Our 2026 Season Has Arrived
The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s 2026 season builds on the momentum of our landmark 25th anniversary with a lineup full of bold storytelling, big laughs and unforgettable nights in Forest Park and beyond. This year’s season features a stormy, magical production of The Tempest in Shakespeare Glen, laugh-out-loud comedy with Two Gentlemen of Verona, the return of the beloved family favorite Romeo & Zooliet and the modern theatrical classic Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.
Designed to welcome both longtime Festival fans and first-time audiences, the 2026 season blends romance, comedy, and adventure — no Shakespeare expertise required. From outdoor performances under the stars to playful, family-friendly storytelling and fresh takes on classic works, the Festival continues its mission to bring accessible, high-quality theatre to the St. Louis region.
Our 2026 Season
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead
MARCH 26 - APRIL 11
In association with Albion Theatre
Written by TOM STOPPARD and Directed by TOM RIDGELY
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The Tempest
MAY 27 - JUNE 21
Shakespeare in the Park
Written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and Directed by RICK DILDINE.
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The Two Gentlemen of Verona
AUG 4 - SEP 6
TourCo: Free in Public Parks
Written by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Directed by REBEKAH SCALLET.
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Off-Stage
Hidden History, Lasting Art: Tom Stoppard’s Journey from Holocaust Refugee to Playwright
March 16, 2026, St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum
In partnership with the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, this program explores the extraordinary personal history behind one of the world’s most influential dramatists. Historian Amy Lutz (Director of Marketing & Communications, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival) will share the story of Tom Stoppard’s family’s escape from Nazi-occupied Europe in the shadow of the Anschluss and Stoppard’s later discovery of his Jewish identity, leading to the creation of Leopoldstadt. Tom Ridgely (Artistic Director, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival) will then consider how this history intersects with Stoppard’s theatrical voice, with special attention to his landmark play Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. This spring, Ridgely directs the Festival’s production of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, which runs from March 26-April 11 at the Kranzberg Arts Center Black Box Theater. Reserve your tickets here.
Confluence New Play Festival – March 19-21, 2025
The Confluence New Play Festival was created in 2018 to further foster a culture of playwriting in the Midwest by supporting emerging writers in Missouri and Illinois with a fellowship and weekend-long celebration of new works at the Confluence New Play Festival each spring. Under the direction of St. Louis’s own Drama Desk-nominated playwright Deanna Jent since 2022, Confluence has commissioned 19 new plays, six of which have gone on to world premieres around the country. Current fellows include Zachariah Ezer, Pamela Morgan, and Catherine Yu. The Festival will present staged readings of their plays and take place March 19-21, 2026. Reserve your tickets.
2026 Season Partners
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s commitment to radically accessible free theater is made possible through the support of hundreds of Festival supporters throughout the year. Lead support of the 2026 Season comes from Edward Jones, Regional Arts Commission ARPA for the Arts, Whitaker Foundation, Switch, Missouri Arts Council, and Pershing Charitable Trust.
Media Partner: St. Louis Magazine.
2026 Season Key Art Design and Type by Paradigm New Media Group