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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
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!
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

First Date
Fall 2021
First Date is a one-act musical with a book by Austin Winsberg and music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. Based around the concept of a blind date, the musical centers on Aaron and Casey, two 30-ish New York City singles set up by friends and family. With the influences of their friends and family (played out in their imaginations) as well as the effects of social media (Google, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube personified), this first date seems to be doomed. But with the help of a meddling but well-meaning waiter, Casey and Aaron might make a connection after all. With a contemporary rock score, First Date gleefully pokes fun at the mishaps and mistakes of blind dates and gives hope that there could be that one perfect moment.
Taken from Wikipedia and Stage Agent
Producers: Abbey Crowley and Arin Sheehan
Director: Yura Lemin
Music Director: Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez
Stage Manager: Ethan Ordower
Other Past Shows
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