Area premieres top draw on local stages

New plays, musicals ahead this season.

Expect exciting area premieres to keep you entertained and enlightened throughout the 2014-15 theater season.

The Victoria Theatre Association and Human Race Theatre Company will collaborate on the local premiere of Christopher Durang’s outstanding 2013 Tony Award-winning dysfunctional family comedy “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” but have individual treats of their own.

The Victoria will be hoping to attract the masses with a new national tour of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” starring Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young of “American Idol,” as well as the return of “Wicked” and the highly anticipated, late summer local premiere of “The Book of Mormon.” Victoria also will specifically supply the regional debuts of the effervescent Tony-nominated Gershwin tunefest “Nice Work If You Can Get It” and kooky West End import “America’s Got Downtown,” a one-man parody of the popular PBS drama “Downtown Abbey” featuring creator Luke Kempner in over 30 characters including the indomitable Dowager Countess.

At the Loft Theatre, the Human Race continues its budding relationship with playwright Michael Slade (“Under a Red Moon,” “The Gingerbread Children”) by premiering his new dramedy “Family Shots” in addition to producing 2013 Stratford Festival favorite “Taking Shakespeare,” John Murrell’s two-hander about a college professor tutoring her dean’s son through the world of “Othello.”

Also, the Springfield Arts Council greatly entices with “4 Girls 4,” a Broadway concert featuring Tony winners Donna McKechnie (“A Chorus Line”) and Faith Prince (“Guys and Dolls”), Tony nominee Andrea McArdle (the original “Annie”), Grammy winner Maureen McGovern (“Little Women: The Musical”), and music director John McDaniel (“The Rosie O’Donnell Show”).

On collegiate stages: Wright State University provides the rarely attempted “Hot Mikado,” a jazz adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera of the same name; Sinclair Community College pays homage to Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” for an original play entitled “Building Bridges in Our Town,” a Devised Theatre Project in partnership with Gary Minyard of the Victoria Theatre Association written by students “highlighting their original stories and experiences in Dayton.”

The University of Dayton’s theatrical lineup, overseen by new program director Dr. Michelle Hayford, offers the intriguing premieres of “(ir)reconcilable” (a new work written and directed by Hayford exploring faith and reason), Joyce A. Barnes’ “One Sunday in Birmingham,” and a staged reading of “Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales” performed by Dr. E. Patrick Johnson.

Promising community theater premieres include David Lindsay-Abaire’s Tony-nominated “Good People” and Amy Herzog’s Pulitzer-nominated “4000 Miles” at the Dayton Theatre Guild, George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead: Live” at the Dayton Playhouse, David Mamet’s “November” at Middletown Lyric Theatre, and John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club” at the emerging Playground Theatre.

Also notable is a special concert staging of beloved pop opera “Les Miserables” to be held at the Masonic Center courtesy of the Dayton Playhouse and Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra featuring 60 musicians and over 90 vocalists.

Theater information and schedules.

THEATER

PROFESSIONAL

Victoria Theatre Association

Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton, and Victoria Theatre, First and Main Streets, Dayton. (937) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com

Premier Health Broadway Series

Oct. 21-26: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

Nov. 11-23: “Smokey Joe’s Café featuring The Coasters”

Jan. 20-25, 2015: “Flashdance: The Musical”

Feb. 10-15, 2015: “Nice Work If You Can Get It”

March 10-22, 2015: “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”

June 9-14, 2015: “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Star Attractions

Nov. 7: Straight No Chaser: The Happy Hour

Jan. 13-14, 2015: “The Illusionists”

March 30, 2015: An Evening with Garrison Keillor

Feb. 28-March 8, 2015: “Stomp”

April 7-8, 2015: “America’s Got Downtown”

April 17-19, 2015: “Evil Dead: The Musical”

April 24, 2015: “Letters Home”

April 29-May 17, 2015: “Wicked”

Aug. 18-23, 2015: “The Book of Mormon”

Projects Unlimited Variety Series

Sept. 12: Mike Birbiglia Thank God for Jokes Tour 2014Oct. 10. Singer/songwriter J.D. Souther

Feb. 6, 2015: Mind reader/comedian Eric Dittelman

April 10, 2015: The Nobodies of Comedy Tour

National Geographic Live!

TBA

PNC Family Series

Nov. 1: John Tartaglia’s “Imaginocean”

Dec. 6: “The Velveteen Rabbit”

Jan. 24, 2015: Juice Box Jams with Big Bang Boom

Feb. 21, 2015: “Pinkalicious: The Musical”

March 28, 2015: “Dinosaur Train Live! Buddy’s Big Adventure”

May 2, 2015: “The Adventures of Robin Hood”

Human Race Theatre Company

The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., Dayton. (937) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com

Sept. 4-21: “Miracle on South Division Street”

Oct. 30-Nov. 23: “Mame”

Jan. 22-Feb. 8, 2015: “Family Shots”

Feb. 12-March 1, 2015: “Buyer & Cellar”

April 16-May 3, 2015: “Taking Shakespeare”

