Muse Machine
Muse Machine is an American arts education organization based in Dayton, Ohio, serving 77,000 students and 600 teachers across 13 different southwestern Ohio counties.[1] Founded in 1982 by Suzanne Murray Bassani,[2] the organization has produced many annual musicals and summer concerts, where students participate on stage, backstage, and in the orchestra.[3] Bassani, a stage actress and festival organizer who had lived 18 years in Italy, established the organization after moving to Dayton, with help from locals Jean Woodhull and Frances Sullivan.[2]
Muse Machine's first stage production was the play Once in a Lifetime, put on by Mountview Theatre School students who transported their production (and director) from London to the Victory Theater in Dayton.[4]
A 501(c)(3) non-profit, in tax year 2022, Muse Machine had total revenues of $1.2 million and program service expenses of over $660,000, and net assets of nearly $6 million, under executive director, Ruth Reveal.[5] The approach of the organization is to engage students through arts-integrated classroom instruction, interactive workshops, and professional development for teachers.
Stage productions
1985: West Side Story
1986: Fiddler On The Roof
1987: Carousel
1988: Guys And Dolls
1989: The Wiz
1991: Oklahoma!
1992: South Pacific
1993: Oliver!
1994: Peter Pan
1995: The Music Man
1996: The Wizard Of Oz
1997: Me And My Girl
1998: Mame
1999: Damn Yankees
2000: My Favorite Year
2001: My Fair Lady
2002: The Pajama Game
2003: Guys And Dolls
2004: How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
2005: On The Town
2006: Beauty And The Beast
2007: Thoroughly Modern Millie
2008: Peter Pan
2009: Me And My Girl
2010: Singin' In The Rain
2011: Into The Woods
2012: The Wizard Of Oz
2013: Crazy For You
2014: Seussical
2015: Oliver!
2016: Mary Poppins
2017: Hairspray
2018: Hello, Dolly!
2019: Mamma Mia!
2020: In The Heights
2021: no show
2022: The Addams Family
2023: The Little Mermaid
2024: 9 to 5
2025: Cats
References
- ^ Florence Jr., Russell (17 Feb 2024). "Muse Machine gets $30K grant from AES Ohio Foundation". Newspapers.com. Dayton Daily News. p. B4. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ a b Dietz Krebs, Betty (8 Jan 1982). "Arts program casts eye to youth". Newspapers.com. Dayton Daily News. p. 25. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ Stuckey, Alex (2010-12-30). "Muse Machine to take audiences 'Into the Woods' with production". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ Lipper, Hal (26 Jan 1982). "Transatlantic play due for Victory". Newspapers.com. Dayton Daily News. p. 1. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ 2022 Form 990, as found on GuideStar.
- ^ "Musical Archive – Muse Machine". Retrieved 2026-01-15.
External links
- Muse Machine official website