$100,000 capital grant will light up Know Theatre of Cincinnati with new marquee

Published June 23, 2009 at 12:00 a.m.
The Know Theatre of Cincinnatistarted out in 1997 as a nomadic theatre company.  The theatre found atemporary home at  Gabriel's Corner and has since become "the largestnon-equity theatre in the area." It now has a permanent home at 1120Jackson Street in historic Over-the-Rhine thanks to the help of localphilanthropist, David C. Herriman.  The alternative theatre producescontemporary, multicultural and provocative arts as well as runs the Cincinnati Fringe Festival (more on that later).

Sincethe Know Theatre of Cincinnati has been in its present-day home inOver-the-Rhine, it has established deep roots in the neighborhood aswell as becoming an important cultural anchor to a quickly redevelopingpart of the community.

The Know Theatre of Cincinnati oftenpartners with other neighborhood establishments to help create avibrant and sustainable arts district that includes the nearby ArtAcademy of Cincinnati, Ensemble Theatre, Music Hall and various otherart galleries.

The theatre company's growth has not goneunnoticed as the Know Theatre was recently awarded two separate $50,000capital grants from the City of Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

"This money will go a long way in helping make a variety of capitalimprovements to the facility including a new marquee," says Know'smanaging director Eric Vosmeier.  The marquee is expected to bedesigned by local artists who helped with the Know Theatre murals andbe built before the end of the calendar year.

Other recent improvements tothe building include the new murals on both the north and south facingwalls of the Know Theatre facility.  These murals were commissioned asa part of the last two Fringe Festivals and transformed previouslyblank walls into murals that celebrate the artistic influences of theKnow Theatre and the Fringe Festival, as well as offering way-findingto the theatre's entrance.

2009 Fring Festival Successes
Speaking of the Fringe Festival, Vosmeier stated that this year's festival was the most succesful to date.

"We'veseen a steady growth each year," says Vosmeier about the FringeFestival.  "We usually have about 45 percent occupancy on average ateach one of our performances; this year was about 60 percent."

The2009 festival saw some 6,600 visitors - about a 4 percent increase innumbers over last year. The festival is now considered to be thelargest performing arts festival in the state of Ohio. Despite thefestival's success, managing director Eric Vosmeier is not content withresting on the institution's laurels and is already working to toimprove the festival's community-based atmosphere.

"We want tokeep layering in that consistency of being an artist-friendly fesitvalwhile continually increasing the number, quality and geographicdiversity of our applicants."

As the Know Theatre of Cincinnatiand Fringe Festival move forward, they will do so facing some stiffchallenges.  Two of the Know Theatre/Fringe Festival biggest supporterspassed away this year..

Writer: Randy Simes
Source: Eric Vosmeier, managing director, Know Theatre/Fringe Festival
Photography by Scott Beseler


Back | Read more at SoapBoxMedia.com-Cincinnati blogs