Know Theatre Announces 'The Welcome Experiment'; Kicks Off 17th Season with SERIALS

At last night's opening of Serials! at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, new Producing Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford announced a bold programming initiative called The Welcome Experiment.

The Welcome Experiment

In the coming season, Know Theatre is adding Wednesday night performances to our MainStage schedule with a special twist: these Wednesday performances will be offered FREE of charge to anyone who wants to see a show.

Inspired by Mixed Blood Theatre Company of Minneapolis and their Radical Hospitality initiative, Know Theatre's Welcome Experiment will benefit anyone for whom the price of a regular admission ticket is too high a barrier.

Know Theatre hopes that by offering opportunities to see productions free-of-charge, a wider audience will be able to take part-be they neighbors facing economic hardship, fellow artists, students struggling to make ends meet, or even people who simply don't regularly attend live theatre and might be more willing to take a chance on a show if it is offered for free.

Season 17: Adaptation

This announcement marks the kickoff of Know Theatre of Cincinnati's 17th season exploring the theme of "adaptation." Producing Artistic Director Andrew Hungerford and new Associate Artistic Director Tamara Winters have selected a season that celebrates a variety of voices and perspectives-including more plays written and/or directed by women, and more performers of color to be represented on Know's MainStage.

Fringe: Encores and Extras

In addition, Know Theatre will expand the programming associated with the highly popular annual Cincinnati Fringe Festival to include Encores from favorite Fringe productions, and Extras from like-minded artists whose work fits within the Fringe aesthetic. These special events will take place throughout the year, making it possible for Cincinnati to enjoy the spirit of the Fringe Festival beyond the months of May and June.

MainStage Season

Harry and the Thief by Sigrid Gilmer.

Directed by Holly L. Derr. (August 8-30, 2014)

Travel back in time. Find Harriet Tubman. Don't f*** it Up.

Jeremy has a PhD in physics from Harvard. And a time machine. And a plan. Jeremy 's plan is to send his thieving cousin back in time to 1863 to find Harriet Tubman and give her guns. Lots and lots of guns. Harry and the Thief is the regional premiere of an epic summer blockbuster that mixes a contemporary action movie with antebellum melodrama to tell a story full of adventure, social relevance, and answering the call of destiny.

Moby Dick adapted by Julian Rad from the novel by Herman Melville.

Directed by Andrew Hungerford & Michael Burnham. (Oct. 10-Nov. 8, 2014)

Obsession. A Whale. Revenge.

Overwhelmed by the enormity of existence in the 19th century big city, Ishmael finds his only recourse is to go to sea. When he signs aboard the whaling ship Pequod, Ishmael is thrust into a momentous tale of revenge as one-legged Captain Ahab desperately pursues the white whale that maimed him. One of the most enduring, and daunting, works of American literature is stripped to its essence and re-imagined for our intimate theatre.

Bureau of Missing Persons by Lila Rose Kaplan

Directed by Tamara Winters. (November 29-December 20, 2014)

People don't just disappear.

A piece of chalk. A blue scarf. A pocketful of leaves. These clues lead Angela on a quest from her NYC apartment to a cave in Moscow to search for someone who is missing. Inspired by the stories of Borges, Bureau of Missing Persons is a magical tale that explores how we heal.

TBA (winter 2015)

Hearts Like Fists by Adam Szymkowicz. (March 27-April 25, 2015)

Directed by Tamara Winters.

Love is a battlefield. Where Superheroes fight Crime.

The hearts of a troubled city and its citizens are intertwined. Doctor X is sneaking into apartments and killing lovers while they sleep. Can the elite Crimefighters stop him?

Underground Stage

Know Theatre is excited to be producing a second stage of Underground programming on our bar's cabaret stage and other locations around the city. The Underground season kicked off with the Serials! program that will continue through the summer. Additional surprise Underground programming will be announced throughout the season.

Pricing: MainStage Tickets for Thurs-Sat Performances are $20. Wednesday Night MainStage Tickets are free-of-charge. Rush tickets for MainStage shows are available for $10. All Fringe Extra, Encore, and Underground Performances are $15. One-year sustaining memberships are available for $20/month or $240.

All performances play the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (In historic Over-the-Rhine). To purchase tickets or for more information, visit: www.knowtheatre.com or call 513.300.3669 (KNOW).

Since 1997, Know Theatre has been dedicated to creating explosive and evocative live entertainment. We value a playful artistic community where artists can collaborate and grow. Know Theatre's work is made possible, 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 also supported by The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, helping to change our communities for the better through collaboration and innovation, and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which provides a simple, powerful, and highly personal approach to giving. Know Theatre is a member of Theatre Communications Group and an Associate member of the National New Play Network.

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