SPELLING BEE and More Set for Delaware Theatre Company 2026/27 Season
The season will also include Steel Magnolias, Other World: A New Musical, and more.
Delaware Theatre Company has revealed its 2026/27 Season. The season will launch on September 16, 2026, featuring five plays.
The season opens with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. A New Light Theatre production presented by Delaware Theatre Company, the Tony and Drama Desk Award Winner for Best Book runs from September 16 to October 4, 2026. Sam Kissajukian’s imaginative 300 Paintings follows, playing from October 21 to November 8, 2026. Steel Magnolias, Robert Harling’s beloved play, takes the stage from December 2 to 20, 2026, directed by Mimi Warnick. In the new year, Other World: A New Musical, runs from February 17 to March 7, 2027, and features art direction provided by Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings, Avatar). Closing out DTC’s 26/27 season is two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage’s soulful comedy Clyde’s from April 14 to May 2, 2027.
"This season will celebrate DTC’s reputation as a gathering place where audiences don’t just watch, but feel seen and leave with a renewed sense of belonging in and beyond our theater’s walls,” remarks Producing Artistic Director Mimi Warnick.
DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY’S 2026/27 SEASON
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
A New Light Theatre production presented by Delaware Theatre Company
September 16 to October 4, 2026
CONCEIVED BY Rebecca Feldman
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL BY Jay Reiss
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY William Finn
BOOK BY Rachel Sheinkin
Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a charming and deeply human musical that shines a light on the inner lives of six adolescents vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. As they candidly share hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, these tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words hoping to avoid the soul-crushing “ding” of the bell that signals a mistake. Blending humor and heart, the show is a joyful celebration of individuality, belonging, and the courage to be seen.
Sam Kissajukian: 300 PAINTINGS
October 21 to November 8, 2026
CREATED AND PERFORMED BY Sam Kissajukian
PRODUCED BY Sally Horchow AND Matt Ross
IN ASSOCIATION WITH OCTOPUS THEATRICALS
ORIGINALLY PRODUCED BY Vineyard Theatre
In 2021, Sydney comedian Sam Kissajukian decided to quit standup, rent an abandoned cake factory, and become a painter. Over the course of a six-month manic episode, he created 300 large-scale paintings, unknowingly documenting his mental state through the process. In this hilarious, fascinating, and wildly original show, Kissajukian brings audiences on a rollercoaster ride that explores the ties between art, mental health, and creativity.
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
December 2 to 20, 2026
WRITTEN BY Robert Harling
DIRECTED BY MIMI WARNICK
Set in a small town beauty salon in Louisiana, Steel Magnolias celebrates the unbreakable bond between six remarkable women who share laughter, love, and life’s toughest moments. Filled with sharp wit and deep emotion, this beloved play is a testament to the strength, resilience, and enduring power of friendship.
OTHER WORLD: A NEW MUSICAL
February 17 to March 7, 2027
BOOK BY Hunter Bell
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY Jeff Bowen AND Ann McNamee
One moment, Sri and Lorraine are in a garage on Earth. The next, they’re unexpectedly transported into Sri’s favorite video game, Other World. Now trapped in the game and in a race against the clock, this unlikely pair must work together, discover their inner strengths, and connect with gifted gamers and astonishing avatars in order to survive and find a way home. With art direction provided by Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop (The Lord of the Rings, Avatar), this heartfelt, humorous musical explores the connections we make on- and off-line, while celebrating the families and friendships we need to thrive in any world. Join us for this spectacular, original, otherworldly adventure. Your journey begins... now!
CLYDE’S
April 14 to May 2, 2027
WRITTEN BY Lynn Nottage
From two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, Clyde’s is a sharp, soulful comedy about redemption and resilience. Set in a roadside sandwich shop staffed by formerly incarcerated workers, the play explores the healing power of food, the complexities of forgiveness, and the transformative strength of human connection.
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