If you’re looking for fantastic live theater, you don’t need to go all the way to New York or The West End. Columbus has its own thriving theater community, including independent theaters, historic venues, and larger touring shows.
Columbus is home to world-class dance companies, multiple symphonies, Opera Columbus, and many live music and comedy venues. Mark your calendars because you won't want to miss these upcoming performances for the 2025 spring season!
The Ohio Theatre. Source: Experience Columbus.
The Ohio Theatre
39 E State St, Columbus, OH 43215
The Ohio Theatre is a historic venue that holds 2,791 guests in complete opulence, including a giant chandelier and red velvet seats. For those who have little ones, booster seats are available, along with two nursing stations. Complimentary wheelchairs are also provided upon request.
2025 Spring Shows
- All Mozart with the Columbus Symphony, March 14-15
- Funny Girl, PNC Broadway in Columbus, March 25-30
- Bach & Brahms with the Columbus Symphony, April 4-5
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert with the Columbus Symphony, April 11-12
- The Neil Diamond Musical A Beautiful Noise, PNC Broadway in Columbus, April 22-27
- Sleeping Beauty with BalletMet and the Columbus Symphony, May 2-4
- Tchaikovsky Spectacular with the Columbus Symphony, May 16-17
- Britten War Requiem with the Columbus Symphony, May 23-24
- Kimberly Akimbo, PNC Broadway in Columbus, June 3-8
The Riffe Center Theatre. Source: Author photo.
The Riffe Center Theatre Complex
77 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215
The Riffe Theatre houses three different studio-style theaters, located on the third floor of the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts in downtown Columbus. Booster seats and sensory bags are available upon request, in addition to complimentary wheelchairs.
2025 Spring Shows
- Wild Strawberries, an AVLT Original Production, February 27-March 15
- CAPA presents Artrageous (Tickets are all $5.00!), March 6
- Fat Ham at the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio, March 6-23
- Saun Boothe and the Unauthorized Biography Series - Repackaging History through Hip-Hop (Tickets are all $5.00!), March 14
- Heart of Ohio Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus Performance, March 22
- Sam Morril: The Errors Tour, presented by Live Nation, April 10
- The Great Gatsby Presented by the World Ballet Company, April 15
- The Last Five Years, April 24-May 11
- Rock Egg Spoon by Noah Diaz, Presented by Available Light (Check here for upcoming ticket availability), May 1-17
The Lincoln Theatre. Source Gerika Logan
The Lincoln Theatre
769 E Long St, Columbus, OH 43203
The Lincoln Theatre, located on the east side of Columbus, is a historical landmark in African-American and jazz history. The theater focuses on sharing culture with diverse communities through multi-ethnic, multi-generational, and multi-purpose arts and education. Complimentary wheelchairs are available, along with assistive listening devices, with a valid photo I.D.
2025 Spring Shows
- An Evening with Judy Collins in Concert, March 10
- The Irish Comedy Tour, Presented by CAPA, March 13
- Tre Floyd’s Black Girl Therapy, March 15
- Joenathan Banks: Finally! Backstage at the Lincoln, March 20
- Funny How Marriage Works Comedy Date-Night Experience, March 21
- Classically Black, A Freedom Concert Series, March 29
- ISMO: Woo Hoo! Tour, March 30
- EVOLVE! By Dance Elite Performance Academy, April 12
- Día de los Niños (Day of the Children) with 123 Andrés, April 13
- The Nancy Wilson Way, Jazz Arts Group, April 17
- My Regards to Broadway, Presented by Vaud-Villities, April 24-27
- Girls Night: The Musical, May 18
- Carmina Burana with the OYO Dance Company, May 23-24
- The Three Musketeers Presented By Columbus Dance Theatre, May 31
Garden Theatre. Source: Author photo.
The Short North Stage/Garden Theatre
1187 N High St, Columbus, OH 43201
The Short North Stage operates as an intimate professional theater company in the Short North Arts District’s historic Garden Theatre. This Midwestern hub for live art has three venues, including a black box stage and Ethel’s Stage Left Lounge, where patrons can visit the full bar.
2025 Spring Shows
- A Chorus Line, March 20-April 19
- The Drowsy Chaperone, May 8-June 1
The Southern Theatre. Source Experience Columbus.
The Southern Theatre
21 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43215
The Southern Theatre is one of the oldest surviving theatres in the whole state of Ohio. Since its opening in 1896, the theater has hosted touring productions, shown silent films and motion pictures, and now presents dance, music reviews, and other art-focused events in Columbus. Listening devices are available upon request, along with sensory bags with a valid photo I.D.
