Cincinnati Black Theatre Company mailed out a schedule that includes plans for National Black Theatre Festival hit The Jackie Wilson Story (My Heart Is Crying ... Crying) and a revival of Luther Goins' Love Child, a hit for Ensemble Theatre in a brief run last October.

        All the festival needs is money, and lots of it.

        Don Sherman, mastermind of the theater company and festival, puts the budget at $300,000. Just three months before the April 5 opening, he says, “We're a pretty good ways away.”

        Among other titles are Mahalia Jackson: I Found the Answer, a musical bio from Louisville and The Further Adventures of Gussie Mae in America,presented by a small New York company.

        Mr. Sherman is holding dates on the festival calendar and at downtown theaters, but the money clock is ticking.

        The festival will happen even with fewer dollars, Mr. Sherman says. “We'll just have to cut back.”

        A full line-up of local activities, including a hip-hop opera, are taking shape for the Arts Consortium, the festival's home base in the West End.

        In Myers' wake: When Pam Myers packed her bags for Broadway last month, she caused some shifts on the local scene. Here's what's happening:

        Kathy Wade will take over for Ms. Myers in the revue Love and Shrimp at the Fitton Center for Creative Arts in February.

        Ms. Myers was booked aboard Noah's Ark with the Children's Theatre in March. Alice Porte, who has starred in Once Upon a Mattress and Snow White for Children's Theatre, steps in as Mrs. Noah.

        Ms. Myers had to bow out of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra's concert version of Sweeney Todd in April that would have reunited her with Thom Sesma, her co-star in Sweeney at Playhouse in the Park a few seasons back.

        Music director J.R. Cassidy sighs, “We're still working on” finding her replacement. The concert, he says, was being built around Ms. Myers, but he's thrilled for her return to the New York stage. Sweeney, he promises, “is still going to be wonderful.”

        CCM stars: It's looking like a big spring on Broadway for CCM grads, almost too much of a good thing for all the folks planning a trip to New York in April for a CCM reunion.

        In addition to Ms. Myers, Faith Prince is back on Broadway in Noises Off, and Jessica Boevers will be front-and-center in Susan Stroman's new revival of Oklahoma! as Ado Annie.

        Alisa Klein will be in the company of the new Thoroughly Modern Millie (beginning previews in March) and you can look for Adam Monley in Mamma Mia!

        Eric Sciotto, (fondly remembered for many roles at CCM and as Sancho Panza for Downtown Theatre Classics' Man of La Mancha) will be one of four male dancers in the small supporting ensemble of Sweet Smell of Success, starting previews in February.

        Mr. Sciotto has a previous acquaintance with the heavily buzzed show's lyricist Craig Carnelia, who comes to College-Conservatory of Music every year to teach a few days of master classes.

        Mr. Carnelia says his only part in the casting was being able to say, “Yes, he's as good as he seems to be.”

        Despite Sept. 11 and the recession, Mr. Carnelia says it's a great time for young people to be looking to New York for careers. “They're casting very young, so it's important to be very skilled. The day when somebody could make a career on raw talent and dreams is over.

        “Now it's about training. They have to be a great singer, and a dancer and an actor.”

        More "Monologues': Just a month after Vagina Monologues closes at the Aronoff's Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Know Theatre Tribe will stage a one-night benefit performance as part of the annual V-Month (Feb. 7-March 7) during which benefit performances of Monologues are performed around the world to raise awareness of and funds to fight violence against women.

        Walnut Hills High School seniors Lucia Palmarini and Paula Rojas had the bright idea, acquired the rights and will co-produce.

        “Paula got the book for Christmas last year,” Ms. Palmarini explains, “and we got pumped. We thought, wouldn't it be cool if we could do something like this, and then we found out people do do things like this.”

        Ninety percent of the ticket price will go to women's charities, primarily the YWCA's battered women's shelter.

        While the timing could be better for a local production hard on the heels of a Broadway in Cincinnati engagement, Know artistic director Jay Kalagayan notes, ""There will always be those people who didn't get to see it and those who want to see it again.

        “We have a couple of things going for us — it will be half the ticket price of the Jarson-Kaplan show, and it's a fund-raiser.”

        Mary Tensing will direct; cast to be announced.

        Moving on: Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival founding member Chris Reeder (who has both performed and written adaptations including histories Henry IV, V and VI) leaves for Wisconsin next week to take over as artistic director of St. Croix Festival Theatre, (“Just an hour from the Twin Cities,” he inserts). He's been in the acting ensemble for the last five months.

        He doesn't plan to give up his writing career. “The nice thing is that it's a seven-month season,” he says. “That leaves five months to do prep, and other work, too.”

        Showboat lineup: Showboat Majestic announces its 2002 season: April 17-May 5, Steel Magnolias; May 15-June 4, The Pajama Game; June 12-30, Where's Charley?; July 10-28, My Way (a musical tribute to Frank Sinatra); Aug. 7-25, Harvey; Sept. 11-29, Children of Eden.

        Subscriptions ($72) are on sale now. Call 241-6550 for information.
        Contact Jackie Demaline by phone: 768-8530; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: jdemaline@enquirer.com.
       

People to watch in 2002
2002 Grammy nominees are the real thing - finally
Clark takes on the Grammys
DEMALINE: The arts
Former ballet star plans summer job
Harry Potter fan also collects cool comments
Jack Rosen, the 'marrying judge'
KENDRICK: Alive and well
Campbell's Scoop
MARTIN: Food stuff
Get to it