The White Theatre At The J Announces Lineup For 21st Season

The Lewis & Shirley White Theatre at The J officially announced the 2025-2026 season schedule, which features a wide variety of fare, including popular favorites and newer works that will engage the entire Kansas City community. All productions are all presented in the state-of-the-art Lewis & Shirley White Theatre.

Season tickets go on sale to the public Friday, June 27. More information about season tickets and the season lineup can be found at TheWhiteTheatre.org.

The season kicks off with "Hello Dolly," a crowd-pleasing classic for the theatre's 20th anniversary show (The White Theatre first opened in the fall of 2005 with "A Chorus Line"). Other Popular Productions for this season include "Rent," which will be co-produced with KC Melting Pot Theatre, "The Play That Goes Wrong," and, for what will be the first time since its Broadway Tour, "Disney's Frozen," a co-production with The Coterie Theatre.

Artists-in-residence Kinnor Philharmonic will return for two performances, Kansas City-based POP Project KC will present "Piano Party! The Hit Songs of Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, and Chappell Roan," and Kansas City's Moonlight Serenade Orchestra brings Big Band back to the stage for "It Don't Mean a Thing if You Ain't Got That ... Sving."

Adding to the season's variety, The Kinsey Sicks, featuring local Kansas City favorite, Spencer Brown, will return to The White Theatre stage for the zany "Oy Vey In a Manger;" Midwest Center for Holocaust Education will co-present the one man show, "Dedication;" and "The Jewish Nutcracker" will return for the holidays.

"We're so proud to be able to continue the tradition of offering such a wide diversity of programming for the 21st season on The White Theatre's stage," said Keith Wiedenkeller, Director of Arts & Culture for The J, and Artistic Director of The White Theatre. "It's great when we can bring people together from all walks of life in Community, and this season is designed to do just that, offering everything from silly satire to serious soul-searching; this season has it all."

The 21st season once again features three main "tracks" - the Theatre Series, Concert Series and Special Engagements.

The Theatre Series includes four locally produced shows with some of the region's top talent. With matinee and evening performances available for the duration of each run, it includes:

Hello Dolly (Nov. 1-23, 2025) - Bursting with humor, romance, energetic dance and some of the greatest songs in musical theatre history, this multiple Tony-award-winning classic is certain to thrill and entertain audiences of all ages. A perfect production to celebrate The White Theatre at The J's 20th anniversary, this critically acclaimed Broadway classic is an all-American institution.

Rent (Jan. 31-Feb. 22, 2026) - Co-produced with KC Melting Pot Theatre. Follow a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Follow along as they defy convention, fall in love, find their voice and learn to live for today.

The Play That Goes Wrong (March 14-29, 2026) - Currently running off-Broadway, this Olivier Award-winning comedy is a hilarious hybrid of Monty Python and Sherlock Holmes. Welcome to opening night of "The Murder at Haversham Manor" where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous.

Disney's Frozen (July 8-26, 2026) - Co-produced with The Coterie Theatre. For the first time in forever, experience the musical phenomenon that has taken the world by storm! Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, Disney's Frozen includes all the film's beloved songs along with new music written exclusively for the stage.

The White Theatre's Concert Series includes local favorites Kinnor Philharmonic, and two concerts produced and performed by local Kansas City talent:

Piano Party! The Hit Songs of Billy Joel, Lady Gaga, and Chappell Roan (Oct. 11-12, 2025) - Co-produced with POP Project KC. Kansas City's best vocalists and musicians bring the ultimate live piano party to the stage, celebrating the songs that have shaped generations. Featuring a multi-generational cast, this high-energy concert fuses storytelling, sing-alongs, and show-stopping anthems connecting Billy Joel to today's biggest piano playing pop stars, including Lady Gaga and Chappell Roan.

Kinnor Philharmonic (Jan. 1, 2026 & May 31, 2026) - The White Theatre's artists-in-residence will present two special concerts. On New Year's Day, this symphonic concert will kick off the New Year with a post-performance bubbly reception. Then start summer in style with Kinnor's May 31 concert, as it performs incredible music "with a Jewish soul."

It Don't Mean a Thing if You Ain't Got That ... Sving (April 26, 2026) - "Sving" (a transliteration of the Hebrew word for swing music) celebrates the contributions of Jewish composers, musicians and bandleaders to the big band era. Kansas City's own Moonlight Serenade Orchestra will thrill you with timeless hits by legendary artists, including Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Willie Smith.

Finally, The White Theatre's Special Engagements include:

The Jewish Nutcracker (Dec. 7, 2025) - "The Jewish Nutcracker" returns for its fifth year, following Rebecca and the Nutcracker on their magical journey from Bubbe's house to the Land of Nosh, encountering every "gelt-y" pleasure, from "Mother Latke" to a giant "Sleigh-del." Featuring almost 200 of our Encore dance students, this is a must-see holiday tradition for the whole family!

Oy Vey in a Manger Starring the Kinsey Sicks (Dec. 20-21, 2025) - In Oy Vey in a Manger, Angel, Winnie, Trixie, and Trampolina are trying to sell off their manger - yes, that manger - before it's foreclosed upon. Crises arise, secrets are revealed, Jewish-Gentile tensions surface, and mayhem ensues - all in glorious four-part acapella harmony. Not for the faint of heart, oh-so-serious, or easily offended!

Dedication (April 13, 2026) - Co-presented with Midwest Center for Holocaust Education. Roger Peltzman's one-person show, Dedication, recounts his family's tragic history fleeing the Nazis in war-torn Europe using drama, humor, powerful images and musical performances of everything from blues to Chopin.

Full details and performance times can be found at TheWhiteTheatre.org. Auditions for various musicals and plays produced by The White Theatre will be announced on the website as well as on Facebook.