Beck Center for the Arts to Stage Stephen Karam's "Speech & Debate"

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

Eastern

Central

Western

Washington, DC

Philadelphia

Los Angeles

Orlando

San Francisco / Bay Area

Cincinnati

West End

WEST END

UK Regional

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

TV/Movies

Music

Don Carrier directs the Studio Theater production featuring three misfit teens in Salem, Oregon.

POPULAR

Get all the top news & discounts for Cleveland & beyond.

Beck Center for the Arts will present Speech & Debate , directed by Case Western Reserve University's Don Carrier.

Get all the top news & discounts for Cleveland & beyond.

What happens when three high school students on the fringes decide to “take down” a corrupt drama teacher? The answer is Speech & Debate, written by Stephen Karam , running in the Studio Theater from May 29 through June 28, 2026. Three misfit high school students in Salem, Oregon form a unique debate club, complete with a musical version of The Crucible, an unusual podcast, and a plot to take down their corrupt drama teacher. With his signature wit, playwright Karam follows the trio's attempts to fend off the menace of encroaching adulthood with edgy humor and subversive antics.

Director Don Carrier shared, “While Speech & Debate was first produced (surprisingly) almost 20 years ago, its themes of alienation, hypocrisy, and the need to belong are all too relevant. This highly original and comic take on high school students navigating their way to graduation will strike a note of recognition to anyone who's been there, or is still on the journey!”

Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Preview performances are 7:30 p.m. the Thursday before opening night, with general admission seating for just $15. Smart Seats are available for each performance at just $15 per person. For more information on the 2025-2026 Professional Theater Season please visit beckcenter.org.

This production is presented in arrangement with Dramatist Play Service.

Review: THE SHARK IS BROKEN at The Toledo Repertoire Theatre

FRANKLY BEN FRANKLIN World Premiere To Be Presented At Theatre in the Circle

HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, and More Set For Beck Center 26-27 Season

ALICE BY HEART Will Be Presented by Beck Center for the Arts

Photos: MS. HOLMES & MS. WATSON - APT. 2B is Now Playing at Great Lakes Theater

Borderlight Theatre Festival Unveil 2026 Lineup For Playhouse Square District

Videos

Cleveland SHOWS

Recommended For You

Sign up for announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/cleveland/article/SPEECH-DEBATE-by-Stephen-Karam-To-Be-Presented-At-Beck-Center-for-the-Arts-20260501)._