A profound exploration of humanity

Beneath a lonely tree on a country road, two companions wait for the mysterious Godot. As time moves along, Vladimir and Estragon fill their day circling the largest of questions: Why are we here? What are we here for? Who are we to be? Samuel Beckett's tragicomedy uses wit and poignant dialogue to create an existential world that is humorous yet heartbreaking. Staged at the Guthrie for the first time in over 50 years and featuring Academy Award nominee David Strathairn as Vladimir, this seminal play explores the human impulses to want more, to understand why and to keep showing up — even when nothing changes.

A powerful story of connection

In post-apartheid South Africa, Lunga Kunene, a no-nonsense, Black caregiver with little patience for privilege or hubris, finds himself providing in-home care for Jack Morris, a celebrated (and stubborn) white actor facing a life-changing diagnosis as he rehearses for the title role in King Lear. The two men are different in every way — race, class and politics, to start — yet they find unexpected common ground in the words of Shakespeare. This deeply human drama by Tony winner John Kani, who also plays Kunene, traces the fragile work of truth-telling in a nation still shaped by its history and reveals how transcending the past may allow us to truly see one another.

A masterpiece of suspense

On a remote island off England’s Devon coast, 10 strangers gather after receiving mysterious invitations. Each guest is hiding a dark secret, and while they wait for the hosts to arrive, a chilling gramophone recording accuses them of crimes they thought were long buried. One by one, the guests begin to die in eerie accordance with a sinister nursery rhyme. Trapped by stormy weather, suspicions turn inward: The killer must be among them. Based on the bestselling mystery novel of all time and adapted by Agatha Christie herself, this thrilling tale invites audiences to unravel the deadly riddle. Will the killer be revealed before it’s too late?

A moving portrait of resilience

In turn-of-the-century New York, Esther, a skilled African American seamstress, stitches beautiful undergarments for women whose glamorous lives she glimpses only in passing. After receiving an eloquent note from a charming stranger, her deep longing to be married is kindled, and she embarks on a long-distance courtship. Yet the man behind the letters is not whom she expects, and Esther is forced into a new reality far from what she imagined. Set against a city shaped by divisions of class, race and religion, this achingly beautiful drama from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage reveals the strength of claiming one’s own self-worth.

A fearless new play

A group of teenage girls makes an unsettling discovery after reading a celebrated American drama in class: The “hero” of the tale doesn’t match the person they see on the page. As the discussion turns to rumors within their own social circle, the girls confront the ideas of truth, heroism and villainy in a startlingly modern light. Set in a high school in Appalachian Georgia, this fiercely funny and urgent new work applies a youthful lens to a classic in the literary canon — questioning what it means when institutions protect men at the expense of girls’ safety and credibility.

A world-premiere adaptation

London and Paris. The best of times and the worst of times. As the tinderbox of a bloodthirsty revolution ignites, this epic historical saga explores a world of doubles — two cities, mirrored lives and hidden identities. When French aristocrat Charles Darnay and English defense attorney Sydney Carton both fall for Lucie Manette, they are drawn into a web of love, war and loyalty that leads to a costly decision. This Guthrie-commissioned, world-premiere adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher preserves Charles Dickens’ narrative voice and upholds the novel’s timeless themes of sacrifice and redemption.

An uproarious satirical comedy

Inclusion and consensus guide every decision at private school Eureka Day in Berkeley, CA — until a mumps outbreak throws the liberal bastion into turmoil. Devoted to fairness and social justice, the school board tries to host civil conversations about safely returning students to class. But when they encounter a wide range of opinions and increasingly scathing live chats, the once-unified community begins to fracture. Mumps cases rise, chaos ensues and the school's future is put at risk. This Tony Award-winning comedy juxtaposes well-intentioned ideals with the complications of reality, revealing the fallout that can occur when doing good is anything but simple.

A swashbuckling musical delight

As young Frederic approaches his 21st birthday and the release from his unlikely apprenticeship to a band of tenderhearted pirates, a twist of fate (and a leap-year birthday) pulls him into a whirl of heroics, hilarity and the lovely Mabel, who captures his heart. Can Frederic find a way to live happily ever after without abandoning his post? Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operetta employs swaggering pirates, an indomitable Major-General and a beloved musical theater patter "song" to playfully lampoon respectability and utterly delight audiences. Embark on a high-spirited romp helmed by Tony Award-winning director Darko Tresnjak where nothing escapes unscathed — least of all propriety.