SWEAT
by Lynn Nottage
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
SWEAT
by LYNN NOTTAGE Directed by DARNELL PIERRE BENJAMIN September 17 – October 9, 2022 Scenic & Lighting Designer BRIAN c . MEHRING
Costume Designer JERRILYN LANIER DUCKWORTH
Fight Director GINA CERIMELE-MECHLEY‡
Technical Director JACK MURPHY
Sound Designer MATT CALLAHAN
Properties Curator/Design Assistant SHANNON RAE LUTZ
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.
SWEAT is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. Co-commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival's American Revolutions: The United States History Cycle and Arena Stage. World premiere produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This production of SWEAT was first presented in New York by The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director). Oringially produced on Broadway by Stuart Thompson and Louise L. Gund.
*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 The Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD), an internationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to promoting safety and fostering excellence in the art of stage combat.
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2022–2023 SPONSORS
Photo by Ryan Kurtz
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
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OPERATING SUPPORT
SEASON TICKET SPONSOR
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FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSORS
SEASON SUPPORT City of Cincinnati Susan Friedlander Hamilton County 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 Suder’s Art Store
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2022–2023 sponsors
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSOR
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation Emily Hodges & Charles Spencer Betty Huck Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation Jennifer Verkamp The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund
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2022–2023 sponsors
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CAST & CREW LIST CAST Cynthia........................................................................................................................BURGESS C. BYRD* Oscar...........................................................................................................................OLLIE CORCHADO Jason........................................................................................................................... CHARLIE CROMER* Jessie...........................................................................................................................DENISE DAL VERA* Tracey....................................................................................................... MIERKA "MOOKIE" GIRTEN* Stan......................................................................................................................ALLEN R. MIDDLETON* Brucie............................................................................................................................................... "ranney"* Evan..................................................................................................................................DEREK J. SNOW Chris.............................................................................................................................................JAY WADE*
RUNNING CREW Assistant Stage Manager............................................................................................... LEXI MULLER* 2nd Assistant Stage Manager & Wardrobe Apprentice.......................................EMILY MISALI Light Board Operator & Electrician......................................................................RYAN SHEPARD Sound Operator....................................................................................................CAROLINE MARINO Wardrobe Crew.............................................................................ANDREA BEASLEY, EMMY RICE Running Crew.......................................CHAR ADAMS, TIMOTHY BELTON, ELEXIS SELMON
PRODUCTION TEAM Projection Designer.................................................................................................... BECCA SCHALL Associate Technical Director................................................................................. JACOB DOWELL Intimacy Choreographer.................................................................................................... ERIN CARR Accent Coach............................................................................................... CHASLEE SCHWEITZER Scenic Charge Artist/Production Assistant.................................................................RAE KUHN Costume Supervisor.............................................................................................. BROOKE ARTHUR Production Master Electrician............................................................................... CHRIS LIPSTREU Sound Technician.......................................................................................................... NICK KOEHLKE DEIA Consultant........................................................................................... NICHOLAS TSANGARIS
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Molly Kane Strijkan & Vincent Strijkan Makers Bakers Co. Cover photo by Henry Sene Yee
*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.
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cast & crew list
CAST & CREW LIST UNDERSTUDIES Chris............................................................................................................................ANDREA BEASLEY Jason............................................................................................................................ TIMOTHY BELTON Jessie/Tracey.................................................................................................................... SARA MACKIE* Tracey.......................................................................................................................CAROLINE MARINO Jessie......................................................................................................................................... EMMY RICE Cynthia............................................................................................................................ELEXIS SELMON
SETTING 2000 and 2008, Reading, Pennsylvania
This production will be performed with one intermission. Approximate running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes.
Gabbi Poirier
PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES. NO TEXTING.
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cast & crew list
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FOR MINDS OF ALL KINDS Materials inspired by Sweat, courtesy of The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.
Visit CinLib.org/Sweat for more! BOOKS The Factory
Inclusion Revolution The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace
by Hiroko Oyamada
Happy for You
by Pat Zietlow Miller
by Daisy Auger-Domínguez by Claire Stanford
On the Line A Story of Class, Solidarity, and Two Women's Epic Fight to Build A Union
Not So Small A Picture Book
Goodnight Racism A Picture Book by Ibram X. Kendi
by Daisy Pitkin
The Fight to Save the Town Reimagining Discarded America by Michelle Wilde Anderson
Borrow these materials online or at your nearest library branch.
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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 Kathy DeLaura, Chair Jeffrey Schloemer, President Kathy Burklow, Vice President Dennis Geiger, Vice President Mike Schueler, Treasurer Meggan Thompson, Secretary DIRECTORS Holly Brians Ragusa Otto M. Budig, Jr. Tom Carothers Sue Friedlander Charles H. Gerhardt, III Linda Holthaus Stephen M. King Shekhar Mitra Nilesh Patel Darryl A. Peal Richard L. Postler Leah Quortrup Jackie Reau Alex Schutte Mary Stagaman 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? Contact our team at Cincinnati Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau.
