Skip to main content

Jaja's African Hair Braiding

Page 1

Your passion shines brilliantly. The arts make us think, make us feel, and make us wonder. PNC is proud to support Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Thank you for helping to make our community more brilliant.

pnc.com

©2024 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC CON PDF 1221-018-1951005


D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director

JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRADING by JOCELYN BIOH

Directed by TORIE WIGGINS†

May 31 – June 22, 2025 Scenic & Lighting Designer BRIAN c . MEHRING

Costume, Hair, & Wig Designer TIARA M. JONES

Asstistant Hair & Wig Designer ANIYA WILLIAMS

Sound Designer JUSTIN ELLINGTON‡

Associate Sound Designer TREY TATUM

Dialect Coach DEBORA CRABBE

Properties Curator/Design Assistant SHANNON RAE LUTZ

Technical Director JACOB DOWELL

Production Stage Manager MARGOT WHITNEY*

Assistant Stage Manager LEXI MULLER*

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. JAJA'S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service imprint. www.dramatists.com World premiere produced by the Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Chris Jennings, Executive Director) and Madison Wells with LaChanze & Taraji P. Henson at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on September 12, 2023. Commissioned by Williamstown Theatre Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director), Williamstown, MA.

*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.

†

‡ Production member belongs to United Scenic Artists, Local 829, a labor union representing designers and artists in the entertainment industry. It is a nationwide autonomous Local of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

PREMIERE SPONSORS Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard | ArtsWave ARTIST SPONSOR Linda R. Holthaus

OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR Sprout Insight

| 3


2024–2025 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 Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired

4 |

2024–2025 sponsors

SEASON TICKET SPONSOR

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSORS

EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT Anonymous (3) Eleanora C. U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee 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


e v o c s e i d eth g to stronge arts for ar stronge r region

together Since 1927, ArtsWave has been the primary way to fund Cincy’s arts. Gifts from ArtsWave Members are invested in nearly every neighborhood and town across the Cincinnati region, supporting arts organizations like the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati that create a vibrant economy and a connected community.

nger for a nger

Become a member today and discover what we can do, together. 2024–2025 sponsors | 5


DIRECTOR'S NOTES Welcome to Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, a shop in Harlem where the braids are tight, the stories run deep, and the bonds are even stronger. This play is a love letter to one of my favorite parts of the community—a neighborhood salon that’s more than just a place to get your hair done. It’s a refuge, a sounding board, a stage, and sometimes a therapy session with a comb in hand. In Jaja’s shop, beauty isn’t just created—it’s reclaimed, reimagined, and rooted in history. Through every twist and part, Jaja’s challenges the narrow, often unspoken rules around what beauty is "supposed" to look like. Here, we see how Black women celebrate their heritage, their creativity, and their right to define beauty on their own terms. Hair, in this space, is political and personal. It's how we express where we come from, how we see ourselves, and how we want to be seen. Through every braid, twist, and knot, we challenge the narrow standards of beauty that have been imposed on Black women for generations. But what really makes Jaja’s special is the community inside it—the stylists, the clients, the clashing personalities, and the quiet moments of understanding. This play is about that unspoken magic that happens when women gather: the laughter, the tension, the support, the unbreakable thread of connection. The styles are sharp, the gossip’s hotter than a pressing comb, and the community runs deep. So settle in, eavesdrop a little, laugh a lot—and if you leave feeling like you just spent the afternoon in the salon chair, then we’ve done our job. ­—Torie Wiggins

LET’S THEATRE TOGETHER @ EnsembleCincy

6 |

Director's notes


Less Lessthan thanten tenmiles milesfrom fromdowntown, downtown,The TheSummit SummitHotel Hotelbrings bringsa a new newlevel levelofofstyle styleand andsophistication. sophistication.AsAsthe thecenterpiece centerpieceofofthe the expansive expansiveMadison MadisonSquare Squarecampus, campus,our our239-room 239-roomhotel hoteloffers offersanan artful artfuland andinspiring inspiringatmosphere atmospherefor forboth bothbusiness businessand andleisure. leisure.

Less tha new lev expans artful an

5345 5345MEDPACE MEDPACEWAY, WAY,CINCINNATI, CINCINNATI,OH OH45227 45227| (513) | (513)527-9900 527-9900| THESUMMITHOTEL.COM | THESUMMITHOTEL.COM 5345 ME

BREAK A LEG

And Need Medical Coverage? Health Insurance Support is Here for You!

Our free, expanded navigator services are available both locally and online. Our trained navigators can help you compare plans to find coverage that fits your needs and budget.

Scan the QR code or call us to make an appointment.

