UC's CCM Announces 2016-17 Studio Series of Opera, Musical Theatre, Dance and Acting Productions

All-time favorites and daring new works receive equal billing during the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s (CCM)

2016-17 Studio Series

. This year’s 13-part series of performing and media arts events features an eclectic mix of opera, musical theatre, dance and acting productions, all featuring CCM’s acclaimed “stars-of-tomorrow.”

Season highlights include Elizabeth Swados’ powerful and rarely-seen musical

Runaways

co-produced with

Know Theatre of Cincinnati

and two world-premieres produced by the

Opera Fusion: New Works Lab

in partnership with

Cincinnati Opera

.

CCM’s Department of Musical Theatre also presents the world-premiere of a musical revue showcasing the work of legendary Broadway collaborators Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. Devised and directed by Aubrey Berg, the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre at CCM,

They Were You: The Songs of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

features songs from throughout the celebrated duo’s oeuvre.

This year’s lineup also includes the return of two popular festivals, the

48-Hour Film Festival

and the

TRANSMIGRATION Festival of Student-Created Plays

.

CCM’s Studio Series runs from Sept. 21, 2016, through April 22, 2017. Please see below for full production and ticketing details.

____________________

CCM’S 2016-17 STUDIO SERIES

8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 (preview)

8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22

8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23

2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

3 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25

• Studio Musical Theatre Series •

A co-production between Know Theatre of Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
RUNAWAYS
Music, lyrics and book by Elizabeth Swados
Vince DeGeorge, director and choreographer
Luke Flood, music director

Runaways

is a collage of songs, monologues and dances that captures the energy, courage and honesty of a group of teenagers who are running away “from home… from a boyfriend… from a predator… from themselves.” Created in 1977 by groundbreaking theatre artist Elizabeth Swados,

Runaways

was born from interviews and workshops that she held with children and young adults who were escaping from their deteriorating family lives. It is a challenging piece of theatre that ultimately celebrates the power of the imagination and the resilience of the human spirit.

Location:

Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Admission:

Ticket prices range from $15 - $25. Tickets available through the Know Theatre Box Office by calling 513-300-5669 or online at

http://knowtheatre.com

.

Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

____

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22

• Opera Fusion: New Works Lab •

A collaboration between CCM Opera and Cincinnati Opera

Co-Artistic Directors Robin Guarino and Marcus Küchle

SOME LIGHT EMERGES
Composed by Laura Kaminsky
Libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed
Robin Guarino, director
Bradley Moore, conductor

Funded by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, CCM Opera and Cincinnati Opera present a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an original work! Presented in collaboration with Houston Grand Opera, 

Some Light Emerges

takes its inspiration from the creation of Houston’s iconic Rothko Chapel by philanthropist and art collector Dominique de Menil.

Location:

Cincinnati Club Oak Room, 30 Garfield Place, Cincinnati 45202

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available on Monday, Sept. 12. Please contact the Cincinnati Opera box office for tickets at 513-241-2742 or

www.cincinnatiopera.org

.

____

8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5

8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7

2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8

2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9

• Studio Musical Theatre Series •

THEY WERE YOU: The Songs of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt
Lyrics by Tom Jones
Music by Harvey Schmidt
Aubrey Berg, director
Stephen Goers, musical arrangements

CCM proudly presents the world premiere of a musical revue showcasing the work of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. Devised and directed by Aubrey Berg with musical arrangements by Steve Goers,

They Were You

features songs from

The

Fantasticks

,

Celebration

,

110 in the Shade

,

The Bone Room

,

Colette Collage

and more. This revue celebrates Jones’ and Schmidt’s ability to reflect the human condition with humor, compassion and wry affection.

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 3. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

____

8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20

8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21

2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22

• Studio Acting Series •

MIDDLETOWN
Written by Will Eno
Richard E. Hess, director

Middletown

considers the strange beauty of life and its sometimes unbearable weight. Inspired by Thornton Wilder’s

Our

Town

, the inhabitants of Middletown have a remarkable talent for articulating the hiccups of fear and anxiety in their souls with moving delicacy. The folks are friendly, and the view of star-dappled skies and modest homes is familiar and comforting. Welcome to Middletown.

