Working to bring something new to the stage
The Puget Sound’s weekly roundup of arts, culture, and community | May 29 to June 4, 2026
New York doesn’t have the monopoly on creating new theatre. Here in the Puget Sound we have access to multiple organizations that have a strong focus on supporting and developing new works. And even better, this gives us locals a chance to see the process of creating a new play or musical. Dig into what Village Theatre is doing to bringing new shows to our stages. — Ciara
The future of musical theatre is being built at Village Theatre—and has been for decades. Beginning in 1980, when few theatres were investing in new musicals, Village chose not just to produce new work, but to nurture it. The results speak for themselves: musicals developed at Village include Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal, Tony Award-winning Million Dollar Quartet, and Drama Desk Award-nominated It Shoulda Been You.
The theatre’s new work ecosystem includes not only Mainstage productions of new musicals, but also Village Originals (pre-world-premiere productions, readings, commissions, workshops, and residencies) and the Festival of New Musicals, where many writers hear their shows out loud for the first time.
Village’s choice to focus on developing new musicals rather than new plays is rooted in the institution’s formative years. “Musical theater has the unique ability to inspire people or even cause them to change their mind about things,” says Robb Hunt, who spent 43 years leading Village. “From very early on, I found real gratification in working alongside musical theater writers with the shared objective of trying to make things better in this world.”
On the Stage
Blue Man Group
Theatre | Broadway at The Paramount
Now – May 31 | Tickets
Blue Man Group will rock your world, blow your mind, and unleash your spirit. As three bald and blue men explore our world, together we’ll discover music, laughter and surprises at every turn.
More Events
- LeAnn Rimes | Seattle Symphony | June 2 | View Print Program
- The Circus of Second Chances | Acrobatic Conundrum | Now – June 14
- Barefoot in the Park | Taproot Theatre | Now – June 20 | View Program
- We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up | Village Theatre Issaquah | Now – June 21 | View Program
Next Line
- Sign up today for Symphony Tacoma’s Beat Beethoven 5k. Complete the race before the final, dramatic chords of Beethoven's 5th Symphony finish playing.
- This weekend is your last chance to stream Wicked Wiz of Oz performed by Seattle Men’s Chorus.
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