Events

Word, Sound, Power

A free workshop for Muse Machine student members in middle school & high school
Friday, September 20, 3:30-5:30pm
David H. Ponitz CTC (741 W Washington St, Dayton 45402)

Word, Sound, Power is a journey to peace, love and transformation. Through song, storytelling, meditation, movement and affirmation, Ayanna takes students on an inner journey of self-empowerment. During the session, Ayanna shares stories that provide teachable moments about finding internal peace and worthiness. She also takes students through a creative visualization experience where they will use their imagination to become a part of nature and co-create a place of peace and joy in their bodies and minds. Students will affirm their worthiness and also share their own ideas about how to find peace and positivity. They will experience the power of high vibrational words and sounds through positive affirmations and music. They will learn that our thoughts and words impact our lives. Students will also get tips on how to maintain peace and improve their self-care on a daily basis.

Muse Musical Auditions

Beginning September 23, 2024
Metropolitan Arts Center (next to the Victoria Theatre)

Be a part of one of the largest student productions in the state! The Muse production has opportunities for actor/singer/dancers, musicians and behind-the-schenes production assistants. Complete details and online audition appointments available here!

In-School Performances

Below are the performances that will tour participating schools in the 2024-25 season. Your Muse Machine advisors select which performances will appear at your school (all performances may not appear at all schools). Additional links related to the performances will be available below, added throughout the year.

Kick-Off Performance
YES WE’RE READY

Presented by singer/dramatist/activist Ayanna Gregory

Through songs, affirmations and powerful information about the human capacity for greatness, singer and activist Ayanna Gregory motivates students to start the school year off with confidence and high expectations. In this high-energy and interactive event, she encourages students to chart their own destiny by setting intentions, moving through distractions and embracing their education. And perhaps most importantly, Ayanna inspires students to co-create a culture of love and community. Photo courtesy of Ayanna Gregory.

THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Presented by musicians Rich Begel & Dean Simms

This show includes Rich Begel of the Dayton Philharmonic and Dean Simms, a nationally-touring Louis Armstrong artist. Rich and Dean will share the amazing music made famous by Louis Armstrong with Dean on vocals and trumpet, just like Louis! Between songs, there will be stories about Armstrong’s humble beginnings, his performing career, civil rights activism, racism that he faced and the actions he took against it.

THE WRITER’S PEN

Presented by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company

From a writer’s mind to the tip of their pen lies expression from deep within. DCDC expressionists deliver poetry in motion to reflect the modernization of Shakespeare’s sonnets to the poetic verses of rap/hip-hop artists and performance poets’ musical and lyrical spoken word monologues. The writer’s pen gives voice to our history and provides an insightful platform to our commentary on life. Photo courtesy of DCDC.

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

Presented by Dayton Opera

In Gilbert and Sullivan’s beloved comedy, the dashing Frederic is apprenticed to a band of pirates until his 21st birthday, which he just celebrated. But with a leap year birthday
on February 29th, is he duty-bound to remain a pirate for another 63 years? And will his sweetheart Mabel wait for him? Add the “very model of a modern Major General” and you have a performance filled with mayhem, humor and fabulous melodies. The Artists-in- Residence of Dayton Opera will perform all eleven (!) roles in this fast-paced 40-minute version of The Pirates of Penzance!

MACBETH

Presented by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

In this chilling adaptation of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy, the power-hungry Macbeth encounters supernatural forces and a prophetic destiny. Macbeth’s quest for the throne becomes a wickedly entertaining escapade filled with ghostly encounters, mischievous schemes and a dash of otherworldly mischief. Whispers of prophecies come to life, plunging the characters into a realm of mayhem where loyalties crumble and the line between reality and the supernatural blurs. Brace yourself for a journey into the heart of darkness!

Out-Of-School Performances

Below are the performances that Muse Machine members may attend with discounted tickets in the 2024-25 season. Your Muse Machine advisors select which performances are available for students at your school (all performances may not be available for all schools). See your Muse advisor if you’d like to see a specific show, for performance dates, other info or to purchase discounted tickets!

Muse Machine Musical: Cats

• Presented by Muse Machine at the Victoria Theatre on Jan 16-19, 2025
• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• Once a year, beneath the Jellicle moon, a tribe of cats comes together to tell their stories, to brag, to entertain and astonish… for the chance to be reborn to a brilliant new life! Winner of seven Tony Awards, including best musical — “spectacular yet sophisticated” (The New York Times). A beloved Dayton tradition, repeatedly named best annual Dayton special event — the 40th Muse musical will bring together students of all ages from many schools for a large scale musical comedy and a joyous experience. At the Saturday evening performance, there will be an optional guided backstage tour!

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse In Concert

• Presented by Dayton Live at the Schuster Center on Fri, Sept 27, 2024 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 8 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:20
• Following sold out shows throughout the world, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse In Concert will see the acclaimed film presented on a huge HD screen, accompanied by a range of musicians and instrumentalists performing music from the film’s score and soundtrack live to picture. This will include a full orchestra, a scratch DJ on turntables, percussion and electronic instruments.

