Prairie Fire Theatre has announced its 2026 season with an ambitious slate of productions compared to previous years. Tickets went on sale March 8.
In addition to its annual children’s opera and salon-style fundraiser, the theater and light opera company operating in Bloomington-Normal for nearly four decades has two full-scale productions planned, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in August.
Auditions for Joseph are due to take place April 17 and 18, with performances running Aug. 7-16 at Heartland Community College. The company, typically a mix of professionals and college students, is collaborating with the Music Connections Foundation’s Studio Connect program and host a local children’s cast to bring Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical to life.
Pat Gaik, who brought last season’s The Baker’s Wife to Prairie Fire’s attention compiles and directs an original work as the season finale. Cabaret 1900 features four performers in a musical revue spanning a century of music. Four performances take place Oct. 15-18 at the McLean County Arts Center.
Prairie Fire’s original children’s opera touring to schools across Bloomington-Normal next month is called Quack-a-Doodle-Do. The 40-minute production centers a duck in search of what makes her special compared to friends like Red the Rooster, Drama Llama and Croak the Frog. Three public performances take place on May 16 at Bloomington Public Library, Normal Public Library and the Unitarian Universalist Church.
The company’s annual gala takes place May 9 at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Hansen Center. And in July, company members perform Broadway and opera favorites outdoors (July 10 at Connie Link Amphitheatre) and in (July 11 at IWU’s Westbrook Auditorium).
Tickets are available at prairiefiretheatre.org.
