April 14, 2026 — New York Stage & Film (S&F) is proud to announce its 2026 Summer Season at Marist University and Bardavon Presents, featuring Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winners as well as two EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) recipients. The season kicks off with a benefit reading of The Maltese Falcon on Friday, July 10, at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie.

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. Through its partnership with Marist University, S&F’s Summer Season brings this nationally recognized development work to Poughkeepsie. This gives Marist students exceptional experiential learning opportunities to engage directly with leading artists in Broadway, film, and television as they create new work in its earliest stages—well before it reaches Broadway, regional theaters, international stages, and screens.

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.

Marist’s Symphonic Hall (left) has long been a hub of student activity and special musical events and will host productions by New York Stage & Film this summer. The Bardavon in the City of Poughkeepsie (right), located just over a mile from campus and home to Marist’s annual Lessons and Carols concert each December, will also host productions.

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, 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.”

Whistle Down the Wind featuring the direction of Bill Rauch (left) and score from Andrew Lloyd Webber (center) in connection with Deaf West, will be presented at The Bardavon on July 31, August 1, August 2. Photo of Bill Rauch by Eric Emauni. Photo of Andrew Lloyd Webber courtesy of andrewlloydwebber.com.

Among the works being featured during the 2026 Summer Season are Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind, with lyrics by Jim Steinman. Tony Award–winning Deaf West Theatre and director Bill Rauch offer a reimagining of the original musical—set in the late‑1950s Deep South—while deepening the story through the perspectives of both deaf and hearing children. The production will be presented in a special workshop engagement at The Bardavon on Friday, July 31 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, August 1 at 8:00 PM; and Sunday, August 2 at 1:00 PM.

Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes presents Menafee at Marist University’s Symphonic Hall on July 25. Photo by Emma Pratte.

On Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 PM, Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes presents Menafee at Marist University’s Symphonic Hall. Menafee is based on a true story, examining a moment on a college campus when a dining hall employee’s daily routine collides with questions of justice, history, and institutional integrity.

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 packages are limited and based on availability. Individual Tickets will go on sale on Thursday May 14. 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.