ONE-NIGHT-ONLY BENEFIT READING
WRITTEN BY BETTY SHAMIEH BASED ON THE NOVEL BY DASHIELL HAMMETT DIRECTED BY IAN BELKNAP
WRITTEN BY JESÚS I. VALLES
WRITTEN BY C.A. JOHNSON DIRECTED BY ERIC TING
WRITTEN BY BETTY SHAMIEH DIRECTED BY IAN BELKNAP
BASED ON THE SHORT STORY “THE PAPER MENAGERIE” BY KEN LIU BOOK BY LLOYD SUH MUSIC BY THAO NGUYEN LYRICS BY THAO NGUYEN & LLOYD SUH DIRECTED BY CHAY YEW MUSICAL SUPERVISION BY CHRIS FENWICK DRAMATURGY BY CHRISTINE MOK
WRITTEN BY KATE CORTESI
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY QUIARA ALEGRÍA HUDES BASED ON THE LIFE STORY OF COREY MENAFEE
WRITTEN BY JAKE BRASCH DIRECTED BY SHELLEY BUTLER
WRITTEN BY AND FEATURING dael orlandersmith DIRECTED BY NEEL KELLER
BY ARRANGEMENT WITH LW ENTERTAINMENT LTD. ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S
MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER LYRICS BY JIM STEINMAN WITH BOOK BY PATRICIA KNOP, GALE EDWARDS & ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER ORCHESTRATIONS BY DAVID CULLEN & ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER DIRECTED BY BILL RAUCH IN COLLABORATION WITH LW ENTERTAINMENT LTD., DEAF WEST THEATRE, PERELMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, & NEW YORK STAGE & FILM
SEASON PASSES AND BENEFIT READING TICKETS ON SALE NOW
(April 13, 2026 – New York, New York) New York Stage & Film (S&F) (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Isabelle Fereshteh Sanatdar Stevens, Associate Artistic Director; Producing Directors: Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer, Johanna Pfaelzer and Leslie Urdang) is proud to announce its 2026 Summer Season at Marist University and Bardavon Presents, kicking off with a Benefit Reading of The Maltese Falcon on Friday July 10 at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, NY.
For over 40 years, S&F has developed over 1,000 stories that have won every major award including the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, Academy Award, Emmy Award, Grammy Award and Obie Award. S&F’s Summer Season audiences experience stories in their earliest stages before they go to Broadway, Off-Broadway, resident theaters and international theaters, movies theaters or TV.
In addition to the creative teams with public-facing projects, the 2026 Summer Season will host a range of artists-in-residence including individual artists and groups such as the Indigenous Voices of the Northeast and The Drama League. This season will also celebrate the Filmmakers’ Workshop and recipients of the Founders’ Award, Pfaelzer Award, and the Dasha Epstein Award; all to be announced at a later date.
New York Stage & Film is thrilled to welcome a new partnership with Bardavon Presents to deepen S&F’s relationship with the City of Poughkeepsie, and showcase larger scale workshops in development in their newly renovated historic theater. In an ongoing collaboration with Marist University, S&F allows artists to create and develop new stories in an academic environment which fosters freedom of expression and natural exchanges of ideas. Together, New York Stage & Film, Marist University, and Bardavon Presents will continue to make Poughkeepsie a destination for new works in development, welcoming national audiences to the Hudson Valley.
“These are stories we love by some of the best writers working today,” said S&F Artistic Director Ian Belknap. “They are stories full of love, joy, and sorrow. There’s something for everyone, from murder mysteries, to harrowing personal stories, to soaring and aspiring musicals. We invite everyone to the City of Poughkeepsie with our partners Marist University and Bardavon Presents to hear new stories aloud, many for the first time before they transfer to leading theatres nationwide.”
Performances will be held in Symphonic Hall at Marist University (Murray Student Center, 3399 North Road) or at The Bardavon (35 Market Street) in downtown Poughkeepsie. Season Passes and Benefit Reading tickets are now available at newyorkstageandfilm.org; All-Access 25% off Early Bird pricing ends Sunday April 19. All Ticket Passes are limited and based on availability. Individual Tickets will go on sale in early May. For more information visit www.newyorkstageandfilm.org/2026-summer-season.
In addition to the below works, S&F will be announcing a third musical project this May, which will have public presentations on Friday July 17 at 7PM and Saturday July 18 at 2PM & 8PM at the Bardavon. Additional programming, complete casting and full creative teams for all projects will be announced shortly.
