As spring blooms, so too does the vibrant world of performing arts here at E.J. Thomas Hall at The University of Akron. Just as the season brings renewal and growth, our stage is set to flourish with an exciting lineup of performances that promise to entertain, inspire, and delight audiences of all ages.
We have an array of shows to choose from in the upcoming months. For those seeking laughter, our Comedy Zone series offers three nights of side-splitting humor, culminating in a hilarious evening with The Irish Comedy Tour. If music is your passion, enjoy the soulful sounds of Motown with performances like One Night in Memphis, The Rat Pack, and The Miracles.
Families will find plenty to enjoy as well! Experience the breathtaking acrobatics of Cirque Zuma Zuma, the engaging adventures of Wild Kratts Live, and the nostalgic magic of Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock. For a truly unique experience, don’t miss the allnew Wizard of Oz on Ice—a dazzling production that will transform our stage into an ice arena for the first time in E.J. Thomas Hall history. It’s an event you won’t want to miss!
There is truly something for everyone this spring. We invite you to support the arts, celebrate the season, and make lasting memories with us. E.J. Thomas Hall is the heART of Akron, and we’re excited to share these incredible performances with you. Warm regards,
Advance tickets are available at the E.J. Thomas Hall Ticket Office Monday through Friday 10 am-4 pm. On days of shows, the Box Office is open two hours prior to show times and is located in the parking deck.
Refunds – Please check your tickets carefully, as all sales are final. Exchanges are not permitted. Refunds are given if an event is canceled and are refunded to the original purchaser at the point of purchase.
Beware of Ticket Scalpers
E.J. Thomas Hall is not responsible for tickets purchased through unauthorized third parties.
Tickets to E.J. Thomas Hall events may not be resold at a premium.
Tickets ordered within nine (9) days of the performance will be held at Will Call. A photo ID is required to pick up Will Call tickets.
Gift Certificates are available and are valid for up to one year from the date of purchase.
Cancellations, postponed events, or inclement weather – On rare occasions severe weather may cause E.J. Thomas Hall to cancel or postpone an event. Event cancellation information is available by calling The University of Akron emergency information number at 330-972-SNOW (7669.) You may also visit our website, Facebook page, or Twitter for the most up-to-date information.
Guest Services
Assistive Listening System
With the help of generous donors, E.J. has installed new sound and lighting systems to enhance the overall experience for both performers and audiences. Our new Williams Assisted Listening system allows live audio streaming to personal hearing devices over Wi-Fi; a fantastic addition that will enable a more immersive and accessible experience for attendees. To access connect to WaveCAST App, open the app, select the “Discover by IP” option and enter “10.48.30.12” and you are connected.
Accessible Seating
E.J. Thomas Hall has seating for patrons in wheelchairs and special needs at Entry 10 in the Orchestra and Entry 14 on the Grand Tier level. Patrons needing assistance to their seat may stop at the Information Counter in McCormick Lobby. An usher will assist you with wheelchair transportation to your seating area. Requests should be made when ordering tickets by calling the Ticket Office at 330253-2488.
Handicap Parking
There are a limited number of handicap parking spaces available in the E.J. Thomas Hall parking deck. Additional spaces are located in Lots 26 and 27, directly across from the Hill Street entrance. Show a valid H/C permit and traffic police will direct you to the nearest spot.
Parking
Event parking fees vary based on production contracts and lot availability may fluctuate.
Accessible Restrooms
Accessible restrooms are located at the bottom of both ramps on either side of the building.
Family Events
Some events at E.J. Thomas Hall are specifically designed for children and families, and we encourage you to enjoy these events. For performances not suitable for young children, parents are asked to use discretion.
Seating Latecomers
Please note the curtain time printed on your tickets as performances begin promptly. Latecomers will be seated at a suitable pause in the program. This includes patrons who leave the auditorium before or during a selection.
Intermission
Intermissions are 20 minutes in length. Lobby lights will flash as your signal to return to your seat for the start of the performance.
For a Wonderful Evening …
Live performance is truly magical; art created from the energy flowing between people on both sides of the curtain. When you attend a show, you are part of the experience. There is no rewind or instant replay at a live event.
In general:
n Read the program notes.
Theater Policies
n Cameras or any other recording devices are not permitted. Please silence all electronic devices as a courtesy to both other audience members and the performers.
n Unless instructed to do so by the performers, do not talk, hum, sing along or beat time.
n Aisles must be kept free of any obstructions for safety.
n For your enjoyment, food and beverages purchased at E.J. Thomas Hall are permitted inside the theatre for select shows.
n In the event of an emergency, ushers and other members of the staff will advise audience members as to the appropriate procedures to exit the theater as quickly and safely as possible. Patrons needing special assistance should contact the ushers.
