Purdue University Department of Theatre and Dance Announces 2026-2027 Season
by Rich Dionne
July 23, 2026
Purdue University Department of Theatre and Dance announces its 2026-2027 season, presenting a mix of dramatic comedy, classic romance, fantasy, suspense, and original dance works across two state-of-the-art venues in Yue-Kong Pao Hall. (See the season brochure.)
The season opens with The Hunchback of Seville by Charise Castro Smith (September 24 through October 4, 2026). Staged in the intimate Carole & Gordon Mallett Theatre, be prepared to meet Christopher Columbus at the turn of the 16th century, just returned from the New World with gold in his pockets and blood on his hands. Maxima Terriblé Segunda, the brilliant, adopted sister of dying Her Royal Highness Queen Isabella, is living out her life locked away in a tower…until it is decided that the future of the country is in her nerdy, reclusive hands. In a bitingly funny and madcap take on Spanish history and colonialism, Maxima weaves her way through mountains of prejudice, politics, religion, and the horrors of history.
In late fall, literary favorites Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy grace the stage in the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre in Pride & Prejudice, based on the novel by Jane Austen and adapted by Deanna Jent (November 12 through 22, 2026). Set in Regency-era England, the story follows the Bennet family and their five daughters as they navigate societal pressures and the search for suitable marriages. Initially, both Elizabeth and Darcy are prejudiced against each other—she judges him for his arrogance, while he looks down on her lower social standing. Through various misunderstandings and personal growth, they eventually overcome their pride and prejudice to fall in love.
The Winter Dance Works concert (December 11 and 12, 2026) brings a spectrum of physical expression to the stage in the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre, completing the roster of fall performances. This concert will feature faculty members Kathleen Hickey and Holly Jaycox, and our guest alumna choreographer Sara Satterly will return to create work with the company. Two new student choreographers will join the line up, developing new works on the dancers of the Purdue Contemporary Dance Company. The student dancers performing in the company commit to a collaborative creative process in rehearsal that supports them finding and developing their own approach to creative research practice in dance. Each PCDC concert premieres new works, created that semester, offering audiences a one-of-a-kind experience each time they attend.
Spring 2027 brings Amélie with Music by Daniel Messé, Lyrics by Daniel Messé and Nathan Tysen, and Book by Craig Lucas (February 25 through March 7, 2027). Amélie is an extraordinary young woman who lives quietly in the world but loudly in her mind. She covertly improvises small but surprising acts of kindness that bring joy and mayhem. But when a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realizes that to find happiness she’ll have to risk everything and say what is in her heart. Be inspired by this imaginative dreamer who finds her voice, discovers the power of connection, and sees possibility around every corner. This production will be performed in the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre.
Presented in the Carole & Gordon Mallett Theatre, Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, by Jennifer Haley (April 15 through 25, 2027), will introduce audiences to parents in a suburban subdivision, with identical houses, who find their teenagers addicted to an online horror video game. The game setting? A subdivision with identical houses. The goal? Smash through an army of zombies to escape the neighborhood for good. But as the line blurs between virtual and reality, both parents and players realize that fear has a life of its own.
The 2026-2027 season concludes with Spring Dance Works (April 30 and May 1, 2027), an energetic and artistic performance by the Purdue Contemporary Dance Company. Watch newly created works from the minds and bodies of our Dance Program dancers and choreographers as we celebrate graduating seniors who share their growing edge as artists and creators in performance. Faculty and students collaborate on original movement, music scores, and lighting designs in this highly interdisciplinary form of art. PCDC concerts are addictive as each semester brings new dancers, new choreographers, and new delights to the Nancy T. Hansen Theatre.
“These plays offer a dynamic theatrical journey, blending humor, romance, fantasy, horror, and suspense,” according to Rich Dionne, Chair of the Department. “As always, our productions provide opportunities for students to practice their craft and for audiences to experience their impressive talents; these stories also ask both artists and audiences to explore love, politics, identity, our place in this world, and the impact of our ever-expanding digital footprint.”
“We are excited to once again share the juicy living products of the dancers' creative processes through their work in our program,” says director of dance, Holly Jaycox. “Presenting original work every semester, including newly generated movement, sound, lighting and costume designs, gives our audience a glimpse of what is on the minds and hearts of the choreographers and dancers. These performances offer us all fresh insights into the physical expression of these collaborations across disciplines, live on stage.”
Performance Information
All productions take place at Yue-Kong Pao Hall, located at 552 W. Wood Street in West Lafayette. The Nancy T. Hansen Theatre is a 300-seat proscenium venue with recently upgraded lighting and sound equipment, while the Carole & Gordon Mallett Theatre offers flexible seating for 100-150 patrons in an intimate setting.
Ticketing
Season subscription packages offer nearly 20% savings over single ticket prices. The Season Bundle includes all six productions for $64 (students), $76.50 (seniors), and $96 (adults). A Pick 4 Bundle allows patrons to select four productions for customized packages.
Single tickets are available online at http://am.ticketmaster.com/purdue/buy, by phone at (765) 494-3933, or in person at the Loeb Box Office. Group discounts are available for parties of eight or more.
Accessibility services include wheelchair seating with companion seating, free hearing amplification headsets, and captioning services for select performances.
Support
All Theatre productions are made possible by generous gifts from patron Tomm Tomlinson. The department welcomes tax-deductible contributions to support future productions as ticket income covers only about one-third of production costs.
Contact Information: Department of Theatre and Dance Purdue University (765) 494-3074 theatre@purdue.edu
Loeb Box Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm
For show content information, running times, or media inquiries, contact the Department of Theatre and Dance office.
The Department of Theatre and Dance is part of the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance at Purdue University.
