BAD KREYOL Will Join Mosaic Theater Company 2026-2027 Season

Mosaic Theater Company has announced the fourth production of its 2026 – 2027 season, Tony Award nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau's latest play, Bad Kreyòl. A 2024 New York Times Critic's Pick, Bad Kreyòl will run May 20 - June 13, 2027 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center and will be directed by Stori Ayers. A fifth and final show to the season—to be announced—will mark the company's largest subscription season since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A thoughtful, bright comedy about exploring cultural identity and global impact, the play follows two cousins — one a native Haitian living her own thriving life against the odds on the island and the other a Haitian-American who returns to the island for a visit following their grandmother's death — navigating their reconnection and different viewpoints on politics, sexuality, and justice. Bad Kreyòl joins previously announced 2026 - 2027 season shows: DC Premiere of Brian Quijada's Somewhere Over the Border and world premieres of Collin Van Son's Natural History and Paige Hernandez's 7th Street Echo. 

“This upcoming season of writers represents a dynamic lineup of emerging and established multicultural artists who use theater to bring diverse viewpoints to light, find hope in connecting across differences, and inspire audiences to action,” remarked Reginald L. Douglas, Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater. “Dominique Morisseau skillfully exemplifies this with a deeply moving and hilarious new play that reminds us language extends beyond words — that what must be learned is also through music, thoughts, and the rhythms of the heartbeat. It is with the greatest joy and pride that we welcome back Dominique to Mosaic Theater and produce the play's first production following its celebrated Off-Broadway run.”

“I am thrilled to be returning to Mosaic Theater and Washington, DC with the regional premiere of Bad Kreyòl,” stated Dominique Morisseau. “This play is a love letter to my heritage and culture, and celebrates the rich beauty and revolutionary spirit of Haiti and the Black diaspora. Bad Kreyòl is a testament to the power of family to connect across differences and affirms my belief that to love a people is to learn their language.”

Premiered in New York City as a co-production between Manhattan Theatre Club and Signature Theatre in October 2024, Bad Kreyòl has been called “witty and perceptive” by TimeOut and The New York Times praised the show saying it “beautifully dissects the triumphs and failures of trying to help others and finds glory in the sheer attempt.”

“Returning to Mosaic Theater Company with Bad Kreyòl feels like a continuation of a conversation I've been having with Dominique Morisseau's work for years,” shared Stori Ayers. “Her plays don't just explore identity — they confront the cost of belonging, the tension between where we come from and who we choose to become. Bad Kreyòl locates that tension within the Haitian diaspora, where language, culture, and inheritance are constantly negotiated, carried, and, at times, contested. I'm drawn to the emotional and cultural contradictions inside this story, and am excited to build a production that holds both its intimacy and its volatility on stage. My goal is to invite audiences into a world that is deeply specific, yet universally felt.”

Somewhere Over the Border

By Brian Quijada
Directed by Raymond O. Caldwell
September 10 - October 4, 2026
DC Premiere

Dorothy becomes Reina in this fresh take on The Wizard of Oz from Brian Quijada, the award-winning creator and star of Mexodus, which premiered at Mosaic ahead of back-to-back Off-Broadway runs. Inspired by the true story of his mother's immigration in the 1970s, Somewhere over the Border takes audiences on a musical journey from El Salvador to America featuring cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, rock, hip hop, and more! As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers, and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind to build a better life for them both. With equal parts joyful whimsy and harrowing truth, Somewhere Over the Border is a timely new musical that honors the grit and resilience of the immigrant's journey and reminds us of the humanity of all our neighbors.

Natural History

By Collin Van Son
Directed by Chelsea Radigan
January 21 - February 7, 2027
World Premiere

The year is 2169. As wildfires rage across the West, environmental activists and partners-in-crime Jane and Clyde embark on a daring caper to steal a taxidermied bison from the American Museum of Natural History. Only problem? It's already gone. This darkly comedic reckoning with American mythology explores the tensions between history and nostalgia, personal and public responsibility, and art and activism. Natural History is a eulogy from the future about loss, legacy, and what is worth saving when the past disappears and the record is up for grabs.

7th Street Echo

By Paige Hernandez
Directed by Reginald L. Douglas
March 25 - April 18, 2027
World Premiere

Candela is determined to make music her life's work and pick up where her father's drumsticks left off. Her mother, however, has different plans for her future. As Candela studies by day and gigs by night in pursuit of her dream, family secrets are unearthed, loyalties are tested, and the young woman is pushed to forge her own identity against the backdrop of her family legacy. Featuring live Go-Go music and spoken word, 7th Street Echo is a celebration of DC's music and culture and a testament to the strength of a family's love, perfect for audiences of all ages.

Bad Kreyòl

By Dominique Morisseau
Directed by Stori Ayers
May 20 - June 13, 2027
DC Premiere

Determined to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish, first-generation Haitian American Simone returns to the island eager to reunite with her entrepreneur cousin, the Haitian-born and raised Gigi, and reconnect with her roots. When misconceptions and misunderstandings lead to dangerous mistakes, both cousins are forced to reckon with what they know—and don't know—about their family and themselves in this heartwarming and timely new play from Tony Award-nominated writer Dominique Morisseau. Hailed as a New York Times Critic's Pick, Bad Kreyòl is a life-affirming celebration of bold women, ancestry, and the universal language of love.

Education and Engagement

Reflection Series

Accompanying all of these productions will be Mosaic's landmark Reflection Series programming—a series of special events, panels, and conversations that highlight the themes of Mosaic's plays, build innovative partnerships with over 40 local and national organizations, and engage diverse audiences in dialogue with one another, allowing Mosaic to reach all eight wards of DC through its programming.

Intergenerational Matinees

A cornerstone of its education and community engagement work, Mosaic's Intergenerational Matinees serve as a catalyst for connection, inviting discussion around our main stage plays' common themes. After watching plays together, high school students and seniors will engage in post-show conversations with Mosaic's artists and one another.

Youth Playwriting Contest