Center Theatre Group Reveals 2026/27 Season - THE TURNING WORLD Premiere and More

Center Theatre Group has revealed the full slate of twelve productions for the 2026/27 Season. The eight-show One CTG subscription package includes plays and musicals at the Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre, featuring a world premiere musical, classics, hit new plays, and Tony winners from New York and the West End. Plus, four additional titles, ranging from dance to Broadway to theatre for young audiences, are offered under the CTG:FWD banner and can be added on to subscriptions.

The season begins at the Mark Taper Forum with the world premiere original musical, The Turning (September 2 to October 11, 2026), a folk-infused, thrill ride set in a secluded wellness retreat in the California wilderness. Last fall, CTG held a workshop of The Turning—the 2025 Eugene O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference Selection—with book, music, and lyrics by Zack Zadek and directed by and developed with Drama Desk Award winner Sammi Cannold. The musical is in association with Benton Whitley of Whitley Theatrical and Mark Lunsford of Decade Arts.  

Next up at the Taper is Destiny of Desire (November 11 to December 20, 2026), a riotously funny telenovela play from the mind of Karen Zacarías. One of the most popular comedies of the past decade, it is inspired by the world of televnovelas, which are routinely watched by two billion people worldwide. Destiny of Desire is also one of three 2026/27 Season offerings to be included in the Los Angeles Times’ annual “Best Theatre of the Year” list.

The season continues with Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain (March 17 to April 25, 2027), an unqualified hit this past year that has garnered a New York Outer Critics Award and a 2025 Tony nomination for Best Play. In a bold artistic collaboration, Center Theatre Group, Settle Repertory Theatre, and American Conservatory Theater—three of the nation’s leading regional theatres—join forces to bring Belflower’s explosive coming-of-age story to the West Coast. This Broadway sensation and new cult classic comes to the Taper and ignites the kind of conversation that lingers long after the final bell. 

The season at the Mark Taper Forum wraps up with a new production of August Wilson’s Fences (May 26 to July 3, 2027), one of the most acclaimed plays of the Century Cycle chronicling the experiences and heritage of African American community in the 20th century. It won the 1987 Pulitzer, Tony, and Drama Desk Awards for Best Play with the Los Angeles Times naming it one of the best of the year. With this production of Fences, CTG completes the Century Cycle, having previously staged the other nine plays written by Wilson. 

The 2026/27 Season at the Ahmanson Theatre kicks off with the long-awaited and much anticipated Oh, Mary! (November 10 to December 6, 2026), written by Cole Escola and directed by Sam Pinkleton, who won the Tony Award for Best Direction. Oh, Mary! is the second unqualified hit from the 2024/25 Broadway Season that will be featured in CTG’s upcoming season. A Pulitzer Prize finalist and Outer Critics Circle Award winner for Best American Play, this dark comedy starring Mary Todd Lincoln (Abe’s wife!) is widely considered one of the funniest plays and most popular comedies to ever grace a Broadway stage.

The North American premiere of Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (December 12, 2026 to January 10, 2027) is the latest comedy from the hilarious Mischief Comedy team who previously delighted Ahmanson audiences with the equally hilarious and catastrophic productions of The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong. The Cornley Amateur Drama Society are back for the third time with tidings of chaos and joy, ready to tackle the Charles Dickens classic. It’s sure to be a disastrous take on the much-loved classic Christmas story of Ebeneezer Scrooge. As ever, the Cornley crew battle miscommunication, delays to their set, actors missing in action, and a growing feud over who will play the lead. Will Cornley finally change its ways, or will their misfortunes wreak havoc yet again? Enjoy a festive slice of pure escapism at the worst production in Christmas past, present, and yet to come! Don’t be a Scrooge, subscribe now before it’s too late!

