FOLLIES, Brian Cox in THE SCORE, and More Set For Shakespeare Theatre Company's 2026-27 Season
The season also includes A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Raisin in the Sun, and more.
Shakespeare Theatre Company has announced its upcoming 2026-27 season lineup, which will include Brian Cox in The Score, a major production of Follies, and more.
The season lineup features a dynamic mix of classic and contemporary works, beginning with The Score, starring Brian Cox as Johann Sebastian Bach in the U.S. premiere exploring the clash between artistic integrity and political power, directed by Sir Trevor Nunn. It continues with Frida…A Self-Portrait, a widely acclaimed solo performance delving into the life of Frida Kahlo, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s enchanting comedy brought to life with imaginative puppetry by Basil Twist.
The season also includes a co-production with Oregon Shakespeare Festival of A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking drama; a long-awaited return of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s enduring tale of forbidden love; and concludes with Follies, Stephen Sondheim’s iconic musical, co-produced with Signature Theatre and directed by Matthew Gardiner.
Learn more about the season here.
THE SCORE
By Oliver Cotton
Directed by Trevor Nunn
SEP 11–OCT 18, 2026 | HARMAN HALL
Powerhouse Golden Globe-winning actor Brian Cox (HBO’s Succession) is directed by the legendary Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables, Cats) in The Score, which pits creativity against the whims of power. In spring 1747, Johann Sebastian Bach (Cox) reluctantly visits the court of Frederick II, Europe’s most ambitious and dangerous leader. When the king presents Bach with a musical puzzle, the composer must confront how to rise to the challenge without forsaking his own morality. Brian Cox brings a commanding presence to Bach in the play’s only American engagement.
FRIDA...A SELF-PORTRAIT
Written and Performed by Vanessa Severo
Directed by Joanie Schultz
OCT 8–NOV 8, 2026 | KLEIN THEATRE
On the eve of Frida Kahlo’s death, the pain and passion of an extraordinary life are laid bare. Brazilian writer and performer Vanessa Severo opens a powerful portal between herself and the celebrated Mexican painter, bringing breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this portrait of one of the world’s most iconic artists.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Simon Godwin
DEC 4, 2026–JAN 10, 2027 | HARMAN HALL
Lives are thrown topsy-turvy when four young Athenians flee into a forest ruled by mischievous fairies hell-bent on sowing confusion and merriment. Add a mysterious love potion, a befuddled group of amateur actors, and the miraculous transformation of a man into a donkey and you have Shakespeare’s most magical romantic comedy. Simon Godwin directs this joyous production, surrounding The Acting Company with eye-popping puppets directed by master puppeteer Basil Twist (My Neighbour Totoro, Petrushka).
A RAISIN IN THE SUN
By Lorraine Hansberry
Directed by Tim Bond
Produced in Association with Oregon Shakespeare Festival
JAN 23–FEB 28, 2027 | KLEIN THEATRE
Love, struggle, and shelved dreams bind the Younger family under their single roof on the South Side of 1950s Chicago. When a life insurance check arrives after the death of their father, it sparks a chance to break free—but each family member sees a different future, and the choices they make test everything they believe about identity, pride, and possibility. As urgent now as when it first debuted in 1959, this powerful revival highlights Lorraine Hansberry’s seminal work.
ROMEO AND JULIET
By William Shakespeare
APR 13–MAY 16, 2027 | KLEIN THEATRE
Passions burn hot in the city of Verona. Bad blood boils over as the Montagues and Capulets draw swords against each other in the streets, while young Romeo and Juliet tend the flame of their newfound love. When they decide to join hands in marriage against the wishes of their families, will they discover a power strong enough to end the ancient feud? Not part of the mainstage season in over a decade, Shakespeare’s timeless tale reemerges with striking relevance.
FOLLIES
Book by James Goldman
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Produced Originally on Broadway by Harold Prince
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Directed by Matthew Gardiner
By Special Arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh
A Co-Production with Signature Theatre
MAY 18–JUN 20, 2027 | HARMAN HALL
A chorus of former showgirls reminisce and regret as they make one last visit to the theatre where it all began—when everything was possible and nothing made sense. Surrounded by the glamorous ghosts of their past selves, reality and memory blur in ways both dazzling and devastating in Stephen Sondheim’s sumptuous masterpiece. With an epic cast of 32 and a 14-piece orchestra, Sondheim’s incomparable score, including “Broadway Baby,” “I’m Still Here,” and “Losing My Mind,” shines in spectacular style under the direction of Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner.
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