DreamWorks’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON The Musical JR.
CINCINNATI – The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) completes its inaugural MainStage season in the newly restored and reimagined Emery Theater with DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR., opening Friday, April 17, 2026. Tickets start at $12 and are on sale now at thechildrenstheatre.com.
Based on the beloved DreamWorks film, the one-hour (JR.) version of How to Train Your Dragon, The Musical brings the epic adventure of Hiccup, a young Viking, and a dragon named Toothless to life in a thrilling stage production filled with soaring music, heartwarming friendship, dynamic storytelling, and of course… dragons!. Determined to prove himself, Hiccup discovers that strength is not about fearing and fighting dragons, it is about understanding them. What unfolds is a powerful story about courage, compassion, identity, and the relationships that change everything.
This visually stunning production is designed to take full advantage of the Emery Theater’s cutting-edge technology, transforming the stage into a world where dragons rule the skies. With immersive projection, dynamic staging, and theatrical magic at every turn, audiences will be transported to the Isle of Berk in one of TCT’s most ambitious and cinematic productions to date.
Kim Kern, President and CEO of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, said: “DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is exactly the kind of breathtaking, imaginative storytelling the Emery Theater was built for. It’s big, bold, and visually stunning, but at its heart, it’s a story about connection, courage, and seeing the world differently. Watching Hiccup and Toothless form that bond is something that stays with you. And to bring a story like this to life on this stage, in a way that feels larger than life, with all the technology we now have at our fingertips, is exactly why we dreamed so big for the Emery. This is the kind of experience families will talk about long after they leave.”
Public Showtimes include:
- Friday, April 17, 2026: 7 PM – OPENING NIGHT
- Saturday, April 18, 2026: 2 PM and 5 PM
- Sunday, April 19, 2026: 2 PM
- Saturday, April 25, 2026: 11 AM and 2 PM (ASL and Audio Described Performance)
- Sunday, April 26, 2026: 2 PM
- Saturday, May 2, 2026: 2 PM and 5 PM
- Sunday, May 3, 2026: 2 PM
Good to know: This production uses theatrical fog, haze, loud sound effects, and lifelike dragons. Flashing lights, but no strobe effects, are used. This production runs approximately 60 minutes without intermission. Ideal for ages 4+.
From DreamWorks Theatricals. Book By Kate Thomas. Music By Veronica Mansour. Lyrics By Kate Thomas & Veronica Mansour. Concept and Stage Direction by TCT Artistic Director, Roderick Justice. Choreography by TCT Education Director, Angelo Cerniglia. Music Direction, Jamey Strawn. Scenic Design, Nate Bertone. Lighting Design, Yelena Babinskaya. Costume Design, John Coulter. Video/Projection Design, Lightborne. Sound Design, Dani Lobello. Puppet Design/Creation, Kevin Frisch.
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. is made possible by Dress Run Sponsor TriHealth and Season Sponsors The Charles H. Dater Foundation and The H.B., E.W. and F.R. Luther Foundation. PNC Foundation provides additional funding for MainStage Ticket Subsidies. Additional Sponsors include The Sutphin Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation INC.
This production is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the annual ArtsWave Campaign, the region’s primary source for arts funding.
DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. will be performed in the beautifully renovated and reimagined Emery Theater, 1112 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Tickets start at $12. Visit thechildrenstheatre.com anytime or call the TCT Box Office at 513.569.8080 x10, Monday – Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM to purchase tickets.
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