The theater program at Kent State University at Trumbull turns 60.

The Youngstown Playhouse opens its new performance space at the old performance space of the Oakland Center for the Arts, and Rust Belt Theater Company continues its search for a new space for its original productions.

There are two different stage adaptations of Jane Austen novels, the fourth and fifth area productions of “Little Shop of Horrors” since the COVID-19 pandemic, some stage classics and several regional premieres.

Those are just a few of the things theatergoers can look forward to in the coming year.

Here’s what some area theaters will be staging in 2025-26.

As always, shows and dates are subject to change.

ACTS Performing Arts Center

Sept. 26, 27 and 28 — The musical revue “ACTS Sings! Our Bucket List”

Oct. 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 — The musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”

Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 — The holiday classic “A Christmas Carol”

March 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29, 2026 — The musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”

May 8, 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17, 2026 — The mystery “Murder on the Orient Express”

June 5, 6 and 7, 2026 — The musical revue “ACTS Sings! Comedy Tonight”

Performances are at ACTS Performing Arts Center, 40 S. Irvine Ave., Sharon, Pa., and show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday

A season pass for all six shows is $112 or $80 without the two musical revues. Also available is a three-ticket flex pass for $67.50. For tickets or more information, go to www.artspac.org or call 724-815-4388.

Black Sheep Players

Aug. 22, 23 and 24 — Jane Martin’s “Talking …”

Black Sheep Players, 600 E. State St., Sharon, Pa., has announced most of its 2025-26 but not the performance dates. The rest of the season will include A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters,” Sam Bobrick’s dramatic comedy “Passengers” and David Alex’s drama “Mendacity” with a holiday production to be announced. For more information, go to blacksheepplayers.com.

Easy Street Productions

Dec. 19, 20 and 21 — The holiday musical revue “Miracle on Easy Street”

Easy Street’s holiday favorite returns to Powers Auditorium, 260 W. Federal St., Youngstown, but it’s the only show currently scheduled. Tickets will be available at the DeYor box office, online at experienceyourarts.org and by calling 330-259-9651. For more information, email easystreetproductionsytown@gmail.com.

Hopewell Theatre

Sept. 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14 — Joshua Harmon’s “Significant Other”

Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 7, 8 and 9 — “In the Zone with Rod Serling”

April 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12 — Lauren Gunderson’s “Silent Sky”

June 5, 6, 12, 13 and 14 — Reina Hardy’s “Glassheart”

Hopewell Theatre, 702 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown, will present four plays in 2025-26 and host Millennial Theatre Company’s production of “Who’s Holiday.” Tickets for Hopewell productions are $20 for adults and $15 for students and senior citizens. For more information, go to hopewelltheatre.org or call 330-746-5455.

Kent State University at Trumbull Theatre

Nov. 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23 — The musical “Spring Awakening”

Dec. 12, 13 and 14 — The comedy “A Tuna Christmas”

March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15, 2026 — The romance /comedy “Pride & Prejudice”

May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10, 2026 — The comedy “Adulteryhood”

July 13, 14, 15,16, 20, 21, 22 and 23 — The musical “The Rocky Horror Show”

All shows will be staged in the Kent State University at Trumbull Theatre, 4314 Mahoning Ave. NW, Champion, with performances at 7:30 p.m. except for 2 p.m. matinees on Sundays. For tickets or more information, go to www.kent.edu/trumbull/theatre or call 330-675-8887.

Millennial Theatre Company

Nov. 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 — “Stranger Sings: A Stranger Things Parody Musical” at Moyer Room, Youngstown Playhouse

Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13 — The comedy “Who’s Holiday” at Hopewell Theatre

April 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26, 2026 — The musical “The Producers” Youngstown Playhouse main stage.

Millennial Theatre Company opened its 2025-26 season in July at Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, and it will bring back “Who’s Holiday,” this time for a two-weekend run at Hopewell Theatre, 702 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown.Tickets for MTC productions and more information are available at www.millennialtheatre.org.

Rust Belt Theater Company

Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 — “How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas”

As Rust Belt Theater Company looks for a new permanent home following the landlord-tenant dispute that closed Club Switch, it will take its popular holiday show to the Youngstown Playhouse’s Moyer Room for a two-weekend run. That’s the only show currently confirmed, but the Rust Belt is exploring other locations for shows in 2025 and beyond. Tickets for Rust Belt are available by calling 330-507-2358.

Salem Community Theatre

Sept. 25, 26, 27 and 28 — The musical “Annie”

The rest of the season has been announced, but “Annie” is the only show for which dates have been released. The rest of the season will include “Little Shop of Horrors,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Frozen Jr.,” “Grease” and “Peter Pan.”

All productions are staged at 490 E. State St., Salem. Performances generally start at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Season tickets for all six productions are available for $75. Single tickets for “Annie” are $15. For tickets or more information, go to www.salemcommunitytheatre.org or call 330-332-9688.

