“A Taste of Broadway.” La Comedia Dinner Theater
Article contribution by Ron Clyburn
Since 1975, La Comedia Dinner Theater has brought buffet-style dining and live stage
productions to the Miami Valley. The theater is located at 765 W Central Avenue, Springboro,
Ohio. This year is their 50 th anniversary. I took my wife there two weeks ago for her birthday,
and we both had a great experience. We bought our tickets online, and when we arrived for the
pre-show dinner around 5:30 pm, all we had to do was give our names, and we were ushered to
our seats.
The Food
House salads were already in place and waiting for us at our table. Their Papaya Chutney salad
dressing is a La Comedia specialty and was very good. Our server told us bottles of the dressing
are available for purchase in their gift shop.
We finished our salads and drank coffee and tea while waiting for the host to call us down for the buffet, which is served on the stage. Everyone was called down in sections, so it was done very orderly. There was a wide variety of menu items available on the buffet. I have to say, it’s one of the better buffets I’ve ever been to. I chose the glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, buttered corn, and their “signature” sweet potato soufflé (which I highly recommend). Several styles of freshly-baked breads were also available.
Coffee, Tea, and water were all free. I drank coffee and water, and the server never let my
coffee go cold. Soft drinks and alcohol, including wine, mixed drinks, and beer, were available
for purchase. Once we’d finished dinner, the bussers collected all the plates and everyone was
given dessert. That night, we were served a pineapple cobbler, which was very tasty.
The Atmosphere
The lighting was dim enough to give you a sense of intimacy, but not so dark that you can’t see
to walk anywhere you’d need to go. Also, each table had a small lamp, bright enough for
everyone to see. Our seats were at a four-person table, so we sat across from a nice couple
who lived in Lebanon and were La Comedia season pass holders. The service was friendly and
very timely. The bussers and servers came around often, so you don’t have to worry about
plates piling up or drinks going low. Overall, the dinner experience was excellent.
The Show
Full disclosure: I’m not really a fan of musical theater. But my wife is, so guess what? Ron goes
to see musical theater. That being said, I honestly enjoyed the show. We saw Children of Eden,
written by John Caird, with music by Steven Schwartz. Based on the Book of Genesis, Act I is the
story of Adam and Eve, and Kane and Abel. Act II covers Noah and his ark. All the performers
are professional actors and did an outstanding job. There’s no doubt in my mind that some of
the performers are bound for stardom. They were that good. According to La Comedia’s
website, every production is done in-house, from casting, to sets, and direction. They also note
that many of their performers have gone on to successful careers in theater, TV, and movies.
Actor John Goodman’s very first acting job was portraying Thomas Jefferson on the La Comedia
stage in the musical 1776.
Overall Experience
My wife and I had a very good time. The dining experience was fantastic, and the show was
amazing. There are plenty of theaters in the Miami Valley to see musical theater, but if you
want a very unique theater experience with great food and atmosphere, go see a show at La
Comedia Dinner Theater. We liked it so much, we are going back to see The Play That Goes
Wrong in September, and Scrooge in December.
For information on current and future shows, show times, purchasing tickets (including season
passes), and the full buffet menu, go to La Comedia’s website.
More about Ron Cyburn
Check out my author website at www.ronclyburn.com, where I have a bi-weekly blog, short stories, and links to my published work.