The Human Race Theatre Company,in a departure from past seasons that catered to new, edgy works, opts for more traditional tastes with "Steel Magnolias," "The Glass Menagerie" and "Master Class," but will still entice and provoke with "The Full Monty" while aiming for big laughs with David Sedaris' "The Santaland Diaries" and comedian Lewis Black's wedding farce "One Slight Hitch." You'll also want to take note of the Race's "Best of Broadway" presentation with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, a thrilling collaboration two seasons ago that will likely produce another delightful evening of musical theater history in song.
On collegiate stages, Wright State University tackles the heated drama within the worlds of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Tennessee Williams as its consistently strong musical theater program aims to dazzle with "Chicago," "The Music Man" and a world premiere by WSU alum Christian Duhamel. Sinclair Community College kicks off its lineup with a well-timed production of "The Wiz" (two months before NBC's highly anticipated live telecast) and also offers the intriguing American Sign Language-driven "Quid Pro Quo" and the return of the endearing "Charlie Brown Christmas." Cedarville University continues to evolve its programming as evidenced by "Wit," and the University of Dayton supplies original, diverse works such as "Welcome Goodbye," "Sustenance" and "I Want My Jacket Back."
Across the vast spectrum of community theaters, you’ll be treated to a bevy of classics as well as murder mysteries, new dramas and feel-good comedy.
PROFESSIONAL
Victoria Theatre Association
The Victoria Theatre Association, which operates the Victoria Theatre, Schuster Center and Loft Theatre, presents more than 300 professional performances annually for all ages, most notably the popular Broadway Series, which brings national tours to town direct from New York.
Address: Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton; Victoria Theatre, First and Main streets, Dayton.
Info: 937-228-3630 | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
SCHEDULE
Premier Health Partners Broadway Series
- Oct. 6-11: "Pippin"
- Nov. 3-8: "Bullets Over Broadway"
- Jan. 19-24, 2016: "Once"
- Feb. 9-14, 2016: "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella"
- March 15-20, 2016: "The Bridges of Madison County"
- June 7-July 3, 2016: "Disney's The Lion King"
Star Attractions
- Oct. 1: Home Free
- Oct. 4: Roseanne Cash
- Nov. 6-8: "Evil Dead: The Musical"
- Dec. 2: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
- Dec. 5-6: "A Christmas Carol"
- Dec. 23: Straight No Chaser
- April 8-10, 2016: "Million Dollar Quartet"
- April 22-24, 2016: Blue Man Group
National Geographic Live!
TBA
PNC Family Series
- Oct. 17: "The Berenstain Bears Live!:Family Matters The Musical"
- Jan. 30, 2016: "Three Little Birds"
- Feb. 20, 2016: "Tim and the Space Cadets"
- March 5, 2016: "Elephant & Piggie's We're in a Play!"
- April 16, 2016: "Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre"
Human Race Theatre Company
The Human Race Theatre Company is Dayton’s only professional regional theater and has particularly championed many new plays and musicals. Universal storytelling is a key component in its programming as the organization attempts to produce shows that touches emotions and reminds audiences “why we are here.”
Address: The Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., Dayton.
Info: 937-228-3630 | Website | Facebook | Twitter
SCHEDULE:
- Sept. 10-Oct. 4: "The Full Monty"
- Nov. 5-29: "Steel Magnolias"
- Dec. 10-19: "The Santaland Diaries"
- Feb. 4-21, 2016: "The Glass Menagerie"
- April 7-24, 2016: "One Slight Hitch"
- June 9-26, 2016: "Master Class"
SPECIAL EVENTS:
- Sept. 19-20: "American Mosaic"
- Oct. 11: Lewis Black In Concert
- May 13-14, 2016: "Best of Broadway II with Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra"
Dare to Defy Productions
Dare to Defy Productions, consisting of local talent from area colleges and community theaters, thrives from an ambitious mindset balancing recognizable and relatively unknown contemporary musicals.
