Student Matinees at theREP
Students experience live theatre while engaging with curriculum-based programming at one of our historic venues: Proctors, Capital Repertory Theatre, or Universal Preservation Hall.
At theREP, we present full-length, high-quality productions during the school day—complete with a post-show talkback with cast members. Students enjoy a cutting-edge theatrical experience inside a beautifully preserved historic building.
“Pure Poe: Three Tales of the Macabre”
By Edgar Allan Poe
Adapted by Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill
Directed by Margaret E. Hall
Get ready for an electrifying return of one of Capital Repertory Theatre’s most adored touring shows – “Pure Poe” is back, and it’s more thrilling than ever! Step into a world of passion, madness, and chilling mystery as Edgar Allan Poe’s unforgettable characters burst to life. Witness lost loves, gruesome murders, and a desperate prince fighting his deadly fate as the legendary master storyteller himself, Edgar Allan Poe, rises from the grave to weave his dark tales. Prepare to be captivated as Poe recites his iconic poem “The Raven,” alongside the spine-tingling “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and the haunting “Masque of the Red Death.” This is a show you don’t want to miss!
Show Details:
Date: 10 a.m. Oct. 15, 2025
Location: MainStage at theREP
Price: $9
Grade level: 6+
Length: 45 min. with a 15-min. talkback
CC: Literature, ELA
“Murder for Two: Holiday Edition”
Book and Lyrics by Kellen Blair
Book and Music by Joe Kinosian
Directed by Scott Weinstein
You’re invited to a Christmas Eve party at a spooky mansion…but the host won’t survive the opening number! This madcap musical mystery delivers nonstop laughs as one actor plays detective Marcus Moscowicz and the other tackles all 10 suspects. A hit at Capital Repertory Theatre in 2015, “Murder for Two” returns with composer and original star Joe Kinosian for a must-see holiday event!
Show Details:
Date: 10:30 a.m. Dec. 4 and 17, 2025
Location: MainStage at theREP
Price: $14
Grade level: 9+
Length: 2 hrs. 15 min., with intermission
CC: Holiday, Comedy, Storytelling
“They Built America: Workers of the Erie Canal”
By Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill
Directed by Margaret E. Hall
Join Kelly McPhearson, a fearless Irish lass, on an incredible journey to find her brother (her only family in America), who’s working on the canal. Sourced from more than 35 historical records, this original work celebrates the real men, women, children, politicians, farmers, merchants, and laborers who built the Erie Canal – the miraculous waterway that transformed America from a burgeoning country into a great nation! Told with live music and text, history comes to life with figures such as physician Dr. Finch, Italian mason Antonio, Swedish packet boat Captain Gus, Governor DeWitt Clinton, congressmen, and many more!
Show Details:
Date: 10 a.m. March 11, 2026
Location: MainStage at theREP
Price: $9
Grade level: 3+
Length: 45 min. with a 15-min. talkback
CC: Literature, ELA, American History
REGIONAL PREMIERE
“Archduke”
By Rajiv Joseph
A Collaboration with the Wilma
Directed by Blanka Zizka
Serbia, 1914. Three starving teens with nothing to lose fall under the sway of a fanatical captain, stumbling their way into an assassination that sparks World War I. This pitch-dark farce turns history on its head, blending absurd comedy with chilling relevance. Direct from Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater, winner of the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award, “Archduke” is inventive, hilarious, and heartbreakingly timely.
Show Details:
Date: 10:30 a.m. March 12 and 25, 2026
Location: MainStage at theREP
Price: $14
Grade level: 9+
Length: 2 hrs. 15 min. with intermission
CC: History, Social Studies
Note for all shows: theREP prides itself on offering a diverse selection of arts entertainment. Not all productions may appeal or be appropriate for every person or all ages. Patrons are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the shows we offer to make informed decisions before purchasing tickets.
Important information:
Personal Responsibility Statement: TheREP prides itself on offering a diverse selection of arts entertainment. Not all productions may appeal or be appropriate for every person or all ages. Patrons are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the shows we offer, in order to make informed decisions prior to purchasing tickets.