The Orchard Project Announces Artists, Projects for 2026 Performance Lab and Summer Festival

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

Eastern

Central

Western

West End

WEST END

UK Regional

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

TV/Movies

Music

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

The four-session residency program brings together 120 artists working on more than 30 projects over four weeks.

POPULAR

Get all the top news & discounts for Central New York & beyond.

The Orchard Project has announced the artists and companies selected for its 2026 Summer Performance Lab in Saratoga Springs, NY. The four-session residency program brings together 120 artists working on more than 30 projects over four weeks. The extraordinary range of theatrical voices represented includes world-renowned acrobatic circus ensemble Machine de Cirque, Academy Award-winning songwriter Markéta Irglova, Tony Award-winning playwright Doug Wright , and acclaimed Broadway director Christopher Ashley — alongside a new class of emerging and mid-career artists developing bold new work.

Get all the top news & discounts for Central New York & beyond.

Two beloved New York companies, The Civilians and INTAR, join the 2026 Orchard Project as companies in residence, supported by grants from the New York State Council of the Arts. For the first time, a dedicated Homegrown Solo program invites standout comedian-performers including Aparna Nancherla, George Civeris, Michael Cruz Kayne , Jo Sunday, and Michael Abber to develop new solo work.

“This summer's cohort is one of the most ambitious we've ever assembled,” Ari Edelson , Founder and Artistic Director of The Orchard Project, said. “The range of imagination gathering at the Orchard Project is staggering. We are so proud to offer these artists the space, time, and community to do their bravest work.”

The 2026 OP artists' residencies begin on Monday, June 15. Work-in-progress public events will run from June 19 through July 11, culminating in an OP Comedy Week showcase and a Summer Arts Festival on July 7–11, which is open to the Saratoga Springs community and industry.

The Orchard Project Summer Arts Festival runs June 19 – July 11, 2026, in Saratoga Springs, NY. All locations shared upon RSVP. Most events are free and open to the public and industry but require RSVP. In order to RSVP and reserve your seats, please visit our online form .

Full calendar and additional events: orchardproject.com/summer26 . The online RSVP form is here: orchardproject.com/orchard-project-saratoga-events-seat-reservation-form .

The Performance Lab provides four sessions of intensive residency for theatrical and interdisciplinary projects, featuring The Civilians and INTAR as companies in residence. Projects include:

New for 2026, the Homegrown Solo program invites solo performance and stand-up comedy artists to develop new work in residence, with popup showcases on July 9 and 10. Participants include Aparna Nancherla, Jo Sunday, Michael Cruz Kayne , Michael Abber, and George Civeris.

The Greenhouse/Homegrown Lab is a year-long development program for multidisciplinary playwrights. 2026 participants:

The Orchard Project is where new works are seeded, nurtured, and grown. It is an expansive creative space for new plays, new musicals, new television shows, and new forms of dramatic storytelling. The Orchard Project serves creators and producers through form-fitting labs, workshops, and other support in New York City, Saratoga Springs, and online, that propel innovative projects forward. Operating in New York City, Saratoga Springs, and online, it has nurtured over 1,500 artists, with works premiering on Broadway, the West End, and globally, earning Obies, Drama Desks, and a 2014 Tony Award for Best Play for All The Way. The 2026 Performance Lab is supported by The New York State Council on the Arts, the Upstate Theater Coalition, The Richenthal Foundation, The John Golden Fund, The Dake Family Foundation, The Venturous Theatre Fund, and individual donors.

Learn more at orchardproject.com/summer26 .

Get an Alert Each Time Stephi Wild Writes

Videos

Central New York SHOWS

Recommended For You

Sign up for announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/central-new-york/article/The-Orchard-Project-Reveals-2026-Performance-Lab-Artists-Projects-and-Summer-Festival-20260612)._