CityBeat | May 28, 2025

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Marriage Equality, 10 Years Later: Obergefell Unsettled and Under Pressure

“Love wins” was the declaration in 2015. Will it remain victorious in 2025 and beyond?

BY JONATHAN KEILHOLZ

On June 26, 2015, exhilarated crowds gathered from outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., to Downtown Cincinnati. Rainbow flags flew as word spread, network news broke into programming and phones lit up: same-sex marriage was now legal nationwide. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that the Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry.

The ruling had special meaning in Cincinnati because the case originated here. Plaintiff Jim Obergefell sued to have his Maryland marriage to his late husband, John Arthur, recognized in their home state of Ohio. After Arthur’s ALS diagnosis, the couple flew to Maryland to marry on the tarmac of an airport, inside a medically equipped plane, in 2013. When Arthur passed away months later, Obergefell sued to have their marriage listed on the death certificate — a fight that would reshape the legal definition of marriage.

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati initially upheld the state’s ban (under then-Attorney General and now-Gov. Mike DeWine), which set the stage for the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The dissenting minority — Justices Samuel Alito, John Roberts, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas — argued that the court had overstepped its constitutional authority by legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. They

believed the decision represented judicial overreach, asserting that the Constitution does not explicitly grant a right to same-sex marriage and that such a major policy change should come from voters or legislatures, not the courts.

But they were overpowered by the majority — Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Anthony Kennedy and Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Kennedy, writing for the majority, declared: “No union is more profound than marriage. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.” LGBTQIA+ Americans across the country, like College Hill couple Bruce Preston and Doug Ignatius, felt euphoric after hearing the Supreme Court decision. The two later married and chose to keep their last names to honor who they’d been for their 20-plus years together.

“It was the Friday to kick off Pride weekend in Cincinnati, and people were literally getting married on Fountain Square,” Preston recalled to CityBeat, noting that he found out about the court’s decision at work. “I ended up crying at a company meeting. There were celebrations everywhere. It led into that Pride weekend. Jim Obergefell and John Arthur were dear friends of ours. We saw Jim at Pride getting interviewed by national media. We went up and gave him a big kiss and said, ‘We don’t want to bother you, but congratulations.’”

Wedding bells from Washington, D.C. to Washington Park in Cincinnati

“What I remember most [about June 26] is walking the dogs and coming up with a plan for getting married,” Ignatius

said. “It was celebratory, but it was also like, ‘Oh, we’re going to do this.’”

It’s hard to quantify how many LGBTQIA+ couples tied the knot in the aftermath. Exact numbers were not comprehensively tracked in real-time, but in the days after the ruling, it’s fair to say media reports covered thousands of licenses being issued all over the country.

The Williams Institute (a think tank at UCLA Law) estimated that by mid2016, more than 100,000 same-sex marriages had taken place in the U.S. (including marriages in states where it was already legal).

Preston said the two received their marriage license at the Hamilton County Courthouse and tied the knot in Washington Park less than three months after the Obergefell ruling: Sept. 1, 2015.

“I insisted on Sept. 1,” Preston said in a joking tone. “It was sort of our

College Hill couple Bruce Preston and Doug Ignatius getting married in Washington Park. PHOTO: PROVIDED

‘gotcha’ date, which I had forgotten a few times. I didn’t need another day to remember.”

Preston was so adamant that the calendar was no concern: They exchanged vows on a Tuesday.

“A friend of ours is a judge, Jody Luebbers, and years ago she asked, ‘Would you guys ever consider getting married?’” Ignatius recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, yeah, when it’s legal everywhere.’ And she said, ‘Well, you know, judges can marry people.’ So when it became legal, we called her up, and she said, ‘Absolutely.’ And she came from the courthouse, and a few of our friends who are lawyers were there and said, ‘Where are you going?’ She goes, ‘I’m going to go marry Doug and Bruce.’ They asked, ‘Can we come?’ She goes: ‘It’s a park; come on.’”

The pair called it a guerrilla wedding.

“We had no legal permits,” Preston said, laughing. “We just showed up and did it.”

A decade on: legal recognition, political uncertainty

We often hear about the jubilation that followed the landmark Obergefell ruling, but for LGBTQIA+ folks, the moments leading up to the decision were often stressful and scary — feelings that are bubbling up again today.

“We had heard the oral arguments,” Preston said. “It was pretty sobering to hear people debating whether or not you — as an American citizen — are entitled to participate in things that matter to your life. We didn’t know how they would roll. We didn’t know how they would come down. They waited ‘til the last decision to announce it, and when it came down, it was really life changing.”

“I think we were all hoping for the best and maybe expecting the best, but you never know. You see how things can turn very quickly,” Ignatius said, referencing the last decade’s conservative shift of the U.S. Supreme Court. “If it would have been in a different court, it could have been shot down, right? It could still be shot down.”

LGBTQIA+ folks and advocates will say today’s legal landscape feels chillier than the summer of 2015. Part of that is because, in 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal protection of a patient’s right to decide to terminate a pregnancy, sparking fear among civil rights advocates that other precedents — not just abortion — could be reconsidered. Justice Thomas, in a concurring opinion, openly suggested that the court should “revisit” its past rulings on contraception, sodomy and — yes — same-sex marriage.

“If you could take a precedent like

Roe v. Wade and overturn it 50 years later, you can certainly take a precedent like Obergefell v. Hodges and overturn it 10 years later,” Preston said. That’s not just the sentiment of the general population. Various legal scholars warn that Obergefell’s protections could be vulnerable. Others point to congressional passage of the Respect for Marriage Act — which requires states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states — as a layer of defense, but not a constitutional guarantee.

What would overturning Obergefell look like?

The U.S. Supreme Court could revisit Obergefell if the right kind of case makes its way up through the courts. It wouldn’t necessarily start with someone saying “let’s overturn marriage equality,” but it could begin with a narrower challenge, like a dispute over parental rights or benefits for same-sex couples. If a lower court were to rule in a way that limits those rights and the case is appealed, the justices could choose to take it up. That would give them a chance to either reaffirm or start to limit Obergefell

The key issue here is the 14th Amendment (which was pivotal in Obergefell, as well). The original ruling hinged on due process and equal protection clauses, which critics argue have been stretched too far to include marriage rights. If the court continues to adopt a narrower reading of constitutional rights – as it did with abortion – it could claim that same-sex marriage isn’t a deeply rooted right in American history and therefore not protected.

So while marriage equality is still the law of the land, its future could very much depend on who’s sitting on the bench — and what kinds of cases they choose to hear.

“It will take some time to work its way through the courts, but it could happen,” Ignatius said. “And I don’t doubt the people behind Project 2025 are working towards something like that […] simply because they don’t accept us.”

Defining parental rights in post-Obergefell Ohio

While the constitutional entirety of the Obergefell case is weighed, the existing law’s details are still being litigated, as well. In April, the Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could redefine the parental rights of samesex partners who were in relationships before Obergefell, but never legally married.

The Ohio Supreme Court case involves Cincinnatian Carmen Edmonds and Priya Shahani who were

partners for 12 years and raised three children together. Edmonds said they would’ve been married had they had the option. So when they separated in 2015, just before the Obergefell ruling, Edmonds felt she should have parental rights.

“I have been with my kids since they were born,” Edmonds told CityBeat. “I’ve been nurturing. I’ve been a mother in every sense. And the idea that someone does not recognize that is scary.”

Shahani’s legal team argues there was no marriage, no adoption and no formal legal recognition.

Ohio Capital Journal reports that Paul Kerridge, Shahani’s attorney, has called the “would-have-been-married” standard “unworkably speculative.” Shahani has asked for privacy for herself and her family at this time.

Edmonds’ attorney, Jonathan Hilton, said this would be different if the pair had been a heterosexual couple and gay marriage had been legal.

“Just because a child was born in Ohio at a time when we didn’t recognize same-sex marriage, that shouldn’t stop them from having two moms legally recognized today,” Hilton told CityBeat.

A decision could come from the Ohio Supreme Court in the coming months. If the losing party at the Ohio Supreme Court level argues that its federal constitutional rights – like those under the 14th Amendment (due process or equal protection) – have been violated, they can petition the U.S. Supreme Court for review. But the high court must decide if the issue has federal relevance.

Jim Obergefell’s ongoing legacy

Jim Obergefell’s name became synonymous with marriage equality. A decade after his U.S. Supreme Court victory, he’s still appearing in Cincinnati – and still advocating.

In 2016, Obergefell co-authored the book Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Debbie Cenziper. The book is part memoir, part legal thriller.

In 2022, Obergefell ran for the Ohio House of Representatives for Ohio’s 89th legislative district covering Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties. In the August 2022 Democratic primaries, Obergefell ran unopposed and won. But he was defeated by Republican incumbent D. J. Swearingen, who won re-election.

