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Season 2026: ICONIC



CIRCLE THEATRE ANNOUNCES SEASON 2026!
Fort Worth – Sundance Square 

Welcome to Circle Theatre’s 2026 Season: ICONIC: A Season that interrogates the power, pressure, and paradox of what we find “iconic” in today’s world. From Artistic Director Ashley H. White: 

Circle Theatre’s thrilling 45th Season, ICONIC, dives headfirst into exploring the power, pressure, and paradox of what we consider “iconic.” Included in this Season are shows, ideas, and icons that shaped generations. They are stories that are timeless and continuously remind us of what it means to be human. From Janis Joplin to LeBron James, from teenage obsession to family secrets, from Alanis Morissette to Elton John, and finally, the incomparable Jonathan Larson... These works of art crack open the things we cling onto and examine what is hiding underneath with fervor. Through ICONIC, Circle Theatre aims to offer our patrons a season that is daring, electric, and deeply alive. It demands to be seen, heard, and felt, just as we do today. —Ashley H. White, Artistic Director

Below you will find all the exciting details about our five main stage productions, a bonus show in our Velvet Lounge, exciting special events filled with music and honoring local legacy and more partnerships than ever before..


SEASON 2026 ARTWORK BY LEAH MAZUR

A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, BOOK BY RANDY JOHNSON 

January 29 - February 14 | Directed by Ashley H. White+ Bonus Show in the Velvet Lounge | Regional Premiere 
A Night with Janis Joplin is a vibrant, electrifying tribute to the legendary rock and blues singer, celebrating her life, her influences, and the raw power of her music. Through a concert-style journey, Janis shares the stage with the voices of trailblazing women who shaped her sound—from Aretha Franklin to Bessie Smith. It’s a soul-stirring night of music, memories, and the unapologetic spirit of a true original.

KING JAMES BY RAJIV JOSEPH

March 5 - 28, 2026 | Directed by Cherish Love Robinson* | Regional Premiere

King James by Rajiv Joseph is a sharp, heartfelt play about the unlikely bond between two men brought together—and pulled apart—by their shared love of basketball and the rise of LeBron James. Written by Pulitzer Prize Finalist playwright Rajib Joseph, this piece is set over the course of nearly two decades, the play traces the evolution of their friendship alongside the highs and lows of a sports dynasty. It’s a funny, moving exploration of loyalty, identity, and the connections we build through fandom.

RENT BY JONATHAN LARSON 

April 23 - May 16, 2026 | Directed By Garret Storms | Music Directed By Vicky Nooe
RENT by Jonathan Larson is a groundbreaking, Pulitzer Prize and four time Tony Award Winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson that follows a group of young artists struggling to survive, create, and love in New York City under the shadow of poverty and the AIDS crisis. Set in the late 1980s, the show captures the urgency of a generation living without guarantees and fighting to hold onto their dreams. With its iconic score and message of community, resilience, and “no day but today,” RENT remains a powerful anthem for chosen family and living life on your own terms. 


I’M GONNA MARRY YOU TOBEY MAGUIRE by Samantha Hurley

August 20 - September 12, 2026 | Directed By Alejandro Saucedo | Regional Premiere 
I’m Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire by Samantha Hurley is a darkly funny, poignant coming-of-age play by Samantha Hurley that follows a teenage girl in the early 2000s whose obsession with actor Tobey Maguire becomes a lifeline during a time of personal crisis. Blending pop culture, fantasy, and raw emotional truth, the play explores how celebrity fixation can serve as both escape and self-discovery. It’s a bold, surreal look at adolescence, identity, and the blurred lines between reality and the worlds we build to survive. 


JAGGED LITTLE PILL by Alanis Morissette and Diablo Cody

June 25 - July 18, 2026 | Directed by Ashley H. White+ | Music Directed By Cherish Love Robinson* | Regional Premiere 
Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette and Diablo Cody is a Grammy And Tony Award Winning powerful rock musical inspired by Alanis Morissette’s iconic album, weaving together the lives of a seemingly perfect suburban family as they confront buried trauma, addiction, identity, and the struggle for authenticity. With a searing original story by Diablo Cody and songs that defined a generation, the show channels raw emotion into a celebration of resilience and healing. It’s a bold, urgent, and cathartic theatrical experience that asks what it takes to truly feel and be seen.

THE LEOPARD PLAY, or sad songs for lost boys

by Isaac Gómez

October 15 - November 7, 2026 | Directed By Sasha Maya Ada | Regional Premiere
The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys by Isaac Gómez is a haunting and lyrical exploration of masculinity, lineage, and the scars we inherit. Set in a small Texas town, the play follows a young man as he returns home to confront family secrets, generational trauma, and the ghosts of who he might have been. Blending magical realism with raw intimacy, it’s a deeply personal story about love, identity, and the longing to break free from cycles that bind us.


THE VELVET LOUNGE + A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN

Go beyond the mainstage with our newly renovated lobby that will serve as a secondary performance space. This new secondary performance space, The Velvet Lounge, will now host cabarets, special performances, and a special limited engagement, fully-immersive musical not to be missed!

AN EVENING WITH...

The love of local artistry continues with four special events titled “An Evening With…”. This series will feature four focused experiences celebrating the vibrant theatre community of DFW. These free evenings will offer valuable insights and foster connections among artists while honoring the legacies of some of the region’s most influential figures in global theatre. The first An Evening With will take place in Spring 2026.


HIGH SCHOOL PLAYWRITING PROJECT 2026 

Since 1981, Circle has produced quality theatre by professional playwrights. In addition to supporting emerging playwrights, Circle has created an annual High School Playwriting Project funded by the Kiwanis Club of Fort Worth. Students across the DFW metroplex can submit their 10-minute plays for a chance to receive prizes, scholarships, and a public reading featuring professional actors. The free Finalist Reading Series will take place on May 4, 2025 at Circle Theatre. Teachers who are interested in bringing this program to their schools can find more information at circletheatre.com/hspp or email hspp@circletheatre.com with any questions or to set up a Zoom informational session! We are now also offering a limited amount of in classroom workshops to kick off this program. 

AUDITIONS FOR SEASON 2026

Audition announcements coming soon. 
Please visit circletheatre.com/auditions and subscribe to our audition newsletter!


TICKETS

Individual ticket prices for the plays are $37-$55. Circle Theatre’s box office is open from 12-5pm, Tuesday through Friday, and one hour before show times. Call 817.877.3040 for further information and reservations, or visit CircleTheatre.com to buy tickets online. You can also make reservations at the Circle Theatre box office, 230 West Fourth Street between Houston and Throckmorton, in downtown Fort Worth. Senior, Student, Military, KERA, Press Pass, 1106 Lupo, and Group discounts are available (previews and opening night excluded). Half-price tickets for students are sold 30 minutes before show time, subject to availability. We host School Night performances every Friday Night (student & educator tickets are $10-$15). Patrons who will require elevator access should contact our box office.

ABOUT CIRCLE THEATRE

Founded in 1981 by Rose Pearson and Bill Newberry, Circle Theatre’s mission is the advocacy of contemporary plays rarely seen in this community. Circle is committed to presenting professional, innovative theatre in an intimate setting. The Theatre is partially supported by the City of Fort Worth; Arts Fort Worth; the Texas Commission on the Arts; and the National Endowment for the Arts. Further support comes from the Amon G. Carter Foundation; Communities Foundation of Texas; Ann L. and Carol Green Rhodes, the Sid W. Richardson Foundation; Shubert Foundation; The Rea Charitable Trust, and Virginia O’Donnell Charitable Trust. 


To read Circle Theatre’s full history visit: circletheatre.com/about/history
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