|
I suspect a lot of you are Shakespeare fans. If so, you can take your fandom to a higher level by joining the CANON CLUB, a discussion group sponsored by the Mercantile Library (414 Walnut St., Downtown) and by the CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL (CSF). Members aim to read and see all 38 of Shakespeare's plays (aka, the "canon"). The group, led by WILLIAM MCKIM, emeritus professor of English at Northern Kentucky University, met with such a warm response when it was created two years ago that the Mercantile actually created two "clubs," which each meet six times a year on selected Wednesday evenings. Dr. McKim teams with REBECCA BOWMAN, CSF's managing director. He talks about literary and historical aspects of a play; coordinating with a current CSF production, Bowman addresses issues of producing the play. Antony & Cleopatra is the topic this month (CSF's production opens Jan. 12; Canon Club I meets on Jan. 18, and the members of Club II gather a week later, on Jan. 25). Julius Caesar and Richard III will be discussed this spring. New members are invited to join at present, but enrollment is limited to 25 in each group, so if you're interested, get in touch right away by calling 513-621-0717. The cost is $60 annually for Mercantile Library members (if you don't know about this downtown literary treasure, you'll be glad you got involved); it's $75 if you're not a member.
Info: www.mercantilelibrary.org ...
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the HUMANA FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN PLAYS at Actors Theatre of Louisville. It's worth noting that this premiere event — which gets the notice of theater professionals from all over the United States and beyond — happens less than a two-hour drive from Cincinnati. Altogether, this year's festival (March 7-April 8) will feature the work of 16 emerging and established playwrights. In addition to a dramatic anthology piece (a vehicle to feature Actors Theatre's intern company) with contributions from seven playwrights, and a collection of three 10-minute plays, this year's festival includes six full-length plays: Eric Coble's Natural Selection, Rha Goddess' Low's Journey: Diary of a Psychotic Rapper, Jordan Harrison's Act a Lady, Charles Mee's Cassiopoeia, Sharr White's Six Years and Theresa Rebeck's The Scene. Rebeck is a Cincinnati native (she graduated from Ursuline Academy); her play Omnium-Gatherum, the hit of the 2003 Humana Festival, was a runner-up for that year's Pulitzer Prize and was staged by many American theaters, including a New York City production. Over the past two years her one-woman play, Bad Dates, has been one of the most frequently produced plays by America's regional theaters, including a staging at the Cincinnati Playhouse a year ago. The Scene is described as a black comedy that takes on New York, the entertainment industry, marriage and Ohio. It's the story of three old friends who have their middle-aged worlds upended by a young woman looking to make her mark. Humana productions are presented in repertory on three stages, so you need to read the schedule carefully. Info:
 CSF
Shakespeare's Antony & Cleopatra will be discussed at the Mercantile Library's first Canon Club conversation for 2006. Jessica Joplin (right) plays Cleopatra in CSF's production later this month. With her is Corinne Mohlenhoff.
|
I suspect a lot of you are Shakespeare fans. If so, you can take your fandom to a higher level by joining the CANON CLUB, a discussion group sponsored by the Mercantile Library (414 Walnut St., Downtown) and by the CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL (CSF). Members aim to read and see all 38 of Shakespeare's plays (aka, the "canon"). The group, led by WILLIAM MCKIM, emeritus professor of English at Northern Kentucky University, met with such a warm response when it was created two years ago that the Mercantile actually created two "clubs," which each meet six times a year on selected Wednesday evenings. Dr. McKim teams with REBECCA BOWMAN, CSF's managing director. He talks about literary and historical aspects of a play; coordinating with a current CSF production, Bowman addresses issues of producing the play. Antony & Cleopatra is the topic this month (CSF's production opens Jan. 12; Canon Club I meets on Jan. 18, and the members of Club II gather a week later, on Jan. 25). Julius Caesar and Richard III will be discussed this spring. New members are invited to join at present, but enrollment is limited to 25 in each group, so if you're interested, get in touch right away by calling 513-621-0717. The cost is $60 annually for Mercantile Library members (if you don't know about this downtown literary treasure, you'll be glad you got involved); it's $75 if you're not a member.
Info: www.mercantilelibrary.org ...
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the HUMANA FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN PLAYS at Actors Theatre of Louisville. It's worth noting that this premiere event — which gets the notice of theater professionals from all over the United States and beyond — happens less than a two-hour drive from Cincinnati. Altogether, this year's festival (March 7-April 8) will feature the work of 16 emerging and established playwrights. In addition to a dramatic anthology piece (a vehicle to feature Actors Theatre's intern company) with contributions from seven playwrights, and a collection of three 10-minute plays, this year's festival includes six full-length plays: Eric Coble's Natural Selection, Rha Goddess' Low's Journey: Diary of a Psychotic Rapper, Jordan Harrison's Act a Lady, Charles Mee's Cassiopoeia, Sharr White's Six Years and Theresa Rebeck's The Scene. Rebeck is a Cincinnati native (she graduated from Ursuline Academy); her play Omnium-Gatherum, the hit of the 2003 Humana Festival, was a runner-up for that year's Pulitzer Prize and was staged by many American theaters, including a New York City production. Over the past two years her one-woman play, Bad Dates, has been one of the most frequently produced plays by America's regional theaters, including a staging at the Cincinnati Playhouse a year ago. The Scene is described as a black comedy that takes on New York, the entertainment industry, marriage and Ohio. It's the story of three old friends who have their middle-aged worlds upended by a young woman looking to make her mark. Humana productions are presented in repertory on three stages, so you need to read the schedule carefully. Info: www.actorstheatre.org ...
As head of the drama program at UC's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), RICHARD HESS works with a lot of talented actors. Some of them even come back for assistance after graduation. During January Hess will travel to Los Angeles to help ANNIE HENDY (a 2002 grad) stage her new play, The Catholic Girl's Guide to Losing Your Virginity. Hendy came back to Cincinnati in mid-December to work with Hess and DAVID ZELINA (a 2001 grad) to get the show on its feet in advance of a run in L.A., opening on Jan. 25. On Dec. 12, I was part of a small audience invited to watch the comedy about a 25-year-old virgin who desperately wants to get over it. It was easy to envision the show playing well in Cincinnati. Hendy said she might submit it for inclusion in the 2006 Cincinnati Fringe Festival in June.
