Beck Center for the Arts

Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, Ohio, is a non-profit, performing arts and arts education organization. It is the largest theater and arts center on Cleveland's West Shore, educating and entertaining over 65,000 people per year. On its 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) campus, Beck Center houses two stages producing live theater for children, teens and adults; two gallery spaces, and over thirty classrooms for educational programming for children and adults. It offers classes in visual arts, music, theater and dance.

Beck Center for the Arts
Formation1931
TypeTheatre group
Location
  • 17801 Detroit Avenue Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Websitebeckcenter.org

The Beck Center was originally named the "Guild of the Masques" when it was founded by Richard Kay in 1929; formally incorporating as the Lakewood Little Theatre in 1933. The group moved onto its current site in Lakewood, Ohio in a theater originally designed for the movies, the Lucier, in 1938. They redesigned the interior space for live plays and purchased the building in 1943. In the following decades, the group bought up contiguous land, and, in 1972 began a capital campaign to build a new center. They were successful in raising $600,000 which was matched by ad exec Kenneth C. Beck and the current Beck Center was built in 1975.[1]

Beck Center for the Arts hosts the longest running youth theater program in the United States, running for nearly seventy years.

Productions

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2024-2025 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
The Sunshine Boys September 13 - October 6 Senney Theater
The Glass Menagerie October 4 - November 3 Studio Theater
Joseph and the Amazing

Technicolor Dreamcoat

December 6 -January 5 Senney Theater
Waitress: The Musical February 14 - March 9 Senney Theater
Under a Baseball Sky April 4 - May 4 Studio Theater
The Robber Bridegroom May 30 - June 29 Studio Theater
A Chorus Line July 11 - August 10 Senney Theater

2024-2025 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
The Monster Bash of

Dreadstone Manor

October 24 - October 27 Senney Theater
Channeling Grimm December 13 - December 22 Studio Theater
The Tempest February 28 - March 9 Studio Theater
Between the Lines May 2 - May 11 Senney Theater

2023-2024 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Doubt: A Parable May 26 - June 25 Studio Theater
Once On This Island July 7 – August 6 Senney Theater
Cat's-Paw September 22– October 22 Studio Theater
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat December 1– December 30 Senney Theater
Ride the Cyclone February 9 – February 25 Senney Theater
Jitney April 5 – May 5 Studio Theater
A Doll's House, Part 2 May 31—June 30 Studio Theater
Beautiful, the Carole King Musical July 12– August 11 Senney Theater

2023-2024 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
It's A Madhouse October 26 - Oct 29, 2023 Senney Theater
Going Medieval: A Ye Olde Comedie December 8 - December 17 Studio Theater
Mean Girls (High School Version) March 3 - March 24 Senney Theater
The Wizard of Oz May 10- May 19 Senney Theater

2022-2023 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Buyer & Cellar September 9- October 9 Studio Theater
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time September 23- October 16 Senney Theater
Elf the Musical December 2- December 30 Senney Theater
Ghost the Musical February 10- February 26 Senney Theater
Noises Off March 24- April 16 Senney Theater
Doubt: A Parable May 26- June 25 Studio Theater
Once On This Island July 7- August 6 Senney Theater

2022-2023 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
The Canterbury Tales Or...

Geoffrey Chaucer's Flying Circus

November 3 -November 6 Senney Theater
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever December 9 - December 18 Studio Theater
William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead March 3 - March 12 Studio Theater
Once Upon a Mattress May 5 - May 14 Senney Theater

2021-2022 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Broadway Bound September 10- October 3 Senney Theater
The Exonerated October 8- November 7 Studio Theater
Elf the Musical December 30- January 2 Senney Theater
Lizzie February 4- February 26 Senney Theater
Meteor Shower April 1- May 1 Studio Theater
The Legend of Georgia McBride May 27- June 26 Studio Theater
Something Rotten! July 8- August 7 Senney Theater

2021- 2022 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
Little Tech Class of Horrors: When Good Science Goes Bad October 22- October 24 Senney Theater
The Real Valkyries of Valhalla December 10- December 19 Studio Theater
Disney's: High School Musical March 18- March 27 Senney Theater
Bugsy Malone May 6- May 15 Senney Theater

