The Human Race Theatre Company, expanding its identity and reach, prepares an intriguing lineup including a feminist spin on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (“Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson, Apt. 2B”), a world premiere farce (“A Frosty Night”), and a scaled-down version of Lerner and Loewe’s lovely “Camelot.” Additional local professional premieres include Magnolia Theatre Company’s election-timed production of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated dramedy “What the Constitution Means to Me” as well as La Comedia Dinner Theatre’s “Saturday Night Fever” and “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
At community theaters, Dayton Theatre Guild offers the local premiere of Daytonian Will Allan’s comedy “Campaigns, Inc.,” which had its world premiere in Chicago in 2022, as well as Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy “Between Riverside and Crazy.” Dayton Playhouse will dive deeper into “The Cure,” winner of the Playhouse’s 2024 FutureFest from adjudicators and audience alike, and also dust off Meredith Willson’s “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” a musical that generations of theatergoers have never seen live which makes it a top priority this spring.
Shakespeare is the main attraction at area colleges as Clark State College, Miami University, Sinclair Community College, Wittenberg University, and Wright State University salute the Bard. You can also catch a double dose of the little-known Duncan Sheik (“Spring Awakening”) musical “Alice by Heart” at Sinclair and Wright State, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama “Everybody” at Miami University and Wright State.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
PROFESSIONAL
Dayton Live
Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton and Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton
937-228-3630 or daytonlive.org
Dayton Live, which operates the Victoria Theatre, Schuster Center, Loft Theatre and PNC Arts Annex, presents more than 300 professional performances annually for all ages, most notably its popular Broadway Series which brings national tours to town direct from New York.
Premier Health Broadway in Dayton Series
Oct. 1-13, 2024: “Hamilton”
Nov. 26-Dec. 1, 2024: “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical”
Jan. 14-29, 2025: “SIX”
Feb. 4-9, 2025: “Chicago”
Feb. 26-March 2, 2025: “Peter Pan”
June 24-29, 2025: “MJ”
Projects Unlimited Star Attractions
Sept. 28, 2024: Capitol Fools
Oct. 11, 2024: Charlie Berens: Good Old Fashioned Tour
Nov. 1, 2024: An Evening with Lee Asher of The Asher House
Nov. 21, 2024: Vienna Boys Choir: Christmas in Vienna
March 25-29, 2025: “The Book of Mormon”
April 15, 2025: The Simon & Garfunkel Story”
Perspectives Speaker Series
Jan. 5, 2025: Photographer Vincent J. Musi – “Where The Wild Things Are”
Feb. 2, 2025: Photographer Keith Ladzinski – “Forces Of Nature”
April 13, 2025: Primatologist Mireya Mayor – “Pink Boots and a Machete”
Dayton Children’s Children’s Theatre Series
Feb. 15, 2025: “A Year With Frog and Toad” (Traditional performances)
Feb. 16, 2025: “A Year With Frog and Toad” (Sensory-friendly performances)
Feb. 22, 2025: “The Gruffalo’s Child” (Traditional performances)
Feb. 23, 2025: “The Gruffalo’s Child” (Sensory-friendly performance)
March 29, 2025: “Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny” (Traditional performances)
March 30, 2025: “Goodnight Moon & The Runaway Bunny” (Sensory-friendly performance)
May 3, 2025: “Actívate with 123 Andrés”
Additional Events
Sept. 19, 2024: Bored Teachers: The Struggle Is Real! Comedy Tour
Sept. 27, 2024: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” Live in Concert
Oct. 9, 2024: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live with Barry Bostwick”
Oct. 29, 2024: Serial Killers with Dr. Scott Bonn
Nov. 2, 2024: Beth Stelling
Nov. 16, 2024: Nurse Blake: Shock Advised Tour
Nov. 22, 2024: Mike Birbiglia: Please Stop the Ride
Jan. 25, 2025: Insidious: The Further You Fear
June 5, 2025: Miami Valley High School Theatre Awards Showcase
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Human Race Theatre Company
Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., Dayton
937-228-3630 or humanracetheatre.org
The Human Race Theatre Company is Dayton’s only professional regional theatre 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.”
