Welcome to Tibbits Summer Theatre!
West Side Story, TST 2019. Photo by Laura Pentecost.
Each year, our artistic director hires a variety of professional actors, designers, and technicians from throughout the country and brings them together at Tibbits. Some cast members are only here for a show or two; others are here the entire season. Artist Director Charles Burr retired after the 2020 season, with long-time Tibbits favorite Peter Riopelle taking over the position.
In August 2020, Tibbits Summer Theatre closed the final show of the most unique and challenging season in its history. We also celebrated Burr’s final show as Artistic Director with a standing ovation. We are beyond proud of our small, dedicated company to be one the few theatres in the country to pull off this feat in a safe, outdoor space. Without the support of our audience, our playbill advertisers, and our season sponsors — which included Coldwater Board of Public Utilities, Parrish Excavating Inc, Frederick Family Dental, Dr. John & Seibra Herbener, Coldwater Orthodontics, Great Lakes Chiropractic, Vested Risk Strategies, Honor Credit Union, Coldwater Exchange Club, and Matthew C. Christopher DDS,PC.—last summer wouldn’t haven’t been possible. Thank you to all who enabled the show to go on!
2020 Season
- Sing Happy (July 9-11)
- A Popped Potpourri (July 16-18)
- When Radio Was King (July 23-25)
- Love Letters (July 30, 31, Aug 1)
- Man of La Mancha (Aug 5-7, 13-15)
- What Mad Pursuit (Aug 19, 20, 22)
- It Started With Eve (Aug 27-29)
- Tibbits Airs Radio Memories From a Bygone Era With Grit and Style Encore MI Review (7/26/20)
- TST Show Offers ‘Insane’ Hope in a Crazy World Coldwater Daily Reporter Review (8/6/20)
- The Impossible Dream is Ours to Choose Herald Republican Review (8/6/20)
- Man of La Mancha is Transformational Show Herald Republican Column (8/7/20)
- Tibbits Stages a Worthy La Mancha Encore MI Review (8/11/20)
2019 Season
- Ken Ludwig’s Be My Baby (June 20-22, 26-29)
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (July 5-7, 10-13)
- West Side Story (July 25-27, 31, Aug 1-3)
- See How They Run (Aug 8-10, 14-17)
- Plus a special fall performance of Next to Normal (Sept 6-8, 12-14)
- ‘Be My Baby’ at Tibbits is Old-School Romance Encore MI Review (6/27/19)
- Tibbits’ “Dreamcoat” Shows Its Many Colors Encore MI Review (7/23/19)
- ‘West Side Story’ Continues Tonight at Tibbits Opera House Coldwater Daily Reporter (7/27/19)
- “Next to Normal” on Stage at Tibbits Coldwater Daily Reporter (9/7/19)
- “Next to Normal” Worth the Drive to Coldwater KPC Media (9/11/19)
- Tibbits’ Next to Normal Intense and Powerful Encore MI Review (9/23/19)
2018 Season
*Mixed Emotions (June 14-16, 20-23)
*Jesus Christ Superstar (June 28-July 1, July 5-7)
*A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder (July 19-21, 25-28)
*Resident Alien (Aug 2-4, 8-11)
- ‘Mixed Emotions’ premiers today Coldwater Daily Reporter Review (June 14, 2018)
- ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Rocks the Tibbits KPC Media Review (July 3, 2018)
- A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’ is a must see performance at Tibbits Opera House Coldwater Daily Reporter Review (July 20, 2018)
- Tibbits’ ‘Gentleman’s Guide’ delicious and delightful Encore MI Review (July 21, 2018)
Jesus Christ Superstar, 2018 TST. Photo courtesy of Stan Clayton/Classic Portraits.
2017 Season
- The Cemetery Club – A touching story of starting life anew by Ivan Menchell.
- Damn Yankees – The musical with “Heart!” based on the novel “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant.”
- Footloose – Rock-and-roll musical based on the hit 1984 film.
- Ken Ludwig’s The Fox on the Fairway – Ken Ludwig’s comical swing on the golf course with mistaken identities, a foxy fiance, and an unfortunate wager.
- Tibbits journeys to the cemetery with three spry widows. Encore MI Review (June 19, 2017)
- ‘The Cemetery Club,’ a must see Coldwater Daily Reporter Review (June 18, 2017)
- Tibbits’ ‘Damn Yankees’ has a lot of Heart Encore MI Review (July 8, 2017)
- Tibbits Lets Loose with ‘Footloose’ Encore MI Review (July 31, 2017)
- Tibbits hits an ace with ‘Fox on the Fairway’ Encore MI Review (August 11, 2017)
Footloose, 2017. Photo courtesy of Mike Gorecki/SPI Photo
2016 Season
- Driving Miss Daisy – Drama by Alfred Uhry
Oklahoma! – Much-loved classic musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein - Addams Family the Musical – Enter the macabre home of Gomez and Morticia Addams as they scrutinize Wednesday’s new love interest.
- Boeing-Boeing – Hilarious farce set in 1960s Paris, introduces swinging bachelor Bernard as he strings along three airline stewardesses.
- Addams Family Battle Creek Enquirer – (07-29-2016)
- Addams Family Encore Michigan – (07-29-2016)
- Driving Miss Daisy – The Sturgis Journal (06/17/2016)
- Driving Miss Daisy Battle Creek Enquirer – (06-17-2016)
- Driving Miss Daisy Encore Michigan – (06-18-2016)
- Boeing Boeing – Encore Michigan (09-14-2016)
2015 Season
- The Odd Couple – Classic Neil Simon Comedy
- Peter Pan– Musical for the child in all of us who dream of soaring high & never growing up
- Pippin – The original captivating, mischievous, magical, humorous Broadway musical sensation
- Alone Together Again – Hilarious Broadway comedy about would be empty -nesters whose parents move in.
2014 Season
- The Look of Love – Featuring the timeless songs of Burt Bacharach
- A Chorus Line – One singular sensation of music and dance
- Guys and Dolls – The underworld overflows with music, comedy & classic characters
- Alone Together – Empty-nesters meet the boomerang generation