And today, Obergefell is involved in civil rights advocacy and continues to speak about the importance of LGBTQIA+ rights and the ongoing fight for equality. In May, he participated in the American Sign Museum’s “Signs

& Spouses” exhibit, which celebrates LGBTQIA+ history in Cincinnati. He’s officiating a vow renewal ceremony — continuing to help others affirm their love, legally and publicly.

In March, at a speaking engagement at Northern Kentucky University, Obergefell reflected on the upcoming anniversary.

“This [...] was such a beautiful day,” Obergefell said in a Spectrum News report. “It gave hope to millions of people, made millions of people feel more part of ‘We the people.’”

But he acknowledged the fight is far from over.

“We have to work together to ensure every marginalized community can enjoy those rights that we’re supposed to enjoy,” Obergefell said.

What’s next and what’s really on the line?

LGBTQIA+ couples, families and advocates are looking beyond anniversaries and museum exhibits. They’re watching the courts and the candidates for next year’s midterm elections.

For them, reflecting on 10 years of marriage equality is not just about reflecting on the victory — it’s about reflecting on the fight. Some members of the LGBTQIA+ community feel the gloves will have to come off again.

“I think the lesson [of the Obergefell decision] is don’t give up,” Preston said, acknowledging the importance of fighting for future generations. “The lesson is keep fighting for your right and your place and your equality. Demand it, and don’t give up for anything less.” State-level cases like the one in Ohio exemplify how much marriage equality is still being debated. While federal protections remain in place, shifts in judicial philosophy, local legislation and national leadership could all shape the near future.

“We’ll coalesce quickly if they start poking the bear,” Ignatius said. “It’s all embedded in hate. And it’s so sad that their life view is so myopic.”

For Preston, the question is very simple, but he actually didn’t understand the why until long after the wedding bells chimed.

“My mother said to us, ‘Marriage will change everything for you,’” Preston recalled. “And I said, ‘Mom, we’ve been together for 21 years. What’s going to change? Really?’ She said, ‘I can’t explain it, but everything will change.’” Preston paused, taking a breath.

“She was right,” Preston said, his voice breaking slightly. “She was right. Everything changed. At work, I don’t have to talk about my boyfriend or partner. I can say, ‘Husband.’ It changed overnight, so many things. To think that can all be taken away from you … it’s scary.”

Hinton Jr. Case: Ohio AG Calls on Lawmakers to Ban Crowdfunding for Criminal Defense

BY MADELINE FENING

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said he’s looking into several options to halt fundraising efforts for Rodney Hinton Jr., the man accused of intentionally running over and killing Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson earlier this month.

During a May 20 press conference, Yost condemned several online fundraisers for Hinton Jr.’s family, some created by the family members themselves.

“We shouldn’t be crowdfunding an evil-doer,” Yost said.

Citing so-called “Son of Sam” laws, which bar people from profiting off their own story if it stems from a violent crime, Yost called on Ohio lawmakers to pass a law barring crowdfunding for criminal defendants.

“There’s constitutional rights to have a defense against a crime, and the city of Cincinnati and the county of Hamilton County and the state of Ohio are going to provide an indigent defendant with the resources to do that if they’re unable to provide it for themselves,” Yost said. “That’s different than going out on the street and using technology to crowdfund nationally. I think it’s a horrible use of the charitable system, and I’m against it.”

Several fundraisers associated with Hinton Jr. are active on the crowdsourcing website GiveSendGo, a competitor to the popular crowdsourcing site GoFundMe. GoFundMe removed fundraisers related to Hinton Jr. after receiving pressure from Ohio’s law enforcement community, which Yost said was consistent with GoFundMe’s company policy. Yost wants GiveSendGo to follow suit as Hinton Jr.’s immediate relatives continue to raise tens of thousands of dollars on the platform.

“I think it should be the policy of Ohio that crowdfunding platforms are not permitted to raise money on the backs of a notorious, disgusting crime,” Yost said. Gottesman said State Rep. Cindy Abrams (R) is working on a bill that would address Yost’s concerns.

How much has been raised for Rodney Hinton Jr.?

The main fundraisers related to Rodney Hinton Jr. have raised nearly $100,000 in recent weeks. Key Hinton, Hinton Jr.’s sister, has raised $50,000 on GiveSendGo to “help my brother and family with any decisions that need to be made,” according to the fundraiser description. The URL for Key Hinton’s fundraiser reads “RodneyJrlegalservices,” suggesting that some funds may go towards his privatelyhired attorney, Clyde Bennett. Hinton Jr.’s wife, Anna Booker-Hinton, has raised nearly $48,000 on GiveSendGo, which she

specifies will go towards “legal fees and support for his children.”

“I am now trying to provide a stable, secure environment for our children as we navigate this nightmare,” BookerHinton’s fundraiser blurb reads. “I am humbly asking for your help in two crucial ways: 1. Donations for Rodney’s legal fees and support for his children. 2. Prayers and peaceful support.”

Zachary Gottesman, the attorney representing Deputy Henderson’s family, questioned the honesty of these fundraisers, saying there’s “no accountability” for how GiveSendGo funds are distributed.

“Let’s not kid ourselves, they’re not under oath when they write those blurbs on GiveSendGo,” Gottesman said. “I guarantee you this money is not being used for criminal defense dollars.”

Users who search Hinton Jr.’s name on GiveSendGo will find several questionable fundraisers that appear to be copycats of official fundraisers from the family, but those have raised little to no money.

Ryan Hinton

Hinton’s family is also raising money for matters related to the death of their 18-year-old son Ryan Hinton, who was shot and killed by a Cincinnati Police officer on May 1.

Ryan Hinton was running from CPD

officers during a stolen car investigation in East Price Hill when an officer fired five rounds at Hinton, who was armed, according to CPD. Chief Teresa Theetge said the officer, who has not been named, fired as Hinton was running because he saw Hinton point a gun at him, but shaky body camera footage provided by the department makes this difficult to see. Internal and external investigations into Ryan Hinton’s death are still ongoing. Prosecutors allege it was this shooting that sparked the chain of events leading Hinton Jr. to intentionally kill Deputy Henderson, who was not involved in the death of Ryan Hinton.

A fundraiser on GoFundMe has raised more than $80,000 for “seeking justice for Ryan in the form of legal representation and a proper memorial for his life.” Yost said fundraising efforts for costs related to matters of Ryan Hinton’s death are different from the fundraisers for his father, Hinton Jr.

“This is two separate cases,” Yost said. “If there’s a website, if there’s a funding page for him to help with his funeral expenses, to help his family, that’s a different kind of thing than what we’re talking about here today. Why all of us are here is because his father used his motor vehicle as a deadly weapon and killed a man who had nothing to do with this.”

The Vice President speaks on the case

Vice President JD Vance, a Middletown native, made similar comments on the death of Deputy Henderson during a National Police Week breakfast hosted by the VP on May 14.

“The gentleman who was killed, his father started to hate police because of it,” Vance said of Rodney Hinton Jr. “And maybe he already hated police before then, but he decided he wanted to take revenge on police – not even on the officer who took the life of his son, but on a totally different police officer, just to exact revenge against the police in that area of the country, which, of course, is my hometown.”

Vance went on to refer to Hinton Jr. as a “bloodthirsty criminal” in his speech, which was attended by state and local law enforcement officers.

“[Deputy Henderson] was helping people at the University of Cincinnati when he was mowed down by a bloodthirsty criminal, who exacted revenge for something a police officer was actually legally entitled to do,” Vance said.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Hinton Jr., who has pleaded not guilty in the death of Deputy Henderson.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost addresses recent crowdfunding efforts associated with Rodney Hinton Jr. during a May 20 press conference.

PHOTO: OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL FACEBOOK LIVE SCREENSHOT

THE PRIDE ISSUE:

DRAG QUEENS IN THE LEGISLATIVE SPOTLIGHT

SUPPORTERS SAY HOUSE BILL 249 IS ABOUT PROTECTING KIDS. CRITICS SAY IT’S A THINLY VEILED CULTURE WAR THAT ENDANGERS FREE EXPRESSION AND QUEER LIFE. HERE’S WHAT’S ACTUALLY IN THE BILL, AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN.

BY MADELINE FENING

Lady Phaedra has performed drag for 20 years in Cincinnati and across the country. Being a drag queen has caused Phaedra to become an “accidental activist,” she tells CityBeat while speaking out against HB 249.

PHOTO: AMY ELIZABETH

Rep. Josh Williams, a Republican from the Toledo area, told CityBeat he started receiving photos from his constituents that caused him alarm.

