In my CityBeat column this week I shared the news that the Acclaim Awards are gone and that the League of Cincinnati Theatres (LCT) have stepped up to create a new awards program. The first two recognitions of the season have been awarded to Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s (ETC) Christmas-in-July celebration, Roger Bean’s Winter Wonderettes. This musical sequel to ETC’s biggest-ever box-office hit, The Marvelous Wonderettes, has earned these awards for its acting ensemble and specialized design.—-
Winter Wonderettes is set on Christmas Day 1968, picking up where the original show left off, a few months following the group’s 10-year high school reunion. A regional premiere, the show celebrates favorite holiday hits from the ’60s, including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Santa Baby,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and “The Man with the Bag.” (Read my review of the production here.)
Awardees for best ensemble performance are Sara Mackie, Mia Gentile, Brooke Rucidlo and Denise Devlin, re-creating the roles they played in May 2010 at ETC. Shannon Rae Lutz and Brian C. Mehring are responsible for the show’s specialized design in set decoration and props.
ETC presents Winter Wonderettes through July 24. Details are available on the theatre’s website at www.cincyetc.com.
LCT was founded in 1999 to strengthen, nurture and promote Cincinnati’s theatre community. LCT provides its member companies and individual members with education, resources and services to enhance the quality and exposure of the theatre community in Cincinnati and to increase community awareness, attendance and involvement.
