CCM presents Bernstein musical 'Wonderful Town' Nov. 21-23
The UC College-Conservatory of Music presents Wonderful Town from Nov. 21-23 in Corbett Auditorium. Directed and choreographed by CCM Musical Theatre Professor Diane Lala, the musical features a Book by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov, Music by Leonard Bernstein, and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Tickets are on sale now through the CCM Box Office.
The Tony Award-winning musical features a beloved score, including highlights "Ohio," "One Hundred Easy Ways" and "Wrong Note Rag." In the summer of 1935, Ruth, an aspiring writer, and Eileen, an actress and dancer, leave rural Ohio to seek success in New York. Due to their limited budget, the sisters wind up sharing a less-than ideal basement apartment in Greenwich Village. Together and individually, they pursue their dreams, overcome heartbreak, encounter a motley assortment of colorful characters, and — ultimately — find love.
Diane Lala directs the musical, with music direction by Ian Axness. The production features performances by CCM Musical Theatre and a CCM student orchestra, along with creative designs by CCM Theatre Design and Production students. After 36 years at CCM, Lala has announced she will retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year, making Wonderful Town the last show she directs as a faculty member.
An accomplished director and choreographer, Lala has led many popular productions at CCM, including 42nd Street, Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma!, Carousel, On The Town, and many more. Lala's first show as a choreographer at CCM was A Chorus Line (1989) and most recently she was director/choreographer for CCM's Sweet Charity (fall 2023).
"When we can’t talk anymore, we sing. When singing isn’t enough, we dance," Lala says. "Moving our bodies is the most expressive form of communication a performer has. It has been my greatest pleasure to teach, mentor, and work with the incredible students in CCM’s Musical Theatre program for the last 36 years."
Book by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov
(Based upon the play “My Sister Eileen” by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov and the stories by Ruth McKenney)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Sketches of “What A Waste” by Berry Comden and Adolph Green
WONDERFUL TOWN is presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concerdtheatricals.com
- Director and Choreographer | Diane Lala
- Music Director | Ian Axness
- Scenic Designer | Mark Halpin
- Lighting Designer | Lucas Inman*
- Costume Designer | Erin Donnelly
- Sound Designer | Bryan Pivaral*
- Wig & Make-Up Designer | Emily Kemmerer*
- Production Stage Manager | Ella Gover*
- Props Manager | Melanie Reitman*
- Dialect Coach | Kat Littrell
- Fight and Intimacy Director | k. Jenny Jones
*CCM Student
- Tour Guide | Sean Polk II
- Mr. Appopolous| Joey Baciocco
- Helen| Arden Allmon
- Wreck| Nick Gundrum
- Violet| Annika Jonker
- Officer Lonigan| Josh Devine
- Speedy Valenti | Coty Perno
- Eileen Sherwood | Makayla Shipe
- Ruth Sherwood | Annalese Fusaro
- Robert Baker | Declan Smith
- First Associate Editor | Anargha Pal
- Second Associate Editor | Brian Cheung
- Mrs. Wade | Amelia Lamb
- Frank Lippencott | Ryan Behan
- Chick Clark | Spencer Stanley
- Ensemble | Grace Baker, Andy Bakun, Dominic Carroll, Brian Cheung, Annie Dauk, Ellie Eisele, Jack Haroutunian, Annika Jonker, Edin Kebede, JT Langlas, Indya Lincicome, Morgan Lindell, Anargha Pal, Sean Polk II, Gabe Raskind, Maya Sharma, Sydney Short, Griffin Simmons, Sam Yousuf
- Swings | Gabby Beredo, Abigayle Stokes, Matthew Williamson, Jameson Zoller
- Dance Captain| Nick Gundrum
- 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21
- 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22*
- 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23
- 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23
*ASL interpreting available during Friday, Nov. 22 performance. ASL viewing seating is available upon request by calling the Box Office at 513-556-4183 or emailing Box Office Manager Matthew Wilson.
