Historic Detroit Repertory Theatre Launches its 69th Season with a Bang
- John Sloan III
- Oct 6
- 3 min read
The sun was shining without a single cloud in the sky on Saturday and hundreds of people gathered under a huge tent at the Detroit Repertory Theatre. As people jockeyed for a sightline on the edge of the standing room only crowd, the actors took their places on the stage and began to set the mood. They were there to give everyone a taste of what’s to appear on the mainstage over the course of the Rep’s 69th season. As the longest-running, nonprofit, professional theatre in Michigan, the Detroit Rep has developed a loyal following of diverse Metro Detroiters, who were buzzing with anticipation for the sneak peeks of the upcoming productions.
“We have two Pulitzer Prize-winners back to back on our stage, Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust, and then August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson. She is the newest recipient of this distinguished prize, and he is arguably one of the greatest writers of the 20th century,” Leah Smith, Executive Artistic Director said. “Next we have the Michigan premiere of Eclipsed by Danai Gurira, with an all-woman cast that is a tale of survival during the Liberian civil war, and then lastly, the world premiere of Spit in Your Face, a political satire about theatre artists who want to change the world.”
The annual Season Launch and Homecoming Celebration not only is a chance for people to bolster their excitement about the forthcoming shows; it’s also a show of gratitude to the hundreds of donors who contributed to the Rep’s annual fundraiser. Federal defunding of the National Endowment for the Arts presents financial challenges for all arts organizations, and individuals made it clear that they believe the Rep is worth supporting, raising over $100,000 in August.
“I’ve been a longtime supporter of the Detroit Repertory Theatre and its diversity-centered mission is a part of what makes them stand out,” Byron Keys said.
“I’m happy to give because the plays that they do here aren’t stories that get to be told everywhere. And these little sneak peeks they just shared show that this next season is going to be even more of that.”
The Detroit Repertory Theatre’s 69th Season will open with the Detroit premiere of 2024 Pulitzer Prize winner Primary Trust by Eboni Booth. By day Kenneth sells books; by night he drinks mai tais at the tiki bar with his best friend, Bert. When he is laid off, he is forced into a world he has long avoided. Primary Trust is an achingly beautiful tale that celebrates friendship, connection, and small acts of kindness that can change a person's life—and an entire community. Directed by Antoine McKay, Primary Trust will run November 7 to December 28, 2025.
The season continues with 1991 Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson . Berniece and her brother Boy Willie fight over the fate of the family piano; she treasures it as a precious connection to their ancestors, and he sees it as the means to a more prosperous future. This fourth installment of the American Century Cycle is a haunting play about legacy. Directed by Janai Lashon, making her professional directorial debut, August Wilson's The Piano Lesson will run January 9 to March 15, 2026
The third show of the season will be the Michigan premiere of Eclipsed by Danai Gurira. Five extraordinary women struggle to negotiate power, protection, and peace as the fight to survive in the Liberian Civil War. From actress-playwright Danai Gurira (Black Panther, the Walking Dead), this gripping play unearths the wreckage of war, celebrating women navigating the most hostile of circumstances. Directed by Shavonne Coleman, Eclipsed will run March 27 to May 17, 2026.
The season will end with the world premiere of Spit in Your Face by Paul Heller and Alberto Lomnitz. As the only Mexican-American in a San Francisco theatre company, Liliana finds herself in the thorny position of having to realize the vision of two men, each of whom thinks he knows better than she does how to speak to the audience they serve. This bombastic new work is a hilarious look at modern politics and absurd theatre. Co-directed by Maurizio Dominguez and Leah Smith, Spit in Your Face will run May 29 to June 28, 2026.
Showtimes are Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm, and Sundays 2pm. General admission tickets are $35 with discounts offered for subscribers and advance purchase. The Detroit Repertory Theatre offers discounted tickets for community groups as well as options to host fundraisers and groups of various sizes.
