Tag Archives: The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati

DreamWorks’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON The Musical JR. Opens Friday night 

HICCUP

CINCINNATI – Vikings, dragons, and epic adventure are taking over the stage at the Emery Theater. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) opens DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon The Musical JR. tomorrow, Friday, April 17, bringing the beloved DreamWorks story to life in a visually spectacular one-hour theatrical experience designed especially for families. Tickets start at $12 and are on sale now at thechildrenstheatre.com.

Using the Emery Theater’s immersive technology, the production transforms the historic venue into the mythical Isle of Berk, where young Viking Hiccup forms an unlikely friendship with a dragon named Toothless, sparking a story about courage, compassion, and discovering strength in unexpected places.

Designed to take full advantage of the Emery Theater’s cutting-edge technology, the production features immersive projection, dynamic staging, and theatrical magic that transport audiences straight into the world of Berk—making it 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, 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. 

CAST: 

• ISABEL ACEVEDO: Ensemble
• CHRISTIAN ARIAS: Toothless Puppeteer
• PHOENIX BILLS: Darby
• LILLY BUCK: Astrid
• CAMMI CALDWELL: Zippleback
• MAIYA CALDWELL: Ensemble
• BRAEDEN CRISS: Zippleback
• EDRICO EVANS-PRITCHETT: Snotlout
• AVERY FOX: Ruffnut
• JOSH GALLOWAY: Fishlegs
• ADRIAN GRAFF: Gronckle
• GRIFFIN HATFIELD: Ensemble
• ROLAND HENSLEY: Ensemble
• ARIANA HOOBERMAN-PIÑERIO: Deadly Nadder
• DEZ FLYNN HUTCHENS: Ensemble
• JONATHAN SMITHE KENNEDY: Tuffnut
• EVAN KOONS: Stoick
• ETHAN KUCHTA: Burnthair/Wild Dragon
• AARON MARSHALL: Toothless
• ELLIOT MARTIN: Ensemble
• AUSTIN MILLS : Ensemble
• MEGAN MURRAY : Ensemble
• GABRIEL KANAI NAKATA: Monstrous Nightmare
• MIKAYLA RAE: Phlegma
• CODY ROBERTS: Gobber
• NICHOLAS LYONS ROHR: Gudrun
• ADONIAH ROSS: Ensemble
• LILA RUSCHE: Frida/Wild Dragon
• ABE SANDERS: Ensemble
• COLTON SLADE: Hiccup
• PAYTON TROUT: Ack
• DONALD WASHINGTON: Hoarck
• MICHELLE WELLS: Gertrud/The Red Death
• SAMARA WILKEY: Ensemble
• MARY VOSSEBERG: Nore/Wild Dragon 

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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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JumpStart Theatre Program Applications Now Open for K-12 Schools 

Cincinnati – The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is currently accepting applications for the 2026-2027 season of the school initiative, JumpStart Theatre.

The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF), in collaboration with New York City-based companies iTheatrics and Music Theatre International (MTI), created JumpStart Theatre, a three-year scalable program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved schools that previously had none.

All Cincinnati tri-state area schools may apply to participate in JumpStart Theatre. Applications can be completed and submitted online now through April 1, 2026. Selected schools will be announced later this spring and will begin implementing the program in their school in the fall of 2026.

Participant schools are chosen through the online application which is now available at: https://thechildrenstheatre.com/26-27-jumpstart-theatre-application/

Training & Ongoing Mentoring:
Each school will receive services and materials valued at $12,000 in the form of training, mentoring, and production support for a full-scale show for their community. Students will be involved in every aspect of the production, and TCT with ETF will also host the annual JumpStart Theatre showcase, bringing all the participants together to share their work.

The selected schools make a three-year commitment, and teams of three or more teachers from each school will participate in professional development “boot camps” in a variety of areas led by a master teacher in the fall, winter and spring. These workshops will provide training in all areas of musical theatre production, with the goal of empowering the teacher teams to guide the programs independently.

Local JumpStart Schools Include:
Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, Mt. Washington School, Batavia Middle School, Shroder High School, Covedale Elementary, Holmes Middle School, Finneytown Middle School, and Gamble Montessori High School.

About the Educational Theatre Foundation:
The Educational Theatre Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Educational Theatre Association, whose shared vision is to build a global community of creative problem solvers, effective collaborators, and empathetic individuals through theatre. ETF advances the field of educational theatre by broadening representation and increasing access for all. Learn how at foundation.schooltheatre.org.

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