THE BENT fifth‑anniversary season marks a milestone moment for the Coachella Valley’s LGBTQ+ theatre company, celebrating five years of bold storytelling, community connection, and unapologetically queer artistry. Founded in 2022 by Artistic Director Steven Rosenbaum and Managing Director Terry Ray, THE BENT has quickly become a cultural anchor—reviving classics, elevating new voices, and producing original works that challenge, delight, and inspire. Now, the 2026–2027 season arrives with six powerful productions exploring family, identity, resilience, and love, beginning with a Pulitzer Prize‑winning masterpiece and culminating in a deeply moving new work by one of America’s most celebrated playwrights.
THE BENT launches Season Five with Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (October 9–24, 2026), a towering American drama that continues to resonate more than seventy years after its premiere. The Pulitzer Prize‑winning classic examines truth, desire, and the fractures within a Southern family, reaffirming its place as one of the greatest works in American theatre.
Next comes Peter Parnell’s Dada Woof Papa Hot (November 13–29, 2026), a sharply observed comedy about two married gay couples navigating the complexities of modern family life. As Jesse Green noted, the play is “seriously intelligent and deadly accurate,” offering a witty, heartfelt look at parenting, partnership, and identity.
December brings the return of a beloved tradition: SKIPPY ’N BITSY’S HOLIDAY HOEDOWN HIJINKS! (December 9–13, 2026). This year, the duo “go country” in an all‑new Christmas extravaganza filled with outrageous comedy, music, and festive cheer—an annual favorite for audiences seeking holiday fun.
The new year opens with Paul Rudnick’s Obie Award‑winning Jeffrey (January 22–February 7, 2027), a wildly funny and deeply touching romantic comedy set during the AIDS crisis. More than three decades after its premiere, Jeffrey remains a poignant reminder of love’s endurance and the resilience of the human spirit.
In the spring, THE BENT presents the West Coast premiere of Jennifer Hoppe‑House’s Bad Dog (February 26–March 13, 2027). Written by the acclaimed television writer behind Grace and Frankie, Damages, and Nurse Jackie, this dark comedy explores family dysfunction with biting humor and emotional depth.
Season Five concludes with Mother Play by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel (April 23–May 8, 2027). Spanning four decades, this funny and heartbreaking work examines the complicated relationship between a mother and her children, revealing how family shapes us in ways both painful and profound.
“As I planned our fifth anniversary season, I found myself drawn again and again to stories about family, community, identity, love, and the courage to live authentically,” says Artistic Director Steven Rosenbaum. “There is no better way to celebrate THE BENT’s fifth birthday than by sharing these remarkable stories with the people who have made this theatre possible—our Bent Family.”
Beginning July 1, subscribers can renew or purchase new subscription packages through THE BENT’s ticket page at thebent.org. Renewal links will be emailed to current subscribers, who can log in to secure their preferred seats before they are released on August 1. Single tickets go on sale September 15.