BULL, MOBY DICK, PETUNIA & CHICKEN and More Set for Know Theatre's 2013-14 Season

Know Theatre has announced nearly a full calendar year of programming as a part or our new programming model. Several months ago Know Theatre enacted our new strategic plan which moves us away from the traditional season model allowing us more flexibility in how we approach our programming.

Know Theatre has recently become a part of the National New Play Network [NNPN] as an Associate Member. The National New Play Network is the country's alliance of nonprofit theatres that champions the development, production and continued life of new plays. NNPN strives to pioneer, implement and disseminate ideas and programs that revolutionize the way theatres collaborate to support new plays and playwrights. Producing Artistic Director, Eric Vosmeier says, "Membership in NNPN is something that Know Theatre has sought for several years and we're proud to be part of this organization. Know Theatre has been working in the realm of premiere work for years and this is an important step for us as we continue to expand our offerings and make strong connections on The National Theatre scene."

This slate of shows includes Steve Yockey's Pluto, which will be a world premiere as a part of NNPN's Rolling World Premiere, which seeks to achieve multiple productions of one play at a series of theatres across the country. The Other Theatres participating in this premiere are: Actors Express in Atlanta, GA; Forum Theatre in Silver Spring, MD; and Orlando Shakespeare Theatre in Orlando, FL.

The fall kicks off with Bull, the companion piece to Mike Bartlett's COCK, which Know Theatre produced this past spring. This December, Know Theatre will be back at Arnold's with our new, but sure to be holiday classic, The Naughty List featuring OTRimprov. We're also bringing back several Fringe artists as a part of our ongoing Fringe Encore series and have a number of other special events lined up throughout the year.

Vosmeier says, "I'm thrilled to be able to attack a full year of programming under our new strategic plan. This will be an opportunity to see if what we believe about the plan can be put into practice. We've got some amazing plays and some invigorating plans for the organization this year."

Mainstage Productions

BULL

Running with the bulls, nice guys get gored.

The hazards of office life in a cut-throat economy are explored in this brutally funny play by Mike Bartlett. A companion piece to c*ck(produced by Know Theatre in the Spring of 2013), the show features the same stripped down aesthetic: no props, no scenery, allowing for an intense focus on the text, the characters, and the relationships.

Three mid-level executives are pitted against each other competing just two positions in their department. Alliances are formed, and the weak are rooted out. There is no room for mercy in a world driven by profit and success.

"We are excited to be the first theatre in the country to produce both c*ckand Bull. We first heard about Bull while we were rehearsing our production of COCK. When I heard, I immediately starting inquiring about performance rights and we were able to lock them in. Bartlett's writing is concise and the style of these shows leaves a great deal in the minds of the audiences to fill in. We love this kind of simple but challenging work."

Director - BrIan Robertson

Starring - George Alexander

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the week of your performance.

Running tonight, November 1-November 30 with performances Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8pm, and one matinee on Sunday, November 17 at 3 pm. Flex-passes are valid for this event.

The Naughty List at Arnold's Bar & Grill

This December, Know Theatre takes a show off-campus to Arnold's Bar & Grill featuring Jackson Street Market member OTRimprov. Performances will take place in the courtyard at Arnold's Bar & Grill Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings at 8pm from December 1 - 30, 2013.

Join Know Theatre at Arnold's Bar & Grill for a holiday improv show that is a little naughty, and a little nice. Using suggestions from the audience and a mix of long and short form improv, OTRimprov will create some holiday cheer whether you are ready for it or not. Your favorite holiday memories will become their subject matter as they recreate holiday movies and tell you how your life may have been different if you had received that gift. Bring your holiday cheer or your inner Grinch. You decide.

"We had such a great experience last year working with Arnold's and OTRi on this production and we're honored to be invited back. This year's show promises just as irreverent a take on the holidays as last year," says Producing Artistic Director, Eric Vosmeier.

OTRimprov is an improvisational comedy troupe that's made its home at Know Theatre of Cincinnati as part of the Jackson Street Market. Recognizing the distinct lack of regularly scheduled improv performances in Cincinnati, especially Downtown and in Over-the-Rhine, OTRi looks to provide this particular brand of entertainment in order to further strengthen Cincinnati's established arts community.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the week of your performance.

Running December 1-December 30 with performances on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday evenings at 8pm. Flex-passes are valid for this event.

PLUTO

In the wake of tragedy, mythology meets a search for answers.

A local tragedy disrupts what began as a perfectly ordinary morning in the Miller's typical suburban kitchen. This strange occurrence allows mother Elizabeth and son Bailey only a few hours in which to reconnect. But things get stranger still with fragmented news reports that won't long be silenced, the appearance of a talkative three-headed dog, and a refrigerator that will not sit still. Mixing mythological elements with a contemporary setting, playwright Steve Yockey explores tragedy, loss, and the way love can blind us to the truth in this poignant and evocative new script, presented as part of a National New Play Network Rolling world premiere.

