New York City’s historic Merchant’s House Museum will become the stage for three celebrated literary works when Summoners Ensemble Theatre launches its first full season in residence at the landmark Manhattan location.
The 2026-27 season, announced Sept. 2, brings Charles Dickens, Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whitman to life through three intimate productions running from November 2026 through June 2027.
The season opens with the company’s 14th annual presentation of A Christmas Carol at the Merchant’s House, running Nov. 24, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027. The production imagines December 1867, when Dickens arrived in New York City for a month of sold-out performances of his beloved holiday story.
Set inside the Merchant’s House Museum’s elegant Greek Revival double parlor, the 70-minute production uses Dickens’ own performance script to create an intimate theatrical experience surrounded by 19th-century furnishings, holiday decorations and candlelight.
Vince Gatton will return to share the role of Mr. Dickens with John Kevin Jones, who originated the role for Summoners Ensemble. The two actors will alternate performances, giving audiences different interpretations of the celebrated author and his characters. The production is adapted by Jones and Rhonda Dodd and directed by Dodd.
The season continues March 30 through April 18, 2027, with Killing an Evening with Edgar Allan Poe: Séance at the Merchant’s House. The production returns with new stories added to its theatrical exploration of Poe’s work, creating an atmospheric encounter with one of America’s most celebrated literary figures.
The season concludes June 1-13, 2027, with Whitman in Love, a production celebrating poet Walt Whitman, including themes of poetry, love and desire.
For the first time, audiences can purchase a subscription to all three productions, with season-ticket holders eligible for savings of up to 20 percent.
The partnership is particularly fitting for the productions. Built in 1832, the Merchant’s House Museum is New York City’s only 19th-century family home preserved virtually intact, including original furnishings and personal belongings. The property is a National Historic Landmark and is recognized as a landmark for both its exterior and interior.
Summoners Ensemble Artistic Director Dr. Rhonda Dodd said the three productions may be different, but share a central concept: placing the words of extraordinary writers inside an extraordinary historic setting.
With Dickens, Poe and Whitman serving as the season’s literary centerpieces, Summoners Ensemble is offering New Yorkers an opportunity to experience classic American and English literature not simply as something to read, but as something to encounter live and intimately.
Tickets and season subscriptions are available through Summoners Ensemble Theatre and the Merchant’s House Museum websites.