“My constituents have sent me photos of what they consider borderline obscenity or obscene conduct in the presence of a minor,” Williams said in an interview with CityBeat

CityBeat requested a copy of these photos from Williams’ office, but we haven’t received anything yet. A quick Google search turned into a days-long hunt for documented proof of the concerning behavior described by Williams, but nothing yet. While CityBeat waits for these photos to appear, we have to rely on Williams’ strong conviction that, in Ohio, there are drag queens performing so sexually for children that it should amount to a crime.

So, welcome to the stage…House Bill 249, or you can refer to her by her drag name, the “Indecent Exposure Modernization Act.”

But this is the second time this bill has been introduced – the first version, House Bill 245, died in committee last year. Now, Williams and his fellow primary sponsor, Rep. Angela King (R-Celina), are confident this bill will make it to the finish line.

“No other state has drafted legislation that mirrors this,” Williams told CityBeat CityBeat asked Williams if part of his extensive research for drafting this bill included attending a drag show.

“Absolutely not,” Williams replied firmly.

Those who live, work and believe in the world of drag told CityBeat why they think this bill is both dangerous and unnecessary, while legal scholars walked us through the winding details of the proposed legislation, underscoring the ambiguity and the calculated specifics behind what LGBTQIA+ advocates call, plain and simple, a drag ban.

A TARGETED FIX OR A CULTURE WAR PROXY?

House Bill 249 expands the definition of “adult cabaret performances” under the Ohio Revised Code to explicitly include performances by individuals using prosthetic body parts to simulate nudity. The bill would limit such performances in public or anywhere minors could be present, imposing potential criminal penalties on those who violate it.

Opponents argue the bill targets drag performers without naming them outright, sidestepping constitutional protections by framing it as content-neutral. But State Rep. Dani Isaacsohn, a Democrat from Cincinnati, believes the bill is ultimately a smoke and mirrors show.

“This is the strategy,” Isaacsohn told CityBeat. “Distract with culture war bills

that get headlines, that aren’t going to go anywhere or don’t have a real impact on people’s lives, while at the same time pass legislation that will either actively do harm or fail to pass legislation that would make a real difference for people.”

CityBeat was able to connect with one of the bill’s 42 cosponsors by press time, State Rep. Mark Johnson (R-Chillicothe). Johnson appeared to know little about the bill he signed onto.

“I mean, this is not my forte,” Johnson told CityBeat following a question on the bill’s necessity. “This is the two sponsors’ bill. You know, I’m not going to be critical of what they chose to do, they just asked me to co-sponsor, and I said, ‘Yes.’ It’s that simple. I’m friends with these two sponsors, and they’re pretty quality people, and I trust her judgment.”

Isaacsohn sees the bill as political theater — an effort to rile up conservative voters with an issue that doesn’t materially impact most Ohioans, if it exists at all.

“There are very few families in Ohio who wake up in the morning and worry about how people dress in bars,” he said. “They’re worried about paying rent. About daycare. This bill doesn’t address any of those things.”

For his part, Williams insists the legislation isn’t aimed at drag shows or queer performers at all. He rejects the notion that this bill is a drag ban, or that it even targets LGBTQIA+ people at all.

“I’m going to go on an abundance of caution and say, look, every adult performer in the state of Ohio is going to be held to the same standard,” Williams said. “Whether you are male, female or representing a gender that doesn’t comply with what you were assigned at birth. That’s fine. I’m making sure all adult performers are held to the same exact standard. Do not engage in an obscene performance in the presence of a minor. Period.”

Still, the bill’s language appears to reach squarely toward the drag community by referencing performers who use prosthetic body parts such as breastplates to simulate a womanly figure. This is a standard of many drag queens, but the proposed law requires some pretty clear faux-nipple slip to amount to a real crime in front of the right audience.

WHAT THE BILL ACTUALLY SAYS

House Bill 249 modifies sections of Ohio Revised Code 2907.01, which currently defines obscenity and harmful material to juveniles. The bill aims to broaden these definitions by explicitly covering the use of prosthetic body parts that simulate nudity, something Lady Phaedra says is not usually the objective of breastplates and is never the objective in front of children.

“I’m not gonna walk into a drag queen story hour in a bikini,” said Phaedra, a drag queen who often performs for mixed-age audiences and kids. “I’m gonna go in wearing something whimsical and flowy and very modest. Because I’m there to read, I’m not there to do anything else. I’m there to promote literacy.”

P.H. Dee, another Cincinnati-area queen, told CityBeat that assessing the appropriateness of drag costuming is the most essential part of the gig.

“We are asked to make sure that our costuming is appropriate for that kind of gig,” she said. “So, you as the performer, you have what you need in order to make it successful. If you are kind of bending those rules, then there’s consequences. You won’t be asked back. But that doesn’t really happen. That doesn’t really happen. I’m not wearing leather BDSM harnesses in front of children, right? I’m not wearing those anyway.”

But to Williams, it’s not about who is or isn’t keeping the prosthetic girls covered, it’s about how performers could hypothetically get away with it.

“Under current Ohio definitions of indecent exposure, obscenity and the like, [a prosthetic breast] would not meet the statutory definition of nudity,” Williams said. “Because this is not a female breast below a certain area of the areola.”

Ryan Thoreson is an associate law professor at the University of Cincinnati. He told CityBeat that even if a drag queen is wearing a breast appropriately in front of children — showing no areola — performers could still run into problems if this bill becomes law.

“I think it’s just different in the drag context, where it is a performer who is not necessarily using a breastplate to be sexually arousing or sexually exciting. It’s part of the silhouette and the look, right?” Thoreson said. “I do think that, even in those contexts that pretty clearly fall outside the bounds of the law, you do run some risk that you’ll have a parent who thinks that all drag is inherently sexual, or a law enforcement officer who thinks that all drag is inherently sexual. Even if that is unlikely to be found as falling within the remit of the law, it doesn’t necessarily stop a police officer from halting the event or a parent from complaining and a library needing to retain an attorney, or real problems for organizations that put on these events that are family-friendly.”

One of those organizations is Queen City Charities, a nonprofit organization that raises thousands of dollars annually for local LGBTQIA+ organizations through events like Rhinegeist’s Wigs and Waffles, Drag Bingo in Washington Park and more.

Lady Phaedra is a regular performer for Queen City Charities; she’s also on the organization’s board. She said the kid-friendly and kid-focused events are

truly tailored to not only what’s appropriate for kids, but what interests them.

“Obviously, with kids, if minors are going to be there, we’ve got to be very mindful,” she said. “So if I’m hosting the show, it means I have the microphone in my hand the entire time. I’ve got to be mindful of the jokes. I’ve got to be mindful of my language. But you know, I have an arsenal of kid-friendly jokes at my disposal, dad jokes, if you will, that I can pull from if I need them. But kids love the Top 40 songs. They love the songs they hear on the radio every day. They love songs from their favorite movies. They love songs performed by people dressed as their favorite characters.”

Justin Hucke, founder and president, said some Queen City Charities events are general admittance while others are adults-only, and they know the difference. He wishes lawmakers behind the bill would attend any drag show to learn the difference, too.

“Talk to people, go walk by one of these events, don’t be hateful,” Hucke told CityBeat. “Don’t be there to cause a disturbance, but go witness it for yourself. Again, it circles back to, our purpose is to bring joy, bring happiness, spread positivity and raise money for individuals in our own backyard who need it. These are individuals who face a significantly higher rate of homelessness, mental health issues; they don’t have access to care that they need, and yet there aren’t people there who want to help them, they want to attack them. So how is that productive for us as a city, as a region, as a state, as a society, to be hateful of other people because we don’t understand or we don’t like them? That’s not your choice to make.”

CONSTITUTIONAL TENSIONS

Williams said he reviewed similar bills introduced in other states and adjusted HB 249 to avoid the constitutional pitfalls that struck down laws in places like Tennessee and Florida. No state bills targeting drag have become law in the United States. Tennessee and Montana have crept close to success, but their respective bills have been tangled up in the courts for being overly broad and potentially unconstitutional. Williams told CityBeat he learned from these bills when crafting HB 249.

“When I saw a state introduce a bill that automatically classified drag performances as obscene, I knew that was going to be a problem,” Williams said. “That’s content-based, and it’s unconstitutional.”

Instead, HB 249 keeps the legal definition of obscenity aligned with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Miller v. California standard, which defines obscenity based on whether the average person, applying

contemporary community standards, would find the material appeals to prurient interest; depicts sexual conduct in an offensive way; and lacks serious artistic, political or scientific value.

But Thoreson questions whether HB 249 is truly content-neutral, in every sense.

