UC-CCM in Bloom
My favorite time of year
It’s my favorite time of year for musical theatre in Cincinnati. UC-CCM is winding down the semester, and with that comes all these extra performances—some in classrooms, some in theatres, all of them meaningful. I feel incredibly lucky to be invited to them.
Also, this is when their annual game of “Assassins” takes over. I still don’t totally get the rules, but I do know it involves plotting each other’s fake deaths and wild strategies to stay “alive.” One of my favorite twists? Players are safe for one day if they’re live on Instagram. I love popping into their streams just to say hello—and to see who’s running from whom. More on that later.
Here are a few recent shows that stuck with me:
Declan Smith’s One-Man Show on Grief
This was a solo independent study—a performance of a show called Sea Wall, directed by Susan Felder—and honestly, it caught me off guard. In a small classroom with no tech frills, Declan told a story about grief that was controlled, open, and surprisingly still. It didn’t push too hard or overreach. It just was. And because of that, it really landed.
Dan Klimko’s Jazz Concert
Klimko, a senior, sang with a huge big band and covered jazz standards. He had special guests like Matthew Danforth and Erin Morton, but the best part for me was Dan’s effusive joy for this style of music. I watched the live stream; it was amazing. I can’t imagine how good that band sounded live!
JAM BAND 2025
This was only the second year for JAM BAND, but it already feels like something special. A full evening of musical theatre students stepping into pop and rock, backed by a killer band led by Jacob Priddy and produced by Sarah Folsom. The whole thing had the energy of the best kinds of live concerts—loud, layered, and loose in the best way.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Yes, Erin Morton’s take on Vincint’s “Creep” is going viral, and it deserves every bit of attention. But the whole night was stacked. Chloe Lezotte absolutely delivered on “Stairway to Heaven.” Arden Allmon rocked out on Heart’s “Crazy on You.” And Jonathon Hobbs brought swagger and vocal precision to Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight.” And if that weren’t enough, he had Edin Kebede, Jayy Jones, and Erin Morton backing him up—each of them stars in their own right.
My Living Room Concert
This one was close to home—literally. I hosted a small gathering to celebrate the release of my two books, and Annika Jonker and Ry Dever were kind enough to sing (with Rosamund Hencenski on keys). There’s something about hearing songs in a friend’s living room that brings it all down to its essence. No mics, no lights—just people sharing what they’ve got. My friends were beyond impressed. I was honored.
Kaleidoscope
Tonight was Kaleidoscope, produced by a group of BIPOC students and led by Lucy Acuña. It felt like the perfect crescendo to the spring. Sean Polk II’s “A New Life” was thoughtful and layered. Wayden Waggoner pulled the audience in with a quiet intensity during “Higher.” Hannah Bourgeois showed real presence and vulnerability in “Life I Never Led.” And Jayy Jones had a huge night—singing both a number from Caroline, or Change (with Edin Kebede and Hannah Bourgeois) and a solo of “Strange Fruit” that showed range and control. Nothing about the show felt forced; it all just felt real.
Julie Spangler’s musicality was on full display, underscoring this amazing group of talent, and Spencer Stanley’s original composition honoring the late Dr. Keyona Willis was very moving.
What’s Next
Hair opens in the Patricia Corbett Theater, directed by Vincent DeGeorge, on April 24th—and I can’t wait.
There’s a lot of talent at CCM, no question. But what sticks with me most is how this group shows up for each other. Even in the middle of a campus-wide murder mystery game where they pretend to murder each other, they’re cheering their classmates on, supporting loudly their classmates and friends. That kind of community—playful and fiercely present—feels rarer than ever. And it makes the art that comes out of it all the more powerful.
When people ask, “Why are you seemingly so obsessed with CCM’s musical theatre program?” I simply ask, “Why aren’t you?”