Daniel Zhao, Senior Photographer

From drag revenge-comedy story “Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board Members” to the newly adapted production of “The Inspector,” the upcoming season at the Yale Repertory Theatre defies a single theme or genre. The line up of five shows — which includes “Falcon Girls,” “Eden” and “Macbeth in Stride” — showcase the diversity of human stories, all told in unexpected ways. 

“Falcon Girls,” the first show of the season, explores the coming-of-age journey of six girls on the FFA horse judging team who confront AOL chat rooms, bouts of jealousy, sex and Jesus to reach their goal of making nationals. 

“We are really excited by the scope and variety of our season,” said professor Chantal Rodriguez, who is the associate dean of the David Geffen School of Drama and associate artistic director of the Yale Rep. “What unites this season is that it brings some of today’s most blazingly talented theater artists.”

The featured writers, directors and artists of this year’s season reflect talent from across the nation — from the Drama School to Puerto Rico. 

The show selection process is a year-long endeavor, said James Bundy DRA ’95, the dean of the Drama School and artistic director of the Yale Rep, and aims to curate a selection of shows that will appeal to an intercultural audience. 

According to Bundy, staff members at the Yale Rep work diligently, reading through shows and recommendations to find stories they think “will resonate meaningfully with audiences in New Haven and at Yale.” 

The Yale Rep also has access to produce commissioned pieces that are in development through the Binger Center for New Theatre, a program of the Yale Rep and the Drama School. The Binger Center is financed by a $18 million gift from businessman and theater owner James Binger ’38 and his philanthropic organization, the Robina Foundation. 

The Binger Center offers financial support, in the form of commissions to writers, as well as development workshops that provide a stage for the works. 

The upcoming spring season show “Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board Members” is one of many shows that were born at the Binger Center. 

Written by Mara Vélez Meléndez and directed by Javier Antonio González, the play centers on Lolita, a young Boricua trans woman who arrives at the Wall Street office of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board with a goal to take down its seven board members. 

Wrapped in drag and a killer sense of humor, “Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board Members” offers commentary on the unelected officials who make decisions on behalf of the people, as well as elected ones who appoint them, according to the Yale Rep website. 

The artists that work on Yale Rep productions include Drama School students, theater residents and externally hired creatives. Depending on the needs of the show, the people working on the production ranges, said Rodriguez.

“Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board Members” was created by Meléndez and González, two creatives who hail from Puerto Rico. In contrast, “The Inspector” — an adaptation of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s Russian play of the same name — is directed by Yura Kordonsky, who serves as the associate chair of the Directing program at the Drama School. 

According to professor Florie Seery — associate dean of the Drama School and managing director of the Yale Rep — the Yale Rep funds their shows through the operating budget of the Drama School in addition to donations and ticket sales. The “generosity of donors” and Yale’s artistic budget allows the Yale Rep to produce both renditions of historically beloved shows, as well as fund new and experimental pieces from up and coming creatives. 

In depth information on each of the shows can be found at the Yale Repertory Theatre’s website, with “Falcon Girls,” the first of the five show lineup,  premiering on Oct. 10, 2024.