Some accidents along the way have been tragic, but those are just as beautiful and integral to who we are. Ensemble is a random world unto itself, and we hope you find that just as magnificent as we do. -D. Lynn Meyers
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PIQUE YOUR CURIOSITY. The Future is Female will be on view in the 21c Museum November 2017 – September 2018. Located directly across from the Arnoff Center.
Frances Goodman (South African) Medusa, 2013-2014. Acrylic nails, foam, metal.
609 Walnut St, Cincinnati, Ohio 513.578.6600 | 21cCincinnati.com
Be dazzled by the exquisite geometry in this stunning show! Purchase tickets at taftmuseum.org in advance to save!
October 21–January 21 SEASON FUNDER
OPERATING SUPPORT
IMAGE: Hexagon Quilt (detail), possibly made in Kentucky, about 1860–1880. International Quilt Study Center & Museum, University of Nebraska– Lincoln, 1997.007.0598
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the arts are the highest form of expression. PNC is proud to be a part of the Ensemble Theatre. Because we believe in and support everything the arts can accomplish.
©2016 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC
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PROBABLY...OR PROBABILITY by Alexis Jade Colon
In Steven Dietz’s This Random World, character paths cross and converge in surprising ways. But is there a mathematical method to this madness? Can some simple calculating explain a seemingly random world? According to the most recent United States Census (2010), there are approximately 2.12 million people living in the Cincinnati metropolitan region. What are the odds of running into a friend on the street? To figure this out, we first need to make some assumptions: Let’s assume the city is roughly circular, and that there are 10 streets per square mile running in both directions (north and south, east and west). This means there are 2 linear miles of road per square city mile. Some areas have fewer streets and pedestrian areas than others, so we can round that number down to 1 road mile per square city mile. Assume that at any given time there is an average of 25 random people evenly distributed along every city block, totalling 2,500 random people per square mile. Pretend 100 of your friends are evenly distributed among these 2,500 random people. When you walk down these theoretical Cincinnati streets, there is roughly a .05% chance of meeting someone you know. These odds aren’t so great. But what if we add time to the equation? If you’re walking at an average pace of 2 mph (because you’re following traffic laws), you’ll encounter roughly 500 people on your way. If 1 out of every 2,000 people is a friend, you have a 1-in-4 chance of meeting a friend for every hour you walk. With time on your side, the odds of meeting a friend are increasingly in your favor, and you just may stumble upon some serendipity.
Our friends at The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County put together a reading list just for our production, with plenty of titles to feed your interest before and after the show.
The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow (Book) Fluke: The Math of Myth and Coincidence by Joseph Mazur (Book)
The Lower Quarter by Elise Blackwell (Book) Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote (Book) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (Book) The Boys by Toni Sala (Book) Human Acts by Han Kang (Book) Number 11 by Jonathan Coe (Book) Slacker (Movie) Short Cuts (Movie) Serendipity (Movie) All materials available through your local library branch.
PLAN FOR THE HOLIDAYS NOW BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW TO AVOID PRICE INCREASES LATER! Groups of 8 or more save. Call the box office for more information.
WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL
NOV 29 – DEC 30, 2017 • 17
ENSEMBLE THEATRE
‌ last season by the numbers
171
Performances
2,388 Subscribers (highest ever!)
70
Local artists hired
1,309
26,146
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1
Tickets sold
World premiere produced Regional premieres produced New work commissioned
Free tickets distributed to students for Fairy Godmother matinees
Ticket sales cover less than half of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati's expenses.
Without you,
we couldn't tell the the entire story.
I support ETC because...
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Because theater tells us truths about ourselves that we need to hear.
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So youth can be introduced to theater!
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—Anne A.
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To keep Cincinnati full of the ARTS!!
—Kathy S.
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—Jerome K.
3 weeks after moving to Cincinnati “I boughtinmy1997firstandticket have been hooked ever since. ” —Barbara R.
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Please make your tax-deductable gift at ensemblecincinnati.org or 513-421-3555 to support premiere theatre for years to come.