One of the most popular and critically acclaimed productions in recent years is National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s definitive Fiddler on the Roof directed by Joel Grey (February 13 to March 14, 2027), presented in Yiddish with English and Russian supertitles. The musical is the third offering from CTG’s 2026/27 Season to appear on the Los Angeles Times “Best of the Year” list. In 2018, the New York-based National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene reestablished Fiddler on the Roof as a piece of seminal Jewish culture with a top-notch cast led by Steven Skybell as Tevye, who will repeat the role at the Ahmanson. What was planned as a six-week engagement became an 18-month phenomenon, earning the Drama Desk Award for Best Revival of a Musical and becoming one of the most talked-about theatrical events of the decade. 

The One CTG subscription package concludes with BOOP! The Musical (July 6 to August 1, 2027), the joyous, show-stopping musical perfect for the entire family, coming to Los Angeles straight from Broadway. For almost a century, the Betty Boop character has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. BOOP! is fun for everyone—bringing heart, laughter, and a whole lot of Boop-oop-a-doop to the stage! The creators of the musical are among the most lauded in the industry working at the top of their careers with direction and choreography from the Tony Award winning Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray, La Cage aux Folles), a score by celebrated multiple Grammy Award winner David Foster (“I Have Nothing,” “After the Love Is Gone,” “The Prayer”), lyrics by Tony Award nominee Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam), and a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom).

The 2026/27 Season continues with CTG:FWD programming, featuring a diverse line-up of special events and bonus plays and musicals that can be added on to the One CTG subscription. This coming season, CTG celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Riverdance 30 – The New Generation (April 13 to 18, 2027), while Clue (September 8 to 12, 2026) makes its triumphant return, and Meredith Willson’s The Music Man (October 27 to November 8, 2026) brings its seventy-six trombones to town, as all three shows arrive at the Ahmanson as special engagements with limited runs.

Riverdance is the international Irish dance phenomenon that has been seen by over 30 million people worldwide, now embarking on a special tour to celebrate its anniversary milestone. Audiences will enjoy a unique and memorable performance which blends the traditional and the contemporary, showcasing the skill and passion of the world-class of dancers, musicians, and singers in the Riverdance ensemble. Meanwhile, Clue is back for more after a successful run at the Ahmanson in 2024. Based on the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Meredith Willson’s The Music Man is a timeless, five-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy jam-packed with unforgettable songs such as “Ya Got Trouble,” “’Till There Was You,” “Pick-a-little,” “Gary, Indiana,” and, of course, “Seventy-Six Trombones.” All three shows provide fun and entertainment for the entire family.

Finally, 2026/27 CTG:FWD programming also includes the recently announced return of TWTheatricals' New York Times Critic’s Pick, Dog Man: The Musical (September 12 to October 18, 2026). Based on the worldwide best-selling book series by Dav Pilkey, Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming production that set box office records in the 2023/24 Season when it played the holiday slot at the Kirk Douglas Theatre—where it will return again for performances this fall. Additional programming at the Kirk Douglas Theatre will be announced this summer.

2026/27 ONE CTG
SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE

THE TURNING

A World Premiere Original Musical
Book, Music and Lyrics by Zack Zadek
Music Supervised by Geoffrey Ko
Choreographed by Chanel DaSilva
Directed by and Developed with Sammi Cannold
In Association with Benton Whitley and Mark Lunsford 

 Mark Taper Forum
September 2 – October 11, 2026

Last fall, Center Theatre Group held a workshop of the new musical The Turning –  a 2025 Eugene O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference Selection – with book, music, and lyrics by Zack Zadek and directed by and developed with Drama Desk Award winner Sammi Cannold, in association with Benton Whitley of Whitley Theatrical and Mark Lunsford of Decade Arts. It is now moving forward as a full world premiere production as part of the 2026/27 One CTG Subscription Season.

In this folk-infused mystery-box musical, best friends Gracie and Nora leave Los Angeles for an isolated and secluded wellness retreat in the California wilderness —where seductive self-help rituals test the limits of their courage, their friendship, and how far they, and all of us, are willing to go in order to heal.

OH, MARY!

