September 17 – October 18, 2025 | Jewell Mainstage Theatre
In This Program
- About The Play
- Director’s Note
- Company
- Taste of Show
- Lobby Gallery
- A Nice Cuppa Tea?
- Join us for Taproot’s 50th Anniversary Season!
- Print Edition
- More About Taproot Theatre
About The Play
Playing in the Jewell Mainstage Theatre
The Importance of Being Earnest
By Oscar Wilde
Cast
(In Order of Appearance)
Lane/Merriman
Tim Gouran
Algernon Moncrief
Christopher Clark
Jack Worthing
Calder Jameson Shilling
Lady Bracknell
Shaunyce Omar*
Gwendolen Fairfax
Kelly Karcher
Miss Prism
Jonelle Jordan
Cecily Cardew
Alegra Batara
Reverend Chasuble
Nik Doner
Understudies
Algernon/Rev. Chasuble
Jeremy Steckler
Jack/Lane/Merriman
Sebastian Wang
Gwendolen/Cecily
Marena Kleinpeter
Bracknell/Prism
Candace Vance
Production
Director
Bretteney Beverly
Assistant Director
Melanie Godsey
Scenic Design
Parmida Ziaei
Costume Design
Danielle Nieves**
Lighting Design
Tucker Goodman
Sound Design
Mark Lund
Prop Master
Andrea Spraycar
Stage Manager
Clara King*
Dialect Coach
Dimitri Woods
Dramaturgs
Kelly Flynt, Sonja Lowe, Natalie Westgor
Setting
ACT I. Algernon Moncrieff’s Flat in Half-Moon Street, W.
ACT II. The Garden at the Manor House, Woolton.
ACT III. Drawing-Room at the Manor House, Woolton.
The Importance of Being Earnest is approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission.
*Appearing through an agreement between this theatre, Taproot Theatre Company, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
**A member of United Scenic Artists Local 829, the union representing Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound and Projection Designers in Live Performance.
Director’s Note
Welcome to the final play of Taproot Theatre’s 2025 Mainstage Season. This year, we are closing out our season with Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
When I learned that I was going to be the director for this show, I was both honored and excited. Honored because Taproot has a long legacy of excellence when it comes to presenting this particular style of comedy, and excited because, with this amazing cast and creative team, we have had the chance to add to the Taproot legacy with a fresh, new take on a beloved classic.
Oscar Wilde famously described The Importance of Being Earnest as a “trivial comedy for serious people.” Here at Taproot, we call it “a play about love and snacks.” I would also add that it’s a story about a community learning to accept people as they truly are.
The Importance of Being Earnest is packed with comedic mishaps and romantic misunderstandings. There is also plenty of time spent poking fun at snobbery, false standards, and human hypocrisy. However, by the end of play, all the comic chaos has been resolved into celebration. That’s what I love about this show. In contrast to the world around us, where we often see so much division, this production invites audiences to step into a story that is multicultural, vibrant, fresh, and filled with color. It’s a comedy that welcomes us all to come together, laugh together, and to celebrate our differences... together.
I’m so glad that you are here to join us!
