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August Wilson’s

HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED co-conceived by Todd Kreidler

Photo of August Wilson by David Cooper.

The arts reveal what matters most. PNC is proud to support Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. The arts make us think, make us feel, and make us wonder. Thank you for helping to make our community a beautiful place.

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D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director

August Wilson's

HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED co-conceived by TODD KREIDLER Directed by TORIE WIGGINS

February 17 – March 10, 2024

Scenic & Lighting Designer BRIAN c . MEHRING Projection Designer BECCA SCHALL Technical Director JACOB DOWELL

Sound Designer MATT CALLAHAN

Costume Designer DARYL L. HARRIS

Properties Curator/Design Assistant SHANNON RAE LUTZ Production Stage Manager LEXI MULLER*

Assistant Stage Manager ERINMARIE SUSCHECK*

THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION IS A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW AND AN ACTIONABLE FEDERAL OFFENSE.

HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com New York Premiere originally produced by Signature Theatre, New York City James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika MaUin, Executive Director The world premiere of HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED was presented by Seattle Repertory Theatre in 2003, performed by August Wilson.

*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. This theatre operates under an agreement between Actors’ Equity Association, Professional Actors, and Stage Managers in the United States. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

SPONSOR The Grant & Ross Family in honor of Fred & Sondra Ross

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2023–2024 SPONSORS

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR

SEASON FUNDER

OPERATING SUPPORT

FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSOR

SEASON SUPPORT City of Cincinnati Susan Friedlander Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation Mitchell S. and Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation The Shubert Foundation IN-KIND SUPPORT Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, Interpreter Training Program

4 | 2023–2024 sponsors

SEASON TICKET SPONSOR

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSOR

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT Anonymous (3) Arts Midwest William P. Anderson Foundation Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation Hamilton County Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation Charles Scott Riley III Foundation The John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust, PNC Bank, Trustee Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation The Thaman Family Fund Jennifer Verkamp

COMING SOON

THE

MATCH GAME by Steven Strafford

APRIL 13 – MAY 5

A world premiere comedy about how families aren’t always well matched.

1212 Jackson St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 artacademy.edu

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CAST & CREW CAST Actor................................................................................................................................................ "ranney"* Actor u/s................................................................................................... DEONDRA KAMAU MEANS

RUNNING CREW 2nd Assistant Stage Manager...................................................................................DANITZA PIPER Running Crew........................................................................................................................ KG RUCKER Wardrobe Crew...................................................................................................TASHAUNA JENKINS Light Board Operator............................................................................................ ALEC SCHNEIDER Follow Spot Operators......................................... HANNAH BEAVEN, JORDAN WHITTAKER Sound Board Operator...................................................................................... MADDI O'CONNELL

PRODUCTION TEAM Assistant Stage Manager...........................................................................ERINMARIE SUSCHECK* Associate Technical Director..................................................................................... JACK MURPHY Associate Production Manager & Master Electrician................................... CHRIS LIPSTREU Scenic Charge Artist & Production Associate........................................... MELISSA BENNETT Costume Shop Manager.........................................................................HANNAH DRINGENBURG Wardrobe Supervisor......................................................................................................EMILY MISALI Sound Technician.......................................................................................................... NICK KOEHLKE Carpenter & Load-In Tech...................................................................................... NATHAN NEORR Technical Apprentice........................................................................................................ SAM DEVLIN

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Cover photo of August Wilson by David Cooper, originally created for the 2005 World Premiere of Radio Golf at Yale Repertory Theatre.

SETTING The crucible in which many a work of art has been fired.

This production will be performed in one act with NO intermission. Approximate running time is 1 hour, 45 minutes.

PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES. NO TEXTING. *Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.

6 | cast & crew

CAST & CREW

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ETC SUMMEr camps 2024 Junior Summer IntensiveLD OUT! JULY 15–26, 2024 | Ages 8–13

Technical Theatre Summer Intensive JULY 22–26, 2024 | Ages 15–19

High School Summer Intensive JULY 29–AUGUST 2, 2024 | Ages 14–19

ABOUT US OUR MISSION Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences. OUR HISTORY From its founding in 1986, ETC has focused on providing an artistic home for local theatre professionals, including serving as a training ground for young artists. Each season, ETC produces a lineup devoted to the newest in contemporary theatre that attracts a diverse audience of 30,000 to more than 220 performances. Our work also includes education and engagement programs centered on introducing the performing arts to students from under-resourced schools and children with disabilities. Combined, our productions and educational programs strive to fulfill ETC’s vision of creating an urban arts district that is accessible to all.

(513) 421–3555 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 www.ensemblecincinnati.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Jeffrey Schloemer, Chair Linda Holthaus, President Kathy Burklow, Vice President Alex Schutte, Vice President Mike Schueler, Treasurer Holly Brians Ragusa, Secretary DIRECTORS Erica Bock Otto M. Budig, Jr. Kwesi Calliste Tom Carothers Kathy DeLaura Charles H. Gerhardt, III Beverly A. Grant Mark Haggard Stephen M. King Anthony McNamara D. Lynn Meyers, ex officio Shekhar Mitra Erica Osborn Maura Schilling Mary Stagaman Ashlee Young DIRECTORS EMERITI Skip Hickenlooper Edward G. Marks FOUNDERS' CIRCLE Ruth D. & John Sawyer Ken & Mary "Murph" Mahler Dr. Charles O. Carothers Mitchell S. Meyers

This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre. INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING?