CAST,
in order of appearance
KELLY MENGELKOCH (Beth Ward) is thrilled to be part of this exciting season at Ensemble Theatre, where she has also appeared in The Other Place and Tribes. She is an Associate Artist and resident ensemble member at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, making the Queen City her theatrical home for thirteen years and counting. She has also performed locally with The Human Race Theatre Co., New Stage Collective, and Playhouse in the Park. She sends love, thanks, and adoration to her dear husband and best friend, Jeremy.
PATRICK E. PHILLIPS (Tim Ward) is ecstatic to be back onstage at Ensemble Theatre, having last appeared in Bloomsday. He received his BA in Theatre from Xavier University and was an Acting Intern at Ensemble for the 2014-2015 Season. Some of his previous ETC credits include Cinderella: After Ever After, Luna Gale, Violet, and Sleeping Beauty. His other regional theatre credits include The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre; and Henry VI, Part I, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Saint Joan and Relatively Speaking, Diogenes Theatre Co.; and multiple appearances in Serials! at Know Theatre. He would like to thank Lynn and sends love to his friends, family, Julia, and his beautiful five-month old daughter, Maura! www.PatrickEPhillips.com.
ANNIE FITZPATRICK (Scottie Ward) recently appeared in Bloomsday at Ensemble Theatre. Some of her favorite productions include Luna Gale, Next Fall, Rabbit Hole, String of Pearls, Wayfarer’s Rest, and Earhart. She has received Cincinnati Entertainment Awards for Copperheads, Dinner With Friends, and Mauritius. Other credits include A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Christmas Carol, and Pride and Prejudice, Cincinnati Playhouse; Richard III and Blithe Spirit, Cincinnati Shakespeare; and Pluto and Collapse, Know Theatre. She has worked at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva Theatre, Florida Stage, and Human Race Theatre Co. She was a founding member of The New Group and toured internationally with Murder à La Carte. She’s appeared in numerous soaps and in local and national commercials. TV and film credits include Chicago PD, Those Who Kill, Army Wives, Fun Size, and Milk Money.
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CAST, continued BURGESS BYRD (Bernadette) is thrilled to be back at Ensemble Theatre, having last appeared in Detroit '67. Raised in Louisville, KY, Ms. Byrd has had the great pleasure of finding her theatrical home in Cincinnati. She recently performed in A Raisin In The Sun at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and in the Nicolas Cage movie Inconceivable, filmed in Cincinnati. Some of her favorite credits include Doubt, Avenue Q, Harry and the Thief, Caroline or Change, and the one-person shows Pretty Fire and Neat. Thank you for supporting live theatre! JUSTIN McCOMBS (Gary) couldn't be happier to make his debut with Ensemble Theatre. Originally from farm country in Illinois, he has worked on over 100 productions since moving to Cincinnati in 2006. He is a resident ensemble member at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, where favorite credits include Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Twelfth Night, The Grapes of Wrath, and the title role in Henry V. He has also been seen in Pulp, Silent Sky, and Moby Dick at Know Theatre. Mr. McCombs is the proud husband of local actress Maggie Lou Rader. They live happily with their pets Ollie, Ann, and Leslie in their home in Kennedy Heights. BRIANNA BERNARD (Claire) is thrilled to return to Ensemble Theatre after touring the Midwest as Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre. She was a member of the 2016-2017 Professional Acting Apprentice Company at ETC, where she was seen in ANTIGONE (born against.). Other regional credits include Finding the Falcon (Serials! 5), Know Theatre of Cincinnati; The Winter’s Tale, Bare Bodkins Theatre; and Children of Eden and A Funny Thing…Forum, Black Hills Playhouse. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre from University of South Dakota. Love and thanks to her incredible family and friends, Lynn, and the entire ETC team. www.briannabernard.com. ERNAISJA CURRY (Rhonda) is excited and blessed to be making her debut at Ensemble with this production. A Florida native, she has made Cincinnati her home after completing the Bruce E. Coyle Acting Internship with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Her favorite recent credits include A Prayer for Owen Meany, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Marian, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; and kates, Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Ms. Curry is eternally grateful to her family, friends, and mentors for their continuous love, faith, and support. • 21
THE PLAYWRIGHT STEVEN DIET Z'S (playwright) thirty-plus plays and adaptations have been seen at over one hundred regional theatres in the United States, as well as Off-Broadway. International productions have been seen in over twenty countries and his work has been translated into ten languages. Recent world premieres include Bloomsday (Steinberg New Play Award Citation); This Random World (40th Humana Festival of New American Plays); and On Clover Road (NNPN "rolling world premiere"). Other recent work includes Rancho Mirage (Edgerton New Play Award), The Shimmering, and American la Ronde. A two-time winner of the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays Award (Fiction, Still Life with Iris), Dietz is also a two-time finalist for the American Theatre Critic's Steinberg New Play Award (Last of the Boys, Becky's New Car). He received the PEN USA West Award in Drama for Lonely Planet, and the 2007 Edgar Award for Drama for Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure. Other widely produced plays include Yankee Tavern, Jackie & Me, Shooting Star, Inventing van Gogh, God's Country, Private Eyes, and The Nina Variations. In addition to teaching playwriting and directing at UT/Austin, Mr. Dietz is a Dramatists Guild "Traveling Master," offering playwriting workshops and master classes around the country.