There’s something for
JANUARY 26, 2025
One Night In Memphis
One Night in Memphis, created and directed by John Mueller, is the number one and official tribute to legendary Sun Records recording artists Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. Hear authentic rockabilly, country, gospel and 1950’s rock and roll. Be a witness to and experience rock and roll royalty with the music and talent that has stood the test of time. True American music featuring acclaimed national talent guaranteed to get you rocking and rolling. There’s a whole lotta shakin’ going on!
JANUARY 30, 2025 Kings Of Queen
The Kings of Queen are the top-rated Queen tribute band in the country. Based in Southern California, featuring Emo Alaeddin as Freddie Mercury, they are touring the country from sea to shining sea. The band’s vocal and instrumental talent is undeniably world-class and frontman Alaeddin’s look, vocal tone, range, and stage performance is fantastic. Queen fans will love this high energy show.
FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Couples Therapy
Welcome to a unique blend of theatre, stand-up comedy, and improvisation. This unforgettable evening of laughter and entertainment is a unique and clever combination of theatre, stand-up comedy, and improv that is as funny as it is insightful. Audiences go on a hilarious
everyone this winter & spring …
and interactive ride as a pair of married relationship experts attempt to help couples with their relationships but as the show wears on, we see that they have more problems than their patients!
FEBRUARY 19, 2025
Cirque Zuma Zuma
After sell-out seasons in Europe and Australia, audiences and critics agree Cirque Zuma Zuma is unlike anything they have ever seen before. Many describe it as an African-style Cirque du Soleil that draws from a talent pool of 120 Kenya-trained performers. While showcasing performances of all types of African culture, its nonstop action and acrobatic ingenuity keeps audiences breathless.
FEBRUARY 22, 2025 –2 Shows
Broadway in Akron –Hadestown
Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, HADESTOWN is a love story for today… and always. Come see how the world could be. HADESTOWN intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Welcome to HADESTOWN, where a song can change your fate.
MARCH 2, 2025 Wizard of Oz on Ice
This reimagined production of Wizard of Oz on Ice stands apart from anything you’ve seen before. As the curtain rises, audiences are whisked away on a magical journey alongside Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, who glide effortlessly across the stage. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the Wizard of Oz or discovering this classic story for the first time, this production promises to leave you spellbound with special effects, immersive visuals, and dazzling light displays that bring the fantastical world of Oz to life.
MARCH 20, 2025 Electric Avenue – Back by
Popular Demand
It’s America’s greatest 80’s tribute. With an ever-expanding song list, Electric Avenue is the MTV experience! A musical journey spanning both sides of 1985, Electric Avenue delivers the full concert experience where your favorite New Wave and 80s music hits come to life. Every sound. Every nuance. Every time. That’s Electric Avenue. The Best 80s music hits performed the way you remember them.
MARCH 21, 2025
Dear Amy
Dear Amy is an unforgettable, live Amy Winehouse tribute show. The 60-minute show is a heartwarming, fun, world-class tribute to a legend lost too soon. DEAR AMY is America’s only Amy Winehouse tribute act endorsed by Mitch Winehouse and a massive hit with Winehouse fans around the world.
MARCH
25 & 26, 2025
Broadway in Akron –
Come From Away
COME FROM AWAY is a Best Musical winner across North America! This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking musical that Newsweek cheers, “It takes you to a place you never want to leave!”
MARCH 30, 2025
The Miracles
Founded by Motown legend Smokey Robinson, The Miracles produced an amazing 26 Top 40 songs, four of which are in the Grammy Hall of Fame hits like “Shop Around,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Tears of a Clown,” “Ooh, Baby Baby,” “Goin’ to A-Go-Go” and many more. One of the first black groups to achieve mainstream success, The Miracles left a lasting impact in Motown and in music history. Led today by “Smokey sound-alike” Sydney Justin, their legacy continues… to be celebrated and enjoyed by fans everywhere.
APRIL 3, 2025
– 2
Shows Wild Kratts Live 2.0
It’s off to the creature rescue with the wild, Wild Kratts! Dive into adventure live on stage as Martin and Chris Kratt, stars of the Emmynominated Wild Kratts, activate some fan favorite Creature Power Suits and engage the audience in a classic Wild Kratts story. The Kratt Brothers confront a comic villain and help bring the creatures of the animal world to safety once again. From the astounding “creature” fundamentals to the infectious excitement, see what makes the hit television series so popular with kids and their families.