833-628-4467 This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2.71 million with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor anendorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government

| 7


CAST & CREW CAST Michelle/Chrissy/LaNiece............................................................................................ A.J. BALDWIN* Vanessa/Sheila/Radia............................................................................................................. BEASLEY Ndidi..........................................................................................................................JASIMINE BOULDIN* Jaja.................................................................................................................................... BURGESS BYRD* Aminata........................................................................................................................CANDICE HANDY* Bea.............................................................................................................................. KEISHA L. KEMPER Miriam........................................................................................................................... BRIANNA MILLER Marie......................................................................................................................SAMANTHA RUSSELL* Jennifer...........................................................................................................................ELEXIS SELMON James/Franklin/Olu/Eric................................................................................ SAMUEL STRICKLEN*

RUNNING CREW 2nd Assistant Stage Manager........................................................................... MADDI O'CONNELL Light Board Operator.........................................................................................ELLIET MALATESTA Sound Board Operator...................................................................................... LEONARDO CLARK Head of Hair & Wig Crew.......................................................................................ANIYA WILLIAMS Costumes/Hair & Wig Crew & Marie u/s..................................................... AMIRA F. JACKSON Costumes/Hair & Wig Crew........................................................................................ CHAR ADAMS Run Crew........................................................................................................................... ABIGAIL DIRR

SETTING A hair braiding shop in Harlem off 125th Street. A very hot day in July 2019.

This production will be performed in one act with NO intermission. Approximate running time is 1 hour, 30 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.

8 |

cast & crew


CAST & CREW PRODUCTION TEAM Assistant Director.........................................................................................................PIPER N. DAVIS Assistant Director...................................................................................................... ALEAH VASSELL 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 Intimacy Choreographer...........................................................................................................E. CARR Shop Carpenter........................................................................................... JEREMIAH PLESSINGER Carpenter & Load-In Tech...................................................................................... NATHAN NEORR

FOR STORIES OF ALL KINDS Materials inspired by Jaja's African Hair Braiding courtesy of The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.

BOOKS Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Dear Black Girls

Natural

Black Beauty and the Politics of Hair

by Chelsea Mary Elise Johnson

How to Be True to You

Saturday Morning at the 'Shop by Keenan Jones

You Didn't Hear This From Me

Louder Than Words by Ashley Woodfolk

by A'ja Wilson

(mostly) True Notes on Gossip

by Kelsey McKinney Wash Day Love by Tanisia Moore

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

Cast & Crew

| 9


A SEASON THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF

25/26 SEASON

SEP 9 – 21, 2025

OCT 14 – 26, 2025

MAKE IT AN 8-SHOW PACKAGE

DEC 16, 2025 – JAN 4, 2026

JAN 13 – 25, 2026

FEB 10 – 22, 2026

SEASON OPTION

MAR 3 – 15, 2026

MAR 24 – 29, 2026

APR 21 – MAY 3, 2026

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT

MAY 12 – 17, 2026

JUN 10 – JUL 5, 2026

©Disney

SEASON OPTION

BroadwayinCincinnati.com | 800.294.1816 | Aronoff Center 10 |


CINCINNATI OPERA at MUSIC HALL

Rigoletto June 12 & 14

Studio Sessions June 17, July 10 & 17

Tosca

June 26 & 28 NEW PRODUCTION!

Fiddler on the Roof

July 23, 25, 26 & 27

TICKETS START AT $36

SUMMER FESTIVAL

2025

cincinnatiopera.org Illustration: Fiddler on the Roof: Aimee Sposito Martini

Season Funders: Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust

Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation

| 11


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 Mark Haggard, Treasurer Holly Brians Ragusa, Secretary DIRECTORS Athena Avgousti-Bauer Erica Bock Otto M. Budig, Jr. Kwesi Calliste Zina Camblin Brock Dalton Tom Carothers Charles H. Gerhardt, III Tim Giglio Beverly A. Grant Kali Hacias Boecher Stephen M. King Andrew Maloney Anthony McNamara D. Lynn Meyers, ex officio Shekhar Mitra Erica Osborn Maura Schilling Meghan Simonson 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?

Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau.

12 |

About us

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


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

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 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: Char Adams • Leonardo Clark Abigial Dirr • Amira F. Jackson Elliet Malatesta • Maddi O'Connell

Box Office Associates/House Managers: Gabby Casto • Gwyn Lee • KG Rucker Becca Schall • Jacob Schall • Malyssa Quinn

DEVELOPMENT

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 Jeremiah Plessinger, Shop Carpenter Nathan Neorr, Carpenter & Load-In Tech

Amanda M. McDonald, Director of Philanthropy

EDUCATION

Emily Bush, Director of Education Emmy Rice, Accessibility & Education Programs Coordinator Deondra Kamau Means, Education Associate

PRODUCTION

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.

| 13


PLAY IN PROGRESS Jasimine Bouldin & Brianna Miller

Torie Wiggins

Set model by Brian c. Mehring

Samantha Russell, Brianna Miller, Candice Handy, Keisha L. Kemper, & Samuel Stricklen

14 |

Play in progress


PLAY IN PROGRESS Brianna Miller, Candice Handy, & Keisha L. Kemper

Jasimine Bouldin

Samuel Stricklen & Samantha Russell

Keisha L. Kemper & Samuel Stricklen

Play in Progress

| 15


This campaign will . . .