THE DIRECTOR D. LYNN MEYERS (Director) is in her 22nd season as the Producing Artistic Director of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, where she has directed over 80 world and regional premieres, including The Legend of Georgia McBride, Hands on a Hardbody, Detroit ’67, I Am My Own Wife, Next to Normal, and Cinderella: After Ever After. She has directed Off-Broadway at the York Theatre with Marsha Norman’s Traveler in the Dark and James McClure’s Max and Maxie. She has directed extensively throughout the US and Canada and began her career as the Associate Artistic Director at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Aside from directing, Ms. Meyers is also a member of the Casting Society of America, having cast for Hallmark, PBS, CBS, BBC, HBO, MTM, Paramount, and MGM. Her favorite feature credits include Carol, Miles Ahead, The Goat, and The Public, in addition to serving as the Location Casting Director for The Shawshank Redemption. She was named a finalist for the Zelda Fichandler National Award in 2011 and is a past recipient of the YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award. 22 •
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PRODUCTION TEAM BRANDON T. HOLMES (Production Stage Manager) is currently in his sixth season with Ensemble Theatre. Mr. Holmes holds a BFA from Wichita State University in Technical Theatre and Design. He has served as an Assistant Stage Manager with Music Theatre Wichita and the Production Stage Manager for LOOK Musical Theatre in Tulsa, OK, and The Lexington Theatre Company’s production of Legally Blonde. He also interned for two seasons with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Favorite credits include Violet, Thunder Knocking on the Door, Hands on a Hardbody, Merrily We Roll Along (directed by John Doyle), The Legend of Georgia McBride, The Drowsy Chaperone, Miss Saigon, Tribes and Sunset Boulevard. Thank you to Lynn and ETC's incredibly talented production staff for imagining such beautiful productions and creating the magic that is seen onstage. Love to AJ and his wonderful family. Mr. Holmes is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. ELIZABETH FREYMAN (Assistant Stage Manager) became Ensemble Theatre’s Resident Assistant Stage Manager in the fall of 2015 and has worked on every show since. Her other credits include We Will Not Be Silent and Welcome to Fear City, Contemporary American Theater Festival; Le nozze di Figaro, The Princeton Festival; Il Trovatore and Carmen, Knoxville Opera; Magic Flute, Madama Butterfly, South Pacific, and Der fliegende Holländer, Piedmont Opera; Street Scene and La Traviata, Opera North; Don Giovanni and Galileo Galilei, Cincinnati Opera. Ms. Freyman graduated with a BFA from CCM’s Stage Management Program and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity. Love to her amazing family and best friends. BRIAN c. MEHRING (Resident Set & Lighting Designer) has designed over 100 productions at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. 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, 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. SHANNON RAE LUTZ (Properties Master & Design Assistant) earned her Master’s degree from UC-CCM in 1996 and became Prop Master at ETC. 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. Ms. Lutz would like to thank D. Lynn Meyers, Ruth Sawyer, and the Cincinnati theatre community and patrons for their generous, supportive, and tenacious spirit. • 27
PRODUCTION TEAM,
continued
JACK MURPHY (Technical Director) went to undergrad at Hanover College where he studied technical theatre. While there, he spent his summers at several different summer stock theatres such as Georgia Shakespeare Company and the Brevard Music Center’s Janiec Opera Company as a carpenter. After graduation he moved to Bellport, NY, to work for The Gateway Playhouse as a carpenter and rigger. When he left Gateway, he went to work on The Pride of America, a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. After another summer at the Janiec Opera Company, he came full circle and returned home to Cincinnati. Since he has been back, he has also worked with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and River City Scenic.