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10 | about us

Contact our team at Cincinnati Magazine for information: advertise@CincinnatiMagazine.com

HEADER B ABOUT ETC

OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP

D. Lynn Meyers, The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler Producing Artistic Director & Chief Executive Officer Michael R. Zimmer, CPA, CGMA, Chief Financial & Operations Officer Josh Neumeyer, Managing Director

ARTISTIC

Brian c. Mehring, Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer Shannon Rae Lutz, Properties Curator, Design Assistant, & Director of Apprentice Programming Melissa Bennett, Scenic Charge Artist & Production Associate Torie Wiggins, Artistic Associate

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Jocelyn Meyer, Director of Marketing & Communications Amy J. Barbian, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications Rachel Kazee, Digital Marketing Coordinator Becca Schall, Creative Media Producer

OPERATIONS

Jared D. Doren, Programming & Events Manager Nick Ligon, Head of Security Anna Sheridan, Administrative Coordinator

PATRON SERVICES

Amy Weinstock, Box Office Manager Patrick Bayne, Lead House Manager

Professional Apprentices: Hannah Beaven • Sam Devlin TaShauna Ajoi Jenkins • Maddi O'Connell Danitza Piper • KG Rucker • Jordan Whittaker

Box Office Associates/House Managers: Ezra Burgin • Gabby Casto • David Ludwig Mack Martindale • Emmy Rice Sharisse Santos • Becca Schall

DEVELOPMENT

PRODUCTION

Jennifer Joplin, Director of Development

EDUCATION

Victoria Aslanides, Director of Education Emily Bush, Education Associate Daniela Nenova, Education Associate Emmy Rice, Education Associate Elexis Selmon, Education Associate

Jacob Dowell, Technical Director Jack Murphy, Associate Technical Director Chris Lipstreu, Associate Production Manager & Master Electrician Hannah Dringenburg, Costume Shop Manager Emily Misali, Wardrobe Supervisor Nathan Neorr, Carpenter & Load-In Tech

STAGE MANAGEMENT

Margot Whitney, Production Stage Manager Lexi Muller, Assistant Stage Manager

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati acknowledges that we gather on the unceded and stolen territories of the Hopewell, Adena, Myaamia (Miami), Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee), and Wazhazhe Ma'zha' (Osage) peoples. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it since time immemorial.

OUR STAFF | 11

DIRECTOR'S NOTES "So you don’t know that you know anything. Until you know, you know it.” Ever since I was introduced to August Wilson’s work at a young age, I have felt aligned with it. I have so loved getting to know him in bringing this piece to life. It seems cliché to say “he knew so much,” but I am humbled by how much I’ve learned from him in this process. I’ve also learned that there are some things I already knew. What I interpret to be Wilson’s active stance against the ever-looming imposter syndrome is extremely gratifying. He shows us the true, differentiated nature of learning, rooted in the simple desire to learn, while staying true to oneself in the process. August (I feel like we could be on a first name basis now) really exposes himself and lets us in, sharing parts of his life from his own unique perspective. Hearing his words in "ranney’s" voice makes it even more satisfying. He just gets it, and once you’ve seen the show, you will too. If you ever thought you could get to know someone through their body of work, How I Learned What I Learned proves that you’re absolutely right. Leave with a lesson or affirmation or two, and enjoy getting to know August. —Torie Wiggins

ETC ESSENTIALS Dive even deeper into each show with a FREE conversation series that explores our productions’ themes and context with local scholars and community members. These start an hour before show time.

How I Learned What I Learned | MARCH 3, 2024 The Match Game | APRIL 28, 2024 Hands on a Hardbody | JUNE 23, 2024

Admission is FREE, but reservations are recommended! Reserve online or through the ETC Box Office

12 | Director's Notes

stronger arts for a stronger region You won’t see us on stage, but for nearly 100 years, we’ve been the primary way Cincy’s arts are funded. Your gift to ArtsWave ripples out across our communities to create a more vibrant future for everyone. With tens of thousands of gifts from people like you, ArtsWave is proud to support Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, plus over a hundred other arts organizations and artists that make our region stronger.

Make your gift today at artswave.org

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PLAY IN PROGRESS

14 | Play in Progress

FOR THE JOY OF DISCOVERY Materials inspired by August Wilson's How I Learned What I Learned courtesy of The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.

BOOKS

MOVIES

August Wilson: A Life by Patti Hartigan

Fences Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

MUSIC

A Tremor by Teju Cole Female, Gifted, and Black Awesome Art and Literary Pioneers Who Changed the World by M. J. Fièvre There Was a Party for Langston by Jason Reynolds

Hitsville The Making of Motown Soundtrack by Charlie Haden

Borrow these and other show-inspired materials online or at your nearest library branch.

