Holden Street Theatres To Launch Its 2026 Season With Four Mainstage Productions And A New Era Of Programming

Holden Street Theatres will launch its 2026 Season with an ambitious slate of new work, South Australian premieres, and major artistic appointments that signal a bold new chapter for the Adelaide venue.

The upcoming year will introduce four mainstage productions, expand the company’s commitment to new Australian writing, and place a total of 19 actors onstage across the season while creating new opportunities for local arts workers.

The season will open with the world premiere of The Debate, an original Australian work developed through HST’s new writing program. The production, which also serves as an early teaser for the 2026 Adelaide Fringe, will feature Artistic Director Martha Lott alongside Amelia Lott-Watson in a story exploring generational divides, conviction, and the shifting landscape of public discourse.

Audiences will then see the South Australian premiere of Beth Steel’s Till The Stars Come Down, a tense family drama examining loyalty, romantic longing, and the long echo of choices made across generations. The production will include a leading South Australian cast with Brant Eustice, Martha Lott, Krystal Cave, and further casting to be confirmed.

Michelle Nightingale will lead the South Australian premiere of Adam Rapp’s Tony-nominated psychological thriller The Sound Inside, portraying novelist and college professor Bella alongside her enigmatic student Christopher in a story that unfolds into a dark and intimate pact.

The 2026 Season will conclude with Conor McPherson’s acclaimed modern classic The Weir, set in a rural Irish pub and performed by Brant Eustice and Martha Lott. The play’s blend of ghost stories, memory, and quiet revelation has made it a favorite around the world, and HST will bring a new local interpretation to the stage.

Artistic Director Martha Lott described the season as one of the most daring in the company’s history, shaped under the artistic leadership of Holden Street Theatres’ new Director in Residence, Nick Fagan. She noted that Fagan’s appointment represents a major milestone and expands the scope of HST’s programming with “premieres, extraordinary performers, and stories that demand to be told.”

Fagan said he is honored to join an organization known for championing artists and presenting work that is “honest, provocative and beautifully crafted,” emphasizing the company’s long-standing reputation for delivering work well beyond its scale.