REBA SENSKE (Costume Designer) is CCM's Associate Costume Designer. She's designed costumes for ETC's Becky's New Car, 33 Variations, Mauritius, Grey Gardens, The Seafarer, Rabbit Hole, Souvenir, String of Pearls, I Am My Own Wife, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), among countless others. Her other credits include ETC's Ugly Duck, Cinderella, The Frog Princess, Alice in Wonderland, and Sleeping Beauty, as well as Side Man, A Question of Mercy, Seascape, and Traveler in the Dark. CCM credits include: Hot Summer Nights, Violet, We Tell the Story, and Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. Other CCM credits include: Singin' in the Rain, The Boys from Syracuse, Oklahoma!, and Big River. She designed Noah's Flood for the May Festival and is Cincinnati Opera's costume coordinator. She designed Song from the Uproar, Ainadamar, Cosi Fan Tutti, and Calisto for the Cincinnati Opera.
MATT CALLAHAN (Sound Designer) was the Resident Sound Designer for Actors Theatre of Louisville for seven seasons. Most recent designs for Ensemble Theatre include Bloomsday, When We Were Young and Unafraid, Cinderella: After Ever After, and brownsville song (b-sdie for tray). Mr. Callahan 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 The 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. 28 •
PREMIERE SOCIETY The Premiere Society recognizes individuals who have made gifts totaling $1,000 or more within the past year. The exceptional generosity of these donors enables ETC to present world class new works and works new to the region by having the resources to achieve the highest level of artistic quality possible. The following list was updated September 18, 2017 and includes donors' names of donors whose gifts total $1,000 + since August 14, 2016. For questions or corrections, please contact the Development Department at (513) 421-3555, option 4. WORLD CIRCLE ($10,000+): Anonymous (3) ArtsWave Gale & Dave Beckett^ The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation^~ Lucille K. Carothers^ Tom & Annette Carothers^ City of Cincinnati^ Burton & Susan Closson^~ Meredythe G. & Clayton C. Daley, Jr. Family Fund*~ The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc. Elsa M. Heisel Sule Charitable Trust Harry & Linda Fath^ William A. Friedlander Fund*^~ GBBN Architects^ Jane & Chip Gerhardt^~ John & Gloria Goering Family Gift Fund Linda Greenberg Fund*^ The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./US Bank Foundation^ Donald C. & Laura M. Harrison Fund* Debbie Hill~ William & Mary Jane James~ The Raymond C. & Anna T. Johnson Foundation Lorrence T. & Barbara W. Kellar Fund*^~ Limestone Fund*^ Macy's Messer Construction Co.^ Mitchell S. Meyers & Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation^ Ohio Arts Council Marilyn J. & Jack D. Osborn Fund* P&G Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Fund PNC Foundation Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation Richard Postler & Manuel Hernandez^ Robert C. & Adele R. Schiff Foundation^ Rosemary & Mark Schlachter^ Digi & Mike Schueler^~ The Shubert Foundation, Inc. Paul & Jill Staubitz^ State of Ohio through the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission^ Estate of Richard Steiner Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation~ Ms. Carol Talbot^~ Dale & Joyce Uetrecht Ginger Warner^ Irwin & Barbara Weinberg~ The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund~ NATIONAL CIRCLE ($5,000-$9,999): Anonymous William P. Anderson Foundation Nicholas Apanius^ Bob & Elaine Blatt * Denotes a Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation ^ Capital Campaign Donor ~ Next Stage Donor
