THE CONTEMPORARY THEATRE OF OHIO

by Paul Batterson - May 18, 2026

HADESTOWN will always have a special place in the heart of Ohio Theatre patrons. On Nov. 16, 2021, the musical was the first production in the historic theatre after the COVID epidemic dimmed the lights there for nearly a year and a half. The theatre staff  laid roses on every seat to signal Broadw...

by Paul Batterson - May 17, 2026

What did our critic think of PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Short North Stage?...

by Paul Batterson - April 30, 2026

What did our critic think of LIFE IN MOTION: A STORY TOLD THROUGH DANCE at Shadowbox Live!?...

by Paul Batterson - April 21, 2026

That’s both the draw and the danger of Jim Steinman’s music. While it comes with a built-in 50-and-over audience, jukebox musicals run the danger of relying on nostalgia, being underperformed by its actors, and/or having a paper thin plot. BAT OUT OF HELL avoided two of those three pitfalls. As ...

by Steve Sucato - April 10, 2026

'Alexi Ratmansky’s 'Seven Sonatas' was a cut above anything I have seen from BalletMet in recent memory.'...

by Christina Mancuso - April 08, 2026

Originally conceived as an adaptation of the long‑running TV variety show Hee Haw, Shucked popped into the Ohio Theatre on Tuesday night packed with deliciously corny puns, ear-to-ear smiles, and rapid‑fire one‑liners. What begins as a wink‑and‑nod celebration of pun‑loving humor quickly...

by Paul Batterson - March 24, 2026

What did our critic think of SAMARA JOY at Southern Theatre? When people describe Samara Joy as an “American jazz singer,” they aren’t wrong. But they’re missing the point....

by Paul Batterson - March 23, 2026

Short North Stage is never one to back down from a challenge. At the end of every season, the Columbus theatre group asks its audience what shows it would like to see the following season....

by Paul Batterson - March 18, 2026

There appeared to be a serious breach of theatre etiquette in the March 17 production of THE OUTSIDERS at Ohio Theatre (37 E. State Street in downtown Columbus)....

by Paul Batterson - March 10, 2026

Whether it is Floyd’s Barber Shop in THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Truvy’s Beauty Salon in STEEL MAGNOLIAS or even the Suburban Salon in EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, hair care is the center of society. Gossip is distributed like shampoo, lies are covered up like hair dye, and life’s tangled knots are cut aw...