Long Wharf Theatre Reveals Lineup For 60th Anniversary Season

Long Wharf Theatre has announced its 2024/2025 season, with the theme Building Our Future Together. The 60th anniversary season is the theatre's second under its innovative new production model of presenting works across Greater New Haven to strengthen our civic bonds with the entire community. 

The season comes on the heels of its hugely successful 2023/2024 season, which included sold out runs of The Year of Magical Thinking and A View from the Bridge. The star-studded productions welcomed audiences into libraries, resident homes, community centers and the Canal Dock Boathouse. In recognition of its role in the national conversation on evolving the regional theatre model, Long Wharf Theatre recently received a $1 million grant from Mellon Foundation to continue its work. 

“As we approach the start of Long Wharf Theatre's 60th season, I'm eager to continue our bold and courageous effort to bring world-class performing arts to all parts of our city,” said Jacob G. Padrón, Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre. “Long Wharf Theatre has always been a beacon of creativity in New Haven, and I'm deeply inspired by the audience response and artistic fervor felt throughout our past season that I'm confident will grow in the many seasons to come.” 

"I have always believed that if you want to bring a community together, if you want to expand ways of thinking about or seeing the world — there is no better way than through music, drama, dance, painting, poetry, literature, and all of the arts. For the past 60 years, Long Wharf Theatre has epitomized that," said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. "I look forward to seeing everything this institution will continue to accomplish in the decades to come.”

“For six decades Long Wharf Theatre has served as a stage for innovative, world-class theater that has entertained, enriched and inspired its audiences in New Haven, the region and beyond. Now, with its recent commitment to bringing theater to new stages and spaces across the city, its works are becoming more accessible than ever for New Haveners to take in and enjoy,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. “New Haven is blessed to have such a thriving arts scene, and Long Wharf Theatre is one of the artistic and cultural gems of our city. We're all excited to see how Long Wharf Theatre's productions and partnerships will continue to enhance and bolster arts and culture in New Haven for another 60 years to come.” 

“Southern Connecticut State University is proud to be a long-standing partner of Long Wharf Theatre and we are excited to deepen our partnership during the theatre's 60th anniversary season,” said Dr. Dwayne Smith, Interim President of Southern Connecticut State University. “Our campus is always seeking opportunities for connection and conversation. Having Long Wharf Theatre productions on our campus next season will bring this connection, and so much more, directly to our scholars and patrons.” 

“For 60 years, Long Wharf Theatre has served as a cornerstone institution for the New Haven region, and our recent successes and forthcoming season are examples of how we intend to further artistic excellence and community engagement in this new chapter,” said Kit Ingui, Managing Director of Long Wharf Theatre. “Our planned productions and venues speak to the magic of collaboration and imagination that will propel us forward for another 60 seasons.” 

Long Wharf Theatre continues its commitment to boundary-breaking theatre and its three pillars of artistic innovation, kaleidoscopic partnerships and radical inclusion. The season showcases productions throughout the Greater New Haven area, featuring a collection of diverse storytellers. Dedicated to their mission of “Theatre for Everyone,” this mix of new work and re-imagined classics will engage audiences from first-time theater-goers to longtime supporters. 

Creating Space for Conversations on Art and Activism 

Long Wharf Theatre will embark on its momentous season in October with a return to the Artistic Congress, last presented in the 2020 presidential election year. Hosted in partnership with the Yale Schwarzman Center, the Artistic Congress will convene artists, scholars, and neighbors to discuss how theatre is essential to a thriving democracy. The Artistic Congress, which runs from October 25-27, intends to foster insightful conversations on art and activism in the New Haven community to set the stage for the coming season and long-term performing arts growth in the region. The conference style event will be anchored by a keynote speaker, who will be announced at a later date. 

Centering Often Erased Artists for the Fifth Consecutive Year 

In November, Long Wharf Theatre will host its fifth annual showing of Black Trans Women at the Center: A Virtual New Play Festival curated by Dane Figueroa Edidi, a member of the theatre's artistic ensemble. This year will include a staged streaming of Figueroa's new play Shape Shifter. In addition, Long Wharf Theatre will partner with theatre's across the country to honor

Trans Day of Remembrance. Since the launch of this festival, Long Wharf Theatre has produced 15 new works by Black trans women. 

Transforming a Business Innovation Center into a Theatre Space 

From November 29 to December 15, The Lab at ConnCorp, a learning and business innovation center, will be transformed for the holiday season to host a reimagined production of She Loves Me, directed by Jacob G. Padrón with musical direction by Andy Einhorn that will bring this Golden Age musical straight to your heart. The award-winning piece follows two shop clerks in the 1930s who, more often than not, don't see eye to eye but are unknowingly writing love letters to each other through an anonymous romantic pen pal service. With music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and book by Joe Masteroff, and featuring new orchestration by Einhorn, this timeless and universal story continues to stand the test of time. 

Deepening Our Partnership with SCSU and Its Theatre Students 

Following, the theatre will produce Matt Barbot's El Coquí Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom at the Lyman Center in partnership with Southern Connecticut State University from February 1 through February 16, directed by Kinan Valdez. Set in Brooklyn, a masked protector emerges: the iconic Puerto Rican superhero, El Coquí Espectacular! Behind the mask lies Alex, a struggling comic book artist with a secret identity of his own. As he grapples with self-doubt and the lure of a steady job he must navigate the challenges of being a hero both on and off the page.This production marks an expansion of Long Wharf Theatre's partnership with SCSU, giving students the opportunity to see how a professional regional theatre produces a show, from inception to final curtain call. 

Staging a World Premiere by a Local New Haven Artist 

Closing the season from May 15 through June 8, Long Wharf Theatre, in partnership with Collective Consciousness Theatre, will stage the world premiere of Unbecoming Tragedy: A Ritual Journey Toward Destiny at Yale's Off Broadway Theater. Written and performed by local New Haven artist Terrence Riggins, this awe-inspiring journey follows one man's experience in a solitary prison cell. Denied hope and sleep, he finds solace in the sanctuary of his imagination, transforming his cell into the unlikeliest of stages. Directed by Connecticut-based artist Cheyenne Barboza, this new production will be an exploration of vulnerability and truth within the human spirit. 

How to Buy Tickets and Become a Member 

Long Wharf Theatre is also announcing new Anytime Ticket passes and more dynamic membership levels. 

With an anytime pass, audiences can secure access to Long Wharf Theatre productions at a discounted rate, then redeem purchased passes for a ticket closer to the show. Passes are good for any production in the 2024-25 season but do expire at the end of the season. 

Anytime Passes are part of the theatre's mission to create more accessible ticket pricing. A ticket purchased with an Anytime Pass is $44 compared to $53 when bought as a single ticket.

Members will still get first access to booking tickets; anytime pass holders will be able to redeem tickets after members but before the general public. 

Long Wharf Theatre's new membership levels also give supporters access to the theatre in unprecedented ways. Members receive early access to news and events, priority booking, member-priced tickets, discounts, and invitations to special events. 

Passes for the 2024/2025 season are on sale now. Information on memberships and passes can be found at longwharf.org/60-years 

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