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Community theaters / Downtown Kalamazoo (Bronson Park)

Kalamazoo Civic Theatre

One of America's leading community theatres since 1929, with three stages near Bronson Park. Season 98 brings a dozen productions, from The Wizard of Oz to Fences.

Tickets ↗Full lineup on the venue’s site ↗(269) 343-1313
Two costumed actors sing with arms outstretched on stage while a robed choir stands on the gallery above, with THE CIVIC logo in the center

Kalamazoo Civic Theatre · Photo from the venue’s official website

Quick facts

Opened
1931
Seats
503 (Civic Auditorium) + 190 (Parish Theatre) + 100 (Carver Studio)
Resident companies
Kalamazoo Civic Theatre · Civic Youth Theatre · Academy of Theatre Arts
Formerly
Kalamazoo Civic Players

01 / Playbill

Now on stage

Announced lineup

What the venue announced on its own site when we last checked (2026-09-26). Click through for exact times and tickets.

Full lineup on the venue’s site ↗

02 / The story of this place

Make time for these

The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre was born in the summer of 1929, when a small group staged plays in the Lincoln School auditorium; its founders included actress Dorothy Dalton, Norman Carver Sr. and Louise Carver. In 1931 the Civic Players moved for good into the Civic Auditorium on South Park Street, built under the direction of Dr. John Upjohn as a stage for his daughter Dorothy Dalton. Today the Civic runs three stages: the 503-seat Civic Auditorium (its copper roof replaced in 2018), the 190-seat Suzanne U.D. Parish Theatre (1998) on West Lovell Street, which can play in the round, and the 100-seat Carver Studio black box. Season 98 (2026-27) offers a dozen productions: Some Enchanted Evening, The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein opens in October, The Wizard of Oz runs November 27 to December 20, and Fences arrives in March 2027.

  • A community theatre since 1929
  • Three stages: 503, 190 and 100 seats
  • The Wizard of Oz: November 27 to December 20

Plan your visit

The main house, the Civic Auditorium, is at 329 S Park St in downtown Kalamazoo. Check which stage your show is on, since the Parish Theatre is over on West Lovell Street. Tickets are through the box office; the season is at kazoocivic.com.

Box office

Box office (269) 343-1313; business office (269) 343-2280; Academy (269) 548-3035.

A closer look

Two crew members in headsets smile in the control booth, with the stage glowing blue behind them
Kalamazoo Civic Theatre · Photo from the venue’s official website

Theaters nearby

Back to theaters ↗

Community theaters / Kalamazoo

Face Off Theatre Company

A Kalamazoo company staging plays by and about Black Americans since 2015. It moves between venues, including Kalamazoo College's Festival Playhouse.

Campus stages / Kalamazoo

Western Michigan University Theatre

WMU's Department of Theatre in Kalamazoo is known for conservatory-style music theatre and acting training, and it stages a full public season in the Gilmore Theatre Complex's three houses. Kinky Boots lands in fall 2026.

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