Ken Ludwig's Moriarty Set to Open June 20
VIRGINIA THEATRE FESTIVAL TO KICK OFF 52ND SEASON WITH KEN LUDWIG’S MORIARTY
MYSTERY, MELODRAMA, AND ADVENTURE TAKE CENTER STAGE IN HIGHLY INVENTIVE AND ENGAGING TAKE ON CLASSIC TALES FEATURING WORLD’S FAVORITE DETECTIVE SHERLOCK HOLMES
Opening June 20 at Ruth Caplin Theatre
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Tuesday, June 9, 2026 – The Virginia Theatre Festival kicks off its 52nd season by showcasing the literary world’s most famous detective as you have never seen him before in Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure, performed in the Ruth Caplin Theatre from June 20-28.
Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty mixes mystery, melodrama, and adventure in a story that features international intrigue, blackmail, spies, and more in a world where danger and laughter lurk around every corner. Ludwig, a Tony Award-winner, centers this story around a trove of love letters stolen from the King of Bohemia that risk an epic blackmail scandal with grave international implications. Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Doctor Watson, join forces with American actress Irene Adler to square off against Holmes’ nemesis, Professor James Moriarity, and his network of criminal masterminds.
Noted theater and television director Nicolas Minas, who is returning to VTF after helming the acclaimed 2024 production of The 39 Steps, directs a nimble and talented cast of five actors who portray up to 20 characters while telling a story that pits good and evil in what becomes, he said, “a battle for the soul of our society.”
Despite these lofty stakes, Minas is quick to point out that Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty audiences are in for a roaring good time – a fact encapsulated in a comment from a cast member during the first week of rehearsals. “Samuel Taylor, who is playing Watson, said, ‘Oh, this is at the speed of fun’,” Minas shared. “That captures the show perfectly. It has romance, it has comedy, it is a thriller…the show is so many things packed into one story and our job is to capture all of that. That is the true joy of it.”
The high bar of presenting this complex world onstage is a big part of the appeal for Minas. “I love having stories that feel impossible,” Minas said. “This is the kind of story where anything can happen in your mind, and we are working with an incredible team of designers, actors, and theatre artists to build out the vision and make these many locations happen, to move these actors through the story at lightning speed, and to amp up a story that heads to a thrilling conclusion.”
Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty, Minas said, has a unique appeal to Sherlock Holmes fans as well as those who might be discovering the ultimate whodunit’s stories for the first time. “I think Holmes fans will have a great time and recognize certain things that are familiar while seeing how Ken Ludwig has cheekily changed things they might have a connection to, and those with little or no connection will have a great time at the theatre because this is a really good and really fun introduction that highlights the joy of making theatre. When you see something like this you sit there and wonder, ‘How on earth are they going to tell this story?’ Then you watch it all happen right in front of you!”
Taking on a piece with so many moving parts takes serious care and preparation, Minas said. “A play is like a clock. There are so many different gears and parts that make it work, and when one of those things is out of place, the whole thing can fall apart. That is the process we are exploring now.”
Even more important, Minas added, is that while you are busy finding the right fit for all these pieces, you never lose sight of the ultimate goal of sharing this story with our audience. “At the heart of this story is the power of partnership and what happens when people come together to fight something or someone who is wronging them – and in this case to ensure that good wins over evil.”
Casting by Katja Zarolinski, CSA.
The Virginia Theatre Festival is a program of the University of Virginia, with support from the Office of the Provost, Vice Provost for the Arts, College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Drama, and The Caplin Foundation.
The 2026 Virginia Theatre Festival season is supported by a generous grant from The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation. VTF’s production of Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty is presented by Charlottesville Media Group, The Parker Group at Morgan Stanley, and Virginia Cenedella.
VTF’s 2026 Season will also include Disney’s Newsies (July 9-19 in the Culbreth Theatre) and Frida…A Self Portrait (July 23-26 in the Ruth Caplin Theatre). Tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now. Volunteer opportunities are also available this summer, and you can view more information on how to sign up here.
VTF donors provide essential support to the organization, while enjoying exclusive benefits like complimentary tickets, invitations to special events, behind-the-scenes access, and more. For more information on ways to support the upcoming season, visit virginiatheatrefestival.org/support.
To learn more about the Virginia Theatre Festival and its 2026 season, visit virginiatheatrefestival.org.
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