La Comedia Dinner Theatre announces 2026 season

“We have something that appeals to everybody,” said co-owner Dave Gabert. “Variety is key. We want to offer people a chance to see more shows and maybe enlighten them. We also didn’t want to do shows we’ve done in the past five to seven years. We want to do classic musicals because our season ticket holders enjoy those shows but we also want to do things that are newer.”

Case in point: “Come From Away,” Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s fascinating, poignant, somber and uplifting Tony Award-winning musical centered on a remarkable true story. On Sept. 11, 2001, 7,000 stranded passengers arrived and received impactful hospitality in a small Canadian town in Newfoundland. La Comedia’s production will fittingly coincide with the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

“Our production will be an appealing way to commemorate the anniversary,” said co-owner Sherry Gabert. “We would like to do something special for our first responders. We will send out a special invitation to local police and fire departments and hospitals.”

“Even though 9/11 was an evil event, it brought out the best of humanity,” Dave added.

The Gaberts also anticipate bringing “Singin’ in the Rain” to the La Comedia stage for the first time in more than 35 years. And, yes, there will be rain.

“There will be water and the stage will be wet,” Dave said. “The film is known as the greatest movie musical of all time and the music is great. ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is also one of the most requested shows from our audience.”

Credit: FACEBOOK

Credit: FACEBOOK

The season notably concludes with a secular and religious-themed look at the holidays. The one-act “Santa Claus: The Musical” will be followed by “The Gift of Christmas,” an original piece created by the Gaberts and La Comedia Artistic Director Chris Beiser that will incorporate traditional Christmas hymns and the nativity.

“I’m excited about next season, particularly ‘Singin in the Rain,’ which is so wonderful,” Beiser said. “And ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is older but it can be done in so many different ways like ‘Godspell.’ And I think it could be nice to bring ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ into how the world is today. And I adore ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,’ a musical about finding a golden ticket and having your dreams come true.”

In terms of dining options the Gaberts have decided to continue offering a seasonal salad with every production. The duo has decided not to add the standard cantaloupes to every signature salad.

“We realized there were lots of cantaloupes still on the plates,” Sherry said. “We were throwing away cantaloupes like crazy.”

“We change the menu for each show so we will have a different salad for every show,” Dave said. “At ‘Matilda,’ (which is being presented now), we have watermelon. We will still keep cantaloupes in the rotation but we are also trying to appeal to everyone’s different tastes.”

As the Gaberts look ahead to next season, they are also mindful of the lessons learned thus far in their new era of ownership including the delicacy of and education surrounding show selection. They would particular like to see La Comedia become more visible and possibly undergo a rebrand.

“La Comedia has been here for 50 years but a lot of people in the area are not aware of us,” Dave said. “Some people think we are a comedy club. Our goal for the upcoming season is to get the word out about what we do and what we are.”

Premiere season subscriptions are priced at $296-$312. Marquee season subscriptions are priced at $376-$392. Individual tickets are priced at $71-$80.

“We offer a magical experience at a great entertainment value,” Sherry said.

For more information, visit lacomedia.com. La Comedia is located at 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro.