Throughout April 2026 I’m sharing the 2026-2027 seasons announced by each of Cincinnati’s professional theater companies. This week’s update is about offerings from Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC), which bills itself the region’s premiere theater. It will offer a season that includes the return of a popular comedy, a world premiere musical by a well-known composer, a chilling and deeply human award-winning drama, a witty and heartwarming comedy, a powerful and music-filled drama and the return of a beloved, whimsical musical.
Announcing the season, Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers said, “The shows for our 2026-2027 season all have a theme of how to become your true self and how you can bring your unique talents to the world. We’re going to watch the creative process for six decades of music unfold from a legend of song and stage; we’re bringing back the phenomenal talents of two actors to reprise their roles together in one of our most popular shows; we’re going to discover what true beauty looks like; we’re going to ask questions about what we owe the children of tomorrow and how we live in the moment of today; and we’re going to close our season with a comedy from the award-winning Theresa Rebeck.”
Here’s what Meyers and her ETC team have lined up:
The season kicks off in September with a world premiere musical, Corner of the Sky: The Music of Stephen Schwartz (Sept. 5-27, 2026), the first theatrical celebration of legendary composer Stephen Schwartz’s songbook, highlighting six decades of tunes from the Grammy, Tony and Academy award-winning guy who cranked out Godspell, Pippin, The Prince of Egypt and Wicked, as well as other Broadway and Hollywood classics. Conceived and created by Scott Coulter (a 1993 alum of UC’s College-Conservatory of Music), the show will begin with Schwart’s first big hit Broadway song, Pippin’s “Corner of the Sky.” That’s the launchpad for an impressive array of familiar songs that came after, including Wicked’s “Defying Gravity.” Vince DeGeorge from UC’s College-Conservatory of Music, is set to direct the production
In Jeffrey Hatcher’s charming comedy Mrs. Mannerly (Oct. 13-Nov. 1, 2026) audiences will travel back to 1967 in Steubenville, Ohio. The autobiographical play follows nine-year-old Jeffrey as he tackles the rigorous etiquette class of the formidable Mrs. Mannerly, a teacher with a mysterious past and zero tolerance for rudeness. Through mischief, determination and surprising friendship, Jeffrey learns that manners are about more than just forks and napkins; they’re lessons in life, respect and self-discovery. This show was a big hit for ETC in 2012, and it’s one of the most popular productions in its history. Raymond McAnally and Cincinnati stage veteran Dale Hodges will reprise their roles from that sold-out run. Packed with sharp wit, heartwarming moments, and nostalgic humor, Mrs. Mannerly proves good manners — and laughter — never go out of style.
ETC’s family-friendly holiday musical will be the fifth iteration of Cinderella (Dec. 9-30, 2026). What do you get when you mix a nearsighted bookworm heroine, two fabulously self‑absorbed stepsisters, a devilishly diva stepmother and a self‑empowering “Well‑Wisher”? It’s a very modern spin on the classic fairytale, proving that being smart just might be the ultimate kind of beautiful. A king urges his romantically challenged son to choose a bride from hundreds of “applicants,” which leads to a hilarious cross‑country quest to reunite a missing sneaker (no glass slipper in this version) with its rightful owner. Full of laughs, charm and heart, Cinderella has repeatedly been perfect for audiences of all ages, and it’s likely to do just that again.
British playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children (Jan. 30-Feb. 21, 2027) gets its regional premiere tor ETC’s first production of 2027, directed by Cincinnati Shakespear Company’s Brian Isaac Phillips (who was an ETC apprentice years ago). In a secluded cottage on the British coast, retired nuclear physicists Hazel and Robin live quietly, tending their garden, practicing yoga and savoring their peaceful lives. The world outside is in utter chaos following a devastating disaster. The couple’s fragile calm is shattered when a former colleague arrives with a shocking and morally urgent request, forcing the three of them to confront their shared culpability. The show is a searing eco-thriller about accountability and guilt, reparation and redemption. Darkly funny, chilling and deeply human, The Children is an urgent and haunting exploration of environmental responsibility, legacy and the price of survival. Kirkwood’s play debuted in 2018; it was a New York Times Critic’s Pick and earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Play.
The regional premiere of Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau’s Paradise Blue (March20-April 11, 2027) completes ETC’s offering. ETC previously staged two of her plays, Detroit ’67 (2015) and Ain’t Too Proud (2022). With this production of Paradise Blue, Morisseau’s three-play “Detroit Project” with be complete. Set in 1949 Detroit in a sultry, jazz-filled Paradise Club, a gifted trumpeter and owner of the no-longer-vibrant nightclub is ready to leave town and his family demons behind. But where does that leave Pumpkin, his devoted caretaker, cook and romantic partner, who has dreams of her own? And what does it mean for the club’s resident band? When a seductive stranger enters the picture with plans of her own, everything is turned upside down, and the club’s makeshift family and its troubled bandleader must fight for the future of Paradise. The show is a powerful, noir-inspired, music-filled drama that explores ambition, loyalty and the meaning of community.
Twenty years after Cincinnati native Theresa Rebeck broke the mold of Off-Broadway romantic comedies with her play Bad Dates, she will deliver her comedy sequel with ETC’s regional premiere of Bad Dates: End Game (May 8-30, 2027). This time Haley, now a widow, navigates the chaos of modern dating with sharp wit, comedic charm and a few margaritas along the way. From disastrous Tinder encounters to awkward setups, she offers evidence that life’s second act can be hilarious, heartfelt and full of unexpected joy. Rebeck’s original show was called “hilarious and heartwarming,” and her laugh-out-loud sequel will offer the same relatable humor, resilience and charm. Rebeck will be back in town at ETC to stage this show; in 2025 the veteran playwright staged a well-received production of her recent show, I Need That.
Subscriptions to the 2026-2027 Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati season are on sale now. For information, call (513) 421-3555.