Cincinnati Playhouse Presents Over the Tavern 1/22-2/19

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will continue its Marx Theatre season with OVER THE TAVERN by Tom Dudzick. This hilarious and poignant production begins previews in The Playhouse's Robert S. Marx Theatre January 22 and continues through February 19.

In 1950s Buffalo, Chet and Ellen live above their tavern with their four kids, each more mischievous than the next. Wise-cracking and clever 12-year-old Rudy is working on his Ed Sullivan impression instead of studying for his confirmation. With a plethora of religions in the world, Rudy would rather shop around for a more "fun" religion. Meanwhile, his older brother Eddie and sister Annie are both fraught with guilt over their awakening sexual feelings. Adding to the uproarious mayhem is Rudy's cognitively disabled brother Georgie, who has added a few questionable words to his limited vocabulary. Throw in a knuckle-busting nun, mood-swinging parents and audiences of all ages and faiths will be rolling in the aisles.

OVER THE TAVERN premiered at Buffalo's Studio Arena Theatre in 1994. OVER THE TAVERN has been reprised by Studio Arena several times since its premiere and has appeared in countless regional theatres across the country. In 1999, The Playhouse produced OVER THE TAVERN to sold-out audiences. The second installment, King o' the Moon, was seen by Playhouse audiences in 2002.

The cast for OVER THE TAVERN includes Kevin Cutts as Chet Pazinski; Celeste Ciulla (A Christmas Carol) as Ellen Pazinski; Spencer Davis Milford as Rudy; Eric Nelsen as Eddie; Braden Phillips as Georgie; Cincinnati native Katie McClellan as Annie and Darrie Lawrence (The Foreigner, Inspecting Carol, Dancing at Lughnasa, Our Town) as Sister Clarissa.

Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Michael Evan Haney directs the show. According to Haney, "Playwright Tom Dudzick has constructed a wonderfully nostalgic, funny and moving play about a Catholic American family with a precocious son. And whether an audience member is Catholic or not, I think they will recognize something of themselves, as I do, in the characters onstage."

In addition to Haney, the production team for OVER THE TAVERN includes set designer Paul Shortt, a Playhouse favorite with more than 40 productions to his credit; costume designer Dorothy Marshall Englis; lighting designer Dennis Parichy and sound designer Rusty Wandall. The Stage Manager is Andrea L. Shell and Second Stage Manager is Jenifer Morrow.

Prices for OVER THE TAVERN range from $25 - $64, depending on day and seat location. Tickets are just $25 for the preview performances at 8 p.m. Saturday, January 22; 2 p.m. Sunday, January 23; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 25; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 26. Some restrictions apply. The official opening night is Thursday, January 27 at 8 p.m.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets to OVER THE TAVERN are on sale now. For more information, call The Playhouse box office at 513/421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800/582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513/345-2248 for TDD accessibility.

The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to ArtsWave.

The Ohio Arts Council helps fund The Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

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