2020-2021 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Fully Committed November 13- December 6 Online
5 New Musicals X 15 Minutes February 12 - February 28 Online
Beck Broadway Alums in Concert March 5- March 28 Online
This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing July 23- August 8 Senney Theater

2020-2021 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
Zopp October 22- October 25 Online
A Christmas Peril December 10 - December 13 Online
The Teen Untitled Sketch Show March 25- March 28 Online
Honk, Jr. May 20- May 24 Online

2019-2020 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Glengarry Glen Ross September 13 - October 6 Mackey Theater
The Member of the Wedding October 4 - November 3 Studio Theater
Shrek the Musical December 6 - January 5 Mackey Theater
The Scottsboro Boys February 7 - February 23 Mackey Theater
Meteor Shower April 3 - May 3 Studio Theater
Disgraced May 29- June 28 Studio Theater
Something Rotten! July 10 - August 9 Mackey Theater

2019-2020 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
The Trials of Robinhood October 24 - October 27 Mackey Theater
Once Upon a Decade December 13 - December 22 Studio Theater
Mockingbird February 28 - March 8 Studio Theater

2018-2019 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
An Act of God September 14 - October 7 Mackey Theater
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? October 5 - November 4 Studio Theater
Shrek the Musical December 7 - January 6 Mackey Theater
Once February 8 - February 24 Mackey Theater
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill March 15 - April 14 Studio Theater
King Lear May 31 - June 30 Studio Theater
Matilda the Musical July 12 - August 11 Mackey Theater

2018-2019 Season Youth Theater Presented by the Mort and Iris Philanthropic Fund

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Show Date Location
Cinderella October 26 - October 28 Mackey Theater
Law & Order: Nursery Rhyme Unit December 14 - December 23 Studio Theater
13 April 5 - April 14 Mackey Theater
Seussical May 10 - May 19 Mackey Theater

2017-2018 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest September 15 - October 8 Mackey Theater
Waiting for Godot October 6 - November 5 Studio Theater
The Little Mermaid December 1 - December 31 Mackey Theater
Hair February 9 - February 25 Mackey Theater
My First Time March 30 - April 29 Studio Theater
Bent June 1 - July 1 Studio Theater
Gypsy July 6 - August 12 Mackey Theater

2017-2018 Season Youth Theater Presented by the Mort and Iris Philanthropic Fund

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Show Date Location
Snow White's Adventures October 26 - October 29 Mackey Theater
All Greek to Me December 8 - December 17 Studio Theater
The Laramie Project March 2 - March 11 Studio Theater
Annie May 11 - May 20 Mackey Theater

2016-2017 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Ruthless! September 16 - October 16 Mackey Theater
Body Awareness October 7 - November 6 Studio Theater
Disney's The Little Mermaid December 2 - December 31 Mackey Theater
Bring It On The Musical February 10 - February 26 Mackey Theater
A Great Wilderness March 3 - April 9 Studio Theater
Really Really June 2 - July 2 Studio Theater
City of Angels July 7 - August 13 Mackey Theater

2016-2017 Season Youth Theater Presented by the Mort and Iris Philanthropic Fund

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Show Date Location
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland November 4 - November 6 Mackey Theater
AARGH! December 10 - December 18 Studio Theater
Carrie the Musical March 24 - April 2 Mackey Theater
Schoolhouse Rock Live May 12 - May 21 Mackey Theater

2015-2016 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
The Spitfire Grill September 18 - October 18 Mackey Main Stage
Mothers and Sons October 9 - November 15 Studio Theater
Mary Poppins December 4 - January 3 Mackey Main Stage
In the Heights February 12 - February 28 Mackey Main Stage
Shining City April 1 - May 1 Studio Theater
Heathers the Musical May 27 - July 2 Studio Theater
Billy Elliot the Musical July 8 - August 14 Mackey Main Stage

2015-2016 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
A Little Princess November 5 - November 8 Mackey Main Stage
Happily Forever After December 11 - December 20 Studio Theater
Bright Ideas February 2 - March 6 Studio Theater
Big the Musical May 13 - May 22 Mackey Main Stage

