Linda Purl in CRAZY MAMA and More Set For 59E59 Theaters' Summer 2026 Season
The lineup also includes Hershey Felder's The Piano and Me, SUKKOT, and more.
59E59 Theaters has announced the productions in its Summer 2026 season, featuring a mix of solo performance, comedy, and new plays. The summer also includes the annual East to Edinburgh Festival, which supports U.S. theater companies preparing to present their work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
“The energy of this summer season comes from artists taking real ownership of their stories. From Hershey Felder turning inward to Sharon Scott Williams' Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness,” said Val Day, Artistic Director of 59E59 Theaters. “I'm eager for audiences to experience how each production invites them to encounter something unexpected, whether it's humor, music, or a deeper look at what connects us.”
Among the highlights is Hershey Felder's The Piano and Me (July 7-August 23), a new autobiographical work from the acclaimed performer known for his portrayals of musical legends. In this deeply personal piece, Felder turns inward, exploring his own life through music and memory.
Rubicon Theatre Company will present Crazy Mama: A True Story of Love and Madness (September 16-October 18), written by Sharon Scott Williams, directed by Anson Williams, and starring Linda Purl (Happy Days, Visiting Hour, The Office). A true story based on Williams' award-winning memoir, this tour-de-force story follows a young girl's decades-long dream of saving her mother from mental illness, weaving humor, live music, and resilience into a powerful portrait of love and hope.
Co-Op Resident Companies Negro Ensemble Company, Inc and New Light Theater Project will return this season with two new plays: The House of the Negro Insane (August 14-September 6) set in Central State Hospital – one of only seven US psychiatric institutions built to house “insane and idiotic negroes” written by Terence Anthony and directed by Daniel Carlton, and Lean-To (September 10-October 10), which follows an overprepared hiker and a not-so-prepared couple who are forced to share a rustic lean-to shelter in the woods, written by Stephen Sheffer and directed by Jesse Jou.
Following a successful run at Skylight Theater in Los Angeles, The 6th Act will present the New York premiere of Sukkot (July 11-August 9), written by Matthew Leavitt and directed by Joel Zwick. The play follows a grieving father who, one year after the loss of his wife, brings his family together to celebrate a holiday none of them have ever observed before, resulting in a heartfelt and humorous exploration of grief, faith, and connection.
Through the Tollbooth Co. will present The Vessel (July 30-August 23) by Brendan George and directed by Peter Charney. Three coworkers navigate working at the infamous NYC landmark, from the Drama Desk Award-nominated creators of A Eulogy for Roman.
Throughout July, 59E59 Theaters will welcome 15 productions as part of its annual East to Edinburgh festival, which supports U.S.-based theater companies preparing to present their work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. East to Edinburgh was created as a way to help shows get on their feet so companies experience the same production constraints that all shows experience during the Fringe, while giving companies a clean, comfortable, and nurturing space to fine-tune their productions.
Summer 2026 continues 59E59 Theaters' commitment to supporting artists through its innovative producing model, which eliminates weekly rent and allows companies to focus resources on their work. Supported by a $10 million gift from the Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation, the model enables a wider range of productions and voices to take the stage.
“We're proud to provide a home for emerging companies to present their productions in New York,” said Brian Beirne, Managing Director of 59E59 Theaters. “By removing financial barriers and offering full institutional support, we're able to help bring a wider range of voices and stories to our stages, and to connect those artists with audiences who are eager to gather and experience the power of live performance.”
Hershey Felder's THE PIANO AND ME
July 10 - August 23
Known for his hit portrayals of musical geniuses in his beloved composer series, Felder now renders a different musical artist: himself. In this deeply moving new play, Felder pulls back the curtain on his own story. Growing up in Montreal as the child of Polish and Hungarian immigrants, a young Felder discovers the piano, its captivating music connecting him to his unsuspected heritage, while opening up a remarkable new world full of adventure, possibility, heartbreak, and connection.
Featuring performances of beloved compositions by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Bartók, and more, Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me recounts the inspiration behind his illustrious career of more than 6,000 performances across the globe and offers a poignant and profoundly touching portrait of the power of music.
