By LCT Reviewers
Paying homage to all the great theatre in Cincinnati during the 2025-26 season–continued from Part One.
Covedale Theatre
LCT Senior Reviewer Shelby Coleman did not hesitate to name Hello Dolly her favorite at Covedale this past year, with Legally Blonde close behind. Reviewer Doug Iden also agrees both were very strong productions. “It is tricky to present a well-known, beloved play since the audience has certain expectations…This production succeeds and exudes the charm and exuberance required.”
Senior Reviewer Alan Jozwiak highlighted Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. “Keaton Eckhoff, who played Buddy, was absolutely excellent.” Eckhoff previously played the title role on the National Tour in 2020-21, so Cincinnati audiences were delighted he reprised the role. Senior Reviewer Afshin Razi also caught Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story in January 2026. It “delivers exactly what audiences hope for: strong performances, infectious music, and an evening that leaves you smiling.” The rock-and-roll energy from the cast kept the audience completely hooked.
Clifton Players
Senior Reviewer Katrina Reynolds was thrilled to see the “McBrattons” back on stage together in The People in the Woods. “Carter Bratton is excellent as James…Miranda McGee makes Claire honest and utterly transparent…Randy Bailey’s mastery of abbreviated dialogue and poor social interaction is exceptional.”
Led by Carol Brammer and Kevin Crowley, Clifton Players continues rebuilding momentum after its hiatus with intimate and thought-provoking programming.
Falcon Theatre
“Crocodile Fever was a wild ride with two very strong lead actors,” according to Reynolds. Jozwiak praised Samantha Joy Weil and Alaska Dunn for balancing neuroticism, pain, and rebellious energy with emotional honesty.
However, it was Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons that most moved Jozwiak, particularly its exploration of government control and communication–limiting the number of words a person can say per day. Overall, kudos to Falcon Artistic Director Ted Weil for another season of intriguing premieres.
Ghostlight Stage Company
Ghostlight has continued turning heads with workshops, its Shining the Light series, and programming aimed at young professionals.
This year’s Motherhood The Musical was perfectly timed for Mother’s Day weekend. “What really sells this production is the friendship between these women and their genuine affection for one another,” Eichler wrote. “Kudos to director(and Artistic Director) Alyssa Batsakis for setting that tone.”
Gem City Groundlings
Ella Widau, LCT’s outgoing social media coordinator and reviewer, most enjoyed God of Carnage. Due to staging “the audience felt more like silent bystanders, forced to watch these people pick sides and argue over countless things for countless reasons. It felt extremely intimate, and that intimacy made it easy to see each character’s perspective on each conflict that arose. It was a very immersive experience.”
Widau also admired the clever concept behind A Comedy of Errors, staged in a 1960s department store complete with twin Santas and twin elves, kudos to founder Andrew Mitakides. Looking forward to their Shakespeare in rep opening June 14 – Titus Andronicus and As You Like It in rep.
Warsaw Federal Incline Theater
BurgerTown was one of Senior Reviewer Shelby Coleman’s favorites at the Incline last summer. Created by locals Ken Jones, Jamey Strawn, and Christine Jones, the rom-com starred Josh Galloway, Daine Paige, Delaney O’Toole, and Chloe Hedrick.
Reviewer Doug Iden praised this summer’s Disaster! as “a funny, over-the-top fantasy with loony but lovable characters showing impeccable comedic timing.” He also ranks Incline’s 1776 very highly. 1776 runs through June 21, 2026, directed by Tim Perrino. Click HERE for tickets.
One Off Productions
Eichler called The Pyromaniacs one of the boldest productions of the year. “Theatre history buffs, Rory Sheridan fans, enthusiasts of absurdism, and anyone paying attention to our current political moment will find The Pyromaniacs both unsettling and darkly entertaining.”
Rory Sheridan and R. Graham Rogers delivered memorable performances, while co-founders Hannah Gregory and Rupert Spraul continue earning attention for their ambitious independent theatre work.
Stage Right Musical Theatre, KY
Reviewer Shawn Maus selected Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka as his favorite Stage Right production. “The audience was fully engaged, with adults laughing right alongside kids who were swept up in the fun, energy, and occasional fairy-tale scares.”
“Stage Right made a smart choice choosing a show that welcomed kids and families into what may have been their very first live theater experience…it was refreshing to see families sharing an affordable night of live storytelling together.”
Razi agrees Wonka was “a welcoming, all-ages production that celebrates community participation as much as spectacle.” It had a lot of colorful, cozy winter charm.
The musical 9 to 5 opens June 12 and runs through June 28, 2026.
The Story Collective
Eichler highlighted the staged reading of Francis: The Man from Assisi as evidence of the strength of this emerging group, led by Susan Jung. “Francis: The Man from Assisi attempts to wrestle with the full scale of this life, and it doesn’t shy away from its darker chapters.”
She also highlighted last summer’s Once Upon a Mattress “as a light, nostalgic musical, made even more enjoyable by the enthusiasm and heart of this young cast.” This summer they bring GODSPELL to the stage, July 24-26.
