Dayton Playhouse

The Dayton PlayHouse has been an ACTIVE community theatre in Dayton, Ohio since 1959.

History

At that time, they were known as Dayton Community Theatre at Longfellow School on Salem Avenue. Dayton Children’s Theatre was formed in 1962 and continued to grow and flourish through the years. Later, this program became known as Dayton Playhouse Youtheatre. The program provided an educational and performance opportunity to Dayton area children and teens. In 1966, the organization moved into the historic State Theatre in downtown Dayton. While located in the State Theatre, a second adult group was formed known as Dayton Repertory Theatre. This group went on to win statewide honors in performance excellence. After the demolition of the State Theatre in 1970, both groups moved to a bowling alley on East Third Street, which the City of Dayton had converted into a theatre. Eventually the two adult groups combined and become known simply as The Dayton Playhouse. In the summer of 1987, the City of Dayton completed work on a new venue located off Siebenthaler Avenue. This permanent facility has been the home for the Dayton Playhouse ever since. Dayton Playhouse has grown today to one of the oldest and largest theatres in southwest Ohio that uses only local talent. Since it's founding, Dayton Playhouse has been a training ground for young actors and a creative outlet for older performers who have chosen an alternative career choice to the theatre. Dayton Playhouse is proud to have actor Rob Lowe as one of its alumni. Over the years Dayton Playhouse has made its niche in the market by producing large scale musicals and is the home to the nationally renowned FutureFest...a festival of new works.

FutureFest

In 1991 the Dayton Playhouse began putting on FutureFest, an annual playwrighting festival that has helped launch the careers of almost 90 playwrights. Since 1991, 21 playwrights have emerged out of FutureFest to see their script published and produced across the country. Dayton Playhouse is given credit as the scripts premiere production. Theatre critic and regular adjudicator Mr. Peter Filichia has called FutureFest “the best deal around for budding playwrights!” The 2005 Dayton Playhouse FutureFest award winning play Farragut North by Beau Willimon is currently in production Off-Broadway.