Director - Jason Bruffy (former Artistic Director of Know Theatre)

Starring - Annie Fitzpatrick and Torie Wiggins*
*Members of Actor's Equity Association

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the week of your performance.

Running January 24-February 22, 2014 with performances Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8pm and one matinee on Sunday, February 9 at 3pm. Flex-passes are valid for this event.

To Be Determined

No, this is not a show called To Be Determined. We are leaving this production slot open for the time being and will announce our spring show later this year.

To Be Determined show will run April 4-May 10, 2014 with performances Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8pm and one matinee on Sunday, April 13 at 3 pm. Flex-passes are valid for this event.

2013 11th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Know Theatre's season would not be complete without the 11th Annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival, which will be May 27 through June 7, 2014. Ohio's largest performing arts festival will take over Downtown/Over-the-Rhine with 12 days of theatre, music, dance, film, art and everything in between.

Applications for the 2014 Cincinnati Fringe Festival will be available September 1, 2013 and will be accepted through December 6, 2013. Applications for FringeNext will be available on the same date and will be accepted through January 17, 2014. For more information and to apply please visit cincyfringe.com.

As always, tickets for the Cincinnati Fringe Festival are just $12 per show with Flex Passes available for 2 shows, 6 shows, or the full line up. Tickets will go on sale in April, 2014.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville, adapted by Julian Rad

Revenge.

Ishmael is having a 19th century quarter-life crisis: overwhelmed by the enormity of existence, his only recourse is to go to sea. When he signs aboard the whaling ship Pequod, Ishmael is thrust into an epic tale of revenge as one-legged Captain Ahab desperately pursues the whale that maimed him. One of the most enduring works of American literature is stripped to its essence and re-imagined as a highly theatrical endeavor that mixes sea shanties and inventive physicality in this adaptation by Julian Rad.

Directors - Michael Burnham and Andrew Hungerford

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the week of your performance.

Opening Fall of 2014 (exact dates to be determined). Flex-passes are valid for this event.

Fringe Encores

Stairway to Kevin by Kevin Thornton

Fringe veteran Kevin Thornton (2009 Sex, Dreams & Self Control, 2011 I Love You We're F*#ked, 2012 Strange Dreamz, 2013 COCK) is turning 40 and questioning everything. Join him for a hilarious round-the-world journey on the search for the meaning of life. Kevin has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered, is a Berkeley guest lecturer and a New Faces Winner at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Featuring brand new original music and stories.

Tickets are $12.

Running September 6 and September 13 at 8 pm ONLY. Tickets on sale now.

Flex-passes are valid for this event.

Ain't True and Uncle False

A One Man Trailer Park Fairy Tale Comedy (with Songs!)

Paul Strickland Returns with his 2013 Fringe hit! Step right up!!! Hear the story of how Pangea Park broke up into all the different types of parks we have today (including trailer-park!!) Learn how they make black-eyed peas by punching green peas!!! Hear a story about siamese twins who aren't the same age!!! How about the tale of a wall of taxidermied, mounted goldfish?!? Step right up!! Nationally acclaimed comedian, storyteller and musician Paul Strickland's Ain't True and Uncle False is a one man trailer park fantasy (with songs), as told to his dead grandfather for your enjoyment.

This show was built from several selections from a novel I started writing about 4 years ago, but has since evolved into something completely fresh and different from its origin.

Tickets are $12.

Running October 11 and 12, 2013 at 8 pm ONLY. Tickets on sale now.

Flex-passes are valid for this event.

Petunia & Chicken

Inspired by the writings of Midwestern author Willa Cather, two daring performers create an epic story of love and loss as big as the prairie itself. Petunia, an indomitable immigrant girl determined to tame the wild land around her, meets Chicken, a right smart boy with dreams of great adventures. As the joys of their youth give way to the harsh realities of adulthood, they struggle to stay together. Sprawling fields of wheat, bustling train stations, rain-soaked kisses, wind-blown hair, and the rest of Petunia & Chicken's world are brought to life with imagination, movement, and song. Petunia & Chicken was the Artists' Pick of the 2013 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

This play comes at a very special time in our lives. We started making this show about true love just after we got engaged! At the end of the summer we will be married in a barn in Nebraska. Karim will be Carrie's cowboy, and Carrie will be Karim's wind-blown ingénue.

Animal Engine's work is offbeat, committed to the relationship between the performer and the audience, and regularly tip-toes the line between comedy and tragedy. In the past we have created The Vindlevoss Family Circus Spectacular!, an absurdly poignant tale of a Professor and her undead son who attempt to relive the glory days of their once thriving circus; It's a Ten Minute Life, a break neck reimagining of Frank Capra's classic film It's a Wonderful Life; and Age of the Android, an immersive play that recounts the untold story of Thomas Edison, the Robot he built, and the reporter who fell in love with her. From a zombie and his mustachioed mother, to George and Mary Bailey, to a famed inventor and his lady Android, our work is clever, quirky, sharp and new.

