Songwriters Janet Vogt and Mark Friedman explore bumpy relationships in War Games: Marriage on the Front Lines.

War Games: Marriage on the Front Lines begs the question - were songwriters Janet Vogt and Mark Friedman drawing from personal experience for their musical revue about bumpy (very bumpy) relationships?

They wince and cringe and do the backward tap dance about "writing what you know," but only to a point. "We were motivated by our wanting to write about relationships within marriage," Friedman said carefully, "which are so hard - it's one of the hardest things in life."

The show will have workshop performances at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 5 and 9 p.m. Saturday in Ensemble's Off-Center/On-Stage series.

War Games has a "game" theme, with references to Sorry, Twist, Jeopardy! and made-up parlor games such as Guilt & Blame, as the cabaret sings its way through sketches and 19 original songs.

The revue was born two years ago when Vogt and Friedman were driving to Dayton, workshopping their family musical Green Gables. "I started writing a silly song," says Vogt, and they just kept going.

They've rounded up some strong musical talent for the three-day run in Beth Harris, Bob Herzog, Sarah Mackie, Samantha Northrup, Danny Percefull and Ty Yadzinski. Stephen Skiles directs with choreography by Dee Anne Bryll.

If you haven't guessed, War Games contains adult themes and strong language. Tickets $10. Call the box office at 421-3555 for reservations and information.

War Games, Green Gables and another Vogt-Friedman collaboration, River of Freedom will all be part of Singcinnati! next Sunday, with shows at 5 and 7 p.m. in the Aronoff's Fifth Third Bank Theater.

Singcinnati!, a Cincinnati Enquirer Footlights event, celebrates theater music by Greater Cincinnati songwriters. Vogt and Friedman will be joined by David Kisor (well known for his work on Ensemble's holiday musicals and original shows for the Prep department at College-Conservatory of Music); Northern Kentucky University's Ken Jones, Jamey Strawn and Christine Jones with a sneak peek at BurgerTown, which will have its world premiere in July; and music by local writer-arranger extraordinaire Scot Woolley.

The cabaret benefits the League of Cincinnati Theatres. Tickets $20 and tax-deductible. For reservations call Aronoff box office at 977-4157.

Jackie Demaline