As fall rolls around, central Ohio’s arts organizations are gearing up for another season of shows, performances, tours and more.
BalletMet - BalletMet’s 45th anniversary season features some of the most beloved ballets. The company presents Dracula Oct. 28-Nov. 5, The Nutcracker Dec. 8-24, The Prince of Oz Feb. 10-12 and Swan Lake April 28-30. Alongside the classics, the company presents BalletMet at the Ohio Sept. 16-18 and A Celebration of New Works March 10-18.
Broadway in Columbus (**NINA WEST INSIGHT**) - Broadway in Columbus’ season brings both classic and modern titles to the Ohio Theatre. The season opens with Hairspray Nov. 8-13, Elf the Musical Dec. 13-18, Six Jan. 24-29, Beetlejuice March 7-12, Ain’t Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations April 18-23, Annie May 12-14, To Kill a Mockingbird June 6-11and Disney’s Frozen July 26-Aug. 6.
CAPA – CAPA’s season presents a range of performances for the entire family. The season begins with Steven Wright: Live in Concert Sept. 10, followed by Disney Junior Live on Tour: Costume Palooza Oct. 11 and the acclaimed touring dance troupe Ailey II Oct. 11. The season continues with The Dollop Oct. 19 and Dirty Dancing in Concert Nov. 5. On Nov. 12, American jazz musician Brian Culbertson takes the stage with saxophonist and vocalist Marqueal Jordan. Disney Princesses in Concert closes out 2022 on Dec. 6.
Chamber Music Columbus - In celebrating its 75th anniversary season, Chamber Music Columbus presents an array of performances including premieres of original works. The monumental season opens with a “bonus concert” featuring the world premiere of Jaehyuck Choi’s Clarinet Quintet on Sept. 4, followed by The American Brass Quintet Oct. 8. Harpist Bridget Kibbey and violinist Alexi Kenney premiere a work by composer Libby Larsen Nov. 5, followed by performances by Cavani Strings with Louise Toppin Jan. 28, St. Lawrence String Quartet Feb. 18, the Calidore String Quartet April 1 and the Merz Trio May 6.
CATCO - The innovative theater company’s season celebrates friendship and persistence. The company opens with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel’s INDECENT Nov. 3-20, and the New Works Festival for Young Audiences Dec. 2-11. Dolly Parton’s musical rendition
of the 1980 film 9 to 5 comes to the Riffe Center Feb. 2-19. In the spring, the company presents JuCoby Johnson’s …but you could’ve held my hand March 23-April 8 and Sarah DeLappe’s inspirational tale of teenage girlhood, The Wolves, May 4-21.
Columbus Symphony Orchestra - Featuring a variety of international composers and performers, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s season presents a performance suited for every taste. The symphony presents Carmina Burana Sept. 30-Oct. 1, followed by Brahms & Dvořák Nov. 4-5 and Mighty Morton Organ Festival with Cameron Carpenter Nov. 18-19. The winter-inspired compositions continue into 2023 with Winter Festival featuring Bulgarian violinist Bella Hristova Jan. 6-7. Later in the month is Beethoven, Mozart, & Haydn Jan. 20-22. Further into 2023 are Dvořák’s New World Feb 3-4, Schubert Symphony No. 4, ‘Tragic’ Feb. 17-18, Mahler Symphony No. 9 March 3-4, Variations on Nutcracker Suite March 17-19 blended with jazz arrangements by iconic American jazz composer Duke Ellington, Carmen Suite April 14-15, Rachmaninoff & Tchaikovsky May 5-7 and Welcome to Spring May 19-20, featuring Chorus Director of the Columbus Symphony Chorus Ronald Jenkins in his final concert.
Jazz Arts Group (**BYRON INSIGHT**)- The 2022-23 season isn’t just any other year for the Jazz Arts Group; it’s its monumental 50th anniversary season! Louis Armstrong and Friends continues the Jazz at the Southern series Oct. 13-16. The series continues with Home for the Holidays featuring Stacie Board Nov. 3-Dec. 4, NEA Jazz Master Maria Schneider Feb. 9-12, The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World featuring John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton and Tamir Hendelman March 9-12 and Ray Charles and The Roots of R&B April 20-23.
Opera Columbus
Coming off its 40th-anniversary season in 2022, Opera Columbus is heading into another year of grand-scale operas and memorable collaborations. The season features Cinderella Oct. 28 and 30, the rhythmic sounds of the tango in Maria de Buenos Aires Feb. 24 and 26, and Rigoletto March 31-April 1.
