UIS Performing Arts Center Adds Winter, Spring Productions to 2026-27 Season

The UIS Performing Arts Center has added three winter and spring productions to its 2026-27 Local Arts & Education calendar, including two Ground Floor Productions and a festival featuring works by Central Illinois playwrights.

The newly announced events will be held in the UIS Studio Theatre and include “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” in January, the Central Illinois Playwrights Collaborative Ten-Minute Festival in February and “Mothers and Sons” in late April and early May.

“We are excited to continue building on this season and add even more opportunities for our community to experience locally produced theatre,” said Carly Shank, director of artistic programs at the UIS Performing Arts Center. “These winter and spring productions bring three very different theatrical experiences to the UIS Studio Theatre, from powerful stories rooted in history to new works created right here in Central Illinois.”

The Performing Arts Center also announced open auditions for the three events. Auditions will be held during the final weekend of September, with roles available for adults and children ages 10 and older. Some of the projects will offer stipends for actors. Audition information and a sign-up form are available at UIS Performing Arts Center auditions.

The first of the newly announced Ground Floor Productions, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly,” will be performed Jan. 28, 30 and 31, 2027. The play is based on the poetry, drawings and experiences of children imprisoned in the Terezín concentration camp during World War II. It follows their experiences through a story centered on hope and courage amid the conditions of the concentration camp. The production will also feature live music performed by UIS Music faculty and is intended for audiences of all ages.

The second Ground Floor Production, “Mothers and Sons,” is scheduled for April 29 and 30 and May 1 and 2, 2027. Written by Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally, the play focuses on family, loss, acceptance and change. The story follows a mother who unexpectedly visits the former partner of her late son, leading the two to confront their shared past and the changes that have occurred in their lives and the world around them.

The Central Illinois Playwrights Collaborative will bring its Ten-Minute Festival to the UIS Studio Theatre on Feb. 6 and 7, 2027. The festival will feature original short plays by Central Illinois playwrights, with each work presenting a different story, set of characters and theatrical style within a 10-minute format.

The additions follow the September Ground Floor Production of “What the Constitution Means to Me” and expand a Local Arts & Education season that also includes the Play Date Series, Date Night Series and sensory-friendly performances.

The Play Date Series is geared toward children ages 5 and younger and their caregivers, offering interactive arts experiences involving movement, imagination and play. Its lineup includes “Rockballet Remix,” “Tiny Disco – Halloween” and “Blue – Theatre for Very Young Children.”

The returning Date Night Series features local artists presenting music and cultural programs. This season's offerings include “Jazz by Location,” “Greek Folk Traditions” and “Dreams: Vocal Music.”

Sensory-friendly programming will also continue during the season, providing performances in a relaxed environment for individuals of different ages and abilities. “Experience Music for All Ages” is scheduled for Nov. 19, followed by “Experience World Music and Dance” on Feb. 9.

“Arts experiences should be accessible and meaningful for everyone,” Shank said. “Whether someone is attending their first performance, introducing a young child to the arts, discovering the work of local playwrights or looking for thought-provoking theatre, the UIS Studio Theatre provides a space where audiences can feel comfortable, engaged and connected.”

The Local Arts & Education program is designed around performances in the smaller UIS Studio Theatre, where limited seating places audiences closer to performers than in a traditional large theatre setting.

Tickets and additional information about the 2026-27 Local Arts & Education season are available through the UIS Performing Arts Center.