Written by Cole Escola
Directed by Sam Pinkleton
Ahmanson Theatre
November 10 – December 6, 2026

Producers Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon and Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia along with Center Theatre Group announced today that Oh, Mary!, the Tony Award-winning hit comedy, will come to Los Angeles as part of Center Theatre Group’s 2026/27 Season. Performances will run from November 10 to December 6 at the Ahmanson Theatre with tickets available to subscribers now. Casting and public on-sale information will be announced at a later date.

Written by Tony Award winner Cole Escola and directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary! opened on Broadway on July 11, 2024, and continues to play at the Lyceum Theatre, where it became the first show in the theatre’s 121-year history to gross more than $1,000,000 in a single week. Oh, Mary! has since broken its own box office record twelve times and became the first show of the 2024/25 Broadway season to recoup its investment. Oh, Mary! opened to rave reviews in London’s West End on December 18, 2025.

Oh, Mary! is a dark comedy about a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln through the lens of an idiot (playwright Cole Escola). 

The full creative team for the Broadway production includes dots (Scenic Designer), Holly Pierson (Costume Designer), Cha See (Lighting Designer), Daniel Kluger (Sound Design and Original Music), Drew Levy (Sound Designer), Leah J. Loukas (Wig Designer), Addison Heeren (Props Supervision), and David Dabbon (Musical Arrangements). Casting by Henry Russell Bergstein, CSA.

DESTINY OF DESIRE

A Telenovela Play with Music
By Karen Zacarías
Directed by Marcela Lorca
A Co-Production with The Denver Center Theatre Company 
Mark Taper Forum 
November 11 – December 20, 2026

On a stormy night in Bellarica, Mexico, two baby girls are born—one into outlandish wealth, and one into a life of poverty. When the newborns are swapped by a ruthless ex-beauty queen, the stage is set for two outrageous misfortunes to grow into an extraordinary destiny. Brimming with energy, Karen Zacarías’ hilarious hit, Destiny of Desire, takes you on an emotional rollercoaster sprinkled with the melodrama and wild antics that make the telenovela the most popular form of storytelling in the world.

CHRISTMAS CAROL GOES WRONG

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields
Directed by Matt DiCarlo
This Production is Presented by Arrangement with Mischief Worldwide Ltd Ahmanson Theatre December 12 – January 10, 2026

In this exclusive North American premier engagement, the Cornley Amateur Drama Society are back with tidings of chaos and joy, ready to tackle the Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol. It’s sure to be a disastrous take on the much-loved classic Christmas story of Ebeneezer Scrooge. As ever, the Cornley crew battle miscommunication, delays to their set, actors missing in action, and a growing feud over who will play the lead. 

Will Cornley finally change their ways, or will their misfortunes wreak havoc yet again? Enjoy a festive slice of pure escapism at the worst production in Christmas past, present, and yet to come! Don’t be a Scrooge, subscribe now before it’s too late!

Do not miss another Christmas catastrophe from Mischief, the multi award-winning company behind The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s Production
In Yiddish with English and Russian Supertitles 
Based on Sholem Alechem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl 
Book by Joseph Stein 
Music by Jerry Bock 
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick 
Originally produced for the New York Stage by Harold Prince 
Original New York Stage Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins 
Yiddish Translation by Shraga Friedman 
Musical Direction by Zalmen Mlotek 
Choreography by Jerome Robbins 
Choreographer and Associate Director: Staś Kmieć 
Directed by Joel Grey 
Featuring Steven Skybell as Tevye 
Ahmanson Theatre
February 13 – March 14, 2027

In 2018, New York-based National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene reestablished Fiddler on the Roof as a seminal piece of Jewish culture by reviving the beloved work in Yiddish, using a rarely heard Yiddish translation by Shraga Friedman and projecting English and Russian supertitles to accompany performances, while employing a top-notch cast led by Steven Skybell as Tevye and directed by Joel Grey. What was planned as a six-week engagement became an 18-month phenomenon, earning the Drama Desk Award for Best Revival of a Musical and becoming one of the most talked-about theatrical events of the decade. 