* * * * *

Produce premiere award-winning productions by the best playwrights of our time Support the retention and development of theatre professionals Expand our patron and donor base with fresh insights and strategic endeavors Sustain our future by seeding an endowment And more!

. . . with a combined $10 million investment by March 2026.

Lead Investors Harry & Linda Fath


Our Impact • 39 years of productions that enlighten, engergize, & inspire • 276 regional and world premieres produced • 4,128 actors employed • 40% of our apprentices remain in the Greater Cincinnati region • 97% subscription renewal rate • Nearly 2,000 student attendees of Fairy Godmother performances annually • 11,000 students served each year by our education and engagement initiatives

Invest in our milestone campaign to ensure ETC can thrive for generations to come!

WAYS TO GIVE $

One-time donations

Tribute gifts

Stock gifts

Multiyear pledges

Legacy gifts

Give through your Donor-Advised Fund

If you are over 70 ½, you can make a tax-free Qualified Charitable Distribution from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to ETC. Please direct your administrator to make the gift for Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (Tax ID: 31-1220252)

Scan now to support the Pillars Campaign!

@ EnsembleCincy For more information, contact us at (513) 421-3555 x4 or development@ensemblecincinnati.org.


CAST A.J. BALDWIN (Michelle/Chrissy/LaNiece) (she/her) is so excited to make her Ensemble Theatre debut! A.J. is a Cincinnati-based actor, playwright, and director from Montgomery, Alabama. She was last seen on stage as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and recently directed FLEX at Summit Performance Indianapolis. Her plays The Twunny Fo' and Die Hard IS a Christmas Movie (co-written with Alexx Rouse) were recently produced at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. A.J. is the associate artistic director of the Theater at Monmouth in Monmouth, Maine. A.J. sends love to all who may be reading this. BEASLEY (Vanessa/Sheila/Radia) (they/them) is a multi-hyphenate theatre artist currently based in Cincinnati. They act, direct, teach, and write all with the hope that they can heal and entertain folks. Some of their favorite projects include Fiona: The Musical, Ensemble Theatre; Alice in the Hundred Acre Wood and Stew, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Hamlet and The Amen Corner, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Die Hard IS a Christmas Movie, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; and Esther Made Me Do It, The Ghostlight Stage Company. Please consider donating to a local arts organization to support free speech in this country. Instagram: @andbeas JASIMINE BOULDIN (Ndidi), a local actor and improvisor, is delighted to be making her debut on the Ensemble Theatre stage. She has been seen at Know Theatre of Cincinnati as June in it’s not a trip it's a journey and Rissa in The Twunny Fo’ written by fellow castmate A.J. Baldwin. She’s also been seen as Opal in Fat Ham, Lady MacDuff in Macbeth, and Mary Shelley in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. BURGESS BYRD (Jaja) (she/they) last appeared at Ensemble Theatre in Sweat, as well as Skeleton Crew, Detroit '67, This Random World, and The Frog Princess. Some of her regional credits include Room in the Castle (world premiere co-produced with Folger Theatre/DC), Fat Ham, The Amen Corner, Wrecking Ball, The Living Dead, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and A Raisin in the Sun, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; A Christmas Carol and School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Barbecue and Gloria: A Life, Human Race Theatre Company; Pretty Fire, Neat, and Harry and the Thief, Know Theatre; SILENCE! The Musical and Flying West, Falcon Theatre; and Caroline, or Change, New Stage Collective. She was also a guest artist at the University of Texas Austin in Merchant of Venice and at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Fences. Voiceover credits include season three of Small Victories on Apple/Spotify and Let Ohio Women Vote on PBS/ThinkTV. Film credits include Inconceivable, Bones and All, Challengers, and After the Hunt (upcoming October 2025). www.burgessbyrd.com.

18 |

Cast


CAST CANDICE HANDY (Aminata) (she/her) is the associate artistic director at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. She is a passionate theatre actor, director, educator, and administrator committed to storytelling that is accessible to all people and promotes better understanding of ourselves and each other. Some of Candice’s favorite regional acting credits include The Play That Goes Wrong, Julius Caesar, Every Christmas Story Ever Told, Trouble in Mind, Macbeth, Othello, Twelfth Night (co-production with Prague Shakespeare), and Gaslight (co-production with Merrimack Repertory Theater), Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; The Winter’s Tale, Island Shakespeare Festival; The Cake, Human Race Theatre Company; The Pirates of Penzance, Theater at Monmouth; and Frankenstein, StageOne Family Theatre. She holds an MFA in acting and a graduate certificate in African American Theatre from the University of Louisville, as well as a BAS in broadcast communications from Alabama State University. Candice would like to thank her family and friends for their unrelenting support over the years, as well as God for placing theatre art as the calling on her life.

