Leeds Playhouse has revealed its new season of productions for 2026 and 2027, marking the beginning of Tom Wright’s tenure as artistic director. The diverse programme includes revivals, world premieres, and a fresh Christmas show.

Opening the 2026 season, Leeds Playhouse will present a new revival of August Wilson’s Fences. Directed by Daniel Bailey, this co-production with Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester will run in the Courtyard theatre from 11 to 26 September before touring the UK.

From 22 October to 7 November 2026, the theatre will revisit Peanut Butter and Blueberries, written by Leeds Playhouse writer-in-residence Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan. The production, directed by Sameena Hussain, explores themes of love under global pressure, following its 2024 world premiere at the Kiln Theatre.

The seasonal offering, How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, directed by Wright himself, will run from 19 November 2026 to 16 January 2027. Heading into the new year, the venue will stage a new production of Romeo and Juliet in the Quarry theatre from 3 to 20 March 2027, with further details still to be announced.

Wright’s own new work, Sirens, described as a “warm, tense and deeply human story,” will debut in the Courtyard theatre from 15 March to 3 April 2027. The piece, a collaboration with Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, explores the bonds formed by ordinary people facing unexpected danger.

A reimagining of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden, adapted by Linda Marshall Griffiths and co-directed by Amy Leach, will play from 23 April to 15 May 2027 in the Courtyard. This co-production with Theatr Clwyd follows Leach’s Olivier-nominated success with Animal Farm.

Leeds-born Jeff James will adapt and direct a new version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, which examines AI, creation, and humanity’s role in technology shaping. This production is scheduled for the Quarry theatre from 12 to 29 May 2027.

The season will conclude with a revival of Little Shop of Horrors, co-produced with Oxford Playhouse and directed by Jamie Sophia Fletcher, running from 23 June to 17 July 2027.

Alongside its theatrical offerings, Leeds Playhouse is launching an enhanced creative engagement programme called Playhouse Connect, featuring People’s Playhouse, Playhouse Ensembles, and Furnace strands. The venue is also expanding its Furnace artist development scheme to support artists at all career stages.