Meadow Brook Theatre has announced its 2026-2027 season, marking the theater’s 60th year. The season includes westerns, mysteries, comedies, and musicals.
The season opens with The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance by Jethro Compton, based on the short story by Dorothy M. Johnson. The play is set in 1890 and follows a young scholar from New York City who travels west, arrives injured in the town of Twotrees, and becomes involved with local residents and an outlaw. Performances run October 7–November 1, 2026.
The theater will present its 44th annual production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Charles Nolte, from November 20–December 24, 2026. Season subscribers receive a 20% discount on tickets to this production.
Curtains, a musical with book by Rupert Holmes, music by John Kander, and lyrics by Fred Ebb, based on the original book and concept by Peter Stone, runs January 13–February 7, 2027. The story is set in 1959 at Boston’s Colonial Theatre during the opening night of a new musical. After the leading lady dies on stage, a detective investigates while the cast and crew remain at the theater. The production is a collaboration with students from Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre, & Dance.
The Michigan premiere of Polishing Shakespeare by Brian Dykstra runs February 17–March 14, 2027. The comedy concerns a dot-com billionaire who commissions a theater company to translate Shakespeare’s works into contemporary English, presenting a playwright with a choice between artistic integrity and financial opportunity. The play previously appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Off-Broadway.
Death Takes a Holiday, with book by Peter Stone and Thomas Meehan and music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, runs March 24–April 18, 2027. Adapted from the 1924 play by Alberto Casella and the 1934 film, the musical is set after World War I. Death arrives at an Italian villa disguised as a prince, falls in love with an engaged woman, and experiences human emotions.
The Michigan premiere of Rolling Thunder: A Rock Journey by Bryce Hallett runs April 28–May 23, 2027. The production combines documentary elements with a rock concert format, presenting narratives of soldiers in the Vietnam War alongside period music including “Born To Be Wild,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Gimme Shelter,” “People Get Ready,” “Magic Carpet Ride,” “The Letter,” “All Along The Watchtower,” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”
The season closes with You Can’t Take It With You by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, running June 2–June 27, 2027. The comedy follows the Sycamore family and their varied hobbies, including building fireworks, collecting snakes, writing plays, ballet, and playing the xylophone, as they prepare for a visit from a more conventional family.
Cheryl Marshall, managing director of Meadow Brook Theatre, said: “We are thrilled to be celebrating 60 years of quality entertainment with this delightful lineup. Our staff and guest artists are looking forward to bringing these incredible stories to the stage and sharing this unforgettable anniversary season with you.
”Travis Walter, artistic director, said: “Our 60th season offers a range of exceptional shows that will charm and captivate patrons of all kinds. The entire Meadow Brook Theatre team can’t wait to welcome you back and celebrate this special anniversary.
”Season tickets for the six-play season are available by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at 248-377-3300 and range from $216 to $252 per seat. Subscribers may purchase tickets to A Christmas Carol at a 20% discount before they go on sale to the general public. A 6-Flex-Tix package is available for $252; these tickets may be used for any show except A Christmas Carol, subject to availability.
Single tickets go on sale Monday, August 24, at 10:00 a.m. and range from $43 to $49.Meadow Brook Theatre is a professional nonprofit theater located on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Additional information is available at www.MBTheatre.com or by calling 248-377-3300.
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