Bigger. Bolder. Unforgettable.
A dazzling array of unforgettable stories, bold artistry, and theatrical wonder takes center ring as Asolo Rep commemorates the centennial of a historic year in Sarasota and beyond
March 9, 2026
SARASOTA, FL — Asolo Repertory Theatre, Florida’s premier professional theatre, announces its 2026/2027 Season — a celebration of 1927, the year John Ringling moved the “Greatest Show on Earth” to Sarasota and, as it happens, a remarkable year in American history. On the Main Stage will be five productions that capture the electricity of that cultural revolution: musicals, comedies, dramas, mysteries and at the heart of it all, a world premiere that could only be created here in Sarasota.
Premiering in March 2027, The Day the Circus Came to Town is a new musical inspired by the real-life stories of legends in Sarasota’s Circus Community, who astonished, amused, and charmed the nation one train stop at a time. Featuring a cast of actors, acrobats, aerialists and of course, a singing Ringmaster. The Day the Circus Came to Town is a love letter to Sarasota and the artists who call it home.
The Main Stage season also includes Singin’ in the Rain, capturing the chaos and comedy of Hollywood’s talkie revolution in 1927; August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, set in 1927 at the confluence of traditional Blues and a new music called Jazz; Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman’s The Royal Family, a roaring comedy that had audiences laughing in the aisles when it opened on Broadway in 1927; and Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, a witty, high-spirited tribute to the world’s most celebrated detective whose last collection of short stories was published in 1927.
“A century later, the seeds of wonder John and Mabel Ringling planted here continue to grow,” says Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein, “and we’re still asking the same question that electric year posed: What new dreams might we dare to dream?”
A New Way to Experience Asolo Rep
This season also marks a significant expansion of Asolo Rep’s programming with the launch of its Second Stage Season, offering a three-show subscription in the intimate Cook Theatre, putting big stories in small spaces. The series includes the beloved holiday classic It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play; the world premiere of Jennifer Maisel’s sweeping 20th-century drama Provenance; and Bootleg: America Sings 1927, an immersive cabaret celebrating the words and music of a remarkable year in American thought and culture.
Beyond the Stage
Asolo Rep’s commitment to the broader community continues with the 2026 Summer Children’s Musical, The Wizard of Oz. Created in partnership with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, the 2026 Asolo Rep on Tour will bring Shakespeare45: Rom-Com and Beanstalk: The Adventures of Jack and the Giant to schools and communities throughout the region.
2026/2027 Season
Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Circus in Sarasota
MAIN STAGE (MERTZ THEATRE)
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN Screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green Songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown Based on the classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Inc.
Directed and Choreographed by Josh Rhodes
November 18, 2026 – January 2, 2027 Mertz Theatre
Josh Rhodes, the brilliant mind behind Asolo Rep’s productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, and Evita, brings to the stage the greatest movie musical of all time. Set in 1927, this beloved musical comedy is about Hollywood’s tumultuous transition from silent films to “talkies.” The story follows dashing silent film star Don Lockwood as he falls for an aspiring actress while struggling with his screechy-voiced co-star, Lina Lamont, who stands poised to sabotage both his love and his career. A hilarious send-up of Hollywood’s foibles, this beloved musical has it all: sweeping romance, show-stopping choreography, and some of greatest tunes ever written.
August Wilson’s MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM By August Wilson Directed by Chuck Smith
January 13 – February 4, 2027 Mertz Theatre
In a dingy Chicago recording studio in 1927, a group of musicians gather to cut a record with Ma Rainey, the Mother of the Blues and the most celebrated Black singer of her time. She commands the room, but outside the studio, she can’t even get a taxicab to pick her up. Her trumpet player, Levee, a young, cocky musician rides the heady wave of the Jazz Renaissance sweeping the nation. Levee must fight for acceptance not only with his bandmates, but with the larger world that refuses to hear a new sound. Helmed by Chuck Smith, one of the leading authorities on August Wilson, and told in the way only Wilson can, this canonical play with music threatens to tip into cacophony at any moment.
Presented in Partnership with Chicago’s Goodman Theatre.