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A TIMELESS CENTURY Few playwrights have such career landmarks as August Wilson’s visionary and theatrically rich American Century Cycle, a series of 10 plays giving voice to the experiences and plights of Black Americans through each decade of the 20th century. Wilson set all but one of these plays in his home neighborhood of the Hill District in Pittsburgh, featuring real businesses, events, and locations. His poetic and rhythmic dialogue gives his characters uniquely authentic voices. By setting a story in each decade, he also demonstrated how slavery, Jim Crow, the Great Migration, gentrification, and institutional racism affected the everyday lives of Black folks in America, even after some of these events technically ended. Many of his characters are stuck in the pull between the past and the future, learning lessons of connecting with and acknowledging both their personal and ancestral pasts to grow and end dangerous cycles. Some characters are referenced or appear in multiple pieces, but no two plays are considered direct sequels to each other.

Gem of the Ocean | Premiered in 2003; set in 1904 Citizen Barlow visits Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old former slave who can wash people’s souls, to relieve him of his guilt. Aunt Ester sends him on a spiritual journey to the City of Bones, a city inhabited by the spirits of those who died on slave ships, where he confronts the communal and lasting trauma of slavery in a post-slavery America. The characters question the true meaning of freedom, showcase the lasting reverberations of slavery (even on those who were never enslaved), and heal by acknowledging the trauma of their heritage.

Serving as the epicenter of jazz music from the 1930s through the 1950s in Pittsburgh's Hill District, the landmark Crawford Grill at Wylie Avenue and Townsend Street was added to the National Register in Historic Places in 2020. Photo c. 1945 by Charles "Teenie" Harris.

16 | a timeless century

Ronald L. Conner as Citizen Barlow and Cheryl Lynn Bruce as Aunt Ester in ETC’s 2009 production of Gem of the Ocean

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone | Premiered in 1984; set in 1911 The first wave of the Great Migration is hitting Pittsburgh, and a boarding house provides temporary lodging for people on a wandering search for identity. Herald Loomis, a man recently freed from a kidnapping and illegal enslavement in the South, arrives with his daughter to find his estranged wife. First, though, he must embark on a spiritual journey of self-discovery to escape the cloud of Joe Turner, his enslaver. As a new generation of Black Americans who have never known slavery search to find a place for themselves in the North, they are left in a state of transience by the struggle to reconcile their new place and their heritage in a world where the ripples of slavery are still felt.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom | Premiered in 1984; set in 1927 Tempers flare within a blues musician group as they wait to record Ma Rainey’s new album at a studio in Chicago. As trumpeter Levee strives for his own solo musical career based on a new sound, tensions brew, especially with pianist Toledo, an advocate for Black Americans getting in touch with their history and traditions after being severed from their African culture. The characters reveal different approaches to handling oppression and the exploitation of Black people for white profit, especially in the music industry, and demonstrate how progress must come from a place of tradition and knowledge to have a lasting impact.

The Piano Lesson | Premiered in 1987; set in 1936. 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama Brother and sister Boy Willie and Berniece argue over the possible sale of the family piano, an heirloom with a carving by their great-grandfather of their enslaved greatgrandmother and her son. Boy Willie, a sharecropper, wants to sell the piano to buy the land where his former family was enslaved, but Berniece insists on keeping the instrument for its link to their family’s past. They and the other characters grapple with legacy when their ancestors’ pasts are so full of sorrow and how to exorcise their literal and metaphorical ghosts through taking an active role in their history rather than avoiding it.

Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf (pg 18) photos by Sandy Underwood.

a timeless century

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A TIMELESS CENTURY Alfred Wilson as “Old Joe” Barlow and Terrence Riggins as Harmond Wilks in ETC’s 2008 production of Radio Golf

Seven Guitars | Premiered in 1995; set in 1948 Set in the backyard of a small apartment building—much like Wilson’s own childhood home—a group reminisces at the funeral of their friend, blues musician Floyd Barton. Through flashbacks, the audience sees Floyd as a musician on the rise, about to record an album in Chicago. When his plans are put into jeopardy, his ambition veers towards unsavory means that lead to his demise. Wilson explores Black masculinity and mortality, especially for Black men returning from World War II to a place where their days feel starkly numbered.

Fences | Premiered in 1985; set in 1957. 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Drama Garbage collector Troy Maxson lives by a mantra of hard work. When his son Cory wants to play college football, Troy’s own bitterness at losing his chance to play in Major League Baseball because of the color barrier causes him to belittle his son’s choice and to eventually end any of Cory’s chances at playing professional sports. This deep dive into a complex and flawed man explores generational racial trauma and how it’s passed down to new generations as well as examining masculinity, family, and the strain of being a Black community in a world lead by white power.