KEISHA L. KEMPER (Bea) (she/her) is a native of Cincinnati and graduated from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music with her BFA in dramatic performance. She was last seen at Ensemble Theatre in Who All Over There? as Deirdre Martin. Her regional credits include Alabaster and Harry and the Thief, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; The Amen Corner and Twelfth Night, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Prokofiev's suite from Romeo and Juliet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; The Bradbury Tattoos: An Experimental Rock Opera, concert:nova; The Glass Menagerie, New Edgecliff Theatre; and Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous, The Human Race Theatre. Keisha would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support.

BRIANNA MILLER (Miriam) (she/her) is thrilled to make her Ensemble Theatre debut in this joyful and timely play. Some of her favorite roles include Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest, Santa Cruz Shakespeare; Millie Davis in Trouble in Mind, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Camae in The Mountaintop, Uptown Performing Arts Center. She is currently pursuing her MFA in acting at Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House. She would like to thank her friends and family for their support, especially Nathan Sullivan, who is usually the sole reason she is off-book for each show.

Cast

| 19


CAST SAMANTHA RUSSELL (Marie) is thrilled to return to Ensemble Theatre, where she was last seen in I Shall Not Be Moved, earning a BroadwayWorld Regional Award for Best Performer in a Play. She is a proud alumna of the 2016–2017 Professional Acting Apprenticeship Program at ETC, where her credits include Socrates in Cinderella: After Ever After, Antigone in ANTIGONE (born against.), and Gidela in The Dancing Princesses. Other favorite theatre credits include Coretta Scott King and the Fight for Freedom, Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati; The Color Purple, Cincinnati Black Theatre Company; Galentine’s Day, Theatre Deli in London, England; and Can There Be Justice for TJ?, Sky Blue Theatre in Bromley, England. Samantha holds an MA in acting from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, where she currently resides. She is also the co-founder of Last Looks Beauty, an award-winning Afro hair and makeup agency addressing the urgent need for skilled hair and makeup artists for Black and global talent in film, television, and stage productions. To learn more, visit www.samanthaerussell.com and www.lastlooksbeauty.com.

ELEXIS SELMON (Jennifer) is a sooooo thrilled to be in this production! Elexis is a Louisiana native and a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans, where she majored in theatre arts and psychology. Her recent credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival; Hamlet, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Fiona: The Musical, Ensemble Theatre; The House That Will Not Stand, Le Petit Theatre; and School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, The NOLA Project. She would like to thank her mom, her family, D. Lynn Meyers, Torie Wiggins, and Jesus for their support and love.

SAMUEL STRICKLEN (James/Franklin/Olu/Eric) (he/him) is excited to be making his Ensemble Theatre debut! Some of his theatre credits include Superior Donuts, Broadway’s Music Box Theater; Six Degrees of Separation, The Old Globe; Clybourne Park, Premiere Stages; Current Nobody, La Jolla Playhouse; Primary Trust, TheaterWorks Hartford. Samuel is an Emeritus Artist of SITI Company, where some of his credits include bobrauschenbergamerica, Dublin Theatre Festival; The Bacchae, Getty Villa/BAM; and Under Construction, Actors Theatre of Louisville. His TV and film credits include Marlon, Six Degrees, The Mysteries of Laura, Law & Order, The Good Wife, Bosch, Mozart in the Jungle, High Maintenance, and The Visit. Samuel holds an MFA in acting from the University of California San Diego and is an assistant professor of acting and movement at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

20 |

Cast


CREATIVE TEAM JOCELYN BIOH (Playwright) is an award-winning, Tony-nominated Ghanaian American writer and performer from New York City. Her written works for theatre include Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (MTC), which premiered on Broadway in 2023 and was nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Play, Merry Wives (Public Theater/ Shakespeare in the Park, PBS Great Performances, 2022 Drama Desk Award Winner for Outstanding Adaptation), Nollywood Dreams (MCC Theater,) the multi-award-winning School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, which was originally produced at MCC Theater in 2017/2018 and has gone on to have over 60 regional productions and premiered in the UK in 2023. Jocelyn has also written for TV on Russian Doll, Spike Lee's She’s Gotta Have It (Netflix), Tiny Beautiful Things (Hulu), the Star Wars series The Acolyte (Disney+); she is also writing the live screen film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Once on This Island for Disney+. She is a former TOW playwriting fellow (2017) and has been commissioned by MTC, Atlantic Theater Co., Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Second Stage.

