Shakespeare Theatre Company announced the lineup of its upcoming 2025/26 season, celebrating the company's 40th season exploring classic storytelling in Washington, DC.

The season features two Shakespeare productions, including "Othello," which will be directed by STC Artistic Director Simon Godwin and feature Wendell Pierce (TV's "Elsbeth," "The Wire") in the title role. "I'm delighted to be celebrating STC's 40th anniversary season," said Godwin. "It's a season focused on joy, truth, and redemption--all powerfully contemporary ideas."

The season starts in Harman Hall Sept. 9 through Oct. 5, 2025 with "Merry Wives," reimagined by Jocelyn Bioh, who transports Shakespeare's Sir John Falstaff, Mistress Quickly, and more, into a vibrant South Harlem community of West African immigrants.
Visionary and award-winning director Taylor Reynolds makes her STC debut with "Merry Wives," following sold-out shows in DC at Studio and Signature Theatres.

"This adaptation beautifully mixes Shakespeare's language with modern language," said Reynolds. "I look forward to finding the balance between Shakespeare and Jocelyn's (Bioh) worlds. Both have such a gift for humor. I always find strength and hope in laughter, and "Merry Wives" has both woven into every movement. I hope DC audiences are ready for joy to explode from the stage into their hearts."

"Merry Wives" will be followed by "The Wild Duck" by Henrik Ibsen, a playwright whose powerful words have not appeared on an STC stage in nearly a decade, adapted by David Eldridge. Directed by Simon Godwin in the Klein Theatre, Ibsen's examination of family secrets and the elusive value of truth is ripe for re-examination and is produced in association with Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA). This production marks the fifth production of Ibsen at STC, making him the most produced playwright at the theater after Shakespeare.

For the holiday season, Harman Hall will be bursting with song and dance when Washington National Opera Artistic Director Francesca Zambello makes her STC debut directing "Guys and Dolls." The crowd-pleasing Tony Award-winning musical centers on lovable degenerates Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson, whose souls may yet be saved by the likes of one Sarah Brown. Zambello will be joined by choreographer Joshua Bergasse ("Smash," Broadway's "Bull Durham").

"I'm thrilled to collaborate with the STC on directing "Guys and Dolls," said Zambello. "It is a joy to tell a story of redemption, with one classic, memorable American song after another, plus non-stop dancing, raucous comedy--all infused with the holiday spirit."

In the new year, the writings of Samuel Beckett will be dissected and performed by the preposterously charismatic Bill Irwin in his funny and insightful one-man show "On Beckett." Irwin (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", "Eureka Day," "Sesame Street") is a Tony Award-winning actor and master clown who has spent a lifetime captivated by Beckett. His one-man-show is a nonstop display of "pure, energizing joy" (The New York Times).

Harman Hall will then have back-to-back explorations of Shakespeare. First, from the Royal Shakespeare Company, in its first time at STC, comes the U.S. premiere of "Hamnet," an "elegant and beguiling" (Evening Standard) staging of the beloved best-selling novel by Maggie O'Farrell. Hamnet is adapted by award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti ("Life of Pi,""Red Velvet") and directed by Erica Whyman. The story explores the romance and marriage of Agnes and William, their family, and the tragic loss that inspired one of the greatest plays ever written.

"Hamnet is about redemption and art. About love, children, and the complexities and joys of family life," said Chakrabarti. "It's about tragedy, grief, and loss, and how we navigate our way through unbearable circumstances. It’s a personal examination of the Shakespeares, and I hope you’ll come and meet them."

Closing the season, Godwin returns to the director's seat with "Othello" (May 19 through June 21, 2026) with the Olivier and Tony Award-nominee Wendell Pierce ("Death of a Salesman," TV's "Elsbeth" and "The Wire").

"Wendell (Pierce) is a performer of vast talents that I have longed to work with for years," said Godwin. “It will be an exhilarating adventure to collaborate with him on this, one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies." Pierce shared Godwin's enthusiasm. "I am so excited to join next season at STC, to portray one of the great challenges in the canon, the role of Othello," said Pierce. "I look forward to working with Simon, a wonderful director and Artistic Director, on this production."

MORE ON WENDEL PIERCE:

Wendell Pierce is a prolific award-winning actor with a body of work on stage, television and film that spans more than three decades. He currently portrays Captain C.W. Wagner in the second season of the critically acclaimed CBS drama "Elsbeth," for which he received a Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema and Television Actor Award and AAFCA TV Honor. He is also a recurring character, Ishmael "Snaps" Henry, on Starz's Power Universe's "Raising Kanan." Universally hailed for his portrayal of Det. Bunk Moreland on HBO's groundbreaking series "The Wire."

