The Playhouse in the Park released a bundle of big news Thursday afternoon.
There was good news about the theater’s capital campaign to fund a new theater complex, which is already under construction in Eden Park. They report having raised $48.2 million of the campaign’s $49.9 million goal to build the 530-seat Moe & Jack's Place – The Rouse Theater, which will replace the Marx Theatre. More than 1,000 donors have signed on to the campaign so far. But the final dollars are often the toughest ones to pick up. You will have your chance, though, when the public phase of fundraising launches in January 2022.
The theater also announced a couple of substantial changes to its plans.
First, about “A Christmas Carol,” the theater’s perennial holiday production. Following this year's production, scheduled to run Nov. 24-Dec. 30, the plan is for the show to go on a one-year hiatus, returning with a completely new production in the fall of 2023, with a new script and new sets.
Also announced this week, instead of opening the new theater in late 2022, as had been previously announced, the Rouse Theater will make its debut in March of 2023. But since the Marx Theatre is scheduled to be razed at the end of the current season, what does that mean for the first months of the Playhouse’s 2022-2023 season? Typically, the Playhouse launches its seasons in late August or early September.
We’re told that two to three shows will be performed at other locations around Greater Cincinnati in the fall of 2022. Later, in the spring and summer of 2023, productions will take place in the Playhouse’s Eden Park location, with at least three in the new Rouse Theatre and two in the Rosenthal Shelterhouse.
Market Bleu
Social media has been filled with almost daily reminders that the autumn edition of Market Bleu, the Contemporary Arts Center’s quarterly showcase for regional artists and artisans, is coming up on Oct. 9. The next one is scheduled for Dec. 4. But personally, I’m thankful for those reminders since I invariably manage to miss these stellar gatherings.
This is not one of those multi-day arts festivals filled with hit-or-miss offerings. Market Bleu lasts just four hours, from 6 to 10 p.m. And the quality of most of the work that I’ve seen there is extraordinary. There are other opportunities out there for lovers of fine art, particularly the Hyde Park Art Show, which takes place on Oct. 2.
Just make sure that you strap on your mask and get to one of these. Artists need our support this year more than ever.
Onstage
Quick shoutouts to a few stage presentations that I find particularly intriguing. Stylistically, they’re all over the place, from belly dancing to Shakespeare. You might not find all of them appealing. But one of the strengths of Greater Cincinnati’s arts community is the breadth of top-level activity available to us.
Oct. 2 – Anaya Belly Dance is a Cincinnati dance company. As the company’s name suggests, belly dance – far more family-friendly than you might be thinking – is the company’s focus. But their performances regularly include all manner of movement. This 7 p.m. performance – it’s titled “What Moves Us” – at the Aronoff’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater, will include performers from Cincinnati Kung Fu and other area groups.
Oct. 8-Nov. 13 – Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is finally able to return to its still-new Otto M. Budig Theater in Over-the-Rhine with “Romeo and Juliet.” Directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin, the production stars acting ensemble members Courtney Lucien and Crystian Wiltshire in the title roles. Note that there are also preview performances on Oct. 6-7.
Oct. 3 – In the wake of its MusicNOW series, the CSO continues with several fascinating performances. Chamber Music at Plum Street Temple features CSO musicians exploring Jewish music as part of the year-long celebration of Jewish Cincinnati’s Bicentennial. Also worth a listen is “Music for Autosonic Gongs,” Oct. 1-3 in the foyer of Music Hall, an audio installation by Jay Schwartz. It’s free.
Oct. 6, 8 – “Sex n' the City: A (Super Unauthorized) Musical Parody” is a ribald musical satire inspired by that show. They’re not allowed to name it, so we won’t either. But you know what we’re talking about – that show with Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. It will be performed in the Aronoff Center’s Jarson-Kaplan Theater.
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