The Royal Shakespeare company bets on Star Power as the 2025/26 season and globally, titled “Outlander” Heartthrob Sam Heughan in “Macbeth” and “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Olivier Winner Adrian Lester.

RSC co-directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey announced Tuesday the slate, spanning the mainland from Malawi to Manhattan and marking a significant expansion in Stratford-Evan-Evan-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon.

Draft picks this season include Heughan's "Macbeth" work in another place, directed by Daniel Raggett, starring Olivier and Tony nominee The Fiminee Lia Williams ("Crown"). Production will take place from October 9 to December 6.

Meanwhile, Lester will be "Cyrano de Bergerac" in a new adaptation of Simon Evans and Debris Stevenson from September 27 to November 15 at the Swan Theatre.

RSC also made a sensation on the west end with “natural teeth”, starring “Who” star Ncuti Gatwa and “Sex Education” Edward Bluemel, then rival playwright Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Directed by Evans, the work was run for the Wyndham's Theatre from August 13 to November 1.

International expansion continued this fall at the U.S. premiere of “Kyoto” at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in Lincoln Center, which included Tony nominee Stephen Kunken, reprimanding his role as oil lobbyist Don Pearlman. The work was nominated for Olivier’s best new show, transferred directly from its sold-out @sohoplace Run.

In spring 2026, Lolita Chakrabarti's adaptation of "Hamnet" will be seen visiting three major U.S. cities, including the Shakespeare Theater in Chicago, the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

Back in Stratford, Harvey reunited with Alfred Enoch at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, where they collaborated on “Pericles” in 2024. Production will be from March 14 to April 25, 2026.

This season includes the “Winter Story” (July 12-August 30) at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, followed by “Two Gentlemen of Verona” in another place (August 4-31). James Ijames also saw James Ijames’ award winner’s “Fat Ham” at the Swan Theater (August 15-September 13) at the Royal Shakespeare Theater (September 13-October 25), and James Ijames saw James Ijames’ Award winner at the Swan Theater (August 15-September 13) at the Swan Theater (August 13-September 13).

Other highlights include the musical stage premiere of Josh Roche along with original actors Fiona Hampton, Joseph Millson and Flora Spencer-Longhurst Returning and the musical stage of “Boy bean the Wind the Wind” directed by former Bush Theater director Lynette Linton.

Tony nominee Whitney White brings her experimental “All Is Fantasy” to another place, reimaging four Shakespeare characters in two “gig-theatre” performances, including live rock, pop and gospel soundtrack.

The season also features RSC’s Next Generation Talent Development Program, Shakespeare and Middleton collaborate on a new version of “Athens” and Middleton in another place (August 20-21), as well as “First with Shakespeare: Kounde Lear:kounter:kounter:kounter:kounter:kount from November 25-January 31), and the “BFG” festival at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from November 25-January 31.

“Since on this journey together, the guiding principle as co-director of the RSC’s arts has been to find bold and exciting works to deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us,” Harvey and Evans said in a joint statement.

"Our commitment to building a new international partnership is stronger than ever as governments around the world try to close borders," the director noted.

The company's educational initiative continues to "the first encounter with Shakespeare: King Lear", visiting 24 towns and towns across England, reaching over half a million young people a year through its creative learning program.