Around Cincinnati

Playhouse in the Park’s Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre presents the world premiere of Leveling Up, the newest play by acclaimed playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer. This provocative, yet humorous, portrayal of four 20-somethings transitioning from college to “real” life, deals with all the issues of friendships, maturity and moving on faced by most post-college people. Rick Pender sits down with Deborah Zoe Laufer to discuss this production, which opens on February 14.

Cincinnati native Rebecca Gale has had a distinguished career in Washington, DC, working as a press secretary and communications director for various Senators and Members of Congress, now she’s a contributing editor at Roll Call, DC’s political newspaper. She has just published her first novel, Trying, and she’s in our studio to talk about the book and the career that took her away from Cincinnati, with Barbara Gray.

On March 9, the Cincinnati Boychoir, in conjunction with Vocal Arts Ensemble and the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra, will be presenting Benjamin Britten's oratorio Saint Nicolas. As Christopher Eanes, director of the Boychoir, points out to Anne Arenstein, it is an interesting collaboration, as it was written to be performed by both amateur AND professional musicians.

Chris Ashbrook, who writes under the name C.J. Ashbrook, had an amazing career as a film and video director before he turned to writing. He’s the man responsible for one of the most iconic music videos of the 80’s, “Sweet Dreams” by the Eurythmics. His newest novel, A Darker Gold, has just been released, and he is on the phone to talk about the book and share some stories from those halcyon days of music videos with our David Delegator.

It’s time again for the 20th Century Cincinnati Show, your yearly chance to see and purchase vintage clothing, furniture, art and more. The show runs February 23-24 at the Sharonville Convention Center where 60 separate dealers will fill 20,000 square feet of exhibit space. Lee Hay talks with Pam Forsee Hogue of the show about a special attraction this year, an exhibit of works by Russel Wright, born and raised in Lebanon, Ohio but went on to become one of the finest Modern designers of the Art Deco era in the 30’s.