SUKKOT
By Matthew Leavitt
Directed by Joel Zwick
With Natalie Lander, Liza Seneca, Jonathan Slavin, and Andy Robinson
July 11 - August 9
One year after losing his wife to cancer, Patrick Sullivan is still unable to overcome his overwhelming grief, until a rabbi introduces him to Sukkot - the only Jewish holiday where God directly commands us to rejoice! Suddenly energized with this new purpose, Patrick builds a sukkah (a hut) in their yard and forces his three grown children to celebrate as they return home to attend their mother's unveiling ceremony.
Sukkot is the hilarious and heartwarming story of a half-Jewish-half-Irish-Catholic family attempting to rejoice by celebrating a holiday that none of them had ever heard of.
EAST TO EDINBURGH
A unique showcase of 15 New York shows headed to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (the largest arts festival in the world).
East to Edinburgh was created as a way to help shows get on their feet so companies experience the same production constraints that all shows experience during the Fringe, while giving companies a clean, comfortable, and nurturing space to fine-tune their productions. This year's whirlwind festival features fifteen adventurous productions from around New York and across the US.
THE HOUSE OF THE NEGRO INSANE
By Terence Anthony
Directed by Daniel Carlton
August 14 - September 6
The year is 1935. For years, Attius has lived behind the imposing walls of Central State Hospital – one of only seven US psychiatric institutions built to house “insane and idiotic negroes” – where the homeless and destitute are confined alongside the diseased and the criminally insane.
Attius has carved out a meager existence within the hospital building coffins, quietly crafting the final boxes for those who will never see freedom again. But everything changes when two new patients arrive, and Attius is forced to confront a possibility he buried long ago – a chance at life beyond the walls.
Content warning: The House of the Negro Insane is recommended for audiences ages 16+. The show contains strong language, racial slurs, and violence.
THE VESSEL
By Brendan George
Directed by Peter Charney
July 30 - August 23
In the center of Hudson Yards, New York City, stands a honeycomb-like structure known simply as the Vessel. After its unveiling in 2019, this 150-foot interactive art installation was repeatedly shut down, becoming an unexpected and controversial viral obsession.
Inspired by these true events, three minimum wage parks employees find themselves at the center of attention in The Vessel. The unlikely trio works together in hilarious and surprising ways as they navigate through and beyond the structure that looms over their every move.
Three coworkers against one tourist trap – a new play based on an infamous NYC landmark from the Drama Desk Award-nominated creators of A Eulogy for Roman.
LEAN-TO
By Stephen Sheffer
Directed by Jesse Jou
September 10 - October 10
An overprepared hiker and a not-so-prepared couple are forced to share a rustic lean-to shelter in the woods. Bonding over Britney Spears, shared supplies, and the desire to escape city life for a weekend, these strangers experience a rare moment of authentic connection. But as they come together around the warmth of the campfire, a different type of kindling threatens to combust.
Part comedy and part tender drama, Lean-To explores the human desire to connect and the shadow of loneliness that lurks within all of us.
CRAZY MAMA: A TRUE STORY OF LOVE AND MADNESS
By Sharon Scott Williams (50% of title)
Directed by Anson Williams (75% of Playwright)
Starring Linda Purl
With Will Huse as The Blues Man
September 16 - October 18
Laced with humor, live music, and pathos, Linda Purl stars in this tour-de-force story of a young girl's decades-long dream of saving her mother from the soul-crushing grip of mental illness.
As Mama continues to be committed to mental institutions, convinced she's working for the FBI, Daddy blurs his pain with Kentucky bourbon and teenage brother Spikey struggles with his faith. Sharon grows up shackled to her mother's pain, but never loses hope that one day Mama will come home.
A true story inspired by Sharon Scott Williams' award-winning memoir, Crazy Mama is a poetic journey through the labyrinth of love, despair, and redemption, and is a testament to the steely resilience of the human heart and the enduring nature of hope.
Content warnings: Crazy Mama is recommended for ages 13+. The show contains strong language and references to paranoid schizophrenia. .
Videos