TORIE WIGGINS (Director) is a multi-hyphenate artist with over fifteen years of experience. Her Cincinnati theatre credits include Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Harry and the Thief, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; Mame, Crowns, and The Revolutionists, Human Race Theatre Company; To Kill a Mockingbird, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Little Women, Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, Fences, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and The Amen Corner, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and The Mountaintop, Violet, Alice in Wonderland (2012), Around the World in 80 Days, Cinderella, Cinderella: After Ever After, His Eye is on the Sparrow, and Your Negro Tour Guide, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Her directing credits include Dreamgirls and Proof, The Carnegie Theater; Trouble in Mind, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and I Shall Not Be Moved and How I Learned What I Learned, Ensemble Theatre. D. LYNN MEYERS (Producing Artistic Director) (she/her) has been with Ensemble Theatre for over twenty-five years, having directed more than a hundred world and regional premieres, including Hands on a Hardbody, Fun Home, Morning Sun, The Wolves, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, I Am My Own Wife, Next to Normal, Tiny Beautiful Things, and the world premiere of The Dancing Princesses. She began her career as the associate artistic director at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, has directed off-Broadway at the York Theatre, and has directed extensively throughout the US and Canada. As a member of the Casting Society of America, Lynn's recent feature credits include The Bikeriders, Shirley, and Dark Waters, in addition to serving as the location casting director for The Shawshank Redemption. Lynn recently directed the world premiere of Fierce for the Cincinnati Opera. She was named a finalist for the Zelda Fichandler National Award in 2011, is a past recipient of the YWCA Career Woman of Achievement Award, and received the 2018 Rosa F. and Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize for regional arts impact and leadership.

Creative Team

| 21


PRODUCTION TEAM BRIAN c. MEHRING (Scenic & Lighting Designer) (he/him) is incredibly thankful to have served as the resident scenic and lighting designer at Ensemble Theatre for over two decades. Some of his favorite productions include Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Your Negro Tour Guide, Next to Normal, An Iliad, Sweat, and Fun Home. His 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. Brian would like to thank D. Lynn Meyers for her endless support and dedication to ETC.

TIARA M. JONES (Costume, Wig, & Hair Designer) is a wig and hair designer, licensed cosmetologist, makeup artist, and apparel designer originally from Alexandria, Virginia. Making her Ensemble Theatre debut, her professional design work has been seen at The Carnegie, Manhattan Class Company, the Cincinnati Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, the Glimmerglass Opera Festival, New York Fashion Week, and the Empire State Building. She received her MFA in wig and makeup design from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music and her BS in fashion design from UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Tiara resides in New York City and continuously works in design from wig and hairstyling to makeup and apparel. She gives thanks to God, her family, her artistic team, and supporters of her talents.

ANIYA WILLIAMS (Assistant Wig & Hair Designer) (she/her) is a Cincinnati local and makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. She graduated high school as a licensed cosmetologist and got her own suite at 19 years old. Aniya currently specializes in locs, natural hair care, and protective styles. You can find her at The Lavish Essence located at Noble Barber & Beauty.

JUSTIN ELLINGTON (Sound Designer) is a composer, arranger, music director, producer, educator, sound designer, and musician. His impressive portfolio spans theatre, film, and radio, with Broadway credits including Home, Jaja's African Hair Braiding (Tony nomination), for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf (Tony nomination), Topdog/Underdog, Pass Over, and Clyde's. Off-Broadway, he's contributed to productions at New York Theatre Workshop, Lincoln Center, and The Public Theater. Justin has earned awards like the Obie, Audelco, and Henry Hewes Design, and has been recognized by ASCAP and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He is a proud member of the American Society of Composer and Publishers, United Scenic Artist local 829, and Koblat Music Group.

22 |

Production Team


PRODUCTION TEAM TREY TATUM (Associate Sound Designer) (he/him) is a playwright and composer who makes silly things about serious stuff. He is the resident composer for the Off the Hill Touring Series at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Trey is one-half of Queen City Flash, a theater company currently in residence at Playhouse in the Park. Ongoing projects include the audio dramas ZOiNKS! and Have Monster, Will Travel, available wherever you get your podcasts. Upcoming projects include two new Choose Your Own Adventure–style plays at Playhouse and Xavier University. Trey lives in Cincinnati and makes theater and mischief with his wife, director Bridget Leak. www.treytatum.com

DEBORA CRABBE (Dialect Coach) makes her Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. She is a dialect coach and actor in the DC Metro area who has worked with various companies around the country, including Round House Theatre, Mosaic Theatre, We Happy Few DC, Theatre J, Ford’s Theatre, Arena Stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, SpeakEasy Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, The Kennedy Center, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. She is the 2019 Helen Hayes Award-winner for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical. She holds a BFA in theatre performance from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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 the 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 co-manage ETC’s Professional Apprentice Company with Torie Wiggins. 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 third season at Ensemble. He received a BA in theatre from Morehead State University. Some previous technical direction credits include The Match Game, Fiona: The Musical, Hands on a Hardbody, 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 cats (Ronnie and Stan) for their continued support.