Enjoy the show,
Bretteney Beverly
Associate Artistic Director
Company
Cast
Alegra Batera (they/them)
Cecily Cardew
Alegra is pleased as punch to be working on this delightfully silly play. They are a Filipino American theatre artist, born and raised in the PNW. Alegra was last seen as Sally Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas. They have also appeared in shows at Reboot Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, ACT, and Village Theatre, and work as an associate producer for Pork Filled Productions. For the queer, Asian kids, always. alegrabatara.com
Christopher Clark
Algernon Moncrief
Christopher made his debut at Taproot in The Book of Will and later returned as the misguided gangster-in-tight-pants Joey in Sister Act. His recent appearances include play festivals at ACT and Village Theatre, and a turn in Jersey Boys. Chris can also be found mentoring stuck creatives with somatic and imaginative practices, supporting a turn towards one's whole self. Big thanks to Mary, Christopher, and Karin, his cucumber sandwiches. @c.w.clark
Nik Doner
Reverend Chasuble
Nik is a Seattle-native actor, animator, editor, creative producer, and VO artist with a BA from Loyola Marymount University who is delighted to return to the Taproot stage. Nik’s Taproot appearances include The Book of Will, How to Write a New Book for the Bible, and Last Drive to Dodge (u/s). Other local appearances include work at ACT, Village Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, ArtsWest, and Washington Ensemble Theatre among others. nikdoner.com
Tim Gouran
Lane/Merriman
Tim is a Seattle-based actor and recently appeared at Taproot as Karl Lindner in A Raisin in the Sun. He has performed with many regional and local theatres including Seattle Rep, Strawberry Theatre Workshop, Intiman Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, New City Theater, Washington Ensemble Theatre, Theatre22, and Azeotrope Theatre. He got his start with The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Jonelle Jordan
Miss Prism
Jonelle is happy to return to Taproot after playing Millie in Last Drive to Dodge. Other local productions include Mrs. Loman is Leaving, Bethany (ACT); The Lower Depths (Intiman Theatre, Seagull Project); Sense and Sensibility (Village Theatre); Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, The Government Inspector (Seattle Shakespeare Company); The Revolutionists (ArtsWest). However, her favorite role is “Mom” to her two beautiful boys (one and four years old!). Next, she will appear in Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at Village Theatre. Stay in touch on Instagram @nelleb
Kelly Karcher
Gwendolen Fairfax
Kelly is delighted to return to Taproot—and especially grateful to once again share the stage with her brilliant husband, Calder! She has previously been seen at Taproot as Lydia in the Christmas at Pemberley trilogy, Vivienne in Jeeves Takes a Bow, and Shelby in The Spitfire Grill. Kelly has also performed locally with Seattle Shakespeare Company and Lucky Panda Presents, has worked on developmental projects with Seattle Children’s Theatre and ACT, and is a founding producer of The Co-Conspirators. kellykarcher.com
Shaunyce Omar
Lady Bracknell
Shaunyce is excited to make her Taproot debut! Her regional credits include Seattle Rep, 5th Avenue Theatre, Intiman Theatre, True Colors Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Theatre, Village Theatre, The Ensemble Theatre Houston, The Alley Theatre, and TUTS. She has also toured nationally in Menopause The Musical and has appeared in TV shows, movies, and video games. Shaunyce is a Master Sensei of Gospel Music in Japan and received a BA in Theatre from Southern University and A&M College.
Calder Jameson Shilling
Jack Worthing
Calder was last seen at Taproot as Bertie Wooster in Happy Christmas, Jeeves. Other Taproot credits include Sherlock Holmes and the Precarious Position, Jeeves Takes a Bow, and See How They Run. Seattle credits include Sense and Sensibility and Dial M for Murder at Village Theatre. Calder is beyond grateful for the opportunity to do this bucket-list show, especially getting to play opposite his incandescent wife, Kelly Karcher.
Understudies
Marena Kleinpeter
Gwendolen/Cecily
Marena is thrilled to be making her Taproot Mainstage debut! She previously joined Taproot’s Christmas touring in 2021. Originally from Las Vegas, Marena has called Seattle home since 2017 and has performed locally with Seattle Children’s Theatre, Dacha, LG!, Seattle Rep, 14/48, and GreenStage. She is in her third and final year in the MFA program at the University of Washington where she most recently played Hermione in Winter’s Tale and Grusha in Caucasian Chalk Circle. 1 Corinthians 2:9
Jeremy Steckler
Algernon/Rev. Chasuble
Jeremy is thrilled to be back at Taproot Theatre for this fun show. Previous Taproot credits include Thomas in Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley, Pigpen in Charlie Brown Christmas, and Eugen Matterson in The Hello Girls. In addition to his stage work, Jeremy is also a musician and a film actor with roles in Cora Bora and The Grove. He gives thanks to his family and partner for supporting him in all the wacky pursuits he has.
Candace Vance
Lady Bracknell/Miss Prism
Candace has appeared on many Seattle stages including ACT, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Seattle Public Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, and Book-It Repertory Theatre. Favorite Taproot credits include Lady Chiltern in An Ideal Husband, Rachel in A Woman of No Importance, and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. Candace has also enjoyed working internationally as Julieta in the National/Spain Tour of Romeo y Julieta and in The Quality of Mercy: A Tour of Love Through Shakespeare’s Words in Paris. candacevance.com
Sebastian Wang
Jack/Lane/MerrimanSebastian is making his Taproot debut! He is a third year MFA actor at the University of Washington and was seen as Don in June is the First Fall, Chris Keller in All My Sons, Autolycus in Winter’s Tale, and Rooster in Annie. He would like to thank his mom and dad, Jane Ann, and Scott Himsel for their love and support. Sebastian would also like to thank Bretteney Beverly, the cast, and the crew for putting on an amazing show!