Two Trains Running | Premiered in 1990; set in 1969 Amidst the Civil Rights Movement, Memphis Lee’s restaurant is set to be demolished in an urban renewal project. Memphis is determined not to sell for a penny less than what he feels he’s owed. Restaurant regulars gather to talk and seek justice of their own kinds in the changing world, with several visiting Aunt Ester for her spiritual work. The show illustrates the juxtaposition between the ideals of the Civil Rights Movement and the harsh everyday hardships Black Americans faced (especially monetarily) and whether this movement would truly free them in their daily lives. Play connection: This part of the cycle takes place when Wilson would’ve been in his teens and early twenties, like many of his stories in How I Learned What I Learned. His talk about living through life with a ten-gallon bucket is also in a scene of Two Trains Running.

18 | A timeless century

A TIMELESS CENTURY Jitney | Premiered in 1982; re-written in 1996; set in 1977 In an economically declining Pittsburgh following the second wave of the Great Migration, Becker’s illegal cab company (also called a jitney) takes people to parts of town that official cabs won’t visit—including the Hill District. The city plans to condemn and destroy the building for an urban development project, and the arrival of Becker’s son Booster following his release from prison causes tensions to flare, especially as Becker tries to keep his company alive. Wilson’s first play, the story explores survival, redemption, family, and how different generations of Black Americans respond to oppression. Play connection: One of the characters is called Youngblood, which Wilson himself is also referred to as in parts of How I Learned What I Learned.

King Hedley II Premiered in 1999; set in 1985 In one of Wilson’s darkest plays, ex-con King Hedley II tries to rebuild his life by selling stolen refrigerators. King incorrectly believes his father to be a character in Seven Guitars, and it The Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright's is also revealed that Aunt Ester childhood home (right) was converted into The has recently died. Characters’ August Wilson House, an arts center, in August attempts to grow literal and 2022. The property was placed on the National metaphorical seeds in soil that Register of Historic Places in 2013. won’t foster growth exposes the Black reality of income inequality from Reaganomics. Also examining masculinity and fatherhood, similar plot points to Seven Guitars explore how the past reaches into the present and how violent generational circles repeat themselves unless there is intentional effort to stop them.

Radio Golf | Premiered in 2005; set in 1997 Real estate developer Harmond Wilks aims to be Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor while he, his wife, and his business partner work on a redevelopment project in the blighted Hill District. They soon discover that one house set for demolition, Aunt Ester’s old house, was illegally acquired, and the owner won’t sell, instead aiming to fix it up. As Wilks discovers secrets about his family, the development and his relationships are put to the test, asking questions about progress at whose expense, as well as touching on gentrification, identity, success, and the value of acknowledging the past and its effect on our present.

A timeless century

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CAST & CREATIVE TEAM "ranney" (August Wilson) was last seen at Ensemble Theatre as Brucie in Sweat. He has five decades in the performing arts as a multidisciplinarian. His acting credits include Doaker in The Piano Lesson, A Public Fit Theatre Company; Troy in Fences, Benny in Hymn, and Mark in Art, Shakespeare & Company; Luke in Amen Corner, Polonius/ Gravedigger in Hamlet, Toledo in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Troy in Fences, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Hambone in Two Trains Running and Sterling in Radio Golf, American Stage Company; King Hedley in Seven Guitars and Chutes & Ladders in Water by the Spoonful, Nevada Conservatory Theatre; Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson, Center Theatre Company; Adriana/Antipholis/others in The Bomb-itty of Errors, American Stage, Chicago Shakespeare, The Helix in Dublin, Ireland, and The Ambassadors Theatre in London’s West End. As a comedian, he has headlined internationally and shared billing with Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, and Paul Mooney. He has nine one-man show credits, which include And the Horse You Rode in On, Projects Arts Centre, Dublin; Whatever, People’s Improv Theater, New York; Incendiary, The Straz Center, Tampa; and Cufflinks and Jolly Ranchers for Dummies, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland. www.itsranney.com

TORIE WIGGINS (Director) (she/her) has been a storyteller all her life. Her play Who All Over There? received its world premiere as part of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s 2022-2023 mainstage season. She has co-adapted and performed a one-woman show, Your Negro Tour Guide, at various venues across the country, with a grand finale here at Ensemble Theatre as part of a double bill with I Shall Not be Moved by Isaiah Reaves. She has performed with many local theaters, including Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, The Human Race Theatre Company, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. She has also worked with WAM Theatre in The Berkshires and The Resident Acting Company in New York City. Her directing credits include We Are Proud to Present… and Good Kids at Miami University Department of Theatre, Dreamgirls and Proof at The Carnegie Theater, I Shall Not Be Moved at Ensemble Theatre, and Blues for an Alabama Sky at Falcon Theatre. After being commissioned for smaller projects, her first play, See Me, was selected to be a part of ETC’s justice-themed 10-Minute Connections. She thanks her loving husband Aaron for his limitless support in all her endeavors.