June 11-July 5, 2015: “Crowns”

Dare to Defy Productions

Mimi’s Café, 4402 Walnut St., Beavercreek, and the Mathile Theatre of the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton. (937) 999-9949 or www.daretodefyllc.com

Oct. 7-Dec. 6: “Nunsense”

Jan. 6-March 3, 2015: “The Last Five Years”

La Comedia Dinner Theatre

765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. (937) 746-4554 or www.lacomedia.com

Sept. 4-Nov. 1: “He Keeps Me Singing”

Nov. 5-Dec. 31: “Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical”

Jan. 15-March 1, 2015: “Pump Boys and Dinettes”

March 5-May 3, 2015: “South Pacific”

May 7-June 28, 2015: “The Addams Family”

Springfield Arts Council

Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. (937) 328-3874 or www.springfieldartscouncil.org

Oct. 18: “Simply Sinatra”

Nov. 22: Well-Strung: The Singing String Quartet

Dec. 5: “A Christmas Carol”

Feb. 20, 2015: “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story”

March 6, 2015: “Memphis”

March 26, 2015: “Guys and Dolls”

May 2, 2015: “4 Girls 4”

Zoot Theatre Company

Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton. (937) 223-5277 or www.zoottheatrecompany.org

TBA

COLLEGIATE

Cedarville University

251 N. Main St., Stevens Student Center, Cedarville. (937) 766-7700 or www.cedarville.edu/ticketinfo

Oct. 2-12: “Little Women”

Jan. 29-Feb. 8, 2015: “Fiddler on the Roof”

March 19-29, 2015: “Doubt”

Clark State Community College

Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. (937) 328-3874 or pac.clarkstate.edu/theatre_arts.php

Nov. 7-16: “The Foreigner”

April 10-19, 2015: “Wild Honey”

Miami University

119 Center for Performing Arts, Oxford. (513) 529-3200 or http://arts.muohio.edu

Oct. 1-5: “Emotional Creature”

Oct. 22-26: “The Little Dog Laughed”

Nov. 19-23: “Communicating Doors”

Feb. 25-March 1, 2015: “Found a Peanut”

April 16-26, 2015: “Avenue Q”

Sinclair Community College

444 W. Third St. Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2. (937) 512-2808 or www.sinclair.edu/tickets

Sept. 26-Oct. 4: “Pride and Prejudice”

Nov. 13-15: “bare: a pop opera”

Dec. 17-20: “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Feb. 6-14, 2015: “Red Herring”

April 3-11, 2015: “Songs for a New World”

May 29-30, 2015: “Building Bridges in Our Town”

University of Dayton

300 College Park, Kennedy Union, Boll Theatre. (937) 229-2545.

Oct. 24-Nov. 1: “Greater Tuna”

Jan. 30-Feb. 7, 2015: “(ir)reconcilable”

Feb. 27-28, 2015: “One Sunday in Birmingham”

March 20-28, 2015: “A New Brain”

April 21, 2015: “Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales”

Wright State University

3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn, Creative Arts Center. (937) 775-2500 or www.wright.edu/tdmp

Sept. 18-28: “Fences”

Oct. 23-Nov. 9: “Hot Mikado”

Nov. 14-23: “Romeo and Juliet”

Jan. 29-Feb. 8, 2015: “Pride and Prejudice”

March 19-April 12: “Peter Pan”

April 17-26, 2015: “Sondheim on Sondheim”

COMMUNITY

Beavercreek Community Theatre

3868 Dayton-Xenia Rd., Beavercreek. (937) 429-4737 or www.bctheatre.org

Sept. 12-21: “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”

Oct. 31-Nov. 9: “Sweeney Todd”

Dec. 5-14: “The Twelve Daze of Christmas”

Jan. 23-Feb. 1, 2015: “Things My Mother Taught Me”

March 6-15, 2015: “Next to Normal”

April 24-May 3, 2015: “Sleeping Beauty and the Beast”

June 19-28, 2015: “Avenue Q”

Brookville Community Theatre

770 Arlington Rd., Brookville. (937) 833-6790 or www.brookvillecommunitytheatre.com

Sept. 11-21: “Christmas Belles”

Nov. 13-23: “An O. Henry Holiday Gifts of the Season”

Children’s Performing Arts of Miamisburg

Memorial Building, 540 E. Park Ave., Miamisburg. (937) 867-0353 or www.cpamburg.com

Sept. 12-21: “Disney’s Aladdin Jr.”

