Mexodus and Rock Opera 1972 Will Be Part of A.R.T.'s 2026-27 Season

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University has announced the first three titles of its 47th season, to be presented at the Loeb Drama Center and Farkas Hall in Harvard Square. In May, 2027, A.R.T. will have its inaugural production in the theater’s new home, the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Center for Creativity & Performance, to be announced in the coming weeks.

A.R.T. will begin its season with Eugène Ionesco’s Rhinoceros (August 12-September 20) at the Loeb Drama Center. Tony Award winner Diane Paulus directs the production, which features a new adaptation by A.R.T. of Derek Prouse’s translation. In the play, one man is forced to decide: will he follow the crowd amid pressures to conform or stand his ground and hold on to his humanity.

Next up is the world premiere of the rock opera 1972 (October 27-November 22) at Harvard’s Farkas Hall. Inspired by true stories of the Janes, an underground network of women who risked everything to provide a choice to women with nowhere to turn, 1972 is written by musician-activist Chadwick Stokes of the Boston-based indie bands DISPATCH and State Radio with Jessie Nelson. The ensemble of actor/musicians includes Stokes.

A.R.T. will also present the Helen Hayes Award winner Mexodus (December 4–January 10. 2027) at the Loeb Drama Center. Created by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, the hip-hop musical reveals a hidden chapter of American history: an underground railroad for freedom-seekers across the Rio Grand into Mexico. Directed by David Mendizábal and choreographed by Tony Thomas, Mexodus features live-looped music.