There were numerous excellent theater productions during 2025 on Cincinnati stages. CityBeat writers single out several they found that were especially memorable.
Primary Trust, Feb. 1-23, 2025, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
Since winning the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust has been one of the most produced plays in the country. In an era of extreme incivility, Booth creates a lovely world populated with sweet, thoughtful characters. The strong Playhouse cast featured DeShawn Harold Mitchell and Shane Taylor admirably supported by chameleons Lilian Oben and Peter Bisgaier inhabiting multiple roles. The set embodied the magic and whimsy of the story. The kindness of these characters helped Kenneth along on his journey to adapt to unexpected changes and find his place in a challenging world. Watching him connect with his new coworkers and neighbors generated much laughter and a few tears. When Kenneth says, “I don’t believe in God or Heaven or Hell, but I do believe in friends,” it’s impossible to disagree. (Julie Carpenter)
English, March 1–30, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
On its intimate Shelterhouse stage, the Playhouse’s production of Sanaz Toossi’s 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning play portrayed four Iranian citizens struggling to develop fluency in a difficult foreign language, English. Their patient teacher, with her own set of concerns about her nationality and her language, connected with each of them. Her students had individual reasons to become certified by TOEFL, the “Test of English as a Foreign Language.” Toosi’s ingenious script had them speak halting English as they sought proficiency, often shifting into fluent, conversational English during moments of frustration. The story had no singular dramatic moment; rather the personal arcs of each character revealed basic human needs — a qualification for a job, a generational family connection, a desire to appreciate pop culture — that audience members could fully relate to. This thoughtful 95-minute play used warmth and engagement to explore how personal identity is embedded in the language we speak. (Rick Pender)
A Room in the Castle, March 4-April 6, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Shakespeare’s Hamlet found its way twice into Cincy Shakes’ season, from a 2024 summer touring production and a fall staging of Fat Ham, James Ijames’s 2022 Pulitzer Prize winner, prior to staging this show by prolific American playwright Lauren Gunderson. Her 85-minute script was commissioned by Cincy Shakes and co-produced by Washington, D.C.’s venerable Folger Theatre. The three-character play was set in a room in Elsinore Castle: Manipulative Queen Gertrude (Oneika Phillips) advised Ophelia (Sabrina Lynne Sawyer), Hamlet’s on-again, off-again fiancée. A new character, Anna (Burgess Byrd), Ophelia’s lady-in-waiting, served as the young woman’s constant confidante. Guest director Kaja Dunn reinforced the script’s feminist perspective. Snatches of Shakespearean dialogue were used, but most conversations were in contemporary English. It was an intriguing extension of these women, reimagining them in ways that made sense in today’s world. (RP)
Mrs. Dalloway: A New Musical, May 23-June 15, 2025, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
Lindsey Augusta Mercer wrote the book, lyrics and music for this adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel into a world premiere musical. I was not a fan of the novel, so I came to this production with a bit of trepidation but enjoyed it immensely. Christiana Cole, Byron St. Cyr, Bex Odorisio, Noah Berry, Courtney Lucien and Robby Clater brought their roles to life through strong performances and exceptional singing. The musical numbers drew on a wide range of styles, from folk to rock to rap. Mercer cleverly repeated themes and images which gave the disparate musical styles continuity and cohesiveness. I loved the pairing of the characters for unexpected duets and scene partners. The emphasis on the importance of human connection and celebrating life resonated in these post-pandemic, highly fragmented times. (JC)
Tea TIME, May 29-June 13, 2025, Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Full disclosure: I am a tea drinker who has spent 30 years frustrated at the normalization of terrible tea in the United States. As Dame Maggie Smith in The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel said, “Everywhere I’ve been in this country, they slap down a cup of tepid nonsense, you know, with the teabag lying beside it, which means I’ve got to go through the ridiculous business of dunking it in the lukewarm piss, waiting for the slightest change of color to occur.” So with joy and delight, I watched Erika MacDonald’s Cincinnati Fringe Festival show, Tea TIME, one of the fringiest of Fringe shows. Storytelling and performance art, singing and some serious topics — it was weird! But as colonists dumped tea in Boston Harbor 250 years ago, I dumped my expectation of a linear plot at the door and steeped myself in this charming, wandering contemplation on the world’s best caffeinated beverage. MacDonald was an engaging storyteller and performer, and her show was as brisk and refreshing as a proper cup of tea. (JC)
King James, Sept. 11- 27, Know Theatre
Two NBA fans, one Black, one white, come together (and nearly pull apart) around the early career of professional basketball star LeBron James. Rajiv Joseph’s play offered four scenes, termed “quarters,” from 2004 to 2016. But the sport was really the context and metaphor for the ups and downs of this unlikely friendship between the pair of Clevelanders, Matt (Kieran Cronin) and Shawn (Phillip Latham). Staged with insight and feeling in Know’s intimate Underground Bar — doubling as a struggling wine bar — by Darnell Pierre Benjamin, this two-hander offered a highly believable, deeply felt portrait of two young men learning more about what’s truly important in life. The production was a strong and promising kickoff for Know’s new management team, led by Artistic Director Bridget Leak. (RP)
Honorable Mention: Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, May 31-June 22, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
Thanks to Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, I learned a lot about what goes on in hair salons catering to Black women. Jocelyn Bioh’s recent Broadway hit was a 90-minute lesson in the artistry, socializing and humanity of women in this unique universe. Director Torie Wiggins led a top-notch cast through an entertaining and thoughtful story. (RP)
Honorable Mention: Die Hard is a Christmas Movie, Nov. 28-Dec. 21, Know Theatre
This is my new favorite holiday show. In addition to hitting all the best lines/iconic scenes from Die Hard, the show perfectly balances parody and tribute. Maybe its popularity will convince the CSO to screen the film with live orchestration? Please? (JC)
This story is featured in CityBeat’s Dec. 24 print edition.
This article appears in Dec. 24-Jan. 6.