2026 Directors in the Randall L. Jones Theatre
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce the shows and directors for the Randall L. Jones Theatre for the upcoming 2026 season. “We are thrilled to be featuring not one, but two musicals next season, pairing perfectly with an English farcical comedy. The Randall shows will be a riot next year!” says Artistic Director John DiAntonio.
That’s right! Two musicals in the lineup, and one very fast-paced farce, all to bring joy and delight!
Something Rotten!
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell
Music and Lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick
Conceived by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Returning to the Festival is two-time Emmy Award-winning director, artist, and producer Alan Muraoka, who helmed a special Festival production of Gold Mountain in 2021. As an actor, he performed on Broadway seven times, including Disney’s Aladdin, The King and I, and Miss Saigon, as well as 27 years as Alan on Sesame Street. He was resident director of Off-Broadway’s Avenue Q, and his directing work has been featured at Olney Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, and Pioneer Theatre Company. He earned his BFA from UCLA and has received numerous awards including a GLAAD Media Award and Carol Burnett Musical Comedy Award.
Having premiered on Broadway in 2015, Something Rotten! is a hilarious, high-energy musical that reimagines Shakespeare’s world with modern twists. Set in the Renaissance, it follows struggling playwrights Nick and Nigel Bottom, who try to outshine wildly popular William Shakespeare by creating the world’s first musical. Packed with show-stopping numbers, outrageous comedy, and clever nods to Broadway and the Bard, this show celebrates creativity, ambition, and the absurdity of the theatre world.
“Something Rotten feels like the perfect show for Festival audiences. At its core it is an old-fashioned musical, complete with catchy tunes, fast-paced comedy, and even tap dancing!” says Muraoka. “And with Shakespeare and his works as a central theme, theatre lovers will be tuned in to all the clever references that are sprinkled throughout this delightful romp. I’m so thrilled to be able to share it with audiences of all ages.”
Something Rotten! previews on June 22, 2026 and runs through October 3, 2026.
See How They Run
By Philip King
Directed by Festival veteran Geoffrey Kent, See How They Run is a classic British farce never before seen on Festival stages. Patrons will recognize Kent from his acting roles this past season as Mark Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, Duke Frederick in As You Like It, and various roles in Macbeth. He also directed The Play That Goes Wrong in 2023, and has served as Fight Director and acted in numerous shows since 2009. His work has also been seen at DCPA Broadway, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and Arvada Center, among others. He has taught at University of Northern Colorado and University of Denver, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDCS).
See How They Run is packed with mistaken identities, unexpected visitors, and nonstop chaos. Set in a quiet English vicarage during WWII, the play spirals into comedic mayhem as a soldier, a German POW, a Russian spy, and multiple clergymen, converge on the house. Written to boost morale during wartime, this fast-paced comedy delivers delightful confusion and wild fun for audiences of all ages.
“Farce is my favorite style of theatre to create, it demands honesty, pace, and killer timing,” says Kent. “I hope audiences remember to bring tissues because we indend to make you cry from laughing.”
See How They Run previews on June 23, 2026 and runs through September 4, 2026.
She Loves Me
Book by Joe Masteroff
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Based on a play by Miklós László
Michael Perlman returns to USF this year to direct She Loves Me after directing last season’s Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise. A New York-based writer and director, his work has been seen at Goodspeed Opera House, Cleveland Playhouse, Boise Contemporary Theatre, and Creede Repertory Theatre among others. He has been associate director for Noises Off on Broadway and at off-Broadway’s Roundabout Theatre, Barrow Street, and the Public Theatre. He has taught at Juilliard School of Drama as well as Brown University where he earned his BA and MFA. He is a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and is a Drama League Directing Fellow.
In She Loves Me, the main characters Georg and Amalia are feuding co-workers in a 1930s perfume shop, and each is falling in love with their anonymous pen pal. Based on the same play that inspired the films The Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail, this charming, heartwarming musical sparkles with witty dialogue, endearing characters, and a beautiful score by Harnick and Bock (Fiddler on the Roof). It’s a delightful feel-good story of second chances and love discovered in surprising ways.
“She Loves Me is one of those rare perfect musicals in which everything seamlessly comes together for an evening of true heartfelt storytelling.” says Perlman. “It’s a musical that people either know and love or don’t know at all, and so I’m thrilled to be able to bring it to life for those who love it and for those who have yet to see it. It’s filled with characters who amidst all the struggles in their lives are yearning for and seeking love, and ultimately remind us that we may find love where we least expect it.”
She Loves Me previews on June 24, 2026 and runs through October 3, 2026.
Don’t miss our 65th season in 2026! Be sure to get your tickets on sale during our Cyber Sale event on December 1 and 2 and join us in 2026 for a season of love, humor, and surprise. For more information visit our website at bard.org or call the Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX.
