Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission
As wildfires rage closer and closer to a small Ohio college town, the mopey grown children and second wife of a sort-of-mediocre professor are threatened by another kind of crisis: a visit from a family friend that threatens to bring all of their tensions to a towering inferno. Now, each of them will be forced to choose: stay and smolder, or leave and burn? Inspired by the classic family drama Uncle Vanya, FIRES, OHIO updates a beloved story for our painfully absurd present, taking a hilarious and heartfelt look at the natural (and personal) disasters that transform our everyday lives. In addition to winning the 22nd annual Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, FIRES, OHIO has been awarded the Kennedy Center's Paula Vogel Award and the Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting.
Best enjoyed by audiences 16 and up.
Cast & Creative Trailer Quotes Events Media Program Venue
Hertz Stage
Inspired by the classic family drama UNCLE VANYA, FIRES, OHIO brings an old story into our painfully absurd present, exploring how today’s most toxic forces impact our everyday lives.
FEB 25 – MAR 22, 2026
Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission
As wildfires rage closer and closer to a small Ohio college town, the mopey grown children and second wife of a sort-of-mediocre professor are threatened by another kind of crisis: a visit from a family friend that threatens to bring all of their tensions to a towering inferno. Now, each of them will be forced to choose: stay and smolder, or leave and burn? Inspired by the classic family drama Uncle Vanya, FIRES, OHIO updates a beloved story for our painfully absurd present, taking a hilarious and heartfelt look at the natural (and personal) disasters that transform our everyday lives. In addition to winning the 22nd annual Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, FIRES, OHIO has been awarded the Kennedy Center’s Paula Vogel Award and the Mark Twain Prize for Comic Playwriting.
Best enjoyed by audiences 16 and up.
“It’s really important to me that people who have never heard of UNCLE VANYA can enjoy FIRES, OHIO fully. This is not an adaptation where you only enjoy it if you know Chekhov. Theater can already be so exclusionary, and the absolute last thing I want to do is shrink the pool of people who can enjoy the play…what I love about adaptation is that you get to be in conversation with an artist you love and admire. You get to argue with them. You get to use them as a jumping-off point. You get to experiment with things that maybe disappointed you in the original work—all while holding real humility for the historical context you’re engaging.”
Join us for an insightful panel with Spelman College professor, T. Lang, and a pre-show performance by Spelman Dance Theatre, then attend a performance of Fires, Ohio. Event hosted by the Alliance Theatre’s Spelman Leadership Interns. Food and drink provided. All college students are welcome.
Join us for a post-show discussion with the cast of Fires, Ohio. Afterwords discussions are free for ticket holders. No RSVP required.
We believe everyone should have the chance to experience live theater – no matter the budget. From student discounts and group rates to limited-time offers and special access programs, there are plenty of ways to see a show and save.
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Join us for transformative theater that speaks to the heart of Atlanta.
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