U of I Theatre Arts season brings musicals and plays that entertain, challenge and inspire audiences

MOSCOW, Idaho — University of Idaho’s Department of Theatre Arts presents its 2026-27 season, featuring musicals and plays on stage in Moscow.

2026-27 season productions:

“Every Brilliant Thing” — Sept. 12-13

• By Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donohoe
• The Forge Theater, 404 Sweet Ave.

“1984” — Oct. 8-18

• Adapted by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr. & William A. Miles Jr. from the novel by George Orwell
• The Forge Theater, 404 Sweet Ave.

“Urinetown” — Nov. 5-15

• A musical by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis
• Hartung Theater, 625 Stadium Drive

“Meet Me at Dawn” — Dec. 3-6

• By Zinnie Harris
• The Pocket Playhouse, Shoup Hall, 1028 W. Sixth St.

First Bite New Play Series

• Details to be announced

“A Year with Frog and Toad” — Feb. 25 to March 7

• Music by Robert Reale, book and lyrics by Willie Reale, based on the books by Arnold Lobel
• The Forge Theater, 404 Sweet Ave.

Spring Pocket Play — April 8-11

• Details to be announced

“Sense and Sensibility” — April 29 to May 9

• By Kate Hamill, based on the book by Jane Austen
• Hartung Theater, 625 Stadium Drive

The department will hold fall general auditions by appointment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Hartung Theater. Auditions are open to all members of the university community, regardless of major. For more information, visit go.uidaho.edu/theatre-productions.

About the productions

“Every Brilliant Thing” — Life is full of momentous events, highs and lows, triumphs and losses, but rarely are these universal emotions captured so lovingly and humorously. This life-affirming play will make you grin from ear to ear, move you to laughter and at times bring you to tears. By the end, you will want to hug your neighbors, call your loved ones and then put on your favorite song and recount all your blessings.

“1984” — Adapted from the novel by George Orwell, “1984” depicts the horrors of humanity’s fate in a society where privacy is a crime, thoughts can be prosecuted, language and truth are reinvented, and everything not prohibited is compulsory. It is a totalitarian world that defines war as peace, freedom as slavery, ignorance as strength, and where hate replaces love. And don’t forget — Big Brother is always watching.

“Urinetown” — In a Gotham-like city, a severe water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. A hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead the city to freedom.

“Meet Me at Dawn” — After a violent boating accident, two women wash ashore in a strange and unfamiliar place, searching for a way home. As the landscape shifts around them, so does their understanding of what has actually happened. Inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, this gorgeously crafted two-person play is moving and witty and offers a tender meditation on the nature of grief.

“A Year with Frog and Toad” — Waking from hibernation in the spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding and learn life lessons. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in the differences that make them unique. Part vaudeville, part make-believe and entirely charming, “A Year with Frog and Toad” tells the story of a friendship that endures throughout the seasons.

“Sense and Sensibility” — Kate Hamill’s playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters — sensible Elinor and hypersensitive Marianne — after their father’s sudden death leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable. Set in gossipy late 18th-century England with a fresh female voice, the play is full of humor, emotional depth and bold theatricality. “Sense and Sensibility” examines our reactions, both reasonable and ridiculous, to societal pressures. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?

Tickets for “Every Brilliant Thing” and the Pocket Plays are free for U of I students and $10 for general admission. Admission for all other productions is free for U of I students and $6 to $26 for the public. Tickets for “Every Brilliant Thing” are on sale now at uitickets.com.

Media contact

Alisa Volz
Communications Strategist
Department of Theatre Arts and Lionel Hampton School of Music
208-885-6465
avolz@uidaho.edu