WHAT'S PLAYING THIS WEEKEND? (September 25-27)
WHAT’S PLAYING THIS WEEKEND?
SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2026
OPENING THIS WEEK/WEEKEND
TMI IMPROV – (One performance only. September 25)
Come watch a collection of perfectly normal people make up some extraordinary stuff.
TMI specializes in character-driven improv comedy, using both long- and short-form, where simple suggestions from the audience pave the way for improvised story-telling that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Featuring guest monologist Sean Adams. At Gamut Theatre. (gamuttheatre.org)
HERE & HEARD (One performance only. September 26)
Featuring storytellers from Central PA, New York City, Baltimore and beyond, Here & Heard brings together a dynamic collection of voices and perspectives for an experience that explores identity, history, grief, resilience, joy, healing and transformation.
“Peace comes when we pick up the pieces and put them back together in a way that makes us stronger.”
Inspired by those words of Sharia Benn, Sankofa’s Executive Artistic Director, the program invites audiences to experience how art can help us reflect, reconnect, rebuild and imagine what is possible. Here & Heard will be performed at The Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. (sankofatheatrehbg.org)
COURT STREET CABARET (One night only: Sunday, September 27)
Bring your sheet music and sing your favorite songs on stage with a live accompanist! This time we want YOU to take the stage in the Court Street Cabaret. Sign up at the door and enjoy an entertaining evening of music and drinks! At Open Stage. (openstagehbg.com)
BARPG (Special event. One night only: Tuesday, September 29)
It’s roleplaying games! It’s improv! It’s theatre! It’s audience participation! It’s shouting! It’s drinking! And…this month it features demons and dwarves!! Join the area’s most easily persuaded gamers for an evening of one-shot adventure in the worlds of science fiction, horror, fantasy – and more. At Capital City Music Hall, 234 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg.
F I N A L W E E K E N D
HAROLD AND MAUDE (Through September 26)
Harold is the proverbial poor little rich kid. Alienated and fixated upon death, he repeatedly stages his own suicide in a cry for attention from his self-obsessed mother. While attending a funeral – something he does for recreation - he encounters Maude, a delightfully wacky octogenarian, who shares his odd enthusiasm for memorial services. Harold soon develops a peculiar attachment to Maude and her eccentric philosophy, and their quirky relationship deepens, eventually opening a pathway for Harold to embrace life. This stage version will delight both aficionados of the film and newcomers to the story. From Open Stage (openstagehbg.com)
RAPUNZEL (Through September 26)
An old couple desperately wishes for a child, and when their dream comes true they name the child Rapunzel. In true fairytale fashion, a Witch steals the child and locks her away in a tower.
Will the Witch keep Rapunzel forever? How will the Prince rescue Rapunzel from the tower? What happens to the old couple? The children from the audience use their own creativity to help tell this story and to make sure that everyone lives “happily ever after!” From Gamut Theatre’s Popcorn Hat Players. (gamuttheatre.org)
BAD SEED (Through September 27)
Christine Penmark lives in a small suburban town with her young daughter, Rhoda. On the surface, little Rhoda is sweet, charming, full of old-fashioned graces, and loved by all her elders.
But Rhoda’s mother has an uneasy feeling about her daughter.
When one of Rhoda’s schoolmates is mysteriously drowned at a picnic, Mrs. Penmark recognizes with alarm that the schoolmate who was drowned was the one who had won the Penmanship Medal…the medal that Rhoda was so adamant she deserved. At Oyster Mill Playhouse (oystermillplayhouse.com)
BLANK (Through September 27)
A guest performer walks onstage having never seen the script. They receive it then for the first time, and discover it along with the audience. Plus, there is one more surprise waiting: the script is full of blanks.
With help from the audience, the performer fills in the story in real time. Every performance features a new person on stage and a completely one-of-a-kind experience shaped by the people who are present. From Prima Theatre. (primatheatre.org)
I N T H E W I N G S
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL (Opens September 30)
This inspiring true story about Carole King spans from her early days as a Brooklyn teenager struggling to enter the record business to her years spent as a chart-topping music legend and one of the most successful singer-songwriters in music history.
With unforgettable hits like It’s Too Late, You’ve Got a Friend, So Far Away, and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Beautiful is a moving, music-filled portrait of resilience, self-discovery, and the healing power of song. From Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. (dutchapple.com)
THE BIRDS (Opens October 2)
In an isolated house, strangers Nat and Diane take shelter from relentless masses of attacking birds. They find relative sanctuary but not comfort or peace – there’s no electricity and little food, and a nearby neighbor may still be alive and watching them. Another refugee, the young and attractive Julia, arrives with some news of the outside world, but her presence also brings discord. Their survival becomes even more doubtful when paranoia takes hold of the makeshift fortress – an internal threat to match that of the birds outside. Adapted for the stage by Conor McPerson from a story by Daphne du Maurier. At Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg. (ltmpa.com)
THE TEMPEST (Opens October 3)
Years earlier, Prospera was betrayed and forced into exile with her daughter Miranda. Now, on the island of Ometepe, Prospera uses the island's magical powers to create a violent storm that shipwrecks Queen Alonsa of Managua and her court.
Prospera, with the help of her servant and spirit of the island Ariel, brings her enemies to shore and sets into motion a long-awaited reckoning. As her plan unfolds, old betrayals surface, exploring how hurt people hurt people, while all on the island question power, rightful home, and belonging.
With Spanish dialogue, traditional Latin song and dance, and costumes nodding to Nicaragua, The Tempest is both a celebration of culture and a powerful examination of what it means to share our land and our love. Featuring Gamut’s Executive Director Melissa Nicholson as Prospera. At Gamut Theatre. (gamuttheatre.org)
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD LIVE! (Opens October 9)
Night of the Living Dead Live is a fun and hilarious re-imagining of George A. Romero’s legendary classic. Set in 1968 and presented in all black and white, it literally feels like the film has been brought to life and placed onstage. The play lovingly examines the movie itself, the period in which it was made, and the film’s undying influence on the horror genre.
More than just a recreation of the story, the play celebrates the history and influence of the movie. Through a series of multiple endings, the characters are all faced with different issues and challenges while desperately trying to survive the night. However, their contrasting personalities and agendas always seem to prevent the group from working together. Which leaves us all wondering: Could anyone survive a night of the living dead? From Open Stage (openstagehbg.com)
S P E C I A L E V E N T S
AMERICAN HIGHWAYMEN (Two performances only. October 5-6)
A tribute to the great American Outlaws! Step back into the golden era of American music featuring the music of these four trailblazing legends Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. Hear timeless classics including I Walk the Line, On the Road Again, Ring of Fire, Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys, (Ghost) Riders in the Sky and more! A special event from Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. (dutchapple.com)
Visit these theatres’ websites for ticket information or go to paonstage.com for details.
If you are part of a theatre staff or board, and have questions about how to include your organization on PA On Stage, contact us at richwine@paonstage.com.