This past weekend a new play opened up in town, and you will want to check it out before it’s run ends. Cyrano de Bergerac presented by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is an excellent show, and not just for adults. I took my ten year old son with me because we are trying to expose our children to the theatre and great performances at an early age. I knew he had enjoyed a Midsummer Night’s Dream when we saw it performed by Cincy Shakes in Linden Grove Cemetery, so I took that to mean he could handle an evening at the theatre. When I saw that the show was 2 1/2 hours long I was a little concerned, but until the very last minutes he was quite attentive to the show and cracking up at Cyrano’s sassy-ness and amazed by his swordsmanship. It wasn’t until the very end that Max’s head dropped to my shoulder, but he didn’t sleep despite the late hour…he was still intently watching. That’s what kind of show this was, even if you are a sleepy ten year old up past your bedtime you won’t be able to look away.
The show was engaging and moving, taking the audience from tears of laughter to tears of sadness. One moment Cyrano has you cracking up with his witty theatrics and minutes later your heart will hurt as you think about his undying & unrequited love for the beautiful Roxane. I don’t remember going on such an emotional roller coaster in any other Cincy Shakes performance, and it wasn’t just the writing of the play that moved the audience, it was the stellar performances. Everyone performed their role with passion and truly brought the characters for life for those few hours. While I enjoyed the performances of all who played a role in this show, from the starring roles to the smaller parts, I did have two favorites. Jeremy Dubin gave an amazing performance as Cyrano, this was my first time seeing him in a serious part and he was brilliant. He spoke his lines with such feeling that I had goosebumps at times when he spoke of his love for Roxane. The other actor I feel needs mentioning is Billy Chace. This man makes me laugh every time I see him on stage. No matter what the role he plays is he manages to bring a smile to every face in the audience. His antics often steal the show, and he brings a levity to every scene he is in. I should also mention how impressed I was with the costumes in Cyrano, especially with Roxane’s gorgeous dresses. Despite being a smaller production company Cincy Shakes always seems to have fabulous attire for the characters, and they shine in every aspect of their performances.
We really enjoyed Cyrano de Bergerac and I encourage you to get tickets for yourself before the show ends on October 3rd. Read more about the show and how to get tickets below.
Cyrano de Bergerac::
Cyrano (Jeremy Dubin) is a man of panache- a dazzling swordsman and a brilliant poet with a wit as quick as his blade. When he falls in love with the beautiful and brilliant Roxane (Caitlin McWethy), there is only one thing that stands between them- his gargantuan nose. When Roxane unknowingly confides in Cyrano that she is smitten with the handsome, but dimwitted solider Christian, Cyrano cannot resist the opportunity to finally speak his heart — through letters and verses signed under Christian’s name. His words have Roxanne swooning, but who is it that she truly loves and how long can Cyrano remain in the shadows? The witty wordplay of Wilde, the swashbuckling swagger of “The Three Musketeers”, and the unrivaled romanticism of “Romeo and Juliet” are all right under your nose in “Cyrano de Bergerac”.
Show Times & Ticket Information:
Performances of “Cyrano de Bergerac” are scheduled from September 11- October 3, 2015 on Thursday, Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. There is no performance on Sunday Sep. 13. Preview performances are on Wednesday Sep. 9 and Thursday Sep. 10 at 7:30pm and tickets are $25. Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups as well as AAA members. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the CSC Box Office at 513.381.BARD (2273) ext. 1, or go online at www.cincyshakes.com.
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is located at 719 Race Street, Cincinnati. You can find important details about tickets, shows,parking and more on the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company website. And be sure to follow Cincy Shakes on Facebook! Cincy Shakes Photos by Mikki Schaffner
Disclaimer: I was given media passes to attend this show, but the opinions are 100% my own as always!
