Staff report

GREENVILLE — Darke County Center for the Arts (DCCA) will open their 2021-2022 Family Theatre Series on Sunday, February 27, with “Rapunzel’s Hairy Fairy Tale,” a hilarious retelling of the classic fairy tale. “We are excited to once again invite families to experience the joy of theatre, and happy to be able to bring these productions to the St. Clair Memorial Hall stage,” said DCCA Executive Director Andrea Jordan. The opening show from The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati will feature two incredibly energetic actors portraying all the diverse characters in this musical adventure as they re-create the beloved story of a long-locked lady trapped in a tower.

Then on Sunday, March 13, DCCA will present something entirely different, Virginia Repertory Theatre’s “Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.” A stirring drama with music, this close look at a brave woman whose determination changed the world will reveal the joys, sorrows, and challenges Harriet Tubman faced while freeing herself and hundreds of others from the bonds of slavery.

The final presentation closing DCCA’s Family Theatre Series on Sunday, April 24 will be “Mister C’s Full Steam Ahead LIVE!,” featuring long-time educator Mister C, demonstrating exciting ways to engage and entertain audiences while exploring science in a production featuring toe-tapping music, humor, and media. According to DCCA Artistic Director David Warner, this diverse season provides something for everyone, and should be embraced by all from age three to 93. “We look forward to welcoming youngsters experiencing their first contact with theatre, as well as their brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents,” Mr. Warner stated.

Sponsors for DCCA’s Family Theatre Series include Park National Bank, Greenville Federal, Greyson James Steyer Fund of the Darke County Foundation, Jean Louise Thieme Children’s Theatre Fund of the Darke County Foundation, Edison State Community College, Gordon & DeSantis Orthodontics, Jordan Insurance Agency, Wayne HealthCare, Greenville Rotary Club, and Family Health. The series also receives support from DCCA memberships. Others providing operating support to DCCA are John R. and Miriam H. Knick Fund, Harry D. and Esther Stephens Memorial, Ketrow Foundation, and Lydia Schaurer Memorial. Additionally, the Ohio Arts Council helps fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

These engagements are supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Ohio Arts Council.

Tickets cost just $5 each, or $12 for tickets to the entire season, and are available by contacting DCCA online at www.DarkeCountyArts.org, by mail at P.O. Box 718, Greenville, Ohio 45331, by calling 937-547-0908, or by making an appointment to visit DCCA’s office on the third floor of Greenville Public Library; office hours are 10:30 – 3:30 Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Tickets to individual shows may also be purchased at the front desk of Greenville Public Library, 520 Sycamore Street, and beginning February 1 will be on sale at Readmore Hallmark in downtown Greenville, as well as Versailles Public Library, 790 South Center Street.