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Cincinnati-area cultural sites to take part in Museum Day on Fountain Square

More than 60 museums and historic sites throughout the Cincinnati region will be open to the public on Museum Day on September 15.

Locally, Museums & Historic Sites of Greater Cincinnati is organizing the efforts to get residents and visitors out to the many cultural attractions including destinations like the American Sign Museum, Betts House, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Observatory, Contemporary Arts Center, Fire Museum of Greater Cincinnati, and the William Howard Taft National Historic Site.

On Wednesday, September 15 from 10:30am to 2:30pm, organizers say that more than two dozen of these destinations will be on Fountain Square to showcase their programs with costume interpreters, objects from their collections, and other hands-on activities. Organizers hope that the event will allow for more people to see a large collection of the cultural attractions from around the region in one convenient, central location.

The Fountain Square (map) event is free and open to the public. Those interested can find off-street automobile parking available in the underground parking garage located beneath the square, and in other nearby on- and off-street parking locations. Free bicycle parking is available outside on Fountain Square, or inside the underground parking garage near the Vine Street entrance. Metro bus service also provides convenient access to the area via the Government Square Transit Hub (plan your trip).

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Arts & Entertainment News

Final Friday to offer up usual fun with some unique additions tonight

Tonight in Over-the-Rhine, dozens of artists and art galleries will throw open their doors as they have done on the final Friday of every month since the mid-1990’s. Those who go out to enjoy the art and ambiance of the historic neighborhood are often treated to live music, wine tastings, exhibitions and more as they stroll from one destination to the next.

The best place to start, as always, is the Pendleton Arts Center. First constructed in 1909 for the Krohn-Fecheimer Shoe Company, the Pendleton Arts Center now boasts the largest collection of artists (200-plus) under one roof in the world. Inside, Final Friday-goers will experience the local artwork first-hand while also being treated to unique views of downtown Cincinnati and an overall dynamic artist community.

From there, a quick two-block walk over to Venue 222 will introduce you to a collection of artwork from the Contemporary Arts Center that will be on display from 7pm to 10pm. Once finished at Venue 222, you are in perfect position to work southward down Main Street where there will be a bounty of galleries, shops, and fun along the way.

Follow Main Street all the way south to 12th Street, then head two blocks west to Vine Street where more businesses will be taking part in the Final Friday festivities. Vine Street will also offer some delectable food options for which to enjoy at Senate or Lavomatic Cafe. But while out and about, be on the lookout for one of Cincinnati’s food trucks that may very well be serving up their treats to the crowd.

Final Friday for August 2010 will generally run from 6pm to 11pm throughout the historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, with most all galleries and exhibitions free and open to the public. Free bicycle parking is widely available throughout the neighborhood, and several Metro bus routes service the area (plan your trip). For those driving, automobile parking can be found at on-street parking meters, or at several off-street parking lots/garages nearby.

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Know Theatre announces four new productions for 13th season

The innovative and eclectic Know Theatre has announced its “lucky 13” season with four new main stage shows, a new artistic director, and involvement in several educational and outreach oriented collaborations.

The Over-the-Rhine theatre company has a reputation for producing quality shows that stretch the boundaries of traditional theater, and this season is bound to be no different.  In addition to its main productions, the theatre is also involved in the seventh annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival, will host a New Year’s Eve speakeasy party, and is a collaborator for educational shows such as Calculus: The Musical! Three out of the four new main stage shows announced (one is still in the works) range the gamut from a passionate love affair to space and time travel.

Skin Tight, the first show of the 2010-2011 season, is a performance detailing the unique pain and passion that love and loss provides. The production is directed by Drew Fracher and will run from October 9-30.

“Skin Tight is a unique piece combining beautifully poetic text with intense physical action on stage,” described newly appointed Producing Artistic Director Eric Vosmeier. “I’m excited to see what Drew can do with this kind of show which I suspect will be unlike anything Know Theatre audiences have seen on our stage before.”

Vosmeier helped steer the theatre through a turbulent time last season, and is excited to see where the Know is headed in the future. Productions such as the theatre’s holiday show, A Wrinkle in Time which is a stage adaptation of Madline L’Engle’s classic book, help to stir that excitement. Jason Ballweber will return from his wildly popular Sideways Stories From Wayside School production last year to lead Meg and Charles Wallace through space in time to save their father. The show will be produced in collaboration with the Four Humors Theater in Minneapolis.

