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The University of Wisconsin-Superior Theatre Department will open its 2026-27 season with Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, directed by Sean Naughton. Performances will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 1, 5 and 6, with a 2 p.m. matinee Nov. 7 in Manion Theater.
After a mysterious catastrophe wipes out modern civilization, a group of survivors gathers around a campfire, piecing together a remembered episode of The Simpsons.
Naughton said that while familiarity with The Simpsons may enhance the experience, audiences do not need to be fans of the long-running animated series to enjoy the production.
“This play is really about how stories evolve over time and within a specific cultural moment,” said Naughton. “It imagines a world in the not-so-distant future that has been plunged back into an electricity-free society. The characters try to recall a specific Simpsons episode from memory, and we see how it changes and transforms over the next seven to 75 years. It’s pretty cool.”
Written by Anne Washburn, Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play is a wildly inventive and darkly funny exploration of storytelling, pop culture and the myths people create to make sense of the world. Blending comedy, music and theatrical imagination, the acclaimed play asks what endures when everything else is lost.
“One aspect I’m especially excited about for this production is that we’re leaning into an immersive, site-specific style of theatre,” said Naughton. “The play’s three acts jump through time in interesting ways, and we thought it would be exciting to jump through space as well. Each act is staged in a different area of our theatre spaces, creating environments that support the story and engage the imagination. In other words, the audience will enter a new space after each act, which makes for a truly unique theatre experience.”
Tickets for Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, and $5 for students with a valid UW-Superior ID. Tickets may be purchased online or at the box office in the Holden Fine Arts Center. Reservations may be made by calling 715-394-8369.
Manion Theater is located in the Holden Fine and Applied Arts Center, 1805 Catlin Ave., Superior.