“The problem with that is that juveniles, different juveniles, are going to think that different things are or different things will be inappropriate to different juveniles, right?” Thorseon said. “So what is inappropriate for you know, how many 17-year-olds watch Drag Race already and are regularly exposed to drag performance, understand the context in which it occurs, or watch other material that is far more sexually suggestive or explicit than run of the mill drag,” said Thoreson.

Thoreson points out that the references to prosthetics and gender nonconforming performance styles are not random — they’re coded language.

“I think for legislatures, perhaps like Ohio’s, that have already banned gender-affirming care, already restricted bathroom access and already limited materials that kids can access in school and restricted kids from playing sports, trans kids from playing sports, you need to find new ways to target the trans community if that is something that is a political priority for you,” Thoreson said. “I don’t think that it’s incidental that this bill really centers on protecting children as a purported rationale.”

‘PROTECTING CHILDREN’

Protecting children is the most prominent refrain for the authors of HB 249.

King, the bill’s other primary sponsor, did not respond to CityBeat’s request for comment on this story, but she echoed the concern in a press release following the bill’s introduction in April.

“I am deeply committed to protecting our children,” said King. “As a mother and as a legislator, I believe Ohio families should feel safe taking their children to a city park without the risk of coming across an event or person performing in a way that incorporates themes, imagery and acts intended for mature audiences.”

As of now, there is no publicly documented evidence of a drag queen being charged with or investigated for any sex crimes against children in the state of Ohio, but one of HB 249’s cosponsors has.

State Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) was the subject of a state criminal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with a minor teenage girl in 2023. The investigation concluded in October with no criminal charges, but state investigators said there were findings of “concerning and suspicious” behavior by Creech during the investigation, according to the Dayton Daily News.

“After a full review I find that [Creech’s] behavior during the time of the investigation was concerning and suspicious.

from exposure to what he sees as inappropriate conduct.

“I mean, I even went to a Snoop Dogg performance where I thought the performers got to a level of performance that I thought was borderline obscene, and I didn’t feel comfortable if I would have taken a minor child there,” Williams said. “I want every performer that comes to the state of Ohio, if you’re going to perform in public, you need to do so with the idea that you cannot engage in obscene conduct, and if you are going to engage in obscene performances, you need to do so behind closed doors where no minors are present.”

This was the only non-drag-related example – that wasn’t a hypothetical – provided by Williams during our interview, despite Williams emphasizing that drag is not the focus of the bill. CityBeat asked Williams if he could offer more examples of musical performances in the state that raise a potential red flag.

“No, I don’t go and look at every concert.”

CINCINNATI PRIDE

With pride comes parades, and with pride parades come drag performers. But, should queens and kings worry about performing for parade-goers young and old?

However, the evidence falls short of the threshold needed for prosecution,” wrote Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll, a Republican who was asked by the state to review the case, according to Dayton Daily News.

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman asked Creech to resign before removing him from his committee posts, the outlet reported.

Drag performers across the state have spoken out against the bill, saying it threatens not just their livelihood, but their safety. Many drag events are hosted at LGBTQIA+ bars or small venues that cater to adults only — but fear of legal scrutiny could make owners and event organizers wary.

Williams dismisses those concerns, saying drag shows that aren’t obscene won’t be affected.

“If you are not engaged in those types of obscene performances, you have nothing to worry about,” he said.

Williams also offered a hypothetical scenario for a different adult-oriented business in defense of the bill: “There’s nothing stopping a stripper from going in the parking lot and starting to dance in a sexualized manner. There’s absolutely nothing to stop it. And they can do a performance in the parking lot in the presence of minors, and be simulating sex acts, simulating masturbation, partial nudity. There’s no criminal liability in the state of Ohio currently for that.”

For Williams, HB 249 is a way to close these gaps in the law and protect kids

“Even if you are not kind of stopping to put on a show, you could argue that you are performing or entertaining when you are on a float at the Pride parade, engaging with the audience, all of that,” Thoreson told CityBeat. “So I do think that the law in that regard, both in terms of who is a performer, entertainer, and the broadly trans-inclusive nature of that provision – that casts a wide net, even if the provision is narrowed considerably, by the requirement that it be obscene or harmful to juveniles.”

Cincinnati Pride told CityBeat that, whether on a float or a Pride stage, performers at Cincinnati Pride are always required to dress and perform in ways that are suitable for the whole family.

“Nudity, things like that, are not present at all at the Cincinnati Pride festival, from our performers,” said Rio Henry, Cincinnati Pride’s director of communications. “It’s also very vague within the bill itself that it’s kind of hard to give you the specifics. When reading through the bill, I can tell you that absolutely none of our performances have ever hit on any of what they are claiming within the bill.”

While other states would suggest HB 249 has a narrow path to becoming law, CityBeat asked P.H. Dee what she plans to do if drag becomes more regulated.

“Drag queens have always been at the forefront of the LGBTQ+ movement,” she said. “So I envision a spirit of being galvanized. You know, we might have to take some time to lick our wounds, but I don’t think drag is going anywhere.”

Cincinnati Pride hosts an annual parade and festival where drag artists perform for mix-aged audiences. A spokesperson for Cincinnati Pride told CityBeat that all artists are asked to plan family-friendly performances.

PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE

ARTS & CULTURE

The Beauty of Life

A new musical from the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company pays tribute to a famous love story by Virginia Woolf.

BY JULIE CARPENTER

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s final production of the 2024-25 season (May 23-June 15) is a world premiere musical, Mrs. Dalloway, based on the novel of the same name by Virginia Woolf. The story has inspired film and book adaptations, including the 1998 novel The Hours by Michael Cunningham, also adapted into a film.

“There is a misconception that this is a really sad book because of Woolf’s unfortunate fate [death by suicide]; it’s not,” said Lindsey Augusta Mercer, writer of the script, music and lyrics of the new musical, in an interview with CityBeat. “It’s a celebration of the beauty of life. There is a lot of comedy in it as well as joy and irreverence. The book is about how the tiny moments of a single day are a lifetime of emotions.”

Creating a new musical is a massive undertaking, and Mercer’s journey with Mrs. Dalloway began in 2020 as part of Cincy Shakes’ New Play Development program to commission, develop and produce new works that provide a contemporary interpretation of classical material.

“They wanted to commission a musical, initially to adapt a Shakespeare play,” said Mercer. “I spent some time with the material and could see it as a musical, but not why I should write it or what my point of view was. I was encouraged to look at anything from the classical canon. I wanted to tell a queer story and for the music to be absolutely essential, not fluff songs or a jukebox musical. My mind immediately went to Virginia Woolf. Mrs. Dalloway was one of hers I hadn’t read. I picked it up and knew immediately this was the one.”

Mercer is a multi-hyphenate actor, musician, singer and director, but creating a musical offered a new challenge. “This called on every experience I’ve had in the theater,” said Mercer.

“I wrote a 10-minute play in college and have written some music for stage productions, and my own music as a singer-songwriter. I’ve been able to play in orchestra pits, so I know what the drummer needs their chart to look like. I know what would be exciting for me as an actor, so I could give them that challenge.”

With the 100th anniversary of the publication of Mrs. Dalloway approaching in May 2025, Mercer set to work. Cincy Shakes hosted two workshops to develop the production, providing critical feedback from actors and audiences as Mercer worked on the script and score. A mainstage production of the musical was scheduled with Sara Clark on board to direct.

“Overwhelmingly, the plot of the musical is loyal to the book,” said Mercer. “It leans into the themes of Sally and Clarissa’s love story as a central point of action. The novel demands so much focus because of how stylized it is. Music is a universal language and instant inlet to the tidal wave of the story.”

The experimental novel takes place over a single day with dialogue interspersed with a stream-of-consciousness narrative that jumps between characters. “That distinction becomes pretty obvious if you think of music as the expression of inner life and dialogue as the outward expression of us,” said

Mercer. “At first, I thought it would be an operetta entirely sung through. But it was essential to see what they were saying versus what was unexpressed in their interactions and dialogue.”

Cincy Shakes describes the musical as having a “neo-golden age score.” “I made that up; it’s not a category that exists,” said Mercer. “The golden age musicals of the 1940s — Rodgers and Hammerstein, Oklahoma!, Carousel — was a massive shift in the art form, where, suddenly, the music and songs were plot-driven. It used to be that the musical numbers were for show value, song and dance or reprieve. For Rodgers and Hammerstein, everything is a storytelling mechanism — the set and score as much as the dialogue. They created the classic formula of the musical: big orchestras, big ensembles, sweeping scores, a central love plot and an aspect of the world we’re living in. That’s what I’m trying to create with this show. It has a modern sensibility and that level of gravitas and romance. At its core, it’s a sweeping romantic musical theater score, but there’s jazz, indie-rock and pop, depending on the emotional needs of the moment.”