2014-2015 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Forever Plaid September 12 - October 12 Mackey Main Stage
[Title of Show] October 10 - November 16 Studio Theater
Mary Poppins December 5 - January 4 Mackey Main Stage
Dogfight February 6 - March 15 Studio Theater
Lend Me a Tenor March 27 - April 26 Mackey Main Stage
The Young Man From Atlanta May 29 - June 28 Studio Theater
American Idiot July 10 - August 16 Mackey Main Stage

2014-2015 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
Mr. Toad's Mad Adventures November 6 - November 9 Mackey Main Stage
Hillbilly Holiday December 12 - December 21 Studio Theater
Chicago February 20 - March 1 Mackey Main Stage
Oliver! May 15 - May 24 Mackey Main Stage

2013-2014 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
She Loves Me September 20 - October 20 Mackey Main Stage
33 Variations October 11 - November 17 Studio Theater
Annie December 6 - January 5 Mackey Main Stage
Carrie the Musical February 7 - March 9 Mackey Main Stage
'night, Mother March 21 - May 4 Studio Theater
Seminar: A Comedy May 30 - June 29 Studio Theater
Young Frankenstein July 11 - August 17 Mackey Main Stage

2013-2014 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
The Pied Piper of Hamelin November 7 - November 10 Mackey Main Stage
Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit December 13 - December 22 Studio Theater
The Children's Hour February 21 - March 2 Mackey Main Stage
The Wizard of Oz May 9 - May 18 Mackey Main Stage

2012-2013 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Xanadu September 14 - October 14 Mackey Main Stage
The Little Dog Laughed October 5 - November 11 Studio Theater
Annie December 7 - January 6 Mackey Main Stage
Next to Normal March 1 - April 21 Studio Theater
The House of Blue Leaves March 22 - April 21 Mackey Main Stage
The Pitmen Painters May 31 - July 7 Studio Theater
Monty Python's Spamalot July 12 - August 18 Mackey Main Stage

2012-2013 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date
Our Town November 1 - November 4
Going Medieval: A Ye Olde Comedy December 14 - December 23
Avenue Q: School Edition February 8 - February 17
Bye Bye Birdie! May 10 - May 19

2011-2012 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
The Marvelous Wondrettes September 16 - October 16 Mackey Main Stage
Race October 21 - November 20 Studio Theater
Joseph and the Amazing

Technicolor Dreamcoat

December 2 - December 31 Mackey Main Stage
Spring Awakening February 3 - March 4 Mackey Main Stage
The Velocity of Autumn March 23 - April 29 Studio Theater
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson May 25 - July 1 Studio Theater
Legally Blonde: The Musical July 6 - August 12 Mackey Main Stage

2011-2012 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date
Charlotte's Web November 3 - November 6
Best Christmas Pageant Ever December 9 - December 18
Reckless February 24 - March 4
Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka May 4 - May 13

2010-2011 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
My Fair Lady September 17 - October 17 Mackey Main Stage
Wings October 8 - November 7 Studio Theater
Joseph and the Amazing

Technicolor Dreamcoat

December 3 - January 2 Mackey Main Stage
Jerry Springer: The Opera February 18 - March 27 Studio Theater
The Underpants April 1 - April 23 Mackey Main Stage
Hairspray July 8 - August 14 Mackey Main Stage

2010-2011 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date
Tom Sawyer October 27 - October 31
Once Upon a Decade November 10 - November 19
Into the Woods February 25 - March 6
Cats May 13 - May 21

2009-2010 Season Professional Theater

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Show Date Location
Fiddler on the Roof September 19 - October 18 Mackey Main Stage
Peter Pan December 4 - January 3 Mackey Main Stage
Is He Dead? February 5 - February 28 Mackey Main Stage
The 25th Annual Putnam

County Spelling Bee

March 26 - April 25 Mackey Main Stage
The Producers July 16 - August 22 Mackey Main Stage

2009-2010 Season Youth Theater

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Show Date Location
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe November 5 - November 8 Mackey Main Stage
All Greek to Me December 11 - December 20 Studio Theater
Twelve Angry Jurors February 19 - February 28 Studio Theater
Seussical The Musical! May 14 - May 22 Mackey Main Stage

References

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  1. ^ "Lakewood Little Theatre/Beck Center". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. 19 July 1997. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
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41°29′03″N 81°49′13″W / 41.4842°N 81.8202°W / 41.4842; -81.8202