Production Team

| 23


Visit ensemblecincinnati.org for more content about this production, including behind-the-scenes photos, videos, interviews, and more!

SAVE THE DATE

Join us in a neighborhood near you for an evening of FREE food, music, art, activities and community!

THU JUN 5

PRIDE Icon Festival Stage FEATURING SAPPHIRA CRISTAL!

SUN JUN 22

WEST END Ezzard Charles Park

FRI JUL 11

FRI JUL 18

NORTH AVONDALE

North Avondale Rec Center Field

PRICE HILL Dunham Rec Center

FRI AUG 1

WOODLAWN/LINCOLN HEIGHTS

Woodlawn Community Center cincinnatisymphony.org/BlockParties Foundation

IDEA Series Title Sponsor

24 |

Presenting Sponsor


PRODUCTION TEAM MARGOT WHITNEY (Production Stage Manager) (she/her) is thrilled to be back at Ensemble Theatre! Her previous credits include Sweat on Broadway and the first national tours of Clue, Mean Girls, Come From Away, Bright Star, The King & I, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and War Horse. She has worked with The Public Theatre, Signature Theatre Company, New York Stage and Film, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, La Jolla Playhouse, Virginia Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati during the 2012-2013 Season, and Cincinnati Ballet. Margot received her BFA from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. She would like to send love and thanks to family and friends!

LEXI MULLER (Assistant Stage Manager) (she/her) is delighted to be back at Ensemble Theatre, where some of her credits include I Need That, The Garbologists, Fun Home, and The Wolves. 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.

THEATRE IS MEANT TO BE SHARED Groups of 8+ save on single ticket prices. Contact the ETC box office for more info or to book your next group! Production Team

| 25


WAYS HEADER A TO GIVE From playwrights to apprentices and every role in between, your tax-deductible gift enables us to enliven, enrich, and inspire audiences, as well as create a thriving urban arts community accessible to all through our world and regional premiere productions and award-winning education, engagement, and inclusion programs.

ONLINE

Make your gift online at ensemblecincinnati.org/support

IN PERSON

Make a gift at our box office via cash, check, or credit card.

BY PHONE

Please call (513) 421–3555, option 4.

BY MAIL

Send a check payable to Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati to: Attn: Development 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

THROUGH YOUR IRA

Are you over 70 ½? You can make a tax-free Qualified Charitable Distribution from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Direct your administrator to make the gift for Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (Tax ID: 31-1220252), including “of,” as that is our legal name.

STOCK

For stock transfers instructions, email development@ensemblecincinnati.org

HONOR & MEMORIAL GIFTS

Giving a gift in honor or memory of someone is a wonderful way to pay tribute to their life.

THE 1986 CLUB

ETC’s Monthly Giving Program The 1986 Club celebrates the legacy of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s founding year and provides an opportunity for you to make an ongoing impact on the future of our arts community. By becoming a monthly donor, you directly contribute to the growth and sustainability of our programming, productions, and outreach efforts. Each gift makes an immediate impact on ETC’s productions and educational programs. Why Give Monthly? Your monthly investment allows us to build a sustainable future and continue creating the high-quality theatre experiences our community loves. Monthly donors provide ETC with consistent, reliable support, and each gift makes a lasting difference. Join The 1986 Club today and help us shape the future! Visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org/support

GIVE WHILE YOU SHOP

Designate ETC as your nonprofit beneficiary through the Kroger Community Rewards program, and Kroger donates a portion of your purchase amount directly to ETC. Register your Kroger Plus Card and select ETC–organization BM374.

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 May 16, 2024 and May 16, 2025.

PLAYWRIGHTS ($20,000+) Anonymous ArtsWave Gale & Dave Beckett Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation Harry & Linda Fath Friedlander Family Fund The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Hamilton County, Ohio The Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation* Karlee Hilliard Linda Holthaus & Richard Zinicola William & Mary Jane James LKC Foundation Louise Taft Semple Foundation Kenneth T. & Molly M. Mahler The Markley Family Anu & Shekhar Mitra Diane & Dave Moccia David & Judith Morgan Fund* Ohio Arts Council PNC Foundation P&G* Richard Postler & Manuel Hernandez Robert & Adele Schiff Family Foundation The Shubert Foundation, Inc. Dale & Joyce Uetrecht Family Fund PRODUCERS ($10,000-$19,999) Eleanora C. U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Trustee The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Annette & Tom Carothers Geiger Family Jane Ruwet Hopson & Larry Pytlinski Damon & Holly Ragusa Meghan & Dan Simonson Dudley S. Taft Foundation van der Horst Family Fund* Tamara White DIRECTORS ($5,000-$9,999) Anonymous (2) Athena Avgousti-Bauer & Mark Bauer Marcia Banker & Jeff Schloemer Mary & William Bonansinga* Michael Gerard Carr Denise & Martin Chambers, The Don and Alice Ulmer Legacy Giving Fund Susan Cohen & Robert Schmuelling Corky & Rick Family Foundation Kelly M. Dehan & Rick Staudigel Jane & Chip Gerhardt L. Timothy Giglio Beverly A. Grant Fund* Lauren Hannan Shafer Home City Ice Betty Huck

