The 2025-2026 UMass Amherst Theater Season
YOGA PLAY
By Dipika Guha
Directed by Rose Schwietz Malla
Oct. 17, 18, 22, 24, 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 23 at 10 a.m.
Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.
The Curtain Theater
Yoga Play tickets
Stressed-out yoga apparel CEO Joan is one bad decision away from a PR-nightmare of career-ending proportions. Her activewear giant Jojomon™ has recently been charged with fat shaming, exploitative labor practices, and cultural appropriation. To temper a furious customer base, Joan and her team hire yoga master extraordinaire Guruji to inject some much needed authenticity into the brand — which may be the worst (or best?) decision of their careers. Yoga Play plunges audiences into the corporate antics of the ultra-uninformed, sparking curiosity about what it really means to be authentic.
Content Advisory: Racially and culturally sensitive themes and coarse language. Recommended for ages 13 and up
“Yoga Play” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
NEXT TO NORMAL
Music by Tom Kitt
Book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Directed by Kyle Boatwright
Nov. 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 at 10 a.m.
Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.
The Rand Theater
Next to Normal tickets
How do you hold onto reality amidst a whirlwind? Diana’s ordinary home-maker life of managing family dynamics and school lunches quickly disintegrates amid the twin challenges of bipolar disorder and grief. Meanwhile, her family members do their best to keep up under the strain of their own individual struggles. Next to Normal, a Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, looks at the ripple effects of mental illness, stress, grief, secrets, and tremendous love — all set to a driving rock score.
Content advisory: Depictions and discussion of mental illness, self-harm, suicide, death, medical trauma, delusional episodes, and drug use. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Next to Normal is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
THE INTERROBANGERS
By M Sloth Levine
Directed by Cordelia Dwyer
March 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m.
March 7 at 2 p.m.
March 10 at 10 a.m.
The Curtain Theater
The Interrobangers tickets
A gang of teenage friends who band together to solve a mystery and confront the supernatural — what’s not to love about that winning formula? Foggy Bluffs is a spooky place where you can see floating red eyes and weird shadows in the woods. The Interrobangers decide to figure out what’s going on and find much more than a spooky mystery. This queer take on the Scooby gang explores friendship, identity, and how to heal from the hurts of the past.
Content advisory: Depictions of substance abuse, swearing, and brief references to child abuse, abduction, and trauma. Recommended for ages 13 and up
RHINOCEROS
By Eugene Ionesco
Translated by Derek Prouse
Directed by Rose Schwietz Malla
May 1, 2, 7, 8 at 7:30 p.m.
May 2 & 9 at 2 p.m.
May 6 at 10 a.m.
The Rand Theater
Rhinoceros tickets
Daily life in a small village is unexpectedly interrupted when a rhinoceros barrels through, trampling pets and crushing the social order. As the villagers spout off about the pachyderm's number of horns and racial origin, one beast becomes two, two become ten, and soon everyone succumbs to the allure of rhinoceritis: animal energy, brute force, and mindlessness. In this absurd satire of the human condition, will kind-hearted Daisy and slovenly Berenger remain steadfast in their commitment to humanist values – or succumb to the animal inside?
Content advisory: Coarse language and adult themes. Recommended for ages 13 and up
“Rhinoceros” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
Fringe Fest ‘26
Celebrating five years of Fringe Fest! Our wonderful student-produced festival is a tradition at this point, but the work you’ll get to see is anything but.
Past festivals have brought productions and projects that span genres and push the boundaries of theater, all conceived and created by the students in our department. We won’t know yet what they’ll create this year, but we hope you join us at the end of our spring semester to find out!
Free, reservations may be required for some events.
Event titles and performance details to be announced spring ‘26
Tickets and pricing
$17 general admission
$5 for students, seniors, and Card to Culture patrons
Season and group discounts available
Tickets go on sale later this month!
Tickets for all events EXCEPT Fringe Fest ’26 will be sold through the UMass Fine Arts Center Box Office (413-545-2511 or fac.umass.edu)
UMass Theater follows UMass Amherst cancellation policies; please visit our website for details regarding donation, refund, or ticket exchange in case of cancellation.
Production and season archive
Here you'll find archival material including our Years in Review since the 2011-2012 season, notes on our celebration of graduating students, and slideshows of past shows.