Pierce was also praised for his starring role as Antoine Baptiste on David Simon's critically acclaimed series "Treme" and as James Greer in the Amazon Originals "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan" alongside John Krasinski. This summer, he joins both the Marvel Universe in the feature film "Thunderbolts" and the DC Comics Universe in James Gunn's "Superman." Pierce returned to Broadway in 2022 for a limited engagement to reprise his portrayal of Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman," for which he received a Tony Award nomination for "Lead Actor in a Play."

Full season subscriptions are now on sale through the STC Box Office and website at ShakespeareTheatre.org.

THE 2025/26 SEASON:

SEPTEMBER 9--OCTOBER 5, 2025 ("Merry Wives") By William Shakespeare. Harman Hall. Adapted by Jocelyn Bioh. Directed by Taylor Reynolds.
William Shakespeare's farce gets a joyful spin from Jocelyn Bioh ("Jaja's African Hair Braiding"), dropping the debaucherous Falstaff into the melting pot of modern Harlem. Short on cash, Falstaff pursues the purses of two sharp-witted West African wives. As their proud husbands’ suspicions rise, the wives cook up a scheme to shame the would-be homewrecker and prove that “wives may be merry, and yet honest too” in this "spirited, sharp, and silly" (Variety) celebration. Taylor Reynolds ("Fat Ham") makes her STC directorial debut in the play's regional premiere.

OCTOBER 18--NOVEMBER 16, 2025 ("The Wild Duck"). By Henrik Ibsen. Klein Theatre. Adapted by David Eldridge Directed by Simon Godwin.
Produced in Association with Theatre for a New Audience.
The eccentric son of a wealthy businessman wreaks havoc when he embarks on a crusade to unveil the false foundations of his friend's life. Ignorant of the adults' machinations, a young girl tries to shield a fragile creature from the hurts of the world. Artistic Director Simon Godwin (Macbeth) directs Henrik Ibsen's unflinching tale about truth's tragic toll in a timeless story "that explains why Ibsen is the greatest dramatist after Shakespeare" (The Guardian).

DECEMBER 2, 2025-JANUARY 4, 2026 ("Guys and Dolls"). Story and Characters of Damon Runyon. Harman Hall. Music/lyrics by Frank Loesser. Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Choreographed by Joshua Bergasse. Directed by Francesca Zambello.
The oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York just got busted and Nathan Detroit needs cold hard cash to get it up and running again. Enter high-roller Sky Masterson, who Nathan wagers can't get a date with the straightlaced Sarah Brown, a Salvation Army missionary trying to save them all from sin. Directed by Washington National Opera Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash," "Broadway's "Bull Durham"), dance the night away to "Luck Be a Lady Tonight," "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," "A Bushel and a Peck," and more classic tunes in the must-see show of the holiday season.

FEBRUARY 11--MARCH 15, 2026 ("On Beckett"). Conceived/performed by Bill Irwin. Klein Theatre. Produced in association with Octopus Theatricals. Tony Award-winning actor and master clown Bill Irwin ("Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Sesame Street") has spent a lifetime captivated by Samuel Beckett. With little more than a funny hat and a podium, Irwin mines the comedy and tragedy of Beckett's work--including "Waiting for Godot," "Texts for Nothing," and more—in a nonstop display of jovial verbal and physical comedy that has become Irwin's signature. Whether you're encountering the Nobel Prize winner's writings for the first time or building on a body of Beckett knowledge, the "pure, energizing joy" (The New York Times) of Irwin's dynamic showcase is not to be missed.

MARCH 17--APRIL 12, 2026 (Maggie O'Farrell's "Hamnet"). The Royal Shakespeare Company/Neal Street Productions. Harman Hall.
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti. Directed by Erica Whyman.
When the plague steals 11-year-old Hamnet from his loving parents, Agnes and William, they must each confront their loss alone. And yet, out of the greatest suffering, something of extraordinary wonder is born. Experience the U.S. premiere of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "sweeping and sentimental" (The Guardian) stage adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling novel, adapted by award-winning playwright Lolita Chakrabarti ("Life of Pi") and directed by Erica Whyman.

MAY 19--JUNE 21, 2026 ("Othello"). By William Shakespeare. Harman Hall. Directed by Simon Godwin.
Simon Godwin directs Wendell Pierce in Shakespeare's towering tragedy about the power of words to kill. Venice is scandalized when its protector, Othello (Pierce), elopes with a nobleman's daughter, while his most trusted lieutenant, Iago, seethes after being passed over for a promotion. Vengeful Iago speaks a word and contorts the world: transforming Othello’s faithful wife into an adulteress and upright men into beasts.