Selah Dessert Theater

Oct. 23, 24, 25 and 31 and Nov. 1, 7 and 8 — The David Lindsay-Abaire comedy “Ripcord”

Feb. 27 and 28 and March 1, 7,8, 14 and 15, 2026 — Regional premiere of Jeffrey Kinghorn’s “Madbury Winter,” a play written in prose poetry.

May 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30, 2026 — Lee Blessing’s “Eleemosynary”

Selah Dessert Theater’s performance space is located above Selah Restaurant, 130 S. Bridge St., Struthers. All performances are at 8 p.m. For tickets and more information, go to www.selahrestaurant.com/theater-events.

Stage Left Players

Sept. 13 and 14 — “Sideways Stories from Wayside School” (Stage Left Youth Players)

Oct. 4, 5, 11, 12 and 18-19 — The comedy “The Foreigner”

Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 — The original musical “Cinderella” (Stage Left Youth Players)

Dec. 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 — The original holiday show “A Trailer Park Holiday”

April 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19, 2026 — “Princess Prudy’s Promise” (Stage Left Youth Players)

May 7, 8 and 9, 2026 — “Once Upon a Time … Classic Hits. Timeless Talent. Ageless Fun” (Stage Left Silver Players)

June 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28, 2026 — The musical “Little Shop of Horrors”

All productions are staged at Trinity Playhouse, 234 E. Lincoln Way, Lisbon. Show times generally are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. In addition to its theater season, Stage Left also will have two SPARK storytelling events on Nov. 2 and March 1, 2026.

Ticket prices are $17 for adults and $15 for students and senior citizens for general productions, $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens for youth productions and $10 for SPARK Storytellers events. Multiple flex pass options also are available. For tickets or more information, go to stageleftplayers.org or call 724-426-1955.

Top Hat Productions

Oct. 11 and 18 — That ’70s Dinner Concert

Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 — The musical “Amazing Grace”

Feb. 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026 — The musical “Hadestown: Teen Edition” (Tri-City Drama Club)

April 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26, 2026 — The musical “Prince of Egypt”

Top Hat stages its productions at Fairview Arts & Outreach Center, 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road, Youngstown.The website hasn’t been updated yet, but more information should be available soon at tophatproductions.org.

Trumbull New Theatre

Sept. 5, 6, 12, , 14, 19, 20 and 21 — The comedy “Boeing Boeing”

Nov. 7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 — The thriller / mystery “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight”

Jan. 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25, 2026 — The comedy / romance “Emma”

March 6, 7, 13,14, 15 and 20, 21 and 22, 2026 — The drama “Storm Warning”

May 1,2. 8. 9. 10.15, 16 and 17, 2026 — The musical / comedy “Deer Camp”

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Trumbull New Theatre, 5883 Youngstown Warren Road, Niles. Season tickets for the five-show season are $82 for a regular season pass and $86 for a premium pass, which allows the purchasers to reserve performance dates and preferred seating in advance. Single tickets are $17 for adults and $15 for students for plays and $20 for adults and $17 for students for musicals. For tickets or more information, go to trumbullnewtheatre.com or call 330-652-1103.

Youngstown Playhouse

Aug. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24 — The play “People, Places & Things” (Moyer Room)

Sept. 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 — The musical “Singin’ in the Rain” (Main Stage)

Oct. 10, 11 and 12 – The William Shakespeare comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Playhouse Youth Theatre)

Feb. 20, 21 and 22, 2026 — The musical “Honk Jr.” (Playhouse Youth Theatre)

March 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 — The drama “The Lyons” (downtown Youngstown location)

May 2026 — “Urinetown: The Musical” (Main Stage)

June 19, 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28, 2026 — The play “The Shark Is Broken” (downtown Youngstown location)

Main Stage and Moyer Room shows are at Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, Youngstown. Downtown productions will be at the Playhouse’s new performance space at 220 W. Boardman St., Youngstown. Show times generally are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Flex passes good for four admissions to eligible shows range from $48 to $78. Single tickets range from $17 to $27 for adults for main stage shows and $12 to $22 for children for main stage shows. Tickets are $17 for shows in the Moyer Room. Flex passes and tickets for the first two shows are available online at experienceyourarts.org, by calling 330-788-8739 and in person at the DeYor Performing Arts Center box office. Individual tickets will go on sale about six weeks before each production opens.

Youngstown State University

Oct. 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 — The comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” at Ford Theater

Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 — The musical “Be More Chill” in Spotlight Theater

Feb.13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, 2026 — The comedy “Episode 26” in Spotlight Theater

April 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2026 — The musical “Kiss Me Kate” in Ford Theater

All performances are at YSU’s Bliss Hall. All performances are at 7:30 p.m. except for Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Season tickets are $55 for adults, $40 for senior citizens and $30 for non-YSU students, YSU alumni, Penguin Club members and YSU faculty and staff. Single tickets are $16 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, non-YSU students, YSU alumni and Penguin Club members; $8 for YSU faculty and staff and $5 for children ages 12 and younger. YSU students are admitted free with a valid ID. Tickets are available online at ysu.tix.com.