Human Race Theatre Company Reveals 2024-25 Season

Human Race Theatre Company’s 39th year, delves into “What makes us better humans?” exploring how faith, community, service, and inner compass influence the choices we make.

This inquiry ties back to the company's core mission: to startle us into a renewed awareness of ourselves. The company's founders—Suzy Bassani, Caryl Philips, and Sara Exley—envisioned our theatre as a platform to express humanity's vast emotions and experiences. “Our actions and reactions to our circumstances and the world around us transform us,” notes Emily N. Wells, Artistic Director.  “We invite you to join us for our 39th season, promising a captivating blend of love, hope, fear, beliefs, and joys that reflect the present moment.” With pleasure and anticipation, we now share the 39th year of The Human Race Theatre Company: Re/action  

The 2024 – 25 Season features five productions, combining fresh and favorite works, all showcased in the unique style of The Human Race Theatre Company. 

The 5-production season launches in October with Kate Hamill’s quirky take on the canon of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the murder-mystery comedy Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B.

 
In December, a world premiere comedy continues The Human Race tradition of alternative winter offerings with A Frosty Night. Imagined by playwright Mark Brown (This is Tom Jones!, Around The World in 80 Days), this what-if scenario pits Frosty the Snowman’s frustrated and heartbroken wife Sharon against Mrs. Claus.

Join in February for A Distinct Society by Kareem Fahmy, recently nominated for seven San Francisco Critic’s Circle awards. In the tranquil hush of a library that straddles the U.S. – Canada border, unexpected relationships write the most compelling stories.

As spring returns, so does the legend of Camelot. In this tightly crafted adaptation of Lerner and Lowe’s beloved classic adapted by David Lee, wrap yourself in timeless romance, heroic dreams, and the soaring melodies that stir the soul.

Rounding out the season, raise a glass with your high school crowd at The Comeuppance. A New York Times Critic Pick for 2023 penned by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, this contemporary dark comedy delves into the heart of friendships that outlast life’s twists and turns.

All tickets are available through Dayton Live Box Office at 937-228-3630 or online.

Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B

By Kate Hamill

Cheerfully Desecrating the Stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Director Heather Wilson-Bowlby

October 9 – 20, 2024 – Regional Premiere

This fast-paced romp re-examines the world’s most famous detective story with a bold new feminist lens. In this highly theatrical escapade, oddball female roommates Sherlock (yes, it’s also a girl’s name—wait, is it a girl’s name? Is it even a name?) Holmes & Joan Watson join forces. They emerge from the pandemic fog as a deeply codependent, quasi-dysfunctional Odd Couple adventure duo—solving mysteries and kicking butts, until they come face-to-face with a villain who seems to have all of the answers.

Prepare for an evening of laughter, suspense, and empowerment as Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B takes you on an unforgettable adventure that redefines heroism, friendship, and the art of deduction.

Recommended if you liked The 39 Steps, Deadline, Shipwrecked!

A Frosty Night

By Mark Brown

Director Emily N. Wells

December 11 – 22, 2024 – World Premiere
 

In this world premiere farce, Mark Brown takes on winter with a twist! Sharon Frosty, Frosty the Snowman’s wife, knows that he’s up to no good and follows his trail to the North Pole. Will she catch him in the act? Laugh ‘til you’re blue with this adults-only comedy.

Recommended if you liked Reindeer Sessions, Who’s Holiday, This is Tom Jones!

A Distinct Society

By Kareem Fahmy

Director Brant Russell

February 5 – 16, 2025

In the tranquil hush of a library that straddles the U.S. – Canada border, life is about to change. When an Iranian father and daughter, separated by the international border, start using the library as a meeting place, the French-Canadian librarian, an American customs agent, and a local teenager find their quiet lives suddenly full of excitement and consequence. Inspired by true events, A Distinct Society is a touching and funny new play about the many things – family, food, art, love, and politics – that can either divide or unite us.

Experience a story of borders transcended by the universal search for connection, proving that even in the quietest places, life can echo with excitement and profound significance.

Recommended if you liked The Cake, Gloria.

Camelot

Book & Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner

Music by Frederick Loewe

Book Adapted by David Lee

New Orchestrations by Steve Orich

Director Emily N. Wells

Music Director Ian Axness

March 26 – April 6, 2025

Embark on a majestic journey to a realm where honor, dignity, and morality pave the way for a new era under the youthful King Arthur's reign.  This tightly focused adaptation of the classic musical Camelot breathes new life into the legendary love triangle with the same musical favorites “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “The Lusty Month of May,” “I Loved You Once In Silence,” and “Camelot.” Witness as this beloved musical is reborn, offering a spellbinding experience that celebrates love, leadership, and the quest for an ideal world.

Recommended if you liked Fiddler on the Roof, Mame, Oliver!

The Comeuppance

By Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Director Latrelle Bright

May 28 – June 8, 2025 – Regional Premiere

As the sun sets on the eve of their twentieth high school reunion, a close-knit group of former classmates—once known as the “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group”—reunites to pre-game the monumental night. Bonded in their youth as outsiders, they now navigate the complexities of adulthood with humor, heart, and a hint of nostalgia. Brilliantly witty, theatrical, and moving, The Comeuppance focuses on millennials reckoning with the world they will soon inherit. This play is a toast to the ties that bind us, the past that shapes us, and the future we step into together.

Recommended if you liked peerless, Lizzie, Heathers.

 

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