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Lincoln Trail College will bring two popular productions to the stage in summer 2026 as part of its Children’s Summer Theater and Young Adults Theater programs. This year’s lineup features Magic Tree House: The Knight at Dawn KIDS for elementary-aged performers and Beetlejuice JR. for teens, offering students opportunities to learn performance skills, build confidence, and collaborate in a creative environment.
Registration for the program will open in spring 2026. The cost is $150 per student, and enrollment will be limited.
The Children’s Summer Theater season begins with Magic Tree House: The Knight at Dawn KIDS for students entering first through fifth grades.
Magic Tree House: The Knight at Dawn KIDS is an adaptation of the second of Mary Pope Osborne's award-winning fantasy adventure books from the Magic Tree House book series, which has sold more than 100 million copies and is available in more than 100 countries around the world. This time around, Jack and Annie’s tree house takes them to an age of knights in shining armor, where the two discover the power of hope and the true meaning of gallantry.
The two siblings, Jack and Annie, return to visit the magic tree house. As they read a book about knights and the middle ages, Annie is intrigued by the Black Knight and the mysterious quest one must successfully complete before becoming a knight. When she wishes to visit the castle in the book, the siblings are whisked away to medieval times. They set off to learn more about the Black Knight and his quest, experiencing a grand medieval feast, escaping through secret tunnels and dancing with enchanted suits of armor, all in an effort to find their way back home.
Rehearsals will take place Monday through Friday from 9–11 a.m. beginning May 26. Performances are scheduled for June 25–26 at 7 p.m.
The second Children’s Summer Theater production, designed for students entering sixth through ninth grades, is James and the Giant Peach JR.
Based on one of Roald Dahl’s most poignantly quirky stories, Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach JR. is a brand new take on this "masterpeach" of a tale. Featuring a wickedly tuneful score and a witty and charming book, this adventurous musical about courage and self-discovery is destined to be a classic.
When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that grows a tremendous peach, rolls into the ocean and launches a journey of enormous proportions. James befriends a collection of singing insects that ride the giant piece of fruit across the ocean, facing hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements along the way.
Rehearsals will take place Monday through Friday from 12-2 p.m. beginning May 26. Performances are scheduled for June 27 at 7 p.m. and June 28 at 2 p.m.
The Young Adults Theater program will return in July with Beetlejuice JR., designed for students ages 13–18.
The ghost-with-the-most comes to the stage in Beetlejuice JR., the frightfully funny musical based on the beloved motion picture turned Broadway phenomenon. Lydia Deetz is a strange and unusual teenager, still grieving the loss of her mother and obsessed with the whole “being dead thing.” Lucky for Lydia, she and her father move to a new house haunted by a recently deceased couple and Beetlejuice, a delightful demon with a real zest for life. When Lydia calls on Beetlejuice to scare away anyone with a pulse, this double-crossing specter shows his true stripes, unleashing a (Nether)world of pandemonium.
With music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Eddie Perfect and a book by Tony Award-nominated pair Anthony King and Scott Brown, Beetlejuice was nominated for eight 2019 Tony Awards including Best New Musical. A viral "sucks-yes" on social media, this musical struck a chord with young theatre lovers who adored its unabashed humor and emotional honesty.
Rehearsals will run Monday through Friday from 5–9 p.m. beginning July 13. Performances will be held July 31 and Aug. 1 at 7 p.m.
Lincoln Trail College Theater Director Taylor Dahlberg said the selection of shows was intentional and centered on giving students meaningful material that sparks imagination and creativity.
“We are gearing up for an awesome summer! I remember reading the Magic Treehouse and Roald Dahl books as a kid, and I believe these stories still resonate with young people today. We wanted to pick titles that opened up even more educational avenues and that might help our students fall in love with reading. For our older students, I wanted to pick something that had a little more emotional depth. We all know the Beetlejuice movie, but the musical has a really lovely message about choosing hope in a time when things seem dark (plus all of the characters that we know and love), and it seemed like a great choice for our oldest students.”
Additional program details, including registration dates, will be announced in the spring.
