Ahoy! New season sets sail!

Jamie Ulmer • September 7, 2026

Ahoy, ahoy! Welcome to the maiden voyage of our 50th Anniversary Season! This fun new adaptation of a classic show is such an appropriate way to begin the year-long celebration of the vision and creativity that have been the hallmarks of Theatre Lawrence from the beginning.


You may think you know The Pirates of Penzance, but you’ve never experienced it to the jazzy rhythms and harmonies of New Orleans’ French Quarter. This adaptation also pulls songs from a few other Gilbert and Sullivan shows, beefing up some of the characters along the way.


The script pulls inspiration from real-life events. Due to U.S. copyright law at the time, unauthorized productions of Gilbert and Sullivan’s earlier show, H.M.S. Pinafore, were being produced in the United States before they brought the London production over. So, in 1879, they actually staged the premiere of Pirates in New York to help establish American copyright protection for the show before its London production. That episode served as the springboard for the conceit of this adaptation.


Scott Ellis, who directed this 2025 adaptation on Broadway, said they weren’t trying to diminish or modernize the script because there was something fundamentally wrong with the source material, or because it was dusty and outdated. He said, “My hope is that when they [audiences] walk out of the theatre, they go, ‘Oh, that’s Gilbert and Sullivan? Huh, that was actually really fun!’”


That is something we have strived for at Theatre Lawrence in everything we do throughout our 50 years. Working with members of our community, we hope to excite others to discover (or rediscover) that theatre is not some dusty, elitist luxury. Theatre, and particularly community-based theatre, is inspiring, accessible, and really fun.


We are so honored to have been sharing that fun with our community for 50 years, and we are thrilled that you are here to start off a year-long celebration of this remarkable legacy.


Enjoy the show!

Jamie Ulmer
Executive Director

Theatre Lawrence News & Announcements

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling person with brown hair on a blue-gray backdrop.

Shining the spotlight for 50 years

By Nicole Olson • August 27, 2026
Celebrate Theatre Lawrence’s 50th season with a look back at five decades of community, storytelling, and the exciting productions that bring audiences together.

CAST LIST: LIZZIE

August 26, 2026
CAST LIST Lizzie Borden................................Abby Ilardi Emma Borden............................Amanda Thomas McCoy Alice Russell.................................Frankie Haynes Bridget Sullivan/Maggie.....Alyssa Watson* *TL debut

Truly impressive volunteers

By Jamie Ulmer • August 25, 2026
Last Friday, we celebrated the amazing commitment of the volunteers who truly make everything happen at Theatre Lawrence. Here are a few numbers to think about. There were 444 active volunteers last season, contributing more than 33,426 hours of their free time. That commitment has a value of more than $1,077,000, based on the IRS valuation of volunteer time - but we say the value is priceless. Everything we do, from regular season shows to community outreach to youth engagement, is possible thanks to our volunteers. These are people who choose to make a difference and share their talents to make Lawrence and Northeast Kansas a better place for all of us to live. At our volunteer celebration, we recognized our most active volunteers, who worked more than 350 hours, with the coveted Charley Awards and Volunteer of the Year Award . We continued celebrating our dedicated front-of-house teams with the Front Runner Awards - honoring those who worked every regular season production. We also debuted the Triple Threat Award, celebrating those who acted, volunteered more than 10 hours on a production crew, and volunteered front of house for three events. All that recognition is just a small way for us to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who makes Theatre Lawrence possible. Click here to see the complete list of honorees, and while you’re there, maybe sign up to get involved yourself. See you at the theatre, Jamie Ulmer
More Posts