Theatre Lab
A New Play Experience Second-To-None!
Big News About Theatre Lab’s Next Decade of New Plays
Since 2015, Theatre Lab has made its home in an unused cafeteria space in Parliament Hall, a
dormitory for FAU students. Over the past decade, Theatre Lab presented more than 30 full
productions and more than 100 developmental readings of new plays – despite the obvious
limitations of producing in a space which was never designed to be a working theater.
“Theatre Lab always understood that this was a temporary situation and that, as we grew along
with the University, the time would eventually come to move operations to a more suitable facility,”
said Louis Tyrrell, Founding Director. With the expansion of the east side of campus, including the
construction of a new dormitory set to house over 600 students, the need to accommodate Student
Life – an absolute priority of any University – combined with Theatre Lab’s own visions for the
future, means the time for that change has come.
With the full support of the Department of Theatre & Dance, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts &
Letters, and the University, beginning in the 2026/27 season, Theatre Lab will produce out of the
Marleen Forkas Studio One Theatre. Over the next few seasons, Theatre Lab will share space with
the Department of Theatre & Dance as a new permanent home is developed, right here, on the
Boca Raton campus.
“This is an incredibly exciting step in our organization’s growth. Theatre Lab will continue to
provide a ‘new play experience second-to-none’ alongside our robust educational outreach
programming as we deepen our engagement with and provide even more opportunities for
students to work with the professional resident company on campus,” continued Tyrrell.
Additionally, Theatre Lab will gain the equipment, facilities, and audience capacity to further
enhance the caliber and scope of their work.
“We are all deeply grateful for Theatre Lab’s invaluable addition to our college and programs,” said
Michael Horswell, Dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters. “Their work here in
our community and budding national reputation have also helped to raise the pro[ile of our
programs and we are very excited about the amazing opportunities this collaboration will
generate.”
“Florida Atlantic University is entering a period of incredible growth and looking ahead to an even
brighter future,” said Adam Hasner, President of Florida Atlantic. “We recognize the undeniable
bene[its Theatre Lab has brought to our campus and students over their [irst decade. As we
envision the future of the university and develop our new strategic plan, we look forward to
working together to support the performing arts with state-of-the-art facilities in the years ahead.”
“Theatre Lab faithful can expect a few minor adjustments to our standard season calendar, but our
mission of “inspiring, developing, and producing new work, artists, and artists for the American
Theatre” remains unchanged,” shared Matt Stabile, Producing Artistic Director. “Theatre Lab is as
[inancially, culturally, and artistically sound as ever and eagerly anticipating the wonderful
opportunities ahead in this next stage of our existence. We look forward to expanding existing
partnerships – including the continued growth of the annual Owl New Play Festival, presented in
partnership with the Department of Theatre & Dance – and welcoming even more audience
members to our productions as we continue to establish Theatre Lab and FAU as the premiere
location for new plays in the Southeast and, eventually, the nation.”
COMING IN 2026:
CONVERSA by Joanna Castle Miller
A World Premiere
Directed by Matt Stabile
Executive Producers: Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust, Linda and Joe Satz-Trustees
Young Joanna knows all the Jewish prayers – and how they’re really about Jesus. That’s because, many years ago, her mother, who wanted to be a rabbi, converted to evangelicalism through Jews for Jesus. As a result, young Joanna learns all the tricks of Christian missions, eventually becoming a missionary herself. But when something ancient draws her away, to the traditions she never learned and histories she never studied, she finds herself in a tiny village where, centuries ago, her father’s father’s father faced a similar crossroads and made a very different choice.
Castle Miller, a playwright, performer, and expert in the Jewish History of Spain, performs this one-woman, tour-de-force, auto-biographical tale of her upbringing in the evangelical church and subsequent return to Judaism. A special finalist with the Jewish Plays Project, the title references the term used to describe those Jews who converted to Christianity around the time of the Inquisition rather than face exile from their homeland. CONVERSA is about identity, migration, change, and the echoes of history which call us home.
February 7-22, 2026
Performances Thursday-Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturdays & Sundays at 3pm
No Saturday matinee on opening (2/7)
Pay What You Choose Preview on February 4th & 7th at 7:30 pm
MainStage
INFERNA by Joanna Castle Miller
A World Premiere
Executive Producers: Richard Carpenito
One night, on the mostly empty stage of a theater, a young playwright (Castle Miller) and a male actor who has agreed to assist her, take a deep dive into her childhood - specifically how church activities and school plays both provided “scripts” she faithfully followed each step of the way. Over the course of the evening, through comedic re-enactments, music, and sharing of stories, they begin to unravel and more fully understand the unstated and pervasive lessons learned from the texts passed down to her and that the mentors she adored aren’t who they appeared to be.
We close out our 25-26 season with another stunning world premiere - featuring this incredible playwright/performer in the second show of a planned trilogy! Developed in residency with New York Stage and Film and workshopped through the Valdez Theatre Conference, Inferna, echoes award-winning autobiographical plays like What the Constitution Means to Me and How I Learned to Drive in its explorations of trauma, forgiveness, and the often absurd comedy of being a child.
April 11-26, 2026
Performances Thursday-Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturdays & Sundays at 3pm
No Saturday matinee on opening (4/4)
Packages
MainStage Opening Night Celebration Package:
All opening nights (11/8/25, 2/7/26, and 4/11/26) including pre and post-show receptions - $155 ($180 value)
MainStage Season Subscription Packages:
All three MainStage productions (excluding opening nights) - $120 ($135 value)
Heckscher Theatre for Families Add-On:
All subscribers can purchase one adult ticket and up to two free children’s tickets for $15 ($30 value)
If you love new work in American theatre, now there is Theatre Lab,the professional resident company of Florida Atlantic University.
Established in 2015 on the Boca Raton campus, Theatre Lab's mission is to inspire, develop, and produce new work, audiences, and artists for the American Theatre.
For tickets please visit www.fauevents.com or call 561-297-6124.
Please note that there will be a processing fee for all FAU College of Arts and Letters tickets purchased online, by phone, at the Student Union Box Office and walk up on day of event. *
*Processing fee does not apply to student tickets, group tickets, subscription/season tickets, Ambassador of the Arts tickets, and Theatre Lab Alliance Member tickets at Theatre Lab shows.
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