CATCO (Contemporary American Theatre Company) is the only resident professional Equity theatre located in Central Ohio. Its repertoire includes new works and classics, both international and homegrown. The theatre opened in January 1985 at the local YWCA with a production of Bill C. Davis’s Mass Appeal; in the fall of the following year, CATCO leased warehouse space on Park Street in the Short North District and converted it into a theatre in less than a month.
The company joined Actors Equity Association in 1995. After producing four shows in the Vern Riffe Center’s Studio One theatre during the 1996-97 season, it moved to the center full-time and became its resident company in June 1997. CATCO experienced a financial crisis in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but in 2003 it adopted a shared services model with the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) that included management, production and rental agreements between the two organizations. In 2008, the company achieved a balanced budget for the sixth year in a row. Its recent productions have ranged from to Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer to Charles Ludlam’s The Mystery of Irma Vep to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
- Public Transportation: Accessible via COTA
- Handicapped Accessibility: Yes
- Performance/Programs: Schedule is Wednesday through Sunday.
- Admission: Single tickets $39.95; preview performances are discounted; Wednesday 11am performances only $11. Discounts available for students and seniors for all shows, except Friday and Saturday performances.
- Group Discounts: Discounts available for groups of 10 or more.
- Subscriber/Memberships: Call 614-719-6900 for subscription options. Subscriber benefits include 20% discount on additional single tickets, ticket exchange privileges, and invitations to parties and special events.
CATCO Information
