Beck Center for the Arts has announced its 2026-2027 Professional Theater Season, the 94th, which includes regional premiere musicals, the second annual collaboration with Oberlin College & Conservatory Music Theater Program, a skillfully-crafted one-woman play, and a world premiere comedy by Cleveland playwright Eric Coble.
Beck Center for the Arts’ Artistic Director Scott Spence shared, “Putting this season together has brought me such joy! To be able to offer Northeast Ohio audiences three locally produced premiers AND a world premiere? It’s more than I could have hoped for.”
Season Tickets and Flex Passes for the 2026-2027 Professional Theater Season range in price from $136 to $384 and are available for purchase now for renewing subscribers at 216-521-2540. Season tickets and flex passes go on sale to new subscribers on June 2, 2026. Tickets to individual shows will go on sale to the public on July 1, 2026, at 216-521-2540 and Beckcenter.org.
Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Preview performances are 7:30 p.m. the Thursday before opening night, with general admission seating for just $15. Smart Seats are available for each performance at just $15 per person. Regular adult pricing starts at $43 each, Seniors at $39 each and Students at $20 each. Children are $17 each. Individual tickets for professional theater have a fee of $3 added per ticket. For more information on the 2026-2027 Professional Theater Season please visit beckcenter.org.
World Class Care, an Eric Coble Premiere Play, Directed by Eric Schmiedl. Studio Theater, October 2, 2026 to November 1, 2026. Award-winning local playwright, Eric Coble once again delivers a powerful, thought-provoking script. Mr. Coble partnered with Beck Center on the world premiere of his Broadway production of The Velocity of Autumn and is back with another comedy that will make you a little queasy before you get healthy. World Class Care, set in a not-so-distant future, where two powerful hospital systems have expanded to control nearly all of Cleveland—except for one stubborn homeowner who stands in their way. As the companies race to claim the final piece of land, their tactics spiral into outrageous schemes in ethical gray areas. Eric Coble’s World Class Care is a fast-paced comedy that hilariously examines what happens when profit-driven healthcare loses sight of humanity. Eric Coble’s hilarious brand-new, old-fashioned, futuristic farce will prove laughter is the best medicine.
How to Dance in Ohio, Directed by Scott Spence. Choreography by Lauren Marousek. Senney Theater, December 4, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Added performances are Saturday, December 5, 12, 2027 at 2:30 pm ONLY. Thursday, December 10, 17, 2026. Matinee at 2:30 pm AND 7:30 pm on Saturday December 19, 2026. Sunday, December 27 will have a 2:30 pm and a 7:30 pm curtain. Saturday, January 2, 2027 will be a matinee at 2:30 pm ONLY. Special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Locally produced premiere.
Based on the documentary, How to Dance in Ohio follows a group of teens with autism as they prepare for a dance that will challenge their comfort zones, expectations, and ideas of independence. As they navigate friendships, family dynamics, and first love, they discover what it means to go on this adolescent journey. A musical with a ton of heart, it celebrates all identities and human dynamics.
“Groundbreaking. Thoughtful and poetic. This feel-good show is a milestone.”- The New York Times
Dear Evan Hansen, in collaboration with Oberlin College & Conservatory Music Theater Program, Book by Steven Levenson, Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. Directed by Victoria Bussert. Musical direction by Matthew Webb. Choreography by Lauren Marousek. Senney Theater, February 12 to March 7, 2027. Special added performances on Thursdays February 18, 25, and March 4, 2027. Presented in arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Nominated for nine Tony Awards ®, this musical proves You Will Be Found. A powerful, deeply human musical about connection, identity, and the longing to belong. When Evan Hansen, a misunderstood high school student, becomes caught in a web of lies born from good intentions, his story unexpectedly resonates with an entire community. Featuring a soaring, emotionally charged score, this musical explores the pressures of
growing up in a hyperconnected world, and the courage it takes to be honest, even when it feels impossible.