Oct. 9-20, 2024: “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B”
Dec. 11-22, 2024: “A Frosty Night”
Feb. 5-16, 2025: “A Distinct Society”
March 26-April 6, 2025: “Camelot”
May 28-June 8, 2025: “The Comeuppance”
La Comedia Dinner Theatre
765 W. Central Ave., Springboro
937-746-4554 or lacomedia.com
La Comedia Dinner Theatre has established a long tradition of quality productions featuring New York and local talent. Food choices include certain dishes representing the “flavor” of the show.
Through Sept. 15, 2024: “Shear Madness”
Sept. 19-Oct. 27, 2024: “Saturday Night Fever”
Nov. 1-Dec. 29, 2024: “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn”
Jan. 10-Feb. 9, 2025: “Ghost: The Musical”
Feb. 13-March 23, 2025: “Jersey Boys”
March 27-May 4, 2025: “Into the Woods”
May 8-June 15, 2025: “Children of Eden”
June 26-Aug. 10, 2025: “Matilda”
Magnolia Theatre Company
PNC Arts Annex, 46 W. Second St., Dayton
937-985-4851 or magnoliatheatrecompany.org
Magnolia Theatre Company mission is to produce shows that celebrate strong female characters.
Oct. 17-20, 2024: “What the Constitution Means to Me”
April 2025: “An All-Female Julius Caesar”
TheatreLab Dayton
TheatreLab Dayton thrives from an ambitious mindset balancing recognizable and relatively unknown contemporary musicals.
Oct. 24-Nov. 3, 2024: “Lizzie: The Musical”
Clark State Performing Arts Center
Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield
937-328-3874 or pac.clarkstate.edu/events Clark State Performing Arts Center delivers national tours and concerts annually.
Sept. 21, 2024: “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
COLLEGIATE
Cedarville University
251 N. Main St., Stevens Student Center, Cedarville
937-766-7700 or cedarville.edu/ticketinfo
Cedarville University Theatre adheres to programming that educates and entertains with a spiritual focus while exploring universal themes.
Oct. 3-13, 2024: “The Secret Garden”
Jan. 30-Feb. 9, 2025: “Radium Girls”
April 3-13, 2025: “The Learned Ladies”
Clark State College
Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield
937-328-3874 or pac.clarkstate.edu/theatre_arts.php
Clark State College’s theater arts program presents varied works from classics to modern pieces as well as original scripts.
Nov. 1-10, 2024: “Macbeth”
Miami University
119 Center for Performing Arts, Oxford
513-529-3053 or miamioh.edu
Miami University’s theater program prides itself on diverse, thought-provoking works that “inspire a world of possibilities.”
Oct. 2-6, 2024: “Everybody”
Nov. 20-24, 2024: “Peter and the Starcatcher”
March 6-9, 2025: “An Evening of One-Acts”
April 30-May 4, 2025: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Sinclair Community College
444 W. Third St. Blair Hall Theatre, Dayton
937-512-2808 or sinclair.edu/tickets
Sinclair Theatre is routinely open to new works waiting to be discovered.
Oct. 11-19, 2024: “Alice by Heart”
Dec. 19-22, 2024: “‘Twas: A Holiday Musical”
March 28-April 5, 2025: “The Tempest”
University of Dayton
Fitz Hall Black Box Theatre, 1529 Brown St., Dayton and Experimental Theatre and Concert Hall, Roger Glass Center for the Arts, 29 Creative Way, Dayton
937-229-2545 or udaytontickets.com
University of Dayton’s theater program embraces a collaborative, educational and community-driven perspective with an emphasis on devised projects and original works.
Oct. 17-20, 2024: “We SOAR Taking Flight: Student Original Arts Repertory”
Feb. 20-23, 2025: “When She Had Wings”
April 25-26, 2025: “Fledermaus Unmasked”
Wittenberg University
Chakeres Memorial Theatre, 905 Woodlawn Ave. and Lab Theatre, 225 N. Fountain Ave., Springfield
937-327-7464 or wittenberg.edu
Wittenberg University embraces familiar works and lesser known titles.