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Magazine for information: advertise@CincinnatiMagazine.com
ABOUT ETC
OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP
D. Lynn Meyers, The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler Producing Artistic Director
FINANCE
Michael R. Zimmer, CPA CGMA, Director of Fiscal Operations
ARTISTIC
Brian c. Mehring, Resident Scenic & Lighting Designer Shannon Rae Lutz, Properties Curator & Design Assistant Rae Kuhn, Scenic Charge Artist & Production Assistant Professional Apprentice Program Shannon Rae Lutz, Director of Apprentice Programming Torie Wiggins, Apprentice Program Associate Professional Apprentices: Andrea Beasley • Timothy Belton Caroline Marino • Emily Misali Emmy Rice • Elexis Selmon
DEVELOPMENT
Josh Neumeyer, Finance & Grants Manager
EDUCATION
Victoria Aslanides, Director of Education Emily Bush, Education Associate Daniela Nenova, Education 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 Box Office Associates/House Managers: Sean Miller-Jones • Sharisse Santos
PRODUCTION
Jack Murphy, Technical Director Jacob Dowell, Associate Technical Director Brooke Arthur, Costume Supervisor Ryan Shepard, Lighting & Sound Supervisor
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Margot Whitney, Production Stage Manager Lexi Muller, Assistant Stage Manager
Teaching Artists: Becca Howell • Julie Locker
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.
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DIRECTOR'S NOTES According to the Somatic Movement Center, “The Polyvagal Theory is a theory proposed by Stephen Porges that describes how the mammalian autonomic nervous system evolved to keep us safe and alive . . . our autonomic nervous system developed to automatically communicate with other mammals and engage different self-defense systems when needed.” To speak simply, this is the system that affects our fight, flight, or freeze learned behaviors. It’s all about survival, and Lynn Nottage’s Sweat puts this theory to the test. It’s 2000—the turn of the century, in Reading, PA, which was otherwise known as one of America’s poorest cities. Once a town literally built by its residents who worked tirelessly in the once thriving steel mill, Reading quickly became a hotbed for the unemployed and underserved when the mills began to close their doors. Here’s a test: Put a group of people in a room—regardless of race, class, socioeconomics, gender, nationalism, age, or any other identity—and offer them one plate of food. What do you think will happen? They will fight to survive. Lynn Nottage offers an atmosphere of true survival. What happens when all the havenots are caged together to fight for the scraps? What happens when those who have all the power to help are nowhere to be found? What happens when the need to survive gets in the way of us seeing what’s actually in front of us? What happens when outside forces turn communities against one another? What happens when we’re all so desperate to survive that we climb over others to get there? Does any of this sound familiar? None of these questions are new. People have existed in a space of survival mode for centuries. But what if we explored a space beyond living in a survival mindset? What if we leaned on our communities? What if we actually took the time to see each other? What if we had it all wrong, and the means to survive are already right in front of us? What if we learned to really do the work and sweat together to build back better? I don’t have the answers, but let’s see if we can explore these questions with Lynn Nottage’s Sweat. —Darnell Pierre Benjamin
LET’S THEATRE TOGETHER
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Director's Notes
etc essentials A FREE conversation series with local scholars and community members that explores the themes and context of our productions.
Sweat OCTOBER 2, 2022 @ 1:00 PM
As much as we like to believe that our ideas of labor and working conditions in the United States are constantly evolving, we see in Sweat that some things are slow to change. Join us for a conversation on local labor movements and how race, class, gender, and disability continue to shape our working lives.
Grand Horizons JANUARY 29, 2023 @ 1:00 PM
Do you trust the old adages “never go to bed angry" or “love means never having to say you’re sorry"? Hear from marriage and family counselors as they parse the good relationship advice from the bad and all the funny anecdotes in between.
Morning Sun MARCH 12, 2023 @ 1:00 PM
Art has the mysterious power to transport us across worlds and generate nostalgia and empathy. Why have some paintings, such as Edward Hopper’s Morning Sun, resonated with generation after generation? Join visual artists to discuss how art can be used to reflect the universal human experience in a raw and beautiful way.
Who All Over There? APRIL 23, 2023 @ 1:00 PM
Relationships can be complicated, even on stage. As our society progresses, new roles are being established in the theatre community to address cultural nuances and physical and emotional safety on stage. Learn from local intimacy coaches and cultural consultants about their role in the theatre and why it is so vital.
Maytag Virgin JUNE 11, 2023 @ 1:00 PM
With the rise of social media, dating apps, and online communication, we have begun to lose the power of the love letter. Learn from local writers and love experts about the art of the written “woo-rd” and how to compose perfect love letters for the special people in your life.