Bringing Mrs. Dalloway to life are an orchestra of nine and a cast of 16, including New York-based actors Christiana Cole (Clarissa Dalloway), Bex Odorisio (Sally Seton) and Byron St. Cyr (Richard Dalloway), as well as

actors familiar to Cincinnati audiences, including Kelly Mengelkoch and Patrick Earl Phillips.

Although the story is a century old, the themes resonate today in surprising ways. “One of the biggest things that connected me reading this in 2020 is that this book takes place right after the Spanish flu,” said Mercer. “It’s not just World War I they’re recovering from, but also a global pandemic. It’s really about a world that just underwent a major collective trauma and how they’re struggling to live with it and move on, people needing connection and to be out in the world. A human story.”

The musical doesn’t require familiarity with the original novel. “There will be Easter eggs and nuance for people who know and love the material, but it doesn’t demand you know anything before you come in,” said Mercer. For those who want to explore the source material before seeing the show, Cincy Shakes and The Mercantile Library are partnering on Mrs. Dalloway Day, reading the entirety of the novel aloud at the library on June 11. The Mercantile’s In-Pieces book club is also discussing the novel over two sessions on June 5 and 12.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company will stage Mrs. Dalloway from May 23June 15. More info: cincyshakes.com.

Christiana Cole as Clarissa Dalloway

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER

David Spade Talks Local Connection and Much More Ahead of Cincinnati Performance

BY BRENT STROUD CULTURE

In what is sure to be a highlight of the summer, David Spade makes an appearance at the Taft Theatre on Sunday, June 8.

Fresh off the release of his new special, Dandelion, out on Amazon Prime, Spade will be making a stop in Cincinnati for his upcoming I Got A Feel For It tour, named after a spot-on, standout line he delivered on the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special earlier this year.

He’s been a celebrated voice in comedy since finding an audience with his quick wit, laidback sarcasm and deceptively subtle delivery, first as a stand-up, and then as a cast member in a generationdefining era on Saturday Night Live where he would meet lifelong collaborators Dana Carvey and Adam Sandler, among others. Standout sketches like “Gap Girls,” his recurring Weekend Update segment “Hollywood Minute” and “Total Bastard Airlines” — along with the sketch’s catchphrase you can probably hear reading this now, “buh-bye” — helped launch a successful film and TV career.

Breakout buddy comedies Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, made with real-life buddy and late comedy legend Chris Farley, have become perennial favorites, along with his first solo starring role in Joe Dirt. Appearances in movies like Coneheads, The Emperor’s New Groove, the Grown Ups franchise and Covid-era Netflix hit The Wrong Missy helped make him a household name.

In addition to starring in TV shows and movies, he’s also shot comedy specials for HBO, Comedy Central, Netflix and, now, Prime.

He also co-hosts the podcast Fly on the Wall with fellow SNL alum and comedy legend Dana Carvey, which won the 2025 iHeartPodcast Award for Best Comedy.

Spade was loose, down to earth and upbeat as we spoke over the phone about his Cincinnati connection, stand-up, his experience filming the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special, people working in Hollywood again and much more. Our conversation is edited slightly for length and clarity.

David Spade: Hey Brent, it’s Spade, what’s going on brotha’?

CityBeat: Not much. I’m happy to be doing this and I appreciate you doing it.

DS: Doing some Cincy action, are you?

CB: (laughs) That’s right, yeah.

DS: Am I allowed to call it Cincy?

CB: You can do that, people call it that. Your mom’s from Cincinnati, right? Do

you have any family here still or any connection to Cincinnati?

DS: My mom is (from) a city called Ironton (that) she grew up in and then when she got married, we flew out there after a while and saw Cincinnati for a few weeks. I think it rained the whole time we were there but that’s all I remember as a kid, but as a kid, you know, I don’t know anything. She wanted us to see it. And my dad went to Denison, she went to Denison. So, yeah, she’s all dialed in there so she’s excited I’m going.

CB: I watched the new special last night and it was great, man.

DS: Oh, that’s great, you saw it?

CB: Yeah. I’ve heard you talk about bands being able to play their greatest hits live, you know, the difference between stand-up and music — what can people expect at these shows, and will you be doing some of your classic stuff and older bits?

DS: You know, I was just talking to Dana (Carvey) about this. I think, especially

when the special comes out, right away, that it takes me a while to generate a whole new hour. And I want it to be good, so what I’ll do is it’ll be a mixture of new things I like that I’ve been working on and then stuff that’s funnier. I think what I realized is, not everyone’s seen every single special and seen all of every special. And also, I don’t mind hearing stuff from Bobby Lee or Sebastian (Maniscalco) when I bring a friend to the Comedy Store. I go, ‘Oh, I hope they do this one, I hope they do that one’ because, to me, it is like music where

David Spade

PHOTO: NATHAN CONGLETON

you go, oh, I kind of want to not sing along, but you know I wanna just laugh along to this one I remember. And a lot of the bits expand. Like, I do them, they might be a little undercooked and as I do them for the next few months, they get longer and longer, and then they get better. So, I think I’ve never really had any problems or complaints about that being a mix, but, because I owe them also when they’re paying a lot and coming down to the theater, that it should work and be funny and (they) laugh the whole time. If some bits were bombing, I’d say, ‘Well, they gotta go.’ So, I think we’ve had a good reaction and I’m having fun with it. I’m doing three cities in Ohio which is the most I’ve probably done in any state. We get requests and I think theaters ask and then that’s how we figure out what to do. But I’m all for hitting the heartland.

CB: That’s great, yeah. I mean, I know you’re appreciated here and I’m sure everywhere, but we appreciate you coming here, man.

DS: I mean, Tommy Boy was technically Sandusky, Ohio, so we definitely have people that know we know about Ohio.

CB: Speaking of stand-up, who were some people who inspired you to do stand-up and inspired your style?

DS: Well, it kind of went in phases. I think George Carlin was like the first one I kind of remember, and then when I started to watch Johnny Carson I’d see some people that made me laugh. Seinfeld’s always been an influence as a sharp writer and a clean, clever comic. Would I ever think I would meet him in my life, no. And that’s sort of the fun of a Steve Martin, you know, I grew up on his albums. And then, more present day, Theo (Von) — I think he has some really clever stuff — Shane Gillis, Sebastian (Maniscalco) has some great stuff and Ali Wong is funny to me. So, there are people out there that still crack me up and I have a good time watching even newer people at the Comedy Store and just go, ‘Oh, I better keep my eyes peeled, this one has some game.’

CB: I know you do a lot of spots so I guess you probably are seeing all the people that are coming up or these new faces that are doing great stuff.

DS: Yeah. I mean, I take it seriously. Like, I’m on the road so I went out last night. I have Vegas with Nikki (Glaser) this weekend, so we do it together which is a little easier, we have a sort of residency. She’s great and we have overlapping fans, so it’s really fun to go out and it’s obviously less pressure. I practice at these clubs during

the week because I want some new stuff. I wanna sharpen up and I wanna go out there and when I hit the stage, not be a bumbling fool.

CB: (laughs)

DS: You know, these people want a good show and it’s hard. I bring openers that I think are funny and then I just think people come and they leave going, ‘Ok, that was just a fun, mindless night that I don’t have to worry about anything.’

CB: Yeah, you got to stay up on it, I guess. DS: You just owe it to the crowd of like, I can’t just expect to say, ‘I’m so great, I won’t even practice, I’ll just go out there and talk about whatever happened in my day.’ One of my biggest complaints I got was, ‘I laughed but it looked like you were just making it up the whole time.’ I’m like, ‘That took me 20 years to figure out how to do that.’ (laughs) It’s so hard to make it look casual, you know what I mean? Like, so, there’s no way I’m thinking of that stuff and it’s that well put together if I haven’t planned it out. You know, you have to know some of it. I can ad lib a few things but it’s tough up there.

CB: Speaking of that stuff, you always take it to another level on any talk show appearance — was there a certain person that was like an inspiration for you? You’re kind of on the level of Martin Short or Robin Williams. I’m sure a lot goes into that.

DS: Yeah, you know, I would say Steve Martin, Martin Short — there’s people that go on there and really take it seriously and just try stuff and try to make an impact, even though there’s no huge gain. Even when I’m not on tour I do Ellen a lot, I do Jimmy Kimmel, I do Fallon, Letterman in the old days, but it got down to where at least I was reliable so they’d say, ‘Hey, we have a fallout, could you get down here because we need someone that knows how to do it,’ you know, and just get some laughs. Sort of makes their job easier, but I am lucky that I can just text and say, ‘Can I come on this week?’ I wanna do this or I gotta promote this or I have a movie coming out,’ and between Ellen and Fallon and all these guys it was a great. I wasn’t that close with Letterman, I only did him probably, you know, a handful of times, but I’ve seen him since, but he was always kind of the one that I looked up to and go, ‘I wanna make him laugh.’

