Madison, WI – Forward Theater returns as Overture Center’s professional resident theater company for the 2024-25 season. The theme of Forward’s season is Through Thick & Thin, which is all about connection: between characters, and between audiences and artists. Their 16th season explores the ties that bind us to each other – how tenuously they can begin, how complicated they can become, and how essential they are.
The 2024-25 Season at Forward Theater
King James
by Rajiv Joseph
September 12-29, 2024
Directed by Mikael Burke
“King” LeBron James was just the hero that Cleveland needed. One of the greatest NBA players to ever hit the court, his influence brought promise and renewal to an entire city. Set against the backdrop of James’ electrifying basketball career, this fast-paced comedy chronicles the turbulent bond between two die-hard fans, whose intertwined fortunes are tied to those of their idol. A hilarious and heartfelt exploration of loyalty, legacy, and the shared moments that define us.
“One slam-dunk of a bromance.” – BroadwayWorld.com
Wisconsin Premiere
Murder Girl
By Heidi Armbruster
November 7-24, 2024
Directed by Jen Uphoff Gray
It’s close to 5:00 PM, and the crew at Marty’s supper club in the woods of Wisconsin have big fish to fry. Twins Eric and Leann are trying to keep their family business afloat, but a little [thing called] murder may get in the way. Open your holiday season with this home-grown, world premiere comedy about found family, old fashioneds, and where to stow the roadkill.
World Premiere
Summer, 1976
By David Auburn
January 30 – February 16, 2025
Directed by Laura Gordon
The celebration of America’s Bicentennial finds Diana, an artist, and Alice, a professor’s wife, thrown together through a faculty babysitting co-op at Ohio State. As they navigate migraines and marriage crises, they build an expansive and intimate friendship as full of possibility, and as fleeting, as summer.
“It’s sharply observant…subtly, insistently feminist.”– The New York Times
Wisconsin Premiere
A Case for the Existence of God
By Samuel D. Hunter
March 27 – April 13, 2025
Directed by Jen Uphoff Gray
Presented in-the-round in the Playhouse at Overture Center
Inside a cubicle in a small office in southern Idaho, two men find themselves bound together as they struggle to balance the confounding terms on a loan. Through the hilarities and challenges of parenthood, economic pressures, and personal dreams, their evolving friendship becomes a profound exploration of human connection, faith, and the search for meaning in everyday life. A thought-provoking and deeply human experience, in a masterful story that argues for hope.
“A mature, beautiful, and overwhelmingly empathetic play that genuinely gives us perspectives we rarely get to see on stage.” – Theatermania.com
Monologue Festival
Guilty Pleasures
June 2025, Dates TBD
Indulge in an evening of confession and comedy at our eighth Monologue Festival, Guilty Pleasures! This time, the stage becomes a sanctuary for the secret indulgences we dare not admit. Twelve storytellers peel away layers of discretion to reveal the comedies and tragedies found in our hidden vices. This festival of original works promises a delightful journey through the joys, embarrassments, and sweet reliefs that come from embracing our most private delights.
