Create
American Stage announces the 2026-27 season
“Shrek: The Musical” will be next year’s “Park” show at Demens Landing.
Another St. Petersburg tradition has been upheld, as American Stage took the opportunity, on opening night of its annual “in the park” show, to announce the lineup for next season, its 49th.
The occasion was last Friday, March 27’s debut performance of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods, on the temporary stage at Demens Landing Park. Although high winds would force the players to scrub the second act during the Saturday, March 28 show, Friday (which also served as American Stage’s big fundraising dinner and gala) went off without a hitch.
Producing artistic director Helen R. Murray announced that Shrek: The Musical would be the American Stage “Park” show for 2027, following in the tradition of 2025’s successful production of the family-friendly Beauty and the Beast.
Expensive and unwieldy, with a lot of moving parts, the “Park” shows were on the brink of being eliminated altogether, but individual donors and supporters pulled them off the trash heap.
With music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek: The Musical will be onstage March 31-May 2, 2027.
The new season will begin Sept. 16 … with a To Be Announced title. According to Murray, there are contractual reasons why the name can’t be revealed until the end of April. “It has incredible music, is about a rock icon, and you won’t want to miss it,” she says. (The Catalyst bets are on A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond musical, although this is just conjecture on our part.)
Unhinged. A world premiere by Steven J. Burge (Nov. 4 – 22, 2026). “This 75-minute confessional blends storytelling, outrageous humor, and poignant reflections on mental health, addiction, and modern life.”
Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth. An adaptation by Helen R. Murray (Jan. 27 – Feb. 21, 2027). “Reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy with role-swapping performers in a sharp, high-energy exploration of ambition, morality, and power.” Another world premiere.
Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B (June 2 – 20, 2027) By Kate Hamill, whose adaptation of The Scarlet Letter was produced by American Stage in January. “This fast-paced, feminist reinvention of the classic detective story features quirky female roommates taking on crime, chaos and codependency.”
Also on the schedule:
Broadway by Candlelight: What I Did For Love (Oct. 1, 2026). Annual cabaret gala.
Something Wicked (Oct. 29 – 30, 2026). Halloween variety show.
Holiday Cabaret (Dec. 5, 12, 19, 2026).
Tales by Twilight (Feb. 11 – 28, 2027). Into the woods, at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve.
