The 1876 Project: Open Workshop

From January 29–February 5, 2027, audiences will be invited inside the earliest stages of Irondale’s newest ensemble-created production through an open workshop for The 1876 Project.

Months before the finished work reaches the stage, audiences can witness the moment when actors, ideas and the beginnings of a play first encounter one another.

From this open workshop, the Ensemble will continue developing and devising the work toward its world premiere in the spring, with previews April 20–21, an official opening on April 22, and performances through May 16 - STAY TUNED!

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The 1876 Project takes its starting point from a consequential moment in American history. The year 1876 marked a decade since the end of the Civil War and the centennial of the United States. It was also the year Philadelphia hosted the Centennial International Exhibition, the first official World’s Fair
held in the United States, designed in part to present a story of American innovation, progress and prosperity to the world.

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, The 1876 Project looks back 150 years to a country grappling with division while publicly projecting an image of unity and progress. Irondale will use 1876 as a lens through which to examine the stories America tells about itself, the realities those stories can obscure and the echoes between that moment and our own.

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IRONDALE'S 2026/27 SEASON:

• November 27–December 19: NextGen Inaugural Production
• November 29 at 7:30PM: From The Vault: Outside The Law - On your feet reading of an Irondale classic.
• December 13 at 7:30PM: The Writer's Room - Irondale artists and audiences discover new work together.
• December 20: Holiday Party & A Christmas Carol - A festive night of mulled wine, cookies, good company and a special adapted reading of A Christmas Carol | Party at 5PM Reading at 7PM
• January 29-February 5, 2027: The 1876 Project: Open Workshop - An early workshop of Irondale's newest ensemble production, inviting audiences into the room as the creation happens.
• April 20-May 16, 2027: The 1876 Project: Full Production - Irondale looks back at a country celebrating its centennial while grappling with division -and asks what stories America chooses to tell.

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