Mary & William Bonansinga Charitable Family Fund*~ Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard~ Denise & Martin Chambers~ Brian & Elizabeth Coley~ Crosset Family Fund* Dennis & Rita Geiger^ Donald & Sally Haffner~ Lauren Hannan Hudson Arleene Keller~ The LaBoiteaux Family Foundation LPK^ Kenneth T. & Molly M. Mahler~ Mark D. Manley & Annette J. Wick~ Drs. Jacqueline & Steven Miller & Family~ Lynne Miller & Stephen King^ Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia~ Norah & joe Mock~ Nilesh Patel & Avani Modi^~ Pepper Family Fund*^ The William O. Purdy, Jr. Foundation Moe & Jack Rouse^ The Sittenfeld Family^~ The Dudley S. Taft Charitable Foundation The Michael Ibold Wilger Foundation The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation REGIONAL CIRCLE ($2,500-$4,999): Anonymous Christine Adams~ Gordon Allen & Linda Baas~ Oliver & Joan Baily~ Jo Ann Casuto~ Kelly M. Dehan Kathy DeLaura & Ron Steinhoff^~ Amy Diamond & Edward Wolf~ Ehrsam Family Fund*~ Mary & Bob Fitzpatrick~ Kay & Jack Geiger~ Shelly Gerson~ Betsy & Tom Hampton~ Suzanne Hasl~ Bob & Judy Heaton~ Betty Huck~ Robert Keith & Kathleen Thornton Keith~ Tim & Grace Kerr~ Anu & Shekhar Mitra~ Dr. Patricia O'Connor Marilyn Z. Ott~ Jackie Reau, Game Day Communications Charles Scott Riley III Foundation Marianne R. Rowe Fund*~ Elizabeth Sawyer Selnick Fund* Mary Stagaman^ Thompson Hine LLP Ed Trach Maureen & Larry Vignola~ Ronna & James Willis Charitable Fund~
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SUPPORTERS ETC gratefully acknowledges the extraordinary individuals, families, and organizations whose generous support makes it possible for us to present exceptional theatre and unique educational outreach programs for our community. The following list was updated September 18, 2017 and includes the names of donors whose gifts total $125+ since August 14, 2016. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. For questions or corrections, please contact the Development Department at (513) 421-3555, option 4. CINCINNATI CIRCLE ($1,000-$2,499): Anonymous (4) Charles Abbottsmith~ Americana Arts Foundation Norman Bates~ Len Berenfield Michael Berry & Melanie Garner~ David Brashear~ Mrs. Charlene Breidster Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Matching Gift Program Dale P. Brown~ Jo Ann C. Brown~ Bryson Family Charitable Fund~ Kenneth R. & Joan L. Campbell Foundation Margaret & Joseph Conway~ Ross Crabill & Bill Arbogast Grace A. Epstein Alessandro Ferraris & Maria J. Martinez, in memory of Gordon Greene Lee & Sue Flischel Fund* GE Foundation Matching Gifts Program Judith B. Green & Thomas M. McDonough Helen & John Habbert~ Irving Harris~ Karlee Hilliard~ Marilyn P. & Joseph W. Hirschhorn Fund*^ Emily M. Hodges, in memory of her husband, Andrew L. Wolf Florette Hoffheimer~ Jane Ruwet Hopson & Larry Pytlinski~ Erin Houlihan & John Bostick~ PJ Keller~ Tom & Sue Kirkpatrick~ Cecilia & Tom Kloecker Kroger Community Rewards Program LaMacchia Family Foundation Chris Lewis & Alicia Bond-Lewis^ Gabe Litwin Ron Longstreth & Allen Black Edward & Anita Marks^ David Martin Philip R. McHugh & Suzanne E. McHugh Mary Ann Meanwell Ihor & Dr. Lisa Jo Melnyk Allen R. Middleton & Gary A. Daniels~ Sue & Michael Miller~ Netherland Rubber Co. Kit & Jack Overbeck~ Joseph A. & Susan E. Pichler Fund* Scott Provancher Bob & Connie Reed Hera Reines~ Steven & Carol Reubel * Denotes a Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation ^ Capital Campaign Donor ~ Next Stage Donor
