Subscription Packages Available Now!

Click below to see our 2026–27 Season lineup and to purchase subscriptions:

Name a seat, an entire row, or help support our restroom renovations! Help us complete the project in time for our 50th CenterStage Season in fall of 2026.

$1,000 for a seat, or $5,000 for an entire row.

Cornell/Weinstein Family Foundation presents

The Sound

A New Musical, Inspired by True Events
Conceived by Charlotte Cohn
Music & Lyrics by Christian Douglas

Book by Charlotte Cohn & Jason Odell Williams

May 2–17, 2026

In 1943, deportation orders of over 7,000 Danish Jews inspired their friends and neighbors to help them escape to Sweden across The Sound, sending ripples far beyond the waters that transported them to safety. Set in both past and present, this magical and heroic story of one family’s race against the clock to elude capture may restore your faith in humanity.

Run Time: 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission

Director Charlotte Cohn
Associate Director/Choreographer Esther Winter
Musical Director Julie Covach

Saturday, May 2, 7:30pm
Sunday, May 3, 2pm
Thursday, May 7, 7pm
Saturday, May 9, 2pm
Saturday, May 9, 7:30pm
Sunday, May 10, 2pm [OC]
Wednesday, May 13, 7pm
Thursday, May 14, 7pm
Saturday, May 16, 2pm
Saturday, May 16, 7:30pm
Sunday, May 17, 2pm

Sponsored by
Dawn Lipson
Nelson B. Delavan Foundation
Rubens Family Foundation

Special Event

Destroying David

ONE NIGHT ONLY! A New Play from the Creator of Church & State, Handle with Care, On The Market, and The Sound

Written & Performed by Jason Odell Williams
Directed by Charlotte Cohn

Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30pm
Auditorium C

General Admission: $18 (JCC Members $15)

A tour guide leads a private tour through the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy. As the guide shares the fascinating history and precarious physical condition of the famous statue, we soon realize they have a grander plan…to destroy Michelangelo’s David. 

A funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting ode to the beauty, resilience, and power of art to help us through our darkest hours.

Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission

“A triumph! Mesmerizing from start to finish. A work of art about a work of art.” 
Broadway World, Dallas

“Superb! Imaginative! Pure stage magic!” 
The Dallas Morning News

“An exciting, tour de force production! Just when you are tearing up, [Williams] deftly breaks the tension and has you laughing out loud. A sheer delight from start to finish!” 
Nippertown

by Wendy Kout

Inspired by the Lives and Words of Ten Holocaust Survivors

Tuesday, May 26, 10:30am
JCC Hart Theater  |  General Admission: $10

This one-hour play, commissioned by CenterStage Theatre and the Louis S. Wolk Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester and written by Wendy Kout, teaches the chronological history of the Holocaust by enacting the actual experiences of Jewish children and teenagers from Europe.  Actors portray the Survivors and take us on a perilous journey from innocence through the terrifying rise and rule of bigotry, xenophobia, and violence to the triumph of immigrating to America.

Though the play is about the past, it is relevant and resonant for the present and future.  The Survivors inspire us to face today’s personal and worldly challenges, hardships and horrors through resilience, perseverance, hope, humor, compassion and community. The Survivors also remind us that we must always speak up against hatred, that we can never take our democracy for granted, and we must always fight to maintain our dignity and our freedom.

SummerStage presents

Jagged Little Pill, the Musical

July 11–19, 2026

Tony and Grammy Award-Winning Musical
Music by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard
Book by Diablo Cody

ROCHESTER THEATRE PREMIERE
Inspired by Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music, this musical about a perfectly imperfect American family is brimming with joy, strength, love, courage and life.

JCC SummerStage is made possible in part by the Frumel Ureles Fund for Theater Arts.

Auditions for high school and college students on Sunday, May 17.
Click here for details.

Saturday, July 11, 7:30pm
Sunday, July 12, 2pm [OC]
Wednesday, July 15, 7pm
Thursday, July 16, 7pm
Saturday, July 18, 7:30pm
Sunday, July 19, 2pm

CenterStage's 50th Anniversary Season

Bringing a World of Theatre to Rochester…Bringing Rochester Theatre to the World!

Thank you to our incredible team of staff, crew, volunteers, and wonderful audience
for your continued support as we enter this milestone 50th Anniversary Season!

