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World Premiere Halloween Is Canceled. Blame the Herdmans.The Herdmans have a reputation. So when Halloween is canceled, everyone knows exactly who to blame. But in The Best Halloween Ever , the children of Woodrow Wilson Elementary are about to discover that reputations, first impressions, and the truth are not always the same thing. This fall, Orlando Family Stage brings Barbara Robinson's beloved story to the stage in a brand-new world premiere adaptation by Jahnna Beecham and Skye Hillgartner. | ||
The Best Halloween Ever World Premiere October 10-November 1, 2026 | ||
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From Workshop to World PremiereBefore a new play reaches the stage, it begins with artists in a room: reading, listening, experimenting, and discovering what the story can become. The Best Halloween Ever has been developed by Orlando Family Stage in collaboration with Concord Theatricals, bringing playwrights Jahnna Beecham and Skye Hillgartner together with theatre artists to shape Barbara Robinson's story for the stage. | ||
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Development workshop for The Best Halloween Ever. Photo by Trisha Houlihan. | ||
That development process leads here: a world premiere at Orlando Family Stage. For audiences, it is a chance to experience a new adaptation at the beginning of its theatrical life, before the play becomes available to theatres across the country. Be among the first audiences to experience it on stage. | ||
Meet the Family Everyone Is Talking AboutThe Herdmans are loud. They break the rules. They have a way of turning ordinary events completely upside down. And everyone thinks they know exactly who they are. As Halloween approaches, the children of Woodrow Wilson Elementary find themselves looking beyond the Herdmans' reputation and discovering why understanding someone can be more complicated, and more important, than judging them. For young audiences, that means plenty to laugh about and plenty to talk about afterward. For the adults beside them, it is a chance to share a story about empathy, assumptions, and seeing people differently. | ||
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The Next Stories Are Already WaitingKeep the season going with more theatre to share together. | ||
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Your Next Shared Story Starts HereProfessional theatre gives children and the adults who love them something rare: a story they can experience together and keep talking about long after the curtain falls. | ||
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Questions about your visit? | ||
Orlando Family Stage |