Oct. 24-27, 2025: “Romeo and Juliet”
Nov. 7-10, 2025: “I & You”
Feb. 13-16, 2025: “Witch”
Feb. 20-23, 2025: “No Exit”
April 10-13, 2025: “How I Learned To Drive”
April 24-27, 2025: “Speaking in Tongues”
Wright State University
Creative Arts Center, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Dayton
937-775-2500 or wright.edu/tdmp
In addition to embracing the classics, Wright State University has a professional-caliber musical theatre component ranking among the best programs of its kind in the Midwest.
Sept. 27-Oct. 6, 2024: “Our Town”
Oct. 31-Nov. 17, 2024: “Carrie: The Musical”
Nov. 15-24, 2024: “The Apple Tree”
Feb. 14-23, 2025: “Much Ado About Nothing”
Feb. 21-March 2, 2025: “Everybody”
March 14-30, 2025: “Alice by Heart”
Credit: FACEBOOK PHOTO
Credit: FACEBOOK PHOTO
COMMUNITY
Actor’s Theatre of Fairborn
23. E. Main St., Fairborn
937-878-3353 or actorstheatrefairborn.org
Established in 1921, Actor’s Theatre has rebounded following a lengthy hiatus.
Sept. 20-29, 2024: “Butterflies Are Free”
Beavercreek Community Theatre
3868 Dayton-Xenia Rd., Beavercreek
937-429-4737 or bctheatre.org
Beavercreek Community Theatre continues to divide its programming between traditional and edgier tastes.
Oct. 25-Nov. 3, 2024: “The Sugar Witch”
Jan. 17-26, 2025: “Die Mommie Die!”
March 7-16, 2025: “Angel Street”
April 15-May 4, 2025: “Reefer Madness”
June 20-29, 2025: “The Understudy”
Brookville Community Theatre
770 Arlington Rd., Brookville
937-833-6790 or thebct.org
Brookville Community Theatre specializes in intimate and large-scale shows equally well while appealing to fans of such diverse voices as Oscar Wilde, Stephen Sondheim and Neil Simon.
Through Sept. 15, 2024: “Bus Stop”
Nov. 7-17, 2024: “Little Women: The Musical”
Children’s Performing Arts of Miamisburg
937-388-4814 or cpamburg.com
CPAM is dedicated to promoting to area youth the appreciation of the performing arts through education, practice and performance.
Sept. 14-15, 2024: “Seussical the Musical”
Dec. 13-14, 2024: “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 13-14, 2024: “A Christmas Carol”
Dayton Playhouse
1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton
937-424-8477 or daytonplayhouse.org
For 65 years, the Dayton Playhouse has dedicated itself to entertaining theatergoers of all ages with classic and contemporary works.
Sept. 13-29, 2024: “The Bridges of Madison County”
Nov. 15-24, 2024: “Almost, Maine”
Dec. 6, 2024: “Holly Jolly Variety Show”
Jan. 24-Feb. 9, 2025: “Avenue Q”
March 14-23, 2025: “The Cure”
May 2-18, 2025: “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”
Credit: RAY GEIGER
Credit: RAY GEIGER
Dayton Theatre Guild
430 Wayne Ave., Dayton
937-278-5993 or daytontheatreguild.org
Celebrating more than 75 years, Dayton Theatre Guild seeks to produce eclectic plays that surprise and provoke in order to provide cultural growth.
Oct. 11-20, 2024: “Campaigns, Inc.”
Nov. 29-Dec. 15, 2024: “The Woman in Black”
Jan. 31-Feb. 16, 2025: “The Minutes”
March 28-April 13, 2025: “Chancers”
May 23-June 8, 2025: “Between Riverside and Crazy”
INNOVAtheatre
Dedicated to innovation through inclusion, INNOVAtheatre embraces diversity in its quest to provide unique theatrical experiences.
Oct. 24-27, 2024: “The Rocky Horror Show”
Lebanon Theatre Company
10 S. Mechanic St., Lebanon
513-228-0932 or ltcplays.com
Lebanon Theatre Company aspires to produce works “evoking emotion and wonder” for theatergoers.
