Audible Theater and TOGETHER, the theatrical partnership led by award-winning producer Sonia Friedman and actor Hugh Jackman, have concluded their acclaimed 2026 repertory season at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City after a spring run that earned widespread critical praise and expanded access to live theater for thousands of audience members.
The season featured three productions directed by Ian Rickson, each receiving recognition from critics, including New York Times Critic’s Pick honors. The productions—What Happened Was…, New Born, and Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes—combined intimate storytelling with an innovative model that allows performances to reach audiences well beyond the theater through Audible Original releases.
“What Happened Was…,” the first major revival of Tom Noonan’s acclaimed play, starred Corey Stoll and Cecily Strong and concluded its run on June 14. The production will become available globally as an Audible Original on Oct. 29, 2026.
Ella Hickson’s New Born, featuring three interconnected monologues performed by Marianna Gailus, Hugh Jackman and Sepideh Moafi, completed its engagement on June 8. Originally commissioned jointly by Sonia Friedman Productions and Audible Theater, the production will be released worldwide on Audible on Jan. 28, 2027.
Earlier in the season, Hannah Moscovitch’s Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, starring Ella Beatty and Hugh Jackman, returned to the Minetta Lane Theatre from March through May following its initial success. The production is already available for listeners on Audible.
Friedman and Jackman celebrated the collaboration, noting that accessibility and human connection were central to the partnership’s mission.
“What a season,” the pair said in a joint statement, adding that the productions were designed to bring audiences together through shared storytelling and that the upcoming global audio releases will allow the work to continue reaching listeners around the world.
Kate Navin, Audible’s Head of Creative Development for North America, said the collaboration reflects Audible’s ongoing commitment to making world-class theater accessible beyond the stage.
Accessibility remained a defining feature of the season. Twenty-five percent of tickets for every performance were made available for $35 on the day of each show, while Audible Theater and TOGETHER distributed more than 11,000 discounted and complimentary tickets throughout the run.
The organizations also continued their partnership with TDF, providing 50 free tickets to every performance of New Born and What Happened Was… for community organizations serving seniors, veterans, students, educators and underserved neighborhoods across the tri-state area.
With critically acclaimed productions, celebrated performances and a commitment to expanding access to live theater, the 2026 repertory season reinforced Audible Theater and TOGETHER’s growing influence in reshaping how audiences experience contemporary stage productions—both in New York and around the world.