PHOTO BY MIKKI SCHAFFNER
The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park has kicked off its 2026-2027 season with a thrilling crime story, one written for the stage, not adapted from a movie or a novel. Playwright Arun Lakra created Heist for staging by theaters — admittedly, theaters with a lot of capability to handle high-tech stage images for a fast-paced tale with thrilling momentum. The Playhouse’s relatively new main stage is the perfect venue for this exciting caper.
Artistic Director Blake Robison personally staged this one, and he does a fine job with a talented cast of six — each a character type familiar to anyone who loves crime tales — these are a bunch of lovable, talented crooks who come together as the necessary pieces of a team with dollar signs in mind but who often are about their own particular (let’s say greedy) goals. The story is told at a rapid pace across two acts on a set that enables almost breathtaking movement from scene to scene.
Here’s a link to my Talkin’ Broadway review: https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/cincy/cincy617.html
Heist is onstage through Oct. 11. For tickets: www.cincyplay.com or 513-421-3888