MCC Theater sets 2027 Off Broadway world premiere for stage musical adaptation of “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”

MCC Theater announced on June 18, 2026 that it will present a stage musical based on the 1991 Peter Hedges novel “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” with a world premiere planned for Off Broadway in 2027. The announcement marks the latest theatrical transformation of a work that has already moved between literary and screen formats more than once.

Hedges’ novel was adapted by director Lasse Hallström into the 1993 film “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” which became a hit and starred Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Juliette Lewis. The new stage version follows the story into the live performance arena, with the Off Broadway premiere positioned for the next calendar year.

The project is being produced under the auspices of MCC Theater, which did not limit the announcement to a small workshop presentation in the public notice. Instead, the company framed the effort as a world premiere, indicating that the production is intended to debut on its stage before any later runs or remounts.

While the announcement establishes the production’s venue and premiere timing, it does not, in the publicly provided materials here, specify additional creative details such as the show’s musical and lyric team, casting, or performance schedule within the 2027 window.

As with many Off Broadway openings, the world premiere also sets in motion downstream planning for the theater district, including publicity timelines, ticketing, and contracting typical of productions scheduled months in advance. For artists and production staff, an announced premiere date can affect hiring timelines and availability as rehearsal planning and production budgeting move forward.

For audiences, a 2027 premiere offers a further path to engage with a familiar IP that previously reached popular audiences through the 1993 film starring Depp, DiCaprio, and Lewis. The transition to a stage musical format may also shape what viewers expect in terms of pacing and storytelling, as the work shifts from screen performances to live staging.

MCC Theater’s announcement does not include any additional public next steps in the materials provided here, such as when auditions, casting updates, or creative team confirmations will be released. For now, the key established points are the 2027 Off Broadway world premiere and MCC Theater’s role in bringing the adaptation to the stage.

The production’s development will be tracked through further announcements tied to casting and creative appointments, alongside customary Off Broadway reporting closer to opening, as the theater company prepares to debut the new musical in 2027.