Based on John Irving’s classic novel, A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY tells a fictional story within a realistic setting. Historical references to 1950s and ‘60s American politics, war and pop culture create a familiar world, providing rich context for the story and enhancing our understanding of its unique characters.
Sound designer Matthew M. Nielson returns to the Playhouse this fall to compose music and design soundscapes for the 2016-17 season opener A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY.
Sean Mellott, who has appeared on Playhouse stages in LEVELING UP and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, returns to the Marx Theatre as the title character in A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY. Prior to the start of rehearsals, Mellott shared his thoughts on his upcoming role.
It’s likely no surprise that theatre fans are also often avid readers. A good story is a good story, after all. This year some of the best stories in the Playhouse season — from A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY and JANE EYRE to ERMA BOMBECK: AT WIT'S END — were all inspired by great books.
World-renowned American author John Irving is always insistent that his fiction does not mirror his life. As he told The New York Times in 1989, the year that his bestselling novel A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY was published, “I am not John Wheelwright.”
Learn what drew Artistic Director Blake Robison to direct A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, and find out what he enjoys most about returning to John Irving's classic story for a brand new production.
For the first time since the 2007 production of DRACULA, the Playhouse is exploring new theatrical heights. In A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, the show’s title character literally soars above the Marx Theatre stage.
Set in 1977, August Wilson’s JITNEY evokes vivid images of that late disco era in the clothing worn by the characters. We asked JITNEY costume designer Tracy Dorman about creating the clothing for the cast of the production.
Jefferson A. Russell is a former Baltimore police officer turned professional actor who makes his Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park debut as Shealy in August Wilson’s JITNEY. Meet Jefferson, and discover why he’s drawn time and again to August Wilson’s acclaimed American Century Cycle.
August Wilson’s play JITNEY follows a group of unlicensed cab drivers hustling to survive in 1970s Pittsburgh. Their jitney station serves a neighborhood — in this case the largely African-American Hill District — that traditional cab operators would not.