Admission is FREE but reservations are required! Reserve online or through the ETC Box Office.
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PLAY IN PROGRESS Mierka "Mookie" Girten, Burgess C. Byrd, Denise Dal Vera, and Allen R. Middleton rehearse a scene.
Jay Wade & Burgess C. Byrd embrace during rehearsal.
Denise Dal Vera during rehearsal.
Director Darnell Pierre Benjamin discusses a scene with actors Burgess C. Byrd, Allen R. Middleton, & Denise Dal Vera.
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Play in Progress
PLAY IN PROGRESS
Jay Wade & Allen R. Middleton in rehearsal.
Director Darnell Pierre Benjamin (right) discusses a scene with actor Denise Dal Vera.
Burgess C. Byrd finding her character.
Mierka "Mookie" Girten running through a scene.
Play in Progress
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LYNN NOTTAGE'S
WORLD OF WORK Getting a handle on what drives Lynn Nottage's plays can be tricky. Her work tends to cross boundaries of time, geography, subject matter, and tone. But as Nottage noted in the preface to a collection of her work, her characters all tend to be "unsettled souls, striving to make sense of their surroundings, and ultimately refusing to surrender to expectations." Her first major piece, 1995's Crumbs from the Table of Joy, was a bittersweet period drama about a displaced Black Southern widower and his young daughters in 1950 Brooklyn. When she followed that up with Intimate Apparel, set in 1905 New York, one might have been tempted to peg her as a historical playwright. But then she jumped time and continents to bring us the searing, Pulitzer Prize–winning Ruined, based on the real stories of women who survived the brutal violence unleashed upon them during the yearslong Congolese civil war. Nottage made yet another turn in 2011 with By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, which weaves together a sardonic look at the limited opportunities for Black actresses in 1930s Hollywood through a dizzying array of scenes and theatrical devices. But within all those adroit and intriguing shifts in eras, stories, and tone, Nottage's plays have some commonalities. As Dwyer Murphy of Guernica magazine observed in a 2013 interview with Nottage, "Her plays are about survival in the wake of national or cultural traumas."
I need this job As it turns out, many of those traumas are intimately tied to the world of work and what it means to be employed or unemployed. Nottage, who worked for Amnesty International before turning to playwriting full time, brings the sensitivity of a humanrights advocate to her work. As with Ruined, Nottage based Sweat on interviews. She talked to many residents of Reading, PA, whose lives have been upended in what Nottage calls "the de-industrial revolution." Pride in one's work, especially when it's part of a union operation, comes up frequently in Sweat. The very first line of dialogue—"So, you got a job" (spoken by a parole officer)—sets the tone for how crucial the ability to work is for these characters. Frustrations at not having work acknowledged can be heard by the characters in Sweat as well as Godfrey, the father in Crumbs from the Table of Joy, who divides his time between laboring as a baker and worshipping "Father Divine," an AfricanAmerican spiritual leader. In despair at one point, Godfrey pleads to the photograph of the latter that hangs on the wall of his cramped apartment: "Can you give me some words, Sweet Father . . . the boss keeps calling me 'the country n*gger' in front of
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Lynn Nottage's
the other men. They laugh and I want so badly to say something, I want to knock 'em clear across the room, but I need this job." Go back even further in time to Intimate Apparel, set in the early 20th century, and we hear another frustrated Black male voice in George Armstrong, the Barbados-born Panama Canal laborer who has married "spinster" seamstress Esther in New York after a long-distance romance. George wants the money she's saved in her quilt over the years to buy a team of draft horses, not unlike Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun dreaming of owning his own liquor store. In Sweat, it's not just African Americans who feel the post-NAFTA pressure. Oscar has found that the American work ethic doesn't translate into better jobs for immigrants. "My father, he swept up the floor in factories . . . [They] wouldn't even give him a union card. But he wanted a job in the steel factory, it was the American way, so he swept floors thinking, 'One day they'll let me in.'"
Drudgery or salvation Work can certainly be drudgery in Nottage's world. Tracey, one of the longtime line workers in Sweat, bluntly observes, "We've been having the same conversation for twenty years. It sucks, it's not a great place to work, but it's work. So let's stop complaining and have some fun." But work can also be salvation in the physical and psychological sense, even if it requires tough ethical compromises. In a quote widely cited in reviews of Vera Stark, Hattie McDaniel ("Mammy" in Gone with the Wind) once said, "I'd rather earn $7,000 a week playing a maid than $7 a week being one." ln Intimate Apparel, after Esther has lost her savings to philandering George, she at least has a real skill to fall back upon—her ability to craft exquisite undergarments for prostitutes and socialites alike. Tracey also expresses admiration for those who do fine work with their hands, such as her grandfather, who carved woodwork in office buildings and stores in Reading. "He'd show me the stories that he'd etched into the wood," she says. By bringing the world of work front and center in her plays—and in the case of Sweat, providing a place for the dispossessed and downsized workers to tell her their personal traumas—Nottage has re-etched the stories of the hands that built the American dream. It's a story that transcends race, ethnicity, and gender—but not class. As she put it in the Guernica interview, "The issue that is pressing for me right now is poverty. I feel as though the class divide is getting larger and larger, and for me it's a deeply personal story . . . That's increasingly the narrative of America, and it's being ignored." This is an abridged version of the article by Kerry Reid from Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 Illuminations. Reprinted with permission.
