Local theaters’ 2025-‘26 seasons guided by eclectic themes

A new season of live entertainment is upon us, and theaters in Lansing and the surrounding areas are getting ready to pull back the curtains. Many are tied together by a certain theme or direction, which range across theaters, offering something for virtually every drama lover to enjoy. As these shows start to hit the stage, be prepared for not only classics but contemporary pieces, comedies, musicals and much more.

 

MSU Department of Theatre

This school year, Michigan State University will offer a variety of shows under the theme “Secrets and Spotlights.” These include plays, musicals, theatrical dance, improv and, for the first time ever, shows that will be recorded in front of a studio audience.

“We’re looking at theater in completely different ways than we have in the past,” Interim Department Chair Kirk Domer said. With a significant change to the theater program, the department is exploring more experimental shows.

“It’s filled with work that’s cutting edge, reinvention, pairings,” he said. “This is the chance to see something new and something vibrant.”

The season kicks off with “Taking Off,” a high-flying musical comedy set on an airplane, playing from Sept. 19 to 21. The second show is a two-parter, featuring Anton Chekhov’s classic play “The Seagull” and Aaron Posner’s contemporary adaptation, “Stupid F****ing Bird” (Oct. 4 through 12). Shakespeare’s “Othello” will follow from Nov. 7 through 16, with the comedic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde adaptation “Chemical Imbalance” beginning the week after (Nov. 19 through 23). As the semester comes to a close, the annual “MSU Unscripted” improv show will bring the laughs from Dec. 4 through 7.

After a two-month break, a theatrical dance production titled “Echoes from the Banks of the Red Cedar,” running from Feb. 14 through 22, will bring theater back to MSU. In March, the Theatre Department will team up with WKAR to bring multiple shows to a live studio audience, revitalizing the energy of classic sitcoms within the walls of MSU’s public broadcast station. Closing out the season is Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” April 14 through 19 and the first-ever Storefront Series musical April 23 through 26.

Tickets can be purchased at whartoncenter.com. MSU student tickets are free. More information about the lineup is available at theatre.msu.edu.

 

Williamston Theatre

Williamston Theatre has five shows scheduled for its 19th season, aiming to offer “a blend of escapism with thoughtful, heartfelt comedy and love,” artistic director Tony Caselli said, “because it feels like what the world needs right now is a little bit of laughter and a little bit of escapism.”

The season starts out with “Every Brilliant Thing,” a coming-of-age story about a child who attempts to ease her mother’s pain by making a list of every “brilliant” thing in the world, from Oct. 2 through 26. Next is “A Sherlock Carol,” a blend of the classic sleuth mysteries and “A Christmas Carol.” After that is “Dial M for Murder” from Feb. 5 to March 8; “Bad Books,” a comedic and poignant tale about book banning, from April 23 to May 31; and “The 39 Steps,” adapted from the novel by John Buchan and the film by Alfred Hitchcock, from July 9 to Aug. 16. Williamston will also host live music, stand-up comedy and staged readings throughout the season. Tickets and more information are available at williamstontheatre.org.

 

Ixion Ensemble

Ixion Ensemble artistic director Jeff Croff said the theme of theater’s four-show season is provided by the productions bookending the season: “A Song for Coretta,” a play highlighting the experience of five mourners at the late Coretta Scott King’s funeral (Oct. 10 through 12 and 17 through 19), and “Call for Defiance,” for which Ixion will select eight to 10 short plays from more than 200 submissions to close the season in June.

“The first creates the dialogue as we look back at leaders and how we really live the mission that they give us. That combined with the act of standing up and defining what you stand for or defying that which you are against,” Croff said.

After “A Song for Coretta” is “Pillowman,” a dark, contemporary fable exploring anxiety and dread. The final show on the roster is “Kindness,” a story focused on a mysterious teenager who is not what she seems.

All plays will be staged at Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood. Ticket links will be available closer to each show on Ixion’s Facebook page.

 

Peppermint Creek

Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.’s six-show season revolves around the theme “Based on a True Story.” Whether the show is entirely based on a real event or based on the reality of the times we’re in now, the company is exploring old and new stories that align with its mission “to address vital issues in society, raise awareness and encourage dialogue with the shows we produce,” artistic director Chad Swan-Badgero said.

The season begins with “Ride the Cyclone,” a comedic musical about six teenagers and a rollercoaster accident that raises questions about life, from Sept. 19 through 21 and 25 through 28. After that is “The Best We Could (A Family Tragedy),” about a road trip taken by a girl and her dad to rescue a dog, leading to a journey of past reflection, playing from Nov. 7 through 9 and 13 through 16. Auditions will be Sept. 21 and 22. The four remaining shows are the annual production of “All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914” Dec. 10 through 14, the 2021 Capitol riot-related drama “Fatherland” from Jan. 23 through 25 and Jan. 29 through Feb. 1, family drama “Fairview” from March 13 through 15 and 19 through 22, and the vaccination-related satire “Eureka Day” from May 8 through 10 and 14 through 17.

Tickets can be purchased at peppermintcreek.org. Performances will be held at Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood, except for two showings of “All Is Calm” in Battle Creek and Fenton.