Summermusik continues, while Homer’s “Odyssey” journeys to the Museum Center. Summer marches on and, fortunately, so do the arts. Don’t miss what Cincy Shakes has to offer this week – indoors and out – or check out the musical offerings in our Cincinnati parks. Venture out of your AC, get some fresh air and find something new to do.
Wednesday, Aug. 7
The Imperial Presents: Summer Performance Series: Synergy Dance Series | 7:30 p.m., OTR Stillhouse, 2017 Branch St., Over-the-Rhine. DETAILS: Rowan Salem and Teresa VanDenend Sorge curate performances of modern to contemporary dance highlighting choreographers from three different Synergy Dance Series events. Featured choreographers include Sukanya Chand, Ashley Goos, Shelby Green, Susan Honer, Camille Jones, Gabriel Martinez-Rubio, Jay Smith, Rose Sunilla and Teresa VanDenend Sorge. Genres performed include tap, Indian and hip-hop street dance in a variety of solos, duets and ensemble pieces.
Mercantile Library, Innovation Lecture: Emily Wilson | 6 p.m., Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate. 513-287-7000. DETAILS: There’s a little bit of “The Odyssey” nerd in all of us. Yours Truly has her ticket to this lecture by the first female English translator of Homer’s classic poem about the warrior Odysseus’ decade long journey to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Emily Wilson is professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Wilson states, “My goal was to evoke an experience like the original, using the language of the people who will read it.” Note the lecture takes place at the Cincinnati Museum Center while the Mercantile’s Walnut St. location is under renovation.
Thursday, Aug. 8
Cincinnati Museum Center, Off the Rails: Intergalactic Edition | 7-10 p.m., 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate. 513-287-7000. DETAILS: Enjoy themed food, cash bar and special programming at this quarterly event for the 21+ crowd. Wear your casual or dressy spacesuit or intergalactic black tie. This will definitely be an off-the-rails night at the museum, but remember: Do. Or do not. There is no try. You can DO this.
Cincinnati Shakespeare, Shakespeare in the Park | 7 p.m., Boone County, Boone Woods Park, 6000 Veterans Way, Burlington. DETAILS: “Brevity is the . . .” Yeah, yeah. You know the rest. Here is the rest.
- Sunday, Aug. 11, 1:30 p.m., OTR Second Sunday on Main, Ziegler Park, Over-the-Rhine, shortened hour-long performance of selected scenes
- Tuesday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m., Mt. Storm Park, 700 Lafayette Ave., Clifton
Friday, Aug. 9
Cincinnati Parks, On Point Music Festival | 5:30-10:30 p.m., Sawyer Point & Yeatman’s Cove, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, downtown. DETAILS: Some of Cincinnati’s hottest bands come together for a weekend of music, activities and food. Cassette Junkies, Static Falls, Tweens, Coastal Club, Jake Speed and the Freddies and more perform on several stages throughout the two parks. Bands not your thing? Check out the roller rink, pickleball tournament and some beach volleyball. Food and drink available for purchase. Through Aug. 10.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, “Kindred Spirits” | 7:30 p.m., 1195 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-2273. DETAILS: Romance, jealousy and unexpected reunions combine for a spirited, comedic romp in the world premiere sequel to Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit.” Playwright Alice Scovell brings many of Coward’s characters back to life and creates a few new ones of her own. Runs through Aug. 18.
Middletown Lyric Theatre, “Into the Woods” | 8 p.m., 1530 Central Ave., Middletown. 513-425-7140. DETAILS: Once upon a time this Tony- and Grammy-award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical, with book by James Lapine, magically appeared in Middletown to entertain the subjects. The Brothers Grimm fairy tales entranced Middletown and they begged for more of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rapunzel” and “Cinderella,” but they had had enough of the Witch. Middletown cheered when the Baker and his wife had a baby, but cried for them as they pondered the consequences of their actions and the disastrous results. Any version of the Brothers Grimm always entertains. Especially a musical one. See it, tonight. Through Aug. 17.
Eisele Gallery, “Summer Salon” | Opening reception, 6-9 p.m., 6936 Madisonville Rd., Mariemont. 513-561-6003. DETAILS: This annual exhibit continues after its Aug. 1 opening with an opening reception honoring the Paris Salon, a group exhibition of artists from the gallery inventory. Exhibiting artists include Alison Shepard, Robert Lackney, Charles Salis Kaelin, Jeff Morrow, Peter Max and others. Runs through Aug. 17.
Saturday, Aug. 10
Kennedy Heights Arts Center, Indian Culture Festival | 12-6 p.m., 6546 Montgomery Rd., Kennedy Heights. 513-631-4278. DETAILS: In partnership with SOS Art, KHAC hosts a day-long festival of food, arts, dance, poetry and the heritage of India. At 12:15 take a curator-led tour of the current exhibit “Voices from India.” Listen to a drum recital, guitar instrumentals, the songs, poetry and music of Bengal and many other demonstrations and performances. Arts activities and Indian street food complete the day. Food vendors include MaanKi Thali and Zayka.