Hamilton

• Presented by Dayton Live at the Schuster Center on Oct 3-11, 2024
• Recommended for ages 13 and up (contains adult language; middle school groups may opt to attend, but families should be aware that there are a few incidents of adult language)
• Estimated run time: 2:45
• Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical Hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution, and helped to found the United States. Fusing hip-hop, pop, R&B, and the best traditions of theater, this once-in-a-generation show broadens the sound of Broadway, reveals the storytelling power of rap, and claims our country’s origins for a diverse new generation.

Alice by Heart

• Presented by Sinclair Theatre Dept at Sinclair Community College: Blair Hall on Tues, Oct 15, 2024; stage tour and pizza at 5:00pm; performance at 7:00pm
• Recommended for ages 13 and up (contains reference to drug use)
• Estimated run time: TBA
• A new musical from the Tony and Grammy award-winning creators of Spring Awakening and Waitress explores the poignancy of love, loss and finding the courage to move forward. Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down in the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, where she and her ailing friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station. Alice encourages him to escape with her into their cherished book and journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. This free event includes a stage tour, pizza and performance.

Coppélia

• Presented by Dayton Ballet at the Victoria Theatre on Sat, Oct 19, 2024 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 5 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:00
• Set in a small Midwestern town, Coppélia tells the tale of a lifelike doll in a window front. Mistaken by the townspeople as a young, mysterious woman, she provides an escape for a community preoccupied with the realities of war. With beautiful choreography and comical toy characters, Coppélia has been called “visually stunning” and “magnificent!”

Remember the Time

• Presented by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company at the Victoria Theatre on Sun, Oct 27, 2024 at 4:00pm
• Recommended for ages 10 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• The artistry of DCDC is highlighted through three enduring works. “Home/An Untitled Portrait” conveys snapshots of “home” in all of its complicated glory. “Double Dutch And Broken Levees” transports viewers a rain-soaked block party that recalls the great migration. Finally, “Sets And Chasers” celebrates Duke Ellington’s radio broadcasts of the swinging ‘40s.

Broadway by Request

• Presented by Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center on Sat, Nov 2, 2024 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• Ready for a night of your favorite Broadway hits? You’ll vote for your most loved Broadway music or song and Neal Gittleman, the DPO and Broadway stars perform them live on stage! Hear selections from A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera and more!

Beethoven, London and a World Premiere

• Presented by Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center on Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• Take a trip to London courtesy of two British composers. In a world premiere, Malcolm Singer presents a contemporary look at the city, bustling with commerce, culture and politics, while Ralph Vaughan Williams shares a more historical and romantic account. In between the two works is Beethoven’s bold and beautiful First Piano Concerto, intended to be a showpiece for the composer himself.

Merry Grinchmas & (B)ART!

• Presented by Dayton Art Institute on Nov 14 or 21, 2024
• Recommended for ages 10 and up
• Estimated run time: 1:00 (to comfortably tour exhibits)
• Featuring two very animated, side-by-side exhibits! Merry Grinchmas: The Art of Dr. Seuss’ Holiday Classic features more than 200 original animated drawings by Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) and Chuck Jones, who brought Dr. Seuss’ holiday tale to life in the 1966 animated TV special. (B)ART! America’s Funniest Animated Family collects original handmade animation cels from the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons. Tour includes admission to the main galleries. Complete your visit with selfies on the Simpson family sofa!

Amahl and the Night Visitors

• Presented by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra & Dayton Opera Chorus at the Schuster Center on Fri, Dec 6, 2024 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 5 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• The shepherd boy Amahl has a propensity to tell tall tales and his most recent story is about a star with a tail that moves across the sky like a chariot on fire. Three splendid strangers ask to rest in Amahl’s tiny home and describe the miraculous child they are seeking. The enduringly popular story of a magic star, a shepherd boy and how unselfish love can work miracles.

Holiday Inn

• Presented by La Comedia Dinner Theatre, 765 W. Central Ave, Springboro 45066 on Dec 6-12, 2024; price includes dinner & show
• Recommended for ages 6 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:00 (arrive 5:30-6:00pm for meal; show ends at approximately 9:30pm.)
• The Irving Berlin musical tells the story of Jim, who leaves the bright lights of show business behind to settle down on his farmhouse in Connecticut. He meets a schoolteacher with talent to spare and they turn the farmhouse into a popular inn with dazzling performances. But when someone tries to lure Linda to Hollywood, will Jim be able to salvage his chance at love?

The Elixir of Love

• Presented by the Metropolitan Opera: Live in HDat Bethel Local Schools (Tipp City); on Sat, Dec 7, 2024 at 10:00am
• Recommended for ages 8 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:22
In this performance from the Met’s Live in HD series, Donizetti’s bubbly romantic comedy about a gutsy landowner, a hapless peasant, and the dubious love potion that may or may not bring them together never fails to delight audiences! Sung in Italian with subtitles. Includes a creative workshop for students and a screening of the Met’s lavish 2018 production.

