“Our actions and reactions to our circumstances and the world around us transform us,” said Artistic Director Emily N. Wells, in a press release. “We invite you to join us for our 39th season, promising a captivating blend of love, hope, fear, beliefs, and joys that reflect the present moment.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
The season launches in October with the regional premiere of Kate Hamill’s quirky tribute to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the murder-mystery comedy “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B.”
In December, the Race will offer a world premiere comedy from playwright Mark Brown (”This is Tom Jones!,” “Around The World in 80 Days”). His adults-only play imagines a what-if scenario that pits Frosty the Snowman’s frustrated and heartbroken wife Sharon against Mrs. Claus.
In February, Kareem Fahmy’s drama “A Distinct Society” will receive its local premiere. Recently nominated for seven San Francisco Critic’s Circle awards, the play is set inside a library that straddles the U.S. – Canada border where an unexpected relationship blooms.
Next, Lerner and Lowe’s beautifully melodic “Camelot” will be presented in its 2010 streamlined adaptation by David Lee, the Emmy Award-winning co-creator of NBC’s ”Frasier.”
The season concludes with Pulitzer Prize-finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ dark comedy “The Comeuppance.” A New York Times Critic Pick for 2023, this contemporary tale “delves into the heart of friendships that outlast life’s twists and turns.”
“Every show looks at the choice you make after the impulse passes,” Wells added. “As we’re moving toward our 40th anniversary, it feels fitting that each show looks at the very human action and reaction mode we live in. And each show explores one of these feelings.”
Season tickets are priced at $114-$237. Military and student discounts available. Renewals will begin at the end of April and new subscriptions are available at any time. All tickets are available through Dayton Live Box Office at 937-228-3630 or daytonlive.org/series/loft-season/. In addition, the following production descriptions are courtesy of the Human Race Theatre Company.
Human Race Theatre Company’s 2024-2025 season
“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B”
Oct. 9–20, 2024
By Kate Hamill
Director: Heather Wilson-Bowlby
“This fast-paced romp re-examines the world’s most famous detective story with a bold new feminist lens. In this highly theatrical escapade, oddball female roommates Sherlock (yes, it’s also a girl’s name—wait, is it a girl’s name? Is it even a name?) Holmes and Joan Watson join forces. They emerge from the pandemic fog as a deeply codependent, quasi-dysfunctional Odd Couple adventure duo—solving mysteries and kicking butts, until they come face-to-face with a villain who seems to have all of the answers.”
Recommended if you liked the Human Race’s productions of: “The 39 Steps,” “Deadline,” “Shipwrecked!”
“A Frosty Night”
Dec. 11–22, 2024
By Mark Brown
Director: Emily N. Wells
“In this world premiere farce, Mark Brown takes on winter with a twist! Sharon Frosty, Frosty the Snowman’s wife, knows that he’s up to no good and follows his trail to the North Pole. Will she catch him in the act? Laugh ‘til you’re blue with this adults-only comedy.”
Recommended if you liked the Human Race’s productions of: “Reindeer Sessions,” “Who’s Holiday!,” “This is Tom Jones!”
“A Distinct Society”
Feb. 5–16, 2025
By Kareem Fahmy
Director: Brant Russell
“In the tranquil hush of a library that straddles the U.S. – Canada border, life is about to change. When an Iranian father and daughter, separated by the international border, start using the library as a meeting place, the French-Canadian librarian, an American customs agent, and a local teenager find their quiet lives suddenly full of excitement and consequence. Inspired by true events, ‘A Distinct Society’ is a touching and funny new play about the many things – family, food, art, love, and politics – that can either divide or unite us.”
Recommended if you liked the Human Race’s productions of “The Cake,” “Gloria”
“Camelot”
Mar. 26–Apr. 6, 2025
Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe, Book adapted by David Lee
New orchestrations by Steve Orich
Director: Emily N. Wells, Music Director: Ian Axness
“Embark on a majestic journey to a realm where honor, dignity, and morality pave the way for a new era under the youthful King Arthur’s reign. This tightly focused adaptation of the classic musical ‘Camelot’ breathes new life into the legendary love triangle with the same musical favorites ‘If Ever I Would Leave You,’ ‘The Lusty Month of May,’ ‘I Loved You Once In Silence,’ and ‘Camelot.’ Witness as this beloved musical is reborn, offering a spellbinding experience that celebrates love, leadership, and the quest for an ideal world.”
Recommended if you liked the Human Race’s productions of “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Mame,” “Oliver!”
“The Comeuppance”
May 28–June 8, 2025
By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Director: Latrelle Bright
“As the sun sets on the eve of their 20th high school reunion, a close-knit group of former classmates—once known as the “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group”—reunites to pre-game the monumental night. Bonded in their youth as outsiders, they now navigate the complexities of adulthood with humor, heart and a hint of nostalgia. Brilliantly witty, theatrical, and moving, ‘The Comeuppance’ focuses on millennials reckoning with the world they will soon inherit. This play is a toast to the ties that bind us, the past that shapes us, and the future we step into together.”
Recommended if you liked the Human Race production of “Lizzie”
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