CLUE, STEEL MAGNOLIAS and More Set for Penfold Theatre Company 26-27 Season
Season 19 features a new Flex Pass membership and debut summer camps.
Penfold Theatre Company is broadening its reach in its 19th season, unveiling an expanded slate of productions with longer runs, new flexible pricing options, a family-friendly mainstage series, and the debut of summer camps and year-round classes at Round Rock's home for the performing arts.
Next season, Penfold is offering a new Flex Pass Membership that allows members the freedom to attend at their convenience. Multi-tier 2026-2027 Season Flex Pass Memberships are available now at penfoldtheatre.org or by phone at (512) 850-4849.
The 2026-2027 season opens with the hilarious murder mystery comedy Clue. 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 audiences dying of laughter and keep everyone guessing until the final twist.
This holiday season, Penfold presents Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!), a side-splitting 90-minute holiday journey as three comedic actors bring to life iconic Christmas tales like A Christmas Carol, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, and more in a whirlwind of laughter and festive cheer.
Back by popular demand, Your Old Fashioned Die Hard Holiday Radiocast, returns to Austin's iconic Driskill Hotel this December for a limited four performance engagement. Based on the film and parodied by Penfold Co-founder Nathan Jerkins, this irreverent holiday tradition is sure to sell out. As an early holiday gift, 2026-2027 Season Flex Pass Members will have the opportunity to purchase seats for Your Old Fashioned Die Hard Holiday Radiocast before tickets go on sale to the public.
The timeless comedic drama Steel Magnolias will kick off 2027. The story follows six women in a small-town Southern community sharing gossip and problems at the local beauty parlor. The group of women anchors each other in life's ups and downs as they cope with the death of one of their own.
Sharing a similar plot and characters as the famous film by Alfred Hitchcock of the same name, The 39 Steps is a hilarious treatment of a dramatic thriller. Four actors take over the stage to play between 100-150 characters with lighting fast comic quick changes complete with Hitchcock references and Monty Python flare.
Closing the season is a heartfelt musical celebration of the life and career of country music icon Patsy Cline. Always…Patsy Cline is based on a true story about Patsy Cline's friendship with a fan she befriended in 1961 at a Texas honky-tonk. Complete with down home country humor, true emotion, and even some audience participation, this show includes many of Patsy's unforgettable hits such as "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces."
Penfold is located at 2120 N. Mays St #290, Round Rock, TX 78664 in Rock Creek Plaza at I-35 and Texas Ave. Free parking is available on site. Round Rock Rides offers a convenient drop-off point at Rock Creek Plaza. To learn more about this low-cost ride-sharing program, visit here.
CLUE
Based on the Screenplay by Jonathan Lynn
Written by Sandy Rustin
Additional Material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price
Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture
Based on the Hasbro Board Game CLUE
Original Music by Michael Holland
September 11–October 11, 2026
It's a dark and stormy night, and our cast of oddball characters has been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well, dead. So whodunit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. Based on the cult classic film and the popular board game, Clue is a madcap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.
EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD (AND THEN SOME!)
By Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald, and John K. Alvarez
Original music by Will Knapp
December 4–27, 2026
Two castmates refuse to join in a performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol as they have performed in the show too many times in their career already. They rebel and decide to present every Christmas story ever told instead. Over 90 minutes, three comedic actors portray as many holiday stories and characters as they can remember. Using wild costumes, special effects, and their comedy skills, they take a ride through well-known classics, from The Grinch Who Stole Christmas to Frosty the Snowman – and so much more.
YOUR OLD FASHIONED DIE HARD HOLIDAY RADIOCAST
Adapted by Nathan Jerkins
December 22–23, 2026
The 1988 film Die Hard, reimagined as an irreverent, Prairie Home Companion-style radio Christmas special performed live onstage. Back by popular demand–and for one weekend only–the show brings together a small company of actors who portray all the characters in this holiday action adventure while creating zany sound effects, complete with faux explosions and other audio shenanigans. The fun takes place at Austin's iconic Driskill Hotel. Ho, ho, ho and yippee-ki-yay!
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
by Robert Harling
February 5 – March 3, 2027
All the ladies who are “anybody” in Chinquapin, Louisiana, come to Truvy’s beauty salon to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoo and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and several acerbic verbal collisions, the comedy moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby risks her life to go through with a dangerous pregnancy. Confronted with the harshness of mortality, the others draw together to find strength – and love – in the wake of tragedy.
THE 39 STEPS
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan
From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited
And an original concept by Simon Corble and Nancy Dimon
May 2 – 25, 2027
In The 39 Steps, inspired by the novel by John Buchan and the film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, a man leading a mundane life encounters a woman with a thick accent who claims to be a spy. After he brings her home, she is murdered. Soon, a shadowy organization known as "The 39 Steps" is pursuing the man in a nationwide manhunt that culminates in a thrilling finale! Featuring exceptional performances and imaginative stagecraft, The 39 Steps offers an unforgettable evening of pure entertainment!
ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE
Created and Originally Directed by Ted Swindley
June 4 – July 11, 2027
Always… Patsy Cline is a heartfelt celebration of the legendary country singer. From the moment Texas housewife Louise Seger first heard Patsy Cline’s voice, she was captivated. Quickly becoming Cline's biggest fan, Louise had the unforgettable opportunity to meet her idol one evening in Houston before a show. This encounter sparked a deep friendship between the two women, and they continued to write letters to each other as Cline's fame soared. Years after Cline’s tragic death, Louise reflects on their friendship and her love for the singer. Based on a true story, the musical features all of Patsy Cline's greatest hits and promises a heartfelt, down-home good time.
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