GEVA THEATRE KICKS OFF ITS 2025/26 SEASON WITH THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

On Stage September 9 - October 12, 2025

Rochester, N.Y. — The long-running hit from the West End and Broadway comes to Geva! In The Play That Goes Wrong, the intrepid thespians of the Cornley Drama Society are more or less ready to raise the curtain on the grandest production the village has ever seen, The Murder at Haversham Manor – until things go from bad to calamitous. Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields and originally directed by Benjamin Hanna with Remount Director cara hinh.  

 There’s an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that won’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines) – and that’s only the first act. It’s nothing you want in a show – and everything you want in a comedy! The Play that Goes Wrong runs on the Wilson Stage September 9 – October 12, 2025. Tickets are on sale now; visit GevaTheatre.org or call the Box Office at 585-232-4382.  

"We’re so delighted to be partnering with Ban Hanna, cara hinh, and Indiana Repertory Theatre on this laugh-out-loud production of The Play That Goes Wrong!” said Geva Artistic Director Elizabeth Williamson. “One Indianapolis critic wrote, “In my 25-odd years as a critic, I have never seen anything as gloriously, chaotically funny as the Indiana Repertory Theatre’s staging of The Play That Goes Wrong” and another said it made them realize “sometimes you don’t realize how badly you needed to laugh until your sides are aching, and your face hurts.” I’m looking forward to launching our 2025-26 Season here in Rochester with this gloriously funny production!" 

The Cast:  

China Brickey as Annie Twilloil (she/her; Little Shop of Horrors, Guthrie Theater; Hello Dolly!, Theater Latté Da), Nate Cheeseman as Trevor Watson (he/him; Bernhardt/Hamlet, Goodman Theater; Twelfth Night, Guthrie Theater), Rob Johansen as Jonathan Harris (he/him; Camelot, Geva Theatre; The Grapes of Wrath, Syracuse Stage), Dominique Lawson as Max Bennett (he/him; Off-Broadway: Shedding Load, 59E59; Regional: Once on this Island, Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Brett Mutter as Robert Grove (he/him; Waitress, Beef & Boards

Dinner Theatre; The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Indiana Repertory Theater), Natasia Lucia Reinhardt as Sandra Wilkinson (all pronouns; Indiana Repertory Theater, The American Shakespeare Center), Eric Sharp as Chris Bean (he/him; The History Plays, Guthrie Theater; What You Can’t Keep, Trademark Theater), Claire Wilcher as Dennis Tyde (she/her; Clue, Indiana Repertory Theatre; As You Like It, Indianapolis Shakespeare Company), with Understudies Sophia Benny (she/her), Parker Howland (he/him), Evan Miller

Watelet (he/him). 

The Creative Team:  

Along with Director Ben Hanna (he/him; Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Penumbra Theatre Company, Children’s Theatre Company), Remount Director cara hinh (they/she; Arena Stage, Atlantic Theatre Company, Berkeley Rep), the creative team includes Fights, Intimacy & Movement by Leraldo Anzaldua (he/him; Prague Shakespeare Company, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theatre), Scenic Designers Christopher (he/him) and Justin Swader (he/him; Geva: Dial M. For Murder and Little Women; Primary Stages, Red Bull Theater, Lincoln Center Education, Dallas Theater Center, Two River Theatre), Costume Designer Izumi Inaba (she/her; Paramount Theatre, The Old Globe, Penobscot Theatre Company), Lighting Designer Jason Lynch (he/him; Geva: The Color Purple and How to Catch Creation; Audible Theatre/Minetta Lane Theatre, Alley Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company), Dialect Coach Thom Miller (he/him; Geva: Dial M. For Murder, A Christmas Carol, and Little Women), and Sound Design by Bailey Trierweiler (he/him), Noel Nichols (they/she), Daniela Hart (she/they) from UptownWorks (Hartford Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Syracuse Stage). Julia Bregy is the Production Stage Manager (she/her) with Assistant Stage Manager Kevin Gregory Dwyer (he/him) and Production Assistant Isabella Smith (she/her).  

Geva’s 53rd Season is sponsored by ESL Federal Credit Union with Honorary Season Producer Dr. Dawn Lipson. The Play That Goes Wrong is presented with support from Media Sponsors 13WHAM and iHeart Media along with Opening Night Sponsor, Madeline's Catering. Geva’s Official Storage Space Sponsor is Buckingham Properties and Official Vehicle Sponsor is Vision Automotive.  

Related Events: 

Sunday Salons - Patrons are invited to stay in the theater following select performances for a live talkback facilitated by Geva Theatre’s staff. This engaging, behind-the-scenes conversation is free to attend and gives the audience a unique chance to ask questions about the production. Cast members may join the discussion as they are able. 

Sunday, September 21 – Post-2:00pm Performance 

Sunday, October 5 – Post-2:00pm Performance 

Prologue – Due to the nature of this show, and an exciting pre-show with the company that you won’t want to miss, Prologues are online only! Tune in to Geva’s YouTube Channel closer to the opening date of this show for more information. 

Geva Insights – Patrons are encouraged to stay post-show for conversations with experts and community voices, presented by Geva’s Literary department, as an opportunity to dive deeper into the themes of the production.  

Saturday, September 27 – Post 3:00pm Performance 

Accessible Performances 

Sign Interpreted (ASL) 

• Thursday 10/2 – 7:30pm 

Audio Described 

• Sunday 9/28 – 2:00pm 

Open Captioning  

• Saturday 9/13 – 2:00pm 

• Wednesday 10/1 – 2:00pm 

• Wednesday 10/1 – 7:30pm 

Learn more about Geva’s accessibility options here. 

Ticket and Performance Information  

When: September 9 – October 12, 2025 

Where: On the Wilson Stage, 75 Woodbury Boulevard, Rochester, New York 14607 

To Purchase: Single tickets range from $32 to $75 (fees included). Tickets may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 585-232-4382, visiting in-person, or online at GevaTheatre.org. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10+, to purchase call 585-420-2090. All prices, dates, and times are subject to change.