THE ROYAL FAMILY By Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman Directed by Peter Amster
February 10 – March 4, 2027 Mertz Theatre
Brought to life by beloved Asolo Rep director Peter Amster (Good Night, Oscar and Murder on the Orient Express) and written by two icons of early American theater, Edna Ferber (Showboat) and George S. Kaufman (You Can’t Take It with You), The Royal Family premiered on Broadway in 1927. The forerunner to our contemporary obsession with all things celebrity, this period comedy satirizes the lives of a famous theatrical dynasty. Between the family matriarch’s razor-sharp wit, her leading-lady daughter, and her matinee idol son, there is more drama off-stage than on. Set in their New York City duplex as the latest generation prepares to take up the family business…or not, The Royal Family is a comedic and heartfelt look at the eccentricities of a family with “greasepaint in their veins.”
World Premiere
THE DAY THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN Created by Peter Rothstein, Carla Noack and David Darrow Music and Lyrics by David Darrow Directed by Peter Rothstein
March 21 – April 24, 2027 Mertz Theatre
Asolo Rep commemorates the 100th anniversary of John Ringling moving his Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus to Sarasota with a world premiere docu-musical brought to you by the visionary creator of All is Calm, Peter Rothstein. Inspired by dozens of interviews with legends in Sarasota’s Circus Community, The Day the Circus Came to Town is a celebration of the generations of Circus Artists who astonished, amused, and charmed the nation one train stop at a time. Through story and song, you get to peak behind the canvas at the back lot, clown alley, life on the road, and being center ring of the Greatest Show on Earth. Featuring a cast of actors, acrobats, aerialists and of course, a singing Ringmaster accompanied by the Circus Band, this love letter to Sarasota and its first industry will have you feeling like a kid again.
Winner of the 2026 Richard and Ellen Sandor Workshop Award
Developed in partnership with the Ringling Museum and Circus Arts Conservatory
Courtesy of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Tibbals Circus Collection
Ken Ludwig’s BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY Written by Ken Ludwig Directed by Chari Arespacochaga
May 5 – May 30, 2027 Mertz Theatre
From multi-award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Murder on the Orient Express and Lady Molly of Scotland Yard) comes a wildly entertaining, fast-paced adventure featuring everyone’s favorite detective tackling his most notorious case. Howls of laughter mingle with the howls in the night as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson race to crack the mystery of The Hound of Baskervilles. Expect a whirlwind of theatrical ingenuity as our intrepid investigators navigate a labyrinth of clues, disguises, and delightfully dubious accents. With five actors seamlessly transforming into more than 40 characters, the production is led by celebrated director Chari Arespacochaga (Primary Trust) and balances side-splitting comedy with stylish suspense, proving that even on the foggy moors, danger and laughter make excellent companions.
Ken Ludwig was the Recipient of the 2025 Asolo Luminary Award
SECOND STAGE (COOK THEATRE)
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY By Joe Landry Directed by Scott Keys
December 2, 2026 – January 3, 2027 Cook Theatre
The beloved American film is reimagined as a 1940s radio-play where you are the live studio audience. Under the direction of Sarasota’s own Scott Keys (A Year with Frog and Toad) five actors perform dozens of characters bringing to life the story of George Bailey, a man who has given up his dream to help others in the community. With nowhere else to turn on Christmas Eve, he begins to believe the world would be a better place if he had never existed. Enter guardian angel Clarence, who makes George see all the lives he has touched, and offers a glimpse of what the world would be like without him. A heartwarming and nostalgic play with music that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit.
World Premiere
PROVENANCE By Jennifer Maisel Directed by Casey Stangl
February 24 – March 21, 2027 Cook Theatre
Asolo Rep is thrilled to produce the world premiere of Jennifer Maisel’s compelling new drama, and winner of the 2025 Jewish Plays Project. Directed by the award-winning Casey Stangl, Provenance is about the epic life of a single painting, a portrait, from the moment of its creation through its theft by the Nazis and all the lives shaped by the consequences of both acts. Built upon a unique theatrical structure that links these intimate stories to the grand arc of history, the play spans a century and crosses continents, from Germany in the early 1900s to New Jersey in 2007. A compelling new play that asks: How can one piece of art tear at the hearts of generations? Can what was lost ever be recovered?
