Signature Theatre's 2025-2026 season in Arlington, Virginia, will launch August 12-October 5 in the MAX Theatre with the 1997 Broadway musical Play On!

The musical comedy, based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, was conceived by Sheldon Epps and features a book by Cheryl L. West. Lili-Anne Brown will direct the musical, which boasts a mix of Duke Ellington’s timeless classics, including “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Mood Indigo,” “I Got it Bad and That Ain’t Good,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing."

Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner will subsequently direct the D.C.-area premiere of Miriam Battye’s Strategic Love Play. Running in the ARK Theatre September 23–November 9, the not-quite-romantic comedy spotlights the absurdity of modern dating.

Joe Calarco’s reimagined production of the 1965 Tony winner for Best Musical, Fiddler on the Roof, will play the MAX beginning November 4. Based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem with a book by Joseph Stein and a score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, Signature audiences will be able to visit Anatevka through January 25, 2026.

Up next in the ARK will be the American premiere of In Clay, a new musical based on the overlooked 20th century female artist Marie-Berthe Cazin. With a book and lyrics by Rebecca Simmonds and music and lyrics by Jack Miles, performances are scheduled for December 9, 2025-February 1, 2026.

Safety Not Guaranteed, a new indie-rock musical based on Derek Connolly's film of the same name, will play the ARK March 3-April 12. Penned by Guster’s Ryan Miller and Nick Blaemire, the musical follows ambitious journalist Darius, who sets out on an expedition to find the writer of a classified ad about time travel. An Off-Broadway premiere played Brooklyn Academy of Music last year.

Artistic Director Gardiner will also direct Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson's Tony-nominated Pippin, which will play the MAX May 12–July 26. The upcoming season will close with the D.C.-area premiere of Shayan Lotfi’s What Became of Us, running June 16–July 26 in the ARK. Associate Artistic Director Ethan Heard will helm the play about two siblings maintaining connection over the course of a lifetime.

Titles in the Cabaret Series include Sailing: Yacht Rock (July 22–August 10) with Deimoni Brewington and Tracy Lynn Olivera; I’m Here: Black Broadway (February 24–March 15, 2026) with Awa Sal Secka; I Put a Spell on You: Nina Simone (March 31–April 19) with Felicia Curry; and Get Down Tonight: Classic Funk (May 5–17) with Isaac “Deacon Izzy” Bell.

“With our 36th Season, Signature continues to champion new voices while reinventing beloved musicals…We are excited to share an eclectic mix of plays and musicals that speak to the moment, celebrate bold storytelling and invite audiences into fresh, unforgettable theatrical experiences,” said Artistic Director Gardiner in a statement.

For more information, visit SigTheatre.org.