Turnip Ensemble Theater in San Antonio Announces 2026-2027 Season, Residency, and Community Partnerships
Turnip Ensemble Theater is proud to announce its 2026–2027 season, marking a significant year of growth with a new residency at UT San Antonio, performances at The Josephine Theatre, and new funding support from the San Antonio Area Foundation. The season will feature a series of public programs culminating in the world premiere of “The Wild Swans” in April 2027.
Turnip Ensemble Theater continues its mission of creating accessible, collaborative, and innovative performance experiences rooted in devised and physical theater practices. The upcoming season invites the San Antonio community to engage in the creative process through free workshops, staged readings, and a fully realized production
"This is an exciting moment of growth for Turnip Ensemble Theater,” said Ruthie Buescher, artistic director of Turnip Ensemble. “With new partnerships, expanded educational programming, and a residency at UT San Antonio within UTSA Arts, we’re building a stronger foundation for original work like ‘The Wild Swans’ while continuing to make our process accessible to the community.”
2026–2027 Season Programming
The season begins with a Free Public Devising Workshop on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 2–4 p.m. at the McNutt Co-Lab at UT San Antonio Southwest Campus. This interactive workshop is open to the public and designed for participants of all experience levels to explore Turnip’s collaborative theater-making process.
In November, Turnip will present a staged reading of “Inheritance,” an original work-in-progress, with performances on Sunday, November 15 at 2 p.m. and Monday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m., also at the McNutt Co-Lab at UT San Antonio Southwest Campus.
The season culminates in the world premiere of “The Wild Swans,” running April 8–18, 2027, with 10 performances at The Josephine Theatre. This original production has been developed through Turnip’s signature devising process, incorporating movement, text, and ensemble collaboration.
New Residency with UTSA Arts
Turnip is launching a new partnership with UTSA Arts and will be operating as an in-residence theater ensemble. Their new home base, the McNutt Co-Lab, will serve to host ensemble devising sessions, rehearsals, productions, and community arts teaching programs. News of this was shared at the UTSA Arts season reveal party on Thursday, August 13. This collaboration will deepen Turnip’s commitment to arts education by offering inclusive, community-based workshops, productions, and classes that welcome participants with and without prior theater experience.
"We are thrilled to welcome Turnip Ensemble Theater as UTSA Arts' inaugural Ensemble in Residence,” said Emilie Amrein, Executive Director of UTSA Arts and Associate Dean of Community Engagement for UT San Antonio’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts. “Turnip’s commitment to devised theater reflects a belief that we share: the most meaningful artistic work emerges when people have the opportunity to shape and tell their own stories. I'm excited to see how this residency creates new opportunities for artists and community members to imagine, create, and learn from one another."
UTSA Arts is the university’s center for arts engagement. The center is a hub for connection, creativity, and imagination, supporting public arts programs, community collaborations, and research initiatives that create pathways for San Antonians to participate fully in the cultural and artistic life of our city.
Performances at The Josephine Theatre
Turnip Ensemble Theater’s performances at The Josephine Theatre also represents a major milestone for the organization. Through the support of the Majestic Empire Foundation, Turnip will have access to rehearsal and performance space, as well as technical and front-of-house resources.
These performances will position Turnip as a key contributor to the cultural vitality of the Tobin Hill neighborhood and the broader San Antonio arts ecosystem.
Funding Support
Turnip Ensemble Theater’s 2026–2027 season is supported in part by an $8,000 grant from the San Antonio Area Foundation, with $4,000 awarded in 2026 and the remaining funds to be distributed in 2027 to support general operating expenses. This grant is from the following funds:
John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation
Beulah M. and Felix J. Katz Memorial Trust
M&M Keighley Fund
Ruth Lang Charitable Fund
E. B. Loch Charitable Fund
Dan and Gloria Oppenheimer Fund
Frances Margaret Seaver Fund
Valley View Trust
Becky "Beck" Whitehead Memorial Fund
of the San Antonio Area Foundation.
“Every one of our grantees is actively closing opportunity gaps in our community," said Ryan Lugalia-Hollon, the Area Foundation's Chief Impact Officer. "We are proud to support their extraordinary work.”
About Ruthie Buescher, Artistic Director
Turnip Ensemble Theater consists of an ensemble of 11 local theater makers, led by Artistic Director Ruthie Buescher, who holds an M.A. in Educational Theatre from NYU Steinhardt with a focus on devised and physical theater. Buescher has worked with Company One Theatre (Boston), Pittsburgh Public Theater, and City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, and has served as a playwriting artist-in-residence at Harrison Center for the Arts (Indiana) and Grunewald Guild (Washington).
Locally, she has collaborated with Magik Theatre, San Pedro Playhouse, and the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. Her work emphasizes creating inclusive spaces that are welcoming to newcomers and engaging to experienced artists.
Turnip Ensemble Theater is a nonprofit company dedicated to fostering physical and devised theater in San Antonio and South Texas. Turnip provides access to diverse methodologies and educational opportunities for performers, theater makers, and non-actors, emphasizing community engagement, accessibility, and innovative storytelling. Since its founding in 2022, Turnip has presented original productions and workshops that cultivate ensemble-based theater, engaging audiences and artists alike in experimental and collaborative storytelling. Turnip is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations can be made at: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/support-turnip-ensemble-theater. For more information, please visit https://www.turniptheater.com.