MANSFIELD—The historic Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield will celebrate its 95th anniversary on May 19th at 7:30 pm with a night of performances showcasing the wide variety of entertainment the theatre has to offer. The event will feature performances from Broadway actors, members of the Mansfield Symphony and Artistic Jazz Orchestra, education program participants, and guest dancers from the Richland Academy.
The show will revisit a selection of productions from recent years, including Les Misérables, Hairspray, and Newsies. The event will also highlight sneak peek numbers that will take place in the upcoming season, which will be announced in the lead-up to the 95th Celebration.
The celebration will be a time to honor some special members of the Ren family and thank the community and key players for being a part of the journey. The show is expected to last around 90 minutes and will be followed by a dessert reception. The evening is presented by Kleshinski, Morrison, & Morris and MG Energy, and sponsored by Roby Foster Miller Earick Insurance and Modern Woodmen of America.
Attendees will have the opportunity to visit the new “Ghostlight Lounge,” a speakeasy in the theatre’s lower lobby that is making its debut that night. The lounge is a nod to the prohibition era in which the theatre doors first opened and is just one more historical treasure within the Renaissance that patrons will be able to enjoy at future shows.
Chelsie Thompson, President and CEO of the Renaissance Performing Arts, said, “Post-pandemic, the time is ripe to bring everyone together to celebrate the thriving arts and culture environment that we have here in Mansfield, and it feels fitting that we’re doing that with a sort of variety show similar to those that took place in our historic ‘Ohio Theatre’ in its earliest days.”
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Renaissance box office, by phone at 419-522-2726, or by visiting the Ren website: rentickets.org. The theatre is located at 138 Park Avenue West, Mansfield, OH.