Maltz Theatre Sets 2026/27 MainStage Season

(Press Release) JUPITER, FL — The Maltz Jupiter Theatre proudly announces its 2026/27 MainStage Season, a bold and exhilarating lineup of five landmark works that together form a sweeping artistic statement about identity, resilience, joy, faith, love, and survival. Under the unifying theme Stories Reimagined, the season brings together iconic titles, legendary roles, and daring new perspectives — inviting audiences to experience familiar classics with renewed urgency and emotional depth.

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“This is a season about legacy and reinvention,” said Andrew Kato, Producing Artistic Director and Chief Executive. “Each of these works is deeply rooted in theatrical history, yet each speaks directly to the world we’re living in now. These are stories that have endured because they tell us something essential about who we are — and by reimagining them with today’s artists and audiences in mind, they feel more alive than ever.”

A Season Shaped by Theatrical History — and Now

The season opens with Lyle Kessler’s Orphans, one of the most widely produced modern American plays in the world. Premiering in 1983 at a moment when American theatre was grappling with masculinity, trauma, and emotional inheritance, Orphans emerged as a defining work of its era. Written by a former student of Edward Albee, the play blends gritty realism with moments of piercing lyricism and grace. It quickly earned a reputation as an actor’s crucible, featuring roles later immortalized by performers such as Albert Finney, Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, and Jesse Eisenberg.

Often discussed alongside the works of Sam Shepard and David Mamet, Orphans examines male identity through loyalty, fear, and violence — with the character of Treat standing as one of the most psychologically complex figures in modern drama. In this reimagined production, nostalgia is stripped away, revealing the play as a raw exploration of emotional dependency and toxic protection.

“I’m drawn to Orphans for its untamed humanity,” said Marcia Milgrom Dodge, director. “It offers a vision of family in all its broken and breathtaking forms. Our production promises an intimate, visceral theatrical experience that speaks powerfully to resilience, vulnerability, and the enduring need for human connection.”

From emotional intensity, the season pivots into radiant joy with Ain’t Misbehavin’, the Tony Award®–winning revue conceived by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby Jr. Celebrating the music of jazz legend Fats Waller, the show burst onto Broadway in 1978 and became a cultural phenomenon, launching Nell Carter to stardom and showcasing a legendary original cast that included André De Shields, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, and Charlayne Woodard.

More than a revue, Ain’t Misbehavin’ marked a watershed moment on Broadway — honoring African American musical genius not as nostalgia or novelty, but as foundational American art. In a world hungry for connection and communal experience, this reimagined production emphasizes joy as an act of resilience.

“I’m thrilled to explore the musical vitality and ensemble spirit of Ain’t Misbehavin’,” said Ariel Reid, Director/Choreographer. “This process celebrates artistry, rhythm, and joy onstage — and the power of music to bring people together.”

That celebration of authenticity deepens with La Cage aux Folles, the groundbreaking musical with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein. The film version Birdcage directed by Michael Nichols is considered to be the funniest film of the nineties that starred Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Gene Hackman. When it premiered on Broadway in 1983, La Cage revolutionized musical theatre by placing a loving same-sex couple at the heart of its story — not as caricature, but as a family defined by devotion and dignity. George Hearn’s original Tony Award®–winning performance as Albin/Zaza redefined gender performance on Broadway, while Fierstein’s book reshaped how love and chosen family could be portrayed on a mainstream stage.

This reimagined production shifts the focus from spectacle to intimacy, revealing La Cage aux Folles as a universal story about authenticity, loyalty, and the courage to live truthfully in a world that demands conformity.

Suspense and empathy collide in Frederick Knott’s Wait Until Dark, a masterwork of theatrical tension that has captivated audiences since its 1966 premiere. Famous for transforming ordinary domestic space into psychological peril — and for its legendary climactic blackout/
Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Knott’s Wait Until Dark, resets the classic 1966 thriller to 1944 Greenwich Village, enhancing the tension with WWII-era paranoia.  The story places audiences inside the experience of Susy Hendrix, a woman navigating through sound, silence, and intuition.

In this contemporary staging, the production heightens the play’s sensory storytelling, aligning it with immersive theatrical practices and reframing the thriller as a story of agency, adaptability, and reclaiming power — themes that resonate profoundly today.

The season culminates in the electrifying Jesus Christ Superstar, the revolutionary rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice that forever altered the sound and scope of musical theatre. First released as a concept album in 1970 before exploding onto Broadway in 1971, Superstar challenged audiences with its humanized portrayal of biblical figures and its blistering rock score.

Ben Vereen’s original performance as Judas redefined the role as one of Broadway’s great tragic figures, and the show’s exploration of leadership, belief, and public perception feels strikingly contemporary in a media-saturated world.

“It’s a director’s dream to tackle the greatest story ever told,” said Mark Martino, director. “This piece has lived with me since 1971, and bringing this generation-defining score to life on the Maltz stage is exciting beyond words.”

“I’m honored to return to the Maltz Jupiter Theatre in a new way this season,” added Ian Coulter-Buford. “I’m grateful for the trust, and excited to collaborate on a piece with such lasting resonance.”

Why See the Whole Season?

“These five works speak to one another in powerful ways,” said Andrew Kato. “They’re about who we protect, what we believe, how we love, and how we survive. Seen together, they form a conversation across decades — a reminder that great stories don’t age, they evolve.”

Subscription Information

“Subscriptions are the best way to experience everything this season has to offer,” said Diane D’Amico, Marketing Manager. “Five-play subscriptions start at $389, with four-play subscriptions available starting at $322. The best seats at the best value.” Audiences can visit:  jupitertheatre.org/season-subscriptions to learn how to become a subscriber or stop by the Box Office at: 1001 East Indiantown Road in Jupiter to secure your seats.  Box Office hours are:  Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday, 10:00am to 2:00pm.

Single tickets for the 2026/27 MainStage Limited Engagements are on sale now. To check out the full lineup of concerts visit:  jupitertheatre.org.

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