CB: Is there anybody you’re looking forward to getting still or anybody coming up for the podcast?

DS: You know, yeah, on the podcast we

were looking forward to Larry David — that took a while to put together.

CB: That was a good one, yeah.

DS: Then the fires screwed it up but he wound up being so funny and was laughing so fucking hard, he was such a good guest. I would like Letterman just because I used to do it and look up to him. I see him out sometimes and I don’t ask because I’d feel like an asshole, but I think he’d be up for it at a certain point. I would love to have Ringo Starr because we had Paul (McCartney). We could have Paul again. We have more questions and could talk to him forever. So nerve-wracking though.

CB: Good lord, yeah.

DS: Yeah, you could imagine like, ‘holy shit.’

CB: (laughs) Yeah.

DS: Who else was on our list the other day? There’s Kristen Wiig. I mean, we’re going to do not as much SNL stuff in the future. We just want to get guests that are fun or interesting and we’ve kind of gone through pretty much the main ones. Kristen’s a big one from that era, just because she’s so great and I saw her at the 50th and I was like, ‘God, I wanna ask her but I’ll just wait.’

CB: Are you sponsored by Koi (Los Angeles restaurant), by chance? (laughs) DS: We brought up Koi again today because it’s an easy, funny thing to talk about. Because I just did Conan’s podcast (Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend) and he’s like, ‘Me and you and Dana have to go to Koi again.’ (laughing) It’s close to me and Dana and it’s good. And then they tell me, ‘You know how many people come in here looking for you guys?’ (laughs) ‘We’ve heard about this place.’

CB: At the SNL 50th, how did it feel to just be a part of that history and be there for that celebration and that night?

DS: Oh, the best. I mean, the 40th was good, I think the 50th was just more fun for me and getting to do a little jibber jabber in the show, just be part of it, was great. The rehearsals, sneaking through the hallway, no stress, just walking around like, ‘Hey, there’s Blake Lively, ‘hey, there’s Kristen Wiig again.’ You sort of have free reign to talk to anyone and everyone’s nice. I think I flew out and Pedro Pascal was on my plane and that’s a guy I don’t talk to much and Miles Teller was on my flight and I’m like, ‘Oh, hey guys,’ so that was fun. (Noise in the background gets louder) Hold on. Sorry, I’m trying to find someplace noisier.

CB: You’re good, man. I’m in the car too,

actually. I’ve heard you talk about bringing movies back to Hollywood. I know Busboys was filmed there — how did that go, do you think it’s possible to do that again?

DS: We did it here, we definitely want (car alarm goes off in the background) What a dick.

CB: [laughs]

DS: We definitely want people to shoot here. Someone was just talking about a reality show and they’re like, ‘Well, we could never do it in LA,’ it’s not even a question. Everyone grew up going, ‘I gotta get to Hollywood,’ you know, ‘I’m a make-up artist, I’m a model, I’m an actor, I’m a writer,’ and they all come here and now it’s like, ‘I can’t just come for the crime and the taxes, I need some upside here.’ That’s the hard part. It’s sunny, it’s nice. That’s what I love. I don’t wanna move. Everybody just says, ‘Just move.’ I go, ‘It’s hard to just move and go someplace where I don’t know anybody.’

CB: Definitely, yeah, for anybody. It’d be nice if that was all one consolidated place again like you said. You could just go there and say, ‘I’ll go to a studio and maybe I’ll get a job.’

DS: We’ve got studios, we’ve got everything we need here — it’s just slowly being farmed out.

CB: Yeah, that’s too bad but that’s cool you did Busboys there, so hopefully that helps some.

DS: Yeah, it just gets the word out like, ‘Hey, we’re fine.’

CB: Nobody really talks about that you did a lot of stuff on Beavis and ButtHead — how did that come about and what was that experience like?

DS: Mike Judge wound up coming on SNL as a writer and they put him either in our office or next to us. He didn’t come in a lot but he had a desk so we would all just bullshit. We loved Beavis and ButtHead, so he said, ‘Well, you wanna do a couple, we could get a voice or something?’ and it worked out so I was stoked because I liked him a lot, yeah.

CB: I should also ask, who’s the opener for your tour?

DS: I think Bobby Miyamoto’s back on some and maybe Katherine Blanford, so It’ll be fun to have (them). Those two will be good.

David Spade performs at Taft Theatre at 8 p.m. on June 8. More info: tafttheatre.org.

The Cincinnati Opera’s 105th Anniversary Series Sizzles with Passion

BY ANNE ARENSTEIN CULTURE

Cincinnati Opera kicks off its 105th season with passion, drama and timeless music. The lineup features two iconic Italian operas — Verdi’s Rigoletto, a tale of love, lust and revenge, and Puccini’s Tosca, a high-stakes story of power and sacrifice backed by one of Puccini’s most stirring scores. Rounding out the season is Fiddler on the Roof, the beloved American musical about tradition, resilience and family in a changing world.

Each production features artists at the top of their respective games, many appearing in Cincinnati for the first time. Cincinnati Opera artistic director Evans Mirageas says the season’s casts are what he calls “an ideal combination of debuts and returning artists.”

The season opens June 12 with Verdi’s Rigoletto in a production from the Atlanta Opera, with a traditional 17th-century setting, directed by Elio Bucky and conducted by John Fiore. Rigoletto is the hunchback jester in the court of the Duke of Mantua. Today, the Duke would be labeled a serial rapist; back in Verdi’s time, he was a nobleman who could get away with anything. Rigoletto vainly attempts to shield his daughter, Gilda, from contact with the outside world, but of course, she falls for the Duke with tragic results.

The Duke sings the opera’s most famous aria, “La donna è mobile,” but Gilda gets a showpiece with the blissful “Caro nome,” and the third-act quartet is a dramatic vocal masterpiece.

Baritone Michael Chioldi has performed the title role throughout the world, and in 2022, he scored a triumph at the Metropolitan Opera, stepping in for an ailing Quinn Kelsey. “I’m very happy we’re finally working with Michael,” says Mirageas. “He’s one of the leading Rigolettos in the world today.”

Kathryn Lewek also makes her Cincinnati Opera debut as Rigoletto’s daughter, Gilda. Lewek, an acclaimed coloratura soprano, holds the Metropolitan Opera’s record for the most performances as Mozart’s Queen of the Night. I saw one of those performances and she was astounding.

Mirageas says that Lewek is broadening her repertoire and one of her favorite roles is the unfortunate Gilda. In real life, Lewek is married to tenor Zach Borichevsky, who portrays the Duke. Borichevsky stole the show as

Eisenstein in the 2014 production of Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. Cincinnatifavorite bass Morris Robinson sings the assassin Sparafucile, partnering with Ghanaian-American mezzo Tesia Kwarteng making her Cincinnati Opera debut as his partner in crime, Maddalena.

Art sings truth to power in Puccini’s Tosca, in a revival of Cincinnati Opera’s production staged by Jose Maria Condemi, an alum of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and newly appointed CCM associate professor of opera. Three returning artists take on the principal roles. Soprano Karah Son, last season’s sensational Butterfly, is the fiery diva Tosca. “She’s perfect for the role, not only vocally but dramatically,” Mirageas says. “Karah is petite and powerful and with that gorgeous Puccini voice — she’s a tigress!”

Tenor Matthew White portrays her lover, the revolutionary artist Cavaradossi. It’s his first time back in Cincinnati since his debut in 2019. White is one of those tenor rarities: a beautiful lyric voice matched with solid acting chops and the looks of a surfer guy — which he is.

Kentucky native Anthony Clark Evans takes on the role of police chief Baron Scarpia, whose lust for Tosca spells doom for everyone.

“I think he’s one of the great baritones of our generation, and he’s coming into his prime now,” says Mirageas. “He’s become a house favorite and a wonderful colleague. I think the three of them are going to create incredible chemistry.”

Neapolitan conductor Clelia Cafiero makes her U.S. debut and Mirageas looks forward to her working with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in the pit.

“I watched her rehearse a production of La Boheme in London, a production we’d done, and in two minutes, I knew she was the conductor for our Tosca. She tackled complex staging and came through with flying colors,” he says.

The season concludes with four performances of Fiddler on the Roof with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, with a book by Joseph Stein. Based on stories by the Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, Fiddler is one of the most revived Broadway musicals. For all its specificity about a poor Jewish village in Russia, its themes of traditional values and ways of life confronting a changing world are universal.

