2026 FESTIVAL
JULY 29-AUGUST 9, 2026
A BEACON FOR THEATRICAL CREATIVITY
QUICK LINKS
Browse our complete daily lineup of all events across all stages each day of the 2026 festival.
Experience an exclusive evening with & Juliet’s Shakespeare, Drew Gehling on Sunday, August 9 at 7pm.
Saturday, August 8 from 10am-1pm
We will have free entertainment along Main Street with the country’s greatest acrobats and jugglers aling with a Live Arts Market showcasing non-profit arts institutions across the region.
THE HOUSE I LIVE IN: JOSH WHITE’S AMERICA
Learn more about the world premiere production coming to the Cristal Palace for our 2026 festival starting Wednesday, July 29 and running until Sunday, August 9.
2026 FESTIVAL LINEUP
THE HOUSE I LIVE IN; JOSH WHITE’S AMERICA
Sponsored by Bunny and Bob Hughes and Lillian and Henry Parr
This July and August will premiere SCNPF’s first full production The House I Live In; Josh White’s America,taking July 29-August 9 as part of the fifth anniversary season of the festival. The show tells Josh’s story, from his beginning in Greenville as a "lead boy" to Blind Musicians in the Upstate all the way to his rise to fame in the 30’s and 40’s at New York Clubs like Café Society and as a star of Broadway and Hollywood, including scenes with legends like Billie Holiday, Woody Guthrie and Paul Robeson, to name but a few.
Auditions will be held in May and full casting announced at a later date.
Opening Wednesday, July 29 and running through Sunday, August 9 at The Cristal Palace
BROADWAY CABARET STARRING DREW GEHLING
Sponsored by Ellis Pearce
This once-in-a-lifetime event is a combination of a cabaret-style performance paired with a behind-the-scenes interview with Broadway celebrity Drew Gehling! Known for his show-stopping performances in the Broadway productions of Waitress, Jersey Boys, and & Juliet, Drew brings his talent, charm, and raw charisma to Greenville for one night only. View full details here.
Sunday, August 9 at 7pm at The Cristal Palace
In our first late night event, the festival’s featured acrobats will come together under the canopy of the Cristal Palace Spiegeltent for a Late Night Variety Show on Saturday, August 8, at 9:30pm. Expect a thrilling and unexpected evening, sponsored by Carson Gleberman.
Saturday, August 8 at 9:30pm at The Cristal Palace
SOUTH CAROLINA’S NEXT BROADWAY STAR
Sponsored by the Daniel-Mickel Foundation
A Scholarship contest aimed at discovering and supporting high school musical theater students in South Carolina. Apply here.
Fission, by Cindy Lou Johnson, follows scientists Lise Meitner and Otto Hahn as their discovery of nuclear fission reshapes history and destroys their thirty-year partnership. Cindy Lou Johnson is an American playwright whose work has been produced at The Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Circle Repertory Company. Fission is presented in partnership with Seattle Repertory Theater.
Friday, August 7 at 7pm at The Greenville Theatre.
NIGHT GAME
Sponsored by Bill and Laura Pelham
Night Game, a new play by Octavio Solis and directed by Lisa Portes, centers on baseball legend Ted Williams. When he returns to his childhood home to reconnect with his estranged brother, their reunion explores identity, destiny, and the complexities of family. Octavio Solis, author of more than 20 plays, is one of the most prominent Latino playwrights in America. Night Game is presented in partnership with La Jolla Playhouse.
Saturday, August 8 at 10:00am and 2:00 PM at The Warehouse Theatre
THE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION:
A NINTH GRADE EUROPEAN HISTORY PROJECT
(THERE WILL BE A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION)
Sponsored by John and Jackie Warner
The Communist Revolution: A Ninth-Grade European History Project (THERE WILL BE A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION), a new play by Grace McLeod and directed by SCNPF Artistic Director Shelley Butler, follows a teenager who takes her history project to the extreme by launching a backyard communist revolution. Grace McLeod's work blends sharp humor with bold political themes, creating a darkly comic exploration of generational conflict and ideology.
Saturday, August 8, at 7pm at The Greenville Theatre
SPINX MARKET LIVE ARTS FAIR
Sponsored by Spinx Market
On the morning of Saturday, August 8, Downtown Main Street will be filled with street performers and tents showcasing all the amazing Live Arts Producers of the Upstate, including Theater Companies, Dance Companies, Movement Studios, Performance Classes, Educational Institutions, and more! From Falls Park Drive to Augusta, starting at 10am and ending at 1pm.
Saturday, August 8 from 10am-1pm on Main Street.
TO BE ANNOUNCED PLAY 4
Details to come.
Sunday, August 9 at 3 PM.
Become a VIP with a $150 donation which comes with donor perks, restaurant discounts, and a VIP badge for early admission to our general admission seating!
Due to the support of our donors and VIPs, the SC New Play Festival is able to once again offer FREE RESERVED TICKETS to new plays and musicals filled with Broadway stars and local talent.
COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN?
Plan your trip to beautiful Greenville, SC! We’ve curated a list of walkable accommodations to make your festival weekend convenient and relaxing. And as an attendee of SCNPF, you’ll get a special discount!