We’re excited to share Bennington Theater’s 2026 Community Theater Season! Four productions presented throughout the year that celebrate bold ideas, classic stories, big laughs, and the joy of gathering together in the theater.
This season moves from a sharp, contemporary sequel to a theatrical classic, to a locally rooted reimagining of Shakespeare, to smart comedy and a beloved holiday favorite. Each production is created with and for our community, and together they reflect the range, curiosity, and heart of community theater at its best.
Whether you join us for one show or follow the season from start to finish, we can’t wait to welcome you back to the theater in 2026.
Kaiya Kirk, Executive Director
To celebrate the season, we’re introducing a Community Theater Season Pass, a flexible way to see more theater while saving money.
Season Pass holders receive 20% off tickets and can choose any 2 to all 4 productions in the 2026 Community Theater Season.
Performances and seats are selected at the time of purchase, with the option to choose the same seats for every show or different seats for each production.
It’s the easiest way to build your own season, secure great seats early, and enjoy discounted pricing throughout the year.
A Doll’s House Part 2
This March, Bennington Theater presents A Doll’s House Part 2 – Lucas Hnath’s witty and provocative sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, imagining Nora Helmer’s return 15 years after she famously walked out on her family. The play explores the unresolved questions of freedom, love, and responsibility through sharp, modern dialogue as Nora confronts her estranged husband Torvald, her former nanny Anne Marie, and her now-grown daughter Emmy, revealing that the consequences of her departure are still deeply felt and that her fight for independence is far from over.
Directed by David Dubov-Flinn
Produced by John Lugar
Written by Lucas Hnath
About A Doll’s House Part 2 Written in 2017, A Doll’s House Part 2 is 21st century response to Henrik Ibsen’s 19th century original. Nora returns to the Helmer home to finalize a divorce, but her reappearance forces a reckoning with the family she abandoned, leading to explosive confrontations about marriage, gender roles, and personal freedom. It’s a blend of comedy and drama, using modern language and humor to tackle serious, timeless themes. This piece delves into the complexities of female independence, the societal expectations placed on women, and the fallout from personal choices, making Ibsen’s 19th-century story relevant today. A Doll’s House Part 2 was a major success, receiving multiple Tony Award nominations and critical acclaim for its sharp writing and exploration of its themes.
Showtimes:
🔹 Friday, March 27 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, March 28 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, March 29 | 2:00 PM
🔹 Friday, April 3 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, April 4 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, April 5 | 2:00 PM
Come see how this 19th century story addresses themes still relevant today!
Much Ado About Nothing
A Revolutionary Tale
Much Ado About Nothing – A Revolutionary Production Bennington Theater presents Much Ado About Nothing, reimagined amid the fervor of the American Revolution. Set in Bennington, Vermont, the air buzzes with revolutionary spirit as the town celebrates its break from British rule. A new nation is being born—but the path forward is anything but simple. When a group of Patriot soldiers arrives, two romances take shape. Young love blooms quickly between Claudio and Hero, only to be nearly destroyed by the schemes of Don John, a bitter secret Loyalist. Meanwhile, the sharp-tongued, endlessly entertaining sparring between Beatrice and Benedick takes center stage, as their battle of wits slowly gives way to something deeper. Through dazzling wordplay and comic misunderstandings, Much Ado About Nothing explores how easily appearances deceive, the damage caused by lies, the fragility of idealized romance, and the enduring value of genuine connection over social expectation. Directed by David Dubov-Flinn
Produced by John Lugar
Written by William Shakespeare
Showtimes:
🔹 Friday, June 12 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, June 13 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, June 14 | 2:00 PM
🔹 Friday, June 19 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, June 20 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, June 21 | 2:00 PM
Picasso at the Lapin Agile
A witty comedy which blends humor with profound questions
This September, Bennington Theater presents Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a comedic play by Steve Martin that imagines a meeting between a young Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein in a Parisian bar in 1904. Picasso at the Lapin Agile explores themes of art, science, and genius through witty dialogue and a surreal encounter with Elvis Presley. The play, which blends slapstick humor with profound questions, was a major success, premiering at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre before moving to Los Angeles and New York.
Directed by John Lugar
Produced by David Dubov-Flinn
Written by Steve Martin
About Picasso at the Lapin Agile The play features the characters of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, who meet at a bar called the Lapin Agile (French: “Nimble Rabbit”) in Montmartre, Paris. It is set on October 8, 1904, and both men are on the verge of disclosing amazing ideas (Einstein will publish his special theory of relativity in 1905 and Picasso will paint Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in 1907). At the Lapin Agile, they have a lengthy debate about the value of genius and talent, while interacting with a host of other characters. Martin has written: “Focusing on Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity and Picasso’s master painting, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, the play attempts to explain, in a light-hearted way, the similarity of the creative process involved in great leaps of imagination in art and science”.
Showtimes:
🔹 Friday, September 4 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, September 5 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, September 6 | 2:00 PM
🔹 Friday, September 11 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, September 12 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, September 13 | 2:00 PM
Experience the arts and sciences finding common ground!
Nuncrackers
Make your season merry and bright with “Nunsense” humor!
This December, Bennington Theater presents: Nuncrackers: the Nunsense Christmas Musical. Nuncrackers will make you laugh and maybe tug at your heartstrings. It’s the perfect way to insure your holiday season is merry and bright.
Directed by John Lugar
Produced by David Dubov-Flinn
Written and Composed by Dan Goggin
About Nuncrackers The Nunsense Christmas Musical is the first “TV Special” taped by the sisters in their convent basement studio for Cable Access. It stars the nuns you love plus Father Virgil and some of Mt. Saint Helen’s most talented students. It features all new songs including: Twelve Days Prior to Christmas, Santa Ain’t Comin’ To Our House, We Three Kings of Orient Are Us, and It’s Better to Give Than To Receive. This show is filled with “Nunsense” humor, some of your favorite carols, a “Secret Santa,” and an uproarious take on Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet.
Showtimes:
🔹 Friday, December 4 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, December 5 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, December 6 | 2:00 PM
🔹 Friday, December 11 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Saturday, December 12 | 7:00 PM
🔹 Sunday, December 13 | 2:00 PM