Category Archives: On Stage

NEXT TO NORMAL
Dare to Defy Productions
Aug. 3-5
Schuster Performing Arts Center [Dayton]

Come see what all the excitement is about! Next to Normal, written by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, is the final production in our inaugural Dare 2 Inspire: Theatre for Young Artists season! This particular show is cast entirely with students between the ages of 18-20, and they (and we) are excited to share with you what they’ve been doing all summer!

This Pulitzer-Prize winning rock musical, explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness. It tells the story of a mother, Diane Goodman, who struggles with bipolar disorder and the effect that her illness has on her family. This contemporary musical is an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues as grieving a loss, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life. With provocative lyrics and a thrilling score, this musical shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family’s world intact.

• Fri-Sat, Aug. 3-4 at 8pm
• Sun, Aug. 5 at 2pm

Official page |

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Dare to Defy Productions
July 27-29
Dayton Convention Center

Considering our increasingly volatile political climate; the pervasive and influential nature of media on politics and cultural perceptions; as well as the rampant religious intolerance observed throughout the world, we are excited to present a multimedia contemporary take on the controversial and heavily political Andrew Lloyd Webber 70’s rock opera about the final days of the life of Jesus. In our production, The message of Jesus, a viral internet sensation, speaks to the yearning masses, inspiring formidable movements and political action, which poses perceived threats to and causes great concern for governments and churches across the globe. Performed by students ages 14-20.

• Fri-Sat, July 27-28 at 8pm
• Sun, July 29 at 2pm

Official page |