CAST BIOS BURGESS C. BYRD (Cynthia) (she/they) is delighted to be back at Ensemble Theatre, where she was last seen as the Tsar in The Frog Princess, as well as Faye Davison in Skeleton Crew, Connie in Red Velvet, Bernadette in This Random World, and Bunny in Detroit '67. Some of her regional credits include Headmistress Francis in School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Florence Kennedy in Gloria: A Life, Human Race Theatre; Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun and Tillie in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Shiloh in Harry and the Thief and Charlayne Woodard in the one-person show Pretty Fire, Know Theatre of Cincinnati. She was also a Guest Artist at the University of Texas Austin as Shylock in Merchant of Venice and can be seen in the films Inconceivable (2017), the upcoming Bones and All (2021), and the recently wrapped Challengers (2023).
OLLIE CORCHADO (Oscar) (he/him) is a New York City–based actor and is overjoyed to be debuting with Ensemble Theatre in this incredible play! His New York credits include King Lear, New York Classical Theatre; A Spider’s Web and My Father’s Heart, Wet Paint New Play Festival; Counting Pedestals, Metropolitan Playhouse; Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Forum; and Not About Nightingales, Empirical Stage. His regional credits include Romeo and Juliet, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival; Indian Head, Luna Stage; Peter and the Starcatcher, Milwaukee Rep. and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; and A Christmas Carol, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. His TV and film credits include Bull (CBS), Blue Bloods (CBS), Bound (Paralysis Productions), and Stalked: Someone’s Watching (Investigation Discovery). He is a proud member of the 2022 LAByrinth Theatre Company Summer Intensive Ensemble. He dedicates this role to his father, the hardest working man he has ever known.
CHARLIE CROMER (Jason) (he/him) makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. His regional credits include A Christmas Carol, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Of Mice and Men, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and The Irish Curse, Short North Stage. Additional theatre credits include MilkMilkLemonade at the Impact Theatre Berkeley, as well as The Bomb-itty of Errors and Kitty Kitty Kitty, UGA; and Pesach, 7 Stages Atlanta. He can also be heard in the TV movie Memphis Belle: Her Final Mission. Charlie received his BA at Kenyon College and his MFA from the University of Georgia. None of this would work without the incredible love and support from his wife, Lauren. Charlie is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.
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Cast Bios
CAST BIOS DENISE DAL VERA (Jessie) (she/her) joins Ensemble Theatre for the first time with this production. After a thirty-year stage hiatus, some of her credits include Belinda in Noises Off at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina and Hallie in Sunrise Coven at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Her TV and film credits include the mother of the bride in the upcoming film Just For Show, Sandra Tennant in Dark Waters, Lorraine Reed in CBS's Tell Me A Story, and Dr. Amanda Beal in Who is Amos Otis. A graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Denise met and married Rocco Dal Vera, who vocal coached many ETC shows. She served as AFTRA Tri-State President and SAG-AFTRA National board member and is currently a delegate to The Cincinnati Labor Council AFL-CIO. Her real life role is a proud mom to Kendall.
MIERKA "MOOKIE" GIRTEN (Tracey) is thrilled to be working at Ensemble Theatre for the first time. For the last thirty years, she has made Chicago her home as an actress, casting director, and producer, where she is an ensemble member with the award-winning A Red Orchid Theatre. Some of her credits include Sweat, Goodman Theatre; The Walls, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble; her one-woman show With or Without Wings, Steppenwolf Theatre; Gloria, McCarter Theatre Center; Simpatico and Mistakes Were Made, off-Broadway; and the national tour of The Secret Garden. Mierka can be seen in the upcoming film Eric La Rue and had the rare opportunity to be seen on the first episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. She has been doing voice over work for regional and national brands for the past twenty-five years. Mierka is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association. For her father.
