For Immediate Release
May 8, 2026
Press Contact: Michael Kyrioglou
michael.kyrioglou@gmail.com
World Premiere of J.B. Miller’s The Last Victorian Joins a Shaw Rarity, Plus Solo Sleepy Hollow, and Intimate Crime & Punishment for 2026-27 Season
Plays Directed by WSG’s Steven Carpenter, Laura Giannarelli, Bill Largess, and Frequent WSG Artist Deidra LaWan Starnes
Washington, DC — The Washington Stage Guild proudly announces the plays to be produced in its 2026-27. This 41st season includes the world premiere of J.B. Miller’s THE LAST VICTORIAN, Marilyn Campbell & Curt Columbus’s three-actor adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel CRIME & PUNISHMENT, John Minigan’s take on Washington Irving’s story THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW as a solo play, and a rarely produced adaptation by George Bernard Shaw, JITTA’S ATONEMENT. Performances begin September 24, 2026 at the Washington Stage Guild’s home, The Undercroft Theatre in the Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Tickets and passes will be on sale starting mid-May 2026.
“How can we tell true from false? Aren’t the lies we tell ourselves the hardest to see through?,” says Stage Guild Artistic Director Bill Largess. “The Washington Stage Guild’s 2026-27 Season of Self Delusion will focus on our fantastic beliefs, whether good or bad. It’s a diverse mix of stories we’ll be bringing to the stage, some with a literary pedigree, along with a world premiere and a rarity from our favorite, Shaw.”
2026-2027 SEASON
THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW by John Minigan, from a story by Washington Irving, Directed by Steven Carpenter, WSG Associate Artistic Director
September 24 – October 18, 2026 (Press/Opening: September 27, 2026 at 2:30pm)
Enter an abandoned (and possibly haunted) tavern in Sleepy Hollow for this haunting and humorous autumn treat. Rediscover the timeless legend of the headless horseman in author Washington Irving’s ghoulishly funny cautionary tale of overconfident schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his imminent encounter with the terrifying Headless Horseman – told by one actor. It’s a guaranteed visit of supernatural chills, laughs, and the power of storytelling that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
“A HIGH SPOOKINESS QUOTIENT [and] AN ABUNDANCE OF SILLINESS AND HUMOR FAST” – BroadwayWorld
“This SPELLBINDING theatrical experience combines humor, suspense, romance, and the supernatural. IT IS PERFECT FOR AUDIENCES OF ALL AGES!” – MetrMag
THE LAST VICTORIAN by J.B. Miller
Directed by Laura Giannarelli
November 19-December 13, 2026 (Press/Opening: November 22, 2026 at 2:30pm)
Two failed British antique dealers, partners in both business and in life, unbelievably inherit the world’s oldest person – AND try to monetize her. Soon questions surface regarding the woman’s true provenance (and age), and the dealers turn on each other. But then the tables are turned on them by the mysterious woman – who may in fact actually be the oldest person in the world. Come see if the truth is revealed. WORLD PREMIERE
CRIME & PUNISHMENT by Marilyn Campbell & Curt Columbus from the novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Directed by Deidra LaWan Starnes
January 28-February 21, 2027 (Press/Opening: January 31, 2027 at 2:30pm)
This taut, award-winning adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s literary masterpiece delves into the mind of troubled student Raskolnikov – emboldened to commit a horrible crime, believing himself superior and above the law. Campbell and Columbus force us to have a “conversation on the nature of evil” and the search for redemption – if it is even possible. Told by three actors in a thrilling 90 minutes, the audience becomes another character in this psychological and spiritual journey which seeks to unveil hidden dimensions of the human condition.
“REMARKABLY ABSORBING” – The New York Times
“this adaptation…reminds us how THRILLING a classic can be” – AISLE SAY Chicago
“STUNNINGLY LEAN, TAUT AND EMOTIONALLY SEARING” – Chicago Sun-Times
JITTA’S ATONEMENT by Siegfried Trebitsch, translated & adapted by George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Bill Largess
April 8-May 2, 2027 (Press/Opening: April 11, 2027 at 2:30pm)
A rarity from the pen of George Bernard Shaw, his very free adaptation of a juicy German potboiler. As a mea culpa for having an affair with his wife, Jitta’s lover (her husband’s colleague) asks that her husband take possession of his final book and publish it under his own name. At first reluctant, he eventually agrees to edit and publish the book, as he knows his anger over his wife’s infidelity cannot last forever. A tragic tale transformed into a tragicomedy bursting with Shavian wit; it’ll be hard to look away.
“it is a piece of HIGH COMEDY that gets better and more Shavian as it proceeds… flying high with delicious confrontations. FULL OF TRIUMPHANT HUMOR AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRUTH.” – Variety
“Jitta’s dilemma and heartbreak moves towards its inevitable conclusion along a trail of SHAW-INDUCED LAUGHTER” – CurtainUp
SEASON PASSES & PRICING
2026-2027 Season Passes and Individual Tickets will be available starting mid-May 2026. Each Pass gives the recipient four admissions that can be used any way: all four at once; two for one show, two for another; or one for each production.
Performance Times and Prices:
Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm, $60.00
Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, $60.00
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm $60.00
Discounts are available for Senior Citizens ($50), Students ($30), and Groups.
Season Passes are available, offering incredible savings for the entire Washington Stage Guild season. $140 each.
Purchase at https://stageguild.org/buy-tickets/
ABOUT THE THEATRE
Founded in 1986 by a professional company of theatre artists dedicated to producing literate, challenging works in a collegial and supportive atmosphere, the Washington Stage Guild quickly established itself as an indispensable component of the D.C. area theatre scene; recognized as early as the end of the first season (1987) by The Washington Post. The ensemble theatre company’s acclaimed repertoire of neglected classics, unfamiliar works by familiar playwrights, and stimulating new plays from around the world is presented in a style that is the Guild’s own—direct and clear, with a strong commitment to adhering to the author’s intent.
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