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 17. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Acting Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman & Margaret Straub

____

8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4

8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5

2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6

• Studio Opera Series •

BRIGHT-EYED JOY! A RICKY IAN GORDON CABARET

Composer Ricky Ian Gordon, one of America’s most respected composers of art song, opera and musical theatre, joins CCM’s Opera and Voice singers and pianists for an evening of his music. Come watch our “stars-of-tomorrow” work with a living legend!

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Oct. 31. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Opera Department Sponsor: Mr. & Mrs. Edward S. Rosenthal

Opera Production Sponsor: Genevieve Smith

____

7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14

• Opera Fusion: New Works Lab •

A collaboration between CCM Opera and Cincinnati Opera in partnership with the Metropolitan Opera/Lincoln Center Theater’s New Works Program

Co-Artistic Directors Robin Guarino and Marcus Küchle

INTIMATE APPAREL
Composed by Ricky Ian Gordon
Libretto by Lynn Nottage
Robin Guarino, director
Paul Cremo, Dramaturg
Timothy Meyers, conductor

Funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, CCM Opera and Cincinnati Opera present a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an original work! Adapted by Lynn Nottage from her prize-winning 2003 play of the same name,

Intimate Apparel

tells the story of Esther, a 35-year-old seamstress in 1905 New York City. Esther sews lingerie for a living, interacting with a wealthy Fifth Avenue wife, a Tenderloin prostitute and a Jewish fabric merchant on the Lower East Side, with whom she shares a closeness that cannot be pursued further because of his religion. Esther embarks on a letter-writing relationship with a Panama Canal laborer, leading to marriage and ultimately heartbreak, but she maintains her strength of character and determination to make a better life for herself.

Location:

Cincinnati Club Oak Room, 30 Garfield Place, Cincinnati 45202

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Please contact the Cincinnati Opera box office for tickets at 513-241-2742 or

www.cincinnatiopera.org

.

____

7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20

• E-Media/Acting Film Series •

THIRD ANNUAL CCM 48-HOUR FILM FESTIVAL

Join us for our annual celebration of original film work by students. After random team placement, student authors, actors, directors, editors and composers have 48 hours from 7 p.m. on Friday night to 7 p.m. on Sunday night to create finished original short films. At the close of the 48-hour period, audiences can join us in UC’s MainStreet Cinema to enjoy eight original short films by eight amazing teams.

Location:

MainStreet Cinema, UC’s Tangeman University Center

Admission:

FREE

____

8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3

8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4

2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5

• CCM Opera d’arte - Undergraduate Opera Series •

ALBERT HERRING
Composed by Benjamin Britten
Libretto by Eric Crozier, freely adapted from a story of Guy de Maupassant
Jesse Leong, conductor
Kenneth Shaw, director

Britten's brilliantly witty score comes to life again at CCM, presented with the effervescence and energy unique to the outstanding young artists of Opera d’arte! Set in the small town of Loxford, in East Sussex,

Albert

Herring

explores the themes of losing innocence and coming of age in the face of old fashioned morality and social stratification.

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Jan. 30. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

This production of Albert Herring is presented in honor of Rafael and Kimberly de Acha

Opera Department Sponsor: Mr. & Mrs. Edward S. Rosenthal

Opera Production Sponsor: Genevieve Smith

____

8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17

8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18

2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19

• Studio Opera Series •

TRANSFORMATIONS
Music by Conrad Susa
Libretto by Anne Sexton
Avishay Shalom, conductor
Emma Griffin, director

CCM’s Studio Series presents the Brothers Grimm fairy tales like you’ve never seen them before! This 1973 chamber opera, with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Anne Sexton, is darkly humorous with audaciously recounted tales, and filled with mid-20th-century references, both literary and musical. Based on Sexton’s acclaimed 1971 book of poems of the same name,

Transformations

promises to challenge audiences’ understanding of what “happily-ever-after” truly means.