The New York Stage & Film 2026 Summer Season is as follows:
Written By Betty Samieh Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett Directed by Ian Belknap, S&F’s Artistic Director Benefit Reading Presentation: Friday July 10, 8PM | Bardavon
The Maltese Falcon is a stage adaptation by Betty Shamieh, based on the classic noir novel by Dashiell Hammett, that illuminates a gritty tale of murder, deception, and greed set in San Francisco at the height of the Great Depression. Detective Sam Spade’s ambiguous moral code threatens to bring disaster to the women ensnared in a web of international criminals hunting for an elusive and priceless artifact.
Written by Jesús I. Valles Presentation: Saturday July 11, 5PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
“My first bullet flew swiftly through the head of a would-be Mexican president, cut through a street block, a dance club, a Walmart, cut back through to a past never-ending, cut past and rattled in my brain until it bloomed into these words, into my living.” bala.fruta./bullet.fruit. is the second solo show by Jesús I. Valles. In the end, bala.fruta./bullet.fruit. asks, “What might be the opposite of a bullet? Where might we find it?”
Written by C.A. Johnson Directed by Eric Ting Presentation: Saturday July 11, 8PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
Once home to sharecroppers, the Bunche Village subdivision outside of New Orleans is now made up of their suburban descendants who find community at the local corner store. Both harrowing and hilarious, Lagniappe follows their day-to-day lives in this story about loving and longing.
Lagniappe is presented with permission from and commissioned by Manhattan Theatre Club.
Written by Betty Shamieh Directed by Ian Belknap, S&F’s Artistic Director Presentation: Sunday July 12, 1PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
Full of murder, sexual intrigue, and betrayal, Unmoored is a prequel to Othello, The Moor of Venice. The teenage Othello, born into a royal household in his native country of Morocco, must learn to navigate a court full of ruthless power players, including his mother. This cheeky origin story explores the connection between jealousy, violence towards women, and war through the lens of one of Shakespeare’s most controversial tragic heroes.
Unmoored was developed at the Classical Theatre of Harlem with support from the Mellon Foundation Playwright-in-Residence program.
Based on the Short Story “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu Book by Lloyd Suh Music by Thao Nguyen Lyrics by Thao Nguyen & Lloyd Suh Directed by Chay Yew Musical Supervision by Chris Fenwick Dramaturgy by Christine Mok Presentation: Sunday July 19, 1PM | Bardavon
In Paper Menagerie, based on the short story “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu, a biracial son struggles to understand an enduring rift with his Chinese immigrant mother. Through ancestral magic and an array of paper animals his mother breathes to life on stage, this new musical explores the magic that is possible when what was left unsaid is finally heard.
Written by Kate Cortesi Presentation: Friday July 24, 7PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
Daylight is a new play based on the real-life story of Joe Garcia, a man who served 21 years in prison for murder. Framed by the pop music that sustained him during that dark time and developed in collaboration with Garcia over two years (and counting!), Daylight explores accountability, true love, and the soul-saving power of pop.
Daylight was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons.
Written and Directed by Quiara Alegría Hudes Based on the life story of Corey Menafee Presentations: Saturday July 25, 7PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
During an impromptu conversation on reunion weekend, a dining hall employee learns about the contested artifact he’s been unknowingly working beneath. Suddenly, the students he loves and the college he’s dedicated his work life to take a backseat to questions about justice and integrity. Based on a true story, Menafee examines the shocking act that changed an institution’s history.
Written by Jake Brasch Directed by Shelley Butler Presentation: Sunday July 26, 1PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
Life is good for Phil and Suze in their Florida retirement community. They fill their days with virgin margaritas and Jimmy Buffet karaoke. But the night before Suze’s big birthday cruise, Phil decides to shake things up one last time.
Trip Around the Sun is produced with permission and was commissioned by Two River Theatre.
Written by & Featuring dael orlandersmith Directed by Neel Keller Presentation: Saturday August 1, 5PM | Marist University, Symphonic Hall
The Death Chronicles (portraits) deals with people in the process of dying literally/ spiritually / it deals w/ our lack of acceptance of death /acceptance of death and celebration of the people who were here/ and transitioned and touched us
THE DEATH CHRONICLES (portraits) was commissioned by the Goodman Theatre.