Robert Keith & Kathleen Thornton Keith Stephen King & Lynne Miller Warren Leight Limestone Fund* Palmer/Graber Family Fund Paylocity Barbara & Dave Reaman Moe & Jack Rouse Rumpke Norma Skoog Mary Stagaman & Ron Kull Summerfair Foundation, Inc. Carol Talbot Fund* UBS Matching Gifts Program Jo Ann Wieghaus DESIGNERS ($2,500-$4,999) Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation Nicholas Apanius Kali Boecher Jeff & Gay Bullock Kathy Burklow & John Berlier Charlotte Williams Trust Kathy DeLaura Earthward Bound Foundation Ehrsam Family Fund* William Groneman & Maureen Flanagan Charitable Fund Chris Heiert Johnson Investment Counsel Marilyn P. & Joseph W. Hirschhorn Fund* Arleene Keller Jackie Mack & Ted Silberstein Louise and Grauman Marks Memorial Fund* Messer Construction Charles Scott Riley III Foundation Elizabeth Sawyer Selnick Fund* Alex & Kim Schutte Arnie Shayne & Ina P. Schwartz Sprout Insight LLC Towne Properties Linda Vaccariello & Eric Burgmann STAGE MANAGERS ($1,000-$2,499) Gordon Allen & Linda Baas Americana Arts Foundation The Art Links Fund* Judith & Louis Belli Erica Bock Erin Houlihan & John Bostick Dawn & Doug Bruestle Bryson Family Charitable Fund Stephen Carothers Barbara Carr & Bren Blaine Candace Carson Fran Christensen Elizabeth Clark Philip Clayton Burton & Susan Closson

Please bring any errors or omissions to our attention by contacting us at development@ensemblecincinnati.org or (513) 421-3555 x4.

* A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

the premiere society

| 27


STAGE MANAGERS CONT. Brian & Elizabeth Coley Margaret & Joseph Conway Meredythe G. & Clayton C. Daley, Jr. Family Fund* Mark Dauner Rick & Allison Edwards John Ellmore Fencl Family Fund* Robert Fitzpatrick Sandi Gans Alana & Shelly Gerson Gilman Family Fund* Dr. & Mrs. Richard Glaser Mrs. Madeleine H. Gordon Linda Greenberg Fund* Kurt & Joanne Grossman Judith Hauser David & Susan Goering Hill Family Legacy Fund Emily M. Hodges & Charles H. Spencer Patti & Keith James Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Matching Gifts Program Carol Leslie Minda Matthews-Smith Sophia McAllister Carol Miller Meibers Allen R. Middleton Jill & Bruce Mitchell Bill & Ruth Morley Bill and Karen Neyer Molly North Erica M.L. Osborn Whitney Owens & David Eslinger Family Fund Chris Philpotts and Pam Schall Red Shell Management Hera G. Reines Steven & Carol Reubel Mr. & Mrs. Gates T. Richards Dick & Chris Russell Marvin & Betsy Schwartz Fund* Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund Signet Love Inspires Foundation The Sittenfeld Family Ken & Kathy Skau Susan & David Lee Smith Paula Steiner Dr. Joseph & Mrs. Nancy Stratman Richard & Kathleen Strenk Gordon & Mary-Anne Thompson Bob & Sue Trusty Jeffrey VanSluys Susan Wilke Carol and Rich Wilson Andi Levenson Young & Scott Young CAST ($500-$999) Anonymous (4) Laura Atkinson Joe and Trish Baker Malcolm & Glenda Bernstein Fund* The Elaine & Robert Blatt Fund Erica Bock David A. Brashear Charlotte Brooks Kwesi Calliste Brian & Elizabeth Coley Philip K. & Anne Lilly Cone Fund* David Crotty & Joan von Handorf Rick & Tracy Diehl LP Tracy Finn Joanne Fiorini Bob & Mary Fitzpatrick Rachel & Bernard Foster Rita & Dennis Geiger Sue Harris & Meredith Green Joseph Huber Daniel Hurley

