Skylight Music Theatre Announces 2026-2027 Season: 67 Years of BOLD Music Theatre
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
Daring characters, compelling stories, and iconic music, all driven by bold artistic vision
Milwaukee, WI (March 16, 2026) – Skylight Music Theatre announces its bold 2026-27 season, marking the company’s 67th year of bringing innovative work to audiences as Milwaukee’s home for music theatre. This season harmonizes today’s leading musicals with striking reimagined classics, each presented with Skylight’s signature treatment and spectacle.
“This season reflects the heart of Skylight Music Theatre,” says Executive Director Susan Varela. “Bold characters, extraordinary music, and the power of live music theatre to bring together Milwaukee artists and audiences. We are deeply grateful to our Skylight community whose enthusiastic support continues to sustain and inspire our work, and we look forward to celebrating these must-see productions together throughout the season.”
Skylight audiences will also enjoy new subscriptions and benefits, designed with accessibility and flexibility in mind. New offerings include exclusive opening night experiences, a full season selection of ASL-interpretation and preshow programming, as well as a 35-and-under package for young professionals at a discounted rate. Skylight will continue to offer Skylight Insights preshow programming, free and open to the public every Wednesday and Sunday.
“There are few things as exciting or more rewarding for a theatre company than revealing the titles for a new season. The audience response to our past several seasons has encouraged us to choose a variety of classics, as well as new and lesser-known works,” says Artistic Director Michael Unger. “Shows that make you laugh, cry, and connect with our community. We need these positive connections to each other now more than ever.”
With the unveiling of the 67th season, Skylight continues to invest in the next generation of artists, expanding its university partnerships. To provide students with real-world professional experience and in collaboration with Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD)’s Lubar Innovation Center, MIAD student designers worked directly with theatre leadership to create custom Skylight merchandise and original artwork for each of the five productions in the new season.
As a United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) founding cornerstone member, Skylight celebrates the transformative power of the musical and theatrical arts through innovation, education, and entertainment for Milwaukee's diverse community. Performed in the historic Cabot Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, Skylight’s bold 2026-27 season promises daring characters, compelling stories, and iconic music, all connected by signature artistic vision and local talent.
“We have five stellar productions, casts, designs, and behind-the-scenes artists to bring you the types of shows you have come to expect from Skylight,” says Unger. “Please join us for all of them!”
Skylight Music Theatre’s 2026-27 Season
Gypsy
September 25 – October 18, 2026
Book by Arthur Laurents; Music by Jule Styne; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Directed by Artistic Director, Michael Unger
One of Broadway’s most celebrated musicals, Gypsy is a musical fable of ambition, family, and the cost of fame. Follow a determined stage mother as she pushes her daughters towards stardom, all while longing for her own spotlight. As vaudeville fades and burlesque rises in the American 1920s-30s, this landmark musical, considered one of the greatest of all time, captures grit, glamour, and humor of show business. With a legendary score by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim, each song sparkles with heart, wit, and showstopping moments.
Presenting Sponsor: We Energies Foundation
Show Sponsor: Bob Balderson
Big The Musical
November 13 – December 27, 2026
Based on the 1987 film; Book by John Weidman; Music by David Shire; Lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr.; Directed by Artistic Director, Michael Unger
The beloved 1987 film bursts to life on the Cabot stage in a magical, unforgettable theatrical experience. When awkward kid, Josh Baskin, makes a wish on a Zoltar arcade machine to be “big,” his wish comes true, and he suddenly finds himself navigating jobs, romance, and the hilarious challenges of adulthood. With a witty and moving book by John Weidman and a heartfelt contemporary score by David Shire and Richard Maltby, Jr., Big The Musical is a dazzling family-friendly smash hit for audiences of all ages!
Dress Rehearsal Sponsor: Baird Private Asset Management
Dear Evan Hansen
January 22 – February 7, 2027
Book by Steven Levenson; Music and Lyrics by Benj Pask & Justin Paul; Directed by Elyse Edelman
A Tony Award-winning, coming-of-age hit about truth, identity, and the yearning to belong. Seventeen-year-old Evan Hansen has always felt invisible, until a sudden tragedy puts him at the center of a community shaken by loss. As his carefully woven lies unravel, Evan must confront the price of acceptance and the courage to be himself. Featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Steven Levenson and a stunning, Tony Award-winning score by Benj Pask & Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen is a powerful, moving story that resonates with audiences of all ages.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
March 12 - 28, 2027
Book by Robert L. Freedman; Music and Lyrics by Steven Lutvak; Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak; Directed by Artistic Director Michael Unger; Based on the novel by Roy Horniman.
The Tony Award-winning, laugh-out-loud hit! When low-born Monty Navarro learns he is eighth in line for a grand earldom and inheritance, he hatches a delightfully ghoulish plan to eliminate all the unsuspecting relatives in his way and perhaps win the heart of the woman he loves as well. With a witty book by Robert L. Freedman and a clever toe-tapping score by Steven Lutvak and Freedman, this theatrical comedy is darkly hilarious, brilliantly twisted, and impossible to forget.
Rock of Ages
April 16 – May 2, 2027
Book by Chris D’Arienzo; Arrangements and Orchestrations by Ethan Popp; Directed and Choreographed by Stephanie Staszak
It’s the tail end of the wild 1980s, where Aqua Net, Lycra, lace and liquor reign supreme at a legendary venue on the Sunset Strip. Aspiring rock star (and resident toilet cleaner) Drew and small-town girl Sherri share big dreams and a thirst for fame. All is put to the test when the Strip’s existence is threatened by urban developers, and the return of rock god Stacee Jaxx causes a wake of chaos and broken hearts. Packed with anthems of Twisted Sister, Styx, Whitesnake, and many more fan-favorites, Rock of Ages is a loud, raucous, heart-pounding celebration of rock ‘n’ roll and never giving up on what you believe in.
Ticket Sales: Subscriptions to the 2026-27 season are now on sale beginning March 16, 2026. Single tickets will be available later in the summer. For more information on subscription packages, visit
SkylightMusicTheatre.org/Subscribe or call the Box Office at (414) 291-7800.
Sponsors: Skylight Music Theatre gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the 2026-27 season sponsors: The United Performing Arts Fund, We Energies Foundation, BAIRD Private Asset Management, Moira J. Kelly, and Bob Balderson, with additional support from the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Herzfeld Foundation, and the Shubert Foundation. Their invaluable support is essential in bringing this bold season to fruition.
Season artwork and tote bag by Nola Hennen & Wren Mason through the MIAD Lubar Innovation Center
