Patrick Page in All The Devils Are Here, photo by Julieta Cervantes
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center has announced its 2026-27 Theater Series, featuring five productions spanning Shakespearean villainy, a brand-new musical comedy pulsing with bhangra rhythms, the 2024 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner for Best Play, a thrilling reimagining of an Alfred Hitchcock classic, and a world-premiere comedy.
“The stories we share help us understand ourselves and illuminate the humanity of others,” said McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. “As we look ahead to the 2026/27 season, the importance of sharing live experiences — of being together — feels more essential than ever. Come gather to laugh, be uplifted with thrilling music and dance, and reflect in moments of poignant connection. We are intentional about the artists we bring to you, and we have great faith that their unique and brilliant ways of seeing the world will inspire conversation, contemplation, and delight. I’m thrilled to share the titles in our upcoming lineup.”
“This season reflects McCarter’s deep commitment to both artistic excellence and community connection,” said Executive Director Martin Miller. “From our Stage Door Access initiative, sustained by charitable support, to the sheer ambition and artistry of A Beat of Our Own—enabled by a landmark grant from the Roy Cockrum Foundation—the 2026/27 Theater Series lineup feels singularly collaborative—and unmissable.”
August 19–30, 2026 | McCarter Theatre presents the Octopus Theatricals Production of All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain. Created & Performed by Patrick Page; Directed by Simon Godwin. Dubbed “The Villain of Broadway” by Playbill, Tony Award-nominee and GRAMMY Award-winner Patrick Page steps into the darkness and invites audiences along. In a tour-de-force performance, “one of America’s finest classical actors” (The Wall Street Journal) turns to twisted motivations and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains embodying Macbeth’s ruthless ambition, Iago’s seductive manipulation, Richard III’s gleeful cunning, Shylock’s fury, and more.
From king, to murderer, to mastermind, Page illuminates the Bard’s evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations, offering a spellbinding masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature. Directed by Simon Godwin, Artistic Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company and former associate director of The National Theatre, London. A post-show conversation with Patrick Page will take place following each performance.
October 7–25, 2026 | A Beat of Our Own. Book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew; Music and Lyrics by Sam Willmott; Choreography by Rujuta Vaidya; Directed by Stafford Arima. From the Tony Award–winning producers of Hadestown comes A Beat of Our Own — a brand-new musical comedy that pulls audiences into the pulsating rhythms, kaleidoscopic colors, and raw energy of competitive bhangra dance.
After leading their college team to victory at the Michigan State Championships, teammates Mary and Preeti find themselves bound for Nationals. But when they clash over Mary’s plan to fuse multiple Indian styles into their routine, Mary breaks off and forms her own squad. There’s only one problem: aside from her chaotic roommate Sunita, none of the new recruits have ever danced before. Armed with a new sense of purpose — and a little help from a former Bollywood star — Mary sets out to mold a ragtag group of lovable misfits into title-worthy contenders. But do they stand a chance against Preeti and her team of bhangra all-stars?
Directed by Olivier Award-nominee Stafford Arima and featuring choreography from Rujuta Vaidya, music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, and a book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew, this hilarious, heartfelt show is a proud celebration of what happens when a fractured community finds common ground through the power of dance, creativity, and understanding.
Principal foundation support provided by The Roy Cockrum Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to expand the capacity of theaters to realize ambitious work on stage.
Produced by special arrangement with Mara Isaacs, Tom Kirdahy and Peggy Koenig.
January 21–February 13, 2027 | Purpose by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. A co-production with Alliance Theatre. This gripping and darkly funny drama from the 2024 Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award–winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is “a thumping, riveting, guns-blazing, major new American play” (New York Daily News) that is “unstoppably fierce, funny, and ruthless!” (New York Post).
An electrifying, intimate and intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the influential Jasper family. And like all families, there are cracks beneath the surface. When the son comes home with an uninvited friend, the family is forced into a reckoning with itself, its faith, and its legacy.
This production marks the first time McCarter has produced a play by Princeton University alum Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Class of 2006.
Photo by Steve Tanner
March 10–21, 2027 | Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. Adapted and Directed by Emma Rice; Based on the Turner Entertainment Co. film North by Northwest. An Emma Rice Company, Kay & McLean Productions, and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions co-production. Produced by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Kay & McLean Productions.
Theatre legend and Olivier Award nominee Emma Rice helms a high velocity take on the Alfred Hitchcock classic North by Northwest in an acclaimed production hailed as “glorious” (The Times of London) and “effortlessly chic” (The Daily Mail). When ad man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a Cold War spy, he goes on the run dodging airplanes, bad guys and a femme fatale who may not be what she seems. With seven shape-shifting performers, a swinging ’50s soundtrack, and the iconic backdrop of Mount Rushmore, Rice transforms the beloved thriller into a riotously funny high-speed theatrical ride.
SPRING 2027 | A Brand-New Comedy, soon to be announced. Directed by McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. Stay tuned for the exciting announcement of a world premiere comedy, with details to be separately released in the coming weeks.
TICKETS: Tickets for McCarter’s 2026/27 Season are currently available by subscription only. Five-play subscriptions start at $215. For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit mccarter.org or call Patron Services at (609) 258-2787.
The Theater Series offers post-show conversations, along with a variety of accessible performances, including ASL (American Sign Language)–interpreted, open-captioned, and audio described performances. For more information, please visit mccarter.org/accessibility
Stage Door Access, launched in 2024, opens the doors to theatre for everyone in our community. The program provides free and low-cost tickets to community members who might otherwise be unable to attend, while introducing thousands of students to the transformative power of live theatre through student matinees and education programs.
Support for McCarter’s 2026/27 Theater Series is generously provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Shubert Foundation, as well as Lead Wellness Partner Bristol Myers Squibb. Support for all of McCarter’s programming is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.
McCarter is one of the country’s flagship theaters and a vibrant center for community and the performing arts. Located on the campus of Princeton University, the independent nonprofit serves as a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub for arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and education programs for all ages.
A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter’s legacy of artistic excellence dates back to 1930. Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s You Can’t Take It with You, and William Inge’s Bus Stop all premiered on the McCarter stage.
McCarter is equally revered for presenting global artists including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Yo-Yo Ma, Samara Joy, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Caetano Veloso, Rhiannon Giddens, Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Lake Street Dive, and Herbie Hancock.
Each year, more than 5,000 students participate in McCarter’s educational programs across the region. McCarter creates experiences that enliven minds, expand imaginations, and engage communities.
