Lights Up on Wilkes University Theatre’s Season

Lights Up on Wilkes University Theatre's Season

Wilkes University Theatre recently announced its 2026-27 season, and the slate of shows promises love, laughs, lust, scandal, sightseeing and Shakespeare.

Speech & Debate | Oct. 8-11

The season opens with the scandal at the heart of Speech & Debate by Stephen Karam, a Tony Award-winning playwright raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The dark comedy focuses on Solomon, Howie and Diwata, three high school students from Salem, Oregon. As the teens delve into inappropriate behavior by adults in the community, they form an unlikely alliance and discover that a politician's sex scandal, an attempted chat room pick up and an inappropriate teacher/student encounter may all be connected.

Faced with adults who underestimate them and a town dominated by conservative ideals, the trio explores power and identity in their quest to expose the truth.

See Rock City & Other Destinations | Nov. 19-22

Ready for an adventure? The musical See Rock City & Other Destinations is a cross-country road trip that takes audience members along for the ride.

With music by Brad Alexander and lyrics/book by Adam Mathias, this show offers snapshots of U.S. tourist destinations through different characters searching for connection. Two teens face their fears at a Coney Island haunted house. A traveler seeks signs in Roswell, New Mexico. Sisters pay final respects to their father in Glacier Bay, Alaska. A bride-to-be chooses between her vows and a jump over Niagara Falls.

See Rock City & Other Destinations provides a heartwarming and humorous journey through the human experience set against a folk, rock and pop score.

Spring Awakening | Feb. 25-28

Spring Awakening, the Tony Award-winning musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, will return to off-Broadway this fall, but campus audiences can catch it at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts in February.

Based on Frank Wedekind's once-banned play of the same name, the musical tells the story of young adults navigating the path from adolescence to adulthood and encountering passion, anxiety, curiosity and societal expectations along the way.

Though it's set in late 19^th century Germany, Spring Awakening features timeless coming-of-age themes and a rock-n-roll score that celebrates what it means to be young and rebellious.

Spotlight on Shakespeare | April 16-19

"To be or not to be?" from Hamlet is one of the world's most famous questions. But the big question for campus theatre fans is, "Which Shakespeare play will close out the season?" Whether it's a history, tragedy or comedy, a bit of the Bard promises to bring a strong final bow.

"We're excited about our upcoming theatre season, which features shows that are thoughtful, sentimental, boundary-pushing and classic - with plenty of fun along the way," says Jon Liebetrau, director and associate professor of theater. "It's a lineup designed to delight audiences while challenging our students across a range of styles, genres and eras."

For more information, visit wilkes.edu/theatre.