Nov. 8-17, 2024: “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”
Middletown Lyric Theatre
1530 Central Ave., Middletown
513-425-7140 or middletownlyric.org
Middletown Lyric Theatre seeks to “inspire, nurture, challenge, educate and empower its artists and audiences.” This season also marks its last.
Sept. 20-28, 2024: “The Glass Menagerie”
Nov. 8-16, 2024: “The Thanksgiving Play”
Springboro Community Theatre
Springboro Performing Arts Center, 115 Wright Station Way, Springboro
937-203-0927 or borotheatre.org
Springboro Community Theatre’s mission is to “promote the ongoing appreciation of live theatre by providing teaching, acting and audience opportunities.”
Sept. 13-22, 2024: “Stage Kiss”
Nov. 15-24, 2024: “Legally Blonde the Musical”
Jan. 3-12, 2025: “Failure: A Love Story”
Feb. 28-March 9, 2025: “Assassins”
April 25-May 4, 2025: “Murder on the Orient Express”
June 20-29, 2025: “Zombie Prom”
Town Hall Theatre
27 N. Main St., Centerville
937-433-8957 or washingtontwp.org
Town Hall Theatre provides an assortment of familiar titles including junior versions of many musical hits.
Sept. 20-Oct. 26, 2024: “Annie Jr.”
Oct. 25-27, 2024: “The Enchanted Bookshop”
Jan. 17-19, 2025: “Snow White and the Seven Endings”
Feb. 28-March 16, 2025: “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”
May 2-18, 2025: “Shrek the Musical” (TYA Version)
Troy Civic Theatre
Barn in the Park, Adams St., Troy
937-339-7700 or troycivictheatre.com
For more than 50 years, Troy Civic Theatre has offered family-friendly entertainment.
Sept. 27-Oct. 6, 2024: “The Mousetrap”
Nov. 15-24, 2024: “Women of Lockerbie”
Feb. 21-March 2, 2025: “Now and Then”
April 25-May 4, 2025: “One Slight Hitch”
Xenia Area Community Theater
45 E. Second St., Xenia
937-372-0516 or xeniaact1.org
Xenia Area Community Theatre’s programming embraces classic comedies and dramas as well as original works.
Oct. 18-27, 2024: “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”
Dec. 6-15, 2024: “Trouble Bubbles at Hot Springs”
March 7-16, 2025: “My William Shatner Man Crush”
April 18-27, 2025: “Church and State”
May 16-25, 2025: “Talking With …”
Yellow Brick Theater
Dayton Convention Center, 22. E. Fifth St., Dayton and PNC Arts Annex, 46 W. Second St., Dayton
831-233-8437 or yellowbricktheater.org
Yellow Brick Theater allows children a place “to express themselves creatively, feel connected to their peers and learn valuable life skills.”
Oct. 25-27, 2024: “Legally Blonde the Musical”
Yellow Springs Theater Company
Yellow Springs Theater Company, devoted to new and classic works, believes theater can “enrich the soul, challenge the mind, and expand the heart of the diverse community in which it serves.”
Oct. 25-27, 2024: “Dracula”
Young at Heart Players
937-654-0400 or youngatheartplayers.com
Young at Heart Players is primarily devoted to themes such as connection and ageism in an attempt to enhance communication, creativity and socialization in the lives of senior adults.
TBA
OTHER
Mayhem & Mystery Interactive Theatre
Spaghetti Warehouse, 36 W. Fifth St., Dayton
937-461-3913 or mayhemmystery.co
Mayhem & Mystery delivers entertaining whodunits on Mondays at Spaghetti Warehouse. If you solve the crime, you win a prize.
TBA
Muse Machine
Victoria Theare, 138 N. Main St., Dayton
937-222-6873 or musemachine.com
Founded in 1982, Muse Machine is a nationally celebrated arts education organization serving over 76,000 students and their teachers each year.
Jan. 16-19, 2025: “Cats”
FALL ARTS PREVIEW
The fall arts season is underway. Throughout September and early October, we will bring you season schedules and highlights for performing and visual arts groups throughout the region.
Sept. 15: Theater
Sept. 22: Music
Sept. 29: Dance
Oct. 6: Visual arts
About the Author