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Caroline Richards~ Stephen & Helen Rindsberg~ Lee & Martha Schimberg^ Abby & David Schwartz~ Marvin & Betsy Schwartz Fund* Jane Bogart Sellers^ Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund~ Mike & Laconia Smith Kathleen L. Spencer~ Dee Stegman^~ Paula Steiner~ Elizabeth Stites & Kevin Randall Summertime Kids Grant Glenda Suttman^~ Judith B. Titchener Bob & Sue Trusty~ Ellen & Ray van der Horst~ Scott & Vicki Walker~ Steve F. Warkany Fund*^ Jo Ann Wieghaus Andi Levenson Young & Scott Young Mike & Liz Zimmer^ THE ENSEMBLE ($30+ MONTHLY GIFT) Anonymous (5) Mark Bowen Mark Dauner Donn Goebel & Cathy McLeod Linda R. Holthaus J.B. Lutz Family Jane MacKnight & Dennis Johnson David Martin Allen R. Middleton & Gary A. Daniels J.R. Rulon Sara & Gunter Storjohann Pann & Terry Webb THE ENSEMBLE ($15+ MONTHLY GIFT) Michele & Kevin Cain Paul & Bev Diamond Sandi Gans Karen Wittenberg Kathryn Wright ACTORS COLUMN ($500-$999): Anonymous (3) Karen & Fred Abel~ Laura Atkinson~ Bank of America Charitable Foundation Amy Barhorst Malcolm A. & Glenda Bernstein David & Elaine Billmire~ Robert Bloom & Alison Kamine Fund*~ Lowell Bowie~ Brenda Carter^
SUPPORTERS, CONTINUED Mark Dauner Susannah Davids & Steve Myer~ Emilie W. & David W. Dressler Family Fund*~ Jerome & Jean Eichert~ Fencl Family Fund*~ Mary Fiorini Carol S. Friel Gallagher SKS Bob Gerding~ Debra Hartsell & Michael James Jim & Robin Huizenga~ Keith & Patti James Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Matching Gifts Program William & Karen Kent Carmen & Rich Kovarsky Virginia Kuertz~ Warren Leight Bill & Ruth Morley Patti Myers & Alan Flaherty Nancy Ohnmeis~ Presidential Plaza Associates, LTD Becky & Ted Richards George & Caroll Roden Rich & Jess Roedersheimer^ Josh & Kathy Sands John & Martha Spiess Howard & Nancy Starnbach~ The Sweeny Family Charitable Fund, in honor of Jack & Kit Overbeck~ Tom & Kate Tepe Jennifer Verkamp Buzz Ward~ Geraldine Warner Larry Weber Andrea Wiot STAGE MANAGERS COLUMN ($250-$499): Anonymous (9) Actors' Equity Foundation, Inc. American Express Employee Giving Program Amy Alig Albert & Lillian Andrews Gail Barker, M.D. Henrietta Barlag~ Jon & Carol Beeson Karen & Hal Bernstein William & Eileen Bishop Family Fund Walter Blair dabby Blatt The Bloch Family Fund~ Karen M. Blocher~ Mark Bowen Ann & Lee Bulger Cathy Chapman Anne E. Charles, in memory of Richard Charles & Rebecca Parker James Cissell Andrew F. Cone~ Roger Cranos
Charles & Lois Deitschel~ Paul & Bev Diamond~ Duke Energy Phil Fiorini Maureen Flanagan & Will Groneman Debbie Friedman & Joe Segal Donn Goebel & Cathy McLeod Mrs. Madeleine H. Gordon The Gumbleton Family~ Mary Pat & Jeff Harris Sue Harris & Meredith Green Julia Hawgood & Harry Kangis Matthew Hollstegge Linda Holthaus Doug & Marguerite Katchen~ Jane Kettlehake Elizabeth Krone Al & Mary Lopez John & Kathy Lorenz~ J.B. Lutz Family Jane MacKnight & Dennis Johnson Dick & Barbara Males Patricia McKay William M. & Karen P. McKim John & Julie Mellott~ Dr. Ralph Meyer William & Sibyl Miller Hatsuki Miyata John & Deborah Moffatt Mary Sue Morrow Nora & Michael Moushey Roy & Cheryl Newman Fred & Leila Oliver~ Victoria Parlin~ Terry & Jill Parsons~ Nancy L. Phelan~ Richard & Margaret Porter Sara H. Pritchard Jared Queen Irene & Daniel Randolph Donor Advised Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation Blake Robison & Connan Morrissey J.R. Rulon Carol Schaber Christine Schoonover & George H. Verkamp~ Kris & Jack Schwein Eli E. Shupe, Jr. & Toby Ruben Jon & Ruth Singer~ Ed & Anne Stern Ken & Ann Strunk~ J. Michael & Patricia Thierauf Tom Umfrid & Phil Tworek Nancye & Thomas Van Brunt~ Priscilla S. Walford Ann & Victor Warner Wendy & Norm Wasserman Karen & Barry Webb Pann & Terry Webb Wuerdeman Family Fund*~ Fred Yaeger & Lisa Staggenborg
