6 Touring Musicals Coming to Ohio This Winter

Even if you weren’t a theater kid in high school, there is something undeniable about the magic of the stage. When the lights go down and the curtains rise, we know that something is incredible about to unfold. What better time is there to enjoy the stage than during winter. From a long-running Broadway legend to a newer production laced with pop hits, be sure to grab your tickets and prepare to be entertained.

Peter Pan | Jan. 14-19 
Follow the second star to the right to see this classic tale made famous by the 1953 Disney film visit Ohio Theatre in Columbus. Follow the tale of the Darling children in London as they are visited one evening by Peter Pan and his trusty (albeit sassy) fairy sidekick Tinker Bell. The children are whisked away to the imaginative Neverland, a journey that includes encounters with The Lost Boys and Captain Hook as underscored by songs like “I Won’t Grow Up.”

Six | Jan. 14-19 
A show about the betrayed and beheaded wives of King Henry VIII may not sound like one of Broadway’s hottest new touring shows. But the musical from Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss merges colorful costuming, fishnet-clad performers and pop-princess-inspired songs that add up to a can’t-miss spectacle. See the show that won the Tony Award for Best Original Score during its run at Dayton’s Schuster Center. 

Chicago | Feb. 4-9 
See amazing choreography, excellent costuming and “All That Jazz” during the traveling production of Chicago as it also visits Dayton’s Schuster Center. Holding the title of the longest-running American musical, the story follows stars Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart as they compete for headlines in the Windy City. The catch? They are both inmates in Cook County Jail, where songs like “Cell Block Tango” help drive the plot of the six-time Tony Award-winning musical.

& Juliet | Feb. 18-23
Everyone knows the Romeo and Juliet story, two star-crossed lovers doomed for a tragic fate. It’s one of Shakespeare’s best-known tales and has had countless creative takes over the centuries. The newest version, which visits the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, asks what would have happened if Juliet had not taken her own life in the name of love. The answer? A journey of friendship and self-discovery to the tune of songs by Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha, Arianna Grande, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears and more.

Hadestown | Feb. 22 
A trip to Hell and back never sounded (or looked) as good as it does in this Grammy and Tony Award-winning show that takes guests on a musical journey to the underworld. Playing for one night only on stage at E.J Thomas Performing Arts Hall on the University of Akron campus, the show follows the interwoven tales of both Hades and Persephone as well as Orpheus and Eurydice as they discover fear, love, hope and triumph.  

Beetlejuice | Feb. 25-March 2
Be careful of how many times in a row you say the name of this show detailing the events of the scary yet kooky 1988 movie “Beetlejuice.” Follow the story of Lydia in the time following the death of her mom. Depressed and wishing for a change, she is visited by a striped suit, green-haired ghost offering to “help.” This funny and outlandish Tony Award-nominated musical features catchy tunes like “Say My Name” and “The Whole Being Dead Thing.” Oh, and did we mention there’s a giant snake?

For more Ohio arts inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.