In the months after the annual Tony Awards, a smattering of Broadway shows take their final bow. For regional theaters everywhere, that means the rights to hot-ticket titles are theirs for the taking. Musicals full of fanfare pack up and hit the road, regional houses bring the big names to their communities, and your hometown thespian gets to take a crack at belting out “One Day More.” From American classics to new original works, these seven shows call for getting dressed up for a night at the theater.
Merrily We Roll Along at the Signature Theatre
Arlington, Virginia
Stephen Sondheim’s reverse chronological story about a turbulent trio of friends is one for the ages. “As I’ve gotten older, the emotional heart of the story hits much harder,” says the Signature’s artistic director, Matthew Gardiner. The Signature’s intimate MAX Theatre “allows audiences to connect with these characters as they journey backwards in time over the course of the evening, and witness every moment of heartbreak and triumph up close.” Through November 1.
Dead as a Dodo at Actors Theatre of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
“We truly brought back the production by popular demand,” says Amelia Acosta Powell, artistic director for Actors Theatre. “This show makes just as good a date night as it does a family outing.” The magical blend of puppetry, projection, and music from the touring company Wakka Wakka follows the story of two skeleton friends, a Dodo and a boy, as they embark on an odyssey through the underworld. October 14–November 1.
Come From Away at Barter Theatre
Abingdon, Virginia
As the Newfoundlanders would say in this crowd-favorite musical, “Welcome to the rock!” On the heels of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of the thirty-eight planes that were grounded that day in the remote Canadian town of Gander. The characters’ devotion rings true in Abingdon, an Appalachian town of about the same size. “The energy in the theater is electric; there are moments of pin-drop silence and raucous applause,” says the production’s director, Sarah Van Deusen. Through November 1.
Our Town by Playmakers Repertory Company
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
A classroom classic and Pulitzer Prize winner, Thornton Wilder’s ever-relevant reminder to live in the moment transcends this slice-of-life play. The Playmakers production transforms their Paul Green Theatre into an in-the-round space, inviting the audience to stop and smell the roses right alongside the actors. In the company’s fiftieth-anniversary year, “Grover’s Corner is a beautiful place to come visit,” says artistic director Vivienne Benesch. “It’s got the heartache and heartbreak and life and death, and everything in between that journey.” November 18–December 6.
Little Women at TheatreSquared
Fayetteville, Arkansas
The love of the March sisters never gets old, but playwright Lauren Gunderson breathes life into a new adaptation by placing the book’s author, Louisa May Alcott, directly on stage. “Glimpsing her, through the same actor who plays Jo, reminds us what a powerhouse she was,” says TheatreSquared artistic director Bob Ford. “Good lord, here we are nearly 160 years after it was published, completely entranced by the March family.” November 18–December 20.
POTUS at the Warehouse Theatre
Greenville, South Carolina
If you’re a fan of West Wing or Veep, POTUS is a delightfully chaotic riff on the genre. “It was a no-brainer for us to produce this one,” says Mike Sablone, producing artistic director at the Warehouse. “A large ensemble and female-driven comedy? If you pitch that to me, I’m already 90 percent interested.” Following seven women trying desperately to keep a man’s presidency afloat, this show is for everyone who’s dealt with a terrible boss. December 4–20.
Frozen at Tennessee Performing Arts Center
Nashville, Tennessee
“I think audiences of every age benefit when we actually listen to young people,” says artistic director Jess Fichter of Nashville Repertory’s season full of young voices. Anna and Elsa’s coming-of-age story reminds viewers to value the kind of love that is often overlooked. With new songs, a puppeteered Olaf, and the kingdom of Arendelle come to life, Frozen brings the spectacle of Disney to the stage. December 4–20.
Ellen Corry, a 2026 intern at Garden & Gun, grew up in Athens, Georgia, and graduated from New York University, where she studied theater.