The South Carolina New Play Festival Reveals New Season

The South Carolina New Play Festival has announced its 2026 season, running July 29 through August 9 in Greenville, SC. The festival will feature new plays and musicals, outdoor performances, and special events that continue to position Greenville as a national hub for new theatrical work.

“We've always been obsessed with what's next and what's waiting to be told. This season we offer bold new works brimming with urgent questions,” said Artistic Director Shelley Butler. Executive Director West Hyler added “This year marks a major expansion of the festival. By producing our first world premiere, The House I Live In: Josh Whites America, in the historic Cristal Palace Spiegeltent, we will create an immersive environment where venue and content seamlessly merge.”

The House I Live In: Josh Whites America

The House I Live In: Josh Whites America is written by Donnetta Lavinia Grays, with music and lyrics by Josh White, directed by Tamilla Woodard with musical direction by Wesley Hix. This original musical marks SCNPF's first fully staged world premiere and tells the story of pioneering folk musician and civil rights activist, Josh White. The production will take place in the historic Cristal Palace Spiegeltent, built in the 1940s. The show is a commission by the SC New Play Festival, and the commission is supported by Bunny and Bob Hughes, and the production is sponsored by Lillian and Henry Parr and the Peace Center. Performances run July 29 through August 9.

Fission

Fission, by Cindy Lou Johnson, follows scientists Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn as their discovery of nuclear fission reshapes history and destroys their thirty-year partnership. Cindy Lou Johnson is an American playwright whose work has been produced at The Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Circle Repertory Company. Fission is presented in partnership with Seattle Repertory Theater. The presentation will take place on Friday, August 7 at 7pm at Greenville Theatre.

Night Game

Night Game, a new play by Octavio Solis and directed by Lisa Portes, centers on baseball legend Ted Williams. When he returns to his childhood home to reconnect with his estranged brother, their reunion explores identity, destiny, and the complexities of family. Octavio Solis, author of more than 20 plays, is one of the most prominent Latino playwrights in America. Night Game is presented in partnership with La Jolla Playhouse and is sponsored by Laura and Bill Pelham. It will be presented on Saturday, August 8 at 10am and 2pm at The Warehouse Theatre.

The Communist Revolution: A Ninth-Grade European History Project

The Communist Revolution: A Ninth-Grade European History Project (THERE WILL BE A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION), a new play by Grace McLeod and directed by SCNPF Artistic Director Shelley Butler, follows a teenager who takes her history project to the extreme by launching a backyard communist revolution. Grace McLeod's work blends sharp humor with bold political themes, creating a darkly comic exploration of generational conflict and ideology. The reading will take place on Saturday, August 8 at 7pm at Greenville Theatre and is sponsored by Jackie and John Warner.

SPINX Market Live Arts Fair

In addition to these productions, the 2026 festival will present the SPINX Market Live Arts Fair, featuring local arts organizations and internationally renowned performers, hosted by award-winning performer Christina Gelsone. The event will take place on Main Street and Falls Park Drive on August 8 from 10am to 1pm.

Late Night Variety Show

Later that evening, the festival's featured acrobats will come together under the canopy of the Cristal Palace Spiegeltent for a Late Night Variety Show on Saturday, August 8, at 9:30pm. This high-energy, one-night-only event will showcase an electrifying mix of world-class circus artists blending acrobatics, physical comedy, and breathtaking feats of skill in an intimate, immersive setting. Expect a thrilling and unexpected evening sponsored by Carson Gleberman.

South Carolina's Next Broadway Star

The festival will also continue South Carolina's Next Broadway Star, a scholarship program supporting talented teens across the state. Finalists will perform at the Cristal Palace and receive scholarships and training opportunities. Applications for the 2026 Next Broadway Star Scholarship Competition are open until May 1 at www.scnpf.org/scholarshipcontest.

Broadway Cabaret with Drew Gehling

The festival will culminate on August 9 with a Broadway Cabaret starring Drew Gehling, currently appearing as William Shakespeare in & Juliet on Broadway. Known for standout roles in Jersey Boys and Waitress, Gehling will perform for one night only at 7pm. The event is sponsored by M. Ellis Pearce.