

About Us
STRIVING TO PRESENT ENTERTAINING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING THEATRE SINCE 2004.
Founded in 2004, The Melodramatics Theatre Company is a theatre arts organization based in Ithaca, NY, which strives to present entertaining musical theatre productions of artistic excellence. Since its founding, the company has entertained thousands of audience members.
Today, the company continues to grow and evolve, boasting an eclectic mix of members from Cornell University, Ithaca College, and the Ithaca community. To look at the history of The Melodramatics Theatre Company, check out our previous, now archived, website: www.melodramatics.com
Our Most Recent Productions

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Spring 2023
After putting on Avenue Q, we wanted to keep the momentum of a big show while also introducing many more people into the Melos family. Originally meant for Spring 2020, we decided to put on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Revolving around 6 bright young spellers and the various adults adjacent to the Bee, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee asks us, in a world focused on winning, what really matters? To our cast, crew, audience, and especially audience participants, thank you for supporting the show!
Read more: The Cornell Daily Sun
Producers: Kenny Aune, Ethan Ordower, Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez
Directors: Olivia Scaperotti
Assistant Directors: Darby Krugel, Cameron Howland
Music Director: Thomas Myers
Band Director: Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez
Assistant Band Director: Masha Kobin
Conductor: Charlie Hill
Stage Manager: Ethan Ordower
Technical Director: Ethan Ordower

Avenue Q
Fall 2022
When looking at musicals, for this semester we wanted to go bigger in terms of length but keep a small cast like we have done in the past. Avenue Q borders that liminal space between black box intimacy and grand-stage spectacle that the post COVID-Melodramatics audience loves. Avenue Q is a show that invites audience members to be as loud as they want: whether it's from the laughs or from the gasps. In this changing political climate, and especially as a college campus, we are in an environment that uniquely fosters difficult conversations and enables confrontation. 2022 is a very different world from 2003, and between the classic songs like “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist,” or “Internet is for Porn,” some of the content might not have aged… gracefully. It’s offensive, it’s raunchy, it's “edgy,” but underneath all that grime, Avenue Q puts into the forefront challenges we find easier to ignore, and a challenge we wanted to take on. But remember… it’s a comedy about puppet sex; don’t take it too seriously and have fun!
Read more: The Cornell Daily Sun
Producers: Kenny Aune, Ethan Ordower, Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez
Directors: Emily Rubenstein and Thomas Myers
Music Director: Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez
Stage Manager: Ethan Ordower
Technical Director: Ethan Ordower

Now. Here. This
Spring 2022
Now. Here. This is a one-act vignette-style of musical with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen and a book by Hunter Bell and Susan Blackwell. It is a collaborative work by Hunter Bell, Michael Berresse, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, Jeff Bowen, and Larry Pressgrove. The four-person show, set in a natural-history museum, explores many questions of life ranging from reptiles and outer space to friendship and dying.
Taken from Wikipedia
Producer: Arin Sheehan
Director: Kenny Aune
Music Director: Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez
Stage Manager: Ethan Ordower
Technical Director: Jillian Parrino
