Upcoming Shows
THE ROLES THAT WE PLAY.
THE COMMUNITIES WE CREATE.
Every inch of our 2026 season is designed to bring theater lovers joy — and to inspire those who haven’t yet fallen in love with theater to want to try just a little more.
Some shows in the season - like 42nd Street, Noises Off, The Legend of Georgia McBride, and The Cher Show - are literally about the magic of performance. In others, they are stories of people taking on new roles, whether they mean to or not: Anastasia, Pretty Woman, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, or Rocky Horror. They may lose themselves or find themselves by playing these roles - but no matter what they are transformed. No matter the reason that our characters this season step into new roles, by playing them on stage and off, as they are individually changed, so too is their community. By acting, they both transform and create a new world around them.
It is that kind of community that we are humbled to create at Clear Space at each performance when audiences gather to be with us. Together, we build a stronger coastal Delaware by embracing all the roles we can play to do our part to improve this beautiful corner of the country. We hope that this season inspires joy and wonder through the journeys our characters take on stage. And we hope that experience inspires those in our audience to share a piece of that good feeling with others long after they leave the theatre.
Thank you for joining us. We can’t wait to share these shows with you!
Anastasia
Book by Terrence McNally
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens
April 10 – 12, 2026
Some journeys to the past offer futures full of promise.
In a world of lost royalty, whispered legends, and fading memories, one young woman might hold the key to the mystery of Russia’s Romanov family. With a young cast from Clear Space’s Spotlight on Young Performers program, Anastasia is a sweeping epic about how we decide to transform into the people we are capable of becoming. It’s a modern fairy tale, a delicate romance, and a story for anyone who’s ever wondered where they came from… and where they’re meant to go.
Dear Evan Hansen
Even when the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you… when you’re broken on the ground… you will be found.
In a world where it’s easy to feel invisible, Dear Evan Hansen reminds us of the ecstasy and the agony that comes with finally being seen. When an unexpected lie spirals out of control, Evan – a high schooler with anxiety who is desperate to belong – finds himself at a crossroads. Can he learn to speak up, reach out, and still hold on to himself? Or is believing you can be who you want to be better than just being who you actually are? Where does the act end and the real Evan Hansen begin? For a generation of audiences, this Tony Award winning best musical is more than just great theater – it’s a lifeline, a mirror, and a reminder that none of us are alone.
The Legend of Georgia McBride
Sequins. Stilettos. And the King of Rock and Roll.
When an Elvis impersonator at a small-town run-down Florida bar finds himself out of work, out of luck, and with a baby on the way… he’s forced to trade in his blue suede shoes for wigs, heels, and a whole lot of padding. With his trademark wit and heart, Tony Award winner Matthew Lopez (The Inheritance, Some Like It Hot, Red White and Royal Blue) crafts a daring comedy about finding your voice… even if it comes with a whole new wardrobe – and a new chosen family ready to embrace the fact that a drag queen can be both fabulous and straight.
The Cher Show
Do you believe in life after love?
Three powerhouse Chers take center stage to tell the story of one legendary life – from a shy girl with a dream, to half of a hit comedy duo, to a solo sensation, to an unstoppable icon. Filled with heart break, triumph, reinvention, 35 smash hits… and the bejeweled glitz of every Bob Mackie showgirl head dress, The Cher Show isn’t just a musical – it’s an unapologetic diva experience. Her ambitions were always higher than her heels – and now you get to turn back time and see the story of how Cher became a living legend.
Mean Girls
Stop trying to make fetch happen.
First it was a cult classic film. Then Tina Fey brought it to Broadway. Now it makes its professional regional debut at Clear Space! After years of being homeschooled by her research zoologist parents in Africa, Cady Heron transfers to North Shore High – and discovers what the jungle really is like. In her pursuit to take down her school’s apex predators, the fiercest war isn’t between Cady and Regina, but between the girl Cady was and the mean girl she’s becoming. It’s ok if you don’t even go here. You can still get in, loser. We’re going to find out if butter is a carb… and learn some pretty savage lessons along
Pretty Woman: The Musical
Rock legend Bryan Adams brings the movie you love to the stage.