Fiddler on the Roof is one of the most beloved and successful musicals in Broadway history, resonating for generations across cultures and continents. NYTF’s Yiddish production offers something truly singular: the opportunity to experience this iconic work in the original language of Sholom Aleichem’s Tevye the Milkman stories. Hearing Fiddler in Yiddish is akin to hearing Puccini in Italian or Carmen in French—an authentic, emotionally rich encounter that deepens the power of the storytelling. The sounds of Yiddish, once the daily language of 12 million Jews before the war, add resonance, intimacy, and historical meaning to every moment. This production performed in Yiddish will also be accompanied by English and Russian supertitles. The original Yiddish translation of Fiddler on the Roof was created in 1965 (the year after the show’s Broadway debut) by Shraga Friedman, a native Yiddish-speaking Holocaust survivor who escaped Europe and came to the British Mandate of Palestine as a refugee. Friedman was a member or the Israeli company that performed the first Hebrew language translation, out of which came his Yiddish translation.

JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN

By Kimberly Belflower
Directed by Jess McLeod
A Co-Production with American Conservatory Theater and Seattle Repertory Theatre 
Mark Taper Forum
 March 17 – April 25, 2027

In a one-stoplight town in Georgia, in a high school AP English class, five young women begin questioning the stories and the heroes they’ve been taught to believe in, against a score of pop music and fury. As their class dissects a canonical work of literature, they’re inspired by the #MeToo movement to look outside the literature to their own lives and relationships, and re-examine who we deem heroic, who we call a villain, and who gets burned in the process.

In a bold artistic collaboration, three of the nation’s leading regional theatres join forces to bring Kimberly Belflower’s explosive coming-of-age story to the West Coast. Centering young voices, this Broadway sensation and new cult classic ignites the kind of conversation that lingers long after the final bell. 

August Wilson’s FENCES

Mark Taper Forum
May 26 – July 3, 2027

The 2026/27 Season at the Mark Taper Forum closes with August Wilson’s Fences, the most popular of Wilson’s ten play Century Cycle, chronicling the experiences and heritage of African American community in the 20th century.

Set in segregated Pittsburgh in the 1950s, Fences depicts the life of Troy Maxson, a former Negro League baseball star now scraping by as a sanitation worker. Excluded from the major leagues in his prime, Troy has grown increasingly bitter, and his anger and frustration take a toll on his wife Rose and his son Cory, who now wants his own chance to play ball professionally. But even as Troy takes responsibility for his family's safety and well-being, he betrays them each in ways that will forever alter their lives. Fences explores the walls we build around ourselves and our loved ones, while also illuminating one family’s struggles in a racist society.

Fences won the 1987 Pulitzer, Tony, and Drama Desk Awards for Best Play, and was named one of the best of the year by theatre critic Dan Sullivan in the Los Angeles Times. Eight of the ten Century Cycle have won New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards. 

BOOP! THE MUSICAL

Book by Bob Martin
Music by David Foster
Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead
Directed and Choreographed by Jerry Mitchell
Based on characters created by Max Fleischer 
Ahmanson Theatre
July 6 – August 1, 2027

For almost a century, the Betty Boop character has won hearts and inspired fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style. 

Tony Award–winning director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray, La Cage aux Folles) brings Fleischer Studios’ Queen of the Screen to life with a score by celebrated multiple GRAMMY winner David Foster (“I Have Nothing,” “After the Love Is Gone,” “The Prayer”), lyrics by Tony Award nominee Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam), and a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom).

2026/27 CTG:FWD
PROGRAMMING

CLUE

Written by Sandy Rustin 
Additional Material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price
Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn 
Original Music by Michael Holland
Ahmanson Theatre
September 8–12, 2026

CLUE, the hilarious murder mystery comedy inspired by the Hasbro board game and adapted from the fan-favorite film, comes to Los Angeles from September 8 to 12. Tickets are available to subscribers now.