Production Team
Bretteney Beverley
Director
Bretteney serves as Taproot’s Associate Artistic Director. She recently directed A Raisin in the Sun, Sister Act, and My Lord, What a Night at Taproot. Bretteney’s favorite theatre credits include A Streetcar Named Desire, 'Night Mother, Grease, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Crowns, An Octoroon, Pride & Prejudice, Flyin' West, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Bus Stop, Macbeth, and A Woman of No Importance. Favorite directing credits include Everybody, Grease, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf, R & J, Little Shop of Horrors, The Fantasticks, Crimes of the Heart, and Always… Patsy Cline. Outside of theatre, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her adorable pit bull, Boss Lady. She would like to dedicate this show to her dad; he would’ve loved it.
Kelly Flynt
Dramaturg
Kelly is a director, dramaturg, and writer working in the Bay Area and the Greater Seattle area. She has provided dramaturgical support for previous Taproot productions such as The Nerd, As It Is In Heaven, and My Lord, What a Night. Other dramaturgy work includes productions at The Driftwood Players, As If Theatre, inD Theatre, Red Curtain Theater, and Chill Bucket Productions. She is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theater Critics Circle and works as an adjudicator for International Thespians. Many thanks to Sonja Lowe for inviting her back to the Taproot family to be part of this amazing show.
Tucker Goodman
Lighting Designer
Tucker is happy to be back at Taproot after recently working on Murder on the Links. His recent lighting and scenery engagements include Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Comedy of Errors at Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Anatasia, The Voice of the Prairie, and The Old Man and the Old Moon at Seattle Pacific University. Tucker is also a scenic designer at Analog Heart, Inc.
Melanie Godsey
Assistant Director
Melanie is always so thrilled to work at Taproot Theatre! She was previously at Taproot as the Assistant Director for As it is in Heaven and Sherlock Holmes and the Precarious Position. Favorite acting roles at Taproot include Shelby in Steel Magnolias and Alice in The Book of Will. She has also written for Taproot’s Road Company since 2017. She is a proud founding member of The Co-Conspirators, an emerging femme-forward producing collective. She absolutely adores her JRMs.
Clara King
Stage Manager
Clara is a proud AEA Stage Manager and freelance theatre artist based in Seattle. They recently joined the Taproot staff as Production Associate and is delighted to be working on their first show. Clara also works as Production Manager with Woodland Park Players and has recently collaborated with Seattle Opera, LA Opera, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Broadway Rose Theatre Company, La Mirada Theater, and the New London Barn Playhouse. Clara received their MFA in Stage Management from CalArts. She gives all her love to Ella. ckingsm.com
Sonja Lowe
Dramaturg
Sonja has a BA in Theatre from Seattle Pacific University and a MLitt in Dramaturgy from the University of Glasgow. As a former Taproot intern, Sonja has served on Taproot’s staff in multiple capacities since she was first hired in 2010. She is currently the Literary Manager and Resident Dramaturg at Taproot and contributes to other dramaturgical research for other regional theatres in the Pacific Northwest.
Karen Lund
Producing Artistic Director
Karen has been with Taproot since 1993 and became Taproot’s Producing Artistic Director in January 2021. Taproot was recently voted the Seattle Times People’s Choice Best of the Northwest for Theatre 2024, and received the 2024 Gregory Award for Outstanding Performing Arts Organization of the Year. Recent directing work includes Taproot Theatre’s Lewis and Tolkien, Happy Christmas Jeeves, and Always...Patsy Cline. Karen is currently directing Brigadoon at Village Theatre. Karen has directed across the country. She is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union (SDC), a professional voiceover artist. Karen would like to thank her amazing family, Mark, Jake, and Hannah.
Mark Lund
Sound Designer
Mark recently designed Murder on the Links, Always... Patsy Cline, The Book of Will, The Hello Girls, and Black Coffee at Taproot. Other design work includes Seattle Shakespeare Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre, and award-winning short films. He has voiced many regional and national projects for T-Mobile, The North Face, the NHL, FedEx, Amazon, Super Smash Bros., and as Falco Lombardi in Starfox. Love to Karen, Hannah, and Jake.
