Full Breakdown
Second Stage Announces 2026-27 Season Featuring Broadway Premieres of Reimagined “The Fantasticks” and “Gloria”
6/4/2026, 8:28:29 AM
Season Overview and Core Productions
Second Stage Theater, a nonprofit dedicated to works by living American writers, unveiled its 2026-27 lineup. The season will open on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theater with a reimagined production of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s musical “The Fantasticks” and the Pulitzer-finalist drama “Gloria” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. The company will also present three new plays Off-Broadway at the Pershing Square Signature Center’s Irene Diamond Stage: Bryna Turner’s “The Visitors,” Miranda Rose Hall’s “Work of Devotion,” and Naomi Lorrain’s “How to Roll a Blunt.” No casting information has been released for any of the productions.
Background & Context
“The Fantasticks,” which opened Off-Broadway in 1960, holds the record as the longest-running musical, completing 42 years and 17,162 performances. The upcoming version updates the story as a gay love narrative in which two mothers scheme to unite their sons. “Gloria,” first staged Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre in 2015, was a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist and examines the ambitions of low-level employees at a prestigious New York magazine. Both works align with Second Stage’s mission to showcase contemporary American theater.
Key Creative Teams
The Broadway revival of “The Fantasticks” will be directed and choreographed by Tony-winner Christopher Gattelli, with new orchestrations by Sam Davis and scenic design by Jason Sherwood. Tom Jones has revised the book and lyrics for the new production, while the original score remains by Harvey Schmidt. “Gloria” will be directed by Second Stage artistic director Evan Cabnet, who also directed its 2015 Off-Broadway debut. The Off-Broadway productions feature Bryna Turner (playwright) and Jenna Worsham (director) for “The Visitors,” Miranda Rose Hall (playwright) for “Work of Devotion,” and Naomi Lorrain (playwright) with Colette Robert (director) for “How to Roll a Blunt.” Production partners for “The Fantasticks” include Broadway and Beyond Theatricals, Daryl Roth, and True North Theatricals.
Production Details and Schedule
- “The Fantasticks” – Previews Oct 22, 2026; opening Nov 16, 2026 at the Helen Hayes Theater.
- “Gloria” – Previews Mar 17, 2027; opening scheduled for either Apr 4 or Apr 5, 2027 (see conflicts).
- “The Visitors” – Previews Oct 21, 2026; opening reported as Nov 5 or Nov 9, 2026.
- “Work of Devotion” – Previews Feb 3, 2027; opening Feb 22, 2027.
- “How to Roll a Blunt” – Previews Apr 14, 2027; opening Apr 28, 2027.
All productions are slated for the Helen Hayes Theater (Broadway) or the Irene Diamond Stage (Off-Broadway). Detailed casting and additional creative credits remain pending.
Official Statements & Responses
Second Stage described itself as “the nonprofit organization that champions plays and musical [s] from living American writers” and emphasized its role as “the premiere home for contemporary works by both emerging writers and established masters.” Artistic director Evan Cabnet called the season “a tremendous honor” and expressed anticipation for “welcoming future audiences as we continue to explore and expand the contemporary canon of American plays and musicals.” The organization has not yet disclosed casting or further production details.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on opening dates for two productions. “Gloria” is listed with an April 4, 2027 opening in one report and an April 5, 2027 opening in another. “The Visitors” is cited as opening on November 5, 2026 in one source and November 9, 2026 in another. No information on casting, additional design teams, or ticket pricing has been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Second Stage, the nonprofit organization that champions plays and musicals from living American writers, said it would present a modern retelling of “The Fantasticks” and the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Gloria” at its Helen Hayes Theater this season.” — Second Stage (press release)
- “Second Stage Theater has always been the premiere home for contemporary works by both emerging writers and established masters, and this upcoming season is no exception,” — Evan Cabnet, Artistic Director
- “It has been a tremendous honor to produce our current season, and I look forward to welcoming future audiences as we continue to explore and expand the contemporary canon of American plays and musicals.” — Evan Cabnet, Artistic Director
- “anthropological accuracy to his depiction of the hierarchies, language and rites of obeisance and humiliation in one small, intensely stratified world.” — Ben Brantley, Theater Critic, *The New York Times*
- “The Broadway version reimagines The Fantasticks as a gay love story in which two moms plot to make their children fall in love.” — Article description (New York Theatre Guide)
What’s Next
Second Stage will release casting announcements and additional creative credits in the coming weeks. The season’s Broadway productions are set to begin previews in October 2026, positioning the company for a fall launch that coincides with the broader 2026-27 Broadway calendar. Off-Broadway shows will follow through spring 2027, completing the five-production slate.