For more content about this production, including behindthe-scenes photos, videos, interviews, and more, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org

20 | Cast & Creative Team

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM AUGUST WILSON (Playwright) (April 27, 1945–October 2, 2005) authored Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, Seven Guitars, Fences, Two Trains Running, Jitney, King Hedley II, and Radio Golf. These works explore the heritage and experience of the descendants of Africans in North America, decade by decade, over the course of the twentieth century, forming the compilation entitled The American Century Cycle. His plays have been produced on Broadway, at regional theaters across the country, and all over the world. In 2003, Mr. Wilson made his professional stage debut in his one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. Mr. Wilson’s works garnered many awards including: the Pulitzer Prize for Fences (1987) and for The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Great Britain’s Olivier Award for Jitney; and seven New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, and Jitney. Additionally, the cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received a 1985 Grammy Award, and Mr. Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Mr. Wilson’s early works included the one-act plays The Janitor, Recycle, The Coldest Day of the Year, Malcolm X, The Homecoming, and the musical satire Black Bart and the Sacred Hills. Mr. Wilson received many fellowships and awards, including the Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in Playwriting, the Whiting Writers Award, and the 2003 Heinz Award. He was awarded a 1999 National Humanities Medal by President Bill Clinton and received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a 1995 inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and on October 16, 2005, Broadway renamed the theater located at 245 West 52nd Street "The August Wilson Theatre." Mr. Wilson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and lived in Seattle, Washington, at the time of his death. He is immediately survived by his two daughters, Sakina Ansari and Azula Carmen Wilson, and his wife, costume designer Constanza Romero, who is the executor of his estate.

LET’S THEATRE TOGETHER @ EnsembleCincy Cast & CReative team | 21

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World Theatre Day Wed, Mar 27, 2024 A Behind-the-Scenes Fundraiser & 2024–2025 Season Announcement

Celebrate World Theatre Day and sneak behind-the-scenes to see how we create the productions and programming you love. Support ETC and join us for live entertainment, the announcement of our 2024–2025 Season, and other exciting news! $125 tickets include 2 drinks and dinner-by-the-bite Catering courtesy of TICKETS: www.ensemblecincinnati.org | (513) 421-3555 Questions? Contact development@ensemblecincinnati.org 22 |

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PRODUCTION TEAM BRIAN c. MEHRING (Scenic & Lighting Designer) (he/him) has designed more than one hundred productions at Ensemble Theatre. His favorite productions include Thom Pain (based on nothing), Next to Normal, 33 Variations, Freud's Last Session, and I Am My Own Wife. Brian’s regional favorites for set design include The Last 5 Years and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Henry IV, Part 1, The Georgia Shakespeare Festival; and I Am My Own Wife, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Peterborough Players, and Florida Studio Theatre. DARYL L. HARRIS (Costume Designer) is a veteran of theatre throughout North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. He received the League of Cincinnati Theatres Award for Outstanding Costumes for Northern Kentucky University’s production of Alice Childress’s Trouble in Mind, as well as multiple awards for his costume designs for The St. Louis Black Repertory Company, Theatre Tuscaloosa, and Tuscaloosa Community Dancers productions, including Mame, The King & I, and The Nutcracker. His costumes have been displayed at Canada’s Royal British Columbia Museum. Daryl has an MFA, a PhD, and is a full professor in NKU’s School of the Arts Theatre and Dance Program, where he designs, acts, directs, and teaches “Race, Gender, and Theatre” courses. He regularly presents costume-related papers at national and international conferences. He embraces each design experience as sustained communion with the Master Creator. MATT CALLAHAN (Sound Designer) (he/him) was the Resident Sound Designer for Actors Theatre of Louisville for seven seasons. Some of his recent designs for Ensemble Theatre include Queen, Cinderella, and Pipeline. He was also a co-creator/designer of Rock n’ Roll: The Reunion Tour. He spent two seasons as the Resident Sound Designer at The Eugene O’Neil Center for their National Playwrights Conference. He was formerly the sound engineer for Steppenwolf Theatre, the Assistant Engineer for Blue Man Chicago, and a member of the disbanded Defiant Theatre. He received a Jeff Citation for Red Dragon, a nomination for Fortinbras, and a Kevin Kline nomination for Sherlock Holmes. SHANNON RAE LUTZ (Properties Curator/Design Assistant) (she/her) earned her Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music in 1996 and became Properties Curator at Ensemble Theatre. Trained as a performer, she first appeared on ETC’s stage during the 1988-1989 New Works Festival. In 1991, she was granted an ETC internship. Now the Director of Apprentice Programming, she is honored to guide ETC’s Professional Apprentice Company. Shannon would like to thank D. Lynn Meyers, Ruth Sawyer, and the Cincinnati theatre community and patrons for their generous, supportive, and tenacious spirit. JACOB DOWELL (Technical Director) (he/him) is thrilled to be in his second season at Ensemble Theatre, this time as technical director. Jacob is a graduate of Morehead State University where he received a BA in theatre. Some previous technical direction credits include Kinky Boots, The Who’s Tommy, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Jacob would like to thank his family, friends, and cat (Ronnie) for their continued support.

