Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Turns 21 and Celebrates with a Season of Literary Masterpieces and Shakespeare Classics

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company announces its 2014-2015 Season 21 schedule. CSC's Season 21 is generously sponsored by The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation and all productions will feature Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's Resident Company of Actors. Season 21 subscription packages went on sale February 3, 2014 and experienced a record breaking first day of sales. Single tickets are now on sale and seats are already in high demand!

As Cincinnati's stage for the classics, CSC is delighted to bring to life Shakespeare favorites, definitive works of drama, and literary classics adapted for the stage. Next season includes two beloved American classics, including Simon Levy's brand new adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" and the regional premiere of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" adapted for the stage by Emma Reeves. At Halloween, audiences can experience the classic Hitchcock thriller, "The Birds" by Conor McPherson from the short story by Daphne du Maurier, recently adapted for the stage. In January, CSC will present Samuel Beckett's profound comedy, "Waiting for Godot" and the season concludes with the Cincinnati debut of the Tony-award winning, West-End smash hit comedy, "One Man, Two Guvnors" by Richard Bean based on "The Servant of Two Masters" by Carlo Goldoni with songs by Grant Olding.

The Shakespeare opener next season will be William Shakespeare's boisterous play "The Comedy of Errors" in November and December. Last year, audiences sold out house after house of Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night" and we are delighted to offer another opportunity for frivolity around the holiday season! The season also includes William Shakespeare's powerful history "Henry V" which is the next installment of the epic 5 year, 8 play history cycle that CSC began with "Richard II" and continued with "Henry IV". CSC will also present the much requested "The Taming of the Shrew", Shakespeare's classic, comedic battle of the sexes!

The complete Season 21 line up is as follows:

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)*

by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield

July 25- August 16, 2014

What better way to celebrate the completion of the entire Shakespeare canon than by doing it all over again - in one evening! The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) features three actors on a mission: to bring the entirety of Shakespeare's works to life on the stage in one fell swoop. Gallop along with us as we careen wildly through all the comedies, histories and tragedies using a trunkful of props, wigs, and outrageous costumes - it's a joyous Shakespeare jambalaya you definitely don't want to miss.

*This is a Special Event. Not included in the subscription package but subscribers can get $20 tickets!

The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted for the stage by Simon Levy

September 5- October 4, 2014

It is the height of prohibition and young Nick Carraway has taken up residence in Long Island's "West Egg", home to the nouveau riche. He is soon befriended by his neighbor, the mysterious Jay Gatsby, and drawn into his glitzy, if garish, world of lavish parties and secret speakeasies. But as Gatsby's secretive past is uncovered, and his intentions revealed, Nick finds himself a pawn in a love triangle so scandalous, it threatens to destroy all those around him. This American classic is a poignant examination of America in the early twentieth century, exploring the notions of love, morality, identity and the corruption of the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald's best known and most beloved work, The Great Gatsbyfinally comes to the stage in this exclusive new adaption by Simon Levy.

The Birds

by Conor McPherson from the short story by Daphne du Maurier

October 17- November 8, 2014

The classic Hitchcock thriller that's been terrifying audiences for generations is winging its way toward Cincinnati for Halloween. For reasons unknown, the birds have turned against man, attacking them maliciously and relentlessly. In a small seaside cabin, a group of strangers find themselves thrust together, each seeking sanctuary from the savage avian menace. But as the situation becomes increasingly dire and the tension between the survivors inexorably grows, it isn't long before the atmosphere turns ugly, and they discover that the horror hovering outside is nothing compared to that which lurks within. Don't be left outside this Halloween - get your tickets for Conor McPherson's adaptation of the Daphne Du Maurier's The Birds.

The Comedy of Errors

by William Shakespeare

November 21- December 13, 2014

Double the antics! Double the hijinks! Double the twins! That's right, Shakespeare's earliest and wackiest comedy features not one, but TWO sets of identical twins, leading to twice the confusion, and twice the fun. Twin masters Antipholus and Antipholus and their twin servants Dromio and Dromio, separated at birth and each unknown to the other, just happen to end up in the same town on the same day. What ensues is an increasingly unlikely string of misunderstandings and mistaken identities as the twins unintentionally wreak havoc on each other's lives. You'll be DOUBLED over with laughter at Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.

Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!)*

by Michael Carlton, James Fitzgerald and John K Alvarez

December 17-28, 2014

What begins as another annual production of A Christmas Carol, soon devolves into a slightly irreverent look at all of our favorite "Beloved Holiday Classics" including It's a Wonderful Life, Frosty, Rudolph, Charlie Brown and more! Three actors (with the help of Santa) send up everything from Dickens to Dr. Suess in 90 minutes of high octane jollity and frivolity. This ever-evolving CSC holiday favorite is back on our stage for a ninth straight year!

*This is a Special Event. Not included in the Subscription Package.