Led by Broadway Director Casey Hushion (Associate Director of Mean Girls and The Prom, Associate Resident Director of Aladdin, choreography for the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the fan-favorite 1985 Paramount Pictures movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, CLUE is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist.

CLUE is based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn. Written by Sandy Rustin with additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price. It features original music by Michael Holland. 

The production also features scenic design by Lee Savage, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Ryan J. O'Gara, sound design by Jeff Human with hair, wig & makeup design by J. Jared Janas. CLUE is associate directed by Saki Kawamura, with fight choreography by Robert Westley. Casting is by Whitley Theatrical. The Production Stage Manager is Jenna Wadleigh and the Company Manager is Laurence Christopher. 

The CLUE franchise began in 1949 with the manufacture of the ‘Cluedo’ board game. Currently owned and published by Hasbro, the game has since sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. A murder-mystery comedy film by Paramount Pictures based on the board game was released in 1985 acquiring a passionate fanbase that continues to gain newcomers today.

The Second North American tour of CLUE is produced by Work Light Productions and LME Productions. 

DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL

TWTheatricals’ Production
Adapted from the “Dog Man” series of books by Dav Pilkey
Book and Lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila
Music by Brad Alexander
Directed by Jen Wineman 
Kirk Douglas Theatre
September 12 – October 18, 2026

Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming production based on the worldwide bestselling series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club.  Dog Man was an instant bestseller and now has more than 50 million copies in print to date and translations available in 42 languages.

Best buds George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re in fifth grade, they figure it's time to level up and write a musical based on their favorite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!! How hard could it be?

With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. But while trying his best to be a good boy, can he save the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings? Can he catch Petey, the world’s most evil cat, who has cloned himself to exact revenge on the doggy do-gooder? 

And will George and Harold finish their show before lunchtime?? Find out in this epic musical adventure featuring the hilarity and heart of Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters.

The show is written by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander, who collaborated on the Emmy-winning series Peg + Cat on PBS; TheaterWorksUSA’s Click, Clack, Moo; and Clifford The Big Red Dog on PBS and Amazon. Jen Wineman directs and choreographs.

Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN

Book, Music & Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey
Choreographed by Joshua Bergasse
Directed by Matt Lenz 
Ahmanson Theatre
October 27 – November 8, 2026

Meredith Willson's timeless, five-time Tony Award winning musical comedy, The Music Man follows Harold Hill, a notorious, fast-talking traveling salesman as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band that he vows to organize–despite the fact that he doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian Paroo, the local librarian.

A true musical theatre gem, the story's relevance transcends generations with unforgettable songs including "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble,"'Till There Was You," "Pick-a-little," and "Gary, Indiana.” This is the first time The Music Man will play in a major Los Angeles venue since 1980.

When The Music Man first opened on Broadway, Brooks Atkinson said in The New York Times, “Dollar for doughnuts, Meredith Willson dotes on brass bands … and he has translated the thump and razzle-dazzle of band lore into a warm and genial cartoon of American life. The Music Man is a marvelous show. 

RIVERDANCE 30 – THE NEW GENERATION

Composed by Bill Whelan
Produced by Moya Doherty
Directed by John McClogan 
Ahmanson Theatre
April 13–18, 2027

Riverdance, the international Irish dance phenomenon seen by over 30 million people worldwide, returns to the United States. Since Riverdance first emerged onto the world stage, its fusion of Irish and international dance and music has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. The Grammy Award-winning music and the infectious energy of its mesmerizing choreography and breathtaking performances has left audiences in awe and established Riverdance as a global cultural sensation.  

To celebrate this incredible 30th year milestone, Riverdance 30 – The New Generation will embark on a special anniversary tour, bringing its magic to audiences around the world. This spectacular production rejuvenates the much-loved original show with new innovative choreography and costumes and state of the art lighting, projection, and motion graphics. And, for the first time, Riverdance welcomes “The New Generation” of performers, all of whom were not born when the show began 30 years ago.

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