Address: Mathile Theatre of the Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton; Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main. St, Dayton
Info: 937-999-9949 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE:
- Oct. 16-24: "Godspell"
- Nov. 27-28: "Footloose"
- Jan. 8-16, 2016: "The Great American Trailer Park Musical"
- April 1-10, 2016: "The Wild Party"
- May 20-21, 2016: "American Idiot"
La Comedia Dinner Theatre
Celebrating 40 years, La Comedia Dinner Theatre has established a long tradition of quality productions, featuring New York and local talent, and tasty food including certain dishes that represent the “flavor” of the show.
Address: 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro.
Info: (937) 746-4554 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 3-Oct. 31: "The Last Potluck Supper"
- Nov. 4-Dec. 31: "A Christmas Story: The Musical"
- Jan. 14-Feb. 28, 2016: "Love, Sex and the IRS"
- March 3-May 1, 2016: "Fiddler on the Roof"
- May 5-June 26, 2016: "Grease"
Magnolia Theatre Company
Founded in 2012 by Gina Handy, Magnolia Theatre Company is dedicated to promoting female-driven plays with a fresh, funky and feminine vibe. The company had its local premiere last season with a stellar production of “Parallel Lives,” and will return in the fall with the one-woman show “The K of D: An Urban Legend” starring Wright State alumna Annie Pesch.
Address: Mathile Theatre of the Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton
Info: (937) 985-4851 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
SCHEDULE
- Oct. 2-4: "The K of D: An Urban Legend"
- Jan. 29-31, 2016: "Broadway Beveled: A Feminine Cabaret"
The Playground Theatre
Playground Theatre is dedicated to compelling stories reflecting the relatable emotions and struggles of millennials. The troupe stages fresh new works from some of today’s most established and promising playwrights.
Address: Mathile Theatre, Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton.
Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
SCHEDULE:
- Dec. 3-6: "Really Really"
- March 24-27, 2016: "Reasons To Be Pretty"
Springfield Arts Council
Springfield Arts Council delivers national tours and concerts annually while also promoting community-building through the performing arts.
Address: Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield.
Info: 937-328-3874 | Website | Facebook | Twitter
SCHEDULE
- Oct. 18 "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"
- Dec. 4: All-4-One Christmas
- Jan. 23, 2016: "Presley, Perkins, Lewis and Cash: A Night to Remember"
- Feb. 10, 2016: "Annie"
- March 14, 2016: "Mamma Mia!"
- April 30, 2016: "Piano Men: A Tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel"
Zoot Theatre Company
The puppet/mask-driven Zoot Theatre Company, co-founded by D. Tristan Cupp, is a forward-thinking, collaborative-infused production and design troupe elevating the imaginative magic of theater with inventive finesse.
Info: 937-223-5277 | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
SCHEDULE
- April 22-24, 2016: "And a Child Shall Lead"
COLLEGIATE
Cedarville University
Cedarville University’s theater component adheres to programming that educates and entertains with a spiritual focus while exploring deeper themes.
Address: 251 N. Main St., Stevens Student Center, Cedarville.
Info: 937-766-7700 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Oct. 1-11: "Father of the Bride"
- Feb. 4-14, 2016: "Cyrano de Bergerac"
- March 31-April 10, 2016: 'Wit"
Clark State Community College
Clark State Community College’s theater arts program presents varied works from the sophistication of Moliere to the hot-button drama of Tony Kushner.
Address: Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield.
Info: 937-328-3874 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Nov. 19-21: "Laughter on the 23rd Floor"
- April 15-17, 2016: "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches"
Miami University
Miami University’s theater program prides itself on diverse, thought-provoking works that can “inspire a world of possibilities.”
Address: 119 Center for Performing Arts, Oxford.
Info: (513) 529-3200 | Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 30-Oct. 4: "A Night of One Acts"
- Oct. 21-25: "In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play)"
- Feb. 24-March 6, 2016: "Pride and Prejudice"
- April 7-9, 2016: "Street Scene"
- April 27-May 1, 2016: "The Long Christmas Ride Home"
Sinclair Community College
Sinclair Community College’s theater department continues to balance well-known titles with a few unknown works waiting to be discovered.
Address: 444 W. Third St. Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2.
