Yesterday in Anne’s Black Box, the Theater Arts Department of Charlotte Latin School revealed its slate of theatrical productions for the 2026–27 school year. The room was full of rising Upper School and Middle School students avidly cheering for each upcoming play and musical. 

As per Latin tradition, the announcement was full of misdirection and fake outs. The schedule was presented by Matt Cosper (Director of Theater Arts), Meredith McCarter (Assistant Director of Performing Arts), and Ryan Harrison (Director of Choirs) in elaborate costumes that had nothing to do with next year’s theatrical season — their outfits this year were Peter Pan–themed.

The 2026–27 Charlotte Latin theatrical season:

The Trial, which Cosper described as a “funny and strange” adaptation of the Franz Kafka novel about an unjustly accused person, will be the Upper School play, presented on October 9–11, 2026.

The Middle School musical will be Stephen Sondheim’s witty and moving pastiche of children’s literature, Into the Woods, Jr., performed on November 13 and 14, 2026. “It’s fairytales gone awry,” McCarter said.

The Lower School musical, Madagascar Kids, is an adaptation of the antic animated movie about animals escaping from the zoo: Latin’s youngest performers will bring it to life on January 28 and 29, 2027.

The Little Mermaid is a theatrical version of the animated film, which in turn is based on the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. It will be the Upper School musical — “a show that we can invite the whole community to,” Cosper promised — running on February 25 through 28, 2027.

The season will conclude with the Middle School play: The Odyssey, a thrilling adaptation of Homer’s epic poem. “I’m excited to tell you we might interpolate some giant puppets,” McCarter confided. The play will be staged on May 7 and 8, 2027.