APRIL 12, 2025
The Rat Pack –One More Time!
RING–A-DING-DING! THE BEST RAT PACK SHOW RETURNS! Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. return to stages all across America as the famous and infamous Rat Pack is resurrected by three critically acclaimed entertainers. Featuring a live orchestra, The Rat Pack One More Time! is an uncanny trip back in time when Vegas was at its hottest. This show is the real deal. You’ll feel like you’re back at the Sands Hotel with a smooth martini in one hand and a top-notch show in front of you. Love ya, baby!
APRIL 29, 2025
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live
The fun loving, musical Fraggles share their joy and magic!! Gobo, Red, Mokey, Wembley, and Boober Fraggle embark on a quest to find the lost Celebration Stone — an ancient treasure with the power to unite everyone for the ultimate party. Featuring vibrant walkaround versions of the Fraggles, new puppet versions of their industrious friends the Doozers, appearances by a giant Gorg, and exciting new puppet creature friends all crafted by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, this all-new adventure is loaded with the comedy, dancing, and music that are hallmarks of the iconic Jim Henson Company.
About the Hall
E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, built by The University of Akron (UA) and a group of dedicated community leaders, opened in October 1973 to rave reviews. Occupying three acres on the western edge of the UA campus adjacent to downtown, this $13.9 million facility is owned and operated by UA for use by students and faculty of UA and by community and civic organizations active in the performing arts.
The Hall also serves as home to The Akron Symphony Orchestra, Tuesday Musical Association, Children’s Concert Society and Akron Youth Symphony.
This three-level auditorium has a seating capacity of 2,955. One of the focal points of the building is the movable 44-ton ceiling which can close off either the Flying Balcony or both the Flying Balcony and Grand Tier creating a one, two or three level auditorium.
Located in Goodrich Lobby and weighing in excess of 40 tons are the 27 chrome Witzman Counterweights which balance the ceiling in the house and are computer controlled. The configuration of the counterweights determines the position of the ceiling in the house. The entire transformation takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
A Thank You…
Special appreciation is extended to the John S. Knight and James L. Knight Foundation for the generous support of E.J. Thomas Hall. Knight Foundation has funded E.J. Thomas Hall to enhance programming, established the John S. Knight Lectureship at The University of Akron and continues to fund contemporary performers at E.J. Thomas Hall.
Founded by brothers Jack and Jim Knight, newsmen who owned the Akron Beacon Journal, Knight Foundation fosters more informed and engaged communities. The foundation’s arts program works to make art general in Knight communities, so that a range of programming is seen and felt across the city. Knight invests in some of the city’s anchor arts institutions, helping them better engage the public, and in smaller initiatives through the Knight Arts Challenge, which funds the best ideas for the arts. Over the past several years, the arts program has invested millions in the Akron arts, including funding for a new national choreography center at The University of Akron and support for grassroots efforts through the challenge.
The University of Akron and E.J. Thomas Hall would like to thank John Palfrey, chairman of the foundation’s board, and Alberto Ibargüen, president, for their continued support of E.J. Thomas Hall. The University also wishes to recognize the leadership of Hodding Carter, III, former president, CEO and trustee and his predecessors Creed Black, C. Colmery Gibson and Ben Maidenburg. Special recognition is also extended to the late Dr. W. Gerald Austen, University of Akron Honorary alumnus, as former chairman and trustee of Knight Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Learn more about the foundation at knightfoundation.org.
Old Trail School goes further than a traditional educational setting.
We create an environment where students acquire the essential skills to inspire a lifetime of learning. Whether performing in a play, competing on our cross country team, or participating in service learning projects, students excel academically while growing in social, emotional and physical development. Our graduates leave middle school prepared to lead with character, critical thinking and compassion.
