Pasadena Playhouse, June 2021 (Photo – ColoradoBlvd.net)
With the 2026 theater season gaining momentum across California, Pasadena Playhouse is stepping firmly into the national spotlight once again. The State Theater of California is drawing renewed attention this week as excitement builds around its upcoming reimagining of Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon, opening May 13.
By Rena Kurlander
Announced last month, the revival is already emerging as one of the standout productions of the spring, thanks to bold casting choices, a newly adapted book, and a creative team that reflects the Playhouse’s growing reputation for reinventing classics for contemporary audiences.
A Casting Choice That’s Sparking Conversation
The production’s most talked‑about element is the casting of Tyne Daly, Tony Award winner and six‑time Emmy recipient, as Widow Lundie, a role traditionally written as Mr. Lundie. The gender‑swapped casting has many praising the Playhouse for embracing reinterpretation rather than replication.
Daly joins a high‑profile ensemble including Max von Essen as Tommy Albright, Betsy Morgan as Fiona MacLaren, Happy Anderson as Jeff Douglas, and Daniel Yearwood as Charlie Dalrymple. Their involvement has helped propel Brigadoon into one of the most anticipated regional productions of the year.
A Classic Reimagined for 2026
The adaptation, penned by Alexandra Silber and inspired by Alan Jay Lerner’s original book, arrives at a moment when theaters nationwide are grappling with how to honor beloved works while making them resonate with modern audiences. Director‑choreographer Katie Spelman, who made her Broadway choreographic debut with The Notebook—is expected to bring a cinematic physicality to the production.
The story of two American travelers who stumble upon a mystical Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years has long served as a metaphor for longing, escape, and the search for meaning. In a year marked by rapid technological change and cultural uncertainty, its themes of timelessness and human connection feel especially poignant.
Why Brigadoon Matters Right Now
A renewed interest in mid‑century musicals, seen in recent revivals of Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, and Carousel, has sparked a broader conversation about how these works can evolve without losing their emotional core. Pasadena Playhouse’s production is emerging as a case study in how to strike that balance.
With its lush score, live orchestra, and sweeping choreography, the show promises both nostalgia and reinvention. Songs like “Almost Like Being in Love” and “The Heather on the Hill” remain intact, anchoring the production in the Lerner & Loewe tradition even as the storytelling shifts.
Tickets are available at pasadenaplayhouse.org, by phone at 626‑356‑7529, or in person at the Playhouse box office.
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