I Am My Own Wife Tony winner Jefferson Mays will star in Pasadena Playhouse's 2026 production of Peter Shaffer's Tony-winning Amadeus.

Stage and screen star Mays, also Tony-nominated for his performances in Oslo and A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, will play Mozart's jealous rival, Salieri. Gentleman's Guide Tony winner Darko Tresnjak will direct the production, now scheduled for February 11-March 8, 2026, with opening night February 15. Additional casting and creative team members will be announced at a later date.

The play premiered at London's National in 1979 starring Paul Scofield and Simon Callow, coming to Broadway the following year with Ian McKellen and Tim Curry. Miloš Forman directed a 1984 film version starring F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce, which won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. The play has continued to flourish in the years since, getting a Broadway revival in 1999 and countless London stagings along with several radio productions.

The 2023 Regional Theatre Tony winner also announced that ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, created and performed by Julia Masli, has been added to the upcoming Playhouse season. Directed by Kim Noble, performances are set for October 15-November 9, 2025, with an October 19 opening. Masli's solo comedy, a 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe hit, recently played two engagements at Off-Broadway's Public Theater. The show sees Masli, a trained clown, using a bronze leg and a handbell to solve the problems of the various audience members.

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman said in a statement, “When I saw Julia Masli’s show last year, it was unlike anything I had ever experienced in a theatre. From Edinburgh to New York, audiences have been laughing, crying, and connecting with each other nightly thanks to this unique theatrical experience. I’m delighted that our Playhouse community will have the chance to fall in love with Julia this fall. And looking ahead, we are honored to welcome the extraordinary Jefferson Mays as Salieri in Amadeus, under the visionary direction of Darko Tresnak. Two of the American theatre’s most talented artists are coming together for a thrilling production that can’t be missed.”

Visit PasadenaPlayhouse.org for more information about the 2025-2026 season.