Opera Project Columbus
Opera Project Columbus begins the season with I, Too, Sing America, OPC Diversity Project, which features excerpts from Shirley Graham DuBois’ opera Tom Tom and Leslie Savoy Burrs’ Vanqui, as well as music by Samuel Coleridge Taylor on Nov. 20. The season continues with Un Ballo in Maschera by Giuseppe Verdi in March 2023 and La Pietra Del Paragone by Gioachino Rossini in June 2023. Dates to be announced.
ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
ProMusica’s season revisits some of the most revered works in classical music, while simultaneously integrating the work of today’s composers. The Naked Classics series returns,
striving to explore classical music in a modernized format with Beethoven 5 Oct. 8-9 and Mozart March 3. Additionally, the season features Handel’s Messiah Nov. 12-13, Vadim Plays Brahms Dec. 10-11, Classical & Klezmer March 4-5, Mozart & Golijov April 15-16 and Brahms & Shaw May 13-14.
Schottenstein Center – The Schottenstein Center brings in a variety of performances for a range of audiences this season. Eric Clapton takes the stage Sept. 8, followed by Ben Platt Sept. 19. Jurassic World’s live performance series comes to Columbus Sept. 29-Oct. 2, followed shortly by The Who with Steven Page Oct. 9, Casting Crowns with Cain and Anne Wilson Oct. 15, and Shawn Mendes with Tate McRae Oct. 18.
Nationwide Arena – In addition to housing the beloved Blue Jackets, Nationwide Arena’s season brings some of the biggest touring artists and performers to Columbus, including Panic! at the Disco Sept. 21, comedian Kevin Hart Nov. 5, operatic tenor Andrea Bocelli Dec. 8, Carrie Underwood March 4 and Bruce Springsteen March 9.
Shadowbox Live
Shadowbox Live continues its 2022 season with witty sketch comedy and unique musical experiences. The company presents Wicked Games September-November and No Return: The Deadly Dance of Bonnie and Clyde September-November. The satirical holiday favorites return as well, with Holiday Hoopla and Not So Silent Night both running November-December.
Suburban Spoltight
New Albany Symphony Orchestra – The New Albany Symphony Orchestra presents several fun and festive events, including Latin Nights Sept. 9, Holiday Spectacular Dec. 18 and Ellington-Price-Still March 12. The season also features a special event concert, An Evening with Itzhak Perlman, April 26, and a variety of sensory-friendly concerts including The Rhythm is Gonna Getcha! Sept. 10, Santa & the Symphony Dec. 17 and Trailblazers March 11.
Abbey Theatre - The Abbey Theater of Dublin showcases dazzling performances this upcoming year, such as Gently Down the Stream July 21-30, RENT: School Edition Aug. 11-21, The Moment Sept. 10 and 11, Boy Sept. 15-24, An Evening with Lauren Wilkens: Motherload and Skinny Sept. 29-Oct. 2, I’ll Take Romance, The Musical Oct. 13-22, City Jail-World Premiere Nov. 11-13, Disney Descendants: The Musical Nov. 19-20 and A Seussified Christmas Carol Dec. 15-18. The Abbey Theater will also host the South Asian Theater Festival, an event that highlights the talents of South Asian performers and presents their stories.
Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts – The McCoy presents two outstanding performances this season. Starting out the season is female rock icon Melissa Etheridge in her performance Melissa Etheridge: One Way Out Tour Sept. 28, followed by An Evening with Itzhak Perlman, featuring world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, April 26.
Otterbein Theatre – The university’s season kicks off with A Little Night Music Sept. 22-Oct. 1, followed by Black Comedy Oct. 20-29, Dance 2022: Find Me in the Shadows Nov. 17-20, Our Town Feb. 9-18 and Bright Star March 30-April 15.
Curtain Players - Award-winning theater company Curtain Players returns this season with several performances both old and new, including Lee Blessing’s Eleemosynary Oct. 21-Nov. 6, Elizabeth Diggs’ Goodbye Freddy Dec. 2-18, Rent composer Jonathan Larson’s Tick, Tick… Boom! Jan. 27-Feb. 12, 2023, Ken Ludwig’s The Gods of Comedy March 10-26, 2023, Herb Gardner’s I’m Not Rappaport April 21-May 7, 2023, and William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream June 9-25, 2023.
Pickerington Community Theatre – Pickerington Community Theatre’s upcoming season boasts performances for the whole family, including Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Oct. 7-16 and Disney’s Frozen Jr. Dec. 2-11.
Claire McLean is an editorial assistant and Megan Roth is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mroth@cityscenemedia.group.