2025 Spring Shows
- MNozil Brass, Chamber Music Columbus, March 8
- Red Hot Jazz: Tap & Fiddle Fever, Presented by the Jazz Arts Group, March 13-16
- The Woman’s Got Soul, Presented by the Jazz Arts Group, April 3-6
- The Screwtape Letters, April 12
- Rick Wakeman “The Final Solo Tour”, April 13
- The Marriage of Figaro, featuring The Opera Columbus, April 25-27
- Chamber Music Columbus Presents Ariel Quartet, May 3
- Stop Making Sense: A Film by Jonathan Demme and Talking Heads, presented by Cinema Columbus Film Festival and CAP, May 4
- The Cooper-Bing Competition, featuring The Opera Columbus, May 18
The Palace Theatre. Source Randall L. Schieber.
The Palace Theatre
34 W. Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215
The Palace Theatre, a historic venue that is a restored movie palace designed in the style of France’s Palais de Versailles, seats 2,695 patrons at the base of the LeVeque Tower. Complimentary wheelchairs are available upon request, in addition to booster seats, listening devices, and sensory bags, with a valid photo I.D.
2025 Spring Shows
- Into the Woods, presented by the Butterfly Guild of Nationwide Children’s Hospital, March 7-9
- Experience Hendrix, presented by CAPA, March 12
- Killers of Kill Tony, presented by Outback, March 15
- Burton Cummings, presented by CAPA, March 29
- Righteous Brothers, presented by CAPA, April 2
- Wild Kratts Live 2.0, presented by CAPA, April 4
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live, presented by CAPA, April 12
- Je’Caryous Johnson’s Games Women Play, April 13
- Jeff Arcuri Whole Wide World Tour, April 18
- Outback Presents: Fortune Feimster Takin’ Care of Biscuits Tour, April 19
- Naruto: The Symphonic Experience, presented by CAPA, April 25
- Outback Presents: No Small Endeavor Live, April 26
- The October Nights Tour: Calling All Lovers Tour, May 1
- AEG and CAPA Presents: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: The Wild God Tour, May 2
- The 5th Annual Mother’s Day Pop & Country Concert, May 4
- A Mother’s Day Celebration, May 10
- STOMP, presented by PNC Broadway in Columbus, May 16-18
Columbus Children's Theater. Source: Experience Columbus.
Columbus Children’s Theater
177 E Naghten St, Columbus, OH 43215
The Columbus Children’s Theater (CCT) brings the arts to children through family-friendly programming. CCT promotes theater access to families and communities who may not have regular opportunities to enjoy live theatre and provides regular theater classes and educational programs to children.
2025 Spring Shows
- Storybook Adventure with Pete the Cat, March 15-16
- Growing Pains: a devised piece, March 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
MadLab
227 N 3rd St, Columbus, OH 43215
MadLab is a nonprofit black box theater located in downtown Columbus that creates space for innovative original work. The goal is artistic experimentation without limits. MadLab premieres both original productions and hosts other Columbus-area performing groups.
2025 Spring Shows
- A New Experiment: AI vs. US, March 6-22
- Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. Presented by The Ohio State University’s Black Box Series, March 27-29
- Maladies, presented by Ember Women’s Theatre, April 4-19
Wexner Center for the Arts. Source: the Ohio State University.
Wexner Center for the Arts
1871 N High St, Columbus, OH 43210
The Wexner Center is the Ohio State University’s contemporary lab and public gallery for exploratory art and live performances. The Center includes artistic residencies, educational programming, and art exhibits for students and the larger Columbus community.
2025 Spring Shows
- Joel Ross’ Good Vibes, March 6
- Giuliana Musso, March 24-25
- Joshua Redman Group, April 3
- The Ohio State School of Music Performances (Tickets are free!), April 13
The Nest Theatre
2643 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202
The Nest is a theater space that serves as Columbus’ hub for live improv comedy, experimental theater, and improv classes for both adults and kids.
2025 Spring Shows
Follow the Nest Theatre’s event page on its site to keep up with its ever-evolving live performances and workshops.
Shadowbox Live. Source Experience Columbus.
Shadowbox Live
503 S Front St #260, Columbus, OH 43215
Shadowbox stands as a collaborative theater and dinner space with live performances and music, including sketch comedy, tributes, metamedia productions, original art, and full musical theater works.
2025 Spring Shows
- Rock This Way, March 6-March 28, April 17-May 30
- Hot Stuff (Greatest Hits), March 1-29
- Kiss and Tell , April 3-May 31
Follow us for more live art and culture events, and be sure to follow CAPA, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, and CBUSArts for all upcoming shows and art exhibitions in Columbus!