Danielle Nieves
Costume Designer
Danielle is honored to be making her Taproot debut. Her work has been seen previously at The Old Globe, 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Rep, Dallas Theater Center, South Coast Rep, The Goodman Theatre, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Writers Theatre, ACT, Intiman Theatre, Village Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Cleveland Playhouse. Off-Broadway credits include PTP/NYC at the Atlantic Stage 2. Danielle is a proud member of USA 829. daniellenieves.com
Andrea Spraycar
Prop Master
Andrea is a prop artisan and has been a company member with PonyWorld Theatre since 2022. She has lent her talents to Theatreworks, Denver Center Theatre Company, Ocean State Theatre Company, and Santa Fe Opera. Her work in Seattle includes Sweeney Todd at ArtsWest, Kim’s Convenience at Taproot Theatre, and Hot Dish at PonyWorld Theatre, as well as design work for the local wrestling community. She would like to thank her family and friends for their love, support, and thrift store shenanigans.
Natalie Westgor
Dramaturg
Natalie is a Seattle-based writer, educator and dramaturg with an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of St Andrews and a BA in American Studies from Vassar College. She has worked with artists across the U.S. and U.K. to explore story, structure, and voice. Natalie’s plays have been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the University of St Andrews, and for The Barrow Group’s Restorative Stories program. As a Victorian theatre enthusiast, she is thrilled to join the dramaturgical team for The Importance of Being Earnest.
Dimitri Woods
Dialect Coach
Dimitri is a Seattle-born actor, producer, and dialect coach. He holds an MFA in acting from the University of South Carolina. Dimitri is excited to coach dialect in his seventh show with Taproot—Georgiana & Kitty being the most recent. You may have seen him in productions like Welcome to Braggsville, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Milk Sugar, Six Degrees of Separation, Riverwood, and The Amen Corner, among others. dimitrijai.com
Parmida Ziaei
Scenic Designer
Parmida is an Iranian multidiscplinary artist, desginer, and co-founder of Seda Iranian Theatre Ensemble. As a designer, she has contributed to a diverse range of projects, including interior, architectural, immersive, and entertainment spaces. Parmida has worked as a scenic and production designer for numerous Seattle theatres, including Taproot, ACT, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Village Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, and more. When not designing, she performs, choreographs, and teaches as a movement artist. parmidaziaei.com
Equity
ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers nationwide. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theater as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, working conditions, and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. #EquityWorks
Production Crew
Crew
Assistant Stage Manager
Grace Heller
Stage Management/Crew Swing
Cassie Fitzgerald
Vision & Call Production Intern
Yeram Son
Casting
Casting Director
Bretteney Beverly
Costume Staff
Dresser
Luna McMeen, Morgan Morgans
Draper
Martha Mitchell
Stitchers
Scían Hayes, Veronica Dimoff
Wig Specialist
Jaclyn Deshaye
Wig Designer
Joyce Degenfelder
Scenic & Lighting Staff
Master Electrician
Aiyana Stephens
Scenic Carpenter
Garrett Dill
Scenic Charge Artist
Mark Lund
Scenic Artists
Jaiden Clark, Garrett Dill
Light Board Operator
Matthew Ray
Electricians
Glen Fritz, Morgan Poirier, Matthew Ray, Amanda Sweger
Scenic Strike/Load-in
Mike Egan †, Wayne Juanee †, Rosanna "Zanna" Kwat †
† All stage work performed by employees represented by I.A.T.S.E., Local No. 15
Taste of Show
Stop by concessions before the show to pre-order your intermission refreshments.
Taproot’s concessions menu features Pacific Northwest wine and beer, non-alcoholic beverages, and a variety of snacks, including specialty items chosen specifically for this show.
Food and Drink Specials curated for The Importance of Being Earnest:
Snacks
- Lady Bracknell's Brambleberry Bites
- Raspberry Jammy Dodgers (La Liath Bakery)
- Wilde About Strawberries & Cream Scones (Seattle Scone Co.)