Waiting for Godot

by Samuel Beckett

January 16- February 7, 2015

The greatest play of the Twentieth Century returns to the CSC stage for the first time in over a decade! In a vaudeville of cosmic proportions, the two loveably hapless vagrants, Gogo and Didi, grapple with the mysteries of the universe, trading barbs and banter as they await the arrival of the eternally truant Godot. A profound comedy punctuated with moment of dread, Waiting for Godot is an exquisite evening theatre not to be missed. So what are you waiting for?

Little Women

by Louisa May Alcott adapted for the stage by Emma Reeves

February 20- March 21, 2015

Louisa May Alcott's treasured classic, Little Women tells the enduring story of the March family - a lively, American household living in refined poverty. With her husband away in the American Civil War, Marmee is left alone to bring up their four girls; romantic Meg, shy Beth, willful Amy and of course, fiery and independent Jo. Through the intertwining lives of the sisters we see the familiar frustrations, contradictions and duties that constitute family life and love. We share in the hardships and heartbreak, humor and humility of these passionate and unique young women. Based on Louisa May Alcott's own family experiences in her celebrated novel, Little Women will enchant all of us all over again in this new adaptation for the stage.

The Taming of the Shrew

by William Shakespeare

April 3 - 25, 2015

Baptista has a problem, and her name is Kate. His eldest daughter is so strong-willed, stubborn and downright shrewish that, despite her considerable family fortune, not a single man in Padua is willing to marry her. That is until the arrival of Petruchio, a brash and bumptious fortune-seeker who has come "to wive it wealthily in Padua." Confident in his ability to "tame" the cantankerous Kate, he takes her to wife. But is he up for the challenge, or has Petruchio finally met his match? Who will end up taming who? Find out in Shakespeare's classic, comedic battle of the sexes The Taming of the Shrew.

Henry V

By William Shakespeare

May 8- May 30, 2015

The prodigal Prince Hal has cast off the unruly ways and unruly companions of his youth, and has ascended to the throne of England. But the civil wars that allowed his father, Henry IV, to ascend to the throne, have taken their toll. The country is bankrupt, and civil unrest bubbles just under the surface, threatening to erupt again. In order to refill the royal coffers and unify the country against a common enemy, the young King Henry sets his sights on the conquest of France. But his fervent army of nobles and commoners soon find themselves in hostile territory, surrounded and woefully outnumbered. At the center of Shakespeare's history cycle, and featuring some of the most powerful oratory in the canon, Henry V tells the unforgettable tale of those few, those happy few, that band of brothers who stood up against overwhelming odds to fight for God, King and Country. Don't miss this history cycle favorite, as Shakespeare's game of thrones continues.

One Man, Two Guvnors

by Richard Bean based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni with songs by Grant Olding

June 12- July 5, 2015

Tony-award winning smash comedy that wowed audiences in London's West End and on Broadway now comes to Cincinnati! Fast-talking Francis Henshall finds himself in a sticky predicament when, in his constant quest for a quick buck and a bite to eat, he ends up simultaneously working for two rival masters. Can he prevent his bosses from meeting face-to-face, or has Francis bitten off more than he can chew? This raucous new adaptation of Goldoni's classic Italian comedy, Servant of Two Masters is filled with improvisation, audience interaction, and even a real live skiffle band. Lauded as "comic perfection" and "the funniest show in the western world" One Man, Two Guvnors promises to be a side-splitting evening of theatre unlike any you've ever seen.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues to offer audiences great value with affordable, flexible subscriptions that include eight flexible tickets that can be used in any combination for any performance. Adult Subscriptions are $228, Senior Subscriptions are $194, and Student Subscriptions are $130. Budget-conscious patrons can also subscribe to the company's preview series. A Preview Subscription is just $133 and includes eight tickets that can be used for any preview performance, typically Wednesday and Thursday evenings before Opening Night. All subscriptions are currently on sale now and may be purchased through the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company website www.cincyshakes.com or box office by calling 513-381-BARD (2273) ext. 1. Single tickets for all shows in Season 21 are also now on sale.

The theater is located at 719 Race Street, downtown Cincinnati, two blocks west of the Aronoff Center. Single ticket prices range from $22-$32 on Thursday Nights and Saturday and Sunday Matinees and from $26-$36 on Friday and Saturday Nights. Previews of each shows are available the previous two nights of opening (usually Wednesday and Thursday) for $21 a ticket, no further discounts apply. Group discounts are available for groups of 6 or more and can be purchased online or in the box office. Weekday Educational Matinees at 10am are available for $12 a ticket for school, community, retirement and home school groups. Please contact the education department at 513.381.2273 ext. 3202 for more information about these and other educational offerings. Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups as well as Enjoy the Arts, AAA members, and ArtsWave Fun Card holders. 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.

Photo Credit: J. Sheldon Photo

Pictured: Waiting for Godot