Toledo Area Theatre Fest Brings Greater Toledo Theatre Community Together for a One-of-a-Kind Celebration!

The curtain is rising on a brand-new tradition for our region's theatre community.

The inaugural Toledo Area Theatre Fest will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the newly renovated Ohio Theater and Children's Theatre Workshop Studios, located at 3114 Lagrange Street in Toledo.

Presented by Children's Theatre Workshop, The Ohio Theater, and Go See a Show, Toledo, the festival is designed to bring together performers, directors, technicians, educators, volunteers, theatre lovers, and community members from across the region for a full day dedicated to celebrating local theatre.

The event will feature excerpts from shows currently being produced across the region, educational workshops taught by highly respected, local theatre professionals, a thrift store, aptly named The Thrifty Thespian, theatre-adjacent vendors, food trucks, games, raffles, prizes, and opportunities for attendees to connect and network with like-minded individuals and theatre companies who call Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan home.

"This festival was born from a simple idea: get all of my favorite creatives in one room to celebrate all of the hard work we all do throughout the year to keep this art form alive and thriving in our region while ushering in folks who have maybe enjoyed theatre from afar, but want to know how to get more involved," said festival founder and president Amber Wilkes. "We live in this truly special bubble, where ample talent and opportunity converge, and yet so many people don’t even know these opportunities exist! I want to change that.”

This first year will act as a pilot event. To keep things manageable for the small team of organizers, an age limit of 18+ has been put in place. “We understand this could be disappointing for some families, but rest assured, we are already working on exciting plans to expand in year two, including opportunities and activities specifically centered around youth theatre,” says Amber.

The idea for the festival has been years in the making. Organizers envision the event as a place where theatre veterans and newcomers alike can gather, learn, network, and discover new opportunities throughout the local performing arts community.

About Toledo Area Theatre Fest

The Toledo Area Theatre Festival strives to inspire and develop theatre artists across the Greater Toledo region in order to create a thriving and dynamic community. We intend to bring together the diverse and various community theatre organizations as well as embrace those looking to introduce themselves or expand their knowledge of amateur theatre. This is a celebratory event focused on education, development, and promoting community theatre.

Live Theatre Throughout the Day

Festival attendees will enjoy a series of performances presented by local theatre organizations. Participating groups include:

Toledo Repertoire Theatre
Stone Productions
The Village Players
HappyPlace Productions
Oregon Community Theatre
(Additional theatre companies to be announced)

Each group will present a short excerpt or selections from an upcoming or past production, offering audiences a glimpse into the works they produce.

Workshops Led by Local Experts

In addition to performances, attendees can participate in hands-on workshops covering a variety of theatre disciplines, including:

• Costume Design

• Stage Combat

• Lighting and Sound Design

• The Importance of Stage Intimacy Direction

• Youth Theatre Leadership

• Hair, Makeup, and Wig Design

• Intro to Community Theatre/Auditioning 101

• Move Within Your Body

• Stage Management

The workshops are designed by some of our region’s best and brightest theatre professionals for everyone from seasoned performers to individuals who have never stepped foot on a stage, or backstage, but would like to learn what it takes.

Building a Stronger Theatre Community

With more theatre organizations emerging throughout the region, the need for collaboration, volunteer support, performers, and audience engagement continues to grow. The Toledo Area Theatre Fest aims to strengthen those connections while helping attendees discover new theatres, productions, and creative opportunities.

"This is about creating a space where everyone who loves theatre can come together," said Amber. "Whether you're an actor, director, technician, volunteer, audience member, or someone who has been curious about trying theatre, there's a place for you here."

The Thrifty Thespian

A unique feature of the festival will be The Thrifty Thespian, a theatre-themed thrift store featuring donated theatre apparel, playbills, scripts, sheet music, theatre memorabilia, costumes, accessories, rehearsal gear, and other treasures. Proceeds will be donated back to The Ohio Theater to help them cross the finish line with their renovations.

Tickets

General admission tickets are $20 and provide access to festival activities and performances throughout the day.

Workshop add-ons are available for $15 a piece. Space is limited!

All are available now at: www.ToledoAreaTheatreFest.Ludus.com 

The Team

Amber Wilkes, President
Elizabeth Latta, Financial Officer
Nikki Fetters, Board Member
Elizabeth Corandano, Board Member
Aimee Reid, Advisor to the Board

Media Contact

Amber WIlkes or Nikki Fetters
Email: [email protected] Website: ToledoAreaTheatreFest.Ludus.com