51ĀŅĀ×

Tantrum Theater, 51ĀŅĀ×ā€™s professional theater company, proudly announces its 10th anniversary season. This milestone marks a decade of visionary storytelling, dynamic studentā€“professional collaboration and sustained artistic excellenceā€”ushering in an extraordinary season of productions.

ā€œIt is such a thrilling milestone to be celebrating 10 years of Tantrum Theater,ā€ Artistic Director Ellie Clark said. ā€œTantrum has been successful at creating a space where learning and art fuel each other and these 10 years are a tribute to whatā€™s possible when professional artists and emerging student artists create side by side. Itā€™s invigorating for our students, our professional artists, and our community!ā€

In addition to celebrating 10 years, the organization is also welcoming back its original founding producing director, Rachel Cornish, who is currently serving as interim producing director.

In a full-circle moment, Cornish, whose leadership was instrumental in establishing Tantrumā€™s professional model and artistic identity, has returned to help shepherd the company into its next chapter.

"It is a profound privilege to return to a company I was fortunate to help form, and to mark this milestone with a season that is challenging, joyful and grounded in our steadfast belief that the vibrant American theater is continually reimagined and secured by those artists and technicians coming into the field,ā€ Cornish, who is also the associate director for the School of Theater and teaches in the Master of Arts Administration program, said. ā€œI am delighted and honored to lead in tandem with Ellie Clark, whose student artistry shone so brightly in our very first seasonā€™s production of ā€˜Dancing at Lughnasa.ā€™ Ellie and I are both committed to the tenet that Tantrum must always embrace the essential responsibility of cultivating the next generation of practitioners within a rigorously professional arena. We are ever grateful for the many members of our community that continue to support our endeavors.ā€ 

This anniversary season showcases two bold productions that reflect Tantrum Theaterā€™s dedication to impactful and timely storytelling.

ā€œThis season builds on recent audience favorites, including ā€˜9 to 5: the Musical,ā€™ ā€˜Pride and Prejudiceā€™ and ā€˜The Prom,ā€™ productions that reflect the companyā€™s versatility, investment in artist development and commitment to creative discipline,ā€ said Cornish.

The following are Tantrumā€™s productions:

ā€œInherit the Windā€ 
By Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Directed by Robby Lutfy
Nov. 6-22, 2025
Forum Theater in the Radio Television (RTV) building

Inspired by the infamous 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, ā€œInherit the Windā€ is a searing courtroom drama that ignites the enduring tension between progress and tradition. A timeless critique of dogmatism and a masterclass in rhetoric, the play remains as urgent today as when it first premiered.

ā€œā€™Inherit the Windā€™ is a powerful meditation on the timeless struggle between dogma and doubt. Right now, our public discourse is fracturedā€”it feels like we are all shouting past each otherā€”and this play urges us to pause, to truly listen and to reflect. It underscores the vital importance of protecting our right to think freely and independently. It reminds us that conviction and curiosity are not mutually exclusive, daring us to be courageous enough to stay curious and open to inquiry,ā€ Clark explained.

ā€œH“”±õøéā€
Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, Music by Galt MacDermont
Directed by Robert Barry Fleming
Feb. 26 through March 7, 2026
E. E. Baker Theater in Kantner Hall

ā€œH“”±õøéā€ is the 1960ā€™s unleashedā€”itā€™s an explosion of savage joy, sexual revolution and scorched earth protest and defiance. As todayā€™s youth fight the same battles with new faces, ā€œHAIRā€™sā€ revolutionary spirit feels more vital than ever.

ā€œHow do we live authentically? How do we push back against injustice? Itā€™s a fierce celebration of chosen family and raw human connection. In our era of digital disconnect, this musical reminds us of the unapologetic joy and energy of youth and will serve as a testament to the power of rock nā€™ roll to shake our hearts wide open,ā€ Clark added.

Founded in 2015 as part of 51ĀŅĀ×ā€™s College of Fine Arts, Tantrum Theater was conceived as a bridge between academic training and professional practice. Over the past decade, it has produced more than 25 mainstage shows, launched numerous new works and elevated the standard for university-based professional theater.

Tantrum continues to integrate 51ĀŅĀ×ā€™s School of Theater students with working artists from all over the world, preparing the next generation of actors, directors, stage managers, designers, technicians and leaders.

For tickets, show dates, and updates, visit: ohio.edu/fine-arts/tantrum-theater.