Theatre Bristol Announces 2026 Season of Live Performances and Opportunities
61st anniversary features Charlotte’s Web, Grease, Red, White and Tuna, Deathtrap, The SpongeBob Musical, American TALL Tales, It’s a Wonderful Life, and more!
Mark your calendars for performances, auditions, classes, summer camp, and other ways to get involved in your community theatre, Theatre Bristol!
Theatre Bristol announces its 2026 season of auditions, performances, and registrations that celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country with shows based around the nation.
This 61st Season features seven full-scale productions, as well as classes and workshops with the Catherine DeCaterina School of Theatre Arts, The StART of Adventure summer camp, PLAYtime in the ARTspace, ARTScene, and Theatre Bristol Youth Academy.
Community theatre depends on community involvement, and individuals are invited to get involved with this 2026 Season by:
- Attending comedies, drama, or musicals, with stories for everyone;
- Taking classes and workshops, summer camp, and Saturday morning programs;
- Auditioning or working on crews;
- Creating together by sharing or developing skills;
- Donating and sponsoring; and
- Connecting and finding community.
The season kicks off with registration open for the Catherine DeCaterina School of Theatre Arts Creative Dramatics classes for ages 5 and 6 from Feb 3 to March 24. Students spark a love for being onstage in Creative Dramatics. Topics include theatre games, improv, imagination, auditioning, and more. The class helps develop confidence, knowledge, discipline, and imagination. Participants also have fun and make friends who enjoy the theatre arts. Registration is available at http://www.TheatreBristol.org/tbarts.
PLAYtime in the ARTspace performances for littles and those who love them resumes and continues the second Saturdays each month at 10:00 am at the Theatre Bristol ARTspace, 506 State Street, Bristol, TN 37620. Tickets are available at www.TheatreBristol.org/tickets.
Theatre Bristol partners with River’s Way, to present a new original production, American TALL Tales, on February 28 and March 1 at the Theatre Bristol ARTspace. Written for actors with differing abilities, playwright and director Dottie Havlik, brings American heroes to life, from Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox to John Henry and Johnny Appleseed.
A free audition workshop for all ages will be held at Theatre Bristol on February 21 from 2:30 to 5:30 pm with registration online at http://www.TheatreBristol.org.
Theatre Bristol’s children’s spring production is based in North Brooklyn, Maine to humbly present twelve terrific Charlotte’s Web performances over three weekends, March 13 through the 29 at the Cameo Theatre under the direction of Camille Gray. Auditions for Charlotte’s Web are January 17 and 18 at Theatre Bristol with details online for all 2026 auditions at http://www.TheatreBristol.org/audition.
Northwest Chicago, Illinois’ Rydell High School is out for the summer, so “You’re the One That I Want,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “Summer Nights,” and dancing make it a summer to remember at the Paramount Center for the Arts with the musical Grease directed by Glenn Patterson, June 19 through 28. Auditions for Grease are at Theatre Bristol on March 6, 7, and 8.
The perfect way to celebrate the 4th of July is visiting the smallest town in Texas–Tuna, Texas–for the hilarious comedy, “Red, White and Tuna” directed by Chris McVey at Theatre Bristol’s ARTspace, weekends July 2 through 12. Auditions for Red, White and Tuna are May 16 and 17.
Theatre Bristol’s popular July summer camp, The StART of Adventure, builds theatre skills for 5 to 12 year olds July 6-19, with registration open in February 2026 at http://www.TheatreBristol.org/tbarts.
Right here in Bristol is the setting for the 1927 Bristol sessions recordings and their musical influences in “The Mockingbird Sings” directed by Susan McNabb and Barbara Walton at the ARTspace Theatre. This fourth annual production runs September 4 through 10 and features early Scotch-Irish influences to gospel and blues, along with the Carter family, Jimmie Rodgers, Pops Stoneman and more, in an Appalachian love story. Auditions for The Mockingbird Sings are April 18 and 19.
Through a COFA with the U.S., Bikini Bottom is the site of “The Spongebob Musical: Youth Edition” presented on October 3 at the Cameo Theatre. Led by Camille Gray and Peggy Russell, this Theatre Bristol Youth Academy production, with afterschool stagecraft and rehearsals from August 3 through performances, begins registration in March at http://www.TheatreBristol.org/tbarts.
Westport, Connecticut is the scene of the crime this fall, where the perils of sharing your script are evident in “Deathtrap,” directed by Gary Aday and presented at the Cameo Theatre weekends October 23 through November 8–with a Halloween late night performance. Auditions for Deathtrap are August 1 and 2 at Theatre Bristol.
It is hard to imagine what the holidays would be like without Bedford Falls, New York’s “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and there’s no need to as “It’s A Wonderful Life” the musical comes to the Paramount Center for the Arts under the direction of Kenn Naegele November 20-22 and December 4-6, and to Theatre Bristol December 11-20. Auditions for “It’s A Wonderful Life” are August 22 and 23 at Theatre Bristol.
Tickets for these 61st Season productions will be on sale at www.theatrebristol.org.
Opportunities to work on production crews or backstage are also available by contacting info@theatrebristol.org. Volunteer roles include costuming, set design and construction, lighting, sound, stage management, props, publicity, assisting, and many other roles. Experience or a strong willingness to learn are both welcome.
Show sponsorships and souvenir program space for all shows is available by contacting info@TheatreBristol.org.
For a recap of all that was new and special at Theatre Bristol in 2025, Theatre Bristol’s report of accomplishments is available to read at www.TheatreBristol.org.
Theatre Bristol appreciates the support of the Tennessee Arts Commission of its 2026 Season, as well as the support of arts sponsors: the City of Bristol, TN, The United Company Foundation, the McGlothlin Foundation, Lighthouse Supply Company, Berry Home Centers, Leticia Peltzer ENT & Allergy Consultants, Citizens Bank, Air Movers, Burwil Construction, PROSIM Engineering, Summit BSR Roofing, Seaman Corporation, Food City, The Optimist Club, Arts Alliance of the Mountain Empire A! Magazine for the Arts, WCYB News 5, The Loafer, WETS, The Bristol Herald Courier, Mountain Escapes, and Good News.
Founded in 1965 by Cathy DeCaterina, Theatre Bristol is a community theatre serving all ages that also has the distinction as the oldest continually running children’s theatre in northeast Tennessee. Located on historic State Street in Bristol, it also serves southwest Virginia. Its seasons consist of drama, comedy, and musical productions that take place in the black box ARTspace theatre, the Cameo Theatre, and at the Paramount Center for the Arts, and offerings provided by our School of Theatre Arts. Theatre Bristol is a volunteer-operated community organization that welcomes involvement.
For more information, visit the Theatre Bristol’s website or Facebook page, contact Theatre Bristol at 423-212-3625, or email info@theatrebristol.org.