Bridge Street Theatre to present ‘The Lisbon Traviata’

CATSKILL—Bridge Street Theatre is proud to present Terrence McNally's acclaimed drama The Lisbon Traviata, running August 6–16, 2026.

Set in Manhattan at the height of the AIDS crisis, The Lisbon Traviata follows four gay men navigating love, friendship, jealousy, and loss as the epidemic reshapes their lives. Funny, devastating, and deeply human, McNally's acclaimed drama reveals how our deepest passions can both unite us and drive us apart.

Bridge Street Theatre's production is directed and designed by John Sowle and stars Jeff Brackett as Mike, Timothy Dunn as Mendy, M. Damon Hawkins as Paul, and Michael Raver as Stephen.

"I've wanted to direct The Lisbon Traviata for nearly four decades," says Director John Sowle. "McNally understood that the things we love—opera, theatre, art—become the language through which we express friendship, longing, heartbreak, and joy. That's what makes this play feel as vital today as it did when it premiered."

First produced Off-Broadway in 1989, The Lisbon Traviata is widely regarded as one of McNally's defining works. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, the play remains a powerful portrait of love, friendship, identity, and the enduring role of art in helping us understand ourselves and one another.

Performances run Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., August 6–16.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students and available now at bridgest.org.