Info: (937) 512-2808 | Website | Facebook | Twitter
SCHEDULE:
- Oct. 9-17: "The Wiz"
- Nov. 12-14: "Quid Pro Quo"
- Dec. 16-19: "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
- Feb. 12-20, 2016: "As It Is In Heaven"
- April 8-16, 2016: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"
University of Dayton
University of Dayton’s theater program embraces a collaborative, educational and community-driven perspective with an emphasis on devised projects and original works.
Address: 300 College Park, Kennedy Union, Boll Theatre.
Info: (937) 229-2545 | Website |Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 24: "Don Quixote"
- Oct. 30-31: "Last Night in Harlem"
- Nov. 13-15: "Once Upon a Mattress"
- Dec. 11: "Welcome Goodbye"
- Feb. 19-21, 2016: "Sustenance"
- March 8-9, 2016: "Hijabi Monologues"
- April 7, 2016: "I Want My Jacket Back"
- April 22-24, 2016: "And a Child Shall Lead"
Wright State University
It is no secret that Wright State University’s professional-caliber musical theater department is one of the best programs of its kind in the Midwest. As the program continues to evolve, it consistently produces some of the finest, most memorable moments you will witness on a local stage.
Address: 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn, Creative Arts Center.
Info: (937) 775-2500 | Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 24-Oct. 4: "The Great Gatsby"
- Oct. 29-Nov. 15: "Chicago"
- Nov. 20-Dec. 6: "Blood Wedding"
- Jan. 28-Feb. 7, 2016: "A Streetcar Named Desire"
- March 17-April 3, 2016: "The Music Man"
- April 22-24, 2016: A world premiere musical by Christian Duhamel
COMMUNITY
Beavercreek Community Theatre
Beavercreek Community Theatre continues to divide its programming between traditional and edgier tastes. Some of its best shows in recent years have stemmed from its alternative Edge of the Creek presentations.
Address: 3868 Dayton-Xenia Road., Beavercreek.
Info: (937) 429-4737 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 18-27: "Merrily We Roll Along"
- Oct. 30-Nov. 8: "California Suite"
- Dec. 4-13: "Play Your Cards Right, Ebenezer"
- Jan. 22-31, 2016: "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress"
- March 4-13, 2016: "Spring Awakening"
- April 22-May 1, 2016: "Robin, The Witch and the Challenge"
- June 17-26, 2016: "The Addams Family"
Brookville Community Theatre
Brookville Community Theatre does intimate and large-scale shows equally well while appealing to fans of such diverse voices as Oscar Wilde, Stephen Sondheim and Neil Simon.
Address: 770 Arlington Road, Brookville.
Phone: (937) 833-6790 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 3-13: "Greetings!"
- Nov. 5-22: "Hello, Dolly!"
Children’s Performing Arts of Miamisburg
CPAM, continuing to build a strong following, is dedicated to promoting to area youth the appreciation of the performing arts through education, practice and performance.
Address: Memorial Building, 540 E. Park Ave., Miamisburg.
Info: (937) 867-0353 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
Sept. 18-27: “The Sound of Music”
Dayton Playhouse
For over 50 years the Dayton Playhouse has dedicated itself to entertaining theatergoers of all ages. The organization’s nationally-recognized FutureFest of new plays continues to give emerging playwrights the opportunity to take their work to the next level as adjudicated by national theater professionals.
Address: 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton.
Info: (937) 424-8477 | Website | Social media
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 11-27: "Carousel"
- Nov. 6-15: "The Diary of Anne Frank"
- Jan. 22-Feb. 7, 2016: "The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd"
- March 11-20, 2016: "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife"
- May 6-22, 2016: "1776"
Dayton Theatre Guild
Entering its 71st season, the Dayton Theatre Guild seeks to produce eclectic plays that surprise and provoke in order to provide cultural growth.
Address: 430 Wayne Ave., Dayton.
Info: (937) 278-5993 | Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
SCHEDULE
- Oct. 2-18: "The Columnist"
- Nov. 20-Dec. 6: "All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914"
- Jan. 8-24, 2016: "Night Watch"
- Feb. 26-March 13, 2016: "Slowgirl"
- April 15-May 1, 2016: "The Trip to Bountiful"
- May 27-June 12, 2016: "Last Gas"
Lebanon Theatre Company
Thriving on its intimate setting, Lebanon Theatre Company aspires to produce works “evoking emotion and wonder” for theatergoers.