ABOUT THE SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY:

For over 35 years, the Tony Award-winning Shakespeare Theatre Company has been recognized as the nation's premier classical theater. STC tells vital stories in audacious forms, stories that are Shakespearean in the deepest sense, even if they are not written by Shakespeare. They stage epic stories in exhilarating style.

ABOUT NEAL STREET PRODUCTIONS:

Neal Street Productions is one of the UK's most respected production companies, producing film, television and theater. Founded 2003 by Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, and Caro Newling, it makes distinctive, popular award-winning projects on both sides of the Atlantic. The theatre slate is overseen by Newling together with producer Georgia Gati. TV includes "Call the Midwife," "The Franchise," "Britannia," "Penny Dreadful," and "The Hollow Crown." Films include Mendes' "Empire of Light," "1917," and "Revolutionary Road." Upcoming: "The Magic Faraway Tree," "Hamnet," and currently in development: "The Beatles" project for Sony Pictures – four distinct theatrical feature films about the greatest band in history, conceived and directed by Sam Mendes. Theater originated by Neal Street includes "The Lehman Trilogy," "The Motive" and the "Cue," "The Hills of California," "Hamnet," "Local Hero," "The Ferryman," "Shrek the Musical," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Bridge Project 2010 – 2012," "Three Days of Rain," and "The Vertical Hour." West End transfers also include "Walking with Ghosts," "The Moderate Soprano," "This House," "The Painkiller," "Merrily We Roll Along," "South Downs/The Browning Version," "Red," "Enron," "Sunday in the Park with George, Mary Stuart." In 2015 Neal Street moved under the umbrella of parent company AlIMedia, which is owned by RedBird IMI.

ABOUT THE ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY:

The Royal Shakespeare Company's mission is to bring people together to experience stories that deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us, and that bring joy. Shakespeare's restless exploration of all of human nature is RSC's inspiration and touchstone. The Company's roots lie in the bold vision of a local brewer, Edward Fordham Flower, who in 1879 established a theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon with his son Charles. The RSC as we know it today was formed by Sir Peter Hall, whose ambition was to produce new plays alongside those of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. They continue this today across their three permanent theaters in Stratford – the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan Theatre and The Other Place – and online and around the globe. RSC believes everybody's life can be enriched by culture and creativity. Their Creative Learning and Engagement programs reach over half a million young people and adults each year. They have collaborated with generations of the very best theater makers and we continue to nurture the talent of the future.

ABOUT TFANA:

Founded in 1979 by Jeffrey Horowitz, and led by Horowitz and Managing Director Dorothy Ryan, Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA) is a New York home for Shakespeare and other contemporary playwrights. It nurtures artists, culture, and community With Shakespeare as its guide, TFANA explores the ever-changing forms of world theater. TFANA has produced thirty-five of Shakespeare's thirty-eight play canon and builds a dialogue spanning centuries between the language and ideas of Shakespeare and diverse authors, past and present. TFANA is committed to building long-term associations with artists from around the world and supporting the development of plays, translations, and productions through residences, workshops, and commissions through the Merle Debuskey Studio Program. TFANA performs for an audience of all ages and backgrounds; and promotes a vibrant exchange of ideas through its humanities and education programs. TFANA is very happy to continue its co-producing collaboration with The Shakespeare Theatre Company. The Wild Duck marks the third co-production between TFANA and STC building on co-productions of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens featuring Kathryn Hunter, directed by Simon Godwin and "The Merchant of Venice" featuring John Douglas Thompson as Shylock and directed by Arin Arbus.

TFANA's productions have played nationally, internationally, off and on Broadway. In 2001, TFANA became the first American theater company invited to bring a production of Shakespeare to the Royal Shakespeare Company. TFANA has just partnered with Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre for The Shakespeare Exchange in a transatlantic partnership: In spring of 2024, TFANA presented the Lyceum's "Macbeth" (an undoing). In January 2025, the Lyceum presented TFANA's "The Merchant of Venice."

TFANA is also committed to a civic role. It created and runs the largest in-depth program to introduce Shakespeare and classic drama in New York City's public schools. Since its inception in 1984, the program has served more than 140,000 students. TFANA is committed to economic access. In addition to offering selected Pay What You Can Performances, its New Deal Ticket Initiative offers $20 tickets to those age 30 and under and full-time students of any age for all dates of all its productions. In 2013, TFANA opened its first permanent home, Polonsky Shakespeare Center (PSC), in the Brooklyn Cultural District. The heart of PSC is its performance space: the 299-seat Samuel H. Scripps Mainstage, a uniquely flexible space capable of multiple configurations between stage and audience; as well as the 50-seat Theodore C. Rogers Studio.

For more information about the Shakespeare theatre company log on to www.shakespearetheatre.org/.

Editor's Note: Information used in this report obtained from the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Website and publicity department.