Tickets on sale now for 2026 line-up including one-night-only tribute bands, comedy, drag and local artistic collaborations

March 25, 2026 — SANTA CRUZ, CA — Santa Cruz Shakespeare (SCS), the nationally recognized professional theatre company with more than 40 years of history in Santa Cruz County, today announced the expansion of its popular “Monday Night Revels” and the introduction of “Community Revels”, a new series of Tuesday-night performances that spotlight local artists and arts organizations alongside nationally recognized performers.

Building on the success of its 2025 inaugural year, the Revels will feature a broad lineup of one-night-only performances at the popular outdoor venue, the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruz’s DeLaveaga Park. With expanded programming and a mix of national touring acts, beloved tribute bands, comedy, drag and local artistic collaborations, Monday Night Revels and Community Revels promise to make the Audrey Stanley Grove a vibrant hub of entertainment throughout the summer.

“We were delighted by the community’s response to Monday Night Revels last year, and we’re thrilled to expand the series this summer,” said SCS Artistic Director, Charles Pasternak. “The Grove is already a magical place for Shakespeare, and these special events allow us to welcome audiences for a completely different kind of evening—whether that’s live music, comedy, drag or immersive storytelling. Adding Community Revels also allows us to celebrate the incredible artistic
talent right here in Santa Cruz.”

This summer’s Monday Night Revels lineup offers an eclectic mix of performances designed to transform Monday nights in The Grove into unforgettable experiences:

• Pink Ladies of the Sonnets – July 20, a drag extravaganza of Shakespeare proportions
• The SCS Cast Plays Dungeons & Dragons Live – July 27
• Heartless – August 3, the world’s greatest tribute to Heart
• Starman SF – August 10, a dazzling celebration of David Bowie
• Rockapella – August 31, the internationally celebrated a cappella group
• Surf City Allstars – September 14, performing the iconic music of the Beach Boys
• Kristin Key – September 21, the nationally renowned comedian known for her viral stand-up and musical comedy
• Ronstadt Revolution – September 28, honoring the legendary music of Linda Ronstadt

The new Community Revels series will highlight standout local performances, including:

• Smoke Cabaret – September 15, a one-woman cabaret show featuring Lori Rivera
• Santa Cruz Opera Project presents La Bohème – September 29

Tickets are available now at: www.santacruzshakespeare.org/monday-night-revels.

Santa Cruz Shakespeare is expanding into year-round programming, beginning with a special spring production of Vincent by Leonard Nimoy. The season, themed ’Til Death Do Us Part, includes summer productions of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth and Fences by August Wilson and fall productions of Private Lives by Noël Coward and The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown. The summer and fall season runs from July 11 through October 4. The 2026 season concludes with the return of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens in December.

Tickets for the summer and fall season will go on sale to SCS members on April 1, and to the general public on May 1. Tickets are currently available for Vincent, on stage at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Downtown Santa Cruz, at http://www.santacruzshakespeare.org/tickets.

About Santa Cruz Shakespeare

Featuring professional actors from around the country and inspired by deep local roots that go back more than 40 years, Santa Cruz Shakespeare stages bold productions of the plays of Shakespeare and other great playwrights that stimulate audiences’ senses and spark their imagination. For more information about SCS, visit santacruzshakespeare.org or check out SCS socials at www.facebook.com/ShakesPlayOn and www.instagram.com/santacruzshakes.