24 | Production Team

PRODUCTION TEAM LEXI MULLER (Stage Manager) (she/her) is delighted to be back at Ensemble Theatre, where some of her credits include Fun Home, The Wolves, Skeleton Crew, and Fly By Night. Other regional credits include Sex with Strangers, The House, and 26 Pebbles with The Human Race Theatre Company. She is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and a graduate of Wright State University, where she received her BFA in stage management. Lexi would like to thank her friends, family, and her extraordinary mother for supporting her every step of the way. ERINMARIE SUSCHECK (Assistant Stage Manager) (they/them) is so happy to be making their premiere at ETC. After graduating with a BFA in theatre technology from Wright State University, they worked as the Stage Management and Production Apprentice, Stage Manager, and Company Manager at Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska. They have been working all over the Dayton area both in professional and community theatre. During the pandemic, ErinMarie decided to pursue their other passion and go to cosmetology school and is currently a licensed cosmetologist. Their recent credits include Fun Home (Stage Manager), The Bridges of Madison County (Stage Manager), and This Is Tom Jones! (Production Assistant). Thank you to Lynn and Brian for taking a chance on them and to their partner for their constant support.

Annie Fitzpatrick & Becca Howell in Morning Sun (2023). Photo by Mikki Schaffner.

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Production Team | 25

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GIVE WHILE YOU SHOP Before you fill your shopping cart, whether in person or online, designate ETC as your nonprofit beneficiary through the Kroger Community Rewards program. It's easy: you shop and Kroger donates a portion of your purchase amount directly to ETC!

26 | ways to give

THE PREMIERE SOCIETY The Premiere Society recognizes the extraordinary individuals, families, and organizations whose generosity makes it possible for ETC to present world-class new works and awardwinning education, engagement, and inclusion programming for our community. The following list includes donors whose gifts were received between January 29, 2022 and January 29, 2024.

PLAYWRIGHTS ($20,000+) Anonymous ArtsWave Gale & Dave Beckett Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard The City of Cincinnati Burton & Susan Closson The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc. Harry & Linda Fath Friedlander Family Fund Beverly A. Grant Fund* The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation Hamilton County, Ohio The Donald C. & Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation* LKC Foundation The Markley Family The Mitchell S. & Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation Ohio Arts Council State of Ohio through the Development Services Agency State of Ohio through the Facilities Construction Commission P&G Fund* The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation PNC Foundation Mike & Digi Schueler The Schueler Group The Shubert Foundation, Inc. van der Horst Family Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation Ginger Warner Western & Southern Financial Fund PRODUCERS ($10,000-$19,999) Anonymous John & Gloria Goering Family Gift Fund Palmer/Graber Family Fund Linda Holthaus & Richard Zinicola Betty Huck Millstone Fund Richard Postler & Manuel Hernandez Moe & Jack Rouse Robert & Adele Schiff Family Foundation Mary Stagaman & Ron Kull Dudley S. Taft Foundation Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation Dale Uetrecht DIRECTORS ($5,000-$9,999) Nicholas Apanius Marcia Banker & Jeff Schloemer^ Annette & Tom Carothers Corky & Rick Family Foundation Crosset Family Fund*

William & Mary Jane James The Andrew Jergens Foundation Kenneth T. & Molly M. Mahler Anu & Shekhar Mitra Diane & Dave Moccia Rotary Foundation of Cincinnati The Sittenfeld Family Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation DESIGNERS ($2,500-$4,999) Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation Arts Midwest Denise & Martin Chambers Michael Cioffi & Rachael Rowe Family Foundation Fund* Susan Cohen & Robert Schmuelling Dan Collopy Ehrsam Family Fund* Jane & Chip Gerhardt Greater Cincinnati Foundation Marilyn P. & Joseph W. Hirschhorn Fund* Johnson Investment Counsel Robert Keith & Kathleen Thornton Keith Stephen King & Lynne Miller David & Judith Morgan Fund* Damon & Holly Ragusa Jane Ruwet Hopson & Larry Pytlinski Sprout Insight LLC Jo Ann Wieghaus STAGE MANAGERS ($1,000-$2,499) Anonymous (3) Gordon Allen & Linda Baas Americana Arts Foundation Judith & Louis Belli Malcolm A. & Glenda Bernstein* Erica Bock Bryson Family Charitable Fund The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Jeff & Gay Bullock Barbara Carr & Bren Blaine Cissell Family Fund* Philip Clayton Margaret & Joseph Conway Meredythe G. & Clayton C. Daley, Jr. Family Fund* Kathy DeLaura & Ron Steinhoff^ Rick & Allison Edwards Fencl Family Fund* Bob & Mary Fitzpatrick Gilman Family Fund* Dr. & Mrs. Richard Glaser Erin Houlihan & John Bostick Karen Grass Linda Greenberg Fund* Halli Nguyen Family Charitable Fund

Please bring any errors or omissions to our attention by contacting Josh Neumeyer: jneumeyer@ensemblecincinnati.org or (513) 421-3555 x2103.

