Center Theatre Group Announces 2026-27 Season Featuring New Works and Classics

Center Theatre Group has revealed its performance schedule for the 2026-27 season, featuring a mix of world premieres, comedies, and thought-provoking dramas. Artistic Director Snehal Desai outlined the programming strategy, which includes Zack Zadek's folk thriller 'The Turning' as the opening production at the Mark Taper Forum. The season also includes Karen Zacarías's 'Destiny of Desire,' Cole Escola's 'Oh, Mary!,' and the family-oriented 'Dog Man: The Musical.' Later in the season, audiences will see 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and August Wilson's Pulitzer-winning 'Fences,' which will conclude the season and lead into the company's 60th anniversary celebrations. Desai described his approach to planning as both intuitive and programmatic, aiming to create a cohesive narrative across the season. He emphasized the importance of presenting works that explore societal questions while also offering communal and celebratory experiences. The theater company is navigating challenges such as rising costs and audience shifts, with initiatives like CTG: FWD bringing productions like 'Riverdance 30' and 'Clue' to the Ahmanson Theatre. Desai highlighted the investment in new works development as a key strategy for future sustainability, noting that original stories like 'The Turning' represent the future of American theater. The season announcement comes as the organization looks ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and its own milestone anniversary.