Corbett Auditorium, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati
Tickets: $36 adult, $20 student, $15 UC faculty/staff, $10 UC student, $5 CCM student; group discounts available.
Experiencing the magic of CCM OnStage has never been easier! Purchase your tickets:
- Online at ccmonstage.universitytickets.com
- Over the phone at 513-556-4183
- In person at the CCM Box Office in the Atrium of UC's Corbett Center for the Performing Arts
CCM’s Box Office hours are Tue-Fri from 1-5 p.m. and one hour prior to curtain for ticketed performances. Hours subject to change based on the University of Cincinnati calendar. Our Box Office staff is always ready to answer your questions by phone at 513-556-4183 or email at boxoff@uc.edu.
UC student, faculty & staff ticket options
Current UC students can purchase up to two tickets for each CCM OnStage concert and show at the discounted rate of just $10 per ticket; the discounted rate for current CCM students is $5 per ticket. Learn more about student tickets.
Current UC faculty and staff can purchase up to two tickets for each CCM OnStage concert or show at discounted rates (prices vary by performance). Learn more on the Box Office website.
CCM is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. For detailed driving directions, visit ccm.uc.edu/directions.
Parking is available in UC's CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Effective July 1, 2023, all University of Cincinnati Parking Services locations are cashless. Pay for parking securely with your credit/debit card. All major credit cards accepted.
CCM OnStage patrons can add pre-paid parking to their checkout carts when purchasing tickets. Pre-paid parking is date/performance specific. CCM Garage parking rates for a performance or special event is usually available for $10-15. Learn more about parking at UC's CCM Garage.
For additional information on parking at UC, please visit uc.edu/about/parking.
There's more to explore — view our full performance schedule by month or visit the CCM Box Office website to buy tickets.
Stay up to date on CCM news and events by subscribing to our Next OnStage email newsletter, which is published every other Wednesday. Visit ccm.uc.edu/subscribe to sign up for email updates.
Interested in early access to CCM's ticket sales? Join CCMpower and gain advanced access to spring ticket sales in November. CCMpower members also receive 10% off general ticket prices for the full year. Learn more about CCMpower membership benefits.
Latest UC News
- Wrongful conviction: ‘I lost my mother and father while in prison’Robert McClendon, an Ohio Innocence Project exoneree, speaks with WYSO about wrongful conviction.
- New effort aims to keep unsold clothing donations out of the landfillWVXU hosts leadership from Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries and UC fashion design student Wesley Beisel to speak to how donated items contribute to sustainable living. Beisel is the student lead of the Sustainable Fashion Initiative (SSI) which originated at UC.
- Hamilton County Job & Family Services grows toy drive for kids in foster careHamilton County’s goal to give all kids in foster care at least two gifts this year is drawing unprecedented support from high-profile community organizations, including Hoxworth Blood Center and the Bengals. Donate a toy at any of the seven Hoxworth neighborhood donor centers from November 17-23, 2024.
- The long and complicated — and expensive — effort to replace lead lines in the U.S.Cincinnati's public water utility is on a years-long effort to replace its lead service lines, guided by a model designed by Christopher Auffrey, a professor of planning at DAAP. The EPA has just ramped up the deadline for replacements across the U.S. and professor and city officials discussed the undertaking on NPR's "All Things Considered."
- Could body roundness index replace BMI?For decades, body mass index, or BMI, has been a widely used medical screening tool. But experts from the American Medical Association have pointed out some of the metric’s shortcomings. Now a recent paper published in JAMA Network Open reported that the body roundness index, or BRI, shows promise as a better predictor of mortality in adults.
- Exploring the current use and future of alternatives to traditional informed consent in acute stroke trialsMSN highlighted an editorial written by the University of Cincinnati’s Yasmin Aziz, MD, and Joseph Broderick, MD, published in the journal Neurology analyzing the current use and potential future of alternatives to traditional informed consent in acute stroke trials.