ALLEN R. MIDDLETON (Stan) (he/him) makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. His theatre credits include Gross Indecency: The Three of Oscar Wilde, TheatreWorks Hartford; Proof and Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, The Carnegie; The Lion in Winter and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Falcon Theatre and Haunted: The Great Lakes Ghost Project, Know Theatre of Cincinnati. His film and TV credits include Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (with Zac Efron), Curvature (with Linda Hamilton), FTL Newsfeed (SyFy/NBC Universal), and Round and Round (PBS). Allen is a graduate of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. www.allenrmiddleton.com
Cast Bios
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CAST BIOS "ranney" (Brucie) (he/him) makes his Ensemble Theatre debut with this production. His credits include Art and Hymn, Shakespeare & Company; Hamlet, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Fences, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; Two Trains Running and Radio Golf, American Stage Company; Seven Guitars and Water by the Spoonful, Nevada Conservatory Theatre; The Piano Lesson, Center Theatre Company; and The Bomb-itty of Errors at American Stage, Chicago Shakespeare, The Helix in Dublin, Ireland, and The Ambassadors Theatre in London’s West End. His one-man show credits 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
DEREK J. SNOW (Evan) (he/him) is grateful for this opportunity, having been active in the Cincinnati theater community as an actor, writer, director, and producer for almost four decades. A graduate of Cincinnati's SCPA, Derek continued his education in NYC before returning after graduation to teach. As a playwright, his work has been produced in Atlanta, New Jersey, London, India, and Australia. His short play Wind Kill Factor was read for a sold-out audience at Ensemble Theatre in 2019. Derek founded his nonprofit, Missing Front Plate Productions, in 2020 to address the lack of BIPOC work in theaters nationwide. He was the inaugural recipient of The Breath Project's New Play Commission for 2021. Next year his work Silas, The Uninvited will be performed in NYC, Charlottesville, and Detroit, and he will also become one of the first-ever Resident Artists at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. He dedicates his performance to the memory of Jerry Taylor.
JAY WADE (Chris) (he/him) is thrilled to return to the Ensemble Theatre family, having last appeared as Omari in Pipeline. He hails from St. Louis, Missouri, and received his BFA in Acting from the Conservatory of Theatre and Dance at Southeast Missouri State University. As always, he dedicates this performance to his mom and dad for their undying love and support.
For more content about this production, including behindthe-scenes photos, videos, interviews and more, visit ensemblecincinnati.org
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Cast Bios
THE DAILY BEAST
THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL
OCT 25 – NOV 6, 2022 Aronoff Center CincinnatiArts.org | 513.621.ARTS
Photo: Pari Dukovic
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CSO Proof: Sun Dogs OCT 14–16 Music Hall
cincinnatisymphony.org/sun-dogs
of
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Arooj Aftab & Daniel Wohl co-composers Josephine Decker filmmaker Rafiq Bhatia composer Apichatpong Weerasethakul filmmaker Dev Hynes composer Mati Diop & Manon Lutanie co-directors
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CREATIVE TEAM BIOS LYNN NOTTAGE (Playwright) is a playwright and screenwriter. She is the first—and remains the only—woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Most recently, Nottage premiered MJ the Musical featuring the music of Michael Jackson at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway, Clyde’s at Second Stage Theater on Broadway, and an opera adaptation of her play Intimate Apparel composed by Ricky Ian Gordon, commissioned by The Met/Lincoln Center Theater. Her other work includes, Floyd’s (retitled Clyde’s), Guthrie Theater; the musical adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd’s novel The Secret Life of Bees, with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, The Atlantic Theater; Mlima’s Tale, Public Theater; By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Lilly Award, Drama Desk Nomination), Second Stage/Signature Theater; Ruined (Pulitzer Prize, OBIE, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Audelco, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award), MTC/Goodman Theatre; Intimate Apparel (American Theatre Critics and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Play), Center Stage/SCR/ Roundabout Theater; Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine (OBIE Award), Playwrights Horizons/Signature Theater); Crumbs from the Table of Joy; Las Meninas; Mud, River, Stone; Por’knockers; and POOF! Her play Sweat (Pulitzer Prize, Evening Standard Award, Obie Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Tony Nomination, Drama Desk Nomination) moved to Broadway after a sold-out run at The Public Theater. It premiered and was commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival American Revolutions History Cycle/Arena Stage. Inspired by her research on Sweat, Nottage developed This is Reading, a performance installation based on two years of interviews, at the Franklin Street, Reading Railroad Station in Reading, PA, in July 2017.
DARNELL PIERRE BENJAMIN (Director) (he/him) is a creative, educator, and community builder hailing from Southern Louisiana. Darnell attended the University of Houston in 2009 earning his MFA in its Professional Actor Training Program. His work lives at the intersection of art and activism, which is apparent in his 2020 film 13th & Republic, found at www.13thandrepublic.com. His other recent directing credits include Tick, Tick . . . Boom!, Washington and Lee University; Romeo and Juliet, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company; and Stupid F**ing Bird, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Darnell is a professor in the arts programs at Northern Kentucky University, Xavier, and the University of Cincinnati’s CollegeConservatory of Music. He is a certified educator and performer in the Michael Chekhov Technique and is also a recipient of Cincinnati’s ArtsWave 2020 and 2021 “Truth & Reconciliation” grants.