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Summermusik: “Shakespeare in Love” | 7:30 p.m., School for Creative and Performing Arts, 108 W. Central Pkwy, Over-the-Rhine. 513-723-1182. DETAILS: Symphony No. 2, “The Voices of God,” was composed by Emmy-winning composer John Henry Kreitler in honor of the CCO’s 50th Anniversary. Unfortunately, he passed away recently, before he could hear this work performed. Adding more Shakespeare to the week, Eckart Preu also leads the CCO in incidental music to “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Hamlet” – by Erich Korngold and Dmitri Shostakovich, respectively – followed by Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” Suite for Violin and Strings with concertmaster Celeste Golden Andrews as soloist. (You know what Shakespeare play that is, right?)
The Carnegie, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” | 7:30 p.m., 1028 Scott Blvd., Covington. 859-491-2030. DETAILS: Who hasn’t felt “the earth move under their feet?” Even if you are under the age of 50 you will appreciate the story of one of America’s most iconic singer-songwriters and her professional and personal relationship with her lyricist, Gerry Goffin. From her first song, “So Far Away” to her smash hit album “Tapestry,” the life of Carole King is rich with talent, creativity and not a little drama. Runs through Aug. 25.
Sunday, Aug. 11
SOS Art, Indian Film Festival | 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton. 513-281-8750. DETAILS: Settle into the Esquire for the beginning of the festival and enjoy two films about Indian tribal and folk traditions and Gandian eco-activist Dr. Vandana Shiva. “The Missing Rainbow” by Gita Hudson explores Indian traditions and the instrumental role of women in keeping them alive. “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva” by South African filmmakers Camilla and Jim Beckett, explores Dr. Shiva who has become known as “Monsanto’s worst nightmare.” She has become a formidable opponent to those corporations whose drive for privatization and profit are destroying the environment and changing the climate. The festival continues on Aug. 18 and Aug. 25.
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Summermusik: “Musical Poetry” | 4 p.m., Westwood First Presbyterian Church, 3011 Harrison Ave., Westwood. 513-723-1182. DETAILS: Concertmaster Celeste Golden Andrews has curated today’s performance, a celebration of music inspired by literature. Poets Stéphane Mallarmé and George Meredith inspired Claude Debussy and Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Franz Schubert found inspiration in several literary works. The program concludes with excerpts from William Walton’s “Façade” with poems written by Dame Edith Sitwell. Sitwell collaborated with the 20-year old Walton on the work in the early 1920s. Her poetry was designed to sound like the dances of the day with the voice used as a musical instrument on top of the orchestra. Walton’s music has been described as “gleefully music hall.” The CCO will perform an abbreviated collection of the poems including “Hornpipe,” “Lullaby for Jumbo,” “Polka,” “Something Lies Beneath” and the hysterical finale, “Sir Beelzebub.” Cincinnati Opera’s Thom Dreeze recites. (In an interesting side note, Yours Truly composed this paragraph, wait for it, at Sitwell’s in Clifton, the popular Ludlow Avenue coffee shop named after Dame Edith, herself. Totally unplanned).
Washington Park, OTR Performs | 7-9 p.m., 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. DETAILS: Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra jazzes up Wash Park tonight with their take on contemporary jazz composers along with original material. Interesting fact about this ensemble: Nearly all bandmembers serve on the faculties of prominent music schools in the region. As music educators they have the inside track on opportunities to preserve and advance jazz as an art form with young musicians. So important, that music education thing.
Monday, Aug. 12
Washington Park, Jazz at the Park | 6-9 p.m., 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. DETAILS: Vintage jazz and pop command the Porch as Queen City Cabaret headlines an evening of favorites from the American Songbook. Vocalist Sarah Folsom and keyboardist Matthew Umphreys have been taking us on a “sentimental journey” since 2018. In the words of Evans Mirageas, Cincinnati Opera artistic director, “Queen City Cabaret synthesizes the greats of the past with the verve of today.” Find a bench, grab a drink and enjoy with the backdrop of a beautiful sunset.
Tuesday Aug. 13
Fountain Square, Jazz at the Square | 5-8 p.m., 520 Vine St., downtown. DETAILS: Marc Fields and friends take the stage to finish off your day at the desk. Enjoy Cincinnati trombonist Fields – CCM grad, freelance musician and band member for the legendary Bob Braun Show. He has performed with such artists as Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Ray Felder, Fred Hersch, Billy Hart, Kenny Garrett, Ahmad Jamal, Steve Wilson and Mulgrew Miller. Grab a table and line up at The Fountain Bar before heading home.
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