Johns Hopkins UniversityEST. 1876

America’s First Research University

Past Productions

JHU Theatre’s Mainstage season features a Fall and a Spring production, at the John Astin Theatre. Our secondary season, The Playshop, brings student-led productions, experimental performances and other events into the Astin Theatre.

For information on auditions, and on creating something for The Playshop, see our Playmaking page.

Spring 2026: Pericles, Prince of Tyre

A foot from the heavens crushing a ship.

By William Shakespeare

Directed by James Glossman

Starring: Tessa Barcelo, Audrey Douglas, Cassandra Fan, Mark Gonzales, Max Hsu, Jason Lafita, Yona Levine Sara Pantoja, Jewels Seeger, Kayla Sinkler, Vasilios Van de Verg, Gemma Watson

The Chorus, playing and singing, in Pericles.
Two fishermen, surprised, in Pericles.
Pericles, holding baby Marina.
Pericles and Helicanus, in Pericles.
Simonides happy, in Pericles.
Cerimon and Philemon in Pericles
Antiochus, his daughter, and the chorus, in Pericles.
Thaisa and Lychorida, with baby Marina, in Pericles.
Marina holding flowers, with Dionyza and Cleon in Pericles.
Pirates attack in Pericles.

Fall 2025: Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde

A judge's gavel, smashing flowers.

By Moisés Kaufman

Directed by Sean Elias

Starring: Omotayo Adekunle Adenugba, Jade Clarke, Audrey Douglas, Cassandra Fan, Kunal Joshi, Finnigan Keane, Abigail McKenna, Nivriti Puri, Steve Wang

Sir Edward Carson reads from Picture of Dorian Gray.
Oscar Wilde in purple light.
Queensbury, with tophat.
Several actors discuss research from their books.
Moises Kaufman and the cast take a bow.
Screenshot
Lord Alfred Douglas, with Oscar Wilde in background.
Audrey Douglas as Sir Edward Clarke, barrister in court.
Frank Harris and George Bernard Shaw talk.

Spring 2025: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

close up of poster for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

By Edward Albee

Directed by James Glossman

Starring: Katherine Budinger, Audrey Douglas, Kayla Sinkler, Asa Woo

George carrying books; Martha gesturing.
Honey and Nick at the front door.
Martha lying on the table, screaming.
George gestures, with Martha, Honey and Nick in the background.
George holds up a drink glass at the bar.
Martha on the couch; George leans over her.
Martha, Honey, Nick on the couch.

Fall 2024: Passage, By Christopher Chen

Glowing figure in a cave. Poster for Passage.

Directed by Annalisa Dias

Starring: Omotayo Adenugba, Emrullah Cakir, Kate Ketelhohn, Kunal Joshi, Finnigan Keane, Jewels Seeger, Qiushi (Chris) Tian, Christina Xi, Noni Zhang

Man in robe speaks with a mosquito.
A hiker, in a pith helmet, walks through a cave.
Three people at a bar, drinking bottles of beer.
Man in robe speaks to man and woman, drinking tea.
The whole ensemble of Passage, standing and stitting.
Two people on a boat, looking out over the water.
Two people, in colorful clothing, sit on stairs.
Two people kneel in a temple, in discussion.

Spring 2024: Galileo, By Bertolt Brecht

Picture of Earth and planets, in Ptolemaic system.

Directed by: James Glossman

In collaboration with the Space Telescope Science Institute

Starring: Omotayo Adekunle Adenugba, Hanna Al-Kowsi, Tessa Barcelo, Shruthi Bare, Katherine Budinger, Allison Chen, Ander Diez, Camille Do, Audrey Douglas, Mark Gonzales, Paloma Lucero Hancock, Lulu Hassanein, Jiaming He, Max Hsu, Kate Ketelhohn, Jasmine Lafita, Melissa Shohet, Sara Pantoja, Benjamin Roberts, Bjorn Springer, Gemma Watson, Asa Woo.

Read the review in the Johns Hopkins News-Letter.

Galileo speaks to the boy Andrea.
The Pope, with image from the Webb telescope behind.
Images from the Webb Telescope projected on stage.
Cosimo de Medici and the Florentine court.
Images of galaxies from the Webb telescope.
Virginia and the Cardinal Inquisitor speak.
Galileo and Federzoni look through the telescope.
Monks mocking Galileo.
The Old Cardinal resists Galileo's innovations.
Galileo speaks to the Venetian assembly, with telescope.

Other Recent Productions

  • Fall 24: The Clouds, by Aristophanes
  • Spring 23: The Cherry Orchard, by Anton Chekhov
  • Spring 23 Playshop: Untitled annoying sad theater teens, by Sigrid Edson
  • Fall 22: The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams
  • Spring 22: A Doll’s House Part 2, by Lucas Hnath
  • Fall 21: Escape, by Nicky Glossman
  • Yankee Tavern
  • Sunday on the Rocks
  • Dura Mater
  • Good Television
  • U.S.A.
  • Kick the Can
  • Top Girls
  • Legion
  • The Real Inspector Hound
  • Anton in Show Business
  • Fool for Love
  • The House of Blue Leaves
  • Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
  • Spoon River Anthology
  • Under Milkwood
  • Simpatico
  • Fuddy Meers
  • The Big Knife
  • Bus Stop
  • La Ronde
  • Twelfth Night
  • Fifth of July
  • Book of Days
  • Five Women Wearing the Same Dress
  • The Marriage of Bette and Boo
  • Crimes of the Heart
  • Boy Meets Girl
  • Krapp’s Last Tape
  • Charley’s Aunt
  • Bluff
  • Our Town