Key facts
- Season
- 2026-27
- Number of productions
- 12
- Opening production
- International Talent Cabaret (Sept. 26, 2026)
- Closing production
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (July 2-18, 2027)
- Final year in Union Ballroom
- 2026-27 season
- Dinner Theatre history
- Over 175 shows, over 380,000 tickets sold
Background
The University of Texas at El Paso's Department of Theatre and Dance has announced its 2026-27 mainstage season, a lineup of 12 productions that includes Broadway favorites, classic plays, dance performances, and community collaborations.
The season will open on Sept. 26 with the International Talent Cabaret, featuring students and faculty from UTEP and Tecnológico de Monterrey, and will conclude next summer with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a musical that pays tribute to the first production ever staged at the UTEP Dinner Theatre in 1983.
According to the university, the UTEP Dinner Theatre has produced more than 175 shows and sold more than 380,000 tickets since it opened.
Current situation
The 2026-27 season will mark the final year of Dinner Theatre productions in the Union Ballroom before the venue relocates for the 2027-28 season as renovations begin on the Union Building West.
Highlights of the season include the Broadway musical Mean Girls, Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Eugene Ionesco's absurdist classic Rhinoceros, and a stage adaptation of Julia Alvarez's novel In the Time of the Butterflies.
The spring schedule also includes the department's annual dance concert featuring new works by Tawanda Chabikwa and guest artist Leila Awadallah, as well as Luna, a family-friendly play by Ramón Esquivel.
| Production | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| International Talent Cabaret | Sept. 26, 2026 | La Fe Culture and Technology Center |
| In the Time of the Butterflies | Oct. 14-18, 2026 | June Sadowski Kruszewski Studio Theatre |
| Sweeney Todd | Oct. 23-Nov. 8, 2026 | Union Ballroom |
| Raising the Barre | Nov. 4-5, 2026 | June Sadowski Kruszewski Studio Theatre |
| Rhinoceros | Nov. 18-22, 2026 | Wise Family Theatre |
| Christmas Music Extravaganza | Dec. 4-12, 2026 | Union Ballroom |
| Spring Dance Concert | Feb. 18-21, 2027 | Wise Family Theatre |
| Mean Girls | March 26-April 11, 2027 | Union Ballroom |
| Luna | April 16-25, 2027 | Wise Family Theatre |
| Dance Capstone | May 5-8, 2027 | June Sadowski Kruszewski Studio Theatre |
| Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | July 2-18, 2027 | Union Ballroom |
Impacts
The season's diverse lineup is expected to attract audiences from the El Paso community and beyond, with performances scheduled across multiple venues including the Union Ballroom, the June Sadowski Kruszewski Studio Theatre, the Wise Family Theatre, and the La Fe Culture and Technology Center.
The relocation of the Dinner Theatre after the 2026-27 season will affect patrons and performers, as the venue moves from the Union Ballroom due to renovations on the Union Building West.
Auditions for fall productions will take place during the first week of the semester and are open to the public, providing opportunities for community members to participate.
Future outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
If the season proceeds as planned, audiences can expect a wide range of performances from September 2026 through July 2027, including the final Dinner Theatre productions in the current venue.
The relocation of the Dinner Theatre for the 2027-28 season could bring changes to the performance experience, depending on the new venue and the outcome of the Union Building West renovations.
Tickets for the season are expected to go on sale shortly after the start of the fall semester, and if demand is high, early purchase may be advisable.
Source: kfoxtv.com
