By Shawn Maus
EDITOR’S NOTE: Cincinnati LAB Theatre provided two staged readings of new works on July 20th, 2025 during their 12th New Works Festival, running July 17-26. Here are Shawn Maus’s reviews of those staged readings.
The Luminaries is a Divine Comedy with a Doomsday Twist
If Mel Brooks rewrote the Books of Job and Revelation with a little help from Aristophanes and a dash of Monty Python, The Luminaries might be what you’d get. Written by Northern Idaho resident Jesse Hampsch and directed with sharp comic precision by Torie Pate, this script-in-progress is an apocalyptic avalanche of humor, heart, and hilarity.
A staged reading as part of the Cincinnati LAB Theatre’s 2025 New Works Festival, The Luminaries gleefully mashes up Greek mythology, Christian prophecy, and end-of-the-world cult tropes with a tone that recalls a Kaufman-Hart screwball romp of the 1930s. It’s fast, it’s fearless, and it doesn’t care about being polite. Which is exactly what makes it sing.
The Cast of “The Luminaries”
- Angela Alexander as Carol and multiple characters – Her vocal range and timing are pure gold, switching roles with a flair reminiscent of classic radio theatre.
- Ed Cohen as Clark and others – Brought a warm, vintage energy that echoed Disney legend Phil Harris.
- Kyle D. Taylor as American Jesus – Delivers with deadpan brilliance and heroic swagger.
- Eric Kilpatrick as Dr. Diogenes Hart – A perfect comedic foil. Together with Taylor, they’re one of the best buddy comedy duos I’ve seen this year.
- Kat Reynolds as Surely the Cult Leader – Owns the stage with a goofy confidence that’s part performance art, part pure joy. (Just don’t call her Shirley – sorry, I had to go there because this script just makes you want to.)
This cast got it. The jokes landed. The chaos never felt out of control. And even when the tone flirted with full-on absurdity, the characters stayed rooted in something real—which is no small feat.
Faith, Folly, and Flat-Out Funny
“People who don’t have doubt are fooling themselves.” That line stuck with me. Because beneath all the madness–end times, ancient gods, and divine memes–The Luminaries asks real questions about belief, blind faith, and what we cling to when the world feels like it’s ending. It’s a carnival of comedic energy we need these days.
There’s simultaneous action (as you can envision in your mind during a reading), whip-smart one-liners, and an energetic pulse that keeps everything flying but never lost. It’s dense, it’s wild, and it’s definitely not your Sunday school story.
Shawn Says: A Work in Progress Worth Watching
This is exactly the kind of script the New Works Festival was built to showcase. It’s daring, big-hearted, and unafraid to make a mess while making you laugh. Under Torie Pate’s direction, the rhythm of this staged reading hit every beat a great stage comedy should. And that’s no small thing.
The Luminaries lit the fuse, left us in joyful ruins, and burned bright for one glorious night—but the stage is still hot with new stories.
New Play Poag’s Hole is Suspense with a Wink and a Shiver
From the moment the first line hits the air, Poag’s Hole sets a tone: uneasy, eerie, and oddly funny. Written by Anne Valentino and directed with slow-burning precision by Grace Wagner, this one-night-only staged reading for Cincinnati LAB Theatre’s 2025 New Works Festival is the kind of psychological thriller that keeps your mind racing and your spine tingling.
If Hitchcock had a dinner party with Ira Levin, Lee Mandelo, Julia Armfield, and Ken Ludwig, Poag’s Hole might be what they’d cook up. It’s Dial M for Murder meets Deathtrap, with just the right amount of bite and satire to keep you laughing right before you get the chills.
The Plot of Poag’s Hole
Welcome to Poag’s Hole–population 2,456, soon to be 2,458 as newcomers Sophie and Atlas arrive in search of peace, privacy, and a fresh start. But this rural town has its own ideas about outsiders. As a queer couple, they spark quiet curiosity (and not-so-quiet concern) from their septuagenarian neighbors, Moore and Lottie Otto. Self-proclaimed traditionalists with a deep suspicion of anything “woke,” the Ottos invite the couple to a dinner party that quickly spirals into something far more sinister. What begins as an awkward welcome turns into a psychological showdown, where secrets unravel and survival becomes the main course. Dark comedy meets slow-burn thriller in this smart, unsettling exploration of fear, difference, and control.
The Cast of “Poag’s Hole”
- Alissa Paasch (Atlas) – A force of sardonic charm and bottled-up fury. Every line smolders.
- Kate Stark (Sophie) – Turns social awkwardness into comic gold, grounding scenes with subtle warmth.
- Jim Stump (Moore Otto) – His rich, haunting voice evokes classic horror icons like Christopher Lee. Genuinely unsettling.
- Elaine Eckstein (Lottie Otto) – Moves from dry wit to emotional gut-punch with unsettling ease.
- Nic Pajic (Tyson/Cop) – Just flat-out scared the bejeebus outta me at one point. And funny. Somehow both.
- Zak Kelley (Stage Directions) – Clear, well-paced delivery that framed the chaos without stealing focus.
This ensemble got it. The rhythms, the unease, the absurdity—it all landed. It’s a rare thing to see a reading so alive with tone and tension.
Fear, Suspicion, and the Othering of “Difference”
What lingers after Poag’s Hole isn’t just the plot twists—it’s the way fear grows in quiet places. The play explores how difference—real or perceived—can be manipulated into danger, how suspicion becomes a weapon. In Valentino’s hands, even the punchlines come with sharp edges.
“This play unspools as a psychological cat-and-mouse game, where every joke doubles as a warning and every laugh disguises a threat.”
Even as a reading, I could already see the possibilities for staging. There are scenes just begging for a brilliant set designer to sink their teeth into. The layers are there—waiting.
Shawn Says: Poag’s Hole is a Slow Burn that Delivers a Wicked Payoff
Suspense, satire, and psychological sleight-of-hand—all in one smart, unsettling package. It only played for one night, but its impact will stick. Keep your eye on this one—it’s got teeth.
Final Week for Cincinnati LAB Theatre’s New Works Festival
The Cincinnati LAB Theatre’s New Works Festival wraps up this week. Thursday, July 24 through Saturday, July 26 is your final chance to catch fully staged productions of bold, original plays still in development. Coming Up:
- July 24 at 7: 30 pm: Janitor’s Closet
- July 25 at 7:30 pm: Nobody Kills Sherlock
- July 26 at 7:30 pm: Touch the Moon
Get A Rare Glimpse Behind the Curtain
Cincinnati LAB Theatre fulfills its mission to present plays in progress gives us a raw, unfiltered look at what new storytelling can be. The talkback with the audience that follows isn’t an afterthought—it is a continuation of the show. This is where collaboration lives.
New Works Festival Location and Tickets
LAB LOCATION: Bell Tower Arts Pavilion, 3270 Glendale-Milford Rd 45241. Get your tickets now, online or at the door: https://cincylabtheatre.wixsite.com/cincylab/tickets