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Jim Steinman With book by Patricia Knop, Gale Edwards & Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestrations by David Cullen & Andrew Lloyd Webber Directed by Bill Rauch In collaboration with LW Entertainment Ltd., Deaf West Theatre, Perelman Performing Arts Center, & New York Stage & Film Presentation: Friday July 31, 7PM; Saturday August 1, 8PM; Sunday August 2, 1PM | Bardavon
Tony Award-winning Deaf West Theatre and director Bill Rauch’s (CATS: The Jellicle Ball) reimagining stays true to the original musical as set in America’s Deep South in the late fifties, while further exploring the world as seen through the eyes of children, both deaf and hearing. This evocative musical fuses epic storytelling with compelling characters to create an unforgettable theatrical experience, now with a deepened perspective through Deaf West’s powerful, visually driven storytelling.
Whistle Down the Wind revolves around the time and place where the word teenager was invented. Swallow, struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother, discovers a mysterious stranger whom she believes is Jesus. In a town where a miracle is long overdue, the children fight to protect him from an adult world determined to find an escaped convict hiding in their midst. As fantasy and reality collide, Swallow is torn between the two and begins to discover who she is and where she is going.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s emotive score combines hauntingly beautiful love songs and explosive rock music with lyrics by acclaimed rock’n‘roll songwriter Jim Steinman. This exciting integration of Sign Language and deaf culture adds yet another layer to this poignant story of belonging, understanding, and faith.
Developed under New York Stage & Film’s Stories That Move: Developing Dance Narratives.
The New York Stage & Film Summer Season is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, through funding from Dutchess Partners in the Arts administered by Arts Mid-Hudson, and with leadership support from the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, and the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation.
Leadership support for Stories That Move: Developing Dance Narratives, inspired by Jerome Robbins, is provided by the Jerome Robbins Foundation with additional support provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Frederick Loewe Foundation and the Mertz Gilmore Foundation.
Additional support provided by Axe-Houghton Foundation, The Ellen M Violett and Mary PR Thomas Foundation, The Drama League, The Dyson Foundation, The Lucille Lortel Foundation, Richenthal Foundation, Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts, and the Tiger Baron Foundation.
ABOUT NEW YORK STAGE & FILM
Led by Artistic Director Ian Belknap, and founded in 1985 by Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer, and Leslie Urdang, New York Stage & Film has been heralded by The New York Times as a “formidable breeding ground for new work.” Hundreds of artists trace their developmental roots to New York Stage & Film, including the Tony Award-winning Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Hadestown (Anaïs Mitchell), The Humans (Stephen Karam), Doubt (John Patrick Shanley); Obie Award-winning The Invisible Hand (Ayad Akhtar), Pulitzer finalists The Wolves (Sarah DeLappe) and Taylor Mac’s A 24-Decade History Of Popular Music; Broadway musicals Head Over Heels, American Idiot, Bright Star; the award-winning film Peanut Butter Falcon (Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz) and multiple collaborations with Ngozi Anyanwu, Jocelyn Bioh, Heather Christian, Halley Feiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Marcus Gardley, Zach Helm, Beth Henley, Tom Kitt, Warren Leight, Mozhan Marnó, Billy Porter, Brian Quijada, Josh Radnor, Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, Benjamin Velez; and hundreds more. Through its dedication to supporting responsive creative processes and providing a home for artists free from critical and commercial pressures, New York Stage & Film has established itself as a vital cultural institution for residents of the Hudson Valley and the New York metropolitan region.
ABOUT MARIST UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1929, Marist University is a comprehensive, independent four-year institution that blends the liberal arts with pre-professional studies and emphasizes experiential learning to enrich classroom instruction. With campuses in Poughkeepsie, New York, and Florence, Italy, as well as more than 70 programs offering a variety of international study options, the University is a portal to the world and is devoted to nurturing a welcoming, inclusive community. Through six schools offering nearly 50 majors, Marist fosters the intellectual growth and well-being of its more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The University encourages students to explore beyond traditional academic boundaries, pursuing coursework and personal experiences that provide valuable occupational expertise and reflect their individual passions. Marist has been recognized as a top institution in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, The Princeton Review, and others.
ABOUT BARDAVON PRESENTS
Bardavon Presents is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a leading cultural anchor in New York’s Hudson Valley. Founded in 1869 as the Collingwood Opera House, the historic Bardavon 1869 Opera House has spent more than 157 years serving as a creative home for theater, opera, dance, and live performance. Today, Bardavon Presents owns and operates two landmark venues: the 928-seat Bardavon in Poughkeepsie and the 1,500-seat Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) in Kingston. The organization welcomes nearly 90,000 patrons annually, including 20,000 students through Arts-in-Education programs. In recent years, the Bardavon has completed more than $20 million in renovations, thoughtfully preserving its historic character while upgrading critical infrastructure to support artists, audiences, and contemporary performance.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT S&F: WWW.NEWYORKSTAGEANDFILM.ORG