* A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

^ Sustaining Donor

the premiere society | 27

Emily M. Hodges & Charles H. Spencer Farrah Jackson Keith & Patti James Arleene Keller LaMacchia Family Foundation Minda Matthews-Smith Sophia McAllister Anthony & Emily McNamara Eliot Meyers Jill & Bruce Mitchell Overbeck Charitable Fund Neal Patel & Dr. Avani Modi Pepper Family Fund* Steven & Carol Reubel Mr & Mrs Gates T. Richards Charles Scott Riley III Foundation Jessica Ruebusch Alex & Kim Schutte Marvin & Betsy Schwartz Fund* Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund Norma Skoog Jim & Tammy Stephens Family Charitable Fund Dr. Joseph & Mrs. Nancy Stratman Richard & Kathleen Strenk Glenda Suttman Bob & Sue Trusty Jeffrey VanSluys Pann & Terry Webb^ Richard Wilson CAST ($500-$999) Anonymous (2) Laura Atkinson Wilma & Herbert Beigel Michael Berry & Melanie Garner The Elaine & Robert Blatt Fund Neil Bortz David A. Brashear Charlotte Brooks Dawn & Doug Bruestle Philip K. & Anne Lilly Cone Fund* Craft Family Fund David Crotty & Joan von Handorf Mark Dauner^ Excelsior Accounting Services LLC PJ Fischesser Rachel & Bernard Foster Sandi Gans^ Rita & Dennis Geiger Robert Gerding Donn Goebel & Cathy McLeod^ Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Highley Daniel Hurley Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Matching Gifts Program Amy Katz & Robert Cohen Tana Kirkbride & Amit Gupta Pinky & Sam Kocoshis Warren Leight Jackie Mack & Ted Silberstein Anita & Ed Marks Carol Miller Meibers John & Deborah Moffatt Bill & Ruth Morley Patti Myers & Alan Flaherty Ms. Kathleen O'Connell & Dr. H. Kenneth Peterson Whitney Owens & David Eslinger Family Fund Alice Perlman Presidential Plaza Associates, LTD Hera G. Reines Dick & Chris Russell Jayna & Dan Schimberg Ken & Kathy Skau Susan & David Smith

28 | the premiere society

Sandra Spataro Beverly A. Thomas Fund* Gordon & Mary-Anne Thompson Thomas Thompson Maureen & Larry Vignola Vinkolet Winery Sonia Wagener Karen & Barry Webb Mary Ann & Edwin T. Weiss, Jr. Jay & Kate Wilford Ronna & James Willis Wuerdeman Family Fund* Ashlee Young Nora Zorich & Thomas Filardo Family Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation RUNNING CREW ($250-$499) Anonymous (3) Mary Ann Bender Allen Bernard David & Elaine Billmire Mark Bowen^ Ann & Lee Bulger Kwesi Calliste Brenda & Steve Carter Jo-Ann Casuto Nancy Cisneros Elizabeth Clark Carol C. Cole Brian & Elizabeth Coley Rev. Dr. Robert W. Croskery & Beverly Croskery, Ph.D. Kelly M. Dehan Paul & Bev Diamond^ Rick & Tracy Diehl Jessica Dovel Emilie & David Dressler Fund* Dennis & Catherine Dunwoodie^ Keith Faber Barbara Feldmann Larry Freeman Jeffrey G Gibson Family Fund Mrs. Madeleine H. Gordon Sue Harris & Meredith Green William Groneman & Maureen Flanagan Charitable Fund Kurt & Joanne Grossman Marilyn Harris Bob & Judy Heaton Lyle & Jennifer Horvath James & Robin Huizenga Barbara A. Jennings Leslie Korbee & Michele Mascari Carmen & Rich Kovarsky Kroger Community Rewards Program Limestone Fund* David Logan & Dale Hodges Anna Lovekin Charles & Jennifer Margolis Dr. Ralph R. Meyer Steven & Jacqueline Miller Family Foundation Norah & Joe Mock Neda & Bruce Nutley Paul & Mary Ann Odegard Brett Offenberger & Douglas Duckett Terry & Jill Parsons Chris Philpotts & Pam Schall David M. Piatt Fund* Holly Riffe & Sue Roth^ Al Roane^ Marianne R. Rowe Ross Royce J.R. Rulon^ Maura Schilling

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS! To join our family of contributors with a donation of any size, please contact Josh Neumeyer: (513) 421-3555 x2103

Schimberg Family Foundation Eli E. Shupe, Jr. & Toby Ruben^ Michael Siegrist Sara & Gunter Storjohann Linda Tache Marty C. Tomb Anita Trotta Rosalie P. van Nuis Priscilla S. Walford Buzz Ward Ann & Victor Warner Richard Weisenberger^ Robert & Jean Willis Jeff Wysel Dr. David & Cynthia Zink APPRENTICES ($125-$249) Anonymous (9) Marjorie & David Aaron Mary Accorinti Amy Alig AmazonSmile Foundation Robert Bloom & Alison Kamine Fund* Dee Anne Bryll & Ed Cohen Michele & Kevin Cain^ Rebecca Campbell Anne E. Charles Lee Crooks & Bill Menrath Patricia & Robert Clary Barbara Cummins Charles & Lois Deitschel Igor & Jane Dumbadze Ken Eckert Michael Ehrensberger Linda Erpelding Vanessa Freytag Jo Anne M. Gibbons & John R. Getz Melinda Gilbert Leslie Gregg-Jolly Ann Hicks Karlee Hilliard Daniel Hoffheimer John Kaine Judith Kenniston Priya Dhingra Klocek Russell Lascelles & Janet Schultz Madelyn Levy David L. Martin Sherry & Steve McCamley John McDonagh Dr. & Mrs. Richard A. Meyer Audrey Meyers Wafa J. Nasser, M.D. The Honorable Norbert & Linnea Nadel Patricia & James Neidhard B & B Otting Nancy L. Phelan Nicola Pietoso David & Deborah Pittinger Joetta Prost & Kathy Shell Laura Proto & Tommy Johnston Cheryl & David Risher

