Every season starts with a question: What stories do people need right now?
Not just what’s fun or flashy but what might stir something deeper. This year, the answers led to a lineup full of heart, hope, and a few bold steps forward.
As single tickets for The Phoenix Theatre Company’s 2025/26 Season go on sale June 3, Producing Artistic Director Michael Barnard takes us behind the curtain to explore how a season takes shape. What stories are worth telling? What ideas are worth holding up to the light? And how do you build a lineup that doesn’t just entertain, but moves people?
The upcoming season includes new musicals, beloved classics, and stories that dig deep. Audiences will journey through Come From Away, Ever After, Million Dollar Quartet, Tenderly, Looking Over the President’s Shoulder, Daddy Long Legs, Dear Evan Hansen, The Roads to Loch Lomond, and A Christmas Carol featuring a score by late Resident Music Director, Alan Ruch.
Adding to the excitement is the debut of the state-of-the-art Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J Stephenson Theatre. This 500-seat venue boasts cutting-edge technology, including a full fly loft, below-stage traps, and an orchestra pit, enabling productions of unprecedented scale and creativity.
In this Q&A, Barnard shares the heart behind the season, the future of Phoenix theatre, and what he hopes audiences will carry with them in this new era.
Q: What excites you most about this selection of productions?
MB: The 25/26 season speaks to the resilience of the human soul. The stories produced in this season will reflect on the power we each have to carve the path we were meant to live. To encourage us to stand up for what we believe in and to give ourselves the opportunity to show humanity to everyone around us.
We have but one life to live, and I believe we have the opportunity to embrace these extraordinary characters that we can learn from, while we celebrate them, and follow their lead to forge our own paths. Each production embraces the human spirit in a positive way allowing us to accept all people for who they are, and offer us all the hope that there is still joy, love, and humanity in this angry world we find ourselves in.
Q: What are you looking forward to in the new theatre?
MB: The new theatre will allow us to take a great new step forward in accessing new technology, an orchestra pit (allowing us to hear the music live in the way it was meant to be heard), and a theatre that is equipped the same way a Broadway theatre is, allowing for pre-Broadway opportunities working with Broadway producers in the development of future new works.
It will be exciting to be working in a theatre that has a larger proscenium opening and the ability to fly in or out full stage drops or scenic pieces and the ability to bring in characters and/or scenery from traps in the stage floor. The opportunities for us to re-imagine classic works and how they can be brought to life in new and exciting ways.
Q: What do you hope audiences will experience or take away from this season?
MB: Hope and acceptance of others. I also hope they all take away the love of the live experience not only on our stage, but in our lobbies, box office, restaurant and in our parking lots. The Phoenix Theatre Company is devoted to making your experience feel like you are welcome, that you are home, and that we are always happy to see you.
We are accessible to anyone who has a question or would like to share something with us. The vibe we want to continue is that everything about the theatre should be easy, fun, and inviting.
We love what we do and we want you to love it too.
To view the full 2025/26 Season and purchase tickets, click here to visit our website
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