NEW! Subscribe to all 5 shows and get Seat Ownership year after year!
Seat ownership is based on a “Same Day” package, i.e. first Saturday, second Sunday, etc.
When purchasing a 5-Show Package, you will be prompted to select the same date for all shows.

Questions? Contact us at arts@jccrochester.org or call (585) 461-2000 x235

5-Show SEAT OWNERSHIP

Own your seats from year to year when you select the same day (ex: first Saturday, second Sunday) for all 5 shows. 

Your seats will renew automatically for the following 2027/28 Season!

5-Show FLEX Package

Select any dates for all 5 shows.
This package does not qualify for seat ownership.

Great for those who are flexible with both their dates and their seat preferences! 

4-Show FLEX Package

Select any dates for any 4 shows.
This package does not qualify for seat ownership.

Great for those who are flexible with dates and seats, and can’t make it to all 5 shows!

Individual Tickets (Available June 1): 

Plays: $40 (JCC Members $35) 
Alex Edelman’s Just For Us, The World to Come

Musicals: $45 (JCC Members $40) 
Come from Away, Hitmakers: Legends, The Band’s Visit

Students: $25 for all shows

Come From Away

ROCHESTER THEATRE PREMIERE
October 10–25, 2026

Tony & Olivier Award-Winning Musical!
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein

The remarkable true story! What started as an average day in a small town turned into an international sleepover when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from around the globe, were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. One of the most globally acclaimed musicals of the millennium brings the work of Irene Sankoff and David Hein (My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding) back to the JCC stage for an epic opening to CenterStage’s 50th Season.

Directed by Ralph Meranto
Music Direction by Andy Pratt
Choreography by Mandi Lynn Griffith

Saturday, October 10 at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 11 at 2pm
Wednesday, October 14 at 7pm
Thursday, October 15 at 7pm
Saturday, October 17 at 2pm
Saturday, October 17 at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 18 at 2pm [OC]
Wednesday, October 21 at 7pm
Thursday, October 22 at 7pm
Saturday, October 24 at 2pm
Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 25 at 2pm

Alex Edelman's Just For Us

ROCHESTER THEATRE PREMIERE
December 5–20, 2026

Tony and Emmy Award-Winning Play

A masterful blend of comedy and storytelling. A nice Jewish boy walked into a white supremacists meeting…and turned his experience into the hilarious social commentary that was a smash success on Broadway and HBO Max.

Saturday, December 5 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 6 at 2pm
Thursday, December 10 at 7pm
Saturday, December 12 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 13 at 2pm [OC]
Thursday, December 17 at 7pm
Saturday, December 19 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 20 at 2pm

Hitmakers: Legends

ALL-NEW SHOW
February 6–21, 2027

It is a rare artist that can sustain popularity over multiple decades. For our 12th incarnation of Hitmakers we expand into the 1980s and take a deep dive into the legendary performers you know and love, from the Beach Boys to Whitney Houston.

Directed by Ralph Meranto
Music Direction & Arrangements by Casey Filiaci

Saturday, February 6 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 7 at 2pm
Thursday, February 11 at 7pm
Saturday, February 13 at 2pm
Saturday, February 13 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 14 at 2pm [OC]
Wednesday, February 17 at 7pm
Thursday, February 18 at 7pm
Saturday, February 20 at 2pm
Saturday, February 20 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 21 at 2pm

The World to Come

WORLD-PREMIERE PLAY
March 6–21, 2027

By National Jewish Playwriting Contest winner Ali Viterbi

The residents of the SeaBreeze Hebrew Home for the Aging enjoy a pleasant existence: knitting, playing Scrabble, squabbling over mundane issues, and falling in love. When an outside force threatens their way of life, our Scrabble players transform into warriors and discover the true power of friendship. 

Directed by Skip Greer

Saturday, March 6 at 7:30pm
Sunday, March 7 at 2pm
Thursday, March 11 at 7pm
Saturday, March 13 at 7:30pm
Sunday, March 14 at 2pm [OC]
Thursday, March 18 at 7pm
Saturday, March 20 at 7:30pm
Sunday, March 21 at 2pm

The Band's Visit

ROCHESTER THEATRE PREMIERE

May 8–23, 2027

Winner of 10 Tony Awards Including Best Musical!
Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek, Book by Itamar Moses, Based on the screenplay by Eran Kolirin

After a mix-up at the border, a group of Egyptian musicians end up in a remote town in Israel. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, the unexpected travelers and the locals become intertwined in unexpected ways. This beautiful gem of a musical explores how the smallest moments can have a life-changing impact.

