ANNOUNCING OUR 56TH SEASON: THRILLS & CHILLS

TUSCALOOSA, AL – Theatre Tuscaloosa’s 2026-27 season includes six major events that will bring “Thrills and Chills” to West Alabama audiences: Clue, Home for the Holidays, Gershwin Greats, The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Medusa Was Just a Girl, and Disney’s Frozen.

“We really embraced the power of variety this year, putting together a season that has something for everyone,” said Executive Producer Michael Walker. “I can’t wait to share these funny, exciting, and heart-warming stories with our community!”

The season opens with the thrilling Clue by Sandy Rustin. Adapted from the Hasbro board game and the motion picture, Clue is a murder mystery farce with a surprise ending that audiences will never forget. Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, and all the rest arrive at an unusual dinner party. When the host turns up dead, the guests use every campy clue at their disposal to riddle their way to the truth. Clue runs September 25-October 4 in the Bean-Brown Theatre.

For the holiday season, Walker teams up with Josh Levine to write a new play with music that will make its world premiere in December. Home for the Holidays is a family-friendly, holiday celebration featuring a flurry of songs and jazz standards brought to life by a thrilling 1940’s USO tour. Audiences will be transported to a simpler time with familiar tunes like “Holly, Jolly Christmas,” “Silver Bells,” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas!” Home for the Holidays runs December 11-20 in the Bean-Brown Theatre.

The new year brings new collaborations as Theatre Tuscaloosa teams up with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra (TSO) and Stillman College to present “Gershwin Greats.” This two-part concert features “Rhapsody in Blue” and selections from Porgy and Bess. This one-night-only special event will be held January 25, 2027, in Moody Music Hall on the campus of The University of Alabama, and tickets will be exclusively available through the TSO website.

February brings the thrill of competition with the musical The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Rachel Sheinkin. When local middle school spelling bee winners gather to compete for the county title, they discover that nerdom doesn’t have to be as lonely as they once thought. United in their love of spelling, these precocious pupils set out to claim first prize but find something more transcendent along the way. The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs February 19-28, 2027, in the Bean-Brown Theatre.

The Shelton State Theatre Department takes the stage in April with another world premiere that is being written by SSCC Theatre Program Coordinator Molly Page and SSCC student Alyssa Palmer. Seven women from across time and fiction navigate the worlds they’ve faced, the trials they must endure, and the possibility of the futures they could create together. After premiering here in April, SSCC will travel the show to Edinburgh, Scotland in August to perform in the International Collegiate Theatre Festival. Local performances will be held April 21-25, 2027, in the Bean-Brown Theatre.

The season concludes in July with Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical. With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen is based on the phenomenally successful Disney animated film that tells the thrilling tale of estranged sisters Anna and Elsa. With the help of familiar friends like snowman Olaf, ice miner Kristoff, and talkative reindeer Sven, Anna must warm Elsa’s heart before her powers leave the kingdom of Arendelle frozen forever. Frozen runs July 16-25 in the Bean-Brown Theatre. Tickets for this show are anticipated to sell very quickly, so audiences are encouraged to order season tickets to secure their tickets early.

Throughout the 2026-27 season, Theatre Tuscaloosa will also be offering a variety of special events and fundraisers such as Backstage Karaoke, SecondStage performances, and a major, new fundraising event called “Theatre Tuscaloosa Presents: A Night in Arendelle.” More information about these special events will be available soon.

Season tickets are now on sale through October 4 and are available in two formats: a) traditional season tickets that include a ticket to each included performance on the same day in the run and in the same seat, and b) flex passes that include one voucher per show in the season that can be redeemed in any order and combination for any of the included shows starting a week prior to each show’s public on-sale date.

This year, season tickets will include four productions: Clue, Home for the Holidays, The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Frozen. Tickets for Medusa Was Just a Girl will be available as an add-on due to its abbreviated run. Tickets for “Gershwin Greats” are only available through the TSO.

Season ticket prices are $107 for adults; $87 for seniors (60+), SSCC employees, and military members; and $78 for students and children. Complimentary season tickets are available for contributors who donate $500 or more to Theatre Tuscaloosa’s Annual Giving Campaign. Signature sponsorships of each show are available starting with donations of $2,500 and above. Last year’s signature sponsors included Claire Friday, Kathy Grissom, Dianne & Bill Teague, David Lewis & Penny Miller, and Butch & Karen Chandler.

The 2026-27 season is presented in partnership with Shelton State Community College. Theatre Tuscaloosa is currently accepting corporate sponsorships. Those interested in supporting the season should contact Managing Director Adam Miller. Last season’s sponsors included: Bank First, AFFLINK, Mercedes-Benz US International, Bank of Moundville, Bryant Bank, Cartography Consulting, Capstone Village, SESCO Lighting, Thornhill Capitol Management, Alabama Public Radio, Townsquare Media, Lamar Outdoor, and WVUA23. Last season was also supported by grants from the City of Tuscaloosa, the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Arts and Humanities Council of West Alabama.

Season tickets and more information are available on our Ordering Season Tickets page or 205.391.2277.

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MEDIA NOTE: Executive Producer Michael Walker and Managing Director Adam Miller are eager to do interviews about the new season in all media. Please reach out to book an appearance/interview.