* Denotes a Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation ^ Capital Campaign Donor ~ Next Stage Donor
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SUPPORTERS, CONTINUED CREW COLUMN ($125-$249): Anonymous (9) Marjorie & David Aaron Lois Annich & Richard Israel Dan & Susan Ansel Peg & Tom Bach Wilma & Herbert Beigel^ Mary Ann Bender Jane Bennett Bill & Janet Berger~ Allen Bernard & Virginius Hall Mike & Juliette Bezold Anna Braam Clint Bramkamp & Sheila Mudd Baker Wini Bruening Jeff & Gay Bullock Michele & Kevin Cain Sally Chatfield Dunn Susan Cohen & Robert Schmuelling Philip & Marjorie Compton Barbara Cummins Steve & Daina Dennis Downtown Resident Council~ Jane & Igor Dumbadze Charles K. Eckert Charles & Harriet Edwards Louis Enzweiler & Dale Brown Linda Erpelding~ Carol Friedman Sandi Gans Bob Gaston, DVM Joanne Glaser~ Eugenie Goggin Elaine & Joseph Grever Lois Gushin Judy & Alan Guttman Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell Habib Gary & JoAnn Hagopian Barbara & Jack Hahn, in Memory of Ruth D. Sawyer Joe & Susan Harten Mr. & Mrs. John Heldman^ Theresa Crittenden Henderson Ann Hicks Jacquelyn Hirt David & Karen Hoguet Cindy & Bill Hopping Daniel Hurley^ Marilyn Hurrell~ Ken & Christine Jones~ Dr. James & Harriette Katz Tana Kirkbride & Amit Gupta Pinky & Sam Kocoshis Marvin & Gerry Kraus Susan Kruezmann Wayne & Karen Krueger Mary Labolt John & Pat Leikhim Barbara Lind David Logan & Dale Hodges~ Charles & Jennifer Margolis~ * Denotes a Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation ^ Capital Campaign Donor ~ Next Stage Donor
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Carol Miller Meibers Nancy Gordon Messer Jan & Marilyn Methlie F. Lee Meyer mj Dynamics Sally Moore Ardythe Morrow Jack & Ruta Mueller~ Patricia Nagelkirk Wafa Nasser~ Neda J. Nutley Ms. Kathleen O'Connell & Dr. H. Kenneth Peterson Paul & Mary Ann Odegard Nan Oscherwitz Ken Oswald Eugene & Barbara Otting Bill & Nancy Phelan David M. Piatt* Barbara & Michael Porte~ Michael Ramundo & Beverly Thomas Barbara & Dave Reaman Deborah Rieselman Don & Connie Roesch Sondra & Fred Ross^ Richard Russell~ Sally & Howard Sampson Alfred & Stephanie Sassler Jim Schmidt Jeanie Schmidt William C. Schutzius Mark Silbersack & Ruth Schwallie~ Peter Seidel Patrick & Ida Sepate Grace Sferra Sabrina Shattles Elaine Shinkle Linda Silvati Mrs. Barbara Simon Mary Lee & Louie Sirkin Susan & David Smith Robert & Myfanwy Smith Jackie & Dick Snyder~ Carol Sparks Keven Speece~ Wanda Spivey Sara & Gunter Storjohann Fred & Anne Straus Charitable Fund^ Dennis & Helen Sullivan Linda Trebbi Rosalie P. van Nuis Joseph Wessling Debbie & Richard Westheimer Lois Widlansky Karen Wittenberg Kathryn Wright Fred Yaeger & Lisa Staggenborg Rich Zureick
BOARD AND STAFF EXECUTIVE BOARD Stephen M. King, Chair Chip Gerhardt, President Kathy DeLaura, Vice President Mike Zimmer, Treasurer Nick Apanius, Secretary
Founders' Circle Ruth D. & John Sawyer Ken & Mary "Murph" Mahler Dr. Charles O. Carothers
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF D. Lynn Meyers The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler Producing Artistic Director
Richard J. Diehl Managing Director Laura Proto Director of Development
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Alicia Bond-Lewis Otto M. Budig Melanie Burden Lucille Carothers Brenda A. Carter Susan Friedlander Dennis Geiger Mitchell Meyers
Nilesh Patel Richard L. Postler Jackie Reau Rich Roedersheimer Paul G. Sittenfeld Mike Smith Mary Stagaman
Directors Emeriti Skip Hickenlooper Edward G. Marks
Financial Advisor Chet Cavaliere
PRODUCTION STAFF Brian c. Mehring Resident Set & Lighting Designer
Matthew Hollstegge Production Manager & Master Electrician