A Muse Night Out: The Nutcracker

• Presented by Dayton Ballet and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center on Fri, Dec 13, 2024; 6:00pm pizza & presentations; 7:30pm performance
• Recommended for ages 5 and up
• Estimated run time: 1:45
• Join little Clara as she drifts into restless slumber, where she meets the sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. An enormous cast dances to live music performed by the Dayton Philharmonic in this holiday tradition! For this special Muse Night Out, students will enjoy free pizza and beverages in the Muse studio prior to the performance while being visited by Nutcracker special guests!

Six

• Presented by Dayton Live at the Schuster Center on Jan 14-19, 2025
• Recommended for ages 10 and older
• Estimated run time: 1:20
• Think you know the six Wives of Henry VIII? Think again. Prepare to lose your head and experience the tales of the Tudor Wives as they turn back the clock and take to the stage to reclaim their crowns and retell their stories of love, loss and the infamous ex they all have in common.

Chicago

• Presented by Dayton Live at the Schuster Center Feb 6-8, 2025
• Recommended for ages 13 and older (includes adult themes, language and violence)
• Estimated run time: 2:30
• Desperate to avoid a murder conviction, housewife and dancer Roxie dupes the public and the 1920s media by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her crime into a barrage of sensational headlines. After 27 years, Chicago is still the the musical with everything that makes Broadway shimmy-shake: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz.

A Distinct Society

• Presented by The Human Race Theatre Company at The Loft Theatre on Feb 12-14, 2025
• Recommended for ages 13 and up (contains adult language)
• Estimated run time: 1:40
• Nothing much ever happens in a sleepy library that straddles the border of the U.S. and Canada. But when an Iranian father and daughter, separated by the international border, start using the library as a meeting place, the French-Canadian librarian, an American customs agent and a local teenager find their quiet lives suddenly full of excitement! A touching and funny new play inspired by true events.

Cinderella

• Presented by Dayton Ballet & Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center on Sat, Feb 15, 2025 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 5 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:00
• Have a royal ball at this classic retelling of Cinderella, choreographed to Prokofiev’s sparkling score. Cinderella yearns to escape from her life as a scullery maid to her mean and jealous stepsisters. Enter her Fairy Godmother, a handsome prince, a loose shoe and a lot of magic — and Cinderella gets a glimpse of living happily ever after!

Hollywood Hits

• Presented by Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center on Sat, Feb 22, 2025 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• Grab some popcorn and enjoy the sounds of the Philharmonic as they present selections from some of the world’s greatest films! Experience blockbuster movie themes from Gone with the Wind, The Magnificent Seven, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, James Bond, The Pink Panther, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Dances with Wolves, Ben-Hur and many more!

Peter Pan

• Presented by Dayton Live at the Schuster Center on Feb 27-28, 2025
• Recommended for ages 5 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:20
• This high-flying musical has been brought back to life in a brand new adaptation by playwright Larissa FastHorse! When Peter Pan and his mischievous sidekick, Tinker Bell, visit the Darling children one magical night, they are taken on a magical journey they will never forget. You’ll be hooked on this journey from the second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning!

It’s a World of Dance

• Presented by Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra & Celtic Academy of Irish Dance at the Schuster Center on Sun, Mar 16, 2025 at 2:30pm
• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• The DPYO takes you on a musical spin around the globe! This performance highlights not only the finest young musical talent in our area and features the Celtic Academy of Irish Dance. The program includes popular global dance works such as Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Saint-Saëns’s “Danse Bacchanale,” and Marquez’s Danzón No. 2.

Camelot

• Presented by the Human Race Theatre Company at The Loft Theatre on Apr 2-10, 2025
• Recommended for ages 10 and up
• Estimated run time: 2:15
• Lerner and Loewe’s musical Camelot, based on the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table returns in a new, winningly fast-paced rendition. Balancing the remarkable music with a newly-focused script, the story of Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and Excalibur shines!

Verdi’s Aida

• Presented by Dayton Opera, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Ballet & Dayton Contemporary Dance Company at the Schuster Center on Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 2:30pm
• Recommended for ages 10 and up
• Estimated run time: 3:00
• Aida, an Ethiopian princess held in captivity, secretly falls in love with the handsome general leading the war against her homeland. Full of large, lush musical moments, a massive chorus, grand sets, and dazzling costumes, Verdi’s majestic opera transports you to a time of romance and spectacle.

Dvořák’s Cello Concerto

• Presented by Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra at the Schuster Center on Sat, Apr 26, 2025 at 7:30pm
• Recommended for ages 7 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• Cellist Adrian Daurov returns to the Schuster to perform one of the most lyrical and monumental concertos — Antonín Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in b minor — alongside the brilliantly comedic and somewhat eerie Don Giovanni Overture (Mozart) and Petrushka (Stravinsky).

Fantastic Forwards

• Presented by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company at the Victoria Theatre on Sun, Apr 27, 2025 at 4:00pm
• Recommended for ages 10 and up
• Estimated run time: TBA
• Pioneering choreographers present works with distinct voices, each a testament to the dazzling horizons that lie ahead. The dynamism of contemporary dance as exemplified by DCDC will be on full display.