CYGNET THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE LINEUP FOR ITS SECOND SEASON IN ARTS DISTRICT LIBERTY STATION
Season 22 provides a return to roots for bold, cutting-edge productions that offers something for everyone
SAN DIEGO, CA – Building on more than two decades of storytelling, Cygnet Theatre announced the eight productions that will comprise its 2026–27 season, marking the company’s 22nd season overall. The upcoming lineup is also Cygnet’s second season at The Joan in the Arts District Liberty Station. Running from mid-July 2026 through June 2027, the season promises an ambitious range of work that celebrates artistry, community, and the transformative power of live theatre.
The season begins with Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, directed by Artistic Director Sean Murray and continues in September with the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, directed by Blake McCarty, with music direction by Patrick Marion and choreography by Theresa Maigue Bendorf. Next is Job, a psychological thriller by playwright Max Wolf Friedlich, directed by Hannah Meade. For the holiday season, Cygnet will present its annual tradition, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, along with Cygnet’s A Magical Holiday. The 2027 calendar year opens with Richard Bean’s farce One Man, Two Guvnors, directed by Sean Murray. The spring production will be announced at a later date. The season concludes with the cult favorite Bat Boy: The Musical, featuring music by Laurence O’Keefe, directed by Sean Murray and choreographed by Katie Banville.
“We have selected a group of plays and musicals for our 22nd season and our second season in our new home, The Joan, that carries on our passion to bring you the wide range of theatre experiences you expect from Cygnet,” said Artistic Director Sean Murray. “We’ve crafted a slate of productions that challenge, provoke, entertain, and stimulate. We are all really excited about how this next roster of plays gives us cause to celebrate live theatre together at The Joan.”
Current Cygnet subscribers will be notified by email regarding subscription renewals. New subscription sales will be available in March. For more information regarding subscription packages, please contact the box office at 619-337-1525 or visit CygnetTheatre.org.
ABOUT CYGNET THEATRE
Cygnet Theatre is one of Southern California’s premier professional theatre companies, now based at the state-of-the-art Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center—affectionately known as The Joan—in the heart of San Diego’s historic Arts District Liberty Station. Founded in 2003, Cygnet has built a reputation for bold, inventive productions and a commitment to both classic and contemporary works, presented with a distinctive Off-Broadway sensibility. Producing theatre year-round, Cygnet welcomes more than 50,000 audience members annually and is recognized for its artistic excellence, strong fiscal management, and deep community investment. Its robust education and outreach programs engage tens of thousands of students and residents each year, fostering meaningful access to the arts and cultivating the next generation of theatre lovers. The Joan provides an exceptional patron experience with world-class acoustics, advanced production capabilities, and beautifully designed indoor and outdoor gathering spaces.
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Cygnet Theatre: Season 22
ARCADIA
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Sean Murray
July 15 – Aug. 9, 2026 – Dottie Studio Theater
Time folds in on itself in this dazzling, thought‑provoking drama, where past and present collide inside a single country estate. In 1809, a young prodigy dazzles her tutor with bold ideas about desire and the hidden patterns of the universe. Two centuries later, modern scholars descend on the same house, each chasing a different historical puzzle. As their investigations intertwine, discoveries in one era echo into the other. The result is a sweeping, funny, and deeply human exploration of truth and time.
DEAR EVAN HANSEN
Book by Steven Levenson
Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Directed by Blake McCarty
Music Direction by Patrick Marion
Choreography by Theresa Maigue Bendorf
Sept. 9 – Oct. 4, 2026 – Joseph Clayes III Theater
A runaway Broadway phenomenon, Dear Evan Hansen delivers a heart‑pounding, deeply human story. With a Tony Award‑winning book by Steven Levenson and a soaring, generation‑defining score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, this modern classic follows Evan, a teenager who’s always felt unseen—until a sudden tragedy gives him the chance to reinvent himself. As his web of well-intentioned lies begins to unravel, Evan is forced to confront the fact that the price of belonging may be far steeper than he bargained for.
JOB
By Max Wolf Friedlich
Directed by Hannah Meade
Oct. 7 – Nov. 1, 2026 – Dottie Studio Theater
A viral video. A forced leave. A woman fighting to reclaim the job that defines her. When Jane, an ambitious employee at a tech giant, sits down with crisis therapist Loyd, a routine evaluation quickly mutates into a tense psychological duel. Job locks two strangers in a room and strips away layers of power, privilege, and digital‑age morality, revealing how easily a single misstep can explode online. Electric, unsettling, and darkly funny, it probes what it means to be a citizen of the internet.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Adaptation and Lyrics by Sean Murray
Original Score by Billy Thompson
Directed by Sean Murray
Music Direction by Patrick Marion
Choreography by Katie Banville
Nov. 24 – Dec. 24, 2026 – Joseph Clayes III Theater
Our annual production of Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of hope and redemption brings a visually stunning and heartwarming experience to the stage. With captivating storytelling and festive magic, this cherished holiday tradition is perfect for audiences of all ages and sure to delight the entire family. Join us as we welcome the season with joy, wonder, and the enduring spirit of the holidays.
CYGNET’S A MAGICAL HOLIDAY
Created and Directed by Carlos Mendoza
Choreography by Kristel Nichols & Carlos Mendoza
Musical Arrangements by Justin Gray
Music Direction by Lyndon Pugeda
Dec. 2 – 24, 2026 – Dottie Studio Theater
A vibrant, all-singing, all-dancing celebration featuring live renditions of festive classics like “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “We Need a Little Christmas,” and “Feliz Navidad.” Bursting with energy and colorful production design, this dazzling show evokes the magic of the iconic Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. Bring the whole family for a joyful holiday event filled with music, dance, and cheer!
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
By Richard Bean
With songs by Grant Olding
Based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni
Directed by Sean Murray
Music Direction by Patrick Marion
Choreography by Katie Banville
February 17 – March 14, 2027 – Joseph Clayes III Theater
A riotous explosion of mistaken identities, swinging ’60s swagger, and unstoppable physical comedy, One Man, Two Guvnors catapults audiences into a Brighton bursting with trouble. Francis suddenly finds himself juggling two criminal bosses to keep the meals and money coming. As he scrambles to keep his double life from imploding, the lies pile up, the doors fly open, and the pratfalls get more outrageous. Adapted from an 18th‑century farce, this is a night of pure comic mayhem that leaves audiences breathless with laughter.
TBA
March 17 – April 11, 2027 – Dottie Studio Theater
Be on the lookout for an exciting announcement soon!
BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL
Story and Book by Keith Farley and Brian Flemming
Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe
Directed by Sean Murray
Music Direction by Patrick Marion
Choreography by Katie Banville
May 26 – June 20, 2027 – Joseph Clayes III Theater
Deep in a West Virginia cave, a group of teenagers stumbles upon a creature straight out of a tabloid fever dream: half‑boy, half‑bat, and fully unforgettable. The Parker family takes him in where he’s renamed Edgar and taught to live like a human—fangs and all. As Edgar bonds with them and struggles to tame his darker instincts, the suspicious town turns against him. Powered by a driving rock score inspired by the rebellious musicals of the late ’60s and ’70s, this cult‑favorite satire blends horror, heart, and high‑voltage humor into a sharp, wildly entertaining look at prejudice, fear, and the longing to belong.
