PERU, Ind. — Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre will open its 61st season this summer with a mix of children’s theater, comedies, musicals, and classic dramas performed at the historic Peru Depot.
The season begins with the Ole Olsen Memorial Children’s Theatre production of Winnie the Pooh Jr., scheduled for August 22–24. Performances will take place Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available online at onthestage.tickets/ole-olsen-memorial-theatre or at the door.
Season tickets go on sale July 1 and may also be purchased through the same website.
New Performance Time and Format
Evening performances will now begin at 7 p.m., moving up from the traditional 7:30 p.m. start. In addition, the theater is introducing “Sip & Show,” a new opening-night format replacing Thursday dinner theater. The event will feature appetizers and beverages prior to the performance.
2025–26 Season Schedule
The 39 Steps — Directed by Bryan Bertoline
Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7 p.m.; Oct. 4, 12 at 2 p.m.Heck the Dolls with Chardonnay — Directed by Lynn Weil
Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 8, 15 at 2 p.m.Beverly Hillbillies: The Musical — Directed by Shanna Stoll
March 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7 p.m.; March 8, 15 at 2 p.m.Murder on the Orient Express — Directed by Debby Myers
May 1, 2, 8, 9 at 7 p.m.; May 3, 10 at 2 p.m.
All productions will be staged at the Peru Depot, 154 S. Broadway, Peru.
About Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre
Founded in 1964, Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre, Inc. is a non-profit community theater named for John Sigvard “Ole” Olsen, a Peru native born in 1892. Olsen, the son of a Norwegian immigrant who worked for the railroad, earned a music degree from Northwestern University before finding success on the Vaudeville circuit. He is remembered for his motto: “May you live as long as you laugh, and laugh as long as you live.”
The organization continues to honor his legacy by providing community-based theater in Miami County.