Cincinnati Shakespeare to Kick Off 2015 with WAITING FOR GODOT, 1/14-2/7

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company kicks off 2015 with this vaudevillian production of the classic "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett. This production is directed by Cincinnati Shakespeare's Producing Artistic Director, Brian Isaac Phillips and features Cincinnati Shakespeare's Resident Ensemble members Bruce Cromer, Jim Hopkins, Nicholas Rose and Brent Vimtrup, joined by young actor Jack Johnson. The design is generously sponsored by Graydon Head.

"Waiting for Godot" is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which 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. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, has led to many different interpretations and pop culture references since the play's 1953 premiere and it was voted "the most significant English language play of the 20th century".

"Waiting for Godot" is Beckett's translation of his own original French version, "En attendant Godot", and is subtitled (in English only) "a tragicomedy in two acts". The original French text was composed between October 9, 1948 and January 29, 1949. The premiere was on January 5, 1953 in the Théâtre de Babylone, Paris. "Waiting for Godot" is considered one of Beckett's most successful plays with two of the more notable recent revivals both occurring in 2009 -- one on London's West End with Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart and one on Broadway with Nathan Lane and Bill Irwin. "Waiting for Godot" was nominated for three Tony Awards in 2009 including Best Revival of a Play.

This production brings together two of Cincinnati's favorite actors Bruce Cromer and Nicholas Rose in the featured roles. Bruce Cromer, most recently seen on Cincinnati Shakespeare's stage in two sold-out smash hits as Claudius in "Hamlet" and Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird", has also appeared on the stages of the Shakespeare Festival of New Jersey, Santa Fe Stages, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Clarence Brown Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory and Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Nicholas Rose, an audience favorite and founding company member of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, continues his regular appearances on Cincinnati Shakespeare's stage already appearing in this season's "Complete Works of William Shakespeare", "The Great Gatsby" and "The Birds".

Performances of "Waiting for Godot" are scheduled from January 16- February 7, 2015 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm with an additional Saturday matinee on Feb. 7. Preview performances are on Wednesday Jan. 14 and Thursday Jan. 15 at 7:30pm and tickets are $21. 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 Thursdays and Sundays and from $26-$36 on Fridays and Saturdays. This show is a part of the 2014-2015 subscription season. If available, $14 student rush tickets may be purchased 30 minutes before a show with a valid student ID. 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.

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. Located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, CSC produces a dozen mainstage productions each season. The 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 nearly 30,000 young people and underserved community members last season by taking Shakespeare into schools, parks, community centers and by hosting educational matinees of mainstage productions at its home on Race Street. Last season, 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 2014-2015 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. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's production of "Henry V" is part of Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. The season design sponsor is Mark & Sue Ann Painter. 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.

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