Tucson's Rogue Theatre announces 21st season lineup

Rogue Theatre is kicking off its 21st year in early September with a play that predates the Tucson company by some 450 years.

Hey, classic theater is like fine wine that gets better with time.

What do you know, that kinda rhymes, which is apropos given that 17th-century French playwright Molière wrote his 1664 satirical comedy “Tartuffe” in rhyming couplets.

American poet and literary translator Richard Wilbur translated the play into English in 1963, following Molière’s rhyming scheme.

The Rogue will be using Wilbur’s version when it performs the play from Sept. 5-28 at its theater, 300 E. University Blvd.

It is the first of five plays the company, led by founders Cynthia Meier and Joe McGrath, will mount in its 2025-26 season. Season tickets ($235) are on sale now through theroguetheatre.com. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.

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“Tartuffe” by Molière, translated by Richard Wilbur, Sept. 5–28: A family is taken in by a sanctimonious grifter who turns their household upside down.

“Cloud 9” by Caryl Churchill, Oct. 31–Nov. 23: Sticking with the satire theme, this play set first in colonial British Africa in the 19th century and then in modern day, is a satirical commentary on gender roles and sexuality.

“Peter and the Starcatcher” by Dave Barry and Ridley Peterson, adapted by Rick Elice, Jan. 9–Feb. 1, 2026: This prequel to “Peter Pan” shows our heroes, charged with delivering a magical cargo to a distant shore, encountering monsters, mermaids, flying crocodiles and a villainous pirate named Black Stache, while learning valuable lessons about friendship, duty and the power of believing in oneself.

“The River” by Jez Butterworth, Feb. 20–March 15: The timeless and haunting chamber theater work captures a moment on a river, a fisherman, a woman, another woman — but are they really there?

“The Tempest” by William Shakespeare, April 24-May 17: Rogue loves to bring the Bard to its stage, and next season they are resurrecting the classic tale of Prospero and his daughter Miranda and their effort to escape their enchanted island.