Directed and Choreographed by Lindsay Warren Baker
Music Direction by Andy Pratt

Saturday, May 8 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 9 at 2pm
Thursday, May 13 at 7pm
Saturday, May 15 at 2pm
Saturday, May 15 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 16 at 2pm [OC]
Wednesday, May 19 at 7pm
Thursday, May 20 at 7pm
Saturday, May 22 at 2pm
Saturday, May 22 at 7:30pm
Sunday, May 23 at 2pm

[OC] denotes live open captioned performances.
Ideal seating on right side of the audience.
Click here to learn more.

Spring in NYC

April 28–30, 2026

Leave the travel and details to us for an unforgettable 3-day, 2-night Broadway experience in New York City!

Includes travel, hotel, and best available seats for 2 Broadway shows. We have selected two shows with the most buzz:

Schmigadoon! is a hilarious parody of classic musical theatre shows inspired by the 2021 Apple TV+ series of the same name and Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York is the surprised hit of the season that our Broadway contacts are saying is likely to be the Tony Award-Winner.

SOLD OUT
E-mail us at arts@jccrochester.org to be added to a wait list in case there are cancellations.

Give the Gift of Theatre
with a CenterStage Gift Card!

Choose your own amount, send via e-mail or print yourself,
or contact us for a personalized gift certificate.

Support the Arts

It’s no secret that the arts were severely impacted by the pandemic. Even in normal years, ticket sales only cover around half of our total expenses. It’s our subscribers, sponsors, and donors that make it possible for us to present the high quality programming you have come to expect from CenterStage.
 
Gifts of $1,000 or more receive two subscription packages for all five season shows. Please contact us about show sponsorships and other underwriting opportunities. All donors over $100 receive listings in all season playbills and access to the Lipson Lounge for season performances. 
 

Donor: $100
Friend: $250
Patron: $500
Supporter: $1,000
Supporting Show Sponsors: $2,500
Lead Show Sponsor: $5,000
Supporting Season Sponsor: $10,000
Lead Season Sponsor $25,000

E-mail centerstage@jccrochester.org with any questions, or click below to give today!

Click for a list of our supporters.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I still exchange my ticket for a different performance?

YES! Exchanges for Season Subscribers are complimentary. For individual ticket holders, exchanges are free when exchanging from one performance to another of the same price. When exchanging to a performance of a higher value, the balance of that performance will be due at the time of exchange. There are no refunds for exchanging tickets to a less expensive show date. All exchanges must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Please contact the box office at (585) 461-2000 ext 235 or email centerstage@jccrochester.org.

All sales are final and refunds will only be offered in the case of a canceled show on the part of JCC CenterStage. Credits can be issued if a ticket holder contacts the box office at least 24 hours in advance of the performance they are canceling. The value of your tickets will be placed on your account to be used at a future event within that season, or following season if applied to a May/June/July event*. Credits can be issued due to illness or personal reasons and must be communicated at least 24 hours prior to the show. Credits will not be issued due to poor weather.

*Credits issued from events August 2025 – April 2026 must be used prior to July 2026. May 2026-July 2026 event credits must be used prior to end of Dec 2026.

Do you offer group pricing?

Yes! Groups of 10+ can contact the box office at (585) 461-2000 ext 235 or centerstage@jccrochester.org to arrange a block of seats at $5 off the non-member price of whichever performance they plan to attend.

Crafted from the actual testimonies of Rochester-based Holocaust Survivors, CenterStage Theatre and the Louis S. Wolk Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester commissioned this new play to put a human face on this important time in history. A cautionary tale on the risks of normalized hate, this inspirational and uplifting play ensures that the voices of our Survivors will never be silenced.

Season Sponsors:

Cornell/Weinstein Family Foundation
Nelson B. Delavan Foundation
Duda Family Foundation
Deborah G. Goldman
Jewish Home
Harold and Judy Samloff
St. John’s
Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

With support from

Media Partners:


CenterStage Theatre at the JCC
is a proud member of TheatreRocs

Photos by Steve Levinson, Lou Schneider

Form 990 for year-end 6/30/2024 can be obtained by emailing kzastrow@jccrochester.org

Copyright 2026
The JCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

BENEFICIARY AGENCY OF