DCPA’s 2026-27 Season Connects Broadway, Local Work and New Audiences
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit theatre organizations. A well-established cultural anchor in Downtown Denver, the organization presents a wide range of theatrical performances and events across the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Each season, DCPA brings nationally touring musicals, special engagements and productions developed for local audiences to stages at the Buell Theatre, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Garner Galleria Theatre, Kilstrom Theatre, Wolf Theatre, Singleton Theatre and Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre. Its programming also extends into classrooms, camps and community spaces through its education programs.
Recently announced, the 2026-2027 season will give Denver audiences access to major Broadway titles, original local productions, family programming and cabaret performances from October 2026 to September 2027. The season also extends beyond the stage through educational programs for children, teens and adults, with lower-cost ticket options designed to make live theatre more accessible to a wider range of audiences.
Something for Everyone
Whether welcoming longtime theatregoers or creating entry points for people attending their first show, taking a class or discovering a new production, DCPA offers something for everyone.
This season’s Broadway lineup follows suit. Housed in the Buell Theatre – named for a prominent Denver architect, real estate developer and philanthropist, Temple Hoyne Buell – 18 nationally touring shows will take the stage, with titles including “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “The Book of Mormon,” “BOOP! The Musical,” “The Great Gatsby, ” and Buena Vista Social Club.”
For John Ekeberg, executive director of Broadway at DCPA, the variety is intentional.
“We’re always looking to bring a broad range of titles and different stories,” the theatrical curator says. “Not everyone has the same tastes, but for theatre lovers, hopefully they get to experience a little bit of everything.”
The upcoming Broadway season pairs familiar favorites with newer work that may be less familiar to Denver audiences. Ekeberg expects that some of those titles may become surprise crowd favorites, as we waits in anticipation for the 2026-2027 curtain to rise.
“What sort of excites me the most are the shows that maybe aren’t necessarily as well-known titles, like ‘Maybe Happy Ending‘ or ‘Buena Vista Social Club,’ but they’re shows that I feel like audiences are going to fall in love with,” he shares. “I really love when I hear from a patron who came back from a show and said, ‘I really didn’t know that much about that show, but it was so amazing.’”
Beyond the Marquee
Selecting a Broadway season requires year-round planning. Ekeberg, a full member of The Broadway League and a Tony voter, makes roughly 10 to 12 trips to New York each year to see new productions and track what is connecting with audiences.
“It’s really a continual conversation and investigation process,” he relays. “I spend quite a bit of time there seeing all the new shows.”
The selection process takes shape around Denver’s distinct theatre market. The region’s strong audience support for the arts, combined with the Denver Performing Arts Complex’s venues and experienced production staff, helps DCPA secure major touring productions. Characterized by its strong arts participation, Denver’s market easily attracts major touring productions.
“We’re very fortunate to have a very engaged community in the arts,” Ekeberg adds.
In recent years, the organization has seen younger and first-time theatregoers respond strongly to productions such as “Six” and “Hadestown.” The fresh wave of theatrical energy has attracted audiences who are changing the traditional image of a Broadway subscriber.
As DCPA works to build audiences across generations, younger adults, students and people who discovered the music or the production through streaming platforms, social media or word-of-mouth bring diversity to the ever-changing audience demographic. After visiting the Buell Theatre to see a familiar title, more people are returning for classic musicals, new works and Theatre Company productions they might not otherwise have considered.
For an organization whose overarching goal is to help new audiences see live theatre as part of their regular cultural life, the expanded visibility and enthusiasm suggest sustainability and momentum for years to come.
“The hope is you get the new young audience coming in, that then learns about the other things coming down the pike,” Ekeberg says. “It sort of builds on itself.”
A Different Way to Experience the Season
DCPA’s Full Broadway Season package provides tickets to eight core Broadway productions. Subscribers receive early access to the best seat selection before the general public, with the opportunity to renew the same seats each year, flexible ticket exchanges, reduced service fees, payment-plan options and priority access to many additional DCPA events. A full-season subscriber saves approximately $154 per season.
