For a state so small, Delaware certainly has a lot to offer when it comes to live theater. Theatrical productions are plentiful in the First State, particularly in Wilmington, the state's largest city. In your quest for stage productions, you'll find shows ranging from professional plays to dinner time musicals and everything in between.
Wilmington
Among the top places for live theater in Wilmington is the Delaware Theatre Company, a professional theater organization. The company has been a cultural icon in the area for almost 30 years, currently housed in a 389-seat facility located on the Christina Riverfront. Shows performed by the DTC include a combination of classics, new works, and musicals. Past productions include The Turn of the Screw, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Gift of the Magi, and Macbeth, to name a few.
In 1932, Frances Tatnall came up with the idea to form her own theater group, claiming she and her friends could put on a better performance than the operetta show she had attended. With the help of several of her friends, including MIT student William Winder, Tatnall soon had a plan laid out for a summer production. The amateur impresarios' first production was The Pirates of Penzance, and the group was deemed The Brandywiners. Now, The Brandywiners produces a summer season that runs from late July through early August, during which the group performs a large-scale musical. As well, the Brandywiners Chorale group puts on a number of concerts and other events across the Delaware Valley.
For an "off-Broadway experience," check out the City Theater Company, which recently moved into the OperaDelaware Studios building on the Wilmington river front. The company produces in-your-face theater, with shows like The Sex Plays. Other productions by the City Theater Company include Homeland Security and Goldilocks.
The Contemporary Stage Company is a multicultural summer theater located in downtown Wilmington at the Baby Grand Theater. Founded by Keith Howell, CSC features productions that emphasize the importance of cultural diversity and awareness, with classic shows that feature a multicultural cast. The company's past productions include Collected Stories, which won two Barrymore Awards in 2004 for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. Other plays produced by CSC include The Island, Restoring the Sun, and The Fourposter.
For an outing the whole family will enjoy, take in a play at the Delaware Children's Theatre, which has been providing shows for audiences of all ages for more than 35 years. As one of the top places for family entertainment in the Delaware Valley, the Delaware Children's Theatre not only provides theatrical productions designed especially for kids, but offers acting classes for children as well. DCT originally started out as the Children's Repertoire Theatre in 1973, putting on performances at places like schools, libraries, senior centers, and parks. The Children's Repertoire Theatre quickly gained popularity, and had to add more shows to their scheduled performances. Now, the Delaware Children's Theatre is one of the state's most accomplished live theaters and an important part of the local cultural scene. Kids and adults alike will enjoy such childhood classics as Sleeping Beauty and The Wizard of Oz.
The classic works of history's most famous bard are brought to life at the Delaware Shakespeare Festival. This summertime event is held outside in the beautiful Rockwood Mountain Park. In addition to its Shakespearean performances, the festival has other activities to enjoy, like picnicking in the park while you wait for the play to begin, live music to add to the festival's ambiance, a 20-minute pre-show comedy, a demonstration of stage combat, and children's activities. The festival runs from late July through early August. Past productions at the festival have included Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Formerly the Playhouse Theatre, the DuPont Theatre brings nationally-touring Broadway shows to its stage. The Victorian-style theater was founded in 1913, making it the oldest continuously-running legitimate theater in the country. Boasting 1,252 seats, the theater is located in the Hotel du Pont. During its season, the DuPont Theatre presents a six-show Broadway series and a children's series that entertains more than 30,000 kids each year. Shows which have previously appeared at the theater include Mamma Mia!, Stomp, and Rent.
For over 75 years, the Wilmington Drama League has been a major player in the city's theater community, producing shows in a range of genres, including both adult and children's theater. Throughout its season, the league performs a number of plays that, in the past, have included works like The Diary of Anne Frank, Annie, Sweeney Todd, and Beauty and the Beast. As well, special events like the Annual One Act Play Festival are a part of the company's theatrical repertoire.
The Grand Opera House holds an important place in Delaware's culture, with the downtown building delegated as one of the state's historic architectural landmarks. The majority of the Opera House's shows center around classical music, but a variety of other performing arts, including theatrical productions, take place here as well.
Another organization that brings musical drama to the stage is the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware. This group of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people put on assorted musical shows that includes Broadway productions.
Other Cities
Near Wilmington, the New Candlelight Dinner Theater in Ardentown serves up musical dramas with a side of fine dining. In its over 75-year existence, the theater has evolved from a few shows performed in an old barn into Delaware's premier dinner theater, featuring a five-play season. Its upgraded facilities, still in the original barn, include a state-of-the-art sound system and a buffet. Some of the Candlelight's performances include Phantom, West Side Story, and Gypsy, as well as its children's theater shows. In nearby Arden, the Arden Club Theater produces shows that are "sometimes funny, sometimes serious, but always entertaining."
You can also find a little drama along Delaware's beautiful coast. Rehoboth Beach features several places for live theater. The Rehoboth Children's Theatre provides shows for both kids and the young at heart. Past productions at the RCT have included Peter Pan, Snow White, and The Puss in Boots. The Henlopen Theater Project is a professional group that puts on both musical and non-musical plays during its season. Both classical and debuting works are performed at the theater, including Broadway shows and world premieres. For comedy along the coast, attend a performance by Rehoboth's Delaware Comedy Theatre. Established in 2004 by husband and wife team David Warick and Amy DeBartolomeis, DCT performs improv shows for both kids and adults.
Also in Southern Delaware, you'll find theater in Milford and Milton. The city of Milford is home to the Second Street Players, a year-round community theater. The players put on plays in almost every genre, including works like the drama Ordinary People and The Sound of Music. Located in Milton's historic district, the Milton Theatre was founded in 1910 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Once used exclusively as a cinema house, the Milton's art deco building now houses a performing arts center, which has become a centerpiece for culture in the city.
Although it's Delaware's capital city, Dover only has a few places for live theater, including the Kent County Theatre Guild. The guild is a community theater that produces five plays during its season, which runs from September through May. Some of the Kent County Theatre Guild's most current productions include The Guys, Trading Post, and Soup du Jour.
Other places in Dover where you can catch a live theater show are the Schwartz Center for the Arts and The Children's Theatre. The Schwartz Center was erected in 1904 as the Dover Opera House. Reconstructed into a movie theater in 1923, it saw great success for a number of years, but it went out of business in 1982. After $8.5 million dollars in renovations, the Schwartz reopened in 2001 as a performing arts center. Theatrical performances at the center have included shows like The Velveteen Rabbit. The Children's Theatre produces shows designed especially to entertain young audiences, such as The Hobbit and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Little theater productions in the little state of Delaware provide big entertainment for theatergoers. No matter if you're looking for crazy comedies or tear-jerking dramas, you'll find theater in all varieties in the First State.