28 |

THE PREMIERE SOCIETY

Amy Katz & Robert Cohen Sandra Kohn Limestone Fund* Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Maurath Donn Goebel & Cathy McLeod Anthony & Emily McNamara Carol Miller Meibers Patti Myers & Alan Flaherty Roy & Cheryl Newman Ms. Kathleen O'Connell & Dr. H. Kenneth Peterson Whitney Owens & David Eslinger Family Fund Alice Perlman Red Shell Mgmt Stephen & Helen Rindsberg Robert Roesbery Maura Schilling Schimberg Family Foundation Fund* Susan & David Smith Jim & Tammy Stephens Family Charitable Fund Gordon & Mary-Anne Thompson Valerie Trentman Nancye & Thomas Van Brunt Jennifer Verkamp Maureen & Larry Vignola Pann & Terry Webb Karen & Barry Webb Mary Ann & Edwin T. Weiss, Jr. Ronna & James Willis Wuerdeman Family Fund* Nora Zorich & Thomas Filardo Family Fund* RUNNING CREW ($250-$499) Anonymous (4) Mary Ann Bender Bill & Janet Berger David & Elaine Billmire Neil Bortz Mark Bowen Peg & John Bruggeman John Bruggerman Anne E. Charles Virginia Cheeseman Margaret Clarke David Clary Carol C. Cole Barbara Cummins Susan Deye Michael Dimaggio Dennis & Catherine Dunwoodie Keith Faber Barbara Feldmann Vanessa Freytag Lynne Friedlander Gail Ginther The Gumbleton Family Bob & Judy Heaton David Logan & Dale Hodges Lyle & Jennifer Horvath James & Robin Huizenga Farrah Jackson Keith & Patti James Sandra Kohn Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kovarsky Ginny & Rick Kuertz Andrew Maloney Charles & Jennifer Margolis Anthony & Emily McNamara Dr. Ralph R. Meyer Drs. Jacqueline & Steven Miller Family Diane Muller Neda & Bruce Nutley Paul & Mary Ann Odegard Brett Offenberger & Douglas Duckett Nancy L. Phelan Patrick & Julia Phillips David M. Piatt Fund* Laura Proto & Tommy Johnston


THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS! To join our family of contributors with a donation of any size, please contact us at (513) 421-3555 x4

Holly Riffe & Sue Roth Al Roane Marianne R. Rowe J.R. Rulon Beth Schwartz & Gene Smiley Eli E. Shupe, Jr. & Toby Ruben Mary Lee & Louie Sirkin Tim Smith & Penny Poirier Linda Tache Jeff Wysel & Caren Theuring Meggan Thompson Marty C. Tomb Tom & Torey Torre Anita Trotta Rosalie P. van Nuis Priscilla S. Walford Buzz Ward Ann & Victor Warner The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund Dr. David & Cynthia Zink APPRENTICES ($125-$249) Anonymous (4) Raye Needham Allen Anne Arenstein & Rick Sarason Janice Bauer Susan Bierer Michele & Kevin Cain Rebecca Campbell Charles & Lois Deitschel Raymond Diedrichs Emilie & David Dressler Fund* Igor & Jane Dumbadze George Fee Donna Felts Larry Freeman Diane Geiser Jo Anne M. Gibbons & John R. Getz Melinda Gilbert Linda Goldenhar & Chris Cain Rick & Kathleen Hibbard Ann Hicks Daniel Hoffheimer Marilyn Hurrell Doug Ignatius & Bruce Preston Lisa Kagan Judith Kenniston Sharon Kerns Mary LaBolt Linda Erpelding Sherry & Steve McCamley John & Deborah Moffatt Kathie Morbitzer & Mary Ann Meyer Halee Morgan Patricia & James Neidhard Kathy & John Newsom Phil Paradis & Marjorie Hull Adam Porter Lucy Putnam Janet Reynolds David Roth Kira Rucker R. Sapona Becca Schall Barbara Seiver

Grace Sferra William L. Slutz & Linda A. Roomann Janice K. Smith Jean Stead Fred & Anne Straus Charitable Fund Robert P. Streicher Sue & Tom Terwilliger Barry Thomas Sheryl Vice Larry Weber Howard M. & Nancy S. Weinberg Amy Weinstock Jane Whalen Jay & Kate Wilford Karen Wittenberg Pat Zerbe David Steven Ziegler TRIBUTE GIFTS In honor of Annette and Tom Carothers In honor of Renee Alper In honor of Jared Doren In honor of Jared Doren, Shannon Rae Lutz, and Brian c. Mehring In honor of Linda B. Finch In honor of Arfie K. Harvey In honor of Suzanne Hasl In honor of Linda Holthaus In honor of D. Lynn Meyers In honor of Allen Middleton In honor of Jim Nelson In honor of Amy Weinstock In memory of Mary Bonansinga In memory of Richard Charles & Rebecca Parker In memory of John Goering In memory of Susan Friedlander In memory of Mary T. Mahler In memory of James & Noretta Markley In memory of Audrey Mae Meyers In memory of Rich Postler In memory of Fred & Sondra Ross In memory of Paul Sittenfeld In memory of Robert L. & Mary C. Weisenberger In memory of Charlotte Williams 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 * A Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Cincinnati Reds

THE PREMIERE SOCIETY

| 29


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. 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.

30 |

patron information

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

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


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Jaja's African Hair Braiding by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati - Issuu