- Algernon's Afternoon Cookies — Oatmeal Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie (La Liath Bakery)
Featured beverages
- Cecily's Potion — White chocolate liqueur, tequila, and rose water
- Blackcurrant Mojito — Rum, blackcurrant cordial, lime juice, and soda water
- Gwendolen's Spot of Tea Spritz — Rosemary Earl Grey spritzer (Non-Alcoholic)
Wilde Times at Taproot
Spanning nearly 50 years, Taproot has had a long-standing relationship with the wit and wisdom of Oscar Wilde. Starting with touring productions of The Happy Prince and The Selfish Giant in 1976 and later bringing Wilde to the Jewell Mainstage for the first time in 2007 with a production of The Importance of Being Earnest, Taproot has produced several of his plays, each appreciating his satire, enduring themes, and utter charm.
Lobby Gallery
Recentered Hope: A Special Project by Roger Feldman
September 19–November 3
Losing a loved one is something that many of us can identify with and have experienced.
It was on January 27, 2025, that our daughter passed away from cancer. We were with her in Southern California for 7½ months to help her get through chemotherapy since she couldn’t drive. As an artist, I was getting frustrated by not being able to “make." I went to an art store, bought some chipboard, a metal ruler, and an Exacto knife. I began making 4½”x 4½” maquettes for large-scale installations. Our daughter saw them being made, and she understood. By the time she died, I had completed 50. After we drove back to Seattle, I continued to make more as an act of grieving. It helped me process her death. I finished another 50 and stopped. It occurred to me that the first 50 were about HOPE, hoping she would beat the cancer. It also occurred to me that the second 50—done in Seattle—were about Recentered HOPE. She was a committed Christian who went to Seminary, got a master's degree in Intercultural Studies, and worked in ministry for 20 years before she passed. We know where she is, and her ministry community has felt the loss. She has moved on to the ultimate place of HOPE.
This show also includes paintings from the HOPE series from when I had Covid before there was even testing. I was so grateful to be alive after recovering from the realities of Covid that I utilized a color palette that I learned from Vincent Van Gogh. Warm yellows, oranges, and reds— positive feeling colors in response to being alive! The ten paintings are from a series of 64. It was this HOPE series facing death that I associated with what our daughter was going through.
The Giclee prints are of large-scale installations that I did in 2014 and 2022 when my daughter helped during her times at home. One of the installations was done in Pasadena, where she lived, and she showed up daily to help her dad. These images are a tribute to her and her continual willingness to “help.” We are so grateful to God for allowing us to raise this beautiful and empathetic woman whose life was given in service to others. Thank you, Kirsten Bree Feldman, for who you became. We are proud of you.
—Roger Feldman
Roger Feldman completed his undergraduate degree in art at the University of Washington and his MFA in sculpture at Claremont Graduate University. His installations have been exhibited since the late 1970s and he received an Individual Artist NEA Fellowship in 1986. His site-specific installations and maquettes have been shown in six countries and throughout the United States.
All works are for sale unless marked by a red dot. Please visit Roger’s website at rogerfeldman.com for more details about his work and to contact the artist for purchase enquiries.
—Gina Cavallo, Curator & Director of Development, Taproot Theatre
A Nice Cuppa Tea?
By Kelly Flynt
As a writer, Oscar Wilde uses teatime not for refreshment, but for revelation. In The Importance of Being Earnest, tea scenes are settings for power plays, pettiness, and hilarious passive-aggressive behavior. Wilde uses a custom recognized as “quintessentially British” to poke fun at the foibles of British society. But what is the history behind this hallmark British tradition?
The Queen’s Tea
Portuguese and Dutch traders brought tea to Western Europe for decades, but the marriage of King Charles II to the Portuguese Princess Catherine of Braganza in 1662 changed the status of tea. The English court was so taken with the elegant princess that they copied everything about her: her clothes, her furniture, and her beverage of choice, namely tea.
Tea Time
By the mid-1800s, the introduction of kerosene lamps made it fashionable to eat a late dinner around 8:00 or 9:00 PM. The long gap between the traditional hearty mid-morning breakfast and dinner provided an opportunity for a new, light meal. The Duchess of Bedford is credited with the idea of requesting tea, bread and butter, and small cakes in her private quarters around 4:00 PM. The Duchess was also a friend and former lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria. Once the queen adopted afternoon tea, it quickly spread throughout the aristocracy.
High Tea
Among the British upper class, afternoon tea was served at a low table, now commonly known as a coffee table, surrounded by chairs and a settee. When the servants cleared the tea and food, it was taken downstairs where the staff gathered at a high table to eat and drink the leftovers, calling it high tea due to eating at a high table. High tea was also the term used for the evening meal of the working class. As the men returned home from the fields or factories, this heartier evening meal was also served with tea at the high kitchen table.