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Creative Team Bios
CREATIVE TEAM BIOS 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 Fun Home, The Wolves, Ripcord, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Hands on a Hardbody, 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 Carol, The Old Man & the Gun, and The Public 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 her regional arts impact and leadership.
Creative Team Bios
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PRODUCTION BIOS 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. Mr. Mehring’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. JERRILYN LANIER DUCKWORTH (Costume Designer) (she/her) is thrilled to costume design her first show at Ensemble Theatre! She is the Founder and Creator of Bridging the Gap: A Look into African American Hair & Makeup for Theatre. She is a freelance costume, hair, and makeup designer. In the Fall of 2020, Jerrilyn was appointed ViceChair of Hair and Makeup for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). She holds an MFA in costume design and production from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Arts degree in general theatre from the University of Southern Mississippi. Jerrilyn’s designs have been on the stages of the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival, Indiana University, Illinois State University, and Millbrook Playhouse. 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. GINA CERIMELE-MECHLEY (Fight Director) (she/her) is one of the few female certified teachers in the country with the Society of American Fight Directors. Her regional credits include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Denver Center Theatre Company, Human Race Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and Nintendo Motion Capture Studios. Gina focuses much of her time on her nationally recognized educational theatre company, Cincinnati Actor’s Studio & Academy. Her awards include The USA Distinguished Teacher Award, and she was the first recipient of the Cincinnati Arts Association Arts Educator Award and was knighted by the order of The Knights of Madoc. 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 Master 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 Acting 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.
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Production Bios
PRODUCTION BIOS JACK MURPHY (Technical Director) (he/him) is excited to be part of another season at Ensemble Theatre! He grew up in the Cincinnati area and studied technical theatre at Hanover College. While there, he spent his summers at several different summer stock theatres as a carpenter. After graduation, he moved to Bellport, NY, to work for The Gateway Playhouse as a carpenter and rigger and went on to work for Norwegian Cruise Line. After another summer at the Janiec Opera Company as the Assistant Technical Director, he came full circle and returned home to Cincinnati. In 2013, Jack joined the team at ETC, where his favorite productions include An Iliad, Grounded, and Fun Home. He is eager to continue to do the cutting edge work for which ETC is known.
MARGOT WHITNEY (Production Stage Manager) (she/her) is thrilled to be back at Ensemble Theatre this season! Her previous credits include Sweat on Broadway and the first national tours of Mean Girls, Come From Away, Bright Star, The King & I, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, and War Horse. She has worked with The Public Theater, 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 her 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 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.
RAE KUHN (Scenic Charge Artist/Production Assistant) (any/all) is in their sixth season at Ensemble Theatre. Rae graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Multidisciplinary degree focusing on fine arts, creative writing, and neuropsychology; however, technical theatre has been a hobby since high school. Rae is a former scenic artist for 3DX and has worked in stage management, sound engineering, and special effects makeup for organizations including New Edgecliff Theatre, Falcon Theatre, and Cincinnati Landmark Productions. Rae began painting backdrops for ETC's Education Department, which led to their current position at ETC, where their favorite credits are Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Bloomsday, and When We Were Young and Unafraid.
Production Bios
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WAYS HEADER A TO GIVE From playwrights to apprentices, and every role in between, your tax-deductible gift to ETC enables us to enlighten, 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. Become a member of our Ensemble today!
DONATE TODAY
DONATE BY PHONE
The box office will be happy to accept your gift via cash, check, or credit card during intermission or after the show.
Please call (513) 421–3555 and select option 4 to speak with Josh.
DONATE ONLINE
Send a check made out to Ensemble Theatre with "donation" in the memo line to:
To make your gift online, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org/ support.
DONATE WITH STOCK
For instructions on stock transfers, email development@ensemblecincinnati.org.
DONATE BY MAIL
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Attn: Development 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
BECOME AN ENSEMBLE SUSTAINING DONOR Join an essential group of donors who contribute on a recurring basis throughout the year, providing a steady and predictable stream of income to support programming and operations. Most choose monthly amounts charged to a credit card, but options can be customized to meet your giving goals and needs. Email development@ensemblecincinnati.org to become a Sustaining Donor today.
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 and AmazonSmile programs. It's easy: you shop, Kroger and Amazon donate a portion of your purchase amount directly to ETC, and that's it!
Register your Kroger Plus Card at www.kroger.com and select ETC–organization BM374.
Visit smile.amazon.com/ch/31-1220252 and use your normal Amazon login each time you shop.
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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 August 31, 2021 and August 31, 2022.
