<![CDATA[The Merc Playhouse - 2026 Season]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:38:49 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[The Revolutionists]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:16:19 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/the-revolutionists

AUDITIONS

Calling all fierce, funny, fearless women, and the actors bold enough to play them!

AUDITIONS:
Thursday, June 25th & Sunday, June 28th at 5:00 pm

Roles for 4 women ages 18 and up.
Diverse casting. Not all roles are white.

Email director Missi Smith for  information and to sign up for auditions. 
No prepared readings necessary, scenes will be handed out at auditions. It is only necessary to come to one of the audition days. 

The Revolutionists
on stage Sept. 25 through Oct. 4, 2026. 

The Revolutionists is a wildly theatrical comedy about four unforgettable women navigating the chaos of the French Revolution during the Reign of Terror.

Playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian revolutionary Marianne Angelle debate justice, challenge extremism, murder Marat, and try not to lose their heads in the Paris of 1793.

A comedy
A quartet
A revolutionary dream fugue
A true story(ish)

These are rich, complex, electric roles for powerful women — full of wit, rage, vulnerability, courage, and joy. Whether you love sharp comedy, or stories about women refusing to stay silent, this play delivers.

Come play. Come rage. Come revolt.


]]><![CDATA[Readers' Theater: The Crucible]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:12:48 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/readers-theater-the-crucible

Readers' Theater: "The Crucible" on stage Oct. 30 at The Merc Playhouse. More information coming soon. 
]]><![CDATA[Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:10:24 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/miss-bennet-christmas-at-pemberley

On stage Dec. 4-13, 2026. More information coming soon! 
]]><![CDATA[LBHS: "Hello Girls"]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/lbhs-hello-girls

"Hello Girls" on stage May 11–17, 2026. More information coming soon. 
]]><![CDATA[Reader's Theater: "Now & Then"]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/readers-theater-now-thenPast meets present in Now & Then
A readers' theater production of "Now & Then," by playwright Sean Grennan, on stage April 17 – 19, 2026. Directed by Jim Ditto. 
​
​Fri. & Sat., April 17 & 18 @ 7 p.m.
Sun., April 19 @ 2 p.m. 

Doors open 30 minutes prior to production. Admission by donation, all seats. No reserved tickets available. 
]]><![CDATA[Reader's Theater: The Playground]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/readers-theater-the-playground"How far would you go to keep what you think you deserve?"
A readers' theater production of "The Playground," by playwright Jim Dalglish, on stage Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, 2026.
​
​Fri. & Sat., Jan. 30 & 31 @ 7 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 1 @ 2 p.m. 

Doors open 30 minutes prior to production. Admission by donation, all seats. No reserved tickets available. 
Picture
Joan leaves her tenure-track position on the West Coast to follow her husband to New York. When she takes her rambunctious four-year-old to a playground in Central Park, she stumbles into a surreal world of wealth and privilege.

How much of your integrity would you be willing to sacrifice in order to live a life of luxury among New York City's upper class? This quandary and others are explored in this award-winning play. ​

Cast

Playbill

]]><![CDATA[Ken Ludwig's "Lend Me a Soprano"]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/ken-ludwigs-lend-me-a-sopranoAuditions
Ken Ludwig's Lend Me a Soprano has been removed from the 2026 season. 
Curtain up on chaos! When the diva can’t go on, an eager assistant slips into costume. Cue mistaken identities, wild cover-ups, and high-note hilarity as opera night transforms into a laugh-out-loud farce of epic proportions.
​
By Ken Ludwig, directed by Carolanne Steinebach

“Ken Ludwig's Lend Me a Soprano” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
]]><![CDATA[Once Upon Camelot]]>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/once-upon-camelot

Headline Sponsor:

Picture
Knights turned into frogs, rocks, and grasshoppers? Merlin is a fly? Only in Camelot! This fast-paced, family-friendly adventure overflows with magic, mistaken spells, and medieval mayhem. Packed with colorful characters, playful chaos, and silly surprises, the fate of the kingdom rests in the most unexpected hands—proving that courage, kindness, and a little cleverness can save the day.

PERFORMANCES

Saturday, March 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
​at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 22 & March 29 at 2 p.m.
Admission by donation performance March 26. There will be 100+ tickets guaranteed only available at the door. ​
Picture

PRODUCTION CREDITS

By Craig Sodaro
Directed by Jane Orme
Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing
Graphics & marketing support by Riverside Printing & Design
Trailer produced by Jamie Petitto

]]><![CDATA[2026 Season Announcement]]>Sun, 19 Oct 2025 18:18:22 GMThttps://www.mercplayhouse.org/2025-923725/2026-season-announcementPicture
Jan. 16–18, 2026
Readers’ Theater: Now and Then
A poignant and funny Reader’s Theater piece about love, ambition, and destiny—with a surprising twist.
By Sean Grennan, directed by Jim Ditto
Auditions: Nov. 8 & 9 • Sign Up

Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2026
Readers’ Theater: The Playground
When a mother wanders into a Manhattan playground, she finds herself face-to-face with the surreal world of privilege and pretense.
By James Dalglish, directed by Don Nelson

Mar. 20–29, 2026
Tom Z. Children’s Theater: Once Upon Camelot
A whimsical comedy full of magic, mayhem, and medieval silliness—Merlin as a fly, knights turned into frogs, and a hero you’d never expect.
By Craig Sodaro, directed by Jane Orme
Auditions: Dec. 3 & 9 • Sign Up

July 17–26, 2026
Mainstage: Lend Me a Soprano
Curtain up on chaos! When the diva can’t go on, an eager assistant slips into costume. Cue mistaken identities, wild cover-ups, and high-note hilarity as opera night transforms into a laugh-out-loud farce of epic proportions.
By Ken Ludwig, directed by Carolanne Steinebach

Sept. 25–Oct. 4, 2026
Mainstage: The Revolutionists
Four fierce women rewrite the rules during the French Revolution—armed with wit, passion, and the occasional quill. This razor-sharp comedy proves that laughter, courage, and sisterhood are the ultimate acts of rebellion.
By Lauren Gunderson, directed by Julie Wenzel

Oct. 30–Nov. 1, 2026
Readers’ Theater: The Crucible
Witch hunts, hysteria, and the courage to stand tall. In Salem’s firestorm of fear, neighbors turn on neighbors—yet truth and integrity burn brighter. A timeless reminder that resisting panic is the bravest spell of all.
By Arthur Miller, directed by Magnolia Brown

Dec. 4–13, 2026
Mainstage: Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Step into Jane Austen’s world for a festive holiday gathering at the Darcy estate. Filled with laughter, romance, and family cheer, this heartwarming holiday production celebrates love, second chances, and the joy of coming home.
By Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, directed by Phil Quevillon.



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