German actor, singer and director Max Hopp portrays Tevye, a role he’s played in Barrie Kosky’s production for the Komische Oper Berlin.

“He’s the Tevye of my dreams, because he’s such a noble actor,” says Mirageas. “After seeing him on stage in the role in Berlin, I was in tears in less than 20 minutes.”

Hopp not only makes his Cincinnati Opera debut, but he also makes his debut singing the role in English.

Joining him in the cast are Victoria Livengood as Tevye’s wife, Golde; Rachel Kobernick, Rachel Blaustein and Jennifer Zetlan as their daughters; Janice Meyerson as Yente, the village matchmaker; and members of the Cincinnati Ballet.

The new production is staged by Crystal Manich with CCM alum Levi Hammer conducting and sound design by David Bullard.

Three studio sessions offer 90-minute cabaret performances in the intimate setting of the Harry T. Wilks Studio. The series kicks off June 17 with “Soul and Sound: Dueling Pianos and Artistic Tributes to the Harlem

Renaissance,” with pianists Kevin Day and Kevin Miller combining forces to present a spectrum of music heard in Harlem during the 1920s and ‘30s, curated by poet Tifara Brown.

Baritone Anthony Clark Evans presents a recital and reflections on his career path on July 10, accompanied by pianist James Maverick.

“From Avenue A to Broadway: Songs and Stories of Tin Pan Alley” concludes the series on July 17. Queen City Cabaret singers Sarah Folsom and Matthew Umphries, along with special guests, present songs from the vibrant meshing of cultures that produced the Great American Songbook.

Beyond Cincinnati Opera’s 105th anniversary, this season marks Mirageas’ 20th year as the company’s artistic director. His comment on 20 years of outstanding performances, world premieres and navigating a pandemic? “It’s really amazing how the time has flown by.”

The Cincinnati Opera’s 105th anniversary season runs from June 12-July 27. More info: cincinnatiopera.com.

The Cincinnati Opera’s season opens with Rigoletto on June 12. ART: AIMEE SPOSITO MARTINI

FOOD & DRINK

Start Your Engines

My Honda Civic and I find acceptance at Cars & Coffee

REVIEW BY NADYA ELLERHORST

Ican talk at length about my Honda Civic — its reliability, its value, its sleek but subtle design. But I’d be hard-pressed to elaborate on anything beyond my car’s surface level. I’m not a car person — never was and, most likely, never will be. Despite radiating Honda energy, I personally don’t see cars as anything more than a means of getting from Point A to Point B — plain and simple.

But while out driving to get from Point A to Point B, Circuit Cafe in Historic East End has often caught my eye. More often than not, the lot is empty. The cafe is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to noon for its headline Cars & Coffee gathering.

I’ve long debated attending. As a place to showcase vehicles and be among like-minded car enthusiasts, I felt like I’d have no chance of fitting in. But having seen photos of their specialty frappés, I let my curiosity win — reputation be darned.

On a particularly idyllic Saturday morning (I truly lucked out with the weather, even though I’m pretty sure the gathering is rain or shine), I pulled into the lot around 11. The event was winding down at that point, but there were still plenty of cars (and motorcycles!) on display in the lot. Still timid, I did an abysmal parking job on the farthest corner of the lot, near an unassuming Lexus, whose presence put me slightly at ease.

As I made my way to the cafe, a small stand in the lot’s center, I curiously peeked into the open hoods of cars on display. What exactly I was looking at, I couldn’t say, but a neon green Honda personally struck my fancy.

Apart from its coffee menu, Circuit Cafe also sells donuts from Peace, Love and Little Donuts and biscuits and gravy, but the donuts were gone by the time I got there, and I questioned how well biscuits and gravy would pair with a frappé.

I went with a s’mores “Formula Frapp.” While they made my drink, I mentioned my apprehension to the

barista. They shared that it’s actually a common sentiment; people feel like they need a “cool” car to even enter the lot. But they emphasized that’s not the point of the gathering — it’s the coffee and connection that come first.

After grabbing a few free car-themed stickers from the counter, I took my drink outside to a cluster of picnic tables and a giant Connect Four. I was the only loner there — everyone else stood talking in groups. Engines revved as folks peeled out, often causing the people around me to knowingly chuckle, and, as particularly noteworthy cars happened to drive by without stopping, I noticed many heads turning.

The frappé was excellent, complete with graham cracker pieces blended in. The frozen drink was perfect for the weather, and despite the generous helpings of chocolate syrup and whipped cream, it steered clear (hehe) of being too sweet.

Empowered by my delicious coffee, and perhaps clutching it like a security blanket, I found myself gingerly approaching a few clusters of people surrounding the vehicles that remained.

I wasn’t certain what was on display, but I was curious to find out. One individual introduced me to their Fiat Abarth, and I stood among a group as another person showed off their Kawasaki motorcycle.

Numerous folks I chatted with told me they’ve been attending the event in all its iterations for years, some for a decade or more (the current Circuit Cafe was preceded by Ta’bogo Cafe). One person I met occasionally makes the nine-hour drive back after moving to Philadelphia just to attend. While the crowd was still pretty substantial during my visit in the last hour of the event, I learned that it was an unusually low turnout. Oftentimes, people vie for parking spots all down the length of the road.

I pretty much admitted my Honda Civic woes to everyone I encountered. The response was always the same: the car itself doesn’t really matter! One individual recounted the day when a “Frankenstein” Toyota Corolla with parts from all kinds of manufacturers parked next to a Lamborghini. The former stole the show.

“The vibe here is different than some car shows,” Tony, who holds a tall to-go

cup of black coffee, explains to me.

“People bring projects. They bring clunkers. They bring exotics. It’s just a really neat cross-section.”

”My favorite part about this place is you don’t feel judged,” Rey explains, a Cinnamon Toast Crunch frappé in hand.

“People ask you ‘What is your car?’ and they’re genuinely excited.”

“ As long as you bring something that you care about, then people will like it,” Zach adds.

I arrived at Cars & Coffee extremely apprehensive. I’ll brave anything for good coffee, but I still dreaded weird stares and cold shoulders. And while I didn’t leave having been transformed into a car person myself, I was pretty amazed at how welcoming and open every self-proclaimed car person I spoke to was.

As I pulled out of the lot, it clicked — it’s not the car you journey in. Here, it really is all about the destination.

Cincinnati Cars & Coffee takes place every Saturday and Sunday morning, unless otherwise noted, from 8 a.m. to noon. More info: facebook.com/circuitcafecincy.

The Formula Frapp from Circuit Cafe

PHOTO: NADYA ELLERHORST

MUSIC

CityBeat is putting together a special “Local Record-O-Rama” feature for an upcoming print issue, out on newsstands July 9.

Drop New Music in the Past Year? CityBeat Wants

to Hear It

Don’t miss your chance to be featured alongside other talented artists from the Greater Cincinnati area.

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

The Queen City is full of local musicians putting out great music — and CityBeat wants to help them promote their music in a new way.

We’re putting together a special “Local Record-O-Rama” feature for an upcoming print issue, out on newsstands July 9. The feature — which will also be published on our website — will be a roundup of music put out by Cincinnati musicians in the past year.

If you’re a Greater Cincinnati area musician or band who has dropped any tracks, albums or EPs in the past year, we’d love to include you.

To be considered, simply fill out our Local Record-O-Rama form by visiting bit.ly/3GZjUtk or scanning the QR code below. We will be accepting submissions through June 27.

Don’t miss your chance to be featured alongside other talented artists from the Greater Cincinnati area.

PHOTO: 42 NORTH, PEXELS

SOUND ADVICE

passed those eyes of buckshot lead/ Till one cried: ‘Hangman, who is he /For whom you raise the gallowstree?’” pointing to the moral ambiguity of our current political leaders. Other songs tackle such weighty and tragic themes like a Civil War soldier’s last words, and in “Granite Mills,” an 1874 fire in a textile mill where 23 lives were lost, most of them children.

As Krauss told the New York Times, Union Station songs are “survival stories.” “Someone survived to tell them,” Krauss says, “so for me, these sad songs are very encouraging. They’ve told someone’s story and that’s how we are going to remember them forever. Whatever the situation was, it’s over. And you’ve gotten through it.” No matter how broken things may seem, there is still hope to be found. Or, as Leonard Cohen famously put it: “There is a crack/A crack in everything/That’s how the light gets in.”

Alison Krauss and Union Station play Riverbend Music Center on June 3 at 8 p.m. More info: riverbend.org.