David Roth Maria Saldivar Mikki Schaffner Barbara Seiver Mark Silbersack & Ruth Schwallie Mary Lee & Louie Sirkin Matt & Shelly Smith Tim Smith & Penny Poirier John & Martha Spiess Fred & Anne Straus Charitable Fund Robert P. Streicher U.S. Bank Employee Matching Program Howard M. & Nancy S. Weinberg Michael Wheatley Karen Wittenberg^ Don & Donna Wymore David Steven Ziegler

TRIBUTE GIFTS In honor of Amy Weinstock In honor of Arfie K. Harvey In honor of D. Lynn Meyers In honor of Kathy DeLaura's Birthday (25) In honor of Mary Stagaman In honor of Mike & Digi Schueler In honor of Nick Ligon In memory of Fred & Sondra Ross In memory of James & Noretta Markley In memory of Jim Nelson (2) In memory of Lois Deitschel In memory of Lynda Thomas In memory of Mary Bonansinga In memory of Michael Berry In memory of Paul Sittenfeld In memory of Renee Alper In memory of Rich Postler (20) Ensemble Theatre acknowledges the following Partner Companies, Foundations, and their employees who generously participate in the Annual ArtsWave Community Campaign at the $100,000+ level. Your support helps make our community vibrant and connects people all across our region through the arts. Thank you! P&G Fifth Third Bank and the Fifth Third Foundation GE Aviation Cincinnati Bell Western & Southern Financial Group Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center The Cincinnati Insurance Companies City of Cincinnati Enquirer Media Great American Insurance Group Ohio National Financial Services U.S. Bank The H.B., E.W., and F. R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank and Narley L. Haley, Co-Trustees Macy's Cincinnati Business Courier The Kroger Co. PNC The E.W. Scripps Company and Scripps Howard Foundation Duke Energy HORAN Cincinnati Reds

* A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

^ Sustaining Donor

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PATRON INFORMATION ETC BOX OFFICE HOURS Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm, and 2 hours prior to curtain. Weekend hours vary. CAMERAS & RECORDING DEVICES Actors’ Equity Association strictly prohibits the use of cameras or recording devices (including camera phones) in the theatre. ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS ETC offers audio-described performances, ASL-interpreted performances, wheelchair accessible seating, large-print programs, Braille programs, assistive listening devices, and sensory sensitivity items such as noisecanceling headphones and fidgets. RELAXED PERFORMANCES Select performances offered for those with sensory sensitivities and developmental disabilities and their families to enjoy the production with lighting and sound adjustments and other accommodations. SALE POLICY Single-ticket purchases are final sale with no refund. If a patron is a no-show for their reserved performance, ETC is under no obligation to reschedule their tickets. LATECOMERS & ADMITTANCE Latecomers are seated at the House Manager’s discretion and may be denied admission depending upon the demands or structure of a particular production. Should you need to leave the theatre during a performance, readmittance is not guaranteed. ETC reserves the right to deny admission and/ or remove any disruptive patrons from the theatre at any time. TAX CREDITS If you cannot attend your performance and cannot reschedule for another date, tickets released prior to performances by calling the ETC box office are fully deductible as a charitable contribution.

30 | patron information

1127 Vine Street circa 1927 Image courtesy of Fifth Third Bank archives.

PARKING Patrons may park at the Gateway Garage (accessible via 12th Street) or at the surface lot, both conveniently located at the corner of Vine and 12th Streets. Parking is also available at Washington Park Garage and Mercer Commons Garage. CHILDREN Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted to productions unless otherwise advertised. Parents with disruptive children will be asked to leave the theatre. GROUPS & DISCOUNTS Groups of 8 or more can save on single-ticket prices. Student rates, rush discounts, Public Radio Perks Card, AAA, ArtsWave Pass, and educator and military member discounts are available for select shows (please consult your appropriate membership(s) for details and exclusions).

INVEST ENGAGE INNOVATE LEAD

Investing state and federal dollars, the Ohio Arts Council funds and supports quality arts experiences for all Ohioans to strengthen communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Learn more about our grant programs and resources, find your next arts experience, or connect: OAC.OHIO.GOV.

Grantee Spotlight: TOLEDO ALLIANCE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Two Toledo Ballet dancers performing in their April 2023 production of Prokofiev’s Cinderella, accompanied by the Toledo Symphony conducted by Jonathan McPhee. Image Credit: Robert Cummerow

Katie Smith, resident since 2018 Margo Spence grateful daughter