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 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.
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.
Beck Center for the Arts hosts the longest running youth theater program in the United States, running for nearly seventy years.
Productions
2024-2025 Season Professional Theater ShowDateLocationThe Sunshine BoysSeptember 13 - October 6Senney TheaterThe Glass MenagerieOctober 4 - November 3Studio TheaterJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatDecember 6 -January 5Senney TheaterWaitress: The Musical February 14 - March 9Senney TheaterUnder a Baseball SkyApril 4 - May 4Studio TheaterThe Robber BridegroomMay 30 - June 29Studio TheaterA Chorus LineJuly 11 - August 10Senney Theater
2024-2025 Season Youth Theater ShowDateLocationThe Monster Bash of Dreadstone ManorOctober 24 - October 27Senney TheaterChanneling GrimmDecember 13 - December 22Studio TheaterThe TempestFebruary 28 - March 9Studio TheaterBetween the LinesMay 2 - May 11Senney Theater
2023-2024 Season Professional Theater Show Date Location Doubt: A ParableMay 26 - June 25 Studio TheaterOnce On This IslandJuly 7 – August 6Senney TheaterCat's-PawSeptember 22– October 22Studio TheaterJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatDecember 1– December 30Senney TheaterRide the CycloneFebruary 9 – February 25Senney TheaterJitneyApril 5 – May 5Studio TheaterA Doll's House, Part 2May 31—June 30Studio TheaterBeautiful, the Carole King MusicalJuly 12– August 11Senney Theater
2023-2024 Season Youth Theater Show Date Location It's A MadhouseOctober 26 - Oct 29, 2023 Senney TheaterGoing Medieval: A Ye Olde ComedieDecember 8 - December 17Studio TheaterMean Girls (High School Version)March 3 - March 24Senney TheaterThe Wizard of OzMay 10- May 19Senney Theater
2022-2023 Season Professional Theater Show Date Location Buyer & CellarSeptember 9- October 9 Studio TheaterThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeSeptember 23- October 16Senney TheaterElf the MusicalDecember 2- December 30Senney TheaterGhost the MusicalFebruary 10- February 26Senney TheaterNoises OffMarch 24- April 16Senney TheaterDoubt: A ParableMay 26- June 25Studio TheaterOnce On This IslandJuly 7- August 6Senney Theater
2022-2023 Season Youth Theater ShowDateLocationThe Canterbury Tales Or... Geoffrey Chaucer's Flying CircusNovember 3 -November 6Senney TheaterThe Best Christmas Pageant EverDecember 9 - December 18Studio TheaterWilliam Shakespeare's Land of the DeadMarch 3 - March 12Studio TheaterOnce Upon a MattressMay 5 - May 14Senney Theater
2021-2022 Season Professional Theater 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 Show Date Location Little Tech Class of Horrors: When Good Science Goes BadOctober 22- October 24 Senney TheaterThe Real Valkyries of ValhallaDecember 10- December 19Studio TheaterDisney's: High School MusicalMarch 18- March 27Senney TheaterBugsy MaloneMay 6- May 15Senney Theater
2020-2021 Season Professional Theater Show Date LocationFully CommittedNovember 13- December 6Online 5 New Musicals X 15 MinutesFebruary 12 - February 28 OnlineBeck Broadway Alums in ConcertMarch 5- March 28OnlineThis Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does NothingJuly 23- August 8Senney Theater
2020-2021 Season Youth Theater Show Date LocationZoppOctober 22- October 25Online A Christmas PerilDecember 10 - December 13 OnlineThe Teen Untitled Sketch ShowMarch 25- March 28OnlineHonk, Jr.May 20- May 24Online
2019-2020 Season Professional Theater 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 ShowDateLocation XanaduSeptember 14 - October 14Mackey Main StageThe Little Dog LaughedOctober 5 - November 11Studio Theater AnnieDecember 7 - January 6Mackey Main StageNext to NormalMarch 1 - April 21Studio TheaterThe House of Blue LeavesMarch 22 - April 21Mackey Main StageThe Pitmen PaintersMay 31 - July 7Studio TheaterMonty Python's SpamalotJuly 12 - August 18Mackey Main Stage
2012-2013 Season Youth Theater ShowDateOur TownNovember 1 - November 4Going Medieval: A Ye Olde ComedyDecember 14 - December 23Avenue Q: School EditionFebruary 8 - February 17Bye Bye Birdie!May 10 - May 19
2011-2012 Season Professional Theater ShowDateLocationThe Marvelous WondrettesSeptember 16 - October 16Mackey Main StageRaceOctober 21 - November 20Studio TheaterJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatDecember 2 - December 31Mackey Main StageSpring AwakeningFebruary 3 - March 4Mackey Main StageThe Velocity of AutumnMarch 23 - April 29Studio TheaterBloody Bloody Andrew JacksonMay 25 - July 1Studio TheaterLegally Blonde: The MusicalJuly 6 - August 12Mackey Main Stage
2011-2012 Season Youth Theater ShowDateCharlotte's WebNovember 3 - November 6Best Christmas Pageant EverDecember 9 - December 18RecklessFebruary 24 - March 4Roald Dahl's Willy WonkaMay 4 - May 13
2010-2011 Season Professional Theater ShowDateLocationMy Fair LadySeptember 17 - October 17Mackey Main StageWingsOctober 8 - November 7Studio TheaterJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatDecember 3 - January 2Mackey Main StageJerry Springer: The OperaFebruary 18 - March 27Studio TheaterThe UnderpantsApril 1 - April 23Mackey Main StageHairsprayJuly 8 - August 14Mackey Main Stage
2010-2011 Season Youth Theater ShowDateTom SawyerOctober 27 - October 31Once Upon a DecadeNovember 10 - November 19Into the WoodsFebruary 25 - March 6CatsMay 13 - May 21
2009-2010 Season Professional Theater ShowDateLocationFiddler on the RoofSeptember 19 - October 18Mackey Main StagePeter PanDecember 4 - January 3Mackey Main StageIs He Dead?February 5 - February 28Mackey Main StageThe 25th Annual Putnam