Featured series 
American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, led by Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus, announced Wednesday the first three titles of its 47th season. From August 2026 through January 2027, A.R.T. will produce and present productions at the Loeb Drama Center and Farkas Hall in Harvard Square. In May 2027 A.R.T. will welcome audiences to its first production in the theater’s new home, the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance.
“A.R.T.’s 2026/27 programming tells stories of resilience in the most turbulent of times,” said Paulus. “From a reimagining of a classic play, to a world-premiere rock opera, to a live-looped new musical, these productions invite us to draw inspiration from characters who find courage and compassion in human connection.”
A.R.T. will begin its season Aug. 12 at the Loeb Drama Center with “Rhinoceros,” directed by Paulus. In Eugène Ionesco’s landmark play, one man is forced to decide if he will follow the crowd amidst pressures to conform or stand his ground and hold on to his humanity. The production will feature a new adaptation by American Repertory Theater of Derek Prouse’s translation. “Rhinoceros” will be the final production Paulus directs at Harvard Square’s Loeb Drama Center before A.R.T. moves to its new Boston home next year.
Starting Oct. 27 at Harvard’s Farkas Hall, A.R.T. will produce “1972.” The world-premiere rock opera is inspired by true stories of the Janes, an underground network of courageous women who risked everything to provide a choice to women with nowhere to turn. “1972” is written by musician-activist Chadwick Stokes of the Boston-based indie bands Dispatch and State Radio with Jessie Nelson (“I Am Sam,” “Waitress” the musical) and features an ensemble of actor/musicians that includes Stokes.
Beginning Dec. 4 at the Loeb Drama Center, A.R.T. will present the Helen Hayes Award winner “Mexodus.” The hip-hop musical reveals a hidden chapter of American history: an underground railroad for freedom-seekers across the Rio Grande into Mexico. Created by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, “Mexodus” features live-looped music as layered as our country’s past.
The inaugural production at the Goel Center for Creativity & Performance will be announced in the coming weeks.
Throughout the 2026/27 season, A.R.T. will continue to develop Essential Questions that will drive artistic exploration and audience engagement; partner with Charmain Jackman and Innopsych to support our artists and curate audience resources for learning, healing, and understanding; host free public events with Harvard scholars exploring themes related to its productions; invest in creative artists and develop new theatrical work; and operate the Lavine Learning Lab, fostering season-long engagement rooted in A.R.T. programming with students from partner public high schools in Greater Boston.
A.R.T. productions and affiliated projects will also continue to be seen beyond its Harvard University headquarters on Broadway, across the U.S., and around the world.
