2022-23 Season

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Risa Brainin

Sept. 25 – Oct. 23, 2022
Jarson-Kaplan Theater at the Aronoff Center for the Arts

Whodunit? Detective Hercule Poirot is determined to find out in Agatha Christie’s thrilling murder mystery. Ten passengers board the luxurious Orient Express that’s traveling from Istanbul to Western Europe. But after the train unexpectedly stops in the isolated, snow-swept mountains, only nine of them are still alive. A man has been murdered in his room overnight, and suddenly every passenger becomes a suspect. Tensions rise as Poirot searches for the killer lurking in their midst who just may strike again. This masterpiece from the world’s most popular mystery writer promises a suspenseful evening of theatre that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Sponsored by U.S. Bank

Written and Performed by Vanessa Severo
Directed by Joanie Schultz

Oct. 15 – Nov. 6, 2022
The Carnegie Theatre, Covington, Kentucky

Frida Kahlo was her own mysterious and brilliant muse. The iconic Mexican painter captured the difficulties and wonders of her life with incredible vibrancy. Now, she comes to life onstage through playwright and performer Vanessa Severo. Frida...A Self Portrait transports you to La Casa Azul, Frida’s home, where Vanessa recounts the artist’s bold life. With music and movement, she shares insights about Frida’s physical limitations, complex love life, addictions and, of course, the beauty in her art. This searing new play cracks open a powerful portal between Vanessa and Frida bringing breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this stunningly creative production.

Sponsored by Digi and Mike Schueler

By Benjamin Scheuer
Directed by Sean Daniels and Alex Stenhouse

Nov. 12 – Dec. 4, 2022
Warsaw Federal Incline Theater

His story is about courage — his music is about finding it. Straight from the London stage for an exclusive Playhouse engagement, The Lion features a singer-songwriter who shares the turbulent story of his family and his own brush with mortality. Chapters unfold through heartrending monologues and original songs, each one just as emotionally stirring as the last. Six guitars accompany the musician as he explores love, loss and the redemptive power of music. Hailed by critics as a “wondrous” and “spellbinding” experience, The Lion redefines the genre of musical theatre.

Sponsored by Chemed

Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett
Book by James Kirkwood and Nicolas Dante
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by Edward Kleban
Directed by Blake Robison

March 11 – April 15, 2023
Rouse Theatre

Celebrate the grand opening of the Rouse Theatre with one singular sensation! Winner of 10 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, A Chorus Line finds 17 dancers competing for a role in a new Broadway musical. They must perfect vigorous dance combinations and share personal stories about their life in hopes of impressing the relentless director. Heartfelt monologues and beloved musical numbers like “At the Ballet,” “The Music and the Mirror” and “What I Did for Love” underscore the dancers’ remarkable journeys to the stage. A Chorus Line is a timeless experience that’s bursting with artistic passion.

Directed by Ron “OJ” Parson

April 23 – May 14, 2023
Rouse Theatre

It’s 1948 in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, and blues music echoes throughout the neighborhood. A group of old friends gathers to mourn and reminisce about Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton — a gifted guitarist whose star was on the rise and whose untimely death has irrevocably changed each of them. With live blues and lyrical dialogue, August Wilson weaves a poetic and poignant composition about the Black American experience. This landmark, Tony Award-winning play — a part of Wilson’s American Century Cycle — promises a soulful exploration of the ties that bind and the chords that hold us together.

By Karen Zacarías
Directed by Blake Robison
Co-Commissioned by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and the Guthrie Theater

June 3 – 25, 2023
Rouse Theatre
WORLD PREMIERE

One of the greatest Westerns of all time finds new life on the stage! Shane, a mysterious ex-gunfighter, is a man with a dangerous past. Yet, the Starrett family finds kinship with him, and Shane helps protect their Wyoming farm in 1889. Their story sheds new light on the allure, myths and values of the Wild West — a chapter in history that still has many tales to tell. Based on the classic novel by Jack Schaefer, this world premiere by acclaimed playwright Karen Zacarías brings an exciting, fresh perspective to an extraordinary American genre.

Sponsored by Johnson Investment Counsel and Clark Schaefer Hackett

By Nathan Alan Davis
Directed by Joanie Schultz

May 20 – June 25, 2023
Rosenthal Shelterhouse Theatre
WORLD PREMIERE

In this funny and heartfelt world premiere comedy, Margaret finds herself in a quarter-life crisis while working two jobs to pay down her debt. She wades through banal office triviality at The Services Corporation by day and trudges through the slow-moving graveyard shift at The Burg’s drive-thru by night. Margaret yearns to belong somewhere, and so do the coworkers and customers she interacts with every day. With delightfully unexpected turns and an ensemble of endearing characters, Origin Story is a touching tale about life’s biggest questions and the surprising ways we find the answers.

Sponsored by The Geiler Company.