PLAYWRIGHTS ($20,000+) Anonymous ArtsWave Gale & Dave Beckett The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation Denise & Martin Chambers The City of Cincinnati Burton & Susan Closson The Charles H. Dater Foundation, Inc. Friedlander Family Fund Greater Cincinnati Foundation The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./US Bank Foundation Hamilton County, Ohio LKC Foundation The Mitchell S. & Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation Ohio Arts Council P&G Fund* Palmer/Graber Family Fund The Schueler Group The Sittenfeld Family The Shubert Foundation, Inc. Louise Taft Semple Foundation US Small Business Administration
PRODUCERS ($10,000-$19,999) Anonymous Dinsmore & Shohl LLP John & Gloria Goering Family Gift Fund The Donald C. & Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation* Betty Huck PNC Foundation Alis Rule Robinson Dudley S. Taft Foundation Dale Uetrecht
DIRECTORS ($5,000-$9,999) William J. Baude - Maurice E. Oshry Fund* Tom & Annette Carothers Dan Collopy Corky & Rick Family Foundation Crosset Family Fund* Linda Holthaus & Richard Zinicola Arleene Keller Kenneth T. & Molly M. Mahler George & Caroll Roden Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation In Memory of James A. Markley, Jr. Barbara W. Robb Thaman Family Fund*
DESIGNERS ($2,500-$4,999) Anonymous (2) Nicholas Apanius Marcia Banker & Jeff Schloemer† Anu & Shekhar Mitra Susan Cohen & Robert Schmuelling Marilyn P. & Joseph W. Hirschhorn Fund* Bank of America Charitable Foundation Johnson Investment Counsel Messer Construction David & Judith Morgan Fund* Caroline Richards Digi & Mike Schueler Sprout Insight LLC Jo Ann Wieghaus
STAGE MANAGERS ($1,000-$2,499) Gordon Allen & Linda Baas Americana Arts Foundation William P. Anderson Foundation Bank Of America Employee Giving Campaign Judith & Louis Belli Malcolm A. & Glenda Bernstein* Michael Berry & Melanie Garner Bryson Family Charitable Fund Jeff & Gay Bullock Barbara Carr & Bren Blaine Cissell Family Fund* Philip Clayton Brian & Elizabeth Coley Kathy Collins & Joseph Giglia Meredythe G. & Clayton C. Daley, Jr. Family Fund* Philip K. & Anne Lilly Cone Fund* Rick & Allison Edwards Ehrsam Family Fund* Fencl Family Fund* Bob & Mary Fitzpatrick In Memory of Kathy Fuller Rita & Dennis Geiger Gilman Family Fund* Linda Greenberg Fund* Dr. Robert & Suzanne Hasl Fund Emily M. Hodges & Charles H. Spencer Florette Hoffheimer Keith & Patti James Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies Matching Gifts Program Robert Keith & Kathleen Thornton Keith Ginny & Rick Kuertz Andrea Levenson Young Charitable Fund, a Donor Advised Fund of Renaissance Charitable Foundation Chris Lewis & Alicia Bond-Lewis
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
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STAGE MANAGERS CONT. Sophia McAllister Jill & Bruce Mitchell Diane & Dave Moccia Molly North Pepper Family Fund* Steven & Carol Reubel Joyce Rich Mr. & Mrs. Gates T. Richards Charles Scott Riley III Foundation Blake Robison & Connan Morrissey Jessica Ruebusch Jane Ruwet Hopson & Larry Pytlinski Alex & Kim Schutte Marvin & Betsy Schwartz Fund* Robert & Eleanor Shott Philanthropic Fund Norma Skoog Richard & Kathleen Strenk Glenda Suttman Meggan Thompson Bob & Sue Trusty Woodward Family Charitable Foundation The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund
CAST ($500-$999) Anonymous (9) Christine Adams Todd & Ann Bailey Wilma & Herbert Beigel Walter Blair The Blatt Family Fund Daniel Brown & Mark Haggard Margaret & Joseph Conway Jennifer Cook David Crotty & Joan von Handorf Mark Dauner† Kelly M. Dehan Kathy DeLaura & Ron Steinhoff† Jan Denton Rachel & Bernard Foster Sandi Gans† Bob Gerding Donn Goebel & Cathy McLeod† Daniel Hurley Amy Katz & Robert Cohen Dick & Mona Kerstine Beverly Kinney & Edward Cloughessy Sandra Kohn Kroger Community Rewards Program Limestone Fund* Jackie Mack & Ted Silberstein Aymie Majerski Carol Miller Meibers John & Deborah Moffatt Bill & Ruth Morley Patti Myers & Alan Flaherty Catherine Northcutt Stratman Charitable Foundation Overbeck Charitable Fund Whitney Owens & David Eslinger Family Fund Adam Parrish Alice Perlman Thomas & Marianne Phillips Presidential Plaza Associates, LTD Irene & Daniel Randolph Donor Advised Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation Hera G. Reines Becky & Ted Richards Stephen & Helen Rindsberg Arnie & Ina Shayne
