Performing Arts

The immigrants that settled the Mahoning Valley had a love of music, dance, theater and opera instilled in them from an early age. It remained an important part of their lives and that dedication to the arts has been passed down through generations. Our ancestors taught us that appreciation for the arts enhances your life and your community, and today Youngstown enjoys a thriving performing arts community not usually found in a city our size. From the humble beginnings of the Steelworkers Symphony to today’s professional Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the arts are alive and well in the Mahoning Valley. Numerous Community Theater groups stage a wide variety of productions, Ballet Western Reserve performs several times each year, and Opera Western Reserve stages a full-scale opera each year. The School of Fine and Performing Arts at Youngstown State University hosts a year-round calendar of events covering art, music, drama and dance at various venues.

 

Venues: 

The DeYor Performing Arts Center is home to historic Edward W. Powers Auditorium and the Eleanor Beecher Flad Pavilion. Originally constructed by the Warner Brothers in 1931, this magnificent theater was built by Harry, Jack and Albert Warner as a memorial to their brother Sam. Youngstown was the adopted home of the Warners after their parents immigrated from Poland. Today it is home to the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. The Eleanor Beecher Flad Pavilion includes the 600-seat Ford Family Recital Hall, with cutting edge acoustics for the presentation of live orchestral music, musical ensembles and choral productions. The Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University holds many performances at this facility.
You'll return to a bygone era of cinema house opulence when you attend a performance at Powers Auditorium and enjoy unsurpassed intimate performances in the pristine beauty of the Ford Family Recital Hall. 

Henry H. Stambaugh, local industrialist and philanthropist, bequeathed to the people of Youngstown and the surrounding areas a magnificent structure: Stambaugh Auditorium. The Auditorium was intended to be used for the enjoyment, pleasure, entertainment and education of the community. The concert hall consists of 2554 seats on three levels. Directly below the auditorium is the 9700 square foot ballroom. Ornate ceilings, columns, marble benches, and lovely chandeliers create a special ambience throughout the facility. Various concerts, shows and special events are staged throughout the year.

For 80 years, The Youngstown Playhouse has been a haven for artistic expression and live theater excellence. The Playhouse enjoys the distinction of being America’s oldest ongoing Community Theater. Alumni of The Youngstown Playhouse often forged careers on Broadway or in Hollywood. Dozens of well-known directors, actors, and producers credit their success to the skills they honed at the Playhouse.

The School of Fine and Performing Arts  at Youngstown State University holds its stage productions in two different auditoriums located in Bliss Hall: Ford Theater (a 400-seat proscenium stage), and the flexible-capacity Spotlight Arena Theater. Founded more than 135 years ago, the Dana School of Music is one of the oldest music schools in the United States. The Dana at The DeYor Concert Series is held at the Ford Family Recital Hall.

Celebrating over 20 years of Community Theater, The Oakland Center for the Arts is organized to provide a resource facility where diverse expressions of creativity by and for the community can occur.
The Oakland is dedicated to the premise that theatre, film, music, literature, dance, and the visual arts will find both a voice and an audience at the center. Ballet Western Reserve, a fixture of the area's cultural scene for more than forty years, shares space in the Morley Building with The Oakland Center.

The Victorian Players  mission is to present high-quality, family-oriented theater focused on Victorian values or by authors who were born during the Victorian age.  A repertory theater, The Victorian Players affords Youngstown area residents the opportunity to see plays that are not usually produced locally.