TheatreLab Dayton announced their season a week or so ago. Titled ‘Threads,’ TheatreLab is hoping to expand on its connection to the community and its drive to be unique in its 2025-26 season.
‘We called the season Threads because for us, theater is really about connection, and that feels especially important right now. Every show this season has that sense of space and nostalgia built into it – these stories that remind us where we’ve been, who we are, and how we connect to each other. It just felt like the right moment to lean into that, and to give audiences a chance to share something meaningful together in the room.’ said Executive Director, Philip Drennen. New works, old favorites and a few surprises highlight the 2025 -2026 season:
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Nov 6-9
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Jan 22-25
Nunsense, March 26-29
Amour, May 18-24
No Map, Just Music kicks off the season and Drennen explained the unique choice. ‘We picked No Map, Just Music: A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt because her catalog honestly has something for everyone: rock, folk, country, soul, and just incredible storytelling. It’s such a wide range of music, and it connects with people in so many different ways. We’ve got an amazing live band made up of local singers and musicians, and of course the powerhouse vocals of Charity Farrell leading the night. And hosting it at The Brightside just felt right – it’s really become a Dayton staple for live music, so it’s the perfect venue for a celebration like this.’
Among the surprises TLD is excited for is
having a new guest director! ‘We’re so excited to be closing the season with Amour. Part of that is because we get to work with Joe Deer, he’s a legend in the Dayton theater community and it’s such a thrill to have him on board. And honestly, Amour is one of those gems that doesn’t get produced very often, so a lot of people may not know it. But it’s such a beautiful show, and I think audiences are going to be really surprised by how moving and magical it is.’ Drennen said.
TheatreLab is also on a mission to expand their board to improve community input. ‘We realize that now is the time to get more folks involved in our evolution. Last year, we created a new board that really looked at how to make TLD solid, while looking at new ways to use our talented team! We are adding more people to our board as the word has gotten out that TLD is a positive place for creatives!’ said board member, Josh Stucky.
Drennen piped in, ‘We’ve also got some really fun events planned this season, things like trivia nights, karaoke, and of course all of our usual pre-show parties. And beyond the shows themselves, we’re expanding our volunteer base, so there are lots of ways for people to support and get involved with TheatreLab. It’s really about building community, both onstage and off!’For tickets and information on how you can get involved go to:
