New York Theatre Workshop sets 2025-26 Off-Broadway season

Celebrities including Sia, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, and more are involved in the upcoming season's three world-premiere productions announced thus far.

New York Theatre Workshop has set its 2025-26 season, consisting of three world-premiere shows and a fourth production to be announced.

As previously announced, the new season will kick off in fall 2025 with Saturday Church, a stage adaptation of the 2017 movie musical in which Ulysses, a queer teen, wrestles with faith, family, and identity and finds a sanctuary where he can be accepted for who he is.

The Off-Broadway production features music and lyrics by Grammy Award nominee Sia and Grammy winner Honey Dijon, and a book by Damon Cardasis (who wrote, directed, and co-wrote the songs for the film) and Tony nominee James Ijames.

Newly announced is the Saturday Church cast, featuring Bryson Battle (The Voice), Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot), Tony winner Joaquina Kalukango (Paradise Square), and Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Pose), who starred as Ebony in the original film and earned a Best Actress nomination at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The show also features direction by Whitney White; choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie; music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Jason Michael Webb and Luke Solomon; scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Qween Jean, lighting design by Adam Honoré, sound design by Gareth Owen, music direction by Deah Love Harriot; and music production by Chris Penny.

Next up, in fall/winter 2025, is a new adaptation of Molière's Tartuffe by Tony nominee Lucas Hnath. Directed by Obie winner Sarah Benson, this version is described as "a mad-dash production full of ferocious wit, outrageous design, and downright buffoonery."

The winter 2026 production is My Joy Is Heavy, a "transcendent musical memoir" created and performed by married folk duo The Bengsons. The show centers on a young family seeking connection as they cope with a pregnancy loss in rural isolation. Tony winner Rachel Chavkin directs, and Steph Paul choreographs.

Additional cast and creative team information for New York Theatre Workshop's productions has yet to be announced.

Photo credit: The cast of Saturday Church: Bryson Battle, J. Harrison Ghee, Joaquina Kalukango, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez. (Photos courtesy of production)