"110 in the Shade" at CCM

“110 in the Shade” at CCM

There’s a ton of theater opening up this weekend, something for just about every taste. But if you’re looking for something free, I have a special recommendation: It’s 110 in the Shade at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music. This is a production in the Cohen Family Studio Theater (an intimate black box venue that seats about 150). The production is in the “Musical Redux” series, bringing back a show that’s not often produced. 110 dates back to 1963. It’s the story of Lizzie Curry, on her way to being an “old maid,” who lives with her dad and her brothers. A charming con man shows up posing as a rainmaker and promises relief to drought-stricken farmers. Is he for real? Lizzie has her doubts, but he works hard to win her over. CCM Studio productions are free, but reservations are required (513-556-4183), and performances are often filled up. This one is likely to be a lot of fun; it’s this weekend only, final performance at 8 p.m. Saturday.

I gave Cincinnati Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew a Critic’s Pick in my CityBeat review here. It’s lusty and lewd, and the battle of the sexes has never been fought in a more entertaining way. Two of the company’s veteran actors, Nick Rose and Kelly Mengelkoch, play Petruchio and Katherine, and they mix it up with with and humor. Definitely an entertaining evening. Tickets: 513-381-2273.
A week ago I had a chance to see one of the Cincinnati Playhouse’s current touring productions (this one is aimed at kids in grades K-3), Bird Brain. It’s funny fable that teaches a lesson that strange behavior isn’t always foolish. More info here. This weekend it will be presented at Springfield Townships Grove Banquet Hall (Friday at 7 p.m.), The Drama Workshop at Glenmore Playhouse in Cheviot (Saturday at 2 p.m.), the Blue Ash Recreation Center (Saturday at 7 p.m.) and The Lebanon Theatre Company (Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m.). Admission is usually free (or very inexpensive). Grab a kid and go.
Other productions opening this weekend: Steve Martin’s very funny farce,The Underpants, kicks off a three weekend run at the Carnegie in Covington. New Edgecliff Theatre, still not in its new permanent home in Northside, is staging David Mamet’s piercing drama, Race, at the Hoffner Lodge (4120 Hamilton Ave., Northside). At Falcon Theatre (636 Monmouth St., Newport) you can catch the first weekend of The Cover of Life, a drama about three young women married to brothers from the same small town who have gone off to fight in World War II. Meanwhile, in Bellevue, Ky., at St. John United Church of Christ, you can see a production of Joanna Murray-Smith’s Honour by WIT-Women in Theatre. The story of three women propelled to ask the question “What is love?” when they’ve been struggling with tough relationships, is onstage for two weekends. Children’s Theatre kicks off two weekends of public performances of Disney’s Aladdin JR. at the Taft Theatre. It’s a stage version of the popular animated musical feature; the production includes jugglers, acrobats and stilt walkers. And Lion King continues its month-long run at the Aronoff. (CityBeat review here.)
Don’t forget that Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. is another quarterly offering from the True Theatre guys at Know Theatre. The theme this time is “true beauty,” with real monologues by people who talk about things they’ve really experienced.
Something for everyone, as they say!
Rick Pender’s STAGE DOOR blog appears here every Friday. Find more theater reviews and feature stories here. 

This article appears in Apr 8-14, 2015.

RICK PENDER has written about theater for CityBeat since its first issues in 1994. Before that he wrote for EveryBody’s News. From 1998 to 2006 he was CityBeat’s arts & entertainment editor. Retired...

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