Cincinnati Theatre Training Programs
The Cincinnati area boasts a number of strong theatre training programs that are members of LCT. Spring is both joyous and melancholy as graduating seniors leave familiar stages to chart their futures armed with training, charisma, and connections.
CCM – University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
Sweeney Todd remains one of the year’s strongest productions both visually and musically. Working with the Opera company, as well as the esteemed Sondheim scholar Rick Pender, director Vincent DeGeorge and Music Director Ian Axness created a masterpiece that will be spoken of for years to come.
However–multiple reviewers want to underline the CCM students (and faculty) involved with Anything Goes at The Carnegie this past February. “This one just fired on all cylinders,” says Razi. The production was “de-lightful, de-licious, and undeniably dynamic,” delivering “pure, communal joy and razzle-dazzle.” The choreography was sharp, the energy was infectious, and Indya Lincicome’s performance as Reno Sweeney was an absolute knockout. It was a perfect reminder of why these classics endure when they’re given this level of care.
Of the Acting Program, Jozwiak notes “Antigone is over 2,000 years old, but this production’s script really speaks to modern audiences. Moreover, it also finds newness in the material through language and music.”
NKU SOTA
“Their September 2025 Oklahoma! was amazing through its enlightening reinterpretation of a traditional show,” says Jozwiak. Senior Reviewer Afshin Razi said he had a couple of great visits at Northern Kentucky University Theatre Program. He agrees Oklahoma! was “a triumphant homage to a theatrical legend” that managed to feel “nostalgic, warm and funny.”
Later in November 2025, their A Christmas Carol proved to be “more than just another holiday show,” offering “a joyous, thought-provoking celebration of the season” that felt incredibly fresh and immersive.
Eichler also highlights the joy of Mamma Mia!, noting how audiences left with “a few ABBA earworms.”
Miami University Theatre
Razi saw Saw Murder on the Orient Express in November 2025. “Exceptional scene design, masterful direction, and a stellar cast make this whodunnit a thrilling ride.” It kept the audience leaning in the entire time.
Eichler praised the strong design work of the season overall, but singled out Zamani Munashe’s performance in By the Way, Meet Vera Stark last March.
“She brings fire and fierceness to the character of Vera Stark,” Eichler wrote, while the production itself challenged audiences to confront the racial limitations placed on Black actresses during the era.
Across Miami’s season, the productions explored characters searching for identity, purpose, and meaning.
Mount St. Joseph
Shawn Maus praised Blithe Spirit as “a stylish, sincere evening that looks the part,” highlighting both its design work and Jocelyn Snider’s performance.
In March 2026, Razi said “Little Women can still land with charm and power when a cast commits to its human-scale storytelling.”
The program’s Renaissance Scholarship encourages new and diverse students to become involved with Theatre program’s productions. Students of any major can earn a $500 per semester award through participation in the arts.
Xavier University Theatre
The 100th production of the Xavier theatre program, Spring Awakening was among the year’s most powerful productions. Reviewers Molly Alderson and Ariel Mary Ann praised Sean Moss and Taylor Mattingly for bringing “a strong emotional core” to the show. “It’s always refreshing when a production—especially one that evokes so much emotion—doesn’t try to outshine the material but instead lets it speak,” says Alderson.
Ariel Mary Ann singled out Leo Jenkins as Moritz, calling his performance vulnerable and unforgettable. “This production will stay with audiences long after the curtain falls,” she wrote.
Overall Favorites from Cincinnati Theatre 2025-26?
Picking a single favorite play or musical is nearly impossible. Do we weigh production values? Budget? New work? Scale? No one reviewer saw every LCT production this season, though Eichler, Jozwiak, Reynolds, and Coleman saw most. Even seasoned reviewers still love being surprised by a production that exceeds expectations.
For Eichler, college musicals that exceeded expectations included Xavier’s Spring Awakening, CCM’s Sweeney Todd. She adds she saw four college theatre productions within a few weeks–including NKU SOTA’s Mamma Mia! and Miami’s Into the Woods–and each was a celebration and success. “I love attending college theatre–especially the final production of the year.There’s often a palpable joy among the cast and crew–and their proud parents carrying flowers in the audience.”
Reynolds and Eichler note that Broadway Series production of Suffs was as one of the strongest touring productions of the year. (If you missed it, it is available to stream for free through July on PBS, in honor of the 250th Anniversary of America.)
Pyromaniacs helped establish One Off Productions as a company to watch, while Know Theatre’s Constellations demonstrated how smaller-budget productions can achieve remarkable emotional impact.
LCT reviewers and audiences alike value both the intimacy of smaller theatres and the grandeur of spaces like the Playhouse, the Corbett Auditorium, Aronoff Center and Music Hall. Different productions call for different experiences, but the goal remains the same: creating connection through live performance.
Whatever show moves you to think, feel, or better understand your fellow humans—that is a winner.
What was your favorite Cincinnati theatre production from the 2025-2026 season?