This production contains adult themes and is not recommend for young audiences.

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free. Reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Feb. 13. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Opera Department Sponsor: Mr. & Mrs. Edward S. Rosenthal

Opera Production Sponsor: Genevieve Smith

____

8 p.m. Thursday, March 2

8 p.m. Friday, March 3

2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, March 4

• Studio Dance Series •

DANCE STUDENT CHOREOGRAPHER’S SHOWCASE

André Megerdichian, director

Come experience the next generation of emerging choreographers as CCM dance majors take the stage with exciting and diverse new works.

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, Feb. 27. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

The Dance Department gratefully acknowledges the support of the Corbett Endowment at CCM.

____

7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8

7 p.m. Thursday, March 9

7 p.m. Friday, March 10

• Studio Acting Series •

TRANSMIGRATION 2017
A Festival of Student-Created New Works
Richard E. Hess and Brant Russell, producers

TRANSMIGRATION, so named for “the movement from one place to another” or “the transition from one state of being to another,” is a festival of new works created by the acting students in CCM Acting. Six teams of actors craft and perform five original 30-minute shows. Performed simultaneously in different locations throughout CCM Village, TRANSMIGRATION will allow the audience to sample four different new works of their choosing in one spectacular evening. “Thanks to the [Acting] program at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music,” observed

CityBeat

’s Rick Pender, “theater fans were offered a jolt of onstage vitality.”

Location:

Various locations throughout CCM Village

Admission:

Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 6. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Acting Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman & Margaret Straub

____

8 p.m. Thursday, March 30

8 p.m. Friday, March 31

2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, April 1

• Studio Musical Theatre Series •

CHILDREN OF EDEN
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by John Caird
Vince DeGeorge, director and choreographer
Steve Goers, musical director

From the composer of smash hits

Wicked

and

Godspell

comes a uniquely personal and intimate retelling of the biblical Genesis story. Through the narratives of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and Noah and his family, this beloved 1991 musical explores the uniquely human trait to desire adventure but yearn for the comfort and safety of home, or, “Eden.”

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 27. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

____

8 p.m. Thursday, April 20

8 p.m. Friday, April 21

2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22

• Studio Acting Series •

VERY DUMB KIDS
By Gracie Gardner
Brant Russell, director

Sarah Nehal was murdered while working as a correspondent in New Delhi while her college friends were at home in the U.S. watching TV on the internet and peddling their esoteric skill sets. One year after her funeral, her friends meet for their annual Fourth of July reunion.

Very Dumb Kids

explores entitlement and how its effects are visited upon the disenfranchised as well as the privileged. But it's also about empowerment, exploring how to live responsibly in an irresponsible universe. Join CCM Acting as we embark on our new play commissioning initiative: plays that speak to the unique experience that is being young in America; plays that are written for and about our students; plays that will go on to be produced by educational institutions and professional theater companies all over the country; plays that will involve a new generation of artists and audiences. And you’ll be able to say you were there when it all started.

Location:

Cohen Family Studio Theater

Admission:

Admission is free, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, April 17. Visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to reserve. Limit two tickets per order.

Acting Studio Series Sponsor: Neil Artman & Margaret Straub

____________________

Reserving Tickets

All Studio Series performances held in CCM’s Cohen Family Studio Theater are free and open to the general public, but reservations are required. Reservations can be made the Monday before each show by visiting the CCM Box Office in person or calling 513-556-4183. Limit two tickets per order.

For additional information on reserving tickets for CCM’s Studio Series, visit

ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/did-you-know/how-to-studio-series

.

Some off-campus Studio Series productions require paid admission or reservations through a partner organization’s box office. Please refer to individual production listings for more information.

Parking and Directions

Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit 

uc.edu/parking

 for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit 

uc.edu/visitors

. Additional parking is available off-campus at the U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit 

ccm.uc.edu/about/directions

.

____________________

A preeminent institution for the performing and media arts, CCM is the largest single source of performing arts presentations in the state of Ohio.

All event dates and programs are subject to change. For a complete calendar of events, please visit us online at

ccm.uc.edu

.