“Leaving a new musical with a great song or two running through your head is a rare but exciting thing. Leaving with about 10 great songs running through your head is pretty much unheard of. But that’s the power of Dear Evan Hansen.”- Entertainment Weekly
“One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history.” The Washington Post
Anne McEvoy as Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst. Written by William Luce. Directed by Bill Roudebush. Studio Theater. April 9, 2027 through May 9, 2027. Presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Premiering on Broadway in 1976, this one-woman play stars the tour de force local talent, Anne McEvoy. Set in her Amherst, Massachusetts home, this solitary nineteenth-century poet shares her life’s events through her famous works, her diaries, letters to loved ones, and some glimpses into encounters with those who shaped her voice on the page. In a world where so many feel lonely today when technology should connect us, experience the pains and joys of a poet in her secluded world. A must-see for poetry and literature lovers.
“The text is marvelously comprehensive, emotional, and revealing.” Brooks Atkinson, The New York Times
Violet, Book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, and Music by Jeanine Tesori. Directed by Scott Spence, Musical Direction by Larry Goodpaster. Choreography by Lauren Marousek. Violet is inspired by the short story, The Ugliest Pilgrim by Doris Betts. Studio Theater, June 5 to July 3, 2027. Added performances include Thursdays June 18, 25, and July 1, 2027. Please note there is no performance on Friday, June 19, 2027. Presented in arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Violet is a powerhouse piece of theater, winner of the Drama Critics’ Circle Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical when it premiered Off-Broadway in 1997, and Tony-nominated Broadway debut in 2014 with a revised version. Violet features show-stopping anthems, ranging from American-roots to folk to gospel. The score from Tony-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly
Modern Millie; Shrek; Fun Home), astounds critics and audiences alike in two separate decades. As a girl, Violet was struck by a wayward axe blade when her father was chopping wood, leaving her with a visible scar across her face. To escape her past, she travels across the Deep South in 1964 towards a miracle – the healing touch of a TV evangelist who will make her beautiful. Will Violet be able to repair those scars that are lying deeper than her skin? On the way, she meets a young Black soldier whose love sees her true, ever-lasting beauty.
“Beautiful and rawly emotional” Cherry and Spoon.
Disney Frozen, the Broadway Musical, Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Book by Jennifer Lee. Directed by Christopher Chase Carter. Senney Theater, July 16 to August 15, 2027. Added performances include Thursdays July 29, August 5, and 12, 2027. Saturday July 24 and Saturday July 31 will only have curtains at 2:30 pm. Saturdays August 7 and 14, 2027 will have matinees at 2:30 pm and evenings at 7:30 pm. Presented in arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Disney brings the magic of the beloved animated film to the stage in a dazzling Broadway musical. When sisters Elsa and Anna are separated by a mysterious power, they set out on a journey filled with adventure, humor, and heart to discover what true love really means. Featuring unforgettable songs like “Let It Go” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” alongside stunning new music, Frozen the Broadway Musical is a spectacular event celebrating resilience, family, and the communities we build together.
“It will give you chills! Amazing special effects, eye-popping costumes and incredible performances.” Newsday- Barbara Schuler
All performances are at theaters inside Beck Center for the Arts located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available. For more information visit beckcenter.org.
Beck Center for the Arts is proud to be a part of Northeast Ohio’s professional theater landscape, operating under a letter of agreement with Actors’ Equity Association. We are a Small Professional Theater (SPT) based on the number of seats, number of our performances, and the maximum weekly hours of work we provide to actors. We produce every show on our stages, by choosing the play, casting and rehearsing it, building the sets, props, and costumes, directing and performing the live music, and designing lights and sound. We proudly utilize regional resources and talent.
Beck Center for the Arts also offers arts education for all ages, all skill levels, and all abilities with classes and lessons in music, dance, visual arts, and theater, as well as creative arts therapies. Financial assistance is offered to qualified applicants so that these programs can be enjoyed by all.