WE HAVE STORIES TO TELL
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF LEARNING
2025 E.J. THOMAS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
JANUARY
Sat 18 Akron Symphony Orchestra: Rhapsody in Blue
Sun 26 One Night in Memphis
Thu 30 Kings of Queen
FEBRUARY
Sat 1
Sat 8
Couples Therapy
Akron Symphony Orchestra: Gospel Meets Symphony
Tue 11 Tuesday Musical: Czech National Philharmonic
Fri-Sun Beyond the Stars Dance Competition 14-16
Wed 19 Cirque Zuma Zuma
Sat 22 Broadway in Akron: Hadestown
MARCH
Sat 1 Akron Symphony Orchestra: Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony
Sun 2 Wizard of Oz on Ice
Tue 4 Tuesday Musical: Isidore String Quartet with Pianist Jeremy Denk
Fri-Sun Breakout Dance Competition
7-9
Wed 12 Jon Reep
Thu 13 DC Curry
Fri 14 Preacher Lawson
Sat 15
Comedy Central Presents: The Irish Comedy Tour
Sun 16 Akron Symphony Orchestra: Youth Orchestra
Thu 20 Electric Avenue
Fri 21 Dear Amy
Tue-Wed Broadway in Akron: Come From Away 25-26
Sat 29 Akron Symphony Orchestra: Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto & Beethoven’s First Sun 30 The Miracles
APRIL
Thu 3 Wild Kratt’s Live 2.0
Fri 11 Jazzfest
Sat 12 The Rat Pack – One More Time! Sun 13 Royal Blooms: Akron’s Springtime Princess Celebration
TO ALL WHO SUPPORT THE VIBRANT CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC EXPERIENCES AT E.J. THOMAS PERFORMING ARTS HALL.*
INDIVIDUALS
Marcia Adair and Dick Edwards
Sarah and John Adams
Mark and Sandy Auburn
Anne Averbuck
Ed Backos
Andrew Bowen
Anonymous
Patricia Brown
Dominic Cardarelli
Tim and Karla Caton
Kathleen Coleman
William and Rebecca Considine
Deborah Cook
Thane and Faith Cook
William and Barbara Costigan
Thomas and Mary Lynn Crowley
Barbara Crucs
Thomas and Mary Dudek
James Durr and Ann Hunter Durr
Richard Elliott
Rachel Fink Byerly
Eva A. Gaspar
Miklos and Lorita Gaspar
Otto and Rita Gearhart
Melinda and Joshua Grove
David and Patricia Gynn
Robert and Mimie Helm
Jay Hershey
Sharon Hershey
Louise Kuhns Harvey
Paul Levy and Sylvia Chinn-Levy
David and Lynne Lieberth
Philip and Margaret Lloyd
Kenneth MacDonald and Marilyn Kay Bowman
Pamela McCarthy
Bradley and Valerie McKitrick
Nancy McKnight
Marc and Sharon Merklin
Donald and Juanita Morris
Jay and Teddi Musson
Deborah Neale
Arlene Nettling
Michelle Nissel
Robert and Margo Ohlson
Kyle Passmore
Michael and Julia Pasternak
Guy and Renee Pipitone
George Pope
Mark and Claire Purdy
Blake and Kimberly Rawson
Roger and Sally Read
Thomas and Connie Repko
Richard and Alita Rogers
Robin Rouse
Michael and Jennifer Saxon
Keli Schimelpfenig
Alan Shubert
Larry and Cyndee Snider
James and Paula Trenta
Janice Troutman
Linda Van Fossen
Thomas and Diane Vukovich
Thomas Waltermire
Bryan and Maria Williams
Virginia Wojno-Forney
Randall and Mary Jo Worthington
CORPORATE
Akron Civic Theatre
Akron Community Foundation
Employers Health
Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
FirstEnergy Corp.
G. Stephens Incorporated
GAR Foundation
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
The Lehner Family Foundation
LRMR Ventures
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
Steinway Piano Gallery/Steinway Hall - Akron, Inc.
Synthomer Foundation
The Edwin J. Thomas Foundation
Tuesday Musical
*Gifts received between1-1-23 and 6-30-24.
ses,
The University of Akron Arts Academy offers a rich array of classes, workshops, exhibits, and performance opportunities in dance, music, and visual art to guide students on dynamic creative journeys.
Led by stellar UA faculty and nationally acclaimed guest artists, we provide accessible and affordable arts education for students K-12 through scholarships and no-fee payment plans. Register your student for an enriching experience in the arts today!
Join UA in nurturing the next generation of artists. Support our mission by making an outright gift or a future gift in your estate plans, leaving a legacy for future generations. Together, we can keep the arts a vital part of our community.
To enroll a student contact:
Sarah Bailey, Manager, Arts Preparatory Division n School of Dance, Theater, and Arts Administration
330-972-7949 or sbailey1@uakron.edu
To make a gift or discuss options for including the Arts Academy in your estate plans contact:
Kasey Willener
Director of Development
330-972-7520 or kdw53@uakron.edu
Kimberly Zebedis
Executive Director, Center for Gift & Estate Planning