March 6-15, 2015: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”

Dayton Playhouse

1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton. (937) 424-8477 or www.daytonplayhouse.org

Sept. 5-21: “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”

Oct. 24-26: “Les Miserables” (at Masonic Center)

Oct. 31-Nov. 9: “Night of the Living Dead: Live”

Jan. 23-Feb. 8, 2015: “The Fantasticks”

March 13-22, 2015: “Fix Me, Jesus”

May 1-17, 2015: “Grease”

Dayton Theatre Guild

430 Wayne Ave., Dayton. (937) 278-5993 or www.daytontheatreguild.org

Oct. 3-19: “Good People”

Nov. 21-Dec. 7: “Isn’t it Romantic”

Jan. 9-25, 2015: “4000 Miles”

Feb. 27-March 15, 2015: “Desire Under the Elms”

April 17-May 3, 2015: “Criminal Hearts”

May 29-June 14, 2015: “Heartbreak House”

Lebanon Theatre Company

10 S. Mechanic St., Lebanon. (513) 228-0932 or www.ltcplays.com

Sept. 12-21: “Moon Over the Brewery”

Oct. 18: Haunted Dinner Theatre at the Golden Lamb

Dec. 4-7: “A Christmas Chaos”

March 13-22, 2015: “Smell of the Kill”

May 8-17, 2015: “Man of La Mancha”

Middletown Lyric Theatre

1530 Central Ave., Middletown. (513) 425-7140 or www.middletownlyric.org

Sept. 19-27: “Side by Side by Sondheim”

Oct. 24-Nov. 1: “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking”

Dec. 5-13: “The Last Night of Ballyhoo”

March 6-14, 2015: “Picasso at the Lapin Agile”

April 17-25, 2015: “Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits”

May 29-June 6, 2015: “November”

Playground Theatre

Rosewood Arts Centre, 2655 Olson Dr., Kettering. www.theplaygroundtheatre.org

Dec. 11-20: “The Breakfast Club”

Playhouse South

Clark Haines Theatre, 3700 Far Hills Ave., Kettering. (888) 262-3792 or www.playhousesouth.org

Sept. 26-Oct. 5: “Noises Off”

Nov. 14-23: “The Wedding Singer”

March 6-15, 2015: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”

May 8-17, 2015: “Shrek: The Musical”

Springfield StageWorks

State Theatre, 19 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. http://springfieldstageworks.org

Oct. 2-11: “Three by Tennessee”

Feb. 6-7, 2015: “Spotlight on History”

March 26-April 4, 2015: “Romeo and Juliet”

Town Hall Theatre

27 N. Main St., Centerville. (937) 433-8957 or www.townhalltheatre.org

Sept. 12-28: “Disney’s Peter Pan”

Oct. 17-26: “Freckleface Strawberry”

Nov. 7-9: “Rumpelstiltskin is My Name”

Dec. 5-21: “Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells”

Jan. 23-Feb. 8, 2015: “Fancy Nancy: The Musical”

March 6-22, 2015: “Snow White and the Prince”

March 27-29, 2015: “The Emperor’s New Clothes”

May 1-17, 2015: “Disney’s Mulan Jr.”

May 29-31, 2015: “Stories Under the Big Top”

Troy Civic Theatre

Barn in the Park, Adams St., Troy. (937) 339-7700 or www.troycivictheatre.com

Oct. 3-11: “Moon Over Buffalo”

Dec. 4-14: “Oliver!”

March 13-21, 2015: “The Dixie Swim Club”

May 22-30, 2015: “Tick Tick Boom!”

Undercroft Players

Basement of First Lutheran Church, 138 W. First St., Dayton. http://undercroftplayers.weebly.com

Nov. 20-23: “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

Xenia Area Community Theater

45 E. Second St., Xenia. (937) 372-0516 or www.xeniaact.org

Sept. 5-14: “Our Town”

Oct. 24-Nov. 2: “The House of Frankenstein”

Dec. 5-14: “The Elves and the Shoemaker: The Musical”

Jan. 30-Feb. 8, 2015: “I Hate Hamlet”

April 10-19, 2015: “Lilies of the Field”

May 29-June 7, 2015: “Arsenic and Old Lace”

OTHER

Clark State Community College Performing Arts Center’s Community Arts Series

Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield. (937) 328-3874 or pac.clarkstate.edu

Sept. 19: Three Dog Night

Sept. 27: “The Piano Man II”

Oct. 10: Run Boy Run

Oct. 25: “Mindboggling”

Nov. 7-16: “The Foreigner”

Nov. 21: Jake Shimabukuro

Dec. 3: Wynonna Judd

Dec. 13: The Annie Moses Band

Jan. 9, 2015: Annie Selleck

Jan. 31, 2015: Complexions Contemporary Ballet

Feb. 6, 2015: Central State University Choir

Feb. 13, 2015: Joshua Carswell

March, 1, 2015: Rhythm of the Dance

March 14, 2015: Neal McCoy

April 10-19, 2015: “Wild Honey”

Mayhem & Mystery Interactive Dinner Theatre

Spaghetti Warehouse, 36 W. Fifth St., Dayton. (937) 461-3913 or http://mayhemmystery.com

Sept. 8-Oct. 27: “Fairy Tale Façade”

Nov. 3-Dec. 31: “Caroling Catastrophe”

Jan. 12-Feb. 23, 2015: “Moth-Balled Mafia”

March 2-April 27, 2015: “Trailer Park Peril”

May 4-June 29, 2015: “Hippie Hoax”

Muse Machine

Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St. (937) 222-6873 or www.musemachine.com.

Jan 15-18, 2015: TBA

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