Address: 10 S. Mechanic St., Lebanon.
Info: (513) 228-0932 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 25-Oct. 4: "Curtains"
- Oct. 9-17: "The Séance"
- Dec. 3-6: "Annie Jr."
- March 11-20, 2016: "The Willow and I"
- May 13-22, 2016: "Murdered to Death"
Middletown Lyric Theatre
Middletown Lyric Theatre, celebrating its 37th season, produces theater that seeks to “inspire, nurture, challenge, educate, and empower.”
Address: 1530 Central Ave., Middletown.
Info: (513) 425-7140 | Website | Facebook | YouTube
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 18-26: "Parade"
- Oct. 17: Murder Mystery Theatre
- Nov. 6-14: "The Country House"
- Feb. 13, 2016: "Shakespeare on the Comedy of Love"
- March 11-19, 2016: "The Irish Curse"
- April 22-30, 2016: "Working: The Musical"
- May 27-June 4, 2016: "Over the Tavern"
Playhouse South
Kettering’s Playhouse South isn’t above taking risks as it seeks to entertain with familiar titles as well as more contemporary shows aimed at a younger demographic.
Address: Clark Haines Theatre, 3700 Far Hills Ave., Kettering.
Info: (888) 262-3792 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 25-Oct. 4: "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress"
- Nov. 6-15: "American Idiot"
- March 4-13, 2016: "Arsenic and Old Lace"
- May 6-15, 2016: "The Secret Garden"
Town Hall Theatre
Town Hall Theatre is entering its 24th season of children’s theater with the theme “Spinning Pages Onto Stages.” The troupe encourages patrons to read the stories behind the plays first and then experience them performed live.
Address: 27 N. Main St., Centerville
Info: (937) 433-8957 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 18-Oct. 4: "Junie B. Jones: The Musical"
- Oct. 23-Nov. 1: "Bunnicula"
- Nov. 13-15: "Rapunzel"
- Dec. 4-20: "A Fairy Tale Christmas Carol: The Musical"
- Jan. 22-Feb. 7, 2016: "Charlotte's Web"
- March 4-20, 2016: "Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper"
- March 24-26, 2016: "Princess Savitri"
- May 6-22, 2016: "The Wizard of Oz"
- June 3-5, 2016: "Thumbelina"
Troy Civic Theatre
Troy Civic Theatre, celebrating its 50th season, offers family-friendly entertainment at the Barn in the Park. Classic comedies are always standard fare in particular.
Address: Barn in the Park, Adams Street, Troy
Info: (937) 339-7700 | Website | Facebook
THE SCHEDULE
- Oct. 2-10: "Arsenic and Old Lace"
- Dec. 4-12: "A Nice Family Gathering"
- March 4-12, 2016: "The Hollow"
- May 6-14, 2016: "You Can't Take it With You"
Undercroft Players
The emerging Undercroft Players strives to give theater-goers quality productions at an affordable price. Last season’s production of “Weekend Comedy” was a great example of the troupe’s commitment and potential.
Address: Basement of First Lutheran Church, 138 W. First St., Dayton.
Info: Website
SCHEDULE
- Nov. 13-22: "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Show"
- April 2016: "Fools"
- July 2016: "The Trial of Goldilocks"
Xenia Area Community Theater
Xenia Area Community Theater specifically salutes Agatha Christie this season with a lineup entirely devoted to her engaging mysteries.
Address: 45 E. Second St., Xenia.
Info: (937) 372-0516 | Website | Facebook
SCHEDULE
- Sept. 11-20: "And Then There Were None"
- Oct. 23-Nov. 1: "The House of Dracula"
- Dec. 4-13: "Wonderland"
- Jan. 29-Feb. 6, 2016: "Bull in a China Shop"
- April 8-17, 2016: "Murdered to Death"
- May 27-June 5, 2016: "Black Coffee"
OTHER
Muse Machine
The student arts education organization continues to enrich the local arts scene with impressive performances stemming from a wide range of participants from numerous schools across the Miami Valley.
Address: Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St.
Info: (937) 222-6873 | Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
SCHEDULE
Jan. 14-17, 2016: “Mary Poppins”
About the Author