Perhaps you’ve been hearing some conversation about the Cincinnati Playhouse moving downtown, which started late last year. Guess it would no longer be the “Playhouse in the Park,” but there are some grand plans for a new theater facility right in the heart of downtown.
If you’d like to learn more, you might want to stop by the Playhouse’s Marx Theatre tonight for the second of two town hall-style meetings about the future. (The first meeting was on Sept. 22.) Playhouse Board President Jack Rouse and Producing Artistic Director Ed Stern will present the pros and cons of the Mount Adams location and what downtown has to offer; there will be a chance for questions from the audience, too.
Rouse says, “Theater is a collaborative art, and we want to mirror that collaborative process as we analyze the important decisions that we will be making concerning our physical theaters and their location.”
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis in the Marx Theatre. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Parking is free (there are no performances at the Playhouse on Monday evenings). Following the presentation, attendees can stay for further conversation with Playhouse board members and key staff in the Rosenthal Plaza. Hors d’oeuvres will be served, and a cash bar is available.
What might become of the Playhouse’s current facility in Eden Park is a big question, as is how a downtown theater complex could be funded. These are important questions for the future of our much-admired regional theater. Sounds like a worthwhile way to spend a few hours on a Monday evening.
– Rick Pender
