Signature Theatre's 35th anniversary season, marking Artistic Director Emily Shooltz鈥檚 first year of programming, will include the New York return of Heather Christian's Oratorio for Living Things.
Composed and created by Christian, Oratorio was previously produced Off-Broadway at Ars Nova, where it won several Obie and Lucille Lortel Awards. Again directed by Lee Sunday Evans, the Signature production will begin performances in the fall. The piece, featuring a company of singers and instrumentalists, peels back complex layers of what it means to be alive on both a human and a cosmic scale.
READ: Heather Christian Is Redefining the Musical
The New York premiere of Lauren Yee's Mother Russia will follow this winter. The new dark comedy is set in 1992 St. Petersburg as the Soviet Union has collapsed and Evgeny stumbles into a job working surveillance with his old friend Dmitri. Their target: Katya, a former pop singer with questionable allegiances and a mysterious past. Mother Russia marks the second production from resident Yee following the 2020 New York premiere of Cambodian Rock Band.
Spring at the Signature will feature another work from Christian, the new musical Animal Wisdom. Directed by Keenan Tyler Oliphant, the piece blends storytelling, requiem, and family mythology in a musical ritual that dives into the relationship between the soul, the seen, and the unseen. Animal Wisdom premiered in 2017 at Bushwick Starr, performed by its creator. The upcoming production will feature a company to be announced.
Performance dates, casting, and additional creative team members for the three productions will be announced at a later time.
Signature has also announced a $10 million Next Act Campaign to secure its stability and expand the residency model that distinguishes itself in the American theatre. Funds raised in the campaign will be devoted, in part, to artistic vision, and the continued and expanded ability for the organization and the artists it supports to take risks.
About the 2025-2026 season, featuring the work of resident Yee and new resident Christian, Shooltz says in a statement, 鈥淎s we enter our 35th year, announce our Next Act, and re-crystallize our mission for today, the season feels like a perfect opportunity to introduce a new Signature Resident. Heather鈥檚 work expands our conception of who can find a home as a visionary artist at Signature. Signature founder Jim Houghton envisioned a theatre where artists cross paths and influence, inspire, and support each other; another beautiful part of this season鈥檚 story is that Heather and Lauren are, outside of our own season, actively in collaboration right now. There鈥檚 a lovely synergy between these resident artists that Signature is embracing and supporting holistically.鈥�
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Carla Duren in Oratorio for Living Things
Carla Duren and Onyie Nwachukwu in Oratorio for Living Things
Brian Flores and Ben Moss in Oratorio for Living Things
Company of Oratorio for Living Things
Barrie Lobo McLain, Sean Donovan, Ben Moss, Dito van Reigersberg, Quentin Oliver Lee, and Angel Lozada in Oratorio for Living Things
Quentin Oliver Lee , Dito van Reigersberg , Brian Flores, Sean Donovan, Barrie Lobo McLain, and Angel Lozada in Oratorio for Living Things
Onyie Nwachukwu , Quentin Oliver Lee, Ashley P茅rez Flanagan, Sean Donovan, and Brian Flores in Oratorio for Living Things
Ditovan Reigersberg and Barrie Lobo McLain in Oratorio for Living Things
