Interview By Rick Pender

Daniel White and Jeremy Rice in Beautiful Thing

It's been a cold winter for theatergoers, according to Don Wong, artistic director of Cincinnati Public Theatre. He thinks CPT's next production, Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing, is a nice change of pace from "crack addicts, scalding with burning oil and Irish playwrights," summarizing a number of recent productions at other Cincinnati theaters.

Set in 1993, Beautiful Thing is a simple tale of first love. But it's a young romance with a twist: The central characters are both teen-age boys.

"The angst of growing up is tough enough," says Wong, "even without dealing with the issues of sexuality." In this tale, the boys (portrayed by former SCPA student Jeremy Rice and UC grad Daniel White) struggle with their sexuality in the context of uncertain family reactions.

Harvey's subtitle, "an urban fairy tale," suggests the show's overall lighthearted spin. "It has a wonderful sense of flow and comedy," according to Wong, and he firmly believes audiences will find it endearing and thoughtful.

"This could be a great play for families to attend," Wong says. "It could open up some great conversations." Overt sexuality is very low-key, he says: There is a kiss, but with about the same impact, he explains, as the "first-date kiss with dad about to open the door," after which the stage goes immediately to a black-out.

Wong is contractually obligated to produce one more CPT show at the Aronoff this season, and he's working on obtaining rights to do that. But next year he plans to move CPT productions elsewhere, perhaps to Clifton, where he can have more flexibility and fewer production hassles.

A year ago CPT's excellent production of Terence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! played to 91 percent of seating capacity at the Fifth Third Theater. Wong envisions CPT's future will continue to be cutting-edge shows focusing on themes of diversity.

"There's obviously a market of people who want to see shows that pertain to their lives," he says.

BEAUTIFUL THING will be presented by Cincinnati Public Theatre at the Aronoff Center's Fifth Third Theater, opening Friday and continuing through April 22.

E-mail Rick Pender

Restart (March 30, 2000)
Open Arms (March 30, 2000)
Curtain Call (March 30, 2000)
more...

personals | cover | news | columns | music | movies | arts | dining | mediakit | home

Tempting Fate
CSF's ambitious 'Oedipus Trilogy' strives to bring Greek tragedy to modern audiences

A Mural to Learn By
Suzanne Fisher's mosaic will be a lasting statement in Wilmington

Telling Tales
Shakespeare Festival spreads its wings in a new season with several contemporary shows

More Red
Cincinnati artist and teacher saw the world more intensely, and helped others to do the same

Arts Beat
Cincinnati Bell Bails on Arts Groups

Curtain Call

Dance to the Music
For Dutch Choreographer, the Future is Now

Same Old Songs
CMT does a fine job with Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic musical

Liking It
CCM production of Shakespearean classic takes a classic approach

Channel Surfing
Killer Serials

Writer's Block

	Join the CityBeat Mailing List
	» JOIN NOW