(Derek Kalback)

BRENT COBB

June 5 • Southgate House Revival

ALISON KRAUSS

June 3 • Riverbend Music Center Grammy-winning recording artist Alison Krauss will be stopping in Cincinnati with Union Station, touring behind their latest album – and first in fourteen years – Arcadia. Krauss has stayed plenty busy in the interim, recording the wildly successful and award-sweeping record Raising Sand with rock royalty Robert Plant, who she collaborated with once more for 2021’s Raise the Roof, as well as releasing the well-received solo album Windy City in 2017.

After overcoming a brief battle with dysphonia, a condition that affects the vocal cords, Krauss decided it was time to get the band back together and cut an album of songs she had collected over the intervening years. Noticeably absent, though, is Union Station’s longtime vocalist Dan Tyminski, who announced his departure last year. Bluegrass veteran Russell Moore has since stepped in to perform vocal duties. Additionally, the band will be accompanied by fiddler Stuart Duncan for live performances.

Sonically, Arcadia is a darker record – all but two songs are in minor keys – that hints at the current

state of our country. Particularly in the song “The Hangman,” about the coming of fascism, lines like, “Innocent though we were, with dread/We

With his eclectic recordings encompassing country, gospel and folk through six records of evocative roots music, Brent Cobb decided it was high time to pick up the electric guitar. The Ellaville, Georgia, singersongwriter is releasing Ain’t Rocked in a While, his seventh record, this summer — and the punchy title understates his intent. It’s also the first record accompanied by The Fixin’s,

his touring band.

From No Place Left to Leave, his 2006 debut, to Southern Star, his most recent release in 2023, Cobb has consistently spun a laid-back, folksy style of country music not often heard on Nashville radio. Cobb’s warm burr of a Georgian drawl, modest demeanor and relaxed, intimate style render his music with a charming authenticity. He has written songs on Music Row for artists like Kenny Chesney and Luke Bryan, but his own brand remains a bit funkier, a bit rawer than many of his commercial brethren.

Cobb and The Fixin’s bust the fuzz guitar box out of the garage on Ain’t Rocked in a While, and thunder riffs roll with crunchy abandon. Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys did not produce this hot wax slab, but it’s not far from that greased wheelhouse of blues-rock and raunch. Cobb blends these electric rockers with his acoustic storytelling to fuel his live shows.

Like many generations, Cobb grew up listening to classic rock, such as Black Sabbath and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Allman Brothers made Macon, Georgia, their home, just over an hour southwest from Ellaville. Cobb recently explained his influences to Loudwire: “My mom’s from Cleveland, Ohio, so she was more Beatles and more Led Zeppelin. . . It’s just always been a part of my DNA, both sides of it. I just hear good songs. For me, there’s good stuff and there’s shitty stuff.” Hard to argue with that Southern-fried biscuit of wisdom.

Brent Cobb plays the Southgate House Revival on June 5 with Chloe Kimes as the opener. Doors open at

Brent Cobb and The Fixin’s

PHOTO: JACE KARLYE

Alison Krauss

PHOTO: RON VALLE

7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. More info: southgatehouse.com. (Greg Gaston)

BLONDE REDHEAD

June 6 • Woodward Theater

Soon after the announcement of their eleventh album, The Shadow of the Guest, Blonde Redhead will be making a stop at the Woodward Theater in early June. The Shadow of the Guest is a reimagining of their previous record, 2023’s Sit Down for Dinner, and includes renditions of songs ranging from a mariachi-inspired take on their Rick and Morty hit, “For the Damaged Coda,” to ASMR and choral versions, featuring the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

This is nothing new for Blonde Redhead, who have established themselves as restless, outré experimentalists ever since their formation in 1993. Brothers and Milan natives Simone and Amedeo Pace and Japanese singer and multi-instrumentalist Kazu Makino released their debut, self-titled record of jittery art rock in 1994. Produced by Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, the influence of the New York City noise pioneers is easily detectable.

where they really came into their own as a band. And like their debut, In the Expression of the Inexpressible was coproduced by yet another recognizable name – post-hardcore legend Guy Picciotto of Fugazi.

Blonde Redhead has since released a string of successful albums that show them drifting towards more of a relaxed, electro-pop sound in place of the angular dissonance reminiscent of contemporaries like My Bloody Valentine and Unwound that defined their early output. In 2019, Makino released her debut solo album, Adult Baby, with contributions from artists like the late Ryuichi Sakamoto on piano and field recordings, Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco, and virtuoso drummer Greg Saunier of Deerhoof.

Joined by Boston songwriter Squirrel Flower, whose latest album Tomorrow’s Fire was voted one of the 30 best rock records of 2023 by Paste, this will be a show you can’t afford to miss.

Blonde Redhead plays Woodward Theater with opener Squirrel Flower on June 6 at 8 p.m. More info: woodwardtheater.com. (DK)

STEVE EARLE

July 6 • Ludlow Garage

In 1998, there was a noticeable shift in their songwriting with In the Expression of the Inexpressible, arguably their best album and the one

On July 6, country rock singer-songwriter Steve Earle will be bringing his “Fifty Years of Songs and Stories” tour to Ludlow Garage. Marking 50 years since Earle moved to Nashville, these shows aim to be a stripped-down, solo showcase of popular classics like “Copperhead Road,” as well as some of Earle’s more political songs.

Between the songs, Earle will also be telling stories of his life and career. Mentored by musicians like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, Steve Earle comes from a long line of heartfelt, authentic music that stretches from country to bluegrass and folk to rock.

However, Earle isn’t just known for his music. He has taken on multiple acting roles, including as Walon, a recovering heroin addict who runs a Narcotics Anonymous group in HBO’s critically acclaimed series The Wire. Earle’s music was also featured throughout the show, with the fifth and final season featuring Earle’s take on Tom Waits’ classic “Way Down in the Hole” as the theme song.

Despite Earle having been in the music industry since his move to Nashville in 1975, the country rocker’s first album wasn’t released until 1986. His debut album, Guitar Town, finally put Earle on the map to the wider country and rock audiences in the U.S. However, it was 1988 when he exploded into mainstream notoriety, with his single “Copperhead Road” hitting No. 10 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart. To this day, “Copperhead Road” has remained a staple of parties and line dances in the South, and in 2023 became one of Tennessee’s official state songs.

With 61 shows stretching across the country from late May to the end of August, Earle is determined to spread the story of his rise to stardom, fall to addiction and his rise again.

Steve Earle plays the Ludlow Garage on July 6 at 7:30 p.m. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com. (Bryce Russell)

Blonde Redhead

PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS

Steve Earle

PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVE EARLE

CROSSWORD SLAP STICK

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY

1.  Person in the jury box

5.  Gets an easy basket

11.  Alma mater for Joe Burrow and Shaquille O’Neal

14.  Room to edit videos

16.  Baseball superstar nicknamed “Shotime”

29.  Leatherneck

33.  Owl cry

34.  Chinese brew

37.  No. that changes in traffic

38.  Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Bret

41.  Long in the tooth

42.  Some apples

44.  Replaceable part of a 54-Down

45.  Word of approval

46.  Think probable

49.  Constant change

51.  Dangerous situation

52.  Apple Intelligence system

53.  TV junkies’ “holy grails” that weren’t archived

60.  Actress Mendes

61.  “Parking with a push of a button” system

62.  Cousin of the wombat

63.  Red button, on some apps

64.  Idea

65.  Falling sound

66.  “Beats me,” initially

67.  Closed up

68.  Function of geometry

Down

1.  ___ des Princes (Paris Saint-Germain’s home)

2.  Woman’s name that sounds like two letters

3.  Carrier to Israel

4.  Deal from the Federal Reserve

5.  Kansas city

6.  “God willing!”

7.  Spitting sound

8.  ___ und pfeffer

9.  Don Juan’s mother

10.  Silent screen star Naldi

11.  Piggies that go “whee whee whee” all the way home

12.  Two-timer

13.  Make a video opening a product for the first time

15.  Port of Iraq

22.  Kind of brown

25.  Lee on The Guardian’s list of 40 best directors

26.  Pronoun selection

27.  Scintilla

28.  “Shameless” star

29.  Scale name

30.  Tuborg alternative

31.  Hamilton historian Chernow

32.  Some connections

34.  Available for booking

35.  Zeno’s home

36.  Location, for short

38.  Some appliers for early admission: Abbr.

39.  ___ chi chuan

40.  Heart test letters

43.  Post others’ home addresses on the Internet

44.  Hooks back up

46.  Rely (upon)

47.  Melber of MSNBC

48.  Actuarial calculations

49.  Guy from Flavortown

50.  Had a crush on

51.  Alternative to 34-Across

53.  What a shooter shoots through 54.  Woodwind instrument

55.  Mex. miss

56.  Follow closely

57.  Salvador who said “Have no fear of perfection; you’ll never reach it”

58.  Fancy style

59.  Overstuff LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:

An amicable end to

Easier on your wallet.