South Valley Civic Theater has unveiled an ambitious lineup for its upcoming 2025-26 season, featuring productions ranging from Tony Award-winning musicals to adaptations of popular Disney movies.
The season announcement came during the theater’s annual membership event, where SVCT President Peter Mandel emphasized the organization’s mission to “enlighten, entertain, engage and inspire through the magic of theater.”
The new season will be split between the company’s traditional Playhouse venue and their new Limelight location on Condit Road. The season opens Aug. 29 with “Kimberly Akimbo,” a play about a teenager with a rare aging condition that makes her appear to be in her sixties.
“This story revolves around Kimberly, a 16-year-old girl who suffers from a rare condition that causes her to age rapidly,” explained Jason Stebbins, who emceed the announcement event. “Despite her unusual appearance, Kimberly navigates typical teenage challenges, including dealing with her dysfunctional family.”
Beginning Jan. 16, 2026, the new Limelight venue will host the company’s second play of the season, “The Other Place,” a drama about a brilliant scientist experiencing confusion and memory issues that premiered off-Broadway in 2011.
The Playhouse stage will feature “Comic Potential,” a romantic sci-fi comedy set in a future where androids have replaced human actors, starting April 24. The story follows a young writer who discovers that one of their “Actoids,” as they are called, has developed its own sense of humor.
“Adam sees JC’s ability as an opportunity,” Stebbins said. “As Adam and JC work together, they develop a deep connection and eventually fall in love. However, their journey is fraught with challenges, including opposition from the TV executives. This play explores themes of love, creativity, and what it means to be human.”
SVCT will present two Disney productions: “Descendants, The Musical,” following the children of Disney villains as they attend school with the offspring of heroes opening Sept. 26, and “High School Musical, The Musical,” an adaptation of the popular Disney Channel movie, opening Feb. 20.
The season’s small musical, opening Nov. 14, will be “Fun Home,” a Tony Award-winning adaptation of a graphic memoir that explores family relationships and identity through a non-linear narrative.
“The story follows Alison as she reflects on her childhood, her years of college, and her present day life,” Stebbins said. “As she delves into memories, she grapples with her identity and her father’s behavior. The musical explores themes of family, memory, and self-discovery, offering a poignant and honest look at the complexities of growing up and understanding one’s parents.”
Concluding the season will be “Groundhog Day, The Musical,” based on the 1993 film about a weatherman caught in a time loop, featuring what Stebbins called “a heartfelt and humorous score” that adds “depth and entertainment” to the protagonist’s journey of self-improvement. “Groundhog Day” opens June 19.
Following these announcements, Mandel reflected on theater’s enduring importance throughout human history, noting that people have been creating theatrical performances since at least 2500 BC.
“There must be something special about theater that it has continued to be vital for humanity after all that time,” he said. “I think many of us do it not just to provide entertainment, but in a sense to elevate our community a little bit. When we plan a season, we certainly look for shows that are entertaining, but there is also a lot of discussion about including some shows that have a meaning, and can offer a lesson.”
Performance dates and ticket information for SVCT’s upcoming season can be found at svct.org/2025-2026_season/.
Calvin Nuttall is a Morgan Hill-based freelance reporter.
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