A New High Tea
In the 1900s, the growing middle class imitated the rich by adopting afternoon tea as an economical way to host a small group. A pot of tea and a few small nibbles were all that was needed or expected. By this time, the evening meal was more commonly called dinner or supper rather than high tea. Gradually, the once simple afternoon tea began to evolve into something more elaborate. Upscale hotels began to offer a more extravagant afternoon tea with three-tiered trays of delicate pastries and white glove service. These hotels used the term “high tea” to differentiate the simple afternoon tea served at home from their more elaborate offerings. The term stuck, especially in America, where high tea is now known as a fancy afternoon affair.
But, regardless of what you call it or what time you serve it, teatime is best enjoyed with a fresh pot of your favorite brew, some sweet and savory treats, and a few good friends.
Join us for Taproot’s 50th Anniversary Season!
Till We Have Faces | January 21–February 21, 2026
By C.S. Lewis, Adapted for stage by Karen Lund
The season opens with a world premiere of Till We Have Faces, a powerful retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche. Based on C.S. Lewis’s final novel and adapted for stage by Taproot’s Producing Artistic Director Karen Lund, this brand-new play explores deep themes of love, beauty, faith, doubt, and the bonds of sisterhood.
Ain't Misbehavin' | March 18–April 18, 2026
The Fats Waller Music Show by Richard Maltby Jr.
Following the success of 2025’s Always… Patsy Cline, Taproot presents another musical commemoration: Richard Maltby, Jr.’s Ain’t Misbehavin’, a Tony Award-winning tribute to jazz legend Fats Waller. Full of joy, rhythm, and soul, this celebration of Black artistry remembers Fats Waller’s generation-defining songs and lasting impact on today’s music and culture.
Barefoot in the Park | May 13–June 13, 2026
By Neil Simon
Taproot further develops its reputation of producing classic comedies with a production of Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon. Set in 1960s New York, this rom-com about a buttoned-up young lawyer and his free-spirited bride is full of wit, chemistry, and charm.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | July 8–August 8, 2026
Lyrics by Tim Rice, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
From iconic duo Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Taproot tailors the hit musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for its intimate stage, inviting audiences to experience a powerful performance up-close. Previously presented in 2007, this vibrant new production bursts with pop, gospel, calypso, and rock.
Conscience | September 16–October 17, 2026
By Joe DiPietro
The season closes with a regional premiere of Joe DiPietro’s Conscience, a gripping play based on true events that shaped history. Following the story of Margaret Chase Smith, a U.S. Senator who stood up to McCarthyism in the 1950s, this stirring new work still resonates today.
Celebrate the holiday season with some festive fun at Taproot Theatre!
A Sherlock Carol
By Mark Shanahan
The world-famous miser is dead, to begin with... and Sherlock Holmes is seeing ghosts. Retired after Moriarty’s death, Holmes is pulled back into action because of a missing gem, strange visions, and a ghostly visitor. With help from Scrooge and a host of other beloved characters, Holmes unravels a twisty tale of Christmas carols and confections in this witty, heartwarming, and surprising mashup of Dickens and Doyle.
November 26–December 27
In the Isaac Studio Theatre:
A Charlie Brown Christmas
By Charles M. Schulz • Based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson • Stage Adaptation by Eric Schaeffer • By Special Arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Ruby Persson
The all-ages holiday tradition is back!
Charlie Brown is depressed by the never-ending commercialism surrounding the holidays. Thankfully, Linus is there to help him find the true meaning of Christmas in this musical adaptation of the cartoon classic.
December 4–27
We are in full Autumn Merriment at Taproot!
With Oscar Wilde on the mainstage, our upcoming Uncorked fundraising event on November 1, and the warmth and coziness of the season, there is a lot of joy and hope here at Taproot. It’s a time of celebration, creativity, and excitement for what’s ahead.
Be a part of the merriment by making a big impact today! Your financial support is the foundation for all that we do on stage and behind the scenes.
Donate today and help fuel the merriment of the season!
Print Edition
More About Taproot Theatre
Taproot Theatre
Staff and Board
Directions and Plan Your Visit
About Taproot Theatre
