ANT FEST Will Return to Ars Nova in Septemebr
The 2026 festival will open September 8 with PDA Live!, featuring Makasha Copeland, Morgan Rielly and Gabrielle Silva.
Ars Nova will present ANT Fest 2026, its annual festival showcasing new work from emerging artists, this September in New York City. The festival brings together new theater, comedy, music and hybrid performances from artists developing adventurous and original work.
Bars Nova will open 30 minutes before each performance. Following performances, audiences can visit the ANT Fest Lounge to meet the artists, with drinks and snacks available.
About the Shows
The 2026 festival will open Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. with PDA Live!, featuring Makasha Copeland, Morgan Rielly and Gabrielle Silva.
The Castle of Ghoul Hammond, featuring M Sloth Levine and Mack Brown, will follow Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. Stacked: ANT Fest Edition will be presented Sept. 10 at 8:30 p.m., with Jade Jones | Litty Official, Jake Schroeder, Neel Ghosh and Aimee Amour.
Melt.Punish, featuring James La Bella and Matt Romein, is set for Sept. 11 at 7 p.m., followed by The Ballad of Pretty Polly on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. The latter features Sarah Lawrence, Liz Olear, Emilie Pass, Ari Dalbert, CryBaby, Steven Wendt and Shannon Buhler.
HELL HATH TURNED OVER. F*CK, featuring Brandon Bautista and Sarah Shin, will take place Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. I AM MADONNA. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN MADONNA... follows Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., featuring Aidan La Poche, Brennan Keeley and Brynn Cartelli.
Damocles, featuring Das Besties (Calpurnia and Travis Amiel), is scheduled for Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. Until Death will follow Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., featuring Nalini Sharma, Mike Rose, Bente Engelstoft, Kelly McCaughan and Emerald Flower.
Fragments will be presented Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., followed by Helen Keller Birthday Party...Live From Pigeon's Grotto on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. The latter features Daniel Holzman, Loïe Plautz, Ian Mccloghan and Parabasis Productions.
The Disco Nativity, featuring Monday Blue and Chinisha of Cosmic Dust Productions, is set for Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. my little dumpster fire., featuring Psychic Wormhole (Stacy Lynn Smith and Alex Romania), follows Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.
GREASEY, featuring Mukta Phatak, Susanna Jaramillo and Skye Pagon, will take place Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., followed by The Princess is Not Dead on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m., featuring Leo Grierson.
i, Cloud is scheduled for Sept. 25 at 7 p.m., with Michael Galligan, Bailey Nassetta, Brason Jones and Meaghan Robichaud. The festival will continue later that evening at 9 p.m. with SHOWGASM: ANT Fest Edition, featuring Erin Markey, Buong-Buo Collective, Ivy Wolk, Maljo Blu, MIA the MVP and Tom Achilles.
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Murder on the Orient Express Manes Studio Theatre of Long Island (8/28-9/13) |
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Broadway Magic Hour Broadway Magic Hour: Magic Show (7/25-1/02) |
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Broadway Takes On The 80s The Cutting Room (9/14-9/14) |
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Broadway Veteran Christopher Zelno Celebrates 40 Years in New York with The Origin of Love The Green Room 42 (9/13-9/16) |
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Eileen Barnett: Back Again...For The Very First Time! The Laurie Beechman Theatre (10/06-10/06) |
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Psychopathia Paschalis: An Easter Comedy Factory Series at Chain Theatre (9/09-9/13) |
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Rock Never Dies Hard Rock Cafe (5/29-8/30) |
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Shangri-La-La, a comedy musical about Siegfried & Roy Theater for the New City (8/29-8/29) |
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Worth the Wait - Steph Koffroth The Laurie Beechman Theater (8/26-8/26) |
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Breathe, Songs of Holding On and Letting Go Don't Tell Mama (10/10-10/25) |