Winner of the 2025 Richard and Ellen Sandor Workshop Award
A co-production with Palm Beach Dramaworks
BOOTLEG: AMERICA SINGS 1927 Curated by Cat Brindisi, Terrance Jackson, James Monaghan, and Peter Rothstein Directed by Peter Rothstein
April 21 – May 16, 2027 Cook Theatre
Step into the Four Fives Club — a speakeasy, a wild party, a jump back in time. It’s 1927 and everything is about to change. Asolo Rep creates an original cabaret celebrating a remarkable year in American history, and an extraordinary year in American literature and popular music. Featuring words by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Edna Ferber and Dorothy Parker and songs by Fats Waller, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Jerome Kern, and George and Ira Gershwin. Pull up a chair, sip some moonshine, and listen to tunes such as “Blue Skies,” “Someone to Watch Over Me” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ that Man of Mine.”
SUMMER CHILDREN’S MUSICAL
THE WIZARD OF OZ: YOUTH EDITION By Frank Baum With Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg Background Music by Herbert Stothart
Dance and Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard Orchestration by Larry Wilcox Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros.
Directed and Choreographed by Cat Brindisi
July 8 – August 2, 2027 Cook Theatre
Asolo Rep launches the second season of its Summer Children’s Theatre Program with an inventive, whimsical production of The Wizard of Oz, directed by Associate Artistic Director Cat Brindisi. Journey over the rainbow as Dorothy, Toto, and three unforgettable companions follow the Yellow Brick Road in search of a place called home. This one-hour Youth Edition of L. Frank Baum’s beloved story features the beloved characters and popular songs from the film, tailored for family audiences.
ASOLO REP ON TOUR
Created in partnership with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory
SHAKESPEARE 45: ROM-COM Conceived by Terrance Jackson
Directed by Joz Vammer
September – December 2026
Shakespeare45: Rom-Com is a fast-paced, 45-minute celebration of Shakespeare at his most charming — filled with witty banter, mistaken identities, physical comedy, and a host of unforgettable lovers and fools. Featuring iconic scenes, sonnets, soliloquies, and songs, the show highlights the humor and playful chaos that define Shakespeare’s comedies, where romance is only part of the fun.
Recommended for grades 7 through adults.
BEANSTALK: THE ADVENTURES OF JACK AND THE GIANT Written by James Monaghan and Terrance Jackson
Directed by Cat Brindisi
September – December 2026
A castle in the clouds, a terrifying giant menacing the land, and a special young person facing the greatest adventure of their life with nothing but three magic beans and whatever courage they can dig up. Experience the beloved tale of “Jack and the Beanstalk” in this brand-new, thrilling adaptation that asks us all to dream bigger and climb higher.
Recommended for students through grade 6 and their families.
TICKETS
MAIN STAGE SUBSCRIPTION (MERTZ THEATRE)
The Main Stage Subscription includes the full lineup of productions in the Mertz Theatre: Singin’ in the Rain, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Royal Family, The Day the Circus Came to Town, and Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery—offering audiences the opportunity to experience the entire season with priority seating, exclusive benefits, and the best value.
SECOND STAGE SUBSCRIPTION (COOK THEATRE)
The Second Stage Subscription offers audiences the chance to experience three dynamic productions in the intimate Cook Theatre, a venue offering big stories in small spaces. The series includes the holiday classic It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play; the world premiere of Jennifer Maisel’s expansive 20th century drama Provenance; and an immersive cabaret entitled Bootleg: America Sings 1927, featuring iconic songs from a remarkable year in American history.
Season ticket renewals are available now, with new subscriptions on sale April 11, 2026. Single show tickets will go on sale in September. For more information, visit AsoloRep.org or call 941.351.8000
ABOUT ASOLO REP
Since 1958, Asolo Repertory Theatre has been recognized as one of the premier professional theatres in America and one of the largest in the Southeastern United States. Asolo Rep produces up to eight productions each season, including classics, contemporary drama, musicals, and world premieres. A theatre district in and of itself, Asolo Rep is committed to expanding its reach into the community, furthering its collaboration with leading theatre-makers, and cultivating the next generation of artists through its affiliation with the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein and Managing Director Ross Egan, Asolo Rep’s ambitious theatrical offerings, commitment to new work, and groundbreaking education and engagement programs ensure the company’s lasting legacy for future generations. Learn more at AsoloRep.org.