Tickets Now On Sale For Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 Summer Theatre Series

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival has opened single-ticket sales for its 2026 Summer Theatre Series, themed "Legends and Legacy," in celebration of its 35th anniversary and 30 years as the official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Running from May 27 through August 2 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the DeSales University campus, the season features nine productions spanning Shakespeare's masterworks, a smash-hit musical, shows in rotating repertory, touring performances, and programming for young audiences. Curated by Artistic Director Jason King Jones and Managing Director Casey William Gallagher, the season brings together award-winning directors and actors, PSF veterans, and rising stars.

"This season's theme, 'Legends and Legacy,' celebrates the stories that have shaped our culture-from rock 'n' roll icons to literary titans like Shakespeare, Austen, and Wilson. On our stages, these legends invite us to examine the legacy that brought us here and envision the one we are building for the future," said Jones. "Each production has been selected to spark conversation, entertain audiences of all ages, and honor the artistic excellence that has defined PSF for 35 years. We invite everyone to experience these stories this summer."

The 2026 Summer Theatre Series Lineup

The season opens in the Schubert Theatre with August Wilson's The Piano Lesson, directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames (Fat Ham). On the Main Stage, the season launches with the smash-hit musical Million Dollar Quartet, directed by Jim Helsinger, Artistic Director of Orlando Shakespeare Theater, and inspired by the famed 1956 recording session featuring Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley. The Main Stage continues with William Shakespeare's timeless Romeo and Juliet, directed by Artistic Director Jason King Jones, which will play in rotating repertory with Ken Ludwig's new Sherlock Holmes adventure Moriarty, directed by PSF veteran Matt Pfeiffer.

Following The Piano Lesson on the Schubert Theatre stage is the whirlwind comedic romp The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged, directed and co-written by Jessica Bedford and starring Barrymore Award-winning actors David Pica and Sarah Gliko. The Schubert Theatre concludes with an "Extreme Shakespeare" production of Coriolanus, starring Broadway veteran Greg Wood, a company member for 27 seasons with PSF.

The Festival's family and community programming includes Sheila the Magical, a new play by Jason King Jones continuing the story from last summer's hit The Princess and the Frog Prince; Shakespeare for Kids presents Romeo and Juliet, performed on the Festival Main Stage and through the community library tour; and the "Play On!" Community Tour, offering free performances of As You Like It at libraries, parks, and community centers across the region.

Full casting and creative teams will be announced closer to the opening of the Festival's 2026 Summer Theatre Series in May. 

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2026 Summer Theatre Series

August Wilson's The Piano Lesson

By August Wilson
Directed by James Ijames | Schubert Theatre · May 27 to June 14
August Wilson's Pulitzer and Tony-winning masterwork unfolds in 1936 Pittsburgh, where the Charles family struggles over an heirloom piano carved with the faces of their enslaved ancestors. Boy Willie arrives from Mississippi, determined to sell it to claim his future, while his sister Berniece guards the instrument as a sacred altar to their history. As their clash intensifies, the ghosts of the past begin to stir, forcing a reckoning with a legacy they can neither sell nor escape.

Million Dollar Quartet

By Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux | Directed by Jim Helsinger
Original Concept and Direction by Floyd Mutrux
Directed by Jim Helsinger | Main Stage · June 10 to June 28
On December 4, 1956, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins descend on Sun Studio in Memphis. What follows is one of the greatest impromptu jam sessions in music history. Guided by visionary producer Sam Phillips-the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll"-the night crackles with soaring music while careers hang in the balance. Featuring over 20 chart-topping hits including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Great Balls of Fire," and "I Walk the Line," this is a toe-tapping celebration of friendship, rivalry, and a night that ignites a revolution.

The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged

By Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast, and Meghan Winch
Directed by Jessica Bedford | Schubert Theatre · June 24 to July 12
Experience Austen's world like never before in a whirlwind tour through her beloved novels-Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and more-condensed into 80 laugh-out-loud minutes. Three quick-witted actors tackle Austen's heroines, heroes, cads, and clowns with lightning-fast costume changes, sharp humor, and a dash of modern mischief. Whether you're a devoted Janeite or discovering Austen for the first time, prepare for a charming, high-energy romp celebrating one of literature's most legendary voices.

Romeo and Juliet

By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jason King Jones | Main Stage · July 8 to August 2
An ancient feud divides the Montagues and Capulets-until Romeo and Juliet meet and fall irrevocably in love. Their secret marriage defies generations of bloodshed, but in a world poisoned by hatred, even the most transcendent love cannot escape fate. From the euphoric heights of a moonlit balcony to the stifling darkness of a tomb, Shakespeare's most iconic tragedy races toward its devastating conclusion. This is a story that challenges whether love can ever truly conquer hate.

Ken Ludwig's New Sherlock Holmes Adventure Moriarty

By Ken Ludwig
Directed by Matt Pfeiffer | Main Stage · July 16 to August 1
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson return! What begins as a simple case of the Bohemian king's stolen letters quickly spirals into an international web of spies, blackmail, and deception. To take down criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty and his ruthless network, Holmes and Watson join forces with American actress Irene Adler, whose razor-sharp wit and magnetic charm add a delicious twist to the chaos. Five actors bring over 30 characters to life in this madcap mystery where danger-and laughter-await at every twist and turn!

Coriolanus

By William Shakespeare
"Extreme Shakespeare" | Schubert Theatre · July 22 to August 2
Coriolanus is a relentless warrior and a celebrated hero-until his pride becomes his downfall. Once the people's champion, he becomes their greatest threat when his contempt for the masses collides with the politics of power. Coriolanus asks: What happens when a hero believes he's above those he serves? Experience it "Extreme Shakespeare" style-actors arrive with lines learned, rehearse independently, and open within days. No director. No designers. No safety net. Just the raw power of Shakespeare's explosive tragedy.

PA Shakespeare Festival - Family Theatre Series

"Play On!" Community Tour presents-Shakespeare's As You Like It
Touring the Lehigh Valley region and beyond · May 29 through June 14

Sheila the Magical -The Princess & The Frog Prince Part 2
Schubert Theatre · July 3 to August 1