Alley Theatre Unveils Programming for the 2026 Alley All New Festival

Alley Theatre’s All New Festival is back this fall as it features a three-day festival of staged readings on October 23-25, 2026. The Festival will welcome Liz Duffy Adams, Jake Brasch, Gloria Majule, and Luis Quintero.

Since its inception in 2016, Alley All New Festival has become a leading incubator for new American plays, with 33 of 46 featured works going on to receive a world premiere. In addition to productions at the Alley, Festival shows have moved to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and London’s West End, as well as Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Dallas, and more.

All readings are free and open to the public, with weekend packages offering VIP treatment – priority seating, artist access and a celebratory dinner with Alley artists and more.

Alley All New programming is recommended for mature audiences. All updates and schedules will be available at alleytheatre.org/allnew. Full casting will be announced later.   Additionally, single tickets for the Alley’s Season 80 are on sale now.

LUNACY OR, THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF THE MOON 

by Liz Duffy Adams

For all of human history, we’ve wanted to go to the moon. This wildly imaginative spin on Aphra Behn’s Restoration comedy is part period piece and part science fiction. It launches past the original, spanning time, genre, and space. Discover Alley veteran Liz Duffy Adams' latest play, written with input from real NASA scientists. 

AFRICAN MOMS’ BOOK CLUB 

by Gloria Majule 
A Milwaukee Repertory Theater original commission part of the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program 

Four ultra-wealthy Tanzanian women gather every month, to decide on their next book club read. This month, they chose the Bible. Again. With the arrival of a new member from abroad, tensions rise and cracks begin to form in the women’s perfectly manicured lives and fiercely held beliefs. 

FAMILY WEEKEND 

by Jake Brasch

It’s Family Weekend at Rocky Mountain Joy, a substance abuse treatment center in rural Colorado. In the wilderness, families contend with their loved ones, their counselor...and a pesky elk that won’t get lost. Laugh along with this dark comedy about addiction, family, and the limits of love. 

HIPPOLYTUS/PHEDRA 

by Luis Quintero

Love is one heck of a drug. Phedra, Queen of Troizen, harbors a secret passion for her stepson, the Prince Hippolytus. With King Theseus nowhere to be found, tension in the household rises with each passing moment. Will love triumph over all? Or is it a shortcut to destruction? Experience this Ancient Greek hip-hop infused opera, inspired by Euripides, Seneca, Racine and Kane.

*All readings are for mature audiences. In addition to the Alley All New Festival readings, guests may choose to add on a ticket to the world premiere of Uhuru which runs concurrently:  

UHURU  

By Gloria Majule  
Directed by Shariffa Ali 
Developed in 2024 Alley All New Festival 
October 16 – November 8, 2026 

An unlikely group takes on a “Tanzanian-only” ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro in this sharp satire. The dramedy follows a Tanzanian-American tourist, two missionaries, and their guide as they make their way toward the “Roof of Africa.” They must confront questions of access, identity, and who deserves a place on the mountain. 

WEEKEND PACKAGES

Weekend packages for October 23-25 are available for an early bird price of $175 until September 4. Prices will then increase to $195. Packages include: