The Toledo City Paper depends on readers like you! Become a friend today. See membership options
Go See a Show Toledo invites theater fans to explore local productions
Calling all theatergoers! Go See a Show Toledo has a new challenge for you. Their first ever Curtain Crawl kicked off in September, but it’s not too late to join.
Ready, Set, See A Show
Curtain Crawl challenges people to go see as many local productions as possible throughout the 2026-2027 season. Participants will be sent a list of over 200 productions happening in the Toledo area, complete with dates, locations and links to purchase tickets. The list will be used as a guide as well as a way for participants to track their progress throughout the season.
Participants must also snap a photo of each playbill and post it to social media using the hashtag #CurtainCrawl. Guides must be turned in by the end of the 2026-2027 season, September 5, 2027. The completed guides and social media posts will be used to select a winner of the challenge.
An end-of-season celebration will be held sometime in September 2027, featuring games, performances and special giveaways. Participants will also learn who saw the most theater during the challenge.
Participation in Curtain Crawl costs $20 and includes the guide to over 200 productions as well as a ticket to the end-of-season celebration.
Supporting Local Stages
Amber Wilkes, founder of Go See A Show Toledo, was inspired to create Curtain Crawl by the need for more audience engagement and support for local theater.
Following the pandemic, local theater companies across the country have faced challenges with rising costs and declining audiences. With over 50 theater companies in the Toledo area, Wilkes saw an opportunity to encourage people to explore productions they may not otherwise discover.
“Everyone is just kind of stretched really thin in the community right now, which is massive and thriving, and really amazing, but can be doing better. I mean, these theaters need money. They need people,” Wilkes said.
Curtain Crawl is not only a way to get avid local theatergoers to see more theater, but to introduce new audiences to the local theater scene.
“We need to be bringing more people into the fold, and this is my way to try to reach out past the community to get more people involved and just raise awareness of these amazing productions that are happening right in our backyards.”
Wilkes recognizes that the cost of tickets may be a barrier for some people, but says there are other ways to get involved. She encourages people to reach out to theaters before performances for volunteer opportunities such as selling concessions, passing out programs or ushering. In many cases volunteers can see the show for free.
The Community Behind The Curtain
Wilkes believes people will be surprised at not only the amount of theater companies in the Toledo area, but the level of talent and creativity behind their productions.
“The caliber of talent and craftsmanship that goes into these productions. I mean, the sets are beautiful, the lighting is beautiful. It’s not just the talent on stage, but everybody behind the scenes works really hard because they do it for the love of the craft. They’re not getting paid, so you know there’s just a lot of heart and a lot of dedication that goes into it.”
That dedication also brings together people from a wide range of backgrounds, many of whom might not otherwise cross paths.
“But I think they would be surprised to see people coming together like this, and surprised to see people from all different walks of life coming together to build this stuff. You know, doctors, CEOs, people who own their own companies, construction workers, librarians. I mean, there’s people from every walk of life.”
That sense of community is at the heart of Go See a Show Toledo, a local arts initiative Wilkes founded to promote community theater and encourage audiences to discover productions throughout the Toledo area. As of June 2026, Wilkes has acquired an LLC and is laying the groundwork for paid performance opportunities, showtune karaoke, masterclasses, peer review workshops and an online merch store.
To register for Go See A Show Toledo’s Curtain Crawl, visit goseeashowtoledo.com/curtain-crawl.
View this post on Instagram