Tickets are $12.

Running November 10 & 11, 2013 at 8 pm ONLY. Tickets on sale now.

Flex-passes are valid for this event.

Jackson Street Market

Existing Jackson Street Market Programming Includes:

CNKY Scene Film Festival

Know Theatre's Jackson Street Market member, the CNKY Scene Film Festival is gearing up for their second annual festival, housed here at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. The festival takes place September 19 -22, 2013 and is the premiere LGBT Film Festival for Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. CNKY Scene Film Festival fosters a creative outlet for the tri-state area where LGBT issues are expressed and discussed through art of film. More information can be found at www.cnkyfilmfestival.com. All festival tickets and passes are now on sale at knowtheatre.com.

True Theatre

True Theatre's mission is to bring together a wide variety of people to share stories in an effort to create community, encourage discussion, and remind everyone that all of us have stories to tell with unique insights and broad appeal. True Theatre's first season in 2010-2011 was a wild success with packed houses for every performance. Upcoming True Theatre performances: trueOOPS(October 14, 2013), trueVACATION (January 13, 2014), trueDATING (April 14, 2014), and trueBLOOD (July 28, 2014). Tickets for True Theatre performances are $15 and are available at knowtheatre.com. Subscriptions to True Theatre's upcoming performances are $52 and are currently on sale as well.

OTRimprov

OTRimprov is an improvisational comedy troupe that's made its home at Know Theatre of Cincinnati as part of the Jackson Street Market. Recognizing the distinct lack of regularly scheduled improv performances in Cincinnati, especially Downtown and in Over-the-Rhine, OTRi looks to provide this particular brand of entertainment in order to further strengthen Cincinnati's established arts community. OTRimprov has regular performances and workshops scheduled through December. Tickets and more info is available at knowtheatre.com.

Special Events

Midpoint Music Festival

Each year, Know Theatre also plays host to the annual Midpoint Music Festival. This year's festival takes place September 26 - 28, 2013 and Know Theatre will hold two different stages of music, one on each floor. The full Midpoint Music Festival line-up and more information can be found at www.mpmf.com.

The Beggar's Carnivale

Know Theatre is thrilled to announce the return of St. Louis based, The Beggar's Carnivale. Cincinnati audiences have enjoyed their yearly visits for three years now, and we're excited to continue the tradition!

Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls (of legal age)! Step right up to the sexiest, strangest, wildest show on earth! A gypsy carnival, a one-ring circus, a villainous vaudeville, a bawdy bordello, a manic music hall, and an unforgettable night of entertainment await you! Come see the Acts of Daring! Devilish Dancing! High Flying! Amazing Magic! and so much more!

The Beggar's Carnivale, described as "Cirque du Soleil on a whiskey bender", is a variety show combining elements of traditional circus arts, gypsy folk, and rock n' roll. This fast paced, non-stop spectacle includes several acts linked together by a series of silent film-esque interludes and this year will feature live music from their house band The Royal We as well as music mixed on the spot by the show's personal DJ.

Ticket prices are TBD and will be on sale soon!

Running December 5-7, 2013 at 8 pm ONLY.

Flex-passes are valid for this event.

Know Theatre CityBeat NYE Speakeasy Party

On New Year's Eve, Know Theatre throws our annual Know Theatre CityBeat NYE Speakeasy Party from 8pm - 1am. The party sells out every year, so get your tickets now! Dress to the nines and scoot on over to Know Theatre to ring in the New Year Speakeasy style. Get dolled up and ready to celebrate and enjoy casino games, delicious fare, a DJ, dancing, a live band, martinis, and a champagne toast at midnight.

Tickets are available for $15 in advance and $25 after December 23 at noon. Tickets and more info can be found at knowtheatre.com or by calling 513.300.5669(KNOW). Flex-passes are valid for this event.

Flex Passes: As part of changes to the season structure, Know Theatre is offering six show flex-passes for $90 that do not expire. Additionally, flex-passes will now be valid for most events at Know Theatre*. If we're producing it, or presenting it, you can use the pass toward the value of a ticket**. When you run out of tickets, you'll simply get another pass!

Tickets and flex-passes can be purchased by visiting knowtheatre.com or calling 513.300.5669(KNOW). *Look for the note on our website, press releases, postcards, et al: "Flex Passes are valid for this event"

Know Theatre of Cincinnati is supported, in part, by the generosity of community contributions to the ArtsWave Campaign. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund Know Theatre with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Know Theatre is supported by the National Theatre Company Grant from The American Theatre Wing, dedicated to supporting the most promising emerging theatre companies from around the country. Know Theatre of Cincinnati also receives support from The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation..

Our mission is to create evocative and explosive live entertainment. Our vision is a world awakened to its collective possibility. We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow.