Elephant & Piggie’s “We Are in a Play,” Presented by Playhouse Stage Company

ALBANY, NY (April 28, 2026) — Playhouse Stage Company, the Capital Region’s professional musical theater and premier arts education organization, today announced its summer 2026 season at Park Playhouse in Albany’s Washington Park. In a new direction for the beloved summer program, PSC will present Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play, a musical adaptation of Mo Willems’ enormously popular children’s book series, as a capstone summer event at Park Playhouse in Albany’s Washington Park during the week leading up to Labor Day. Every seat at every performance will be completely free for this family-friendly production.

The production represents a strategic collaboration between Playhouse Stage Company and the City of Albany under Mayor Dr. Dorcey Applyrs. Mayor Applyrs worked with the organization to maintain Albany’s support for the Park Playhouse program, by leveraging Albany Community Development Agency grant funding. Together, the partners are refocusing the summer offering on what has always been at the heart of Park Playhouse: introducing young people to the arts and providing families with accessible, enriching cultural experiences.

“For 38 years, Park Playhouse has been a place where anyone can experience live, professional theater for free,” said Owen Smith, Producing Artistic Director of Playhouse Stage Company. “This summer, we’re going back to the roots of that mission. Both the City and the nonprofit arts world are facing real economic challenges right now. What matters is how we respond to them. We’re choosing to focus our resources where they can make the deepest impact — on young people and families. Because the kids who fall in love with live theater this summer are the audiences, the artists, and the community leaders of tomorrow. We are exceedingly grateful to Mayor Applyrs and her team for the value that they place on this program.”

Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play brings Gerald the elephant and Piggie the pig to life in an infectiously tuneful, smartly written musical that’s as delightful for adults as it is for children. The show, which PSC has previously offered to school field trips, has a shorter run time than past Washington Park offerings, making it an ideal first theatrical experience for kids as young as toddler age. “We want to create a welcoming environment for young people and families,” Smith said, “and help kids to fall in love with getting off their screens, getting out into their community, and seeing what the live performing arts has to offer.”

Performances will take place across the final two weeks of August, with a mixture of 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM showtimes from August 16-26, 2026.  All performances will take place during daylight hours, so families won’t need to navigate the park after dark. The late summer timing is intentional: weather patterns are statistically more favorable and temperatures more comfortable later in the summer, allowing families with young children to enjoy the show with a reduced risk of the extreme heat and severe storms that have often affected recent PSC summer programming earlier in summer months.

For the first time in Park Playhouse history, every single seat will be free, including on the ground level. This breaks down any and all barriers to entry for Albany residents and guests. All audience members are welcome to bring a chair or blanket and sit close to the stage for this interactive, engaging musical. A small section of accessible seating will be available to reserve at no cost through the Playhouse Stage box office for patrons with mobility challenges or others for whom bringing a chair may not be possible.

Playhouse Stage Company will partner with local youth summer camps, religious and civic institutions, and summer school programs to welcome groups to performances throughout the run. Organizations interested in arranging group attendance are encouraged to contact the Playhouse Stage box office.

“The arts are essential to any thriving community, and I am proud to say that the City of Albany will continue to support Park Playhouse and the critical community outreach work of Playhouse Stage Company. Partnering with local summer youth groups and civic institutions to offer opportunities for youth to view performances speaks to Park Playhouse’s level of intention,” said Albany Mayor Dr. Dorcey Applyrs. “This is the exact kind of investment our residents have identified that they want to see. Creating opportunities for cultural enrichment that is accessible to families of all income levels is how we will continue to turn the lights back on in our City. I am thrilled to collaborate with Park Playhouse on this initiative and look forward to bringing this vision to life.”

“Park Playhouse has been part of the fabric of this community for nearly four decades, and the organization’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion has never wavered,” said Benita Zahn, Board President of Playhouse Stage Company. “This summer’s program reflects the creativity and resilience that defines this organization. I couldn’t be prouder of the direction we’re heading.”

In addition to its Washington Park programming, Playhouse Stage Company will present a full summer season of musical theatre at its year-round home, the historic Cohoes Music Hall, including Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Footloose: The Musical, and 13: The Musical. Tickets for the summer productions at Cohoes Music Hall go on sale to the general public on May 1 at playhousestage.org or by calling the box office at (518) 434-0776.

About Playhouse Stage Company

Playhouse Stage Company (Park Playhouse Inc.) is the Capital Region’s professional musical theater and premier arts education organization, now in its 38th season. The company operates three interconnected programs: Park Playhouse, presenting free outdoor summer musical theater in Albany’s Washington Park; Cohoes Music Hall, a year-round presenting and producing calendar at one of the oldest operating performance venues in the United States; and Playhouse Stage Academy, a comprehensive youth theater arts education program serving more than 10,000 students annually across eight Capital Region counties. Playhouse Stage Company compensates all of its performers, musicians, designers, and technicians. For more information, visit playhousestage.org.