Some people know their worth and are willing to rewrite the rules to make their happy ending a reality. Vivian Ward is one of them. For years, she’s made her way on the streets of LA using her appeal to turn heads.Edward Lewis is a powerful businessman who thinks he has everything – until he meets her. They’re only supposed to be in each other’s lives for one week. But an undeniable connection forces them both out of their comfort zones… and into something real. It’s a story as impossible to resist as Vivian herself. You won’t want to miss it.
Summer Cabaret Series: Nina West
After making her Clear Space debut last summer, the incomparable drag superstar Nina West is back in Rehoboth Beach with an all new show, featuring her signature humor, heart, camp, and live vocals. Beloved for her three seasons on Ru Paul's Drag Race and her star turns as Edna in the national tour of Hairspray and as Divine in the film Weird; The Al Yankovic Story. A children's book author and activist, through her private foundation, she has raised over $2 million in support of non-profits across her home state of Ohio.
Tickets go on sale April 10!
Summer Cabaret Series: Alice Ripley with John McDaniel
Tony Award winner Alice Ripley makes her Clear Space debut in a special one night only cabaret performance accompanied by Grammy and Emmy award winner John McDaniel. Best known for originating the role of Diana Goodman in Next to Normal (Tony award), Alice has appeared in countless productions on Broadway and across the country. Noteable other Broadway roles include Betty in the original cast of Sunset Boulevard, Violet Hilton in the original cast of Side Show (Tony and Drama Desk nomination), Fantine in Les Miserables, Janet in Rocky Horror Show, and Mrs. Bateman in American Psycho. Clear Space is thrilled to welcome John McDaniel back on the keys as Alice's music director, after conducting countless Broadway musicals and regional productions.
Tickets go on sale April 10!
Summer Cabaret Series: Matthew Rosenstein in “Make Me French”
After a sold out run at NYC's Laurie Beechman Theater, delightful cabaret artist Matthew Rosenstein brings his latest show Make Me French to Rehoboth Beach. The story of a Brooklyn bagel who just wants to be a French croissant, Make Me French is directed and co-authored by cabaret icon Robbie Rozelle, with music direction and arrangements by Michael Cuschieri.
After seeing Les Mis on Broadway, young Matt Rosenstein had one prayer: “Make Me French!” Matt was determined to not just LEARN French but to BE as French as possible and move to Paris - which he did - but not without learning some hilarious lessons along the way. Now, this singer and storyteller extraordinaire wants to share what he’s learned about our most
misunderstood ally, through stories and songs - from Broadway show tunes to French disco.
Tickets go on sale April 10!
Summer Cabaret Series: Ashley Williams
Long a beloved performer on stage at Clear Space, actress and singer Ashley Williams makes her solo cabaret debut at the theater with an evening of music and stories that will raise the roof, stir your soul, and touch your heart. Recent Clear Space roles include Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray, Joanne in Rent, Mae in Reefer Madness, Pritti in Everybody's Talking About Jamie, and Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard.
Tickets go on sale April 10!
Summer Cabaret Series: Matt Doyle with John McDaniel
Broadway baritone Matt Doyle stole hearts with his Tony Award winning star turn as Jamie in the 2021 gender-swapped revival of Company. (The performance also won him the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award.)Other notable Broadway and off-Broadway roles have included Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, Anthony in Sweeney Todd, Billy in War Horse, Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, and both Hanschen and Melchior in the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening. He recently originated the title role in Sinatra: The Musical in England and played the title role in The Great Gatsby when the musical transferred to Seoul, South Korea. He appeared in the recurring role of Jonathan Whitney on both the original Gossip Girl television series and its recent HBO Max reboot. He is joined by Grammy and Emmy Award winner John McDaniel as his music director on the keys.
Tickets go on sale April 10!
