For its 27th season, Amphibian Stage is presenting provocative plays, stand-up comic residencies, and a festival of new voices.

“This isn’t theater as usual,” says artistic director Jay Duffer. “We really strive to provide Fort Worth with a bit more than just ‘another nice night at the theater.’ We want to give audiences the kind of experience you talk about on the drive home, theater that lingers long after the curtain falls.”

Duffer, managing director Elizabeth Kensek, and artistic associate Evan Michael Woods have collaborated to produce Amphibian’s 2026 season, sparking a yearlong conversation about power, identity, and performance. Four daring mainstage productions anchor the season, joined by nationally recognized comedians, the sixth annual SparkFest celebrating Latine artists, and a continued partnership with London’s National Theatre Live.

Bull in a China Shop by Bryna Turner opens the year with the true story of Mary Woolley and Jeannette Marks, two women who shook up academia and scandalized society with their radical love and progressive politics. When Woolley becomes president of Mount Holyoke College, her vision for equality ignites a firestorm; one that feels strikingly familiar in a world still learning how to accept women in power.

Directed by Kels Ervi, a Texas-born, Chicago-based theater maker, the play is a co-production with Dallas’ Second Thought Theatre — the production will have separate runs at both theaters. It runs at Amphibian Stage February 11-March 1, 2026.

Did You Eat? (밥 먹었니?) by Zoë Kim follows the writer-performer through a kaleidoscopic solo performance that captures the chaos, humor, and heartache of Korean immigrant family life. This play is having a “homecoming” of sorts, as Did You Eat was developed at SparkFest’23, which celebrated AAPI artistry. It made its world premiere at Chuang Stage in Boston and has recently completed an extended run at The Public Theatre in New York City. It runs here March 25-April 12, 2026.

Summer brings The Shark Is Broken by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, the hit West End comedy about the making of Jaws. Trapped on a sinking boat with a broken mechanical shark and rising egos, three actors fight their way through artistic chaos to create a film that would define generations. Coming just one year after Jaws’ 50th anniversary, it’s a sharp, funny tribute to the beautiful mess of making art. It runs July 22-August 16, 2026.

The mainstage season closes with AJAX by Habib Yazdi, a darkly comic thriller about the 1953 CIA-backed coup in Iran. Told through five characters — American spy Kermit, U.S. Ambassador Loy, Shah Pahlavi, Kambiz the Iranian pool boy, and the Pool itself — the play blends political thriller with surreal metaphor. It runs October 14-November 1, 2026.

Between these theatrical flashpoints, Amphibian’s stage turns over to two comics whose work shares the same fearlessness as its plays. Jay Jurden (The Problem with Jon Stewart, The Tonight Show) performs May 1 & 2, bringing his sharp wit and clear-eyed humor to Fort Worth audiences.

Nore Davis (Succession, The Tonight Show) headlines May 15 & 16 with his new hour in development, My Inner Child Said What?! — an honest, electric exploration of family, identity, and the messy joy of growing up. Additional headliners to be announced in 2026.

SparkFest 2026, Amphibian’s annual new works festival, enters its sixth year by spotlighting Latine voices and stories shaping the future of American theater. Expect music, art, staged readings, workshops, and a national acting competition offering $18,000 in cash prizes to emerging performers. It runs June 5-14, 2026.

Amphibian’s partnership with London’s National Theatre continues, bringing world-class British productions to Fort Worth through screenings at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The first title is Mrs. Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw, starring five-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) and her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton). Showings are February 4 & 7, and additional titles and dates for 2026 will be announced soon

“In a world increasingly experienced through a screen, Amphibian offers an essential anchor — a dependable place to gather, feel, react, and connect with other human beings over the shared, exhilarating risk of live performance,” says Kensek. “A sense of community is built in the lobby before the lights dim and continues in the passionate debates that follow the final curtain call. It is a diverse tapestry of local artists, devoted members, and newcomers drawn by the promise of genuine, invigorating art.”

Season memberships are available online now, offering the best value, unique perks, and a famous Amphibian cookie at every performance. Single tickets go on sale January 1, 2026.