The newly formed Gem City Groundlings follow their inaugural production of Macbeth with Keith Huff’s gripping crime drama A Steady Rain. The show runs September 18–27, 2025, at the Dayton Convention Center’s Jr. Ballroom. Directed by Adrian Hawk-Smith, this 90-minute, intermission-free production grips audiences from the opening line and never lets go.
The Story
Starring Andrew Mitakides as Denny and Ryan Hester as Joey, the play unfolds with the intensity of a televised crime drama but with the intimacy and immediacy only live theatre can offer. Huff’s script explores the murky intersection of loyalty, morality, and survival on the streets of Chicago. Childhood friends turned police partners, Denny and Joey navigate family ties, alcoholism, and the gritty realities of their profession—until a single domestic call changes everything. What follows is a relentless unraveling of trust against a backdrop of violence, corruption, and moral compromise.
Electric Performances
The dynamic between Mitakides and Hester is nothing short of electric. Mitakides embodies the hot-tempered, swaggering Italian-American Denny with a mix of bravado and volatility. Hester offers the perfect counterbalance as Joey, his quieter Irish-American partner whose conscience slowly begins to weigh against their shared history. Their chemistry highlights the play’s central tension: two men tethered by brotherhood, yet fractured by choices and circumstance.
Performed in the Round
Performed in the round, A Steady Rain‘s staging strips away distance and forces the audience into the officers’ confessions, as if seated across the table during their recounting of a rain-soaked Chicago week. BLC Entertain’s lighting design underscores this intimacy, shifting the focus seamlessly while maintaining a constant, pressing atmosphere.
Overall
At 90 minutes, the production moves briskly. A Steady Rain is raw, unflinching, and punctuated by humor that reminds us of the humanity beneath the uniforms. The themes of diversity in law enforcement, family responsibility, and moral ambiguity ensure the show lingers long after the final line.
This is only the second outing for the Gem City Groundlings—Dayton’s only Shakespeare theatre registered with the Shakespeare Theatre Association. A Steady Rain proves they are equally adept at modern works. The result is an unforgettable production that should not be missed.
Tickets to A Steady Rain
Tickets are available at gemcitygroundlings.com and performances are in the Jr. Ballroom at the Dayton Convention Center.
Performances run:
- September 20 at 7:30 PM
- September 21 at 2 PM
- September 25–27 at 7:30 PM
- September 27 at 2 PM
Note: Due to adult themes and language, this production is recommended for mature audiences.
