Two New Plays Set For Ensemble Studio Theatre's 2025/26 Season

Ensemble Studio Theatre has announced its 2025-26 line-up, a season committed to new work development through the EST/Sloan Project and the Youngblood emerging playwrights collective as well as two new plays, working in partnership over the course of the season with The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Atlantic Theater Company, The Latinx Playwrights Circle, and The Lucille Lortel Theatre.

"This is a big year for EST - our world is expanding,” said Co-Artistic Director Graeme Gillis. “Both our productions this year are chances for us to partner with theatres and organizations that we've admired for a long time. The Lortel, the LPC, the Sloan Foundation and the Atlantic all do great work for theatre in New York City, and we're proud to have our name alongside theirs to do the work we all do best - giving these plays and artists the strongest launch available." 

EST’s 57th season will open in November with A Bodega Princess Remembers La Fiesta de los Reyes Magos, 1998, written and performed by Iraisa Ann Reilly and directed by EST’s Co-Artistic Director Estefanía Fadul. It will run November 17-December 14, 2025 at EST’s long-time home at 545 West 52nd Street. It is presented with the Lucille Lortel Theatre and the Latinx Playwrights Circle.

Every January 6th, the Latine community of Egg Harbor City, NJ gathered in the basement cafeteria of St. Nicholas School for a celebration of the Feast of Los Reyes Magos. Writer-performer Iraisa Ann Reilly invites the audience to celebrate and reclaim that date, introducing the audience to her family, her hometown, and her epiphany at the 1998 Feast that changed her life forever. Featuring music, storytelling, and good old 90’s nostalgia - a show for everybody's holiday season.

"These funny, relevant, original plays are each about turning points that we all recognize, and the way we carry the people we love with us for the entirety of our lives,” said Co-Artistic Director Estefanía Fadul. “Everybody can see themselves in Iraisa Ann and Jake's plays. We think that once people meet them at the theatre, nobody will want to leave."

The season will continue in February with The Reservoir, a new play by Youngblood Alum Jake Brasch. Directed by Shelley Butler, it is presented with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Atlantic Theater Company and will run February to March, 2026, with performances taking place at the Linda Gross Theater at 366 West 20th Street. Tickets will be available at atlantictheater.org. The Reservoir was originally commissioned by the EST/Sloan Project and was developed at EST starting in 2020.

Josh’s life is a mess. He’s moved home to Denver to get sober, but after years of drinking, the fog in his brain won’t lift. Struggling with memory loss, confusion, and shame he finds himself strangely in step with his four aging grandparents. The Reservoir is a funny, human play about memory, recovery, and the joys of cross-generational connection.

For over five decades, EST has developed thousands of new American plays and has grown into a company of over 600 actors, directors, playwrights, designers, and stage managers. 

The 2025-2026 season will include an abundance of new play development through ongoing programs, including EST’s award-winning emerging playwrights collective Youngblood which will feature workshops and readings of full-length plays from members of the group throughout the Winter and Spring.  

The Youngblood Sunday Brunch Series will return in November with six monthly installments throughout the season. This season’s brunches will be held on November 2; December 7; January 11; March 1; April 12; and May 17.

The EST/Sloan Project will continue to support the development of plays about science and technology with its annual First Light Festival. This year’s festival will begin in the Fall with plays by Mikaela Berry, Karina Billini and Jacquelyn Reingold.