Palo Alto Players Will Perform A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE, MARY POPPINS, and More in 96th Season

Palo Alto Players, the Peninsula's first theatre company, has announced its 96th season. The 2026-27 line-up begins in September 2026 and includes A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, CLUE, Disney's MARY POPPINS, and ON GOLDEN POND. All performances are held at the Lucie Stern Theater located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. 

“We hope you'll join us as theatrical mayhem storms the stage in Palo Alto Players' legendary 96th season!” said Artistic Director Patrick Klein. “This year, we're bringing you five wildly entertaining shows filled with cunning ambition, delightfully dark humor, and heartwarming storytelling, each offering its own unforgettable escape. With bold characters, big laughs, and a touch of mischief, there's truly something for everyone.”

Palo Alto Players' 96th season kicks off in September 2026 with A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, the Tony-winning, uproarious musical that proves murder has never been so delightful. Follow Monty Navarro, the charming outsider eighth in line for a prestigious earldom, as he takes a hilariously cunning—and deadly—path to the top. Following that, opening on Halloween, meet your kooky neighhbors, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, with a wickedly funny musical that brings everyone's favorite delightfully macabre family to life as Wednesday falls in love with a “normal” boy and chaos ensues. Packed with sharp humor, catchy songs, and ghoulish charm, it's a heartwarming tale about love, family, and embracing what makes us unique. In January 2027, try to solve the mystery with CLUE, the fast-paced farce based on the hit cult film that turns the classic board game into a hilarious night of mystery, mayhem, and murder at a secluded mansion. Packed with witty dialogue, outrageous characters, and twist after twist, it keeps audiences guessing—and laughing—until the final reveal. In April and May 2026, Palo Alto Players brings the magic of Disney's MARY POPPINS to the stage. This practically perfect hit Broadway musical based on the beloved Disney film has captured hearts and captivated audiences around the world. Closing out the season in June 2027, relax ON GOLDEN POND, with a warm and deeply moving story about an aging couple spending a summer at their lakeside home, where love, memory, and family tensions gently unfold. With humor and quiet poignancy, it explores the passage of time, reconciliation, and the enduring bonds that shape our lives.

In chronological order, Palo Alto Players' 2026-27 season is as follows: 

A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER

September 12 - 27, 2026 (preview September 11) 
Book & Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman
Music & Lyrics by Steven Lutvak
Based on the novel Israel Rank by Roy Horniman

A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER is the uproarious, Tony-winning hit of 2014, sweeping Best Musical, Book, Direction, and Costumes, plus multiple Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League Awards. When low-born Monty Navarro learns he's eighth in line for an earldom, he embarks on a darkly comic mission to remove his unsuspecting relatives—and maybe win love along the way. Packed with unforgettable music, nonstop laughs, and one actor playing all eight doomed heirs, this murderous romp is a fresh, original comedy that audiences can't get enough of!

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

October 31 - November 15, 2026 (preview October 30)
Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice
Music & Lyrics: Andrew Lippa
Based on Characters Created by Chales Addams

Don't miss this timeless musical that continues to captivate audiences around the world! THE ADDAMS FAMILY—a delightfully dark, hilariously twisted celebration of family eccentricity—returns to Palo Alto Players! In this original tale, every father's nightmare comes to life: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen head over heels for a charming, intelligent young man from a “normal” family, one her parents have never met. Full of macabre charm, quirky antics, and heartwarming family love, THE ADDAMS FAMILY proves that the strangest of families are sometimes the most lovable—and their adventures are a feast for anyone who enjoys laughter with a touch of the delightfully bizarre.

CLUE

January 16 - 31, 2027 (preview January 15)
Based on the Screenplay by Jonathan Lynn
Written by Sandy Rustin
Additional Material by Hunter Foster & Eric Price
Based on the Paramount Pictures Motion Picture
Based on the Hasbro Board Game CLUE
Original Music by Michael Holland

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 this eccentric ensemble 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.

Disney's MARY POPPINS

April 24 - May 9, 2027 (preview April 23) 
Original Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman
Book by Julian Fellowes
New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by Anthony Drewe & George Stiles
Co-Created by Cameron Mackintosh
A Musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film. 

Based on P.L. Travers' cherished books and the classic film, Mary Poppins is a magical adventure for the whole family. Step into 1910 England and meet the Banks family, whose children, Jane and Michael, have sent countless nannies packing until the extraordinary Mary Poppins arrives. With her mix of magic, wisdom, and unforgettable adventures, she teaches the family to value one another, captivating both children and adults. Bursting with enchanting songs, dazzling dance, and stunning stagecraft, MARY POPPINS delivers a spellbinding theatrical experience for audiences of all ages.

ON GOLDEN POND

June 12 - 27, 2026  (preview June 11)
By Earnest Thompson