Photo by Brad Resnick/Rutgers University
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Rutgers mainstage theater season opens later this month with Federico García Lorca's The House of Bernarda Alba. The drama, adapted by Chay Yew, explores repression, family, and desire as five daughters struggle under the strict rule of their domineering mother following the death of their father. The House of Bernarda Alba runs at Philip J. Levin Theater from October 23-31, 2026.
Performances of The House of Bernarda Alba take place October 23–24 at 7:30pm; October 28–31 at 7:30pm; October 25 at 5:00pm, and October 31 at 2:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online.
In November, catch The Importance of Being Earnest at the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Theater. In Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, two young men adopt the name "Ernest" to dodge duty and pursue love, setting off a chain of comic deceptions that cause their double lives to collide. The Importance of Being Earnest gleefully mocks respectability with Wilde's trademark wit, elegance, and charm. The show runs November 6–7 at 7:30pm; November 11–14 at 7:30pm; November 8 at 5:00pm, and November 14 at 2:00pm. Get tickets online.
The House of Bernarda Alba and The Importance of Being Earnest are underwritten by the Leora M. Sies Theater Fund.
In December, Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice, a reimagining of the Greek myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine, takes the stage at Philip J. Levin Theater. On her wedding day, Eurydice descends to the Underworld, where she reunites with her deceased father. As she struggles to recover her memories, she faces a heartbreaking choice: return to her husband or remain with her father. Eurydice runs December 4–5 at 7:30pm; December 8–9 at 7:30pm; December 5 at 2:00pm; and December 6 at 5:00pm. Get tickets online.
The season wraps up in the spring with Ben Jonson's Volpone at Philip J. Levin Theater. Volpone is a satirical comedy examining the corrosive nature of greed, illustrating how those consumed by their desires often fall victim to their own schemes. Volpone runs April 23–24 at 7:30pm; April 28 through May 1 at 7:30pm; April 25 at 5:00pm; May 1 at 2:00pm. Get tickets online.
Volpone is underwritten by the Leora M. Sies Theater Fund.
Philip J. Levin Theater and the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Theater are part of the Mason Gross Performing Arts Center at 85 George Street (near Route 18) on the Douglass Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Tickets for all theater shows are $15 plus taxes and fees for the general public; $12 plus taxes and fees for Rutgers employees/alumni and seniors 62+; $10 plus taxes and fees for students and children 5+. Restrictions apply. Tickets are also available in person during box office hours and before the show. Plan your visit, get details on purchasing tickets in person, and register for your free parking here.
Explore additional events in music, art, film, and dance at masongross.rutgers.edu/events. Or sign up for their bi-weekly newsletter detailing upcoming events at go.rutgers.edu/mgsanews.
All Mason Gross Performing Arts Center & Galleries events offer discounts to the Rutgers community and to seniors 62+. Mason Gross offers more than 60 free events annually.
Mason Gross School of the Arts is a vibrant community of artists and scholars committed to pursuing excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. Its mission is to create socially relevant art, foster diverse programming and curricula, cultivate community partnerships, and advance the arts through teaching, creative activity, advocacy, and research that contributes to the public good. Comprising more than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students across programs in music, theater, dance, filmmaking, art, and design, Mason Gross is housed within Rutgers–New Brunswick, a premier Big Ten research university that serves some 50,000 students and is the flagship campus of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2026
@ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ
Thursday, Oct 08, 2026
@ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ
Friday, Oct 09, 2026
@ 7:00pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ
Saturday, Oct 10, 2026
@ 2:00pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ
There are multiple performances including:
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2026
@ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
New Brunswick, NJ
