Middlesex County Plays-in-the-Park Unveils Lineup For 2026 Summer Season

EDISON, NJ — Middlesex County is excited to invite residents and visitors to experience the 2026 season of Plays-in-the-Park, the County’s beloved summer musical series.

This year’s lineup presents three popular Broadway musicals, All Shook Up, 1776, and Guys and Dolls, taking place from June through August.

All plays will be performed at the Stephen J. Capestro Theatre, located at Roosevelt Park, 1 Pine Drive, Edison, 08837.

Plays in the Park 2026 summer schedule:

ALL SHOOK UP (June 17-27) – Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night: It's 1955 and into a square little town rides a guitar-playing young man who changes everything and everyone he meets. Featuring mega hits from the beloved Elvis catalog, this musical fantasy will have you jumpin’ out of your blue suede shoes with such classics as “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Don’t Be Cruel.” All Shook Up is more than just a musical — it’s a vibrant, joyous celebration of the power of love, the power of music, and the power of community.

1776 (July 8-18) – It is the summer of 1776, and the nation’s founding fathers are debating declaring independence from the shackles of the British monarchy. The only issue is our founding fathers all need to agree about it! 1776 follows the story of John Adams, the Congressman from Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia as they set out to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for American independence and to sign the Declaration of Independence!

Guys and Dolls (July 29-August 8) – Set in Damon Runyon's mythical New York City, Guys and Dolls is an oddball romantic comedy. Gambler Nathan Detroit tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck; meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they've been engaged for fourteen years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler, Sky Masterson, for the dough, and Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced missionary, Sarah Brown, as a result. Guys and Dolls takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.

There are no Sunday performances.

Tickets are available on-site at the Stephen J. Capestro Theatre box office only on the day of the performance. There are no advance sales or online ticketing options.

The ticket booth opens at 5:30 pm, and patrons are admitted to the seating area immediately after purchasing tickets. All shows start at 8 p.m., and the ticket booth closes at 8:30 p.m. each show night. Attendees are required to bring their own lawn chair with a back no higher than 40 inches.

Ticket prices are $8 per adult, $5 per senior citizen (60 and over), and children 12 and under enter for free. In the event of inclement weather, ticketholders should retain their ticket stub for admission to another performance this season. For questions regarding Box Office information, please call 732 548-2884 or visit middlesexcountynj.gov/PIP.

The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners is proud to offer complimentary admission to active U.S. military service members and their immediate families for any performance. Complimentary tickets are also available for veterans and their immediate families on the Monday and Tuesday performances of each summer show.

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to support REPLENISH and Feeding Middlesex County, which will be on-site at each performance. All donations will directly support local individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. For more information on Plays-in-the-Park, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov/PIP.