\ud83c\udfad NEW! Pennsylvania Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfad NEW! Pennsylvania Theatre Newsletter<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival has opened single-ticket sales for its 2026 Summer Theatre Series, themed “Legends and Legacy,” in celebration of its 35th anniversary and 30 years as the official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
Running from May 27 through August 2 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the DeSales University campus, the season features nine productions spanning Shakespeare’s masterworks, a smash-hit musical, shows in rotating repertory, touring performances, and programming for young audiences. Curated by Artistic Director Jason King Jones<\/a> and Managing Director Casey William Gallagher<\/a>, the season brings together award-winning directors and actors, PSF veterans, and rising stars.<\/p>\n “This season’s theme, ‘Legends and Legacy,’ celebrates the stories that have shaped our culture-from rock ‘n’ roll icons to literary titans like Shakespeare, Austen, and Wilson. On our stages, these legends invite us to examine the legacy that brought us here and envision the one we are building for the future,” said Jones. “Each production has been selected to spark conversation, entertain audiences of all ages, and honor the artistic excellence that has defined PSF for 35 years. We invite everyone to experience these stories this summer.”<\/p>\n The 2026 Summer Theatre Series Lineup<\/p>\n The season opens in the Schubert Theatre with August Wilson<\/a>‘s The Piano Lesson, directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames<\/a> (Fat Ham). On the Main Stage, the season launches with the smash-hit musical Million Dollar Quartet, directed by Jim Helsinger<\/a>, Artistic Director of Orlando Shakespeare Theater, and inspired by the famed 1956 recording session featuring Johnny Cash<\/a>, Jerry Lee<\/a> Lewis, Carl Perkins<\/a>, and Elvis Presley<\/a>. The Main Stage continues with William Shakespeare<\/a>‘s timeless Romeo and Juliet, directed by Artistic Director Jason King Jones<\/a>, which will play in rotating repertory with Ken Ludwig<\/a>‘s new Sherlock Holmes adventure Moriarty, directed by PSF veteran Matt Pfeiffer.<\/p>\n Following The Piano Lesson on the Schubert Theatre stage is the whirlwind comedic romp The Complete Works of Jane Austen<\/a>, Abridged, directed and co-written by Jessica Bedford<\/a> and starring Barrymore Award-winning actors David Pica<\/a> and Sarah Gliko<\/a>. The Schubert Theatre concludes with an “Extreme Shakespeare” production of Coriolanus, starring Broadway veteran Greg Wood<\/a>, a company member for 27 seasons with PSF.<\/p>\n The Festival’s family and community programming includes Sheila the Magical, a new play by Jason King Jones<\/a> continuing the story from last summer’s hit The Princess and the Frog Prince; Shakespeare for Kids presents Romeo and Juliet, performed on the Festival Main Stage and through the community library tour; and the “Play On!” Community Tour, offering free performances of As You Like It at libraries, parks, and community centers across the region.<\/p>\n Full casting and creative teams will be announced closer to the opening of the Festival’s 2026 Summer Theatre Series in May.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2026 Summer Theatre Series<\/p>\n By August Wilson<\/a> Million Dollar Quartet<\/p>\n By Colin Escott<\/a> and Floyd Mutrux<\/a> | Directed by Jim Helsinger<\/a> The Complete Works of Jane Austen<\/a>, Abridged<\/p>\n By Jessica Bedford<\/a>, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast<\/a>, and Meghan Winch<\/a> Romeo and Juliet<\/p>\n By William Shakespeare<\/a> Ken Ludwig<\/a>‘s New Sherlock Holmes Adventure Moriarty<\/p>\n
\nDirected by James Ijames<\/a> | Schubert Theatre \u00b7 May 27 to June 14
\nAugust Wilson<\/a>‘s Pulitzer and Tony-winning masterwork unfolds in 1936 Pittsburgh, where the Charles family struggles over an heirloom piano carved with the faces of their enslaved ancestors. Boy Willie arrives from Mississippi, determined to sell it to claim his future, while his sister Berniece guards the instrument as a sacred altar to their history. As their clash intensifies, the ghosts of the past begin to stir, forcing a reckoning with a legacy they can neither sell nor escape.<\/p>\n
\nOriginal Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutrux<\/a>
\nDirected by Jim Helsinger<\/a> | Main Stage \u00b7 June 10 to June 28
\nOn December 4, 1956, Johnny Cash<\/a>, Elvis Presley<\/a>, Jerry Lee<\/a> Lewis, and Carl Perkins<\/a> descend on Sun Studio in Memphis. What follows is one of the greatest impromptu jam sessions in music history. Guided by visionary producer Sam Phillips<\/a>-the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll”-the night crackles with soaring music while careers hang in the balance. Featuring over 20 chart-topping hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” and “I Walk the Line,” this is a toe-tapping celebration of friendship, rivalry, and a night that ignites a revolution.<\/p>\n
\nDirected by Jessica Bedford<\/a> | Schubert Theatre \u00b7 June 24 to July 12
\nExperience Austen’s world like never before in a whirlwind tour through her beloved novels-Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and more-condensed into 80 laugh-out-loud minutes. Three quick-witted actors tackle Austen’s heroines, heroes, cads, and clowns with lightning-fast costume changes, sharp humor, and a dash of modern mischief. Whether you’re a devoted Janeite or discovering Austen for the first time, prepare for a charming, high-energy romp celebrating one of literature’s most legendary voices.<\/p>\n
\nDirected by Jason King Jones<\/a> | Main Stage \u00b7 July 8 to August 2
\nAn ancient feud divides the Montagues and Capulets-until Romeo and Juliet meet and fall irrevocably in love. Their secret marriage defies generations of bloodshed, but in a world poisoned by hatred, even the most transcendent love cannot escape fate. From the euphoric heights of a moonlit balcony to the stifling darkness of a tomb, Shakespeare’s most iconic tragedy races toward its devastating conclusion. This is a story that challenges whether love can ever truly conquer hate.<\/p>\n