Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Stages Sizzling Family Drama, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues their Debut Season at The Otto M. Budig Theater with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams. The production is directed by Michael Evan Haney, the former Associate Artistic Director of the Playhouse in the Park, and features Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's resident ensemble, including Maggie Lou Rader, Grant Niezgodski, Jim Hopkins, Justin McCombs, and Kelly Mengelkoch. This show is generously sponsored by Huntington, Murphy Landen Jones, and Roehr Insurance Agency.

The Pollitt family has gathered to celebrate their patriarch, the ailing Big Daddy (Jim Hopkins), but rumors of his declining health have everyone scheming to secure the largest part of the family estate. Meanwhile, Brick Pollitt (Grant Niezgodski) and his wife, Maggie (Maggie Lou Rader) wrestle with their own secret griefs and losses within their marriage. In the course of a single evening, relationships are tested, lies are exposed, and long-buried secrets at last come to light. This searing family drama by a true American master remains a potent exploration of the ties that bind, and sometimes strangle.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof won the 1955 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and remains as resonant today as when it was first performed. Director Michael Evan Haney says, "Living in this age where the truth is questioned constantly on a national level, it has been fascinating to work on a play like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Cat explores the lies and mendacity within the Pollitt family living on the Mississippi Delta. Lies between parents and children, brothers and sisters and husbands and wives, permeate this Tennessee Williams masterwork." Longtime company member Maggie Lou Rader says of preparing to play the show's iconic leading lady, Maggie "The Cat" Pollitt: "I first saw the film of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the one with Elizabeth Taylor, when I was just a kid, twenty-two years ago. Even though I didn't quite understand yet everything she was talking about, I looked at her and thought 'I really want to do that someday.' And now, I'm so excited to finally dive into the role of Maggie the Cat."

Director Michael Evan Haney previously directed at Cincinnati Shakespeare, helming The Hound of the Baskervilles and Oliver Twist. As Associate Artistic director for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, he directed over thirty plays including four world premieres and A Christmas Carol for the past twenty-five seasons. He has also directed Off-Broadway for the Irish Rep and regionally for Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and many others.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof runs April 6-28 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM, as well as Saturday April 28 at 2:00 PM. Preview performances are April 4 and 5 at 7:30 PM.

On Sundays April 15 and 22, bring your younger kids (4+) for artist-led childcare DURING the performance! The "Playdate" program is only $15 and free for subscribers. The option to add this program will be available as you are buying tickets for either of these show dates. Activities will range from Storytime to theatre games and crafts. Share the great benefits of CSC's programming with your children: Playdate will style activities to correspond with each production, so even your youngest can join in the discussion on the ride home!

The theater is now located at The Otto M. Budig Theater at 1195 Elm Street in OTR, adjacent to Washington Park. Single ticket prices range from $14-$52. Student/Children and Preview tickets are only $28. If available that day, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased thirty minutes 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.

Valet Parking is now available for every performance! Make reservations for $10 in advance when purchasing tickets. Purchasing in advance guarantees a spot at the discounted rate of $10 (vs. $15-20+ at the curb). Valet is available right at the corner of 12th and Elm Street in front of the theater and begins approx. 1.5 hours before a performance. Cars can be picked up for up to one hour following a performance. (After one hour, you will need to arrange pick up with the valet service directly.) The valet will have your name on the list after you purchase- it's that easy!

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. In the summer of 2017, the theater relocated 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. Each year, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's Education and Outreach Programs reach 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 2017-2018 Season:

This season is funded by ArtsWave and 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. 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.

The National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest presents Shakespeare in American Communities. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company was one of 40 professional theater companies selected to participate in bringing the finest productions of Shakespeare to middle- and high-school students in communities across the United States.

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