Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Opens 2016-2017 Mainstage Season With THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company officially opens its 2016-2017 mainstage season with "The Diary of Anne Frank", adapted by Wendy Kesselman from the play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, based on "The Diary of A Young Girl" by Anne Frank. This production, playing September 9 - October 1, 2016, is directed by Jeremy Dubin, Artistic Associate at Cincinnati Shakespeare, and features Courtney Lucien, last seen on Cincinnati Shakespeare's stage in the titular role in last season's smash hit Emma. This production is generously sponsored by Macys, Raymond James, and Oswald. The season is sponsored by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation, ArtsWave, and the Ohio Arts Council.

In a tiny attic in Amsterdam in 1944, two families of Jewish refugees hide in silence from the Nazi Regime below. Unable to speak for fear of being discovered, the young Anne Frank (Courtney Lucien) tells her story by writing in her diary. "The Diary of Anne Frank" is a harrowingly intimate view of history's greatest atrocity as seen through the eyes of one extraordinary young girl. The chronicle of her family's experience endures as both a condemning indictment of man's capacity for cruelty and a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company has partnered with the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education located in Cincinnati to bring in local survivors of the Holocaust as speakers during the run of this production. They will speak before the production on Saturday Sep. 10 (approx.6:30pm) and after on Sunday Sep. 18 (approx. 4:30pm). These events are free and open to all "The Diary of Anne Frank" ticket holders.

The Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education educates about the Holocaust, remembers its victims and acts on its lessons. Through innovative programs and partnerships, CHHE challenges injustice, inhumanity and prejudice, and fosters understanding, inclusion and engaged citizenship. Resources include traveling and permanent exhibits, teacher trainings, and innovative programs. The Center is located on the campus of Rockwern Academy in Cincinnati.

Performances of "The Diary of Anne Frank" are scheduled from September 9-October 2016. Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. There is no performance on Sunday Sep. 11. Preview performances are on Wednesday Sep. 7 and Thursday Sep. 8 at 7:30pm and tickets are $25.

The theater is located at 719 Race Street, downtown Cincinnati, two blocks west of the Aronoff Center. Single ticket prices range from $22-$38 on Thursdays and Sundays and from $26-$42 on Fridays and Saturdays. Previews are $25. If available, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased one hour before a show with a valid student ID. This production is a part of this season's subscription package. Visa, Discover, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Ticketing fees may apply. Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups as well as AAA members. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.

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About Cincinnati Shakespeare Company:
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company dedicated to bringing Shakespeare and the classics to life for audiences of all ages. Currently located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, CSC produces a dozen mainstage productions each season. In the summer of 2017, the theater will relocate to the Otto M. Budig Theater, a brand new facility in OTR. CSC's repertoire is made up of the works of William Shakespeare, literary adaptations and contemporary classics. CSC performs on a Small Professional Theatre contract with Actors' Equity Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare is a member of the Theater Communications Group and the Shakespeare Theater Association. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's Education and Outreach Programs reached over 50,000 young people and underserved community members each season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions. In 2015, CSC was proud to become one of the first five theaters in the United States to "Complete the Canon" by producing all 38 plays by William Shakespeare. CSC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is proud to be Cincinnati's stage for the classics!

About The 2016-2017 Season:

This season is generously sponsored by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company receives operating support from The Ohio Arts Council, the Shubert Foundation and is supported, in part, by the generosity of thousands of individuals and businesses that give annually to ArtsWave. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program/organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Production dates and information on the season are available online at www.cincyshakes.com.