Carmel Live

About

Civic Theatre is a community theater company that stages musicals, comedies and dramas at the Tarkington, a building across the green from the Palladium. It reports about 90 performances a year and more than 30,000 people at its mainstage shows each season.

Its Jr. Civic program has offered year-round performing arts classes since 1941. Classes start at 18 months old, and other classes and workshops go up through seniors.

History

Civic began in 1915 as the Little Theatre Society of Indiana. It became the Civic Theatre of Indianapolis in 1929 and took the name Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre around 1949-50, after the Indiana playwright. It later used the name Indianapolis Civic Theatre. It moved to Carmel for its 2011-12 season. Civic says it is considered the longest continuously operating community theater in the country.

When to go

The 2026-27 season: Annie, December 4 to 26, 2026. Clue, February 5 to 20, 2027. Pete the Cat, a children's show, Saturday, February 27, 2027, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Steel Magnolias, March 12 to 27, 2027, in the Studio Theater. Mean Girls, April 30 to May 15, 2027.

Evening shows are at 7 p.m. and most matinees at 2 p.m., but days vary. Annie has a noon show on December 24, 2026.

Check today's hours →

Good to know

The show pages don't give age guidance, so ask the box office before you bring kids. The will call window is in the building lobby and opens an hour before a show. Tickets bought in person at the box office carry no per-ticket fee.

The Center Parking Garage connects directly to the Tarkington building, and the Veterans Way and Civic Square garages are within a block. Valet is only for Palladium shows. During the Carmel Christkindlmarkt season, traffic patterns change, so allow extra time and be ready to use another garage.

Civic offers accessible seating, large print programs, ASL interpreting, audio description, assisted listening and sensory-friendly relaxed performances. Its accessibility page doesn't list dates, so call (317) 853-6315 to ask.

Price

• Annie, tickets start at (2026)$74
• Clue, tickets start at (2027)$59
• Pete the Cat, tickets start at (2027)$26
• Steel Magnolias, tickets start at (2027)$59
• Mean Girls, tickets start at (2027)$71

These are the lowest prices listed. Other seats cost more. City garage and street parking are free.

Prices checked November 2026 on the website of Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts, Civic Theatre's ticket seller. They can change, so check before you go.

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