IF Theatre’s 2026-27 Spotlight Season aims to “satisfy the tastes” of Hoosier theatergoers.
Home of the IndyFringe Festival presented by Everwise Credit Union, IF Theatre is commonly thought of as Indianapolis’ cultural hub for “what’s next” in the performing arts. Over the last five years, the organization hosted nearly 60 producing theatre companies for more than 2,000 performances — including the only certified Rakugo performer in the Western Hemisphere, world-class comedy acts, and Indiana-, regional-, and world-premiere plays and musicals, according to a press release.
“The IndyFringe Festival doesn’t have just one audience,” Paul Daily, executive director of the IF Theatre, said in a statement. “And neither does IF Theatre — but when I met with hundreds of our community members during my first 100 days, one thing truly stood out: that people love the wonder and surprise of the IndyFringe Festival. No matter what an audience member feels when they leave one show, they always enter the next one with the possibility that they could be discovering something truly magical. That’s the energy we’re grabbing on to this year.”
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The 2026-27 Spotlight Season is set to include 16 events of varying styles, energies and run-times, speaking to the varied tastes of IndyFringe Festival attendees and aiming to satisfy the “wide array of needs for theatergoers in Indianapolis,” according to a press release.
Audiences can expect to see the “tried and true Spotlight Season favorites” again this year — including Lady Bits Comedy show, OnyxFest and Defiance Comedy’s holiday musical. However, IF Theatre is also presenting a mix of shows from first-time participants. Some shows may run for as few as three performances or as many as three weekends, capturing the ‘you’ve got to be there’ necessity of the annual festival, according to a press release.
2026-26 Spotlight Season
“The House on Haunted Hill”
- The Basile Theatre at IF, 401 E. Michigan St.
- Oct. 16-Nov. 1, 2026
- A chilling horror play and mystery film screening with surprise guests, presented by Cryptid Entertainment.
OnyxFest
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Nov. 5-8, 2026
- A festival of new plays written by Black playwrights, presented by the Africana Repertory Theatre of IU Indianapolis
“Dance Nation” by Clare Barron
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Nov. 11-15, 2026
- An original dark comedy where ambition and femininity daringly intersect for a troupe of pre-teen dancers.
Jason Adams Presents: “Face Your Fears”
- The Blackbox at IF, 719 E. St. Clair St.
- Nov. 13-14, 2026 and April 23-24, 2027
- A comedy experience where artists boldly challenge their performance skills, presented by Jason Adams.
“Lady Bits Comedy Show”
- The Blackbox at IF
- Nov. 20-21, 2026, Jan. 15-16, 2027, March 19-20, 2027 and May 21-22, 2027
- A mix of stand-up, improv and sketch comedy featuring a rotating cast of women comedians, presented by Betty Rage Productions.
“The Misfits”
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Dec. 4-20, 2026
- An original holiday musical by Defiance Comedy.
“Microbiomes”
- The Blackbox at IF Theatre
- Dec. 4-5, 2026 and June 18-19, 2027
- A comedy showcase centering LGBTQ and BIPOC comedians, produced by local comedian Wyatt McKinley.
“The Sellouts”
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Jan. 8-24, 2027
- A new dramedy about the complexities of adult friendship by local playwright and freelance writer, Emily Worrell.
“Evanston Salt Costs Climbing”
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Feb. 2-21, 2027
- Rising costs. Colder winters. Personal meltdowns. In Will Arbery’s unique off-beat comedy, a crew of lovable municipal misfits struggles to keep the roads — and their own lives — from skidding out of control. Presented by American Lives Theatre.
“Winning Ways”
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Mar. 05-14, 2027
- A 1931 Abbey Theatre production lovingly revived by The Morrigan Theatre Co.
FemmeFest
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- Mar. 25-28, 2027
- A weekend-long celebration of women-led theatre projects, produced in partnership with Betty Rage Productions.
“Fellow Travelers: A New Musical”
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- April 2-18, 2027
- A new musical about the unexpected power of shared experiences, presented by the Emmy award-winning writer and director, Jonathan Frazier.
“Endgame”
- The Blackbox at IF
- April 8-18, 2027
- Samuel Beckett’s absurdist family drama, reimagined by Catalyst Repertory.
“The Mandate for Lysistrata Beyond the Sky”
- The Basile at IF
- April 30-May 16, 2027
- An afro-futurist musical adaptation of Lysistrata written and produced by The Skye Webb Walker Simulation.
“If Pretty Girls Could Talk”
- The Blackbox at IF
- May 21-30, 2027
- A coming-of-age drama written and produced by Jadah Rowan.
“Bigfoot Saves the Universe”
- The Basile Theatre at IF
- May 28-June 13, 2027
- The final camp comedy play in the Bigfoot trilogy, produced by Cryptid Entertainment.
The IndyFringe Festival presented by Everwise Credit Union
- Aug. 12-22, 2027
- An 11-day festival featuring performances from a variety of artists and production companies from Indiana and across the globe.
Tickets to the 2026-27 Spotlight season range from $13-$27, with discounts for students, seniors and veterans and new subscription package options. For more information or to view a full performance schedule, visit indyfringe.org/spotlight.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
