Single tickets on sale now for Kenan's theater season

Laughter, elegance, drama & family fun at Taylor Theatre

Kenan Center Press Release & Photos

The Kenan Center is excited to announce that single tickets are now available for its five-show 2025-26 season in the Taylor Theatre.

Another year of professional theater is coming to Lockport, featuring WNY professional theatermakers in plays and musicals for all. The intimate Taylor Theatre provides a one-of-a-kind atmosphere for high-quality shows at a top price of only $28 per ticket.

Photos courtesy of the Kenan Center.

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The season kicks off with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “A Grand Night For Singing,” playing Oct. 2-12 (Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30pm). This musical revue, with songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, conceived by Walter Bobbie, celebrates the iconic duo with songs from hit shows including “Carousel,” “Oklahoma!,” “The King and I,” “Cinderella” and “The Sound of Music.” New arrangements by Fred Wells and orchestration by Michael Gibson and Jonathan Tunick prove how terrifically up-to-date the remarkable songs of R&H remain. The talented cast features Anthony Alcocer, Aaron Gabriel Saldana, Brittney Leigh Morton, Heather Holden and Syndey Conrad. The show is directed by Kevin Leary and stage managed by Emma English, with music direction by Patrick Towey, light design by Chris George, and costumes by Kay Johnson.

For Christmas, the Kenan will produce a brand-new adaptation of “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol,” adapted for the stage by Yale Drama Prize-winner Neil Wechsler and Sasha Wechsler. In this adaptation, a meta vaudevillian family troupe transports the audience from past to future, playing all the characters in Scrooge’s life – including the ghosts – all while dealing with a family dynamic forged throughout eternity. Borrowing from numerous storytelling traditions, this lively, touching, and humorous retelling will surely become a holiday tradition. The show plays Dec. 5-14 (Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays and Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2:30pm), and has on-school-time performances Dec. 9-11. Stan Klimecko plays Scrooge, with Chris Hatch, Sarah Teplitsky, Quinn McGillion and Madeline Rehm playing the Family. Directed by Leary, stage managed by English, with a dynamic creative team of Collin Ranny (set and costume design), Matt DiVita (lighting design), Mason Beggs (sound design), and Michele Costa (puppet design).

In the new year, the classic tale of “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery will be on the Taylor Theatre stage in a faithful adaptation by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar. The show plays Jan. 31 through Feb. 8 (Saturdays at 2 and 4:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.), and also has four on-school-time performances. A world-weary and disenchanted Aviator whose sputtering plane strands him in the Sahara Desert meets the mysterious, regal “little man.” Their relationship grows through the retelling of the Little Prince’s adventures across galaxies and transforms the Aviator. It’s a touching story for young and old that empowers the voice of young people. The cast features Christopher Guilmet as the Aviator and Christine Turturro as The Little Prince. Production is directed by Kenan Center Executive Director Bill Patti and stage managed by English, with set design by Chris Bratek, lighting design by DiVIta, and costume design by Vivian del Bello.

March brings “Marry Me A Little,” with songs by Stephen Sondheim and conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene. This charming and bittersweet musical revue, which plays March 20-29 (Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.), features trunk songs by Sondheim, the undisputed master of the contemporary Broadway musical. Two urban singles share a Saturday night of sweet fantasies and deep yearning, never knowing that they’re just a wall away from the end of their lonely dreams. The soon-to-be-announced cast will be directed by Leary and stage managed by English, with music direction by Towey, lighting design by George, and costume design by del Bello.

Finally, the season closes with the Kenan’s touring production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]” by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, with new revisions by Singer and Winfield. Highlights from the production include all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays, three dynamic actors, the (self-proclaimed) record for the shortest production of “Hamlet” at 43 seconds, and only 97 total minutes. … Fast-paced, witty and physical, it’s full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike. The show runs April 30 through May 10 (Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.), in addition to two on-school-time performances. A hilarious cast of Jeremy Kreuzer, Brendan Didio and Kevin Craig are directed by Leary, stage managed by English, with sets by Bratek, lights by George, and costumes by del Bello.

Photos courtesy of the Kenan Center.

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Patti said, “Last season, audiences were treated to high-quality theater at an unbeatable price. This season brings a dynamic new lineup of productions, featuring the professional actors our audiences expect, powerful storytelling, and innovative set designs that will once again transform our Taylor Theatre into an unforgettable, immersive experience.”

The Taylor Theatre is in the center of the Kenan Center campus at 433 Locust St., Lockport. It and has a large parking lot for patrons. Tickets can be found at kenancenter.org/theatre, by calling 716-433-2617, or by emailing Leary at kevin@kenancenter.org. The Kenan Center now features reserved seating. Tickets are $28 for general admission, with $18 student tickets (with valid ID) plus fees. Season subscriptions are also available; patrons can get all five shows for the price of four.

Founded in 1967 and located in the heart of Lockport, the Kenan Center is a vibrant hub where art, education, and recreation come together to enrich the lives of people of all ages. With a 25-acre campus and year-round programming, the venue offers something for everyone, including art exhibitions, cultural events, youth education programs, sports leagues, and community gatherings. For more information, visit kenancenter.org.