This week Proctors announced its 2026-2027 Key Bank Broadway Series and the Capital Repertory Theatre season.
This year is the 100th anniversary of Proctors being built in downtown Schenectady in 1927. With this in mind, looking at the familiar titles this lineup might be considered a retrospective. Work like “Phantom of the Opera,” Mamma Mia!” and “The Wiz” are like old friends. While “Just in Time” the Bobby Darin musical is new but it’s a look at the music of the 60s.
Indeed, it seems almost a divided season. The first half features titles new to the area, with most shows having recently played on Broadway. With the exception of “Just in Time,” the shows offered in 2027 are a series of popular titles from past decades.
However, when taken as a whole, the season seems a carefully curated selection of plays that should satisfy any and all tastes.
The only “don’t miss” title on the Proctors season is “Just in Time,” the Bobby Darin musical. It is being teched at Proctors and will be on stage June 1-6, 2027. It’s something to look forward to; even if it’s about 15 months away.
The Proctors season starts with the musical “Boop,” October 13-18. Based on the adventures of a comic book character from the 1930s, it’s a light- hearted romp that will not crush many brain cells.
December 1-6, “The Notebook” which ran for 9 months on Broadway, visits the Schenectady theater. It’s a sweet romance taken from the best-selling film based on the book by Nicholas Sparks.
“Hell’s Kitchen” the Alicia Keys semi-autographical musical which ran for two years and over 800 performances on Broadway brings in the new year. It opens December 29 and runs through January 3.
In February, “The Wiz”, the reinvention musical of the “Wizard of Oz” takes on a hip, urban flavor and features a cast of African-American performers. It plays February 23-28, 2027
Another popular title “Mamma Mia!”, also known as the ABBA musical, brings its timeless score and tireless energy to town, April 6-11,
Shortly after “Just in Time” leaves the building, “The Phantom of the Opera” returns. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most enduring musical plays June 23-July 4, 2027.
Titles at Capital Repertory Theatre are not as familiar, but the themes of the work do seem to be as comforting as the musicals at Proctors. Most plays have a theme of resilience, finding identity and learning how to cope. All virtues for our time.
The season opens on September 25 with “The Great American Newspaper.” This is a play with strong, genuine roots to the community. It has been developed by Miriam Weisfeld, while serving as the artistic-producing director of Adirondack Theatre Festival and Capital Repertory Theatre.
The play, written by Ken Tingley, is about his 20-plus years at the Glens Falls Post Star newspaper. It tells how his newsroom of 45 was reduced to 10, seemingly overnight. Most of all, it is about the connection journalists have to the society which they serve. It plays September 25-October 18.
The holiday show is “The Magi,” yet another variation of O. Henry’s famous short story - “Gift of the Magi.” This time it is with music, as the contemporary adaptation uses a folk singer duo in search of the perfect gift to give to one another. It plays November 27- December 24.
February 2027 has the social-comedy “Eureka Day”. It should be enough to know it’s set at a progressive private school in Berkeley, CA.
But add to that, having mumps breakout in a culture where individual rights are paramount adds to the potential fun. It runs February 26- March 21. 2027. FYI the play was first produced in 2018, which was pre-Covid.
April 2027 sees a return of playwright Lynn Nottage. Her play “Clyde’s” is about a truck stop restaurant where the workers are formerly incarcerated individuals. The play is considered a companion piece to the playwright’s Pulitzer Prize winning “Sweat,” which had a successful run at The Rep in 2024. It plays April 23-May 6, 2027.
The summer musical for 2027 is “Young Frankenstein “, which runs July 9-August 8, 2027.
Subscriptions for both the Key Bank Broadway Series at Proctors and The Rep are on sale now. Go to atproctors.org or attherep.org
Bob Goepfert is theater reviewer for the Troy Record.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
