What a coincidence. German Theatre Abroad, on its mission of taking theater cross-country (16 states, seven weeks, 6,000 miles, 24 cities en route to L.A.), in its Road Theater USA project, made a scouting trip through Cincy during the Fringe, found a little Rhineland (who knew?) and hooked up with the Know Theatre folk.

Know artistic director Jason Bruffy used some of his spare time (that’s a joke) during the Fringe to take the company on a neighborhood tour and “they were pleasantly surprised” by the connections, from Over-the-Rhine, to btats and metts, to chicken dances. “They didn’t know the extent,” says Bruffy. “They were very excited.”

Now Know presents, for one night only, on Oct. 19 (already the busiest week of the year on the theatrical calendar) the company’s Road Theatre USA. Five actors (three Germans, two from the U.S.) and two Austrian video artists and a GTA support team will perform Start Up, written especially for the project by Roland Schimmelpfennig, Germany’s most produced contemporary German playwright. For more info about the project, co-produced by NYC’s P.S. 122, check out  http://www.g-t-a.de/english/news/.

With The Pillowman up at Know, Start Up will be at nearby 1201 Jackson, which was also pulled into service for the Fringe Festival.

According to Bruffy, the comedy “deals playfully with US and German stereotypes, pioneer romanticism and cinematic myths.” He also remarks on the combination of the filmed “reality” of the tour and the theatrical “fiction” of the play.

Curtain time 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19, tickets $15, call the box office at 513-300-5669 or visit www.knowtheatre.com.

Jackie Demaline

posted by CinStages Buzz  # PermaLink 12:02 PM