Offering practical value outside of cost-savings, subscribers do not need to watch for individual on-sale dates or worry about missing a show they wanted to see. They also enjoy early access to special engagements that fall outside the core package.
With productions running anywhere from a few days to more than a month, subscriptions also help patrons avoid missing a show they have been looking forward to seeing.
“By committing to the subscription up front, you’re done. The tickets are done. You’ve got them,” Ekeberg says. “You can put it on your calendar. It can be date night, or a night with friends.”
Where Local Theatre and Learning Meet
Broadway tours make up one part of DCPA’s work. The organization also produces and presents Theatre Company, Cabaret, Off-Center and Theatre for Young Audiences programming, alongside classes and school-based education initiatives.
The 2026-27 Theatre Company season includes “Destiny of Desire,” “The Tempest,” “bogfriends,” “How to Conquer America: A Mostly True History of Yogurt,” “Once” and “And So We Walked: An Artist’s Journey Along the Trail of Tears.” The calendar also includes Cabaret performances, comedy, family programming and classes for children, teens and adults.
The broad range of programming creates opportunities for local artists and audiences to engage with theatre beyond a touring Broadway run. It also connects professional productions with future performers, writers, technicians, educators and theatregoers.
Ekeberg points to DCPA’s nonprofit structure as a conduit that makes the organization’s broader work possible.
“The money that comes through ticket sales and donations helps support this other work that we do that’s so important,” he says.
DCPA also benefits from support through the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), which distributes voter-approved tax revenue to arts, cultural and scientific organizations across the Denver metro area.
“It’s a wonderful show of support from our community that tells us how important arts and culture is,” Ekeberg enthusiastically shares.
Beyond its stages, DCPA’s impact extends to economic stimulation, with productions requiring performers, stagehands, wardrobe attendants, ushers, security staff, box office teams, administrators and many others.
“Arts and culture really does employ so many people in our region. It provides wonderful jobs for people in our community.”
Lower-cost ways to attend
Historically, cost has been a barrier that has kept many people from enjoying live theatre. Ticket prices, transportation, parking and the need to plan in advance can make a Broadway or theatre outing difficult for some households.
DCPA offers several programs designed to reduce that barrier. Its SCFD Access sales provide $25 tickets for select performances, including the base ticket, service fee and city seat tax. The program also identifies eligible performances with ASL interpretation, audio description and open captioning.
Sales apply to select performances and seating levels, with lower-cost opportunities to attend productions that may otherwise consider out of reach.
DCPA also offers rush tickets for select Broadway and Cabaret performances and all Theatre Company productions. Available one hour before curtain when seats remain, students, teachers, first responders and seniors may qualify for two rush tickets per ID, with many participating Broadway and Cabaret performances available at 50% off. Students can purchase Theatre Company rush tickets for $15, while other eligible groups can receive 50% off. Military personnel and immediate family members may also qualify for discounts.
A cultural institution sustained by participation
DCPA’s new season represents the work of a nonprofit arts institution sustained by artists, audiences, subscribers, donors, educators, staff members and community partners. Together, they support a cultural ecosystem that keeps live theatre accessible, relevant and rooted in the Denver community.
The organization intentionally creates multiple entry points: A Broadway subscription can give regular theatregoers a full year of performances to anticipate. An SCFD Access ticket or rush ticket can make a first visit financially possible. A student matinee, Theatre Company production or education class can introduce someone to live theatre long before they decide to purchase a Broadway ticket.
In addition to monitoring the sustainability of DCPA’s programming, Ekeberg measures success by whether audiences enjoy a particular production. He wants them to leave with a reason to return.
“We hope that after the experience, they’re so excited that they want to do it again,” he says. “Hopefully they’ve been inspired, moved, maybe somehow changed, or thought about something different than when they walked in.”
DCPA’s value lies in its ability to connect major productions with the people and infrastructure that make a lasting performing arts community possible. It brings Broadway to Denver, gives audiences a place to encounter stories together and builds relationships that encourage people to return, participate and support live theatre over time.
Editor’s note: For the complete schedule of Broadway, Theatre Company, Cabaret, education and other programming, visit DenverCenter.org.