The final show of the season, The Dragon, will be produced alongside Madcap Puppet Theater, another local institution. Local playwright and actor Alison Vodnoy will be adapting the 1943 version of the play. With the exception of two characters the cast will be entirely puppets, created, designed and built at the Madcap Theatre. Experienced puppet theatre director Irina Niculescu will be directing.

A Wrinkle in Time runs November 27 through December 26, 2010, and The Dragon will run from April 2 through May 7, 2011. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the Know Theatre box office at (513) 300-5669. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 the week of the show, and season subscriptions cost $48.

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Arts & Entertainment News

Aural Grid musical art installation to hit OTR’s streets this weekend

Aural Grid

Aural GridStrange sounds may be heard on Saturday when a “musical-spatial exploration” will be taking place.  The event will be centered on Main, Orchard, Sycamore, and 13th Streets in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.  Those interested in attending are encouraged to stand, walk, run, dance, or bike down these streets to experience the piece.

Named Aural Grid, the event is being presented by the CS13 Gallery, Project CincinnatUS, and The Marburg Collective, and the project is being partially funded by an Individual Artist Grant provided by the City of Cincinnati to Project CincinnatUS.

Project CincinnatUS states that their mission is to present “a year-long performative exploration of the ways in which Cincinnatians relate to each other, their histories, and their city.”

The musical installation will take place on Saturday, August 21 from 5pm to 6pm.  A potluck cookout will be held at 212 Orchard Street following the installation, and will include a performance from the band Turmeric.  For more information on this and future Project CincinnatUS events, follow the group on Twitter @ProjectUS and become a fan on Facebook.

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Arts & Entertainment News

Roll on down the BIG RIVER with Carnegie’s newest production

The Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center will honor and celebrate one of America’s most beloved authors with its season opener of BIG RIVER | The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain may have infamously described Cincinnati as 20 years behind the times, but the Carnegie is both timely and appropriate with its revival of the 1983 musical adaptation of Twain’s most famous novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

A quick review of high school English reminds us that Huck Finn tells the tale of an irrepressible young boy living the dream on the riverboats of the mighty Mississippi River, helping his slave friend Jim escape to freedom, and having quite the adventure along the way.

The musical version, scored by legendary country music writer Roger Miller, stays true to the original story, and the Carnegie’s cast showcases some of Cincinnati’s brightest young talent. There are 11 actors under the age of 22 in this show, and the young man playing the title role is recent Sycamore High School grad and incoming Wright State University freshman Zack Steele, recognized as the “Outstanding Supporting Actor” at the 2009-10 Cappies Awards (honoring local high school theatre) and winner of the city-wide Overture Awards scholarship for college-bound musical theatre students.

Local actor Bill Harnett plays Mark Twain, reprising this character from his run on the Showboat Majestic in “Mark Twain Tonight!” The cast and crew are directed by sensational duo Dee Ann Bryll and Ed Cohen, who have won many awards regionally for their talent and directing skills.

“We feel privileged to be working at The Carnegie with BIG RIVER and a super cast that combines some of the area’s best local talent with six of CCM’s students. To us, BIG RIVER is the quintessential American summertime musical, and we’re excited to bring this unique version of Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” to The Carnegie’s audience,” the team said.

During the season there will be performances that are accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing through closed captioning and interpretation services offered by the theater free of charge. This is made possible through a collaboration between The Carnegie and the Sign Language Interpreting & Deaf Studies programs at the University of Cincinnati. Captioning has been offered for major theatrical performances at The Carnegie since 2006 thanks to the support of volunteers.

The interpretative performances of BIG RIVER will take place on Saturday, August 21 and August 28.

BIG RIVER opens this Friday, August 21 and runs weekends (Friday Saturday and Sunday) through September 4th. Friday and Saturday evening performances will take place at 7:30pm, and Sunday matinees will start at 3:00pm. Tickets cost $26 for adults; $23 for Carnegie members, Enjoy the Arts members, or WVXU Perks Card members; $21 for groups of 10 or more; and $19 for students. Those looking to take part in a particularly interesting social outing can take part in the tweetup scheduled for the performance on Friday, August 20.

The Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center is located at 1028 Scott Boulevard in Covington, Kentucky. Tickets can be purchased online, or by calling the center’s box office at (859) 491-2030.

“All of us contain music and truth, but most of us can’t get it out” – Mark Twain