Dayton Playhouse Cancels 2020-21 Season

According to Dayton.com, Dayton Playhouse has cancelled its 2020-21 season due to the health crisis.

"This was a heart-wrenching decision for the board," said Matthew Lindsay, Playhouse Board Chair. "We weighed options and discussed alternatives but in the end we all agreed canceling the season was the best and safest route to pursue."

Read more on Dayton.com.

In addition, the Dayton Playhouse has decided to reformat this year's FutureFest. The Dayton Playhouse is planning to produce readings of three of the six scripts to be streamed online, along with live talkbacks with those finalist playwrights. In addition, there will be a series of three Playwright Dialogues with all six playwrights, interviewed by Board Chair Matt Lindsay. There will be no adjudication of the shows this year and no winner selected.

Streamed plays are:

A Ghost of a Chance by Kimberly Shimer, directed by Annie Pesch. The afterlife story of Evelyn, a nitpicky, obsessive, know-it-all whom, after dying, finds she can't make it to her final resting place until she reconciles with her husband Harry. Unfortunately, because she made Harry miserable for most of their 30-plus years of marriage, he's not particularly inclined to make nice with her ghost when she pays him a visit.

Before Lesbians by Elana Gartner, directed by Kim Warrick. When Charlotte and Vivian meet at the courthouse in Shippensburg, PA, they are about to marry their fiancés who are leaving to fight for President Lincoln. After their husbands leave for war, Charlotte and Vivian develop a friendship through letters and visits and suddenly find themselves struggling with their growing romantic and confusing feelings for one another.

The Good Deli by Kevin Cirone, directed by Debra Kent. After visiting her estranged and ailing father in the hospital during serious health complications, a Boston comedian decides to take a road trip with her family to find the Italian deli of her father's youth.

While the Dayton Playhouse is in the planning stages, their hope is that each play is available to watch for one week. Ticket prices and availability will be announced by June 19.

The Playhouse is also selling FutureFest t-shirts to commemorate this summer's plays. T-shirt prices are $19. Go to www.daytonplayhouse.com to see this year's unique design! You must order your t-shirt by June 27.

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