Oil Lamp Theater Announces its 2026 Season

GLENVIEW - Oil Lamp Theater is proud to announce its 2026 season. The season opens with a comedy of campaign chaos, The Outsider, January 23 - February 22, 2026, followed by a wild play with zero filter, Poor Behavior, April 10 - May 10, 2026, up next is the latest Broadway musical from Jason Robert Brown, The Last Five Years, June 5 - July 5, 2026, the season continues with a musical audiences will fall in love with, I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, 2026, and concludes with a classic thriller with a modern twist to be announced this November. All performances take place at Oil Lamp Theater, 1723 Glenview Road. Subscriptions are on sale now with single tickets going on sale in November. For more information on the new season, current productions and the recently launched fundraising campaign, Light the Way, go to OilLampTheater.org.

“In a world so divided, come join us in our intimate venue to share in the human connection of live theatre,” said Artistic Director Elizabeth Mazur Levin. “Oil Lamp Theater's 2026 season will transport you to another time, place or lived experience via laughter, music, thrills and shared explorations.”
The 2026 Oil Lamp Theater season includes:

THE OUTSIDER

January 23 – February 22

By Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Scott Westerman
Preview Performances: Friday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 24 at 3 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances on Wednesday January 28 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, February 11 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday February 18 at 7:30 p.m.

When the sitting governor gets kicked out of office for, you guessed it, corruption, it’s time for someone new to take the throne… uh...the role. And the polls are in, it's time for an outsider. Enter bumbling brainiac Ned Newley. With bright ideas and hope in his eyes, he’s the perfect candidate - on paper. It will take a team of dedicated pollsters, campaign coordinators and more notecards than one can count, to turn him into a poised politician who can expertly avoid questions like it's his job. This knee-slappingly hilarious play will have the audience reaching across the aisle to share a laugh. Audiences may even find a renewed sense of hope for politics…okay maybe not… but they'll at least enjoy an absolutely hysterical and highly entertaining break from the news.

POOR BEHAVIOR
April 10 – May 10, 2026
By Theresa Rebeck
Directed by Lauren Katz
Preview Performances: Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 11 at 3 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, April 15 at 11 a.m and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday April 29 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday May 6 at 7:30 p.m.

A visit from old friends takes an unexpected turn when a bombshell accusation throws niceties out the window. Hospitality turns to havoc. Sanity shatters into shambles. Manners take a backseat as two couples are pushed to their limits during a weekend in the country. Will they be able to pick up the pieces over wine and muffins or will their poor behavior leave them irrevocably broken? Find out in this sharp-witted play by acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck.

THE LAST 5 YEARS

June 5 – July 5, 2026

Book, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Christina Ramirez
Preview performances: Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday June 6 at 3 p.m.
Opening Night: Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday, June 10 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday June 17 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, June 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday July 1 at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances on Saturday July 4.

Straight from Broadway, Jason Robert Brown’s musical masterpiece The Last Five Years comes to Oil Lamp Theater. This widely beloved show takes audiences on the romantic rollercoaster of Jamie and Cathy as they fall in and out of love over the last five years. Told from each individual’s perspective – one chronologically and one backwards – audiences will be swept into the unique storytelling and find an anti-love story full of humor and heart. Hailed as a powerful and intimate production, this Drama Desk Award-winner for Outstanding Music is not to be missed.

I LOVE YOU BECAUSE

August 14 – September 13, 2026

Book and Lyrics by Ryan Cunningham
Music by Joshua Salzman
Directed by Scott Shallenbarger
Preview Performances: Friday, Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday Aug. 15 at 3 p.m .
Opening Night: Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance schedule: Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. with additional Wednesday performances Wednesday Aug. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday September 2 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Wednesday September 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Modern dating is a mess. Sometimes to find Mr. Right you need to find Mr. Wrong even if that means seeing someone stuck on their ex, awkward encounters of the intimate kind and lots of horrible coffee dates. Opposites attract in this feel-good musical that will transport audiences into the heart of your favorite guilty pleasure rom-com. Created by acclaimed musical team Ryan Cunningham and Joshua Salzman and inspired by Jane Austen’s gold-standard romance novel “Pride and Prejudice,” this delightful musical will make you fall head over heels.

FALL 2026 PRODUCTION

October 2 – November 1, 2026

The fall 2026 production will be announced this November.