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The Carnegie names new theatre director, announces lineup of season of hit musicals


The Carnegie is pleased to announce that Tyler Gabbard has been named Theatre Director of The Carnegie’s Otto M. Budig Theatre. Along with this news comes the unveiling of an exciting season of musicals that offers something for everyone to enjoy.

“The Carnegie has been an artistic home for me for many years now and I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the Theatre Department and build on the transformative work of my predecessor Maggie Perrino,” said Gabbard. “As someone born and raised in Northern Kentucky and a current resident of Covington, I’m excited to continue offering meaningful artistic experiences that are both entertaining and enriching to the community.”

Tyler Gabbard

Gabbard comes to The Carnegie from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati where he was the Patron Experience Manager. Previously, he was the Box Office and Patron Communications Manager for the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, the Events and Publicity Manager for the School of the Arts at Northern Kentucky University, and Vice President of the League of Cincinnati Theaters.

Gabbard’s educational credentials include a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where he focused in Theatre Management and Scenic Design. He has a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northern Kentucky University. In January 2020 Gabbard was one of 27 individuals selected from across North America to take part in the Emerging Leadership Institute at the Association of Performing Arts Professionals’ annual conference in New York City.

Gabbard has a decade-long history with The Carnegie as the Scenic Designer for over a dozen productions including RENT, INTO THE WOODS, GEORGE REMUS, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, SWING!, TENDERLY, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS. His design work has also been seen onstage at theatres in New York City and Los Angeles and locally at Memorial Hall, New Edgecliff Theatre, Kincaid Regional Theatre, Northern Kentucky University, Falcon Theatre, Commonwealth Theatre Company, Stage Right Musical Theatre, Cincinnati Chamber Opera, Catacoustic Consort, Woodford Theatre, and the Stephen Foster Drama Association.

“The Carnegie’s Theatre Department could not be in better hands,” said Kim Best, Executive Director of The Carnegie. “Since joining the team in October, Tyler has brought an excitement and enthusiasm to The Carnegie that I’m sure patrons will see reflected in these upcoming productions.”

Following the success of the inaugural Summer Series in 2022, the repertory model returns in June 2023 with the huge-hearted, high-heeled hit KINKY BOOTS. In July, audiences will travel back in time to one of the final performances of Billie Holiday’s storied career in LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL. The summer will continue with one of the greatest musical comedies ever written, GUYS & DOLLS. All three productions will play in rotation through August, allowing theatergoers their choice of multiple shows in one weekend or the ability to come back to catch a favorite performance again.

In January 2024, HELLO, DOLLY! will burst onto The Carnegie stage with romance, humor, and joy-inducing song and dance that promises to delight audiences of all ages.

“All of this season’s musicals celebrate the big rewards that come with taking big risks,” said Gabbard. “They’re populated by a captivating assortment of characters, both real and imagined, that will take theatregoers along for quite the ride.”

Tickets, multi-show packages, and performance times for The Carnegie’s 2023 Summer Series and 2024 Winter Musical will be announced later at thecarnegie.com.

The current season concludes with the family-friendly classic, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, from Jan. 28 through Feb. 12, 2023. The production is directed and choreographed by Maggie Perrino, former Theatre Director at The Carnegie. Tyler Gabbard, the new Theatre Director, will be the production’s Scenic Designer. Tickets for SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN can currently be purchased at  https://thecarnegie.com/theatre/summer-theatre-series/singin-in-the-rain/

More about each production in the 2023-24 season:

OPENING JUNE 2023

KINKY BOOTS

Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Original Broadway Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell

Based on the Miramax motion picture of the same name, written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth
KINKY BOOTS, the winner of six Tony® Awards, including Best Musical, is a huge-hearted, high-heeled hit featuring music and lyrics by pop legend Cyndi Lauper. Factory owner Charlie is struggling to save his business when he meets Lola, a drag queen with a wildly exciting idea that just might save the day. Inspired by true events, KINKY BOOTS tells the story of a mismatched pair of friends who together learn that sometimes, the best way to fit in… is to stand out.

OPENING JULY 2023

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL

By Lanie Robertson
Musical Arrangements by Danny Holgate

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL is a riveting portrait of Billie Holiday and the songs that made her famous. In a captivating evening of story and song, audiences will be transported to the gritty Philadelphia bar where the legendary jazz singer gave one of her final public performances in 1959. The hard-hitting musical chronicles the singer’s life story – both humorous and heart-wrenching – and celebrates the music she gave the world including “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do.”

OPENING JULY 2023

GUYS AND DOLLS

A Musical Fable of Broadway
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon

GUYS AND DOLLS is musical theatre at its show-stopping best! Hailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this colorful classic follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers and showgirls in a wild game of chance and love. Set in bustling 1950s Manhattan, GUYS AND DOLLS features some of the most memorable showtunes of all time, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” and the irrepressible anthem “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

OPENING JANUARY 2024

HELLO, DOLLY!

Book by Michael Stewart Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder
Original Production Directed and Choreographed by Gower Champion
Produced for the Broadway Stage by David Merrick and Champion Five, Inc.

HELLO, DOLLY! is a blockbuster Broadway hit bursting with romance, humor, and some of the greatest songs in musical theater history. Boisterous and charming from start to finish, the musical follows the exploits of meddling matchmaker Dolly Levi over the course of one unforgettable day. Audiences will delight in one crowd-pleasing musical number after another including “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” and the effervescent title song.

The Carnegie

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