BritBeat Beatles tribute opens Arbogast season and other arts news around the region

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

The Arbogast Performing Arts Center in Troy will kick off its 2024-2025 season at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 with BritBeat: The Immersive Beatles Tribute Experience.

Described as “an unparalleled fusion of live musical prowess and cutting-edge multimedia technology,” the concert is bolstered by video imagery allowing concertgoers a stimulating trip down memory lane chronicling The Beatles’ early mop-top days to their psychedelic era.

For added fun, everyone is encouraged to show up in their best ensemble from any of the iconic images of The Beatles from the early years to Sgt. Pepper’s to Abbey Road, and everything in between.

“Pull out the album covers, look deep in the closet, dig out your best Beatles attire,” said Arbogast organizers in a press release.

Tickets are priced at $30-$55 and can be ordered online at etix.com/ticket/v/21323, by calling the Arbogast Box Office at 937-418-8392 or by visiting Box Office in person at 500 S. Dorset Road in Troy. For additional information, visit arbogastpac.com.

Dayton Live announces new name for stage in Wintergarden of Schuster Center

Dayton Live has announced that the Wintergarden stage in the Schuster Center has been officially named the Charles D Berry Foundation Stage. This naming honors the more than 20 years of dedicated service and support Charles “Chuck” Berry has provided to the arts community.

Berry was a notable trustee at the Berry Family Foundation. In 2018, with the support of his brother John Berry, chairman of the Berry Family Foundation, he established the Charles D Berry Foundation. One of the foundation’s four key giving areas is performing and visual arts.

“I am deeply honored and proud to have the Wintergarden stage in the Schuster Performing Arts Center named the Charles D Berry Foundation Stage,” said Berry in a press statement. “Our foundation, since its inception in 2018, has been committed to enriching our community through the arts, and this dedication underscores that commitment. As both a trustee of the Berry Family Foundation and founder and chairman of the Charles D Berry Foundation, it has been a privilege to support Dayton Live. I look forward to continuing our partnership and witnessing the transformative power of the arts in our community.”

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Dayton Live’s Board Chair Erin Davis also reflected on the dedication.

“We are delighted to recognize Chuck Berry’s unwavering support and lasting impact on our arts community by naming the Wintergarden stage in his honor,” Davis said. “Chuck’s contributions have been instrumental in fostering a vibrant cultural environment in Dayton. This dedication is a testament to his generosity and vision, and it will inspire future generations to engage with the arts.”

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company presents Southwest Ohio premiere of ‘Fat Ham’

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company presents the Southwest Ohio premiere of James Ijames’ 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Fat Ham” through Sept. 22.

Set at a backyard barbecue, this funny, poignant, powerful, and ultimately liberating reimagining of Shakespeare’sHamlet” is spun through the contemporary lens of a Black family coping with identity, revenge and personal freedom. Je’Shaun Jackson stars as Juicy, a queer Black man grappling with the murder of his father and the demand for vengeance.

“Fat Ham” premiered in 2021 as a filmed production at The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, where Ijames is a resident artist. In 2022 the play made its way off-Broadway to The Public Theater in New York. In 2023, “Fat Ham” moved to Broadway, earning five Tony Award nominations, including Best Play.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

The CSC production is directed by Darnell Pierre Benjamin, a frequent collaborator with the troupe, who also directed CSC’s 2021 production of “Romeo and Juliet.” The cast includes Marva Williams-Parker as Juicy’s mother Tedra. Williams-Parker most recently appeared in the Human Race Theatre Company productions of “Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous” and “Barbecue.”

“We’re thrilled to bring ‘Fat Ham’ to our stage,” said CSC Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips in a press statement. “It’s an extraordinary piece that adds a vibrant and thought-provoking layer to the ‘Hamlet’ narrative, showing the incredible versatility of Shakespeare’s work in speaking to modern audiences.”

CSC offers discounts for students, seniors, and local residents, with a limited number of $14 “Access” tickets available for each performance, purchasable in advance. One hour before each performance, any unreserved tickets become available as $12 rush tickets, which must be purchased in person. For tickets and more information, visit cincyshakes.com or call the CSC Box Office at 513-381-2273.

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