Summer Cabaret Series: Ian Hawkins in “The Answer is Always Why Not”
One summer's day, Ian Hawkins set off from his London flat to walk to his brother's house - in Canterbury, at the other end of the legendary Pilgrims' Way (google King Henry II, Thomas a Becket, and The Canterbury Tales)... a distance of 86 miles in just 72 hours. The one thing Ian didn't have? A good reason why he was doing it in the first place.
Following in the footsteps of kings, paupers, and pilgrims, Ian takes the audience on a quest without a cause as he tried to find an answer to why he's hiking through a heatwave and a thunderstorm, encountering failures, ghosts, and the kindness of strangers along the way. His story and the footpath's history intertwine as he looks back on a life that's been far from ordinary and tries to answer the question: what motivates us to do difficult things?
An acclaimed storyteller and stand up comedian, Ian Hawks has appeared on stage with The Moth, written for the BBC, coached writers and speakers at Netflix, and told stories all over the world. This is the US premiere of his latest show.
Tickets go on sale April 10!
The Rocky Horror Show
October 9 – 31, 2026
Late night audience participation performances every Saturday night!
The Clear Space classic is back! Let’s do the Time Warp again!
We know the antici…pation has been killing you. Surrender to the cult classic that refuses to behave for the Halloween season and revel in a deliciously decadent rock ‘n’ roll party where nothing is sacred, everything is extra, and liberation is the main event. Brad and Janet take a fateful wrong turn that introduces them (and all of us!) to the flamboyant sweet transvestite from Transylvania himself Dr. Frank-N-Furter. And then the real fun begins. For 50 years The Rocky Horror Show has been an unapologetic hit. In Clear Space’s decidedly intimate theater, it’s always unforgettable.
13: The Musical
November 13 – 15, 2026
Being 13 is hard. But at least you can sing about it.
The Clear Space Arts Institute Spotlight on Young Performers program is the perfect group to bring to life Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown’s heartwarming and hilarious coming of age musical comedy to the stage. Evan Goldman is plucked from his home in New York City and dropped into small-town Indiana right before his Bar Mitzvah. Making new friends while navigating crushes, cliques, and rumors, Evan is like all of us once upon a time: growing up faster than we hoped while still trying to cling to the fun of just being a kid.
A Christmas Story
November 27 – December 20, 2026
You’ll shoot your eye out!
Unwrap a holiday classic, just like it was the first time. Adapted from the original movie by the composers of La La Land, The Greatest Showman, and, yes, Dear Evan Hansen, this stage musical delighted Clear Space audiences years ago – and is back for a second helping. Ralphie’s got one Christmas wish: a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time. But, with a dreaded double-dog dare, a bunny suit, a Cracker Jack prize, and a very grumpy Santa, will he make it til December 25? Relive all the nostalgic holiday fun of the movie… with some new laughs, a big heart, and just the right amount of leg lamp glow to remind you that even if they’re wildly imperfect, our families are who make the holidays special.
42nd Street
Come and meet those dancing feet… it’s the song you’ll love the melody of!
Peggy Sawyer is just a step-ball-change away from stardom, from the moment she hops off the train from Allentown and arrives on the Great White Way. From nobody to chorus girl to star, her road to the spotlight is every girl’s dream – even if it is paved with more kicks than a Rockettes’ rehearsal. With toe-tapping Johnny Mercer classics like “Lullaby of Broadway” and “We’re in the Money,”42nd Street takes you to a place where dreams were made, gossip was gold, and even the most unlikely of heroines can steal the show.
Noises Off
Pratfalls, panic, and perfectly timed pandemonium make Noises Off the quintessential British farce, a love letter to theatre… and a strongly worded apology to stage managers everywhere.
A team of hapless actors are attempting to mount the (very fictional) farce Nothing On, but missed cues, romantic mishaps, and an increasingly aggressive plate of sardines seem to stand in the way. From backstage, to on stage, to back again, this comedy spirals out of control, reminding us all that sometimes everything that can go wrong in the theater will… just not always in quite this spectacular a fashion.