Jocelyn Meyer Director of Marketing & Communications
Shannon Rae Lutz Properties Master, Design Assistant & Director of Apprentice Programming
Amy Barbian Marketing Manager
Jack Murphy Technical Director
Lauren Carr Director of Education & Outreach
Doug Stock Assistant Technical Director
Lauren Bowler Education Associate: Hunter Heartbeat Program
Brandon T. Holmes Production Stage Manager
John Diehl Operations Associate PATRON SERVICES Jared D. Doren Patron Services Manager
Elizabeth Freyman Assistant Stage Manager Starr Fish Costume Assistant Rachel Kuhn Scenic Charge Artist/Production Assistant
Amy Weinstock Assistant Box Office Manager
SECURITY Nick Ligon
Associates Jared Earland Becca Howell Patrick E. Phillips Sharisse Santos Becca Schall Jacob Zimmerman
PROFESSIONAL ACTING APPRENTICES Maggie Cramer Aaron Krick Reginald Hemphill Eric Minion Rebecca Wei Hsieh Katie Mitchell Dorothy Jolly Natasia Reinhardt
Lead Bartender Sara Agee
ADMINISTRATIVE INTERNS Alexis Jade Colón Carmen R. Lawrence
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BOX OFFICE POLICIES ENSEMBLE THEATRE CINCINNATI 1127 Vine Street | Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 | www.ensemblecincinnati.org | (513) 421-3555 ETC BOX OFFICE HOURS & ACCEPTED PAYMENT Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 2 hours prior to curtain. Weekend hours vary. VISA, MC, Discover, and AmEx are accepted, as well as Downtown Gift Cards. TICKET RESERVATIONS & SALE POLICY Reservations can be made by calling the box office, in person, or online. Ticket reservations are not accepted via email. Single-ticket purchases are a final sale with no refund. Single tickets may, however, be exchanged for another performance during the run of a show for a fee, but may not be exchanged from one production to another. If a patron is a no-show for their reserved performance, ETC is under no obligation to reschedule his or her tickets. TAX CREDITS If for any reason 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. No-shows or tickets released after curtain time do not qualify as tax credits. 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. LATECOMERS & ADMITTANCE Latecomers will be 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. RESTROOMS Public restrooms are located in the first and third floor lobbies. Should you need to use the restroom during a performance, readmittance will be at House Manager's discretion. ACCESSIBILITY Please notify the box office in advance if you require wheelchair-accessible seating or have special seating needs and our staff will be happy to accommodate you. Audio-enhancement and large print programs available. Generally, sign-interpreted performances are on the third Wednesday of every production. CAMERAS, CELL PHONES & STAGE Actors’ Equity Association strictly prohibits the use of cameras or recording devices (including camera phones) in the theatre. Kindly turn off any cell phones or pagers prior to the show starting. Text messaging during the show disturbs other audience members and actors and will not be tolerated. For safety reasons, audience members are strictly prohibited from standing, sitting or otherwise being or putting anything onstage at any time. GROUPS & DISCOUNTS Groups of 8 or more can save on single-ticket prices. Student rates, rush discounts, Public Radio Perks Card, AAA, ArtsWave ArtsPass, Enjoy the Arts, and educator and military member discounts available (please consult your appropriate membership(s) for details and exclusions).
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imagination THE STAGE IS SET FOR ENDLESS
4949 Tealtown Road, Milford, OH 45150
www.CincyNature.org