DCDC Announces 56th Season, Kay Bosse Memorial Service Planned and More

Power and Presence, which kicks off Women’s History Month, will be performed March 1-2, 2025. The concert will feature world premieres by DCDC’s Qarrianne Blayr and the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensembles Winifred Harris. The program will also feature DCDC member Countess V. Winfrey’s huMAN/NAture and special guest South Chicago Dance Theatre.

Next, Fantastic Forwards, scheduled for April 26-27, 2025, will reflect the company's inventive spirit.

The season will conclude on May 22-23, 2025 at the University of Daytons Boll Theatre. This DCDC2 program will provide a space for innovation and experimentation. The May concert is the only DCDC presentation that will take place at the University of Dayton. All other concerts will take place at the Victoria Theatre.

Additionally, DCDC's touring schedule next season will include a performance at the Joyce Theatre in New York in October.

Subscription rates range from $55.20 to $108. Tickets for each performance go on sale August 15. For more information, visit dcdc.org.

Celebration of Life Planned in Memory of Kay Bosse

The Human Race Theatre Company will honor the legacy of the late Kay Bosse on Friday, July 26, at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St., Dayton.

Bosse, a 2006 inductee into the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame known for her dedication to acting, directing, educator and playwright, died March 30 at Azura Memory Care in Clinton, Wisconsin, where she had lived for three years while battling frontotemporal dementia. She was 75.

A dynamic presence, Bosse often performed with Human Race, where she was resident actress. His many appearances on Race include A Little Night Music, The Spitfire Grill, The Ambition Bird, Caroline, or Change, Falsettoland, Guarding Gold Street, Managing Maxine, Quilters and Pacific Overtures, to name a few .

As a director and educator, Bosses' associations included the University of Dayton, Sinclair Community College, Muse Machine, Rosewood Arts Center and Northmont High School. At UD, she has directed productions such as The Grapes of Wrath and Dancing at Lughnasa. Her efforts as a playwright have been particularly featured at Sinclair, where she wrote and directed an original adaptation of John Steinbeck's To A God Unknown, and at Northmont, where she wrote and directed A, her updated version of Nathaniel's novel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter.

A social gathering will be held in the lobby at 6 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m. and light snacks in the lobby at 8 p.m. RSVP to Tara Lail by email at [email protected].

On a related note, on May 17, the Human Race held the first certified fundraiser for the Human Race. After two rounds of trivia hosted by Pepper Sprout Productions and a toast to the organization's supporters, attendees returned to the stage for an auction and mission augmentation.

The auction was curated by resident artist and professional auctioneer Tim Lile, who offered mission-driven packages including observing a world premiere rehearsal process, an on-stage dinner with a VIP backstage tour, and a stay in HRTC cast housing complete with downtown delights.

“Certified Human Night” is a groundbreaking fundraising evening, during which we will host a different activity each year. Just as our performances spark curiosity and enjoyment, our fundraising should also spark curiosity, Artistic Director Emily N. Wells said in a press release.

To cap off the evening, the final item in the auction was to bid to become a Certified Human, which would be named in honor of the bidder or their designee. Former Creative Director Kevin Moore and Scott Stoney won the highest bid and chose to name the first Certified Human in honor of Marsha Hanna, Human Races’ second and longest-serving Creative Director. This honor includes a commemoration of the auction on a plaque in the lobby alongside a one-of-a-kind glass sculpture inspired by the DNA double helix created by Dustin Wagner of Nyminal Glass.

“We are so grateful to our generous donors who helped make this fundraiser a success,” said Executive Director Kappy Kilburn. “We now hope that this will become an annual tradition where our community comes out to have fun and individuals compete to be our top fans.”

Plans are already underway for the next Certified Human Race Fundraiser, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, June 13, 2025.

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