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the premiere society
Kenneth & Kathleen Skau Kate Spencer & Doug Morriss Elizabeth Stites & Kevin Randall Jennifer Verkamp Charitable Fund Vinkolet Winery Sonia Wagener Karen & Barry Webb Pann & Terry Webb† Wuerdeman Family Fund* Dr. David & Cynthia Zink
RUNNING CREW ($250-$499) Anonymous (2) AmazonSmile Foundation Henrietta Barlag Mary Ann Bender Teresa & Gordon Benson David & Elaine Billmire Richard Block Mark Bowen† Cassandra Brissette Dawn & Doug Bruestle† Ann & Lee Bulger Denny & Mindy Burger† Kathy Burklow & John Berlier Nancy Cisneros Steve & Daina Dennis Paul & Bev Diamond† Emilie & David Dressler Fund* Dennis & Catherine Dunwoodie† Barbara Feldmann Bill & Carol Fisher Larry Freeman Mary Friel William Groneman & Maureen Flanagan Charitable Fund The Gumbleton Family Judy & Alan Guttman Richard & Lauren Hess Lori Hiltenbeitel Greg Kloos Pinky & Sam Kocoshis Carmen & Rich Kovarsky Russell Lascelles & Janet Schultz Warren Leight Carol Leslie† John & Kathy Lorenz Richard & Barbara Males Charles & Jennifer Margolis David L. Martin Anil Menon Dr. Ralph R. Meyer Danute Miskinis Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Neda & Bruce Nutley Paul & Mary Ann Odegard Michelle Parsons Darryl Peal David M. Piatt Fund* The Reed Family Foundation Bartley Reitz Holly Riffe & Sue Roth† Al Roane† Jerri Roberts & Jim Thomas Marianne R. Rowe J.R. Rulon† Alfred & Stephanie Sassler Martha & Lee Schimberg P. Robert Schwetschenau Jane Bogart Sellers† Eli E. Shupe, Jr. & Toby Ruben†
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 Michael Siegrist Mark Silbersack & Ruth Schwallie William Slutz Thomas Thompson Marty C. Tomb Ellen & Ray van der Horst Rosalie P. van Nuis Priscilla S. Walford Scott & Vicki Walker Buzz Ward Ann & Victor Warner Jay & Kate Wilford Kathryn Wright Nora Zorich & Thomas Filardo Family Fund*
APPRENTICES ($125-$249) Anonymous (9) Dr. Jane Anderson Bob Amott & Janice Flanagan Anne Arenstein & Rick Sarason Robert & Janet Banks Barbara & Wayne Beimesch Jane & Larry Bennett Bill & Janet Berger Joe & Dianne Berger Mike & Juliette Bezold The Bloch Family Fund Dee Anne Bryll & Ed Cohen Daniel Burr Edward F. Buyniski Michele & Kevin Cain† Rebecca Campbell Virginia Cheeseman Patricia & Robert Clary Ann Cochran Strasser Carol C. Cole College Hill Coffee Co. & Casual Gourmet John & Cynthia Cozad Jean Crocker-Lakness Barbara Cummins Charles & Lois Deitschel Marianne Doll Mary & Scott Donaldson Elaine Drakos Linda Erpelding Leah Felton & David Uetrecht PJ Fischesser Rose & Daniel Gahl Joanne Glaser Debbie Grossblatt Irving Harris Karlee Hilliard Lyle & Jennifer Horvath James & Robin Huizenga Barbara A. Jennings Carl Kalota Doug & Marguerite Katchen Judith Kenniston Marvin & Gerry Kraus David Logan & Dale Hodges
Anne McAdams Sherry & Steve McCamley Barbara Myers The Honorable Norbert & Linnea Nadel Shawn & Marilyn Nolan Ms. Kathleen O'Connell & Dr. H. Kenneth Peterson Lucy Putnam Ross Royce Maria Saldivar R. Sapona Ronald & Ruth Schmiedeker Lynne Schmitt Barbara Seiver Lois Shannon Mary Lee & Louie Sirkin Tim Smith & Penny Poirier John & Martha Spiess Jean Stead Fred & Anne Straus Charitable Fund Robert P. Streicher Dennis & Helen Sullivan Beverly Thomas U.S. Bank Employee Matching Program Alan & Margie Ullman Sheryl Vice Dorothy Wakefield Mary Watkins Mary Ann Weiss Joseph Wessling Jane Whalen Michael Wheatley Karen Wittenberg† Jeff